Living Life to the Ultra -- Niagara 50k

Way back in January I found a website that listed ultra-distance races. I decided a 50k (31.06 miles) would be an appropriate step up from a marathon. When I ran onto the the Niagara Ultra website, I knew I'd found my race. I printed off my registration form and filled it out, but I held on to it for a while. I finally put it in the mailbox one day, but when it was still there when I got home later, I took it out! I kept it in the house for a while longer before I just went for it. I guess I was a little unsure!
I put in lots of miles in preparation for the race and both Flying Pig and Key Bank Vermont City helped me prepare. Still, I was pretty nervous heading up to Niagara Falls Friday June 18th.
There is something very special about Niagara Falls. I just love it. I first went there by myself in 2006 shortly after moving to NY. Paul and I went back last summer as well. It never gets old seeing the falls. It's a stunning and beautiful sight every time.
This ultra race was unique because the turn-around point was actually AT the falls. I mean, how inspirational is it to run by the falls?!! I was excited about that part!
The whole race was to take place in Ontario, so we decided to stay in Canada to make things easier. We didn't want to have to deal with a border crossing the morning of the race. We checked into our hotel Friday night and tried to get to sleep early since the race was Saturday morning.
The race was put on by the St. Catharine's Roadrunners and Walkers club. In addition to the 50k ultra, they also held a full marathon, half marathon, and 10k.
We arrived and checked in, picked up my packet, chip, and nifty hoodie. It was a nice morning. Slightly warm and humid. There were more people than I'd imagined. I didn't realize ultra running was as popular as it is.
I gave Paul a big hug before the start and lined up toward the back of the pack. I had a LONG day ahead of me and I hoped I was ready!
Off we went. Was I really doing this? Through training so many people told me how nuts I was for attempting to run a 50k. Maybe I was?
I tried to settle into a nice rhythm. I knew this race was going to be different from all my other races. I had to conserve. I had to take it slow. I had to be patient.
The race course was beautiful. It followed a traffic free asphalt path through neighborhoods and parks. We saw vineyards, flowers, gorgeous houses, green grasses. At one point I passed by a home with a rose bush out front near our path. I made a promise to myself to "stop and smell the roses" when I came back by.
The miles ticked by, but I felt tired. My miles were slow and I felt a little sluggish. I stopped at each aid station (I typically never do this) to refill my fuel belt with water. I was using a new fuel source for this race--Hammer Sustained Energy. You can only mix so much at a time because it will actually sour. I did carry my usual E-Gels as backup, but I wanted to rely on the Sustained Energy for calories and protein. It was critically important that I consume enough calories and water.
Some people opt to tackle ultras with a run-walk strategy. They may run for 5 minutes/walk for 1 minute. Or do 25/5 or any combination that works for them. My goal was to run the whole thing. Paul was able to follow the course and found parking spots where he could see me frequently. The motivation and high fives from him were great.
I found myself "running with" several others. We'd play a little cat and mouse here and there, as I would leave them when they walked, but they'd pass me back when they ran. This continued on as we headed toward the falls.
Closer and closer we got and I was really excited to get to the falls. I was feeling hot and tired, but I knew inspiration would come and it did. As soon as I saw the falls I smiled. It made me happy. I couldn't wait to get closer.
The run followed the walk-way along the falls, but it was crowded with tourists. I had almost dreaded this part because I knew it might be difficult. The tourists had no idea why people were running toward them! Some didn't realize runners were coming and some didn't get out of the way and runners had to swerve in and out of people. I know some thought we were crazy but some nice people clapped and cheered for us.
I enjoyed the cool mist from the falls spray as I ran by and I made it to the turn-around where I stopped and refilled water, drank some water, and mixed up some more fuel. The guys I had played catch-up with were still at the turn-around when I left. I didn't stay there long at all. Got a big high-five and a "Go get 'em, girl" from the race volunteer on my way out and I headed back. I was reluctant to leave the falls, but it had renewed my spirit and I felt more energetic. The miles I ran near the falls were faster so I knew the scenery helped in more ways than one.
Once I left the turn-around, I was by myself for a very long time. I saw a lot of people heading to the turn-around and gave them "good job" and "way to go" and "keep it up" words of wisdom and most did the same for me. It was a very supportive group of runners. Nearly everyone gave encouragement which was nice. In the bigger marathons that almost never happens. That's been my experience anyway.
