Race Report - Little Rock - DNF, but really a win?

Little Rock. Being here is kinda like coming home. I graduated High School at North Pulaski High, just about a dozen miles north. It was good to be back again.

I rode down with my friend Cheryl from Tulsa on Saturday. I met her at 0630 and moved my gear to her vehicle and we set out without delay. The drive in was scenic and we chatted on the way in. Temperatures were moderate, if a little on the cool side. Conversation was friendly and encouraging, mostly though, we were both excited to be going to Little Rock for this race.

We got to Little Rock in good time, pulling in to our hotel just before 11am. We got our bags out and proceeded to the desk to check in, having called about an hour before to confirm that we would have no problems with the check in. I should have recalled the old murphyism, when everything is going smooth, something unsmooth is about to happen. And so it did. The hotel messed up Cheryl's room, telling her that they had given all of the doubles out the previous day. They also advised us that they would not honor the late check out request... a definite problem as neither of us expected to be done with the race by noon. We tried talking to the manager on duty, but they wouldn't budge from their position and we each decided we would do what we had to do and worry about whatever fees we got charged later. It was, for me, the most unpleasant part of the entire trip.



We got to our rooms and dropped out gear off and then hit the expo to pick up our packets. The expo wasn't as crowded as I had expected, but there was a lack of product samples, from my perspective. We walked around and stopped by a couple of booths and inquired about other races that seemed interesting, but generally cleared out of the expo pretty quick. Cheryl had plans with some of her friends and my daughter and niece were in town, so we each had separate plans, but both sets of plans got changed at the last minute and we decided to grab lunch together. I suggested an Irish Pub I knew across the river called Creegen's and so we ate a good lunch. When we were through, Cheryl's friends were still busy so we met my daughter and niece at the USS Razorback and took a tour through the WWII submarine.

What I didn't realize at first was that this was no modified for museum vessel... We had to enter and exit just like a regular submariner would have... through the watertight hatch and down the ladder. I'm not a skinny guy and it was an interesting fit, but I made it and was never in danger of getting stuck. But when I suggested it, I had forgotten that my friend had some issues with ladders due to a bad accident a few years ago. Going down wasn't so bad, but on the climb out, it was a little anxious for her. I, myself, was fighting my own demons while inside the belly of the sub, as the ventilation was not great and the stuffiness closed in around me. I'm not generally claustrophobic, but was certainly feeling it during the tour. I had to force myself to keep breathing deeply and tried desperately not to show it. I was also worried about getting back up the ladder... coming down was easy enough, but the rungs were spaced a little far apart and I wasn't at all sure about getting back up. I joked bravely about joining the crew. But I didn't have near the problem I was worried about and made it out to stand on the deck again.

After the tour, we all broke up and went our separate directions. I had the Early Start meeting to go to and made it with just a minute to spare. Here I met Hobbit, the Walking Coach for the Little Rock Marathon. I also saw Laurie and Derek at the meeting and we talked for a few minutes. At that time, I found out that the hotel mix-up was really a lot more mixed up as they had gotten a double even though they had asked for a king and had come in after us.

After that, I retired to my room. After a bit, my daughter came up and we chatted and I tried, unsuccessfully, to nap. I started to notice that my mouth was dry and I sipped on some water I brought. My niece joined us late and we went and got something to eat about an hour later than I had planned for. Sticking with what I knew and not wanting to risk getting something that would haunt me the on the run, I decided for Creegen's a second time. I had the shepard's pie and it was good. Finally, just about 9pm, I made it back to the hotel checked the weather for the next day and laid out my things. I set my alarm and called for a wake-up call. Shortly after all that, I was sound asleep.





Race Day

I was up in the morning and excited. I felt good and felt ready to take on this race. I had done all the training and knew a lot of the course already, after all, my first apartment was on the race course. I got my things on, loaded up the supplies I would carry with me, took the meds I needed and headed out.

Downstairs, there were several faces I recognized and several of my running friends from RunnersWorld Tulsa were there. We chatted on the way to the starting line for the early start. I was ready, dressed correctly for the temps and excited about the trek. we arrived with just a couple of minutes to go before the gun... No standing around like at the Route 66, just get there and suddenly we were off.

I crossed the starting line just 30 seconds after the gun, I was loving the early start and the sky was just starting to lighten as we approached the Clinton Library. Being at the back of the pack, I was hit up for an interview by the Marathon Show's Joe Taricani. I don't know if it ever aired, but it was an interesting thing.

As Joe Taricani left me and the solitude that I am used to settled in, I started my familiar 4 and 1 walk/run pace. Before the race, I had thought that I would just walk the first mile or two, but I was feeling particularly good and having just been interviewed, felt kinda empowered on top of the race day adrenaline.

It wasn't long before I was headed across the Broadway Street Bridge and into North Little Rock. Temps were starting to warm as the sun peaked over the horizon and the wind died down. It was going to be a beautiful day. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was being observed by another runner who was just getting ready for the regular start... You never know, even in your solitude, who might be watching. I was revelling in the sunrise and the the fact that I was now in my old stomping grounds. Mile 2 came up quickly and I was 8 minutes ahead of my normal pace, but slowing down a bit to conserve my energy. I paused just past the 2nd mile marker and had one of the officers blocking the roads take a quick snapshot of me in front of my old apartment building. I was still feeling pretty fresh and looked it, too. Onward I went.

