My BFF Stacy had said something about running a ultra. I thought she was crazy. I had ran two marathons and thought, who on earth would ever want to run that long?
Well before I knew it I had signed up for it as well. I had been training all the long runs with her and didn't want to miss out on the race.
We trained a lot! Every Saturday we planned on our long runs in the morning. Our husbands were a huge support.
And then it was here and we were ready. We got a little cabin to sleep in the night before in Bryce canyon. It was Stacy and Brooke's uncles hunting cabinet was cute and it had no running water and a cute little outhouse in the back. When we first got there we did a little clean up there was two rooms one with a stove and the other full of beds.
We started packing our aide station bags. putting pretty much everything imaginable in them. overkill probably but we wanted to be prepared. Me and Stacy could not do the Gu's so we stuck with honey stingers and caffeinated jelly beans.
Then we went out and grabbed our bib numbers and such and got some dinner. we ate at a buffet it was delicious.
we came home and lined our stuff up for the morning and chose beds to sleep in me and Stace slept in a bunk bend with me on top. pretty cozy.
Then we just tried to get some sleep it started pouring rain around 10 and I got worried the 100 mile race had started the day before and we knew they were running in that rain. it was thundering and lightening all night I thought our little cabin wasn't going to make it but it did!
We woke up at 4:00 with no sleep the night before because of all the rain storms and the nervous thoughts.
We got dressed brushed teeth and loaded our stuff in the car. It's go time!!! Boarded the bus there was not a lot of room so we had to make new friends.
I was sandwiched between two guys the one was chatty he talked to me about what to expect while I gagged down my peanut butter and honey sandwich that Brooke had made for us.
I was tired and congested from being sick. But was ready to take on this challenge I have trained for a long time for this!
Even running a marathon in the mountains by myself. So I knew my body was ready, But hoping my head was. The furthest I trained was 28 miles.
We arrived got off the bus and headed for the restroom line knowing this would probably be the last toilet seat we would sit on for a long time.
After using the restroom we hovered around a truck to keep warm the tail pipe was still warm from the engine. A man jumped up on the back of the truck and announced the starting line be between those two quakies he said "be careful on those cattle guards a few 100 milers got stuck on them" insert scared face. I'm always weary of cattle guards.
And started the count down from ten. 3,2,1,0 whoooo the crowd shouts. And we all begin our journey we all have trained for. A lot of us start out walking this is an endurance race not speed.
We pass that cattle guard and start to run on the single track. Up ahead there is a tree on the trail we have to climb over. It becomes real that this is all trail rough terrain. After the tree we all seem to find our pace and fan out a woman behind me starts small talk about my gaiters and the man behind her talks about running with his dog.
It is foggy cloudy and beautiful the bright orange mud against the drenched green trees just stunning! the puddles look like a oil painting they are bright orange and beautiful. I am thankful for the rain but I don't want it to return. Stacy is by my side her sister is rearing to pull ahead we let her and we don't see her again until the next two aide station.
We make it to the first aide station Crawford pass mile 6 and I see all the food on the table. I grab some salty snack it was gross. Then grab my drop bag. There's no room in my pack but I shove stuff in anyway. The zipper barely zips. And we are off again feeling good. At the second canyon aide station mile 11.5 we see Brooke again and I decide to text my family.
My sister is the only one that texts me encouraging words. I am moved with what she says and I try to hold in the tears. I can't believe I am actually going to attempt this! I pray. I pray a lot about everything please help me make it! Thank you for my body. Thank you. I pray because I need him. And I know he is listening. I thank him for the Angels that are with me. It's beautiful. There is so much to see I wish I could just stop and capture all the beauty but it's a race and we have got to keep moving. It's finally here we are doing this!
Stacy is with me and she keeps my spirits up. It's so nice to have a friend with you and we talk about everything. And shes a great pacer so I just stick to her 6 and she takes me with her! We meet tons and tons of great people on the trail too.
The 4th aide station mile 24.5 is hard.
