I was about five miles into my fourth 20-mile loop at last weekend’s Javelina 100 Mile — with a full loop still to go after I finished this one — when I turned to my pacer, Cliff Pittman, and said, “It’s weird, I am not really into this right now.”
Cliff, being the professional that he is, replied, “What do you mean? Are you feeling apathetic? Bored?”
“Not sure,” I grunted back. “I am just not feeling like my normal happy self.”
AJW’s normal, happy self in the Sonoran Desert. Photo: AJW
I was attempting my 40th lifetime 100-mile race, and thus far, I’d finished all 39 that came before. I had felt this way in the past, and in the moment, I repeatedly told myself I could get out of the low point. I knew I had to work my way out of it; I couldn’t just expect it to magically happen. Coming out of a mid-race funk is a multi-step process.
Telling Cliff how I was feeling was the first step. I knew from experience that if I kept my feelings inside, I would dwell on them, labor on them, and start feeling sorry for myself. By revealing my feelings to Cliff, I was allowing him into my world and giving him the opportunity to help. Cliff, an Iraq war veteran and a successful running and life coach, skillfully steered me back toward optimism, and an hour later, by the time I began the long, gradual descent back to the start/finish line at mile 71, I was back to my old self.
As I embarked on my fifth and final loop with my pacer Bri Boley, coach and veteran of several long, multi-week thru hikes, I shared with her the details of the malaise I had felt earlier in the evening. Telling Bri allowed me to acknowledge my issues and gave her the opportunity to help me.
As the miles clicked by, we began engaging with the others around us, some of whom were faster and others who were slower. These social interactions, some brief and some lengthy, gave me the chance to disengage from the act of running and ask questions, make jokes, and share stories. The miles passed by faster, and I found myself being pulled toward the finish line.
Drawing inspiration from the magic of the Sonoran Desert. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
After passing through the Jackass Junction aid station for the final time at mile 91 and beginning the descent down to the finish line, I found myself engaging my senses more acutely. The sights, sounds, and smells of the desert — things that have always inspired me — gave me the motivation to push harder and run more smoothly. Glancing at my watch with about four miles to go, I realized that if I stayed focused and present, I could finish in a faster time than the year before. The desert that I love so much had given me the strength to stay focused and pushed me to a place I didn’t know I could go.
In the end, I finished in 22:36, six minutes faster than last year. In addition to that, I was pleased that I was able to reframe my mindset in the middle of the race and take advantage of my skilled pacers, the wonderful runners around me, and the wonder of my beloved Sonoran Desert to get the job done. These 100-mile races are never easy, but I can safely say that each time I run one, I learn something. I already can’t wait for the lessons that my 41st 100 miler will teach me!
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Sierra Blanca Brewing Company in Moriarty, New Mexico. Green Chile Cerveza is a classic American lager brewed with fire-roasted Hatch green chiles. The chiles are actually steeped in the lager for up to 10 days to give this unique beer a delicious hint of the iconic Hatch chile with just a hint of heat on the finish.
Call for Comments
- What strategies do you use to get out of mid-race lows?
- What lessons have you learned from 100-mile races?