The race went from being a race to being a long run at that point I think. I didn't have screaming crowds cheering, I didn't have other runners around me, I didn't have Paul for a while. It was just me, my moving feet, and asphalt. A quiet breeze, occasional car driving by, sun behind clouds, and my steps.
I really started to get tired. I tried not to get overwhelmed with the remaining distance. I broke it up into chunks. I did that on the way out too, but it became more important on the way back. For me the mental aspect of running is just as important as the physical part. Staying focused mentally in a long race can be difficult because it's easy for your mind to wander, especially if you're feeling pain.
I saw Paul a few more times on the way back and then it was just me again. I continued stopping at each aid station for water and to mix more fuel. At one point I started to feel a little sick to my stomach and out of sorts. I was wondering if I wasn't getting enough calories. I decided to have an E-gel too for both calories and electrolytes. It helped me feel a little better, but I knew I would feel much better (and worse!) when I finished.
I kept putting one foot in front of the other albeit more slowly than before. I passed back by the house with the roses and I did stop to smell them! You know what? They had no fragrance whatsoever! Boo! And eventually, 5:15:38 after I started, I crossed the finish line completing my first ultra marathon. I must not have looked very good when I crossed the line. I immediately found the first supportive item I could (a post) and sort of sat on it with my head down. A nice volunteer brought me water and gatorade. I was so appreciative! Paul arrived just a second later with my recovery drink and big hugs. I was smiles and tears and exhausted! We found a spot on the grass where we sat under a tree for a little while before we headed back to the car and our hotel.
A hot shower felt wonderful and we left to go out for lunch. After races my stomach is always a mess. Some things sound good while others do not. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it either. For whatever reason, a veggie sandwich from Quizno's sounded appetizing, so that's where we went. We went back to the hotel and I wanted to explore a little bit. Next door to our hotel was a Buddhist temple. I was excited! I'd never seen a Buddhist temple before. I have a big interest in and respect for Buddhism and its teachings. Compassion, kindness, etc. The Dalai Lama is one of my heroes! We walked over and took photos of some of the prayer flags and statues in the yard. The doors were open and we poked our heads in. It was a strange feeling when I looked inside. I was overcome by emotion at the beauty. I actually had misty eyes from the experience. From the long colored tapestries hanging from the ceiling to the many Buddhas lining shelves from floor to ceiling were amazing in their beauty. It made me happy. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos. We explored another building there and then walked down to the Rossi Glassblowing Factory around the corner. The artist there put on a demonstration and created a glass blown apple. They specialize in creating pieces made of cranberry glass. The cranberry color is made by adding gold chloride to the molten glass. It was truly beautiful. From there it was back to the hotel for a much needed nap!
I couldn't sleep, but just laying there and resting was nice. We got ready for dinner and drove over to an Italian restaurant I had found online. It took us two trips up the street to find it, but we finally got in, sat down, ordered, and enjoyed focaccia bread with a spicy dipping oil while we waited for our brick oven pizza. The pizza was delicious and filling and I felt a little more energetic.
We walked the few blocks to the falls because I had never seen it at night. It was a slow walk, as I was pretty stiff, but it actually felt good to move. The falls were beautiful as twilight turned into darkness. The falls are lit up at night by giant spotlights that rotate colored screens in front of the bulbs. The colors change randomly and it makes for an interesting viewing experience.
There weren't a ton of people out and it was a beautiful night. When we left, again it was reluctantly.
Up the next morning for a quick breakfast at the hotel and then we made a quick stop at the whirlpool (the waters of the Niagara River swirl in a large whirlpool downstream). We opted not to take the scary looking tram across. Paul took photos instead. : ) We tossed around the idea to go to the butterfly conservatory and while I wanted to, I was just so tired. I'm sure we'll be back in the area at some point.
Once across the border, the drive was uneventful. It seemed as though it took us a long time to get home. I was uncomfortable in the car no matter how I sat. My legs were unhappy with me. Finally pulling into the driveway was a good feeling but my race recovery had only just begun! I wanted to take some time off so I was glad I had planned a trip to California to recover in my favorite place in the world: HOME!


Niagara Ultra June 2010