Ice Age 50
Ice Age 50 is near and dear to my heart because it was my first 50 mile run three years ago in 2015. I had been toying with the idea of running a 50 miler, but thought it was well out of my reach. I decided to fall off a cliff and sign up after much contemplation and probably a few glasses of wine, and have now managed to run it consecutively for the last 3 years. My hope is to keep running it until their 50th running, which will be my 49th birthday year (yeah, I know.. I was pretty sad when I realized it would not be my 50th.. but I'm sure I'll be pretty ok with being a year younger by then ;)). I love the history of this race as one of the oldest mid-western races in the US, drawing hundreds every year to anxiously wait on their computers to get a spot before the race sells out (usually within a few hours). I also love that runners return to this event year after year, and at the packet pick-up you are recognized on a chart for the number of 50 mile finishes accomplished. Some have 20 plus!!
Anyhow, this year the weather was the kryptonite for most of the runners. Many of us train for this spring race through cold winter temps, so an 80 degree day was going to mean some additional suffering. My usual plan for a race is to take the first half easy and push the second half depending on how I feel. After viewing the forecast, I decided to change my strategy and push the first half knowing my body would not adapt very well to the predicted heat that day. Ice Age is another race where you see a lot of familiar faces before and after the race.. again, I love the running community! So many amazing people.
(Left, clockwise bottom to top: Erica, Stormy, Me, Arturo, Brad, Todd, Kim). ->(<-Me, Kim, Doug.)
The course is set up as a 9 mile loop, then two out and back sections of 20.5 miles each. The morning was cool and a perfect temp to run. I went with my alternate plan and decided to pick up the pace for the first half. Around mile 7 or 8 I chatted briefly with another runner who was from Montana and getting over a rough chest cold so her breathing was pretty heavy. We lost each other for a few miles but after hitting the single track trails I heard that familiar breathing again and turned around to find her behind me. Her name I found out was Emily, and we spent the next 35 or so miles chatting and experiencing the highs and lows of running 50 miles. This girl is exactly what I look for at races, someone to experience the journey. Thanks for the company E!
The last 10 miles were just awful. My heart had been beating far faster than I was comfortable with, and I had developed a rash or burn on my hands and arms which I later found out was heat rash. I knew I could finish this thing, but was a little sad I didn't get the time I had been on route to achieve until those last 10 miles when I was just too worried about the way I was feeling to push very hard. Regardless, It was another wonderful experience and I am thankful for it. Huge shout out to my friend Kim, who selflessly did her best to take care of me after the race when the heat stroke symptoms started kicking in and I was really not feeling good for a few hours. With her help and a lot of water and some food, I felt so much better! She is amazing and I really appreciate her kindness and willingness to care so much. 
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