Ultraman Day 3

Ultraman Day 3

This is the hardest day of Ultraman.   It would be hard to describe to how I felt when I woke up in the morning.  I feel pretty much like DooDoo.   My insides feel like crap and I certainly don’t feel like running.   Day 3 is a 52.4 mile run from Hawi to Kona.   This is the bike course of the Hawaii ironman that we run home.   It is pretty much ugly lava rocks on our running route.  I still find it pretty in some ways.  I love it when my competition gets baked and I get a chance to pass them.  Heat is something I love to race in.

So I had a nice cushion going into Day 3.  My shadow was the closest one behind me so I planned on keeping her in my sight.  I know there were two other girls that were going to really dominate but I was confident that my cushion would hold them off so long as I ran an 8:15 or better.   I did not know if I had an 8:15 double marathon in me however.   This was the unknown.   I needed to do an 8:06 to break the overall course record.   My only goal was to just keep my shadow girl in sight for this day.  I freak out when I am given splits and too much into.  8 hours is a long time to be tracking everyone you are racing.  

My race was going better than I could have ever imagined.  I did not expect the results I was getting and came to the Ultraman knowing I could lose.  My attitude was really in good spirits but my running base was not.   My shadow kept close to me in the beginning of the run.  After dealing with this all day the second day I decided to let her go in front and just keep her in my sight.  She was keeping a good pace that worked just great for me.   I stopped to visit my usual porcelain potty that flushes at mile 17.   She got a little more head but was still in my sight.   I don’t always need to stop a potty but I do anyway.  The next 30 miles there is not anything but lava rocks and I am not into the public thing.

My competition was ahead but just where I wanted her.  She was wearing tights and I knew she was going to get overheated.   I eased up the pace a bit based on how I was feeling.  I did not feel like I had running legs. After the half marathon my competition did get over heated.  She began to slow and I took the lead knowing that I had a chance of winning.  My crew however….or some of my crew became concerned out the other two girls ahead.  One of them was a national champion runner.  I had  a hug cushion on her but she was still a threat.   The other one was gaining time on me and running faster than we thought she would.   My friend Gary Sheilds came out to run with me like he does every year.   He rode his bike out to meet us and reported to me that one of the girls was 20 minutes up.  I did not want to hear this.  After a mile the report got exaggerated to 30 minutes.  All I was thinking was “do they really know for a fact?”  I asked not to mention this girls name again.   I do remember saying “ We are all having a good time.   This was a tough year having buried my gramps and I just wanted to finish it for him and keep having a good time.   I am having a better race then I ever thought I could have.   Can we please just have a good time and finish?”   I did not want to hear about the others girls again.  

Donna is my cousin and has gone to all my races. She became like a mom and would get on to me if I walked a few extra steps while passing the car.  Johnny at this time was who I looked too since he was not getting on to me.  He remained all giggles and respected my wishes.  Actually all of my crew did not mention anything to me like I requested…they all did respect my wishes but were not smiling.  I felt like most of them had lost faith that I could still win.    I could see the concern in their eyes and knew they wanted me to run faster.  I did not pick my pace up.   I started thinking that perhaps they might be right and that I could be running an 8:30 marathon or something.   I broke my own rule when we were 7 miles out and asked Johnny how long I had been running.   His report was enough to tell me I was going better than an 8:15 so I kept my pace.   We were just going to have to see how it went when we crossed the finish line.  One of my rules is to not track things.

The run was nearly over.   The last mile always seems really long.  My crew went and parked the car so we could run in together.   As I rounded the corner and could see the clock I did see an 8:06 on the clock.   This was the time that I would have needed to break the overall course record.  I was so close and did not really have a clue.   My crew was so focused on the other girls that I don’t think they had a clue either.  We ran in and I think I got an 8:08 or something like that for my time.   We all held hands and crossed the line.   I became the Ultraman World Champion for the sixth time.   I did not pout that I was 3 minutes off the record.  I was just glad I won.

The other two girls ran really fast and ended up taking second and third overall.    My shadow that was in second fell to forth.   Even though the shadow never got a penalty it all worked out and I think that everyone ended up in the place they deserved.   In the end things always work out if you just have some faith sometimes.   I had some tough competition this year but I think I always do.  I did this race the best way I know how……I raced my own race and it really paid off.   I had my little angles on my shoulder.   This would be my grandparents who meant the world to me.  

I also never could have done this without the help of my crew.  Donna is my second cousin that I am very close to.  She handled all my nutrition and cracked the whip.   I know when she is doing this she is doing it out love.   Johnny is my  comedian and no matter what he always has a huge smile.   He is also my training buddy.   George is my running partner for the 6th year in a row.   He comes out once a year and runs as much as he can with me.   Last but not least is Gary Shields.   He always comes and runs the last 10 with me.   This is my crew that helps me every year get to the finish line.  Without them I would not be the Ultraman World Champ.   I love the race and the people who put it on as well.  Ultraman is about teamwork and I have a great team.