About another half mile and I tapped into my nutrition, just a little. Soon, I was coming up on the first water stop and I grabbed a bit of water and carried on. At 3 miles, my feet were hurting a little, but I've had that before, I shifted a little and kept going. A minor nuisance wasn't going to stop me. About a half mile later, though, I started having my first cramps. My calves kept trying to cramp up and shut down. Having just had some water, I decided that even though it was early, I'd intake a salt packet. Moving on down. At mile 4 and a half, the handbikes, wheelchairs and elites started passing me. I had slowed down quite a bit, but still on course and despite the achy feet and the cramping legs was still good and moving.

Coming around the bend and heading back across the bridge, the little things started adding up. It was about that time that the main pack started passing me and the bridge from North Little Rock was a longer climb up than when I first went over. Now those who know me know that I normally like hills, at least in training. But this hill, this bridge, seemed to be really getting the better of me. I kept going, occasionally pulling off to the side and hanging off the rail to stretch out my cramping legs and get a little more endurance out of them. But all that foot traffic was causing the bridge to noticeably oscillate and I had to fight that as well as already having problems. The oscillations were the worst under the arch where I was just certain the bridge was rising and dropping my at least half an inch. It was very disconcerting and very tiring, even just to keep my balance. Finally, I fought my way off the bridge and had to sit down for a few. That wore me out and I sat down for several minutes, but finally got up and continued on.

I moved along and up the hill to 3rd street. I was coming up on half way and just didn't want to stop. I took some more of my fluids, but my mouth would get dry quickly afterward. I want to say that I got a tremendous amount of support and well wishes as I trudged along. I started to realize just how deep in trouble I was and it seemed like I had to stop and rest every time I turned around. Still, I wasn't wanting to quit. My quads were on fire, my stomach was nauseous, and I was starting to get dizzy, but I kept getting out there. My friend Cheryl passed me and shouted some encouragement and I did my best to keep going. I was really played out and hurting when more of my group came upon me. I guess I had started to drift a bit and they made me sit down and gave me some water and they made sure I was ok before they left. Angry with myself, I got back up and squeezed some more out. Mile six couldn't be more than a mile ahead, I was thinking. About half way down to the next turn I stopped again and before I realized it, I was watching the sad wagon pass me. They started picking up the course barrels and they didn't even know I was still on the course!

I got up again. The turn was just ahead, I was sure. I pushed, even as my quads were giving out. Every muscle in my legs were burning and complaining. I got to where I thought the turn was and turned up the street. About half way up the block I realized that cars weren't supposed to be parked on the race route and that the street was full of cars. I turned around and went back down to the race route and turned to go back down, but realized I wasn't sure where the route was... I couldn't see the marker for mile 6. I was in trouble and knew it so I started messaging people I knew. Finally, my legs gave completely out. Had I been close to the finish, I'd have simply crawled, but I had enough presence of mind to realize I couldn't crawl 7 miles and finally pulled up short. Soon, Little Rock EMTs were on the scene and after making sure that I wasn't in imminent distress and then they helped me get back to my hotel.

Once safely in my room, I crawled over to the bed and let myself collapse with a water bottle. I set my alarm and sipped some and slept for a brief time, doing the best I could to recover. I was cold, cramping and thirsty. Eventually, I tossed and turned enough that I managed to pull covers over me and I warmed up. After a shower, I was feeling almost human again. Slowly, I got some use of my muscles and when Cheryl finished and got her shower, we decided we could stay for at least a little of the post race party. We gathered our things and checked out of our rooms and had a nice surprise waiting for us... the hotel didn't charge us for any additional time. It made thing a bit better.

We got our gear back in her vehicle and then sat in the hotel restaurant for a while. I had a little to eat, expecting the entire time to get nauseated again and happily surprised when I didn't. Previous races had gotten me there and I was glad this wasn't one of them.

On the way home, there were many quiet, introspective moments. There was also some good discussion on what went right and what went wrong. As Cheryl pointed out to me, I finish a race... I just signed up for the wrong one. She also said that I might try racing some shorter races and just work on making my times better. Those are good thoughts and I hope she knows I did hear her on them.

All in all, I am not giving up. After the Route 66, I felt bad because I didn't get a chance to put it all out there. I had the same problem with the Tulsa Zoo Run 5k the month before, even though I had finished it and did comparatively well at it. But sometimes it is hard for me to be able to express to others. But at Little Rock on Sunday, I put everything out there. I went MY distance, the farthest I could go on THAT day. Did I make mistakes leading up to that race? Sure I did. Some grand ones, I think. I let the travel day interfere with my hydration, I didn't watch my exertion the day before the race, I probably started the race slightly dehydrated and then exabrated the problem by taking salt early on without the proper hydration. I also probably started my pace a little too fast. But I did all I could do and then went further. I will be back and I will get to wear a finisher's medal. I liked coming to Little Rock for this race and you can bet I'll be back.