It's now been a full week since I've completed the 2-day, 48 mile run south from Concord, NH to Tyngsboro, MA. This past week has brought all sorts of feelings, both physical and emotional, and I still haven't understood what I accomplished.
I've always been a fan of when good news/bad news is going to happen, start with the bad because you can look forward to the good.
The bad
There's really not much bad to report. I had some serious muscle pains, which went away by mid-week. Those were expected, and well, hysterical to those people who watched me walk around. I took the elevator at school and just generally hobbled.
The pain I felt in my foot is 90% gone, but it still lingers a bit. That means that I'm going to need to go to the doctor and probably get an X-ray to determine if there's some sort of hairline fracture. I'm thinking good thoughts, but I'm at least aware that the news may not be great.
Now to the good
One of the things that has given me the most personal satisfaction is that this run has inspired others. We talked more about running and fitness and people are getting out and becoming more active. People that didn't run before are running now and people who ran recreationally are now kicking up the miles.
Because this got some press at school, I've started to talk to people about what they can accomplish personally to get into better shape. It's been incredibly fulfilling and a wonderful side effect of this run. I talked about this more here.
It was great spending time with friends in pursuit of this journey. Liz, Karl, Jim and Eric all played an in-person part in this journey, logging miles next to me. They offered encouragement when I needed it and we talked about anything and everything. I simply could not have done it without them, and I am eternally grateful for their help, guidance, encouragement and support.
I originally thought about this run in July (while running) and it's been on my mind literally every day since. And since it was a self-created race, I had to be run it physically and run it logistically. I had to find runners, map the course, determine time lines, provide directions, promote the event, etc. It was a logistical nightmare that took an inordinate amount of planning to make it happen. The fact that I didn't screw it up too much is quite an accomplishment for me.
The biggest thing for me, though, is the sense of accomplishment. I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, but the reality of this challenge started to scare me. I had run 26.2 miles before, but this was almost double that distance. I felt like I could finish it, but I wasn't positive.
When I finished the run last Sunday, I felt a level of emotion that I don't think I could ever properly describe. It was a feeling of elation, of a huge weight being lifted off of my shoulders, but mostly, it was a feeling that I could do anything. 48 miles represented more mileage in two days that I had run in a full week (by quite a margin). It was crazy, but I did it. I would have cried if I could have, but I think all of the tear ducts had dried up at that point.
48 miles in 48 hours represented the single biggest physical accomplishment to date for me. I proved to myself that I could do whatever I wanted to do. I don't feel like I need to prove anything to anyone at this point, much less myself. The comfort and serenity from that feeling is immeasurable.
Finally, I want to thank all of you for your support. The emails, comments and discussions were incredibly helpful and meant the world to me. I feel very blessed to be in a community like this. Together we can do whatever we want!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Total miles completed
I previously posted about my numbers on the run (how many calories did I burn, how long did it take me, etc.). But I wanted to include those numbers of the people who ran with me, both in person and virtually.
In-person miles as part of the run:
Me: 48
Liz: 10
Karl: 22
Eric: 8
Jim: 8
-----------
96 miles
Miles run virtually:
Runner Gal Leana: 13.7
Mission to a(nother) Marathon Marlene: 6.2
AddictedtoEndorphins, a friend of Marlene's: 13.1
I Run for my Life, Susan: 1.5
-----------
34.5 miles
Total miles in support of 48 Miles in 48 Hours: 130.5 miles
In-person miles as part of the run:
Me: 48
Liz: 10
Karl: 22
Eric: 8
Jim: 8
-----------
96 miles
Miles run virtually:
Runner Gal Leana: 13.7
Mission to a(nother) Marathon Marlene: 6.2
AddictedtoEndorphins, a friend of Marlene's: 13.1
I Run for my Life, Susan: 1.5
-----------
34.5 miles
Total miles in support of 48 Miles in 48 Hours: 130.5 miles
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Post Race Report - Lessons Learned
Yesterday, I talked about what went well.Today, I'm talking about what didn't go so well during the 2-day run last weekend.
