Be Significant

This past Sunday I celebrated my 41st birthday, but that's not what this post is about. Not really anyway. No, it's more about one thing that started going through my mind that morning as I got about halfway through a planned 18-mile run.

Backing up a tiny bit, I had originally wanted to run 24 miles out at the Canyon, thinking the workout would serve as my last long, difficult run before the PD 50. Two more 18-milers after that and then I'd be in a full taper right up until "gun's up." But apparently people other than me use the canyon, and sometimes those people happen to be bike riders, and sometimes those bike riders like to have races of their own. Le sigh. So coupled with the fact that Lissa - my best friend/canyon partner/race team captain -  was on death's door with a cold, there wasn't a whole lot of internal debate going on about going out or staying home. Stay home, run an easy 18, then do my 24-mile run at the canyon next week. Yeah, that's a good plan. Let's do that instead. OK, go!

So go I went, with every intention of roughly sticking to my 50K nutrition and rest plan: stop every 3 miles, consume 300 calories and 800 mg of sodium every hour, and make sure to mix in some protein and fat along with all the carbs. Here's a list of what I had to eat in the beginning:

• cinnamon raisin bagel w/honey and 1 cup of milk (1.5 hours pre-run)
• 3 Fig Newtons (after mile 6)
• 8 oz grape juice and 4 oz sliced turkey (after mile 9)

OK, so I said something about a thought that I had halfway through. What was the thought? It's the post title - Be Significant. You see, it was my birthday and I wasn't spending it how most people would. Most would be sleeping in, or going to church, or eating brunch with family and friends, or watching TV and drinking coffee. Not me though. No, my butt is up running around the neighborhood like some idiot with nothing else to do. "So," I thought. "What exactly is so special about running 18 miles? Am I going to look back and remember doing anything worthwhile on this day? Reflect on the fact that I ran a distance I'd already run before? Probably not. So don't just run 18 miles then. Make this day truly special. Be significant. Do something unexpected, something you can be proud of. Nut up or shut up, young man, because it's time to measure up."

• GU vanilla bean energy gel (after mile 12)
• Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookie, baby dill pickles w/juice, and 8 oz Gatorade (after mile 15)
• 100 calorie box of craisins (after mile 18)
• 1/2 cup refried black beans on a small, flour tortilla and 12 oz defizzed Diet Dr Pepper (after mile 21)
• 2 Fig Newtons (after mile 24)
• 16 oz Gatorade (after mile 27)

Glancing down at my Garmin, I hit 26.2 miles at 4:57. Then I passed some guy for the third time who was mowing his lawn and probably asking himself what in the hell I was doing. Then I had that last two cups of Gatorade and told Lissa how I was really beginning to feel not-so-well, but I sure did love my new Julbo Ultra sunglasses. Then I stopped my Garmin at 30.04 miles and saw that I'd run it in 5 hours and 41 minutes. Be significant.

Who has two thumbs and ran 30 miles on his 41st birthday?

Oh and that PDTR course guide is coming. Soon. Just like I said.