24 Hr Memphis Run Update and now from the Runner

"stupid is as stupid does" and that is coming from a guy who "just loves to run" - we all understood Forest was different, me crazy different. I have done and NEVER IN MY LIFE WILL TRY ANOTHER 24 hour run or 100 miles. For those of you in the running club let me tell you, David Hughes needs a big, huge, award for running 13 100 miles in 12 months - something is really wrong with him. I am disappointed that I missed my first goal of 83 and I had time on the clock when I took myself out at 80 but I am not sure I had any brain power or tank power, literally I was numb at that point.

Just a few highlights - I went out too fast, no really it is hard to believe that I would do that but I did, I was suppose to maintain a 13 and some change pace. I was around 9:30's and 10:00's for too many miles, but I felt good "famous last words". When it got dark I noticed I my soreness more. I took some Alleve and that helped to some degree. My food of choice was plain cheese burgers from McDonald's I ate four of them over the course of 24 hours. I ate Chex Mix, Scoops, apples, some candy and my favorite drink sweet tea. I had water or gatorade about every mile. I had half a GU at the start and that was all I could take. The winning 9 year old girl ran 18 miles. She could have done more I know for a fact but at some point, no idea what time this may have been but she and her little friend past me (okay than that meant it was at least 7:00am) and they were almost to the lap recorder when they veried left for the play ground. I thought how wonderful to keep our priorities straight. I took some naps the first one was because I was literally falling asleep while running, that was sort of a strange feeling. I would wander right, then left and jump when a relay runner would pass me. Back at the site I told Trav I needed 30 minutes to sleep - heck I should have taken an hour but it was a hard core approach at mile 55. Then I went back around 62 and slept for three hours, my tank was empty and Trav was already asleep so that made it easy. I was up at 6:00am and it was freezing it was almost too cold to move but I knew that would be the only way to stay warm. Trav was cheering me to keep going. Then he told me he was going back to the hotel, I knew that was my chance to sleep again, wonderful sleep. When he got back to the camp site he had no idea I was snoozing in the tent. I was up at 7:00am I think, times were not easy to compute at that point (or really any point, Nicole is good at running and doing math). At that point I changed clothes for the third time and just wanted 80 miles and when 80 came, I went.
I was surprised to be the overall female winner, lucky year for me. I won some really cool things in a Haiti gift basket. This race went to support a medical mission in Haiti. What a blessing to run to the point of exhaustion for two good causes. I could have never done any of this if it were not for Trav taking care of me. When he was a round I would have my sweet tea poured into a cup for me to drink. When he was not around I drank straight from the jug. He would help me, motivate me, make me laugh and be the wonderful partner that he is to me, GOD has so blest me.
Upon returning to the hotel I almost pulled another stink and go to sleep moment (read the CKRR newsletter for October www.ckrr.us) I was tempted just to put on sweats and climb into bed - at that point I had been "up" for 33 hours. I went for the cold bath warm bath and thought before dozing off I should thank you all for your support and kindness.
In the quiet times when running I find myself closer to GOD and in HIS meditation, what a blessing.
Rest well my friends -
Gina

24 Hr Memphis Run Overall Female Winner

Congratulations to Gina

Overall Winner - All Females

Done! 80 miles

Done! 80 Miles

I'm very proud of what she has done. She is fine, hungry and sleepy but OK.Thank you all for your support

24 Hr Marathon Update 12:35 PM

I think we are to around 70 or so. she is to that no expression phase. normally each time she runs by, she waves and i get a smile. now, there is the zone factor. no expression, just a determined straight-ahead look. ...but she still going with about 4 hours to go. trav

24 Hr Marathon Update 9:30 AM

I just came back to the hotel to get cleaned up. When I left she was on her 64th mile and doing much better. When I asked if she needed anything before I left, she replied, "a new body"...she's back in the game.
trav

24 Hr Marathon Update 7:06 AM

This is not good. At 55 miles she began falling asleep while running. she then found herself back in the tent for a bit more rest. at about 6:45 she got up to hit the track again eventhough everything is hurting. trav

24 Hr Memphis Run Update 4:52 AM

okay, 50 in now! yep, half way to the goal of 100. she just slid in for a quick nap. 30 minutes she says. it's one hour behind down here so I'll wake her at about 1:30 am. trav

Memphis 24 hour run, Update 11:30 pm

Well; she is at thirty something. that means she is over one third complete. she has stopped by the tent a couple of times to carb up- then off again. i'm going to take a nap so that I can get up later when she might need aome encouragement. it might be a very long night. Trav

24 hour marathon pictures

Travis hard at work

cheering Gina on -

Gina this afternoon

24 Hour Run Update from Travis 6:31pm

me again! she is at 15 and still looking good. just think- only 22 more hours to go. ...what am i going to have for supper? oh, never mind, you're not interested in that. more later, maybe after i eat something...I'm really grtting hungry. Trav

24 Hour Run Update from Travis

Hello everyone! Gina is on mile 6 and I must say she looks pretty good. I am lounging and enjoying the beautiful day. Oh, and I am also doing my job- you know cheering and such and of course, guarding our camp site. I'm e-mailing from a blackberry so please excuse the quality of these messages- I have a hard time with technology. More to come later. Trav

UPDATE FROM MEMPHIS--24 HOUR RUN NEWS

FROM GINA, FRIDAY AT 1:53 PM--

Hey there, it is a beautiful day in Memphis. Lovely, better than expected. Trav and I went out and set up the tent. We got a nice place right on the course so I will be able to access food, shoes, clothes and anything else I need rather quickly. While I did not want to add one more mile, the course from what I heard looks nice but there appears to be some incline to it. I will be whining about that around the 10th hour and, I'm sure, from then until 3 PM tomorrow. Memphis is on "slow time," as my granny would say, which means we are one hour behind you. Here shortly we will leave to set up my table and my own little aid station. The highlight for my aid will be nutter butters and sweet tea. I was all ready to open the nutter butters and begin fueling 4 hours early! Thanks for everyone's kind support and positive reinforcement leading up to today. I am good to go. Easy pace. I hopt to have 100 miles in by 1 PM tomorrow. The course record is 108 miles for female, but I am not going for that, believe it or not. I am just excited to be here and I will have plenty of time to think about the Vietnam trip and the many needs our global brother and sisters have. Can you imagine living in fear of your life because you are a Christian? Can you imagine not having the comforts of your church because you are a Christian? Those thoughts and many more will keep me putting one foot in front of the other. Forward motion and it is all good. Trav will email out an update or two. Take care my friends. I will be thinking of you and praying for you.
Happy Day--Gina