The Grasslands Run 2003
LBJ National Grasslands
Decatur, Texas
March 22, 2003
50Mile Report by Dave Billman
"Running a 50 mile is the same as a 50K, just longer." That's what everyone told me. But they had all run faster 50K's than I had, and some 50 milers and even some 100 milers. With everyone telling me I wouldn't have a problem, I wasn't quite so confident. Having finished a 50K at Tyler six weeks earlier, I was feeling prepared. The weather forecast looked perfect. Grasslands would be my first attempt at 50 miles. Nervous would sum up my feelings.
The start was rather uneventful. More runners than I expected were doing 50, and many, like me, were making their first attempt. Starting the blue loop, I joined a group of six runners for the first 5 miles or so. A few too many nature stops, thanks to the morning coffee, put me a hundred yards behind the group, but that was fine--I usually run alone. I caught up with Sarah Brown around the 7.5 mile aid station. She said she wasn't getting into the running and was feeling poor, so we ran and talked the rest of the loop away. We finished the loop in 2:39, faster than I had planned and I was feeling great. I'll have to remember that in future runs - if I'm running fast and feeling good, something bad is about to happen. Into the start/finish area, I see Paula, my support crew for the day. Full water bottle, full gel flask and a can of Ensure, off again for the yellow loop.
In less than a mile, my stomach is turning. I probably drank the Ensure too fast, and an upset stomach is always the result. No problem, it will pass. Sarah has caught me after stopping to shed layers at the start/finish. We run on together, her feeling better and me feeling worse. We wonder if we're in last place. We've seen no other runners ahead or behind. Our pace has slowed noticeably, and I'm sure that I'm the cause. The sun is starting to peak out from behind the clouds, which means warmer temperatures. I could certainly do without that. We pass through the "Freeman" aid station and press on. We soon catch another runner standing at the side of the trail wondering if he's lost. We assure him that he's on course and quickly leave him behind. Sarah points out, "At least we know we're not last." I'm glad she's hanging back with me, the company is nice. We're back to the start/finish at the 5-hour mark, averaging 12:00 minute miles for the first 25 miles. The slow yellow loop didn't hurt too much. The clouds hid the sun again, keeping the temperature down.
As I stocked up on water and gel, Tom Crull asked how I was doing. I told him I could use a new stomach. He took the cue and, as he always does, gave me some good, much needed advice for settling my still upset stomach. He tells me to stay away from the chips (too much fat), increase the electrolytes from one every 90 minutes to one every 60 minutes and drink a half-cup of Coke at every other aid station. I down part of a PB&J sandwich and start the white trail. Sarah had taken a longer break to change shoes and caught up with me after a mile. At the next aid station I tried the Coke, and had started downing more fluids. The stomach was doing a lot better and our pace was speeding up, too. As we approached the 31 mile mark, I realized that I was about to set a new 50K PR, by over 20 minutes. This was at the Red Spicer "Party in the Middle of Nowhere" Aid Station. Music, a barbeque grill and at least a dozen cheering workers! Sarah bared the moon for the Best Legs Contest. I didn't think it was possible to run in a thong.
As we left the aid station, I was feeling good and very happy with the pace I was running. Over the next few miles, Sarah started gradually leaving me behind. I wasn't slowing down; she was finding energy from somewhere and picking up her pace. She really wanted to break ten hours, I didn't want to push too hard and fall apart. The last I saw her was around 33 miles. I had passed two more runners along this stretch and all was fine. I rolled into the start/finish area at exactly 8 hours for 40 miles. Still averaging a 12-minute pace. As Paula loaded me up with gel and water, she asked if I wanted her to run the last loop with me. We had discussed this beforehand, but I was running much better than I thought I would be at that point. She said she would have no problem pacing me for a 2:30 loop, and I really wanted her to come along. So off we went together for the last 10 miles on the Red loop.
I walked a lot of the next mile or two, trying to digest another PB&J sandwich. Paula was anxious to run, but she knew I'd be running soon enough and held back to my slower pace. Soon we were running along, making good time. I mentioned a pain starting in my leg, and she immediately had me stop and stretch - pain gone. She watched my water intake, electrolyte intake and kept talking to keep my mind off my tired legs. All the things a good pacer should do. We took a long route around a very large mud puddle before the Spicer aid station; I didn't need wet feet blistering at this point. With the music blaring and the crew cheering we just had to run fast into the aid station. A quick refill of the water bottle and we were off again. We were making good time; I think I would have walked more without a pacer along. We approached what I would say was the hardest point of the run. With a little over four miles to go, the trail passes within a half mile of the start/finish. We could hear the yelling as runners finished and all the general party noise. But there was still four miles to cover. As we reached the last aid station by the dam, with 2 miles left, we heard two runners coming up from behind. "Get running, you can't let them pass you!" Not that it would have mattered to me, but I sped up anyway. Now Paula had to work. After keeping me going for 9 miles, she realized I had enough left to run the last mile and a half. And she had to beat me to the finish line to take my picture as I came across. She made it to the camera in time to catch my smile as I finished my first 50 mile run in 10:20. What a day! I can't say enough thanks to all the workers at the event and especially to all the NTTR folks that have helped me over the last few years with so much advice and encouragement. And a special thanks to Suzi, for putting on a great event and for getting me hooked on this crazy trail running.
Dave