Charlie picked me up from work on Friday. We carpooled down to the sand hills for Tom Gabell's Hinson Lake 24-hour run, which I hear has grown to become one of the largest 24-hour runs in the country. There were around 200 entrants.
It's clear to see why this run is popular: Tom puts on a great race, with fantastic accommodations and support. The 1.5 mile crushed gravel loop around the lake is perfectly suited for many, many laps. And with a $24 entry fee, it's one of the few remaining organized ultras that's not focused on profits.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to see some old friends again. My folks came down, and it felt like one big running reunion. Congrats to Brad Smythe, Jonathan Savage and Liz Bauer for three stellar performances!
For me, I had no certain goals and no stellar performance. My training just wasn't there. Two recent endeavors had weakened this weekend warrior with the dreaded colon blow 2000. Couple that with limited weekly shut-eye: health and sleep take top priority.
Even though I don't quite get it, I still admire and respect this classic running event. Give me a distance like 100 miles: Run fast, finish fast, drink beer, eat, sleep, recover. Circadian rhythm. At a 24-hour, no matter how quickly you run, you'll still be one of those poor sleep-deprived zombies chasing glow-sticks.
At some point on Saturday morning, I thought I'd see what shape I'm in by running to 100 miles ASAP before cashing out for some precious zzz's. When in the heat and haze of the day I realized I'd hit triple digits much later than sooner, the goal got dropped to 50 miles.
I hit 50 in a not so great 8:58 and joined my folks for a walk to the nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner and a pitcher of dos equis. In the cool of the evening, mesmerized by the glow-sticks, the parade of headlamps, and feeling a little saucy from the brew, I laced up my shoes and cranked out a few more laps before realizing it was still humid as hell.
My dad and Charlie got in 50 and 100K respectively. Good times.
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