I’ve quit 3 ultras.
THREE
1.) bethel hill moonlight boogie, my 2nd attempt at running 50 miles. (my first finish was a solo run a couple weeks prior, also in extremely high temps, and on the toughest hilliest roads around. 10 hour self supported finish.) @BHMB, I threw up – nonstop- for 6 miles straight. It was 100 degrees in the middle of summer. I was so dehydrated from puking, and hallucinating badly, that I eventually curled up in a car and fell asleep. I woke up after a couple hours (still feeling like crap) and gutted out another 10 miles before sunrise. I finished 36 miles that day.
2.)FORT CLINCH 100, my 3rd 100 mile attempt. HOTTER THAN HADES in Florida trails with humidity so thick you felt like you were swimming. mid summer. I literally passed out @67 miles and was ambulanced to the ICU/comatose ward and was in a coma for 11 hrs. My Body ate itself- rhabdomyolosis- and started to eat my heart. The cardiac enzymes invaded my blood stream and shut down my kidneys. I woke up the next morning and asked to go back out to finish my run, ha. I wasn’t even allowed to MOVE for 4 weeks- i was supposed to be on bed rest. But 2 weeks later, i got up and started back with a 100 mile week. (read “refined by fire in the fort clinch furnace” for that one.)
3.) Hinson lake 24 hr. I quit at 1:30am after dealing with massive pain in my hip for the entire day. A urinary tract infection forced me to stop every other loop to hit the bathroom, so I had to double up my pace to make up for the stops. I felt great other than both of those incredibly painful things- I eventually stopped running after trying EVERYTHING. Come to find out I WAS RUNNING WITH A FRACTURED HIP. BUT I STILL MANAGED ABOUT 80 miles that day. I would have kept going if my leg would’ve moved.
Those are the only ultra races I have ever quit.
Most all of my ultra training runs were done BY MYSELF. In the middle of the freaking night, on technical trails. I woke up at (or before) 4am almost every single week day to get in my mileage, so it wouldn’t disrupt my family’s flow, or interfere with my ability to be a good mom and wife.
What about you? What ya got? I really want to know.
Because, sure I may have had a few brushes with bad luck. But I guaran-freakin-tee you that I can outlast you on any given day. I actually REALLY enjoy feeling pain. I thirst for it.
NOW TELL ME ONE MORE TIME YOU THINK I NEED TO TOUGHEN UP. I DARE YOU.
-Ashley;)
“Tighten up on your reigns, you’re runnin’ wild..runnin’ wild..it’s true.”
ASHRUNS100s 