D's Adventures: MS50 50K 3-7-20

Monday, March 9, 2020

MS50 50K 3-7-20

Ms Doris made me my own walking stick! She brought it to packet pickup on Friday night to me. It has Carl Touchstone Trail Run MS50 written on one side and Carpe Diem on the other side, which basically means to sieze the day. This is Sunshine's mom. She's been running the trail run for 21 years!

MS50 Trail run..... now if you've never done a trail run let me give you a little insight... typically trail running is a sport-activity which combines running, where there are steep gradients, hiking, that is run "on any unpaved surface". Unlike road running or track running, it generally takes place on hiking trails, often in mountainous terrain, where there can be ascents and descents and plenty of mud when it rains. I wouldn't say the MS50 is "mountainous", but it is a challenge. Here is a picture of the elevation and then a few pictures of the trail.

I promise there were other runners. I didn't take my GoPro on my first big loop. So by the time I grabbed it from my vehicle on my 2nd big loop the race had thinned out because several were only doing the 20K distance and the fast runners were way ahead of me so It looks like I'm alone, but trust me there are a few people around me. The woods just hide them well. One time I ran off the trail to take a potty break and I looked around before I pulled my pants down and saw no one. As soon as I was all squatted down, here comes a runner! I was like where the heck did he come from. hee hee He was in his own little world so I don't think he saw me. At least I hope he didn't. 😁 Men have it so much easier when taking a potty break! They don't even have to pull their pants down! 😛

It was a beautiful day on Saturday! The sun was shinning and NO rain.... Thank the sweet Lord. Here is South Mississippi, we've had so much rain over the past 2-3 months. Lots of flooding. For the most part the trails were pretty dry except in a few spots. I did lose my right shoe in one mud hole. It was like it was quick sand and it grabbed a hold of my shoe and would not let go. It took all the strength I could muster up around mile 20 to pull the shoe out of the mud. 😅

Blue means last loop! YIPPIE

By mile 14 my left leg was killing me. And that's my GOOD leg! I don't know what happen except that I did kind of roll my foot on that leg. It was almost like a calf cramp, but different because the pain ran down the side of my ankle up to my calf. I almost turned around and stopped, but figured I would shake the pain after a few miles. Well, I didn't! The pain stayed with me the rest of the run. I walked A LOT after that. I kept telling myself just one foot in front of the other. Just don't stop. So that's what I did along with a lot of praying. I also beat myself up for talking myself into the 50K when I know trail running is not my favorite and I don't do any trail runs to prepare my body.
Maybe if I ran more trails I'd like it because I have several friends that absolutely would rather trail run than road run. But not for me. I'd rather road run than trail run. Maybe it's because I don't have proper trial shoes and I tend to slip and slide and be very uneasy on the trails which causes my whole body to hurt. It's usually just my ankles that hurt really bad after a trail run, but this time it's my leg. It's now showing a bruise and swollen. I'm thinking it's Peroneal Tendonitis... oh boy. I should have iced it yesterday and Saturday night!

I'm not sure if I pulled something around my ankle area when I rolled it and that part runs up the side of my leg or what. All I know is ...... IT DOES NOT feel that great. I'm glad the Big Sur is a good month away. Praying nothing is wrong inside that I can't see to prevent me from going to the Big Sur.... PLUS with this coronavirus I'm praying that doesn't stop my travels next month. Right now through 3/31 the company I work for has put in a "no travel" policy for us to any state that has the virus. There is a case in California. 😢 They plan to reevaluate the situation at the end of March and adjust the policy as needed. There is just so much unknown with the disease that they are being very cautious. I would have never thought I'd say that I would be missing a race due to a virus, but I won't be traveling to the Rock N Fly this month in Florida due to a case. 😭

Anyway, back to the trail run. 😛 I'm glad it was over. My 3rd 50K to do and I'm not sure I want to do it again. My friend who turns 50 next year wants to do the 50K. I told her I'll do the 20K and then cheer her on. 😍 Until then I plan to keep on road running.

But seriously if you like the outdoors, you should try trail running. It really is beautiful being out in God's country and they (Renee & Dennis) put on an excellent trail run! And I probably would have enjoyed the race a little more if I had been with a big group of friends like I have in the past. It didn't work out for us to all be together this year. One had her husband in the hospital, one only did the 20K because she's been really busy with her son and no time for training, one has been going through a lot of stuff lately and no training, etc...... I had hoped to run at least 1 big loop with 1-2 peeps, but with my 2nd loop being so much slower I never crossed paths with them on their one loop. The 50K started at 6am and the 20K started at 8am so I had hoped I'd join them on my 2nd loop, but it didn't happen. I ended up being alone the whole 31.1 miles except for the few people I chatted with along the course that I didn't know. One guy was pretty funny. When I stopped to walk one time, he said, "don't do that. I've been following you and you've been keeping me going...oh and BTW has your husband told you lately you have a cute butt and a cute pony tail." 😂 I almost fell out laughing. I told him my husband was home in his recliner and he had no idea how my pony tail nor my butt looked while running. 😂😀

Loving our sweatshirt and medal!

I forgot my watch was on pause when I would stop. I usually remember to change that setting during a race, which normally on road running you don't ever stop. I went to my vehicle 2X during the trail run. Once to get my GoPro and once to refill my camelback with hydration... plus a couple potty breaks along the trail. There are no bathrooms out there. 😜 SO my moving time was 7:37, but my total time being out there was 7:52! OUCH! That's a long time and way over my best time for a 50K... but hey.. it's a FINISH!