How far can I go?
That was really the underlying question I kept posing to myself as I considered this Big Ass Idea of 24 hours of movement. How far could I go? The answers and responses I got from my body and my mind were affirming, alarming and ultimately satisfying.
You never know what is going to happen on race day, is the axiom. So three days before the event when I got out of my car and my knee shot with pain, I wondered where that came from. The pain was decidedly along the IT band of my outside right knee and I did what I could to massage the knots away before I started on Saturday. But I have never had a knee problem before so thought is was just a fluke.
I started from a park holding my sons football tournament. Mistress drove off with my phone, so I had to run 13 miles to the house just to get it back. After a couple hours I made it there and said "Goodbye" again to the family and off I went. For those that have suffered IT band pain, there is a shared understanding of the sharp pain it delivers. It is right about now that it became a constant painful reminder with each footfall.
My first tactical error. The next segment of my route takes me to the state highway known as "Beeline". It is a predominant part of the Ironman Arizona bike course. But before I get there, I have to get there. And it was going to be a hot day. My route was supposed to take me along a rather nice residential road with prospects for food, water and ice about every mile. Unfortunately I ended up on a parallel road that was all commercial and no convenience stores. I ended up at the Beeline with only the hot fluids and food on my back with a daunting uphill run that would take me close to two hours to get through.
The Beeline is essentially a wide strip of highway cutting through the desert. There is no place to turn off. There is no place to cool off. There is no shade or shops. Up I went. And suffered. In complete honesty I texted to my a collection of training partners about half way up that I was a bit nauseous and feeling the effects of the heat. Right when I found my first shade under a low tree two pals, Andy and Mike, pulled up with a great care package of cool drinks, gels, electrolytes and root beer. They also delivered a thoughtful care package from some friends at Tribe Multisport full of endurance supplements.
Revived I continued onward and upward, finally making the turn off Beeline into Fountain Hills. I really wanted a baked potato from Wendys but they did not provide ice in the seating area which I had a greater concern for. So I continued on to a Circle K a bit further ahead. They had lots of ice but no hot food. This was becoming a run of managing inconveniences.
The sun setting and the headlamps out I worked my way out of Fountain Hills towards Scottsdale. There really is only one way, over a big hill with little to no sidewalk. I spent a lot of time running in hard gravel and for a short period in between the traffic in the landscape zone. This really did not help an already painful knee, but my feet held up well. I wish I had wore a stiffer running shoe.
At this point I wanted only two things, an icy coke at the McDonalds several miles down the road and a bench to sit down. If you include the time I had spent at the tournament walking around the football field and then my running, I had sat for about 20 minutes in 12 hours. With my first time bad knee I didn't want to just plop on the gravel or dirt for fear of cramping up or overextending the joint. So I kept moving.
At eleven hours into my 'run' I remembered I had an ACE wrap in my med kit and wrapped my knee which finally brought a bit of relief. But I wanted that icy coke at McDonalds I had visualized for hours. And maybe some really food as I had not had any real food other than what I carried. A small burger and salty fries. I was smacking my lips.
As I limped into the McDonalds lot, a girl was walking out and held the door for me. I didn't take the offer and walked thirty more feet to the main entrance. I saw a full drive thru line, people seated in the lobby and employees behind the counter. I pulled the door and it was locked. NO. The hours stated the lobby closed at 11:00pm. My watch said 11:02pm. Two minutes. I rapped on the door at the employee walking by. I am sure my disheveled appearance did not help me but he pointed to his watch and shrugged his shoulders. I could see food going out the drive up window. I really wanted that icy coke and some hot food. As there was also no outdoor seating, I sat on the edge of a large rock and felt really, really low. for several minutes. I had dreamed of walking in those doors for hours. Now now hot food, no icy coke, no a/c, no seat. Then moved on to the gas station down the road that provided some relief but still no hot food.
At this point I switched to a greenbelt with a great multi-purpose path. Lots of places to sit. It was quiet now, middle of the night. I finally took off my shoes, aired out my feet. Changed socks. Aside from my knee pain, I was hydrated, fed, awake, alert, in good spirits. My time was slowing but I was still on track.
At 15 hours my knee was really bothering me. It hurt. Those with IT problems can relate to the stabbing pain with each step. As I sat down on a bus bench it unexpectedly reclined back on me. The words, "This sucks," came from my mouth. I sat there dumbfounded for several seconds wondering if my words were describing the bench rolling back or the situation I was having with my knee. I had to be honest with myself and say it was my knee. Perhaps it was divine intervention but my dad called me a moment later asking how I was. That's when I pulled the plug. My parents we're up so they picked me up and took me home. I had gone 48 miles. I have never moved that far under my own two feet in that short a time. While not much to some, it was a long way for me.
In hind site I am not upset I didn't make the whole 24 hours. I really wanted to see how far I can go. On this day, I knew. Training should be fun and there is no sense in compounding an injury. I appreciate being pushed and pushing myself but ultimately if it's not fun, then I need to do something else. Like stop. I proved enough.