Lessons Learned
Gatorade
While I did train with Gatorade, I didn't train with Gatorade right out of the bottles. I had always mixed it at home and I have the feeling that my home mix was diluted a bit. The stuff from the bottles was not. I used the bottles to fill my back pack and then consumed some afterward to replenish my electrolytes.
While I felt good after the first couple of segments, my stomach absolutely ached after the first day. I had too much sugar and my body wasn't ready for it. For the most part, the only sugar I have is natural sugar, like what's found in fruits and vegetables, so I wasn't used to this much on one day.
My upset stomach on day 2 caused serious problems. I couldn't eat much for breakfast because my stomach was upset and I didn't want to get sick. I didn't have much in between 4 and 5 for the same reason. This means that I didn't have enough calories to keep going, but I also couldn't eat too much because I would get sick.
It wasn't until we finally stopped at a Dunkin Donuts and I got two bagels that I finally started to feel like myself. I think I was a bit grouchy and listless prior to that, but those bagels were just what I needed to keep myself together.
Reverse the route
In retrospect, I probably should have started south in Nashua and gone north toward my home in Concord. That would have provided a couple of advantages.
Another tough part was the lack of time between segments to rest. I don't know if it could have been helped (except maybe by reversing the route, noted above). It was just tough to only be home for 45 minutes at the most before having to leave again. In some cases, I was only home for 15 minutes before I had to change and go again.
The aftermath
I got home around 6:30 on Sunday evening and immediately showered. After plopping down on the couch for a couple of minutes, I ordered a meat lover's pizza from the local place. I picked it up and had my first beer in a week. It tasted good, but I just couldn't have much because my stomach was still upset.
I spent most of Sunday stumbling around, which continued through the early part of the week. I had the typical quad, hamstring, calf soreness, but I also had the problem with the outside of my foot that I discovered during segment 5/6. I'm hoping that I don't have a fracture, but it's been feeling better over the last couple of days, so I'm thinking not.
I definitely believe that my running shoes gave out. As soon as I'm functional, I'm going to the running store to get them replaced. I've got a half-marathon scheduled for two weeks from now, but I'll play that by ear based on how I feel. No need to prove anything to anyone, especially myself after this crazy run.
Lessons Learned
Gatorade
While I did train with Gatorade, I didn't train with Gatorade right out of the bottles. I had always mixed it at home and I have the feeling that my home mix was diluted a bit. The stuff from the bottles was not. I used the bottles to fill my back pack and then consumed some afterward to replenish my electrolytes.
While I felt good after the first couple of segments, my stomach absolutely ached after the first day. I had too much sugar and my body wasn't ready for it. For the most part, the only sugar I have is natural sugar, like what's found in fruits and vegetables, so I wasn't used to this much on one day.
My upset stomach on day 2 caused serious problems. I couldn't eat much for breakfast because my stomach was upset and I didn't want to get sick. I didn't have much in between 4 and 5 for the same reason. This means that I didn't have enough calories to keep going, but I also couldn't eat too much because I would get sick.
It wasn't until we finally stopped at a Dunkin Donuts and I got two bagels that I finally started to feel like myself. I think I was a bit grouchy and listless prior to that, but those bagels were just what I needed to keep myself together.
Reverse the route
In retrospect, I probably should have started south in Nashua and gone north toward my home in Concord. That would have provided a couple of advantages.
- I would have been closer to home when I was more tired near the end. That would have given me extra rest time.
- I could have stayed with a friend in Nashua which would have lessened the travel time early on.
- Friends could have met me in Concord and we could have all run the last mile or two. It would have been neat to have more than just one person around when I finished.
Another tough part was the lack of time between segments to rest. I don't know if it could have been helped (except maybe by reversing the route, noted above). It was just tough to only be home for 45 minutes at the most before having to leave again. In some cases, I was only home for 15 minutes before I had to change and go again.
