(Half) Fat Ass 2013

I haven't done any long (running) races since 2006. When I say "long" I am referring to the races longer than 20 K, so that would include everything longer than a half-marathon. I did plenty of shorter races, the longest were 10 K, and majority were very quick X-country races, between 4.5 and 8 K. It certainly doesn't mean that all those races were easier, or less interesting - they were just shorter.

Last time I did a long race was in August 2006 when I did a 4th leg of Canadian Death Race. It was a year in which I ran the most in my life. In 2006 I did a "baby" ultra race (Half) Fat Ass, I also did a Hypothermic Half Marathon and finally, I did the Death Race, leg 4. I was even thinking doing longer distances, real ultra marathons. However, after that year, I was never back to that amount of running, as I was either injured, sick, or absent, travelling. When I was absent that meant I was out of shape.

Not able to do it

Since 2006, during some years I was prepared to do a Half Fat Ass, but something would always stop me in doing it.
In 2012, I played tennis on a last day of the year (2011) and I injured my foot, and that meant that I was out of commission for all January, so Fat Ass was just a dream. A year before that I got sick during Christmas, and then I was sick until almost end of August - some nasty lung bronchial virus brought me to my knees. There was no way that I could run.
In 2008 I had my left groin injured and I wasn't able to run at all. In 2007, I had a cold that suck out all energy from me. In 2009 I didn't think about it at all.

To mention, this race happens on a first Saturday in a New Year. "Fat Ass" is 50 K, and Half Fat Ass is exactly half of it.

Wanted to do it

This year, I started thinking about doing (Half) Fat Ass race at the end of November, as I was clocking 60 K per week, something I haven't done for a long time. I felt strong. Even though I didn't include too many long runs in my training, the longest was 14.4 K, I also felt extremely confident. I felt healthy, and perhaps I was really healthy now, or I just learned to tolerate all ailments I've been feeling since 2007. There was no groin pain, there was no hip pain, there was no knee pain. I was running effortlessly emulating sailing boats. It felt wonderful.

Then I wanted to test myself, to see if I can actually run 25 K at once, again. Obviously I was wondering if I can still do it, but also, I was somehow pumped up to do it as fast I could. I knew I could go 3/5 of the distance as I was doing it on a regular basis, but I didn't know if I can go 10 K more. Finally I entered the race, after all of my Christmas skiing - I was healthy and I was ready. This was significant, to be healthy after all heavy skiing I did during Christmas.

On the race day, it was exactly -12 C. I started as one of the last people (we had a luxury to start between 7 and 9 AM), and I pushed from the start. In this race you actually run against a clock. You run by yourself, as everyone starts at a different (their own) time. I knew I would start passing people at some point but I didn't know when. The morning was nice - cold but calm and quiet. It was sunny, but it was still not possible to see the sun - that would come later. I passed first of fellow racers doing my descent from Summit Point. It took me 7 K to actually finally see someone.

Doing it

I started feeling a bit of heaviness in my legs during next 3 K, as I was following the windy single track trail by the frozen river. I did run through this section couple of times in previous weeks, but I went the other way, a bit farther from the river, where the trail was flat and wider. After I passed our first check point I was still feeling strong, but I didn't predict that I would need almost 20 minutes to do a loop around Fort. I didn't anticipate that I would start getting tired there. At the second check point, and that was almost after 16 K, I drank some water, thanked volunteers for all of their help, grabbed two cookies and increased my speed on next 1.5 K, as I wanted to use a flat terrain there.

I passed more runners on a hill after the flats by the farm, and then attacked the descent towards the river. I wasn't (still) feeling much pain in my legs. My lungs were working flawlessly. I still felt strong. And then, after I reached the river, I hit the wall, and slowed down. I knew I still had to do 5.3 K, and I was already at 1:37. I also knew that this last 5000 m was mainly flat, so I thought there wouldn't be too much pain. But there was - as  I started feeling my right knee, my LCL, that was somehow getting tight. I was now passing more and more people, approximately 20 by now.

Last 2 K I must say I was hurting. It was first time since 2006 that my body was taken to this distance. It was gently complaining about this 'abuse', but at the same time, it was telling me that it was "all good". I finished it strong, by passing 4 more runners in last 300 meters. That felt good - I felt strong and I had a strong finish that I was happy with. It also felt good when I checked my watch - I did it in 2:04:05.

Did it

I was happy that I did it and I was happy that I enjoyed this race so much. I briefly talked to volunteers, thanked them for organization and all efforts to make sure this race happens.

It was a nice way to spend first Saturday in 2013. I was thinking how our ancestors, some 5000, or 10000 years ago were running too. They didn't need (or want) to test themselves if they could run for a long time - they had to do it, otherwise they and their families were hungry.