RR: Hinson Lake 24 Hour – PR PR PR!!!

For the third year in a row, I get to use the same title. I LOVE THIS RACE!

This year was a bit different than the previous years. In 2012, I stopped at 33.5 miles because I had to PR at TCM the following weekend. In 2013, I stopped at 51.5 miles because I was trying this thing called training and I had to get back to training that Monday. This year I was going for the full 24.

I secretly wanted 100 miles, but due the pitiful amount of running I had done since Waldo, I kept the goal to “keep moving for 24 hours.”

My friend Rachelle and I arrived Friday afternoon and put up our tent and canopy so quickly the people next to us were calling us NASCAR, which was fitting since we were about to go around in a 1.5 mile (They certified the course this year, shortening the official distance from 1.52 to 1.503) circle turning left a squillion times.

I never took a pic of our awesome setup but our green tent and blue canopy are on the levee 

I love pre-race camping since it’s almost impossible to oversleep…..esp when you’re basically sleeping on the race course! No need for an alarm. I grabbed my bib, shirt, glass, and bag (Seriously, all that swag AND 24 hours of running and food for $24. I don’t know how they do it) before running into Bill Keane, who recruited me to join the RFH (Runners from Hell) Ultra Team during the Boogie 50M. He’s an awesome old school ultra guy, who just completed his 300th ultra. He’s also the Hugh Hefner of Ultra running.

The back says “SUCK IT UP Buttercup!”

Armed with a new shirt and new (and old) friends, we were off!

I started out the first few laps with Jo. I ran a few miles with her last year and she’s a delight. We both planned on going all night long (all night, all night) so talked strategy. Mine was to run 3 laps/walk 1 and I lost her after my first walk break :(.

However, all was not lost because Rachelle’s volunteer shift didnt start till 12 so she joined me!

I showed her the ropes since it was her first lap. She laughed at “Mt Hinson,” which is a section of the course that’s probably a 15 ft elevation gain over a quarter mile but I warned her after many laps that thing really will feel like a dang mountain*

*east coast mountain

I’m not going to lie, those first 20 miles were a struggle. Did I mention I had only ran 50 some miles total..and nothing longer than a 6 miler since Waldo? My mojo was missing big time, but I was sure I’d find if I just kept running around that dang loop.

That smile is fake

By the start of my 8th lap (2nd walk lap – 10.5 miles in) my legs felt a bit tingly and I really didn’t want to walk. I felt bad, because Rachelle was technically pacing me…but I made her run/walk (with more running than walking). At that point I decided to alter my strategy for the rest of the race.

After 9 laps I finally took off my Buttercup shirt. It made me sad – it’s a nice shirt and people liked it and commented on it…but it was too hot. I’m in a tank in 30 degrees! I should not be in a tshirt in the 80s! I also did a much needed shoe change.

Seriously, I dont know what’s wrong with me. You’d think after 3 times on this loop I’d stick with the shoes that I know work! For the 2nd year in a row I wore Cascadias for the first few miles and for the second year in a row I HATED those miles. I love my Cascadias on technical trails…but seriously smack me if I attempt Hinson 2015 with them.

So much happier!!!!

I wasn’t quite feeling great, but I wasn’t feeling bad and that’s a feeling I’ll take! Most loops blur together, but I got to run with Erin for a few. It was the hottest point of the day and great conversation was a perfect distraction. She went on the run a kick ass marathon.

Somewhere around 30 miles I started to feel MUCH better. Oh, there you are mojo!!! Que the totally not-fake smiles!

Just  after 100k I took a baby wipe bath and did a total wardrobe change, which felt pretty awesome…but not as awesome as seeing myself on the leaderboard!!

Sadly, I fell apart shortly after this. Complete lack of fueling caught up to me so I decided to lay down for 20 min, which turned into an hour. I managed 2 laps before deciding to lay down again for 20 min, which turned into another hour. After another lap, I decided to give up until sunrise.

Still on the board despite the naps!

As the sun rose, people started hopping out for their final miles and, since I was napping on a cot outside my tent (I knew if I went inside the tent to nap I’d NEVER come back out), they woke me up in time for the spectacular view.

Obviously I didn’t wake up in time to hit 100 miles and I didn’t make my goal of going all night long (All night. All night) but I moved pretty gosh darn well that morning and I consider that a pretty cool win.

See?!

Final total 82.6 miles. And the coolest thing about timed races? Ranking is all about who is the most stubborn and has the most time to burn….so I placed pretty freakin well – 20/319 Overall and 8/155 Female.

For those who are curious – my friend ended up with over 20 miles. How cool is that?! That’s what makes these races so great; It’s the perfect way to make big distances less intimidating. Sure, almost 55 laps around a 1.5 mile loop might sound boring, but passing and getting passed by different people each lap makes them all different…and there’s no shortage of warm fuzzies. After Waldo I wasn’t feeling like much of a runner…and I have Hinson to thank for returning my happy place.

I realize this is just another half-assed report so I’m sorry. Better than not writing them at all, right? HA!