June 5 - 44.7 mile overnight "Train Run"

OK, this might be a bit winded, but here goes...

The intro to the Raritan Valley Road Runners and their event, and my strategy are listed here. Please read so that you can understand this blog entry.

Sensing a very humid night, I had to stash some extra water at stops along the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath. As a result, I started this run a bit late. I had my largest Camelbak backpack on during the run, with about 10-15 pounds of food and water that was essential for my run. I also had to park my car about 1.8 miles away from the beginning of the towpath.

Once on the Towpath, I turned on my headlamp and started the long run toward Trenton. The Towpath was recently flooded, and the state of NJ has replaced part of the surface with gravel, a very tough surface to run on. I took a very leisurely pace to conserve energy. As a result, I made it to Rocky Hill, about 22 miles into my run (20 miles on the Towpath) without a hitch. I started to feel a little more tired on the way past Princeton as the perceived withing hour of 2AM approached. I've always found that at around 2-4:00 in the morning, my body demands sleep. By refusing its sleep my body starts to exact its revenge by playing with my head; its favorite weapon of choice is the hallucination.

And I had an hallucination that scared the bejeebers out of me...at around Route 1, near a golf course, I glanced at what I thought were two legs of a dead body lying at the side of the Towpath. As a result, I nearly jumped out of my shoes. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be a fallen tree lying halfway across the path. I could have sworn that my heart was fluttering a good 5 minutes after the sight.

Due to the humidity, I had to run a bit slower. As a result, I got to the Carnegie intersection (about 31.6 miles) at around 5:15PM. As a result, I had a choice to make. Either make it to the end in Trenton and get picked up by the people dropping off the main group of 15 runners by 6:00AM and call it a day, or turn back and run a bit longer and make the first stop by 7:15 at Alexander Road. I decided on the latter and turned back.

I made it back to Alexander Road with about 30 minutes to spare. I met JG who was manning that particular stop and agreed to take me back to the start after the main group passes.

At 7:15AM, the group of runners appeared right on time. I cheered them on as they stopped to hydrate. One of the runners and good friend LS did her first 50 k race about 2 months ago and decided to do the entire 34.1 mile distance. She seems very interested in the ultra distance; I feel that she will attempt her first 50 mile race within the next 2 years. She recalled my previous message that I will run the last 2.3 miles from Demott. I said yes. She then said that "you will be my inspiration to get to Demott so that I can run with you to the finish".

Sounds so eloquent, doesn't it. Basically, she just made that last run mandatory for me. Leave it to a pretty woman to put me on the hook. And I wouldn't want it any other way. :-)

Getting back to the park, I started to run-walk the 1.8 miles back to my car at Highland Park to retrieve it. After I parked the car nearby I managed a brief 20 minute power nap before changing my clothes and shoes. I changed over to my "running sandals", a secret weapon of sorts that relieves all sorts of pressure spots on my feet, and feels oh so good to run in after all of those miles.

At about 45 minutes before the runners were scheduled to hit the last stop at Demott 2.3 miles from the finish, I started to run toward Demott to meet with the group. I got there about 10 minutes before the main group arrived, cheered on the runners. I was looking for LS and was asking if she was still running, but most runners shrugged. After most of the peopleleft for the finished, I decided to run back toward the finish, hoping that she was still running behind me. My legs started to feel real good, and I caught a fantastic second wind that saw me to the finish really strong. We finished as one group a little after 11:00AM.

I was really encouraged by the overnight run. I had a bit of chafing, and my right calf was a knot in the latter portion of the run, but these were only minor issues.

Here is the breakdown of the mileage:

1.6 miles to the Towpath (1.8 calculated by Gmaps; 0.2 had to be
subtracted because 0.2 miles of the calculation based on the Train Run
flyer includes the 0.2 miles to Grove 5 from the entrance)

31.2 miles to Carnegie Road

5.5 miles back to Alexander Road to be picked up

1.8 miles back to retrieve car in Highland Park

2.3 miles to Demott to meet the runners coming back

2.3 miles back to Johnson Park

44.7 miles total, 41.3 miles officially logged on Towpath. Not bad for a
sleep deprived run.