The aftermath
I got home around 6:30 on Sunday evening and immediately showered. After plopping down on the couch for a couple of minutes, I ordered a meat lover's pizza from the local place. I picked it up and had my first beer in a week. It tasted good, but I just couldn't have much because my stomach was still upset.
I spent most of Sunday stumbling around, which continued through the early part of the week. I had the typical quad, hamstring, calf soreness, but I also had the problem with the outside of my foot that I discovered during segment 5/6. I'm hoping that I don't have a fracture, but it's been feeling better over the last couple of days, so I'm thinking not.
I definitely believe that my running shoes gave out. As soon as I'm functional, I'm going to the running store to get them replaced. I've got a half-marathon scheduled for two weeks from now, but I'll play that by ear based on how I feel. No need to prove anything to anyone, especially myself after this crazy run.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Post Race Report - What went well
It's hard to imagine that a week ago I was going through final preparations for the 48 Mile run that I did last weekend. At the time, I was telling people about how scared I was that I had made a mistake and how worried I was that I wouldn't be able to finish. Those turned out to be valid concerns, but by the time I got up early on Saturday morning, most of them were gone.
I wouldn't be doing my job as a runner blogger if I didn't provide my lessons learned for those of you who want to try something like this.
What went well
I've previously talked about the individual segments and how I fared on each one. I had originally planned for 6 8-mile segments, but that turned out not to be as realistic as I originally thought. It ended up working out, though, as I used some of the energy I had earlier in the weekend to get more miles in.
We decided to run farther than the 8 scheduled miles as long as I felt good. And, for the first couple of segments, I felt great. We finished 10 in segment 1, 9 in segment 2 and a little over 8 in segment 3, giving me over 27 after the first day. It was a great feeling going home after the first day knowing that I had less to do in day 2 than I had already done in day 1.
Twitter
I've never been a huge fan of Twitter or other status update web sites, but I found that it worked perfectly for this occasion. At the beginning and end of each run, I'd let people know where I was and how I finished. All I had to do was send a text message of 140 characters (or less) which would then populate my profile.
This proved to be one of the best ways for people to keep up with me and make sure I was OK and not lying on the side of the road. Family and friends kept the page up all weekend and refreshed it to stay aware. It also allowed them to send me text messages of encouragement when I finished, which were VERY welcomed.
Twitter also allows me to now remember different parts of the two-day race so that I can discuss it later. It keeps records of how I finished and when I was struggling. If I do something like this again, I'll be all over Twitter. Finally, with Twitter, I had the ability to link it with my Facebook status so that others at school could stay current.
Running with others
Although I train by myself, I absolutely could not have completed this race without other people running with me. We stayed conversational the whole time and they ran my pace, walked with me, etc. and just generally made sure that I was OK.
My friend, Karl, was especially good with me in segment 5/6. Had he not been there, I likely would have quit. We were able to talk about lots of different things to ensure that my brain continued to function.
Mile dedications
Like I did for my marathon, I did mile dedications for each of the 48 miles. This time, I dedicated miles to those people who were either currently fighting their battle with cancer or had lost their battle. Their strength, patience and determination helped me through when times were getting tough.
Charity
Related to the mile dedications, it inspired me to run to benefit the American Cancer Society. So many people have been affected by this terrible disease that it helped to have a strong cause behind me. If you're interested in donating, the link is still active here.
The back pack
I used The North Face Thresher as my back pack of choice for the race. It holds about 70 ounces of water and has enough room for a cell phone, wallet, gels and some other things. I found it to be very light weight and comfortable throughout the entire race.
Consistent weight
I tried to be conscious of my weight during this race so that I didn't lose too much. It turns out that I gained a pound in between segment one and two but ended up losing 2 at the end to bring me back to a net of -1 pound. That seems a bit odd since I burned 6,500 calories, but I guess that was an indication that I was at least eating enough to keep my weight up.
