Last weekend, I headed
up to Riverside, California to run in the 24 Hour Nanny Goat event. I’ve started this recap three different times
and each time I start over, unsure of how I want to approach it. I’ve decided to answer the questions I’ve
been asked the most since the race.
What was the weather like?
Like a lot of runners, I
often watch the weather the week leading up to a race. I was a little nervous because this race
wouldn’t just be a few hours—I had to pay attention to 24 hours worth of
weather. Midweek, a possibility of rain
showed during the middle of the night.
The weather forces were in our favor and the weather was fantastic for
the race. It was a little hot during
midday but with the help of popsicles and the ice bandanas Missy made, it never
felt too bad. We also made sure to stay
on point with sunscreen and applied it every hour or so.
What did you eat?
Fueling during an ultra
distance is definitely different than other races I’ve done. Some runners will focus solely on liquid
fueling, gels or real food. I tend to do
a mixture of all of them. I used
Tailwind and Muir Energy gels on a regular basis. The aide station was stocked with things such
as potatoes, watermelon, quesadillas, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches,
pizza, hamburgers and other snacks.
During the night, they also had soup and warm foods available to help
with the cold weather. My go-to real
food choices tend to be potatoes and watermelon.
So you ran for 24 hours?
The race event started
at 8:00am on Saturday. They had a few
different race options—a 4 hour, a 12 hours (morning or night 12 hours), a 50
miler, a 100 miler and a 24 hour event.
Missy, Christy and I signed up for the 24 hour event. To be honest, this is what I was most nervous
about—would I be able to stay awake and run for 24 hours?
 |
| Saturday Night Sunset from the Course |
The late night hours
were the hardest for me, both physically and mentally. The 12 hour runners had already gone home,
the spectators were sleeping and you were no longer surrounded by people. I even reached out on social media because I
needed some motivations. The running
community is amazing and came out in full force—I received so many messages, I
was that girl ugly crying as she was making her loops- my heart was so full.
 |
Around 1:00am, I started
having major stomach issues like I had never had before. I was still a bit away from my goal, but I
knew I needed a break. So I took a 45
minute nap. A part of me was
disappointed in myself that I had to stop but I also know it was the smart
decision. And it’s amazing what a 45
minute nap can do for you!
How far did you run?
I ended Nanny Goat with
65 official miles. (my watch had 67 with bathroom stops, etc..) Prior to the event, people would ask what my
goal was and I honestly didn’t have one.
In August 2017, I completed a 40 mile event which is the furthest
distance I had ever done so I didn’t know what my body was capable of. I am happy with the 65 miles but I also know
that I could have done better.
 |
| "Cone of Death" |
I did not prepare for
Nanny Goat mileage the way I should have.
I ran a full in February and a half in March but otherwise most of my
runs this year have been less than 10 miles.
That’s not smart training and I know better. Next year, I will train the way that I
should. I will have goals. I will reach them.
Was it “loopy?”
Nanny Goat is a one mile
loop and for many, the idea of that seems daunting. I had never run a loop course like this so I
wasn’t sure what to expect. I loved it. I liked knowing I was never more than a mile
away from “camp.” I loved seeing the spectators every mile. I was also easy to make friends on the
course because you see the same people a lot during your time there.
Would you do it again?
Abso-freaking-lutely! I
had such a good time and I can’t wait to go back next year.
Why?
When you tell someone
you’re running a 24 hour race, “why?” is often the response. There are a couple different whys for me.
First, it started as a
girls weekend with two people who are very important to me and I was looking
forward to sharing the time with them.
Christy broke her leg in another race the weekend prior to Nanny Goat,
so Missy and I wore a picture of her to make sure she knew she was with us in
spirit.
My second why is the
community. Experiencing an ultra is
unlike any other race experience you will have.
I saw people laughing with strangers, sharing stories when people who
were close to tears, people throwing up and people sharing the joy of a sport
they love. I was inspired by a cancer
survivor pushing through to 50 miles, a woman cheering on every runner who came
by her campsite and my friend reaching a course record. I was inspired and
overwhelmed by the people who encouraged and supported me, especially when I
was struggling. An experience like this will change you.
 |
| Race Swag |
My last why is because I
had something to prove to myself. Last fall I had some medical issues which
required me to lower my mileage dramatically.
I had people questioning me as a runner and though other’s opinions
shouldn’t matter, I started to question myself as a runner. Quite frankly, I was in a running funk and
Nanny Goat gave me the opportunity to prove to myself that I can do hard
things.
I don’t know exactly
what I was looking for at Nanny Goat, but I found it. I ran 65 miles—it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t
pretty, but I did it. And I’ll be back
year, chasing 100 miles.
I am a different person
that I was before the start of Nanny Goat and I am forever grateful that I had
that experience. Have you ever run a
race that’s changed you?
Until next time, happy
running!
Jenn13.1
