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Anyway, Jamey was thinking about the 24 hour race in November and we both did it. His Rabbi at Merrick Jewish Center made it into a fund raiser. We stopped after 22 hours for different reasons but the bottom line is that he raised over $ 11,000.
Anyway, on a weekend run, I mentioned that they also have a quadzilla option of 4 marathons or 4 50Ks. Without thinking he said, let's do it. I stopped in my tracks and asked "just like that?" I mean no spousal approval etc...
Well, he did go and get one. I was at the Pistol 100 and he texts me that he wants to do it and that Merrick JC is going to pay for his and also for mine since I allegedly helped raise the money at the 24 hour race. I did nothing except distract Jamey and tell him some bad jokes.
He signs up both up and sends the email receipt to me. I get home from TN and my wife wants to kill me for a) signing up for 4 races in a month and b) for spending $ 500. I calmed her down by telling her that it's not $ 500, I'm not paying for it and really she should look at it like this: Thursday I normally go to work, Friday I normally go to work and Saturday I'm just doing a long race.
Wasn't too happy but we were signed up.
In April, we ran Jamey's first 100 miler, 6 days after Martin "Morti" Bodek's 42 miles birthday run. About 3 or 4 days after the 100, Jamey finally started feeling like he was running again. Tourists pulling luggage were no longer passing him as he trudged along and he was wondering about the upgrade. He contacted the RD and they said it was no charge. The problem was that he needed to be able to get back to work Friday before Shabbat. They said "it should be ok" to let us do an early start on Friday.
We talked to Rebecca who gave us an unintentional compliment when she assumed that we were doing the 6 day.
One issue that Jamey and I both worried about were our stomachs. My GI system is much more sensitive than his is but he also has been known to have issues during a run. We weren't sure if we should do a pre-emptive strike and what we would do for 3 days but my stomach settled the deal for me and I took an immodium (just in case).
We started. Temps hit the high 90s I think where we were. There was no shade. The air was oppressive. The course is 1 disgusting mile but since we were doing the 50K or the 31.09 miler we actually needed to do 32 laps. Talk about a mind screw. We kept getting text about air quality being bad and to avoid streneous exercise and to take mass transit. HA!
I did notice a woman I recognized and well, I remembered her name was Eva but not anything else. Everytime I saw her, I tried a different name and finally it came to me. Eva Baseheart. We are Facebook friends and we ran at Beast together. Cool. During some laps, we were together and she told us that she was there doing the C&O Canal 100 but DNFed. She told us the heat got to her and that she was super chafed. She told us that she has done 16 hundos and that she completly understands the distance and was shocked to DNF. I told her that no one escaped the chafe that day and that the sun burned out quite a few people (pun intended).
We saw Jim Pease hanging out with Ken and that was cool. Their tent was near Eva's. Jim and his wife help out at Beast every year. Ken is the co-RD of those races.
We met Rae who was crewing for Fast Eddie who was there doing the 6 day. She's a 20ish year old girl who met this guy and he got her into running. She's on the track team now in college and well, they drove from North Carolina (I think, I forget now) and her job was to crew him. WOW!!! She was awesome by the way.
We were hydrating. Even me! I actually carried a hand held bottle some of the time. Initially, you had to ask for ice but after a certain point, they put out an ice bucket. I filled up my bottle with ice and a little water and nursed on it. Later on, I stopped carrying the bottle but every mile, I would fill ice and water in the bottle and drink. We were moving. We weren't moving at a fast clip, but we were moving. At mile 21 or 22, Jamey started vomiting. Projectile after projectile. Didn't matter what he ate or drank. He finally stopped to rest and I continued knowing that he would rejoin. I can always do an extra few miles with him if neccessary. Meanwhile I was getting sunburned. I kept stealing sunscreen from people that I knew. No matter. Felt my arms burning.
I sent people to check on him constantly. I sent Jim and Ken who were both doing the 48 hour so they were basically carbing up. That means drinking bear and hanging out. When we checked in, we met a Maniac and her husband. The husband wasn't racing so he also kept checking on Jamey and letting me know status. Francis, who worked the kitchen during the 24 hour, ran the Marathon and when he was done, he also checked on Jamey. Point is, while I was worried about him, he was resting on the benches at the aid station in front of people.
By the way, we saw Rebecca pass us a few times but I was surprised she didn't pass us more often. If she was gonna sub 24 for a 100 miler again AND PR, she really would need to pass us a hell of a lot more times.
At one point, I told Rebecca if she waits for me at the aid station while I drink, we can go together instead of me chasing her down for a few hundred yards.