Tomorrow, I'll walk through what didn't go so well.
I wouldn't be doing my job as a runner blogger if I didn't provide my lessons learned for those of you who want to try something like this.
What went well
I've previously talked about the individual segments and how I fared on each one. I had originally planned for 6 8-mile segments, but that turned out not to be as realistic as I originally thought. It ended up working out, though, as I used some of the energy I had earlier in the weekend to get more miles in.
We decided to run farther than the 8 scheduled miles as long as I felt good. And, for the first couple of segments, I felt great. We finished 10 in segment 1, 9 in segment 2 and a little over 8 in segment 3, giving me over 27 after the first day. It was a great feeling going home after the first day knowing that I had less to do in day 2 than I had already done in day 1.
I've never been a huge fan of Twitter or other status update web sites, but I found that it worked perfectly for this occasion. At the beginning and end of each run, I'd let people know where I was and how I finished. All I had to do was send a text message of 140 characters (or less) which would then populate my profile.
This proved to be one of the best ways for people to keep up with me and make sure I was OK and not lying on the side of the road. Family and friends kept the page up all weekend and refreshed it to stay aware. It also allowed them to send me text messages of encouragement when I finished, which were VERY welcomed.
Twitter also allows me to now remember different parts of the two-day race so that I can discuss it later. It keeps records of how I finished and when I was struggling. If I do something like this again, I'll be all over Twitter. Finally, with Twitter, I had the ability to link it with my Facebook status so that others at school could stay current.
Running with others
Although I train by myself, I absolutely could not have completed this race without other people running with me. We stayed conversational the whole time and they ran my pace, walked with me, etc. and just generally made sure that I was OK.
My friend, Karl, was especially good with me in segment 5/6. Had he not been there, I likely would have quit. We were able to talk about lots of different things to ensure that my brain continued to function.
Mile dedications
Like I did for my marathon, I did mile dedications for each of the 48 miles. This time, I dedicated miles to those people who were either currently fighting their battle with cancer or had lost their battle. Their strength, patience and determination helped me through when times were getting tough.
Charity
Related to the mile dedications, it inspired me to run to benefit the American Cancer Society. So many people have been affected by this terrible disease that it helped to have a strong cause behind me. If you're interested in donating, the link is still active here.
The back pack
I used The North Face Thresher as my back pack of choice for the race. It holds about 70 ounces of water and has enough room for a cell phone, wallet, gels and some other things. I found it to be very light weight and comfortable throughout the entire race.
Consistent weight
I tried to be conscious of my weight during this race so that I didn't lose too much. It turns out that I gained a pound in between segment one and two but ended up losing 2 at the end to bring me back to a net of -1 pound. That seems a bit odd since I burned 6,500 calories, but I guess that was an indication that I was at least eating enough to keep my weight up.
Tomorrow, I'll walk through what didn't go so well.
48 Miles by the numbers
At the end of the 2-day period, I burned 6,544 calories and ran 48 miles in 8:34:05. Six segments turned into five segments when I decided that I couldn't stop to rest and just had to finish the whole thing.
As you can see, the average pace per mile went up significantly as the days and segments went on. I was doing a respectable pace in the first two segments, and could even call the third segment respectable. As I got into the fourth segment (1st segment on the second day), I had to walk a bit more.
The 5th/6th segment consisted of mostly walking. The amazing part is that I still averaged under a 15-minute mile for that segment. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that I tried to run as much as possible in the last 2 miles... simply to be done.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Pictures from the insanity
This will be framed.
The map from Concord to Tyngsboro, MA
My face the way I really felt at the end
Never underestimate my ability to fake a smile after 48 miles. This is a look of amazement.Segment 5/6: 12.65 miles
Well, segment 5 turned into segment 5 and segment 6 because I was in too much pain to stop and didn't think that it would help me at all to rest and then start again. Plus, after finishing 8 miles, I would have only had 5 miles left to go. That, and I'd need to go through the whole rigamarole (it's a word) of dropping that person off and re-driving the road with the next person to join me. Trust me: it's not worth it.
