Running 31 miles is a challenge, but there's a certain draw for me when the course starts in one spot and finishes in another with no repetition of loops. Akin to a journey, or life, it's what happens along the way that's important, not just the destination at the end. And I must say that even though I was cold, soaking wet, in pain and just generally exhausted, I enjoyed my journey from Rocky River to Brecksville. It's a course I've ridden quite a few times by bicycle, but never covered by foot before. I hope my recap will read a bit faster than the nearly 6 hours it took me to finish!
Most of us Medina runners met to carpool to the start early Saturday morning. The drive over to Brecksville was dark and wet, but we managed it just fine. Check-in was quick and easy and we were soon aboard a comfy motor coach to transport us to the start. As the drive was about half an hour in length, it afforded us much time to chit chat and moan about the weather. Fortunately, since this wasn't the bus to Hopkinton, the stress level was dialed WAY down and I didn't encounter any butterflies or pre-race jitters.
Although we were all on the bus together, somehow we lost some folks just before the start when we snapped a quick group photo. Thanks Charles for taking the pic! Pictured L to R are Ladd, Dan D, Michelle, Debbie, Jack, myself, and Suzanne walking past in the back. Dan H must have been lining up in the front row already as he was planning on tearing up the course!
I didn't know what to expect from myself, so I lined up toward the rear of the field, behind just about everyone else. I was either going to have a decent day or a really bad one. I didn't want to head out too fast or too slow either. On the word GO, we were off, with only a limited stretch of roadway on which to sort ourselves out before turning onto the All Purpose Trail (APT). Passing was limited on the trail for a mile or so due to it's limited width, but we all managed just fine. There was evidence of the flooding that occurred the previous week with some obvious damage: trees down, standing water, mud covering the trail, flooded trail, washed-out sections. Seeing an entire chunk of asphalt, with the painted center line and all, laying off in the trees was an eye opener!
The first aid station was around mile 5 at Lorain Rd. I was carrying plenty of fluid so I grabbed a Fig Newton, said hi to Roy and Shannon, and was about to quickly move on when I saw how flooded the trail was between theaid table and the road crossing. My shoes were already completely soaked so it didn't matter to me if I ran through all that water. In fact, I though it might be fun! I asked Roy how deep it was. His reply: "Knee deep!" Knee deep was a little too deep so I detoured around the edge like everyone else.
I had been running for a few miles with a fellow named Angel, a Cleveland firefighter. We talked running, marathons, ultras, and of course, the current anti-union political movement that is unfortunately sweeping the midwest. We stayed together for another mile or so after the aid station, but he was feeling stronger than I was, so I let him go on ahead of me. We were together however, on the trail sections that literally had rivers of runoff streaming over them, and amazed at just how much water there was. In all the years I've been along those trails and the parkway, I've never seen anything like that! I thought about stopping to get some photos, but since I was feeling good, I wanted to just keep moving forward.
Aid Station 2 was at the Rocky River Nature Center, another 5 miles or so from the first. My leg was getting tight and I was feeling it, but I was maintaining about 9 minute miles so I was pleased. I was the first into a package of Oreos here. Grabbing a couple for the road, I was back on my way. More rain. More water. LOTS more water. In fact, there is a water crossing just past the nature center a park ranger just closed due to rising water. The APT crosses via bridge but the roadway has a ford, and that sucker was going underwater! I could watch the level rising as I ran by. Amazing! Ladd caught up to me shortly after that and we ran together for a couple miles. I had passed by him while he made a pit stop. I could tell he was running stronger than I was but I tried to hang on for a while. We made the climb up that short, really steep hill together, commenting on how that would be the ONE place there would still be ice on the trail!
We stayed together until we reached the end of the Rocky River Reservation, when I stopped to get a picture from the overlook of the river. Ladd said Dan and Charles, who was running with 45 pounds on his back, were just ahead of me and I should catch up to them soon. When I jogged out onto the overlook platform, I knew the water would be high, but I wasn't prepared for just how much of a "river" it would be. Water just doesn't flow like this in northeast Ohio!
For comparison's sake, here is a photo from last year's GJ at the same spot. This is the normal, picturesque quality of the Rocky River. I'm among the many who have made the trek to the bottom to climb upon the rocks.
From the overlook, it's about a mile to Wallace Lake in Berea and Aid Station #3. This is where Heather decided to come out and find me, cheer everyone on, and take some photos.
The view from inside the car looking out. Looks wet, doesn't it?
