I've heard it said that a 5K is a sprint, a half marathon is a run, and the marathon is an experience. What then is analogical to an ultra marathon?
I am back from the Taipei University 12 Hour Ultra completed on 3/25/2012. The trip marked my first return to my native country in 15 years. There were many firsts on this memorable family trip. It was our first overseas trip as a family. It was the first time my kids have seen Taiwan. It was the first time we have been to Japan. It was the first marathon overseas, and of course the first time I’ve run the ultra.
The race was scheduled from 6AM to 6PM on 3/25/2012. Having had one full day to adjust to the time change, I felt fairly fresh on the morning of the race. I set my alarm for 3:00AM on the night before the race. But by 2:00AM race morning, I was awake and couldn’t go back to sleep. Instead of laying awake in my bad, I had a light breakfast of a banana, slice of bread, and a cup of coffee. My aunt was kind enough to not only house us for the trip but drove me race morning from Taipei to SanXia. The 45 minute drive gave us a good opportunity to catch up on the last 20 years or so.
When I arrived at Taipei U, the sun had not risen and the entire campus was still dark. I was directed to the race start inside the campus walls a short walk from the entrance. It was a windy morning and it was slightly chill (high 50s) without the warmth of the sun. The start area included various tents and was well lit by a good number of flood lights. I was able to get my race package immediately as the volunteers were already staffed and continued to complete the final touches around the start/finish/staging area. The Taipei U 12H Ultra is a pretty unique race. The course runs around the 3K (1.8 miles) loop on the road that encircles the campus. The start line is also the first aid and restroom area for the race. In order to be considered a finisher, one must complete 24 loops, or approximately 72K (45 miles) under the 12 hour limit. A “win” is based on the most distance covered under the timed limit. This year’s winner completed whopping 133K. (He also wore bib number 133, I don’t know if that is a coincident, but somehow I doubt it) My strategy for the race was to run as easy as possible and then walk for a minute every mile. My fueling strategy was simple, one GU pack every 45 minutes and drink water at every opportunity. Everything went according to plan and I tried to monitor my body along the way. During hours 1-3 I used the restroom once an hour which was a good sign of good hydration. I completed the marathon at 4:23, which was well within my planned time. During the 11:00AM to 1:00PM hours, the temperature really warmed up and my progress really slowed. By hours 5 and 6 I realized that I had not used the restroom for the past several hours. I began drinking triple the amount of water to rehydrate my body… I was a little worried b/c I had read a lot about runner’s body shutting down during ultra races and refusing to process water and food. Luckily, things started processing again at the end of hours six (let the pee flow!).
There were some fun surprises at the marathon I’ve never seen before. Food items like soy milk, rice cake, dumpling, and porridge were things I‘ve never seen in races in the States. The people there were friendly and crazy (they set up a Karaoke machine for runners to sing between laps!) at the same time. I met Robert and Alex from Canada who were friendly and kind enough to chat with me and lent me support throughout the race. The race director Mr. Lin even sought me out during and after the race to thank me for traveling across the world to participate in the race. How he managed to do that amongst 500 runners is still a mystery to me!
The race of course was not all fun and games. I really started to struggle the last 8-9 miles. The minute walk of each mile became 2, 3, and 4 minute walks. But I kept one thing in mind. “Just keep moving,” was what I said to myself. I never stopped moving other than to use the restroom or to grab a drink at the table. The pain started to really set in with 3 laps (about 6 miles) to go. My feet, legs, and even my shoulders ached with pain. My mind drifted from time and space and I did what I can to rein it back in place. At one point, I tried to count the number of cobble stones paved around one lap of the course. (I lost count after about the first 20 stones) When I reached the end of lap 24, 72nd kilometer, and 45th mile, I had reached my minimum goal and “finished” the race. I felt like I had no more to prove at that moment. So I called it a day.
For those of you who know me well. You know that immediately after I left the race I started to regret not going further. I felt that I had let myself down a little. I could have reached for 50 miles, perhaps 52.4. But today, I am not beating myself up over my accomplishment. I feel good about what I did. Could I have done more? Possibly. There WILL always be other opportunities to find out. So if the marathon is an experience, then what is an ultra marathon? I’d say that it is a battle. And that battle can be won with the right preparation and resolve. And how you put your blood and sweat out there is the legend you leave behind that battle. For now, I am just earning my stripe. One day, I hope to be legendary.
One race, one mile, and one step at a time,
Jeff
http://connect.garmin.com/player/164705006
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