How I got roped into this is a mystery.
I think it may have something to do with my confounding stupidity
but it just seemed like a good idea at the time. I was already
on the hook for the 2002 Big Sur International
Marathon when I heard from the gang that we were still
on for the Wild Wild West Marathon.
The catch was that the WWW was a mere week after the Big Sur
but true to my imbecility, I agreed to the schedule. Then,
as training progressed, Gary Bash contacted me to run a 50
mile ultra-marathon and for some reason that ranks up there
with crop circles, I instantly agreed. The date for this third
round of fun was two weeks after the WWW. I half-expected
another call to run to the Moon or something but while I was
waiting, the training had to begin.
Since it took me so long to write these (5
months after the fact, after the pain subsided) I have to
fall back to the post-race email I sent to the others. I will
use the teasers I sent them as themes to each story. But first,
some pictures and then a little background on the training.
I never changed any clothing including
shoes and socks
Medication: I had a grand total of
two Advil during the entire race
Never cramped but
had a dizzy spell at mile 40 (just prior to the snake-crapping
incident). Both scared the daylights out of me.
Learned that with a name like "Overlook
Point," you are most likely gonna do some hill
climbing on the next leg. I saw God and he shot me the
finger.
My GPS gave out at 39 miles (battery
life) so I had to judge pace and progress in questionable
mental state.
What I thought about for 13 and a half
hours: everything at first and then making the cut-offs
in time.
I got three minor blisters, 2 on leading
edge of two toes and one on side of toe, all on one
foot. But during race, feet felt as though they were
hit with sledgehammers. Hard. Repeatedly.
My lips were still chapped a week after
the race from overall dehydration
