Run for the Roses

I am actually suprised to make it off the bike. I am very happy to see Lisa and Christopher. So after 112 miles of torture its time to switch to the next part of the plan.

My main focus is on getting through the transition quickly. They send a volunteer to follow you through the whole process. Its in case you need something and also in case you fall over. I was scared to death to bend over and put on socks and shoes since I was convinced that a massive leg cramp was on its way. He was kind enough to oblige and had been doing it all day long.

My first thought was to figure out when the course was going to close. Because of the nature of the start, the course closure time was not fixed. I need to know the closure time to calculate a pace that I will need to finish. I settled on 12:30 am as a closing time so that meant about 15 minutes a mile and I will be able to finish.

I started out walking and had a smile on my face. The first two miles go out and back over a bridge to Indiana and are pretty hot. That part went well and I was able to see Lisa and Christopher twice. I set my watch and would check every mile. The plan was if I dropped below the pace or if my heart rate got too high, I would drop out of the race.

The next part heads through town and then out past Churchill Downs for 6 miles out and 6 miles back.

Trouble begins. My first problem is that I cannot run at all. My heart rate jumps so high and my leg begin to cramp every time I run. But I am keeping a pace just below 15/mile walking and so why ruin a good thing. Worse though, my practiced nutrition plan is not working. I cannot get any food down and so I am going to need a back up plan. In the first loop I settled on water along with PowerBar and pretzels.

The first loop is great, sort of. I talked with a church lady and liked her hat. I settled into a routine. I made it out and back and now had to head for the second loop. Things get rougher though----now its dark, the first loop takes you right next to the finish line and then turns you back (demoralizing)---did I mention it is dark and most of the people are now off the course so it is lonely.

Early on in the second loop I feel like there is a sliver in my shoe. I bend down and take it off but develop a huge cramp and now can barely stand up. So I am hopping around Louisville streets trying to work this out. A volunteer looks me in the eye and says, "Put that shoe on and start runnning." I do what I am told.

Along the walk out I met up with a guy named Kurt who is in the same shape that I am. He , however, can see so we can get the time and splits from his watch. I can do math so I calculate the splits. Now we have a little team. We also settle in to a strategy that has us eating one water, one coke and multiple pretzels at each stop. Believe it or not the volunteers are out in full force, the cops have the course fully controlled and there are still race fans.

Near the turn around we pick up a third guy who specializes in telling crazy stories and so now out team is complete. He also tells me that he trains only an hour on the bike and refuses to run. In addition they are making a documentary about this guy for reasons that were never clear.

Working together we are just barely on track but on track nonetheless. So we move forward, shoulder to shoulder, and the finish line is coming up. At Mile 25 my legs begin to seize--Oh, Oh.

I tell the other guys to go ahead. My right thigh is in fully shutdown. My left calve is out of power and now I am fading. I am kind of stiff leg but moving when I turn the corner with two blocks to go.

Next disaster strikes and a dark angel apears......