I was with her for about 10 miles or so. We chatted and got to know each other. Allegedly her husband knows or knew Rabbi Dulitz(sp?) from MTA and I told her stories. I distracted her falling into my usual role as pacer.
Once I was done she thanked me. I didn't realize how close she was to dropping. I told her to hang on until Paul Kentor would come knowing that he would basically just Kick her butt.
We headed to the car. We were going to shower but it was so late. Got our stuff ready and that was that. As we got to the car, we both get a text message from Raina. It read, "Concerned nurse with an overactive imagination. Why has Jamey not picked up my last 3 calls?!? Please have him call me!". Jeez... Jamey was letting Raina know what was going on with him but didn't realize his phone was on vibrate or Do Not Disturb or something. Had him call her immediatly.
We left. Jamey said he was ok to drive but about 5 or 10 miles in, he asked if I could drive. I drove and we got stuck in traffic. GWB and then the Triboro. YUCK! Took us 3 hours to get home. I teach Swimming on Thursdays so as soon as I got home, I grabbed my bathing suit and keys and flew to the YMCA. I showered and 5 minutes later I was teaching. Got home, started a wash, showered and finally ate real food at around 10:20 pm. Constant car on the side and accident ahead and heavy traffic ahead from Waze.
We talked about the previous day. He was understandably upset.
Jennifer Mcnulty, the RDs wife, was grumpy and argued about us starting early. Luckily Jamey pulled the email where Rick said that "it should be ok". She grumbled about Rick always being wrong and skulked away. Oh boy... Love technology. It could have been bad.
We started early. Temps were in the freezing low 90s. Air still sucked. Jamey and I talked in the car and I postulated that it was the gatorade. He realized that it may have been the coloring. He avoided it completly and we finished. Slowly but finished. My wife, once I tell her about the coloring, is gonna lord this over me. My kids will be pissed at me. Still, give credit where credit is due. Food coloring isn't good for you and she keeps saying that.
We missed fireworks and a guy named Cliff was celerating his 65th birthday by buying pizza for everyone and ice cream cake too. Cool.
We saw Rebecca. She didn't look good but was still moving. We saw Paul. She managed to finish 78 miles which for her was not good but let me make my position here quite clear: It was a battle. Survival was key. So she didn't PR. Hell, she didn't even come close to a 100. We did better at the 24 hour but it really was a struggle and anyone who showed up is a hero in my book. Sounds like a cliche but I mean it. Unless you were there etc... She told us that Paul was good for her. Helped her a lot. She managed to squeak another 40 miles after we left. Cool. She soon left.
I was tieing my shoes and Paul came over and nudged me with his shoe. In plain english, he gave me a little kick in the ass and told me that that's what he was doing. Whatever. Perhaps I should appreciate the gesture. In reality, he came when the temps were getting colder the previous night. He did not know what went down. He had no idea what still needed to be done. In any case, he hung out with Bill Schultz (spelling?) from Dusk to Dawn to Dusk (D3). Cool.
I made friends on the course and finally these 2 woman stopped us. They couldn't deal with my sunburns. They were supporting another runner doing the 72 hours. I was then molested. Perhaps better said, I had sunscreen rubbed all over me. I still told her that I would tell my wife that I was molested. Really, she/they were awesome. I did get a sunburn on my arms and my forehead even with a hat. Still, it would have been worse. I also got a little chafe and they helped take care of that too.
Our friend Kevin was there on Friday. We met him at the 24 hour and then again at the Dumb Ass 50K at Alley Pond. He's still amazed and shocked that I am not a 3:45 Marathoner. Ok...
He ran faster than us. I think he did the Marathon. He was glad to finish and told us that we would see him the next day. He cooled down with a beer and told us that his day sucked and that the next day he will make it up.
Jamey drove us home and it only took 2 hours. After dropping me off, he drove to a Mcdonalds or something so he can wash his face, change into nice clothes and went to Merrick JC to type the Rabbi's sermon and do some other things that just aren't done if he's not there. I showered, started a wash, ate and went to sleep.
Phil McCarthy was there and he brought Dwight as a pacer. Gerald Tabios who completed Badwater was there too with his family. Must be nice to bring the full crew out as support. We, at times, were with Phil or Gerald and of course I was joking around. Talking. Doing my thing. Gerald's daughter (I think) gave out popsicles at one point and they were GOOD.
It was real slow. A guy who was doing the quadzilla marathons, was doing sub 4 in each marathon. He's also a Barkley Marathons finisher so what should I say about that?
Kevin was there and he wanted revenge on the course. I don't really know if he got it or not. It sucked out there.
