5 days to my first ultra: The PHUNT 50k

Course map for the PHUNT 50k

In five days, I will run my first ultra marathon. I’m feeling a little apprehensive about it because I’ve been on a self-directed mission of nutrition sabotage since my birthday. Cookies. Rich meals with lots

of fat and bad carbs. Wine. Lots of wine. Sadly, I’ve been feeling it lately in my runs and workouts. I’m hoping that I can reverse course over the next 5 days and get myself back on nutrition track. (So far this morning, I’ve been successful. I’ve thrown out the leftover Christmas cookies, and ate a hearty bowl of oatmeal.)

Other than my nutrition derailing off the tracks, I feel ready for my first ultra. The PHUNT 50k traverses 31 miles (for those who don’t know the kilometer to mile conversion) in the Fair Hill Natural Management Area in Maryland. According to the race directors (Trail Dawgs), the course is a single loop along 95% trails, with about 3,000 feet of aggregate vertical climb.

Race directors

The weather forecast is calling for snow showers, which I think will add an adventurous and dare I say fun element to the run. It will be cold and the race directors say that “arm and leg panties” will be permitted because of the cold. I read that in their email update and laughed MAO. These guys sound like my kind of runners! I love my arm and leg panties, so I’m really happy I’ll be able to wear them 😉

A standard Fat-Ass format for the race means: “no fee, no frills, no wimps, no whining!” To emphasize this format, the race flyer informs the interested participant, “This run is meant for experienced trail runners, but anyone with marathon experience who wants to try an ultra and promises not to whine if they get tired and dirty is welcome.” Oh, yes, this is my kind of race! I love running in mud, I don’t whine, and a free race? This type of race is the running community at its finest: getting together to run with people for the sheer love of feeling the ground beneath our feet, the flow of breath through our bodies, the sights and sounds along the trail, and the connection with others who love these very same things.

While it’s a “race,” I don’t have any intentions of racing. Rather, I want to enjoy the trail, enjoy the weather (whatever it might be), and be able to recover from this race quickly so I can get focused on the Ironman training. John and I plan to run the race together at a comfortable pace–whatever that might be. I’d ideally like to keep my heart rate in zone 2, maybe a peak into zone 3 for the climbs and fast downhills. I’ve never run this far before so I don’t know exactly what to expect. But, I do know I won’t be whining about it!

The PHUNT 50k is also part of my fundraising goals for the Iron Scholarship Fund, which rewards academic endurance for economically disadvantaged students. For more information about this scholarship, and how you can help, visit the information page here. Any amount is appreciated! If we all give a little bit, we can help others a lot.

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