Anyway, this was by far the most brutal segment(s) of the run, as I expected it would be. First, I was obviously tired from the previous 35 miles, as one might expect. I only had about 45 minutes at home to shower/relax before heading out and my electrolytes were still way off. I was having stomach problems from the massive amounts of Gatorade I had consumed on Saturday. In other words, I was quite a mess.
Karl, bless him, was about as patient as could be. We started running the flat parts and then walking up the hills. That VERY quickly turned into walking the flat parts, the downhills and the uphills. I was obviously sore but wasn't feeling fatigued. However, my new problem was that the outside of my left foot was starting to throb. And I mean, T-H-R-O-B.
I hadn't eaten much that day because I was still having stomach problems. That's an issue because I obviously need food, even on days when I'm not running 24 miles. But I didn't want to get sick, so I had been conservative. The find of the day? Bagels at Dunkin' Donuts. Man, I had two sesame seed bagels, and instantly my brain started to work again and I started to perk up. I clearly needed carbs.
So we did a lot of walking through downtown Nashua, which was pretty but filled with stoplights. I was having time where I felt bad and times where I felt better. Karl just continued to talk to me and make sure I was OK. I was really concerned that my mind wasn't working well and didn't want to run into problems. We talked about sports, law school--pretty much anything to keep my mind occupied and working.
After going through Nashua and into a quiet neighborhood, we finally got back out onto the main shopping district. We were walking slow and I was starting to get really frustrated... really frustrated. I was ready for this to be over, especially at mile 42 when it seemed like we had been walking forever and not getting anywhere.
We had to walk 2 more miles to the car, which would have gotten us to 44 miles. At that point, there was no way I was going to stop. We walked another 2 miles toward Massachusetts, eventually walking just barely into Tyngsboro, MA and passed the Pheasant Lane Mall.
Once we hit 46 miles and turned around to make the last 2 back to the car, I told myself that I needed to run. So I started to run to the stoplight and stop. Then to the green sign above the road. Still feel OK? Now on to the next stop sign. And then the light. And I continued and continued and continued. We finally got back to the car, but we still had another .5 miles to go.
It was in an apartment complex so we just decided to run around the apartments to get the last half mile in. We timed it perfectly to get back to the car right at 48 miles. I was determined not to move a step farther. It worked. We finished, high-fived, took a couple pictures and then high-tailed it out of there. I was going home.
Pictures, statistics, and what went well/lessons learned to follow.
Anyway, this was by far the most brutal segment(s) of the run, as I expected it would be. First, I was obviously tired from the previous 35 miles, as one might expect. I only had about 45 minutes at home to shower/relax before heading out and my electrolytes were still way off. I was having stomach problems from the massive amounts of Gatorade I had consumed on Saturday. In other words, I was quite a mess.
Karl, bless him, was about as patient as could be. We started running the flat parts and then walking up the hills. That VERY quickly turned into walking the flat parts, the downhills and the uphills. I was obviously sore but wasn't feeling fatigued. However, my new problem was that the outside of my left foot was starting to throb. And I mean, T-H-R-O-B.
I hadn't eaten much that day because I was still having stomach problems. That's an issue because I obviously need food, even on days when I'm not running 24 miles. But I didn't want to get sick, so I had been conservative. The find of the day? Bagels at Dunkin' Donuts. Man, I had two sesame seed bagels, and instantly my brain started to work again and I started to perk up. I clearly needed carbs.
So we did a lot of walking through downtown Nashua, which was pretty but filled with stoplights. I was having time where I felt bad and times where I felt better. Karl just continued to talk to me and make sure I was OK. I was really concerned that my mind wasn't working well and didn't want to run into problems. We talked about sports, law school--pretty much anything to keep my mind occupied and working.