April showed up for the 24 hour race. She wanted to do 120 miles. She has very high aspirations and she was smoking the course initially. If everything aligns for you, it can be a PR course. She passed us quite a few times and then she stopped passing us. Then we caught up to her and lapped her on 1 lap. She walked too. Oh oh. Her Rhumatoid Arthitis was acting up and she called family to pick her up. She got 55 miles and she was done.
David Drebsky was there and his goal was 80 miles. Really no reason why he should not get it. He passed us a few times but I remarked to Jamey that he should have passed us more than that. We lapped him a few times. It was weird. At one point, we talked and he was not in a good place. He told us that after 50K, he just could not get himself to run really. He then got cold too. He actually stopped to take a nap at his chair. We lapped him. At one point, he was trudging with his blanket. I could not take pity. Even tho, we have had our differences, how could I not help someone who is cold when it is something that I usually suffer? Even tho he always teases me how in the summer, I only wear 2 jackets, I still felt bad. I could have just enjoyed the revenge show. Perhaps even made some wiseass remarks. I could not. I went to the car and left him my running jacket. This jacket always takes care of me. I was hoping he remembered what I told him on the ride to C&O. If he remembered, he would put the jacket on top of everything that he was wearing. He did. It helped. He also borrowed gloves from someone. Things were a little better for him. And then things got worse again...
He got cold again. I told him to ask for a black garbage bag. He borrowed someones windbreaker. Black garbage bag would have been better I think, since it's longer but as long as he got something... He ended with 50 miles. If you realize that he managed 50 miles while we did 2 X 50K or about 64 miles, that might help put things into perspective for you.
They were playing polo with horses and also had some horse races near us. How freaking cool?!?
It was very demoralizing that as we were counting down laps to 0, we knew we would then have to repeat. Temps were much colder, I wore long sleeve while Jamey still kept to short sleeves.
We were slow but we finished.
Rick asked us if we want to start at 9pm like originally planned or start at 6pm with the 12 hour and 6 hour folks. We opted for 6pm. We didn't want to stiffen up. So, we had about 30 minutes between the 3rd 50K and the 4th. We ate, hydrated, applied more anti-chafing stuff and used the indoor plumbing.
No matter how much we suffered, it was humbling to see some of the 6 day people running completly bent over their left side BUT still doing it. Mile after mile.
Our friend Ella asked for help and we obliged. She was at 340 miles (6 day) and held lead female. Lead male apparently didn't want to get chicked by her and was a bit of a schmuck. (I'm trying to keep it clean here). We pulled. It's always either the carrot or the stick and I chose the stick for her. She needed it. My opinion. She did thank me afterwards and also sent me a few private messages thanking me for it. She ended with 350+ I believe.
We finally finished. We showered and tried to nap but I couldn't so we left. I couldn't drive so Jamey got food and a coffee and I slept. I think the reason I needed to nap was because during the race, I was constantly "on". I was either pushing/pulling Jamey or trying to wake other people up. I was always on. In the car, I needed to be off for a little.
Let me say that that place is truly humbling. Everyone you speak to over there is doing some sort of stupid. There's no better way to explain it.
People have asked me after the quadzilla if I would ever do one again. The answer is a resounding YES! I would not repeat this one but I would do a quad. Actually, I would like to do 7 in 7 or 8 in 8 or even 9. We just ended up choosing the hardest possible quad or perhaps we, through our actions, made it that way.
People are gonna assume I mean the weather. The intense heat. That was not it. I'll talk about it in a minute but the reasons why this quad was super hard are the following:
1) The commute - normally, when people do a quad, they travel after the race at most an hour or 2 and then chill. There is no morning commute. We kept commuting back and forth. I worked the night on Wednesday and Thursday giving me a total of 2.5 hours of sleep for each. Normally it would not be a problem but with the commute and the effort due to the heat and I was hurting. Jamey after all that weather had to go to work and then get stuck in traffic to get home. It all adds up. Normally, this is not the way to do it. Our fault.
2) The 3rd and 4th - normally (what a strange word in this context) would not be on the same day. I would rather do a 100K than 50K and a 50K. That is NOT the same thing. The sum of the whole do NOT equal to the sum of the parts. Besides that the break hurt, it was mentally tough. You count up the laps until you get to 27 at which point you start counting down and celebrating. Only 5 then 4, 3, 2 and victory lap but you know you then gotta start counting from scratch again. It's tough.
The weather: It sucked. It drained us. This you cannot predict. You don't know what's going to happen. At the very least, we perhaps figured out a Jamey issue. We now know he has a food coloring issue. It was an expensive solve. It cost him a DNF but perhaps in this case DNF does not equal to Did Not Finish but rather as a friend said: Did Nothing Stupid.
Maybe for some, we are not runners. To those I say, "We showed up. Where were you?!?"...