I signed up for the Vernal Equinox 48 Hour Race back in October. My initial thought was to run the 24 hour option, but we have been talking about multiday races for a long time. I finally decided that there was no point in putting it off until I was “ready,” You’re never going to be be ready. Sometimes you just have to jump right in. 

At this point, I know that I can run 100 miles on mental toughness and about 50 miles per week. I don’t need to go above and beyond in my training to get it done. But running for 48 hours straight? I wasn’t so sure. I needed a goal that would get me out of bed every morning to do the extra work. A goal that would scare me. In the process of training for this race, I became the person that I knew I could be. And that was the whole point of it all.

Training

In the last 2 months of my build up, I got my mileage up to 75 miles per week. I have 2 young kids, so I had to get up at 4:30am just to get my miles in every day. There were definitely days when it was hard to get out of bed, but I knew that I owed it to myself. During my last big week of training, I was dealing with a health issue and couldn’t sleep at all. I still got up, though, and put in the work. During that week, I proved to myself that I had what it takes to run for 48 hours.

The Race

We got to the race, which was held at Majestic Farm in Batavia, Ohio at 6:30am for a 7am start. Dave set up the rest of our gear in the horse stall and I got lined up. We set off at a very easy pace right at 7am. During the first 2 mile loop, I introduced myself to several other runners, knowing that we would all be out here other for a while!  About 3 minutes in, it started to snow! The trail was very muddy and right away I realized that I would need to change into my trail shoes.

Even as we got further into the race, I kept saying that it didn’t feel real. In a timed race, you never want to think about the enormity of the goal in front of you. I took it one loop at a time, chatted with other runners and enjoyed seeing my family each loop. The race was fairly uneventful up until about 30 miles in. That’s when I started having stomach issues. I had been steadily eating the entire day. Taking in oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, raspberry mint rice bars and jelly beans. My stomach hurt a lot and I realized right away that I was constipated. This has happened to me in other races because the blood flows away from your digestion system to your legs. It is very uncomfortable and I knew that it could be particularly detrimental in a race this long.

In the meantime, my friend Santina had shown up, and was cheering me on after each loop. The race went on like this for a few hours. I was miserable until I would get around the loop, see my friends and family, and then my mood would brighten for a few minutes.

Around 35 miles in, my family and Santina all had to leave for dinner. Once on my own to figure this out, I finally pulled it together and faced the problem head on. I texted my Dad and asked him what I should do. He told me to stop eating to give my digestive system a rest and just drink plain water. As I was working through this first big issue of the race, I realized that this is why I signed up for this race. I was in a very dark place in my mind, and this is exactly what I came for!

Hour 12 (50 Miles)

By the time my family got back from dinner, I was feeling much better! I was in good spirits and ready to prepare for a night of running on my own. At this point I was 12:30 into the race and at 50 miles. I changed my clothes, socks, and shoes, and lubed up my feet with Trail Toes. Dave made me an egg and cheese hot pocket for dinner. I sat for a few minutes to finish eating and talk with my kids and ask them about their day. Then I headed back out onto the trail.

Dave said he would stick around as long as the kids were good and then they would leave for the night. My stomach still felt sensitive but I was eating and able to go to the bathroom. So once again I was on a high and happy to be out there! This wouldn’t last long though. A race this long is just series of ups and down and I needed to solve each problem as it came up.

Hour 18

A few hours after Dave and the kids left, I started to get very cold. The temperature had dropped to 28 degrees and there were some open areas on the course that were very windy. I started shivering and couldn’t stop. I came around to my horse stall and sat alone in my chair under a blanket, drinking warm chicken broth. It was a very strange and lonely feeling. But once again, I knew I had reached this dark place again and needed to find the way out. I called Dave around 2am and he told me to put on every piece of clothing that I brought and to start taking in more calories. I did what he said and then headed back out, knowing that I was better off moving.

Soon after, I started to notice that there weren’t many people on the trail. There also weren’t many people in the horse stalls either though. Another runner told me that many of the other runners had gotten cold and were sleeping in their cars. I knew this wasn’t an option so I got into my sleeping bag around 4am to try to get a few minutes of sleep. I quickly realized though that I was just too cold and that laying down would be a waste of time.

On the next loop, my eyes started to get very heavy. I was starting to hallucinate. I saw my socks scattered all over the trail and at one point, a saw a snake jump out onto the trail. It was actually just a branch! On the next loop, I fell asleep while walking and woke myself up when I called my daughter’s name! I quickly shook it off. I decided to listen to David Goggins’ book on audible for a little while to give my mind something to focus on.

Hour 24 (80 Miles)

As soon as the sun started to come up, I felt a little better. Everything looked completely different in the daylight. It was as if we had just come out of a time warp. There were other races starting on the loop at 7 and 8am. The difference in demeanor between the new people and the 48 hour runners was drastic. We were in the midst of our suffering and discomfort while they were excited and happy to be out there. Unfortunately, all those additional runners on the trail created more mud! What had dried out overnight was once again thick, slippery mud that required more effort to track through.