After going through Nashua and into a quiet neighborhood, we finally got back out onto the main shopping district. We were walking slow and I was starting to get really frustrated... really frustrated. I was ready for this to be over, especially at mile 42 when it seemed like we had been walking forever and not getting anywhere.
We had to walk 2 more miles to the car, which would have gotten us to 44 miles. At that point, there was no way I was going to stop. We walked another 2 miles toward Massachusetts, eventually walking just barely into Tyngsboro, MA and passed the Pheasant Lane Mall.
Once we hit 46 miles and turned around to make the last 2 back to the car, I told myself that I needed to run. So I started to run to the stoplight and stop. Then to the green sign above the road. Still feel OK? Now on to the next stop sign. And then the light. And I continued and continued and continued. We finally got back to the car, but we still had another .5 miles to go.
It was in an apartment complex so we just decided to run around the apartments to get the last half mile in. We timed it perfectly to get back to the car right at 48 miles. I was determined not to move a step farther. It worked. We finished, high-fived, took a couple pictures and then high-tailed it out of there. I was going home.
Pictures, statistics, and what went well/lessons learned to follow.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
DONE!
I finished this sucker at 8 hours, 34 minutes and 5 seconds. Segment 5/6 and race report to follow. Now I'm off to find the greasiest pizza I can.
Segment 4: 8 miles
When we started, it was close to 30 degrees. We went through downtown Manchester, which is actually segment 3, since I messed up the directions for the run the night before. It was quiet at 7:30 AM and very peaceful as we ran through what is typically a very busy part of the city.
While I didn't keep a blazing pace, I felt pretty good about the time. My friend, Eric, was with me and was very patient as we walked up a couple of hills.
It took me about 1:26 to go 8 miles this time. I've got multiple blisters and my calves continue to burn. The good news is that I'm more than 35 miles in, so after this next segment, I'll have less than 5 to go.
Remember when I said this was starting to get fun? Well now I'm getting ready for this to be over...
While I didn't keep a blazing pace, I felt pretty good about the time. My friend, Eric, was with me and was very patient as we walked up a couple of hills.
It took me about 1:26 to go 8 miles this time. I've got multiple blisters and my calves continue to burn. The good news is that I'm more than 35 miles in, so after this next segment, I'll have less than 5 to go.
Remember when I said this was starting to get fun? Well now I'm getting ready for this to be over...
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Segment 3: 8.18 miles
I completed segment 3 this afternoon/early evening. I didn't get the directions right, so it was more like segment 4, but whatever. I did 8.18 miles in 1:18. I had to walk 2 or 3 times and my calves were burning.
I iced everything down tonight and tried to replenish some of the 4,200 calories (give or take) I burned today.
On a related note, I had too much Gatorade today. My stomach hurts from the sugar and I've been taking Tums/Pepto since I got home. I'm on water only tomorrow, with perhaps a little Gatorade here and there to replenish electrolytes.
I'm 27.2 miles in, so I've got a lighter day tomorrow, thank goodness. Off to sleep so I can get up in 6 hours and start this all over. Yikes.
I iced everything down tonight and tried to replenish some of the 4,200 calories (give or take) I burned today.
On a related note, I had too much Gatorade today. My stomach hurts from the sugar and I've been taking Tums/Pepto since I got home. I'm on water only tomorrow, with perhaps a little Gatorade here and there to replenish electrolytes.
I'm 27.2 miles in, so I've got a lighter day tomorrow, thank goodness. Off to sleep so I can get up in 6 hours and start this all over. Yikes.
Segment 2: 9 miles
I completed 9 miles for segment 2 from Allenstown to the beginning of Manchester. The next segment will be going through the heart of downtown Manchester, or ManchVegas, as the locals call it.
Can't write much as I only have 5 minutes at home before heading back out. This segment wasn't as hilly but there were considerably fewer sidewalks and a lot more traffic. My friend, Karl, and I ran this one and "muscled" out an extra mile at the end to make it an full 9.
