Lessons from the Past

Last weekend I went back to Connellsville, PA for a family reunion. While I was there, I ran 7 miles on Saturday on the Yough River Trail, (pictured at right) starting at the site of British General Braddock's crossing of the river in what is known in the US as the French and Indian War. This crossing was a prelude to the disaster that was to happen to the British at Fort Duquesne where they met the French army. Connellsville was also the scene of the most disastrous race I ever ran and ever hope to run.

In the fall of 2002, I ran my first half-marathon in Philadelphia. I enjoyed the experience so much that I couldn't wait to sign up and run a half-marathon in the spring. 2002 was also the year that brought me back to a town which was a big part of my life growing up called Connellsville. At the time, I had not been back there in over 25 years.

Connellsville is where my father was born and where my grandparents lived. For the first 18 years of my life, I would go there at least once a year but more often twice or three times. Truthfully, there is not a whole lot to do there on an average day, so, we would spend our time counting the number of cars on a passing train, walking around collecting 'pop' (soda) bottles to trade in for baseball cards, anything to occupy our time. As it always seems to be the case, they were simpler times spent and I look back it with fondness.

With nostalgia in my heart and with a sense that I can do no wrong since I just ran my first half, I signed up for the Yough River half-marathon in 2003 to be held in Connellsville. This was a lesson that, just because you prepared for a race, doesn't mean you are ready for a race. That day, in 2003, I didn't eat right, drink right, wear the right shirt, wear the right socks, wear the right shoes and didn't run the right pace.

Back then, I would eat a protein bar before a race. I never bothered to bring one with me as I assumed I would be able to find one at the local convenience store. Well, not quite. I think I wound up with a donut and a muffin. I, also, can't drink water during the race as it will upset my stomach. I assumed that any 'big' race would have Gatorade on the course. That may be true but this race didn't. So, I was left with the choice of dehydrating or upsetting my stomach with water. I washed my mouth out with water but didn't actually intake any water that day. That decision would come to haunt me.

The Yough River half-marathon is an out-and-back run on a trail with frozen bike grooves. Only 110 people ran the race, so it was very easy to have your pace thrown off at the start as you don't want to be in the back of the pack. I remember feeling ok for the first 4 miles or so, even though I was running at an 8:30 pace. Up to the point, that was usually my 5k pace. No matter. I was feeling good and I'll be damned if I was going to be in the back with the slow runners.

On the turn around, that's when everything fell apart. As I was going into mile 7, my legs started to cramp up. I noticed that the long-sleeved shirt I was wearing to keep me warm at the start of the race, was now making me hot as the morning wore on. With every step, I was feeling the bike grooves on the trail. Every part of my body was hurting but, in order for me to get back to my car, there was only one way to go and that was towards the finish line.

With only 110 runners, I was far back in the pack and felt lonely and isolated. It was the longest 6 miles I ever ran (in reality, walked). I couldn't see anyone in front of me and walkers behind me. But, I was determined to finish. Finally, when I saw the finish line, I wanted to, at the very least, run the last 100 yards at the end (and before they started to tear down the finish line banner). When I crossed, my thighs seized up and I needed medical attention to be able to walk again. I'm proud to say I didn't finish last and somehow finished in front of 10 other participants.

I use that race as a milestone and compare everything I do now to what I did then. I learned the value of a fresh pair of running shoes. I learned that socks (at least for me) are very important and now will only use DryMax as they are the most comfortable for me to wear. I check before the race on what liquids they will have on the course and where I can expect the water stops to be. I bring my own food to races that are out of town. I bring 2 or 3 different shirts to choose from but will generally wear the lightest for the race and an old shirt to throw away if the start is too cold. And, I've learned to harness my energy at the start and 'take my temperature' of how I'm doing at various points along the course.

As I ran last Saturday on part of this course again, all those thoughts and the lessons I learned were going through my mind. This time, I made sure I paid attention to the baby bunnies that were along the trail, the sounds of the river, the smell of the honeysuckle and even the train whistle heard in the distance. Because, last time I was here, my only thoughts were of how to survive the disaster I created for myself that day.