Running a 50 Miler: Lessons Learned

Running a 50-mile race was a first for me. While I had an idea of what it might be like, a lot would be left to the unknown on race day. So, really, I had no idea. Here are a few glaring lessons learned:

• I planned to actually run the entire 50 miles. Like without any walk breaks. Or breaks at all besides a quick change of shoes. Running 50 miles continuously is harder than I thought. Like damn near impossible. While I did run the majority of the race, I had to take a few walks breaks. A wise person had told me to try walk the aid stations. While I eventually did later in the race, I should have heeded this advice earlier. I learned there is no shame in walking.
  
• Running on the Appalachian Trail took A LOT more out of me than I could have ever expected. I thought I was going to get off the trail portion and start running 8 minute miles like it ain't no thang. Yeah...easier said than done.
  
• The Applachian Trail portion was a lot harder than I expected. We literally climbed a mountain. Climbed and climbed. I have run some gnarly hills in Texas, but nothing compared to what I ran on Saturday.  In retrospect, I should have done some more trail running in training, although I don't know where I could have found trails like that in Texas.
  
• Next time I decide to do a 50-miler, I won't run a hard marathon the weekend before hand. While my legs felt good and pretty much fully recovered going into JFK, I also didn't realize what kind of reserve I would need to get through a 50 miler.
  
• I made a bad decision with shoes. I wore my trail shoes for the technical trail portion (first 15.5 miles) and then changed into my marathon racing shoes, which are a pair of light weight flats - Brooks Pure Flow, similar to the Brooks Launch, only a tad bit lighter. While these shoes are fine for the marathon distance, they were not fine for 35 miles of running. I needed something with a little more cushion. My feet were literally on fire from about Mile 30 on. A change into thicker socks at mile 39 helped a little, but I have never felt such a burning sensation in my feet before as I did during this race.
  
• Drink even when you aren't thirsty. I did not carry water with me throughout the race, and decided to rely on the aid stations for water. And even then, early on, I was just grabbing a cup on the run and making getting a few sips out of it. Even though it wasn't hot, I wasn't taking in enough fluids and really started to feel thirsty those last 12 miles. It seemed like an eternity to get from one aid station to the next. I never had to use the bathroom during the race (and never had to until several hours after the race). Definitely a sign that I was low on fluids.
• After almost 8 hours of running, primarily relying on GU alone for fuel, you'll never want to see GU again in your life. Never either.