On the way home, I ate my second turkey sandwich and my second PB&J for the day. 2 huge pieces of chicken and a piece of salmon tonight for dinner, along with some pasta. Saving the "beer carbs" for tomorrow when I'm done.
Total time so far: 2 hours, 48 minutes
Total distance: 19 miles
I'm off to segment 3. This is getting fun.
Can't write much as I only have 5 minutes at home before heading back out. This segment wasn't as hilly but there were considerably fewer sidewalks and a lot more traffic. My friend, Karl, and I ran this one and "muscled" out an extra mile at the end to make it an full 9.
On the way home, I ate my second turkey sandwich and my second PB&J for the day. 2 huge pieces of chicken and a piece of salmon tonight for dinner, along with some pasta. Saving the "beer carbs" for tomorrow when I'm done.
Total time so far: 2 hours, 48 minutes
Total distance: 19 miles
I'm off to segment 3. This is getting fun.
Segment 1: 10 miles
I just finished segment 1 which stretches from downtown Concord to Allenstown. My friend, Liz, and I decided to park the car 9 miles out because I wanted to have less to do on day 2. We ended up parking 9.3 miles away and then ran through a development to make it an even 10. We got back and she immediately went to run a 5K race that had been scheduled. That's hard core.
When we started, it was 32 degrees and quite cold. I decided to wear a long sleeve shirt and shorts. Good move on my part. My legs were cold initially but I warmed up quickly. This afternoon will be up in the 50s, so it'll be short-sleeve shirt weather.
It was a rather hilly 10 miles, but we ran it well and didn't go much above 8:30/mile with the exception of the beginning. Though we finished at 1:30 for 10 miles, so I guess we were exactly at 9 minute miles.
1 down, 5 to go.
When we started, it was 32 degrees and quite cold. I decided to wear a long sleeve shirt and shorts. Good move on my part. My legs were cold initially but I warmed up quickly. This afternoon will be up in the 50s, so it'll be short-sleeve shirt weather.
It was a rather hilly 10 miles, but we ran it well and didn't go much above 8:30/mile with the exception of the beginning. Though we finished at 1:30 for 10 miles, so I guess we were exactly at 9 minute miles.
1 down, 5 to go.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Following me tomorrow
As much as possible, I'll be updating this site at the end of each run. During each run, I'm going to try to use Twitter. You can follow my progress at www.twitter.com/gregalbert.
Wish me luck and I'll see you on the other side.
Wish me luck and I'll see you on the other side.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Two days from insanity/my last run
Two days from now I will have finished my first segment and will be traveling to my second segment. I expect the first day to be much easier because a) I wouldn't have logged as many miles and b) I'll be closer to home, so I can rest more in between.
I have now officially transitioned from prep and promotion to unbridled fear that I'm going to fail. I'm recognizing how insane this thing is going to be and I'm now a little worried that my body hasn't truly come to grips with it.
I'm worried about time in between runs, whether my stomach will get upset, even from food that I eat all the time. How will I feel in the second, much less the 5th or 6th segment? Ah, the trepidation phase of the run. My least favorite time.
That said, I'm about 20 minutes from my last run prior to the event this weekend. I haven't run since my half-marathon almost two weeks ago because I was nursing a bad back. I wanted to let my back heal and I knew that the extra two weeks of training weren't going to help me more than a healthy back would.
Wow. This thing is really going to happen.
I have now officially transitioned from prep and promotion to unbridled fear that I'm going to fail. I'm recognizing how insane this thing is going to be and I'm now a little worried that my body hasn't truly come to grips with it.
I'm worried about time in between runs, whether my stomach will get upset, even from food that I eat all the time. How will I feel in the second, much less the 5th or 6th segment? Ah, the trepidation phase of the run. My least favorite time.
