This one is a few weeks late but I figured I should get this up here.To start, Flatlanders is not what I would call my typical race format. Flat and fast. I like to run and open it up every now and then, but that is usually sandwiched between some climbs and/or some downhill on the trail. This course is a 1.4 mile paved loop around a park. With maybe 10 feet of gain per loop. Needless to say, the race name fits. There are 6 and 12 hour options, I chose the 6.I had one goal in mind, hit 40 miles and a secondary goal to hit 42 miles. Those don't seem like that big of a difference, but when you only have 6 hours to do it, 2 miles is a lot. The plan was go out steady and hold it, that was pretty much it. I tried to keep it simple. I needed 30 laps to get to 42 miles. I have 6 hours to do it so.. 7mph is what I needed to hold down to hit 42. To simplify it even more I just took that 1.4 miles x 7mph and came up with 12 minutes a loop. "Keep it easy and attainable, don't think about the big picture, only 12 minutes a loop."
I was trying to keep myself from being too competitive but Eric Buckley threw his name in the hat last minute and I pretty much figured that it would come down to he and I. Also John Polihan was running but he had IM Wisconsin the following weekend so I hoped he was going to hold back a little.
Long story short, Eric had an awesome day and put up the 3rd most miles ever in the event at 43.37. I ran strong until just after the 50k mark then had some stomach troubles that slowed me down a bit before I bounced back and ended up with 41.68 which is now the 5th most miles in the 9 year history. Not bad for a grinding trail runner.
The best thing from the event was that my wife also came out and ran some miles. She has just started running and is training for her fist 1/2 marathon next month. Her training plan called for 7 miles and she put in 12.6. She's awesome! To me, that's the cool and inspiring stuff. I've run 40+ miles before. My buddies working super hard in the 12 hour race had covered whatever miles they would achieve for the day. Micaela, she'd never gone over 6 and she more than doubled that.
Also, my parents brought our daughter out to watch. I'm not sure what she put in but she racked up some miles on foot and on her bike!
