I now have much more respect for those ultra runners who go for 12 or 24 hours traveling 50 to 100 miles at a time. The other morning I pushed myself to some of my limits going the farthest I have ever gone at one time. I actually didn't run all 17 miles, once my feet and knee began hurting I walked some to recover.
I started this run at 4:40 in the morning. I couldn't sleep due to what I had on my mind. My only thought was to get out and get some exercise. As I left my apartment I decided I would make my way to the capital building and City Creek Canyon. I've ran this 10 mile, out and back before, but I've never been further up the canyon till that morning. When I got there I just kept going.
Here was my route home. I took a similar but longer route leaving my apartment heading north through neighborhoods and then up canyon and for a total of 17 miles.
When I started the run was completely dark out. At the time there were tons of homes with the sprinklers going. I was a little creepped out in the dark, especially when I turned and made my way onto a street with little light. The view of the capital from the east side of City Creek is a really great view. Once I reached that point I headed north up the canyon. I'm used to seeing at least some people around in the park but I was up before anyone else.
Looking up in the sky I was hopping for a good sunrise. The clouds were those small wispy repetitive ones that allow the light to bounce around good. There was beginning to be more light and a little color. Being up in nature with a great sky made up for the hardships of running so far that morning.
The first problem I encountered was due to the shoes I chose to wear. I have a pair of Adidas that are Lighter and allow me to run on my toes. They are neutral shoes and I normally need stability shoe. I pronate, which means I have a slight twist inward at my ankles. Stability shoes have a part in the shoe that helps to stabilize this motion. This is important because without it on long runs I start to feel the twisting motion up in my knees. Basically I started to get pain up in my right knee. Around the point of being in the canyon I started thinking of ultra runners who go 100 miles in 24 hours. They must put their body through a beating. I thought that the knee pain was probably minor at this point. I did a few body checks. My feet were beginning to burn due to some rubbing. The start of blisters forming. When my feet began to burn the most I decided I would walk.
As I continued up the canyon at a brisk pace I noticed the changes in the trees. There were more large forest trees and evergreens. I began to think about if I would need some nutrition. I've had it happen where my body looses glucose energy. Not a fun experience. Up the canyon there are campsites with fountains. I could keep myself hydrated but this was pretty much all I could have done. I don't know exactly how I noticed a green apple tree of the side of the road. All the fruit was still not ripe, but a good sugar boost when I needed one. I had to do with what I could and I grabbed 2 with the plan to grab more on my way down. The apples were real sour like a green apple should be but tasted great at the time. At least I could get some sugars into my system.
Before I began my way up the canyon I had looked at the map that was posted, I knew I wouldn't have made it all the way up the canyon. It looked like it went for another 10 miles or more. I had been walking at a brisk uphill pace for some time and I ended up coming across some kind of water facility up the canyon. I had many thoughts of how far I had gone and that I had to go that much farther to return home. I just kept going though. At the 3.5 mile marker on the road I decided that there probably wasn't going to be much else up the road and I felt fresh enough to turn around and stat running again.
Its much easier to run uphill at a gradual pace than it is to come down when you have pains in your legs. I briefly stopped to loosen up my shoes a bit in the toe area this helped to give my tows some more room.
As soon as I turned around I saw signs of other people up for their morning exercise. I passed two bikers. The second giving me a side five as we passed. I gathered more apples at the tree. I decided it might be better for my stomach if I sucked on bites of apples to get the juices. I could feel the sugar level in my system had dropped but I still felt okay. The downhill running went fast. Its a great feeling to be moving so quickly.
As I reached the bottom there were a ton more people, mostly runner exercising. I wondered how far they had already traveled, and how far they will travel for their morning exercise. At my mile 12 I wondered if these other people were looking at me and judging my running. I was asking of them how far and how long, were they asking the same of me. In my sleepy mind I was thinking how they had probably just started only minutes into their run. I didn't even know what time it was.
Reaching the University Campus was like a joy for me. I knew I was almost done. Maybe 2 mile to go. I picked up my feet and the pace. My legs burned. My calves especially. More judgments passed in my mind upon other people exercising as I went through campus.
Every little bit I went I felt better and better as I neared my finish. Traveling so far made finishing that much more rewarding. Its no wonder to me now why ultra runner love running so far for the challenge of it. The finished result are so gratifying. I ended my 17 miles strong kicking it in to the finish at around 8 o'clock for a well deserved morning nap before I had to do some work that morning.
