Why Try to Run 50K

In the fall of 2009, I got the idea that I wanted to run the 2010 Dances with Dirt, 50 mile race in Hell, MI. I would train through the winter, spring, and summer, then, in September of 2010 I would run the race. But with the wonderful discovery that we were going to be having another baby in late August, any idea I had of running a 50 mile race was killed. I would be able to get away for the race weekend, but because I would need to be doing runs of 4+ hours every weekend, I wouldn’t be much help to what would be a very pregnant wife and two-year old twins.

So for a little while I gave up on the idea of running an ultra-marathon. But I had originally talked to my Dad about running the race together and he kept my thoughts churning. We were both training for the 2010 Riverbank Run and that kept us focused through the winter. I think that once I worked through my disappointment with not running the September race, I was able to starting looking around for another race. I looked in Michigan, but also in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and may have even consider Missouri. Nothing seemed to work out. I needed time to train for 50 miles and there just aren’t a lot of races in early August that were close enough. But then I decided that maybe I could still do a trail marathon and that opened up some more options. Ironically, my Dad and I ended up choosing another Dances with Dirt race (they do a series of four). This one around Devil’s Lake, in Baraboo WI.

It wasn’t too far. I had time to train for the distance and we would be able to visit my Grandma in Madison after the race. On the day I was going to commit I emailed my Dad and said, “I’m in. Let’s do the trail marathon in WI.” He wrote back saying, “Ok. I’m in too. You want to do the marathon? Ok. I was thinking about the 50K. I was thinking that if were going to run 26.2 miles, we might as well run 31 miles.” I had not even been thinking about the 50K as an option. But once I did, there was only one choice, and it was to run the Devil’s Lake 50K.

But why?

Part of the reason I want to do something like this is to have one last crazy hoorah before a new baby comes. If you try to do serious training while you are sleep deprived, adjusting to a new schedule, and reminding yourself of the specific needs of an infant, you’re asking for either injury or accident. It took me a long time to feel normal after the twins were born. Part of the reason for this was because I wasn’t running. Even with amazing support from my wife, it took me a long time to find my groove again. I know that it will be different this time, but I am trying to prepare for the worst. And if the worst turns out to be me “only” getting to run a couple of times a week, and “only” four or five miles at a shot, I will consider it a success. It took a lot of work to get where I am. I am in the best running shape of my life right now. And I want to celebrate that before my energy and focus shift onto meeting the needs of the new baby and helping the twins adjust to life with a little sister.

But that is for later. Now I am going to run. My goal for the race is simply to finish. If I have a secondary goal, it would be to finish in under seven hours. But also, to train in a way that leaves me time for family, friends, housework, reading, and all the other aspects of life. I recognize that it is completely crazy to run 31 miles over hills, across rocks, through creeks, and around trees. However, to me that is the exact point. Once in awhile it is important to do something so ridiculous, so beyond normal, that if you fail, you throw up your hands and say, "Well, of course, it was wild to try in the first place!" But if you succeed...well, we'll get to that when the time comes.

I’ll write more about my training schedule as things unfold. The reason I am starting this blog is to let everyone know what I’m doing, to make it more real, to keep me accountable to train. I’ll add pictures and videos and whatever other thoughts come to me. And of course, if anyone wants to run a 50K on July 10 in Wisconsin, just let me know, registration is still open.