That said, I'm about 20 minutes from my last run prior to the event this weekend. I haven't run since my half-marathon almost two weeks ago because I was nursing a bad back. I wanted to let my back heal and I knew that the extra two weeks of training weren't going to help me more than a healthy back would.
Wow. This thing is really going to happen.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Feature on CharityMile.com
Jen from CharityMile.com recently interviewed me for a story they were doing on my upcoming run this weekend. If you're not familiar with Charity Mile, they provide information for participants so they can raise more funds for their selected charities, get training tips, nutrition and race day equipment, information on upcoming events and more.
The article is here. Thanks for the shout-out, Jen!
The article is here. Thanks for the shout-out, Jen!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Call for runners this weekend
After months and months of planning, I'm finally doing the 48 Miles in 48 Hours run this weekend. I'm doing it to benefit the American Cancer Society.
I have people joining me live for 5 of the 6 segments (every one but the first segment), so I'll have company for most of the two days. I'm keeping track of their mileage and will add it to my total miles at the end of the weekend.
That said, I'm now looking for virtual runners to join me each day. I'd like as many people as possible to join me to make the total miles run as high as possible.
If you're planning to go for a run Saturday, Sunday or both in support of my race, please let me know and leave a comment on this page to tell me how far you've run (or are planning to run).
Thanks for your support!
I have people joining me live for 5 of the 6 segments (every one but the first segment), so I'll have company for most of the two days. I'm keeping track of their mileage and will add it to my total miles at the end of the weekend.
That said, I'm now looking for virtual runners to join me each day. I'd like as many people as possible to join me to make the total miles run as high as possible.
If you're planning to go for a run Saturday, Sunday or both in support of my race, please let me know and leave a comment on this page to tell me how far you've run (or are planning to run).
Thanks for your support!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
48 Mile Course Layout
I finally mapped out the 48 Miles in 48 Hours route on RunningAhead.com. The route takes me from the state house in Concord, NH to Tyngsboro, MA over a two-day period. The routes are in separate posts but grouped below.
Totals:
Distance: 48 miles
Time: 48 hours max
Elevation Gain: +1,748 ft
Elevation Loss: -1,862 ft
Elevation Net: -114
Totals:
Distance: 48 miles
Time: 48 hours max
Elevation Gain: +1,748 ft
Elevation Loss: -1,862 ft
Elevation Net: -114
Miles 41-48
The final segment! From the Green Meadow Golf Club, we continue down Route 4 and into Massachusetts! We pass the Pheasant Lane Mall on our way in. We eventually end in Tyngsboro, MA at the end of the 48 mile journey.Elevation Gain: +235 ft
Elevation Loss: -258 ft
Elevation Total: -23 ft
Total so far: -114 ft
The map can be viewed here.
Miles 33-40
We move from Merrimack through downtown Nashua down Main Street. We pass the Nashua Country Club and finish next to the Green Meadow Country Club.Elevation Gain: +308 ft
Elevation Loss: -286 ft
Elevation Total: -22 ft
Total so far: -91 ft
This map can be viewed here.
Miles 25-32
We start directly west of the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and continue down Route 3 toward Merrimack and Litchfield.Elevation Gain: +243 ft
Elevation Loss: -296 ft
Elevation Total: -53 ft
Total so far: -113 ft
The map can also be found here.
Miles 17-24
This segment takes me through downtown Manchester from Hooksett, along Route 3 and Elm Street. We'll pass the Verizon Wireless Center (and a good number of bars) as we continue through the heart of Manchester. This completes day 1.Elevation Gain: +182 ft
Elevation Loss: -333 ft
Elevation Total: -151 ft
Total so far: -60 ft
The map can also be viewed here.
Miles 9-16
Miles 9-16 continue on Route 3 through Hooksett, passing just west of the Bear Brook State Park.Elevation Gain: +357 ft
Elevation Loss: -311 ft
Elevation Total: +46 ft
Total so far: +91 ft
The map can be viewed here.
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