So I guess I never did write much on Sonya's race at last weekends FANS 12 hour. Reading Steve Quick's blog made me realize this, bad husband.
I feel like I need to start this by giving people who do not know Sonya or her history with ultra's a bit of background on her. Well if I do not say so myself she is one heck of a runner. She has run 2:51 for the marathon a few times. Run many fast times at shorter distance races over the years. Heck last year just the summer after having our son Evan she set 1 MN age record at the Lumberjack 10 miler and was 5th masters runner at TCM and won the MN master runner of the year award !! I was super proud to say the least. Last year was also the year she decided after watch me many times over the years run ultra's to give it a try for herself. I would say all in all she did very good but was a bit snake bitten at times with her stomach. At the 2007 MadCity 100k she was doing great splitting a 50 mile time of 6:58 when at 57 miles the 18 degree weather got the best of her and she had to drop out. Then 2 weeks after TCM she ran the Fall 50 miler in a solid 7:20ish ?? after having the craps and being sick to her stomach for the last 8-10 miles. Then at this years MadCity 100k had the same darn thing happen !!! Well after that race she got hurt and had to take off 6 weeks of running and then got to run 2 weeks.
This brings us to FANS. She for some reason wanted to give it a shot just to be apart of the day with everyone. I was not super pumped at first but felt like she knows herself and I will be there to try and help. When you love someone you do what ever you can to help them you know. But I will say it would not be the build up I would have liked.
As the race got started it was so nice to see her so happy out there. She was running great. She said all felt good and I was happy. As I chased our kids around I could see she was running smooth and strong. After a few hours I decided to take the kids to my parents so I could be of as much help as possible. When I got back it was like 7 1/2 hours into the run. She was at like 45 miles but that's when her stomach started in full force to cause some problems. We walked and she puked. That became the theme for the next 4 to 5 hours !!! I felt real bad for her, because she has all the ability in those legs but that darn tummy keeps getting her in some way. But like the trooper she is she did not give up and stuck it out till the end of 12 hours. I think she had like 55 miles or so at the end ? Either way I am very proud of her and wish I could have just a slice of her toughness.
One thing she did say was she loved to run with and meet all the nice people I talk about. Thanks people !!!
5 comments:
It's when things go bad that character shows - Sonya showed how tough she is and you were being great support for her.
Tough as nails indeed. We've all seen that look before, as we have all had it at one time or another. I remember kindly my race this year at Chicago Lakefront and puking a baker's dozen. That glazed look. blahhhh. Sonya is a fabulous runner, like anything the ultra stuff just takes practice and a lot of trial and error to know what the body needs or expects. Hell I think we never quite truly figure it all out, and I think that is part of the reason why we keep doing it. The quest for perfecting it.
Well done Sonya
Well done sonya and kurt! I'm looking forward to the Fall 50 this year...still planning on that one?
Ginger is supposed to sooth an upset stomach, and I've heard of a few ultra runners using ground ginger or crystallized (candied) ginger with good results.
http://www.ultrunr.com/stomach.html
Papaya enzymes have saved me so many times in the long races. You can chew up as many as you want, and they actually taste pretty good.
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