There will be pain. Get right with that and running 52 miles isn’t that bad. I’m not saying its good either, but I guarantee it will be an adventure you never forget. You will leave saying, “I’m never going to do that again” or find yourself Googling races when you are back at work.
Running is probably the oldest sport and evolved from humans running away from animals trying to eat them. The second sport was probably wrestling that resulted from having to fend off whatever was chasing you once you got caught. These two sports share several characteristics and is why I started to run when I was done wrestling.
They don’t require much gear: All you need to wrestle is a pair of shoes and a mat, and candidly you don’t really need either. I’ve participated in plenty of wrestling matches that took place in living rooms, bars, vans, backyards, and hotel rooms. All you need to run are shoes, and there are people in this world that will leave you in the dust barefoot.
They don’t discriminate: Your race, religion, financial status, or even size doesn’t matter when running or wrestling.
Athleticism isn’t required: You can get a long way on hard work and grit.
Jake Holscher(my buddy, former wrestling coach and ultra-athlete) said it best, “Isn’t it crazy what we will do for a gold medal or stupid belt buckle.” We both know it was never about a medal or a buckle. It’s about the journey, the discipline, the hardships, the successes, and doing something that not many people get to experience with the people you love.
My race started back in December when deciding what I wanted to work towards in 2021. The Flower Moon Trail Run (www.outlaw100.com) came on my radar during the previous spring when all the races were getting canceled due to Covid. I thought a trail run in Oklahoma might happen (it didn’t), but I kept it in the back of my mind.
The question I had to answer was “Am I going to commit to the work required for a 50-mile run?” I had completed a handful of marathons, and never finished thinking “Wow, I’d really like to turnaround and repeat that.” I pulled up the registration site without completing the process four times before one day in January I filled out my information, stared at the screen, then hit submit. No looking back. Now it was time to put together my: training plan, support crew, nutrition, and gear.
Training plan: I run consistently throughout the year, but I had to ramp up miles. There are plenty of training schedules online made by people with a lot more experience than me, so do your research. There are two things you better get ready for:
1. Running when it is nasty outside. I ran when it was snowing, below zero, 20+ mph winds, and ran the race in rain and 80 degree weather. If you wait for perfect days, you’ll never get the miles you need.
2. Get used to running when you are tired. Most of the plans will have back to back long days. These train your legs to keep moving when they are exhausted. Previously I would take a day or two off after a 20-mile training run, but for this race I would get up the next day and get miles in when my legs didn’t want to work.
Support Crew: Stephanie was promoted to this job by default and it was no small task. The race caused her anxiety, but I needed someone for physical and mental support. I’m a bad communicator, and rarely complain. I tend to say everything is fine, even when I am hurting (which adds to her stress). I am blessed to have her by my side, and we had some good laughs.
Gear: Running doesn’t take much gear. Make sure you have a comfortable pair of shoes (I used both trail and road shoes for this race), underwear that doesn’t chafe (they are worth the investment), a water device (I run with a vest that holds two bottles), and a small fanny pack for food. I also have a running watch, but that isn’t required. A week before the race I mentioned we need some first aid gear. I was thinking some mole skin, duct tape, a few Band-Aids, Vaseline, and a bottle of Ibuprofen. Stephanie came home with enough first aid items to support a small trauma unit. Just one of the perks of being with a nurse.
Nutrition: Similar to training plans there are a lot of articles regarding nutrition while running, so do your research. The consensus is to target 300 to 400 calories per hour during the race. The experts also say, “Find what works for you.” I’ve tried fancy gels, running chews, and bars. I have a hard time eating them, especially after a few hours of running. I like fruit snacks (Skoobi Doo) you find at the grocery store (80 calories), Nature Valley Sweet and Salty Nut granola bars (170 calories), bananas, and grape Gatorade. I ate a pack of fruit snacks on every half hour mark, a granola bar at every hour mark, and a banana at the aid station when I felt like I needed a boost. I also took an electrolyte supplement every hour (S!Caps). The key is to get your calories, stick to your plan, and don’t get behind on fluids or food because it will be tough to recover.
The Flower Moon Trail run took place at Osage Hills State Park by Bartlesville, OK. Most of the course was on a single track trail. It had some technical areas, but most was runnable. The trail was rocky, but the rain caused some areas to be muddy. The 50 Mile race consisted of a 13-mile loop that I ran 4 times (which came out to 52 miles). Each loop had around 1,100 feet of elevation gain (4,400 total) and consisted of 4-leaf clover shape that kept coming back to the main aid station. I called the four pieces of the clover:
1. Start/Finish loop
2. Dam loop
3. Big loop
4. Small loop
Stephanie and I drove out to the park to familiarize where I needed to be in the morning and where the drop location was for the main aid station. Directions aren’t Stephanie’s strong suit, so I simplified them for her:
1. Drop me off
2. Go to the main aid station for most of the day
3. Head to the finish when I’m about done
The reason we needed a plan is because the event had varying distances starting throughout the day, so everyone would finish around the same time. Which meant the parking lot would probably be full at the finish line and she would need to use “overflow parking.”
My alarm went off 4:10 am and I heard rain drops on the window. I looked at the weather and a storm was heading our way. The good news was it looked like it was going to pass, but I was going to get wet. Driving to the course it started to pour. Stephanie was frantically talking (I wasn’t really listening), but I remember her saying “Slow down, turn up your windshield wipers, what are you going to do?!?!” After a silent pause I replied, “I’m going to run.”
The simplicity of running is what makes it so great. Your mind stops wandering and you focus on the task at hand. Eat when you’re hungry. Drink when you are thirsty. When you start to feel uncomfortable do little things to boost morale. Nothing else in the world matters, just run.
