Saturday, June 14, 2014

The Circle Game: Or, how I found joy, elation, and true community spirit in 12 unbeatable hours

It was much warmer inside the pop-up tent. This I could tell you for certain at 8:03 a.m. last Saturday. Outside the blue and orange sides of my little cave, the rain slashed down biblically, with bass notes of thunder for added effect. I was reminded of the mythological scene in Fantasia, where the god of lightning is hammering out the lightning bolts, throwing down sparks. [Wait. You haven't seen Fantasia? Everyone needs to see Fantasia. Make sure it's the one made in the 1930s, where they hand-drew every frame.] I felt strangely calm, despite the relentless downpour, now that my goal had been achieved. Dry clothes. Snack. Hand warmers. We'd been standing at the starting line, huddled like sheep in a meadow, and I was soaked. My whisper-light rain jacket had given in with a whimper after about two minutes. It was almost a relief to hear that we would have a rain delay, and that I could start again on this whole Dressing for a Day of Running thing.

Yes, it was a day of running. Really, a day. And for many, a day and a night and back to day again. While long runs were completed and children were fed, and treaties were signed and great novels read, a hardy band of intrepid (incomprehensible?) souls were still out there...running.

We were part of the FANS 6-, 12-, and 24-hour race, an annual (25 years!) timed race that raises money to provide college scholarships for inner-city youth. I had come the last two years to pace, i.e., to offer varying levels of chipperness, water-bottle-holding, snack-providing, and (only if requested) arcane stories from Radiolab to help pass the time to my fearless friends doing the 24-hour race. Last year's run, with the Nolan Ryan of FANS, Doug Kleemeier, had been particularly enjoyable. Over and over, I kept marveling at how quickly the time passed. Whoa, I found myself thinking, I've been out here FOUR HOURS. And it's still incredibly fun. The idea that I might actually do this myself lodged itself somewhere in the back of my mind, and there it sat for the next 6 or 8 months.

Until, you know, I turned 50. And in order to stem the tide of shock, disbelief, soul-searching, and slight panic that always befalls me on these "decade" birthdays, I decided to make this the Year of Doing Things That Scare You. Anything outside the comfort zone was fair game. So, I signed up willy-nilly for a bunch of races that, on one level or another, left me vaguely terrified. The Boston Marathon. 50ks up north on the unyielding Superior Hiking Trail. Another date with the Powerlines of Duluth. And, um, FANS. But just the 12-hour, because those 24-hour folks, their endurance was sick. It was just unearthly. Interestingly, of all the endeavors I embarked upon (and many are still yet to come--hello, Lean Horse) the FANS race scared me the least.

It had a lot of things that appealed to me: a flat, easily complete-able loop (perceived complete-ability is really important in a race that is so largely mental); tons of interaction with others (I'm chatty); access to aid stations and your own water, snacks, etc. at your designated "campsite" (I hate carrying stuff--any stuff); and even your own personal "counter" ("just like a personal banker!" I remember thinking), in my case two extremely friendly gentlemen who happily yelled out encouraging things each time I came around the loop. ("Lap 17! Nicely done, Amy!") Where others saw hamster-wheel repetition, I saw friendly familiarity and the joy of the known.

As the thunder gods got bored and put away their hammers to sleep (checking another Fantasia scene again, forgive me), we embarked on our journey. The silver rain came down continuously for the next 5 hours or so, but it never seemed angry, only purposeful. Spirits were high, ringed in my case with a slight edge of incredulity ("I'm going to be running for 12 hours.."), but I had this overwhelming feeling the entire race that I was being watched over by the spirit of FANS, the FANS gods, in whose benevolent hands I was putting my trust that nothing would go wrong.

And basically, it didn't. The laps circled by in a happy montage of shared conversation, cheerful volunteers (many of whom were involved with schools benefiting from the FANS program), and aid station delights ("bananas dipped in salt? These are amazing!"). I was joined by a relentlessly upbeat crew of pacers, both planned and unplanned, including fearless coach and sage mentor Scott Welle, savior of bunny-eating cats Arika Hage, and my number one supporter and crew-meister Todd Rowe, who not only put up the entire tent-o-rama, supplied the food, AND ran 20 miles with me, but also stood there in the rain, in the cold, all day, with an ever-changing array of quirky signs, including my personal favorite, "Motivation! Inspiring Sign!" I know that I am many things, but low-maintenance is not one of them, yet his enthusiasm never flagged; it occurred to me throughout this experience that supporting each other at ultra races is as good a metaphor for a relationship as any...there are radiant highs and plummeting lows, but ultimately there is only one set of hands that you really want holding out your peanut butter sandwich or clean, dry Hokas.
                                                                               
Inspiring us all with brevity that is the soul of wit.