We see the sign early and think we are close but we are not. "That sign is full of crap we say!" We push through it. And get there it's a quick stop they have pickles but nothing else they are out of everything! One of the guys drop bags never came so we share our stuff. We are half way there!!!!!! We get going again this time knowing there will be someone at the next stop Stacy's mom and Dan.
That brings a little more strength and we want to get there quick. My phone starts to run out of batteries and my charger cord breaks. This sucks! music helps a lot!!
Stacy sets her timer for every 40 minutes to eat sometimes she forgets to set it and thats ok! We are tired of gagging down nutrition and I am getting cankers from the beans but they are so good.. GUM is a life savor helps my runners guts and I take imodium just to be safe.
We make it to the 5th aide station! And see Stacy's mom she hugs us and looks worried, her heart is warm and she is caring. She informs us of Brooke and how she has found a friend to run with. I laugh and think that's Brooke always making new friends it's truly her gift.
There's not a lot to eat at this aide Station either theres a quesadilla and I shove it in my mouth! All I wanted was a coke!! And it starts to rain we venture out of the nice warm tent. And it is pouring down! We stop by a tree to hide from the rain and pee.
It's starts to get worse two others join us. It starts to hail! And Stacy doesnt have a jacket I try to keep her warm. We've got to keep moving I say!
So we are off again!
Up this mountain I think the rain was truly a blessing because it was a climb. The rain stops and I realize that I am running 50 miles and here starts the brain games. I break down again! Asking Stacy why she never cries.
She says she does but I don't believe her. She is so strong! I pray again and keep running I feel love and angels with me this is truly the hardest thing I have done and it has tested everything in me. I know that if I make it to the next and last aide station I will be able to finish this race!! Crazy!!! We make it there and I sit and cry! It's like a happy cry/ what the hell am I doing cry.
The guys at the station are so nice! And ask what we need I say a hug. And he gives me one while I bawl my eyes out again! I have made it 42 miles!!! I can do this I can do hard things it makes me cry knowing this! Heavenly Father has answered all my prayers! But I have 8 more miles to go and it's a mountain! Thunder mountain here we come!! I get up from my cry and the guys at the rest station seem to be surprised that I am going to finish. We start up the hill and they cheer us on go Stacy go Amy! At this point I'm like ok legs take me home! The clouds are chasing us and Stacy keeps yelling profanities at the sky! She doesn't want to get struck by lighting. (Secretly I hope I will get hit) Before I have to gag down another bag of beans. Or honey stingers. Ewe I hate them! The only thing keeping my mind off my stomach is the gum I am chewing the mint is refreshing and it's the best stuff! We make it up the first mountain and I tell Stacy to send Paul a text saying we are almost done!! Knowing he will be at the finish is also motivation. I think about all the hours I have put in and all the support that I have had and all the prayers being said in my behalf. I also think about my kids. My kids are always on my mind. Good motivation. My mood has changed I just want to walk but I push through and stick on stacy's 6 let her pace us she's good at that. I think about how far she has came after all she just had a baby. We just need to motivate each other this is the hardest part of the race our brains are staying stop but our bodies just keep going climbing crawling up this mountain. Gagging hiking gagging. I can't handle eating anymore! I see a man in front of us I see him trying to stay in front of us. And a woman behind us she is sweet southern short blonde with poney tails she offers to take a pic of us.
The guy in front of us was at the aide station that I had my break down. I can see surprise on his face when he sees us catching him. We don't know how much further we have but we keep telling ourselves it's not much further. We finally catch the guy and pass him. I start to feel the blisters more on my feet and they are getting so painful and its getting harder to run. But I tell myself to suck it up! I know we are close! Stacy wants us to stop so I can tape my feet but I'm afraid we are too close and if I get my shoes off I won't put them back on. So we push through it and she says, "I see people not in running clothes" it's Paul!!!! Yay we've made it!!! I've ran 50 miles! I thought we would never see the finish!!! But we did! And it's the most awesome feeling! I give paul a hug! So happy to see him!!
And just like that we are done!
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