DNF...

I've never had to write those letters before referring to the result of a race. The Turkey Swamp 50K ended as a DNF for me on Sunday, my first in 14 years of running and hundreds of races. I guess there is a first time for everything. I did finish 20 miles of the 31 miles. No one likes a DNF. You feel like you quit when you should have just gutted it out. Even race car drivers hate DNF's and they do everything they can to get back out on the track. I did everything I could to stay on the track too. I changed shirts 3 times, socks, shoes, hats, ate, and drank but after 17 1/2 miles, I was totally depleted of energy. I completed the 8th lap of 12 staggering my way through the forest and called it quits. I am not a very good hot weather runner and as the day progressed, although it could be considered a nice August day, it got hotter and more humid.

For a day it put a damper on my spirits especially as I prepare to conquer 100 miles. I will look at it as a learning experience. I didn't run on Monday but today I climbed back into the saddle and ran a nice comfortable 5 miler working out the stiffness in my legs. The Turkey Swamp was meant to be a training run anyway but I wanted it to be a solid training run. The Adirondack marathon is just 5 weeks away and I still believe I am on the right path for a solid marathon finish. I do know that I need to lose weight and I have said this over and over but I can't run at this weight. Losing weight is probably harder than running 100 miles!

it was still a great way to spend a morning - running soft trails through the pines. I did see a deer hustle through the running congo line almost taking out a few runners. And of course, a DNF is better than a DNS!