A week after logging my second 50 miler, I am still struck by how different two equal elements can be from each other. A quick glance of each run would indicate some striking similarities: Both were 50 miles in length, they both climbed just shy of 10,000 feet, both were in California, and both were hard! Outside of these somewhat overly generic similarities the comparison goes in a very different direction. As I previously wrote about, the first 50 was a race and a solo effort. The second time for that distance was not solo, and I wasn't racing. Which has, even me asking, one simple thing, why?
Over the weekend of July 16 and 17, I paced my buddy, Jason, for the final 50 miles of the Tahoe Rim Trail 100. It was his first 100 and my first experience with a long night-time pacing duty. I picked up Jason at the 50 mile mark at about 4:30 on Saturday afternoon. He was tired and in need of some calories, but for the most part ready to go. We took off at a "2nd 50 mile" pace and settled into joking conversation and good forward progress. It soon dawned on my what I had actually signed up for. I was not only going to need to look after myself but I was also going to have to keep tabs on someone else who was getting more and more tired and punch drunk with each mile. We made in through the first big climb and first couple aid stations in good time, spirit and condition. After our first trip through the Tunnel Creek Aid Station we headed out on the Red House loop. This included a pretty awesome drop in altitude and then the climb back up. Our goal was to complete this loop prior to the night turning dark. Although I symbolically held off turning on my headlamp until we returned to Tunnel Creek Aid Station, it was clear that this stretch really began our long night of running. From Tunnel Creek we continued out the Diamond Peak Loop. Here I became the brain for someone else. By the time we finished the drop down to Diamond Peak lodge, it was clear, I was the only one eating on this run. Getting calories into Jason turned into my primary focus. The flip side of this was that I was not nearly as aware of the steep climb as I may have otherwise been. I was shocked to see how Jason responded to some food! Getting some calories down and then the climb behind us, we were running again and running well! I detailed a very strict nutritional plan for him for each aid station. Back at Tunnel Creek, we had 18 to go, seemed like we were almost home. In retrospect, 18 to go is nowhere near home! Jason stuck firm to the nutritional plan, I only failed at not including a hydration component to his plan. This wouldn't catch up with him until post race, although it is clear that in the last miles the failure to keep both food and water coming in took a toll on both of us. With about 8 miles to go we were witnesses to a spectacular sunrise shedding light and a new day on the Lake Tahoe Basin. Even fatigued, this event did not go unnoticed, we both stopped and took it all in...in a word - spectacular. Feeling a bit small in the cosmic sense of it all we dropped off of Snow Peak and headed for home, in the daylight again. No one came by us, we never really stopped to rest, but there wasn't much talking and it was clear finishing was all that either of us really had in mind. And with that we finished. For my runner, his first 100, a top 20 finish, a really cool belt buckle, and a need to rehydrate. For me...well that is the odd part, we crossed the line and after logging 50 miles I kinda wondered off and headed for home. How odd? That need/desire/obligation to finish my duties pushed me to get Jason a chair, some food, and liquids. He had some family there and after a bit, it was clear my job was done. So, I drove home. It was kind of surreal to have run so far and not have it be in connection with another result or even a race shirt. It was a great experience and a great event. Driving home it felt like I had just been out for a training run. When I got home and tried to get out of the car, it was clear this had been a bit more than a training run. But what it was exactly, well I am still working on that. Needless to say, I got some miles in, which is always good.
To get back to my initial question: Why?
The simple answer was that Jason needed a pacer and I knew I could do the distance. But that would be only a partial truth. I am still fascinated by getting out there and doing it, whatever "it" may be. It hurt, actually hurt a lot, but it felt really good to ask the body and mind to perform and have them do such. So why do it? I don't really know other than to say, I am more interested in trying to do it than to stay and home and wonder what it would be like. I don't think there is a balance out there, instead I think the scale is more of a teeter-totter going back and forth, keep it going but don't fall off!
One foot in front of the other, repeat
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