Did it! 50K!

I did it! It took me 7 hours and change, but I did it!  

50K! 

31 miles! 

It was three laps around the perimeter trail at Rosaryville State Park, MD. 

My husband was one of the volunteers working the water station on the north side of the park.  I went through there three times.  

I ran the whole thing, unlike the marathons I've run, where I walked off and on the last 6 miles.  

I just put my head down like a horse and kept slogging forward, thinking that with each foot fall, I was closer and closer.  I let my mind wander, I was in my zen.  It was so much easier than the marathons. I think it was easier because it was in the woods, which I love, and the dirt was easier on  my body than the asphalt and cement of most roads and streets. I ran a lot of this course by myself, so I was able to just think, or not think - just be. 

I'm glad I was on the course a week or so ago to run it and take pics and look around.  I also studied the map after that and got it in my head what things would look like and how far it was from one point to another. That enabled me to know what was coming up and to not panic or get psyched out that it seemed to take so long between certain points, which is a bit of what happened a week or so ago when I ran the one lap.  This time I was prepared. The miles between the southern water station and the northern one included a lot of switch backs and when I ran it before, it psyched me out.  This time I was prepared mentally.  

Yes.  Did it! For a day, I entered the ranks of the ultra runners.  I finished in a respectable manner.  Finishing is respectable, actually.  Only 200 were allowed to sign up, and about 150 finished.  I think I was 139.  Maybe a dozen or so were over 50.  I had good company!  

People on the course were friendly.  The volunteers were all friendly.  This was a very good experience.  My friend, Doug, finished at about 6 and a half hours.  He had a tough time the last lap, he said. He is 31 years old and quite the runner so I think he expected more of himself.  I was very happy with myself, with how my body held up and especially with my mental state.  Totally determined, totally held it together. Yes.