TU081202-0905
"Look at these guys. They're awesome. I wonder what it's like to say, 'I win ultramarathons'...wow, I'll never say that". - Me, December 2006, at the Sunmart 50 Mile Endurance Run.
This past weekend I locked up my first ever overall win in a running race. It was the Bartram Forest 50K trail run. It was my second year at this race, last year I came in second by about four minutes. This year, I took the lead at the starting line and never gave it up. I wound up winning by about 17 minutes. But here's the strange part. I'm still not really able to grasp the accomplishment. It just felt like a really long run. Since there really was no competition for me past Mile 2, I never really got the feeling like I was working for something. By Mile 20, I had lapped the second place guy, so I wasn't really sure who was chasing me for most of the race.
It did feel really sweet to win, given the awful course conditions (torrential rain, wind, 12 ascents of a 6% grade, rivulets on the trail, deep mud, and lots of puddles), but those same conditions really thwarted the post-race festivities...last year there was a tape for the winner to break, people clapping along the finish line...none of that this year due to the monsoon that we were experiencing on race day. But the strangest part of all this is, I still feel strange telling people "I won the race". It's like it's coming from someone else's body. I've never won a running race in my 20-year running history. I've come in 2nd overall, I've come in 3rd overall, and I've even won my age group many times, but have never locked up a first place overall. People ask..."how did you do?" and when I answer "I won", they just kinda look at me funny for a second, and then it hits.
Still, even with all the crazy race conditions, the less-than-usually-cheerful finish, and the continued weirdness of saying "I won", I couldn't have hoped for a better first overall win experience. I never want winning to be easy, I never want to take it for granted. When I do win something, I want to have earned it. That's the only way I'll ever be happy to say "I won the race".
Here's a link to my race report on BT if anyone feels compelled to read a long play-by-play of the race.
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=140685
2 comments:
It sucks that you had to win like this (I'd imagine a cool celebration, too), but, hey, you still did it. And you got shoes! Oh, and I didn't know you were a blogger, too!
Insane! You are such a machine. It's really cool :D
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