Have you ever run a race where you sang a song in your head the whole time. This was my Caumsett 50k. Caumsett was one of those USATF 50k national championship events where top competition comes to prove their worth.
This race would be a selection race for the World Championships in Brasov, Romania. Who wouldn’t want to go to Romania! The World race would be hosted in a country similar to the home of Dracula! Cool!
The race had all kinds of fast dudes: Zach Ornelas and some other 2:15-2:17 marathon guys, and past national champ, Eric Lipuma.
My race-prep was amazing! Getting the chance to rest plenty and prepare goes out to my amazing wife Ashlee, who ensured that I was not going to be spread thin before this event. Having proper rest the night before really paid off too!
We had watched the movie “Queen” that week in theatres and of course the soundtrack was in my head.
From the start of the race, the pace went out like it was a local 10k. I ran two 5:20 miles and then settled into 5:45-5:50 pace. The rest of the race was pretty boring. Me singing Queen, running 5k loops around Caumsett park. I battled with this British guy from NYAC and honestly just did my own thing. I went through the marathon in 2:31 low which was a PR for marathon and kept going. I slowed a little the last 5 miles but not by much. It about a mile to go where I knew I was going to be really close to breaking three hours. I dug deep then with a half mile to go, after realizing I was just going to be over, I slowed down some and cruised into the finish. My time of 3:03:13 was a HUGE best for me beating my 3:11 and with a 6th place finish and only being a few minutes away from sub 3 hours, I knew that I could run under that time which I never thought I could actually do. Here I was, I longer 50 mile + ultra guy holding my own against 2:17 marathoners. Maybe I should run a marathon to see what I can do one of these years???
My hydration and nutrition was pretty good but I do think I can improve on it for next time. As long as no one else would run faster than me for the year, I would be making a trip to Brasov. (Come to find out, 2 other guys ran really fast at Mad City (2:52 times) and I was an alternate-1st loser).
Cresting the Summit 