The rain had everyone behind schedule. I dropped off my supplies, registered, pinned on my bib, kissed Stephanie, and walked towards the starting area. At two minutes to go we approached the starting line. A few rabbits (fast people) went to the front while I hung back with everyone else. At ten seconds the race director did a count down and then it started. I began to run. The rain had reduced to a nice mist and the sun was rising over Oklahoma. I felt good.
The first 13-mile loop was uneventful. I ran most of it and was probably pushing a little too hard. Due to the rain my socks and shoes immediately became soaked. On the small loop I ran with a guy that wanted to talk the entire time. He inquired about my ultra experience, and I informed him I had none. He told me I was going too fast for the first lap and would have difficulty finishing. I smiled and told him I hope he was wrong, but I remember thinking…buddy you don’t know me.
I slowed my pace the second loop walking the steeper hills and running the rest. This is when I started to feel pain. I never liked my trail shoes. I was going to run in my road shoes, but with the rain I decided to go with the trail shoes because they have better traction. The problem was they don’t have as much cushion and the down hill portions were killing my knees. Too top that off the sole cushion they did have came unglued and continued to work up around my ankle. I tried to put it back a couple of times but eventually just removed the sole. Around mile 22 to 24 the first thoughts of doubt crept in. Will my knee hold up? Will I be able to push through the pain? I’m already hurting, and not even half done!
Mentally I told myself to finish the loop and evaluate. That would put me at 26 miles. I had run that far before and knew I could get there. When I hit the start/finish I thought “you’re still moving” run the flat portion then reevaluate. I got through the flat portion then thought, “you’re still moving”, get to the old truck. When I got there, I had an epiphany…change my shoes! When I came to the aid station I yelled to Stephanie “I’m going to change my shoes when I get done with the dam loop, so grab a sweatshirt.”
I assumed Stephanie would realize the sweatshirt was to dry my feet off. However, this was not the case. She spent the passing time wondering why in the heck would I want a sweatshirt. She confided in her new friend trying to determine why I needed a sweatshirt. Was I loosing my mind? After all the temperature was well above 70 degrees. When I came to the aid station Stephanie had four long sleeve pieces of clothing at my disposal. She pleaded with me “Seth, it is too hot, you don’t need a sweatshirt!” Too which I replied, “I just want to dry off my feet.”
There are simple pleasures in life you never forget: Grandma’s cooking, your first car, and the felling of a fresh pair of socks after 32 miles. It felt like I was walking on cotton candy. My morale immediately improved, the new shoes helped with the pain in my knees, and I was back in business. At some point during the big loop everything started clicking. It was almost like my body realized “This crazy asshole ain’t stopping, so lets get with the program!” At 37.6 miles I was feeling good, but knew I still had a long way to go.
When I started the final loop I thought “I’m finishing this”. The heat continued to rise, and I started to get hot. I dumped a cold bottle of water on my head at the aid station. A simple gesture, but enough to get cooled off and moving good. I did the dam loop. Then the big loop. Before starting the small loop I told Stephanie to wait at the aid station until I came through again, then head to the finish line. To which she inquired, “Where should I park?” Here I am 48 miles into a run, and I am trying to explain where the overflow parking is! During the small loop I kept worrying if Stephanie could find the finish line. At 50 and ½ miles (last aid station) I went through the directions again, wished her luck and took off.
Much too my surprise (and delight) I see Stephanie in the overflow parking lot. She sees me coming through the park and shouts words of encouragement. Only 500 or so yards stand between me and the finish. I point up the hill and yell “head up there” (I still had to take a service road to the river then up a different trail). I made the comment, “you better hustle because I’ll be finishing soon.” Too which she replied, “I can’t go any faster!” I was speechless but leave it to Stephanie to put me in my place…even if I have been running for almost 11 hours! (We have had a lot of great laughs about this).
In 10 hours, 55 minutes and 42 seconds I crossed the finish line. Good enough for a 9th place finish out of 72. I covered 52 miles with a 12:36/mile pace.
I couldn’t have done it without the support from Stephanie, some solid advice from my buddy Jake, and years of working on mental toughness.
Words of Wisdom After the Race
I’ll stand by my original comment “You’ll either find yourself saying you’ll never do that again” or Googling races when you get back to work.” I’ll let you guess which one describes me.
How Does This Apply to Business?
Two memories stand out from this race:
1. Putting on fresh socks at mile 32
2. Pouring that bottle of cold water over my head on the final lap
One improvement I can make for my next race is taking more time at the aid stations. I was Go! Go! Go! However, spending a few extra minutes on yourself can take several minutes off your time.
Ken Smith tells a story about two lumber jacks that had a contest chopping wood. The big burley lumberjack worked non-stop. Using brute force. The small lumber jack left every hour. He would be gone for 10 minutes then come back. When the contest ended the big lumber jack was exhausted and the small lumber jack had chopped more wood. The crowed was amazed that the small lumber jack won, and asked “where did you go every hour?” He replied, “To sharpen my saw.”
Don’t make the mistake of not working on yourself once you get into a professional role. It is common to get caught up with “work” and stop improving yourself. Read books, attend conferences, or get a mentor. By spending time developing new skills, you will be more productive in the long run.
Second, do you know what kind of shoes I run in? Or the blend in my socks? How about where the water was bottled? I’m seriously asking. Because I don’t know, and I don’t care. All I cared about during that race was making my feet feel good and cooling off. It just so happened that shoes, socks and water accomplished this.
Many sales professionals focus on the product. Quoting specs, technical jargon, “small” differentiators that they say, “add a little sizzle.” Don’t be a product puker. If you want to be a good at sales focus on solving problems, not selling products. Ask yourself: What does this person want? How can I help them get it?
Until next time remember…you are going to have to earn it.