I was feeling pretty out of it when my family arrived around 8:30am. I could hear myself asking Dave questions that didn’t make any sense. He realized quickly that I needed to get more calories in me. I sat in my chair in a daze and ate some more oatmeal. Then I got back up and kept moving. I was at 80 miles and 100 felt so far away. Luckily I ran into some friends from Columbus who were running the 24 hour race. Spending a loop or two with them gave me new energy. We chatted and laughed as I told them about my race up to this point. This is what I love about ultras. Sometimes it’s other people that can lift you up when you feel like you can’t go any further.

Hour 31 (100 Miles)

The remainder of the race, the highs and lows got closer together. I had heard that this could happen. I would be happy one loop and then having stomach issues the next loop. It became a constant battle to problem solve and figure out what my body needed. Finally though in 31:30, I reached 100 miles! I’ve run 4 hundreds before this one, but I’ve always had a pacer to get me through the night. This felt special because I did it on my own. Neti, one of the race directors, walked with me in the opposite direction from miles 98-100, announcing to the other runners that I had reached 100 miles. I savored the moment, knowing that I had no idea quite what to expect in the following miles.

When I got back to my stall Dave did a quick foot surgery. He drained and covered 2 blisters and repaired two hot spots. My feet had been in great shape up until about mile 90. We agreed that from here on out though, no matter what happened to my feet, I could probably push through it. I spent a few minutes with Santina and another friend, Jayne who was there to watch her husband finish the 8 hour race. I started to get a little too comfortable so Dave reminded me that it was time to get back out there.

Getting up was hard and my legs were very stiff. It took me most of the loop to loosen up. I was also having trouble focusing on what was going on around me. It was around 5pm on Saturday and I hadn’t slept since Thursday night. I came around the corner at mile 106, saw Dave, and burst into tears from the exhaustion. I no longer had any control over my emotions. I told Dave that I needed a nap but he convinced me to do just a few more laps. Finally at mile 110, I laid down in my sleeping bag. My kids were having dinner next to me and asking if they could sit in my sleeping bag instead. The music at the start/finish line was blaring but apparently I did manage to fall asleep for probably 40 minutes.

Hour 37 (110 Miles)

Dave woke me up at 8pm and said that Santina was waiting to pace me. It was time to finish this race. Only 11 hours to go. Getting up, changing my clothes and getting moving again was painful. I knew it would be dark again soon though which would be a nice change. Santina and I had a lot to catch up on which was a great distraction from the pain. We did several loops together and then stopped to eat. Throughout the night, we walked with other runners and tried to lift them up when they were in a low place. Other runners also continued to do the same for me.

At some point during one of our stops in the horse stall, I tried to eat a banana. My body completely rejected it. I could not swallow it. I tried some potato chips. Same thing. This was new for me. My digestive system was over it, and no longer wanted to take in any more food. This made my progress on the trail even slower. My energy was diminishing and I started to have some hip pain. I realized after a lap though, that my waist light was pinching my hip so removing it solved at least one problem. The rest of the second night is fuzzy. I remember bits and pieces but it almost feels like a far away dream.

I remember stopping in the office for about 15 minutes at one point to sit down and try to get warm. A volunteer offered to get me some eggs with salt which I was actually able to keep down. Santina worried that I might not leave the chair, but I did. We got back up and kept going. The winds were very strong and I periodically stopped for a second here and there to lean my body weight on my poles. Each lap felt like an eternity. It was pure misery and the exhaustion was all consuming, yet I kept going. Santina said that she would really like to get me to 130 miles so I agreed that we needed to pick up the pace.

Hour 48 (130 Miles)

That last loop, I gave it everything that I had left. It felt like we had to be running at least 10 minute miles when in actuality, we were really doing about 18 minute miles! As we rounded the last corner, I felt emotion well up inside of me. It was both pride in my accomplishment and relief to be finished. But I was too exhausted to really feel it. We took pictures and I finally sat down in my chair. My family showed up a few minutes later as I sat in a daze trying to figure out what to do with myself. So many thoughts and emotions went through my head, but all were muted by exhaustion.

A few minutes later, at the awards ceremony, I received an engraved glass mug for finishing 3rd woman and 6th overall! At the end of the day, I was proud of what I did. I got myself through some incredibly low points that tested me to my core. But I also had many high points that solidified why I love this ultra community! And most importantly, I came out of it a different person which was the whole point of it all.

Post Race

Looking back on the race, I feel happy but not fully satisfied, which I think is ok. These two days opened up a door in me. It showed me that I am actually capable of so much more.

The recovery though, has been harder than I expected. Physically, I don’t have any pain. Just a deep tiredness that has been hard to shake. It’s all part of the process. I know that running further than 130 miles will take more work. It will also be painful at times. It will take even more sacrifice. But the curiosity of what lies on the other side wins out for me. 150 miles, 200 miles, 300 miles…even further? Who knows, but I do know I’m not willing to leave anything on the table at the end of the day.

Next Up…TBD