In awe

This is not a typical blog entry I normally do. I just needed a place holder for a bunch of races I did for this summer – virtual races, that some would call them training runs. In truth, I didn’t run them as real races. I want them to be real races but they are really training runs. My time was 30-50% slower. I usually couldn’t do them the first thing in the morning as I would do for a real race (there would be so much more preparation I would do for a real race).

My thought though, I am glad for the virtual races. In Maine Coast, I got a medal, one of my proudest medals for a virtual race. DC Rock N Roll, that was a bit mess up. I thought I did it virtually but I had problem with the registration website (Active didn’t send me the link to change to it virtual, and still didn’t – now it is in limbo). I ran it but no medal.

Most of the runs were geared toward preparing for the Laurel Highland ultra but that race was moved to September. As an aside, after doing the GSER, I felt I was not ready for Laurel Ultra and deferred it to next summer to give me more time to train for it. All this should be for another post.

GSER – virtual race in Georgia. 100Mi, July 3-4 run1. June 1 to July 31 (but extended to August 31 run2, and reextended to September 30). run3?

–May 23: Long run#4, to Fairfax High, 41 miles

–May 17: Long run#3, 50k around Centreville, to Government center/Fairfax Corner

–May 9: Long run#2, to Springfield, 62 mi

–May 2: Long Run#1 to Reston, 42 mi.

–April 12 Long run#0, to Fairfax Border, 24 mi run

-April 4 – v race#3 – Roanoke Blue Ridge Marathon (virtual) 5:29, report, double marathon (5/9)

-March 28 – v race#2 – DC rock n Roll (virtual) 5:41, report

-March 22 – v race#1 – Maine Coast (virtual). 4:54, report

=GVRAT=

Lastly, I did the GVRAT (Tennessee virtual race). I should write up a report or entry for this. This race or event was epic. I felt so tired to sum it all up.

I don’t think I will ever do it, so I will write it here. It occured over the summer from May 1 to August 31. Basically, a race from a famous race director. I never dream to be able to run in one of Laz’s races. He is known as the creator of the world hardest marathon, called the Barkley Marathon. I have heard of it when I started running marathons (my brother-in-law kind of hinted this is what you want to do).

Then on May 1st, I got a facebook post from Bad Mike. I didn’t know Bad Mike or remembered him, but there was his facebook post, but I think I ran in one of his races last year (probably the one I really messed up on – I won’t say which one). I said cool, sign me up, I want to run across Tennessee. That same day, I got out during lunch and ran my first mile for it. It was a huge goal. I want to run across the continental US, so Tennessee is a good place to start. It was virtual.

So I started running. The race caught on by word of mouth across the US and the world and there were 19000 people signed up. He originally thought ony couple hundred people would do it (my bib was around 10000) and that was on May 1.

I am not saying it was easy, but in the end, I finished it in middle of June, way ahead of schedule. It was a relief. As I started running, it did not seem too daunting at all. We were required only 5 miles a day, and so I ran around 10-13 miles and were able to do it in less than half the time. There were people who could do it even in a week (Vol state) on a shorter course.

Many people started finishing early, and Laz added extra features to entice people to run twice or even three times across. People wanted to do it, Laz was just there to give it to them. There was one who did 7 crossings. For most though finished even 1 crossing was a huge accomplishment. We saw many non-runners attempted, your every day 5k moms and grandmas, and even pets (dogs). Sorry if I am being stereotyping. Laz said, the race is for them, your average joe to reach beyond what they think is possible. There were, of course, stellar ultra runners (I met my idol from BC, Canada, who did it).

For me, I only did 1 and half crossing (reached 1000 miles). This is the most miles I did in a year, and I did it over a few months! The last couple weeks I would have to run close to 500 miles to finish the double crossing. Originally, it was a cake walk to get a double crossing, but I laid low a bit. It was a scramble to do 250 miles in a week. My body was bad, due to a long break after finishing the first crossing, I had very little incentive to run. I was like 6 weeks inactive. Trying to get my body back into running shape was hard. Now about five-six weeks in again, my body felt better. I won’t say it was back to top shape, but it is near a running shape where I can do a half marathon easily every day. Well not easily, but getting there.

I managed to reach the 1000 miles.

=CRAW=

Right at the end of GVRAT was the start of CRAW. There will be entries about the CRAW – this one is also Laz’s race, but around the world. The story has not ended. To be continue..