The day progressed, and with it came a break in the showers and a shot of happiness as I watched my fellow 12-hour travelers and 24-hour friends continue to conquer the course. It got so that every turn became a well-worn path, a marker towards the next aid station, the street crossing, the big puddle, and finally the beloved break in the trees that pointed the way to the counting table. Many would bemoan the monotony of a course like this, but for me, it was perfect--I always knew where I was and how long I had to go. It never seemed overwhelming, because the metaphorical sun on the horizon was always just ahead. There were small joys, too, like seeing John and Cheri Storkamp, Aaron and Mary Ehlers, Kurt and Evan Decker, and countless others spectating and cheering. Watching Niki Ronnan pushing her brother Mike for the entire 24-hour race, both of them always happy and unrelentingly moving towards a goal. Witnessing the beautifully modulated performances of Doug Kleemeier, Sonya Decker, and Brian Klug, as they rode the entire roller coaster of the 24-hour race from start to finish with their hands in the air. Seeing Chris Hanson just sprinting the last of his 24-hour short laps, like a baseball player charging for home. Sharing two minutes, five minutes, or two miles with those I met on the trail, instant friendships forged in the mutual belief that there is something bigger than oneself that comes with the testing--the going into the tunnel of the unknown and emerging unscathed on the other side.

And before I knew it, things started happening. My PC (personal counter) told me at the end of one lap, "See you at 50 next time! Nicely done!" At this news, I forgot about my tiring legs and succumbed full-on to the giddy happy dance of the moment. Before FANS, I'd run 34 miles for my longest run (at the splendid Icebox 480 run by Chris Swenke, fellow FANS-er Ross Jilk and FANS pacer Jenny Marietta). Now, I was ready to hear the cowbells and savor my 50, just for a second. Of course, a 50 on this flatness is nothing like a 50 at Zumbro or Superior, but it still felt deeply satisfying and vaguely unbelievable. I tried to use this euphoria to fire me up for my remaining loops, keeping the pace with Scott, Arika and Todd, and waving supportively at the large turtle I saw crossing the road on my final "long" lap. "Slow and steady does work, buddy," I told him. "You were definitely on to something there." Rounding the curve for the last time, heading for 56 laps, I thanked all of the aid station volunteers for setting out the Gator Ade and potato chips (like Chateau d'Yquem and caviar 11 hours in, trust me), and the street-crossing volunteers who told us every lap how amazing we were. (For hours on end. In the wet and cold, never flagging in their cheer. For those who have suffered cynical moments, this is humanity at its best.)

"Time for the short laps!" I told my PC. "Enjoy them!" he said, pointing me in the direction of the orange cones. It was then I saw the shining pink Nikes of my short lap fairy, Kate Hoglund, come to carry me through the last few miles. Having helped me in a panic with a night-before purchase of Altras and some inserts at TC Running Co, Kate was still a calm and happy presence at 8:00 p.m., as we ran and walked (but mostly ran) back and forth through 30 of the 200-meter laps. She kept me talking, moving forward, and not giving in. "You can do this," she kept saying. As the time ticked on, it took everything I had not to skip like a second grader from lap to lap. I was a bit woozy, I was starving, I was light-headed, my legs were done, but I knew it was almost over and I wanted to memorize the sun-fading perfection of the minutes towards 8:30.
                                                                     
Happiness = the short laps with smiley Kate
And before I knew it, the tireless Counter Dudes were counting down: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" With 58.88 miles done, I collapsed into the arms of Todd and my friends, unsteady but unbowed.
                                       
Done and dusted with King Dougie, who still had 12 hours left(!)

After dry clothes, an endless shower, copious chocolate milk and a nice recap with my children ("I don't think I could run that in my whole life!" said Bella, who instead does five handsprings like walking through a barn door), I fell into the unmoving, velvet-dark sleep of the truly spent. At 3:00 a.m., of course, I was awoken by adrenaline, aches and pains, and extreme hunger ("need peanut butter! stat!") A few hours later, I was back at FANS to watch the truly mind-opening sight of the 24-hour rock stars finishing their short laps as the sun rose high and the dew shone on the high grass. Later there was the communal breakfast, and stories, and podium places for Doug, Sonya, and Brian, and lovely gifts such as the personalized chair given out to FANS legend Fast Eddie Rousseau, and the funny and touching sight of grown men and women moving delicately and gingerly in and out of chairs, their cups held out, zombie-like, for more coffee. All around us, life was happening at its usual frantic pace. But here, in this park, on this beautiful morning, it had paused, and embraced us all.

In the end, it was not about going in endless circles. FANS, in all its glory, was just this giant community-focused, athlete-filled, encouragement-flavored, beautifully organized endurance rave at Ft. Snelling State Park, and you miss it at your runner soul's peril.

Lap 25 (years), FANS folks. Nicely done. Very nicely done.