The Barefoot Running Book - Jason Robillard [64]
Darkness fell sometime around the middle of the lap. I really don’t remember exactly when. We picked up our lights at the second aid station. I was using a Fenix handheld which has served me well. Most night runners prefer a headlamp, but I find the handheld provides better terrain recognition.
At some point, I was worried about being cold so I asked my crew to get my pants. I think they were surprised by my cotton pajama pants, plaid pattern and all. They went well with my Gap sweatshirt. After taking flak about my attire, I decided to temporarily forgo the pants. I would run in shorts the rest of the way.
That lap also saw the onset of my first knee pain when running down hills. I have a chronic patellar tendon injury from pitching baseballs and the injury sometimes flares up when running downhill for hours. While it severely slowed my downhill pace, it was manageable.
The mid-point aid station was absolutely fabulous at night and the volunteers were awesome. They gave me some sweet tea which provided an immediate boost. I also appreciated their support and reassurances that I looked great.
On the last leg of that lap, I stubbed my pinky toe on my right foot for the first time. It felt as if I had ripped it off, but it didn’t affect my gait and I was able to continue without breaking stride. I also felt the beginnings of a hotspot on the bottom of both heels where blisters would eventually form. This wasn’t a huge issue, but it had been a long time since I ran with a blister.
At some point, Mark asked if I would do this again. As much as I wanted to say “No!”, I knew this wouldn’t be the last time. As would be the pattern for the last three laps, the last leg became a hellish walk-fest. Thankfully, the people at the finish line at this point were VERY supportive and it was great to experience. If not for the support of my crew, I may have considered quitting at this point. The true value of a crew and pacers becomes apparent at this juncture in a race.
Lap five was Michael’s lap. He would be with me from eleven p.m. Saturday night until around five a.m. Sunday morning. Based on our email exchanges, I knew he would keep me moving at all costs. He was also our time management expert throughout the race. Even in my diminished state, I knew I would finish if I could keep moving.
We had what I vaguely remember as great conversations but I cannot remember exactly what we talked about. I think we discussed food, real estate, and a lot of running. Most of what we discussed is just a distant blur.
I felt pretty good this whole lap, but I walked almost the entire time. The pain was getting pretty bad, though I felt strong mentally. There were no signs of the complete crash I experienced at Burning River. I remember Mark taking pictures at each aid station and hallucinating about weird things in the depths of the forest. I saw a lot of buildings, out-houses mostly. I’m sure Sigmund Freud would have something to say about that.
At the end of the lap I had discussed the possibility of taking a 15 minute nap to reset my circadian cycles and ward off involuntary sleep. But I wasn’t feeling tired as the loop ended, so I didn’t mention it. I found out later that the crew wouldn’t have let me, even though I still think I could have handled it if I’d had a bigger time cushion. Oddly, I don’t remember going through the finish line tent at all. However, I DO remember seeing Stuart.
As I walked over the last hill before the trail head, my light illuminated what appeared to be a giant burning flare. As I got closer, I realized it was Stuart wearing an incredibly reflective crossing guard-style shirt. It was blindingly bright. I would have no problem finding him in the darkness.
We set off on the final loop. I knew my time would be fairly close, so I dug deep and managed to run some flats with Stuart. Almost immediately, he started telling stories though I forgot 90% of them. I do remember being thoroughly entertained by Stuart talking about his memoirs, “My Life as a Dork.” His stories about growing up as a dork had a