Here I am arriving at the aid station. On the outside I may be smiling, but inside I'm really crying. Not really. That's a great Moody Blues lyric though. I was wet, obviously, but otherwise in good spirits.
This was a good time to grab my first Coke of the day and some munchies. I was disappointed there was no chicken noodle soup waiting for me as was promised the night before. I really could have used something warm. Speaking of warm, the only way to stay warm was to keep moving, so I didn't stay long.
Leaving the Wallace Lake Aid Station, about mile 14.
I hit an outhouse down the trail and realised for the first time how cold my hands were and how soaked my gloves were. After literally wringing water from them it was back to the grind. Too bad I couldn't stop and wring out my socks and shoes. After splashing through this flooded section of trail my feet started to go numb. That water was COLD!
The view from the bridge on the trail of the flooded ford on the parkway. Lots of water. I was thankful for the bridge!
Just as my shoes were nearly drained of water as I ran along, there was another flooded section that was just as cold as the other, if not colder. Fortunately I had a dry pair of socks and shoes waiting ahead for me.
Bonnie Park in Strongsville has a wetlands area. It ALL looked like wetlands that day! Soggy and wet but much better looking than the last time I was through there. Everything had been covered in snow, there was a layer of ice on the trail, and the wind was blowing snow creating near white out conditions.
Dan and Charles running along the parkway, nearly to the next aid station.
Ladd arriving at Aid Station #4 at the Chalet.
Last year the aid tables were set up down by the sign, but were moved this year due to the rain to underneath the I-71 overpass. Brilliant!
Being under the bridge gave me somewhere dry to sit to change my socks and shoes. Which was good because it took a while due to my numb fingers. Off with the Saucony's I wore in Boston and Cincinnati and on with the new Brooks Launch.
Thank you, Jan, for volunteering. Here she is pouring me some of the high octane stuff!
Doing the Dew! I was dragging and needed sugar and caffeine.
After some munchies, it was back out into the elements.
I tried to keep up a positive outward appearance. A little practice for July.
Heather captured some really good shots of the day.
It was only a matter of time till I had to splash through deep water in the new "dry" shoes. I made out alright through this big puddle.
Jack caught me just before crossing Rt. 82 and we ran together for a mile or so.
This was his first 50K and he was doing great!
My legs were exhausted and beginning to cramp and my shin was hurting so this was what I did a lot of during the last 10 miles of the run.
But just like Heather doing her first marathon in Columbus last October, I had to run when I saw a camera up ahead!
Blowing a kiss through the rainy windshield, about mile 23.
Just movin' on.
I actually look like I'm having a good time here. I don't know what was up with that. Ridge Road and Effie 2 were nearby. Not fun.
Sinkhole along the trail in North Royalton just before Effie 2.
Walking up Effie 2. At 25 miles into the run, that's all I could muster. My respect to all those who ran up her that day.
My head isn't down in shame, but rather against the wind that was flipping the brim of my hat up all day. The fifth and final aid station was at the top of the hill and I was happy to reach it. This is also where Heather was going to leave to go home and I needed to make a decision: Do I drop here and get a ride to the finish to get my car, or do I press on? Since I hadn't fallen down or dropped dead, it was an easy decision. I would keep going.
The final five miles were a combination of walking and running. I would run when I could, walking up hills and when my legs would cramp. As there was no trail for much of that section and we were on the road, I would run on the gravel shoulder when I could. It was soft and felt much better than the pavement. The downhill sections really bothered my shin and I had to take them slowly. I walked that edge between cramping and not cramping. I've been there many times and know how to do it. A few other runners passed me, but that was OK. I was just out to make it to the finish line. And eventually I did, finishing a couple minutes after Suzanne in 5:47.
My post-run recovery consisted of a bottle of Muscle Milk and a Reese's Egg. I didn't have much of an appetite. Mostly I was concerned about changing out of as much of my wet clothing as possible. I didn't want to get sick. What ended up happening? I got sick. A bad head cold that is only now beginning to break up a week later. So, between being sick and having a nagging pain in the leg, I haven't done much of anything this past week.
I love the Green Jewel course. It showcases some great parts of the Cleveland area. I'll have to think hard about doing it again in the future. Being so early in the year it's hard to be physically prepared to run it. I would still like to run the course again as a training run sometime when the weather's nicer, but we'll see. For now, I need to heal up and be ready for when this weather eventually breaks for good. It has been teasing us lately with nicer weather, but only for a day here or there. There's an FA 50K next weekend that I'm considering running. It's on the trails, which is exactly what I need. I don't know how much more pavement running I can take.
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