Pacing 50 Miles: Selfless Endurance

20 Hours. 50 Miles. 10,000 feet of elevation gain. What possesses a person to do this? More accurately, what possesses a person to do this for somebody else? Running for 20 hours is hard. Running 50 miles is hard. Climbing 10,000 feet is hard. Why do all of this at once and not for yourself but for somebody else? Pacing 50 miles as a selfless endurance example is an experience that gives more than it takes.

One afternoon, I was working on our company when Lori mentioned that Aum had lost pacers for the Tahoe 200. In the following breath, she asked if I was open to pacing him since the timing would be perfect since she would be in a cohort for Pepperdine University.

Preparation: Mental and Physical Readiness

I didn’t take long to say yes but I also wasn’t ‘prepared’ as some would say. Racing a 50 mile event takes weeks of progressive training. I had not been working toward a particular goal therefore my fitness wasn’t what would be described as peak.

While considering the work, I realized that Aum wasn’t going to be running at a pace that wasn’t sustainable for me. There would be a lot of hiking and I did spend the winter working on climbing in preparation for the Lake Sonoma 50 in April.

Logistics: Coordinating the Journey

I decided that I could do it and then all the pieces had to be aligned. Booking flights, coordinating dropping Lori off at the hotel then getting to the airport. I would need nutrition and hydration products for the pacing job plus other stuff.

Prior to arriving in Tahoe, Aum and I discussed how far I would pace. We worked it out that I would take him the last 50 miles of the event. I looked at his pacing chart and realized that his plan was for the 50 miles to be completed in about 24 hours. That pace would be close to 29:00/mile. I believed that I could handle that.

When the event started I was nervous about handling the gig. Would my body be able to hold up for 50 miles? 24 hours became a long time in my mind. How would I mentally stay sharp to lead him to his goal?

The Start: Overcoming Initial Doubts

When 11pm rolled up on Sunday night and we started driving to the aid station that I would start at, the butterflies in my stomach grew. It was cold and I wondered if I had enough warm gear. There were obstacles popping up in my head that I would have to battle through.

At around 3am on Monday morning we set out on our way toward the finish line at Heavenly. The sun would rise at around 5am and life would be injected into my veins. All of a sudden, I remembered that I have been here before. I have been on the trails. Running 50 miles was something I had done prior. 10,000 feet was 25% of what I climbed at Cocodona. This was doable and so was helping him reach his goal.

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Mid-Race: Finding Rhythm and Motivation

We progressed throughout the day until we reached the last aid station. Lori and I texted each other and she shared that the tracker indicated a time of 12:21 am for his finish. That was 22 minutes too late for his goal. That meant that we had to move 1:00/mile faster than we had been moving. Can we do this? At that moment, I made the decision that we were not going to fail.

As Aum looked to be getting comfortable in his chair, I told him it was time to go. We made our way out of the aid station and up a climb. We chatted and I let him know that I was undefeated as a pacer and I wasn’t going to lose now so we will need to get moving.

The Final Push: Surpassing Expectations

Over the next 16 miles I would push him hard. At the same time, I recognized that trail running and ultra running were giving me life. The dirt on the trails, the sun in my face and the knowledge that the finish line was getting closer with each step gave me life. I remembered being here before. The trails, effort and memories of racing came roaring back.

When we reached a street that we had to cross I knew we would get him to the finish line well ahead of his 12am goal. There would not be a single step taken on Tuesday. There was relief in knowing that we were going to make it. Simultaneously, I wondered how much ahead of that goal we could be.

As his final step was taken the time showed 10:59:57. We went from being 20 minutes or more beyond the goal to 60 minutes ahead. There was a satisfaction in knowing that I helped him accomplish his goal. The feeling was second to the smile on his face. He gave it his all to chase a dream and a goal. This result can never be changed.

Reflection: Lessons Learned and Personal Growth

Pacing, for me, is one of the most important things I can do in these sports. It is an opportunity to help others knowing that there will not be a record of it on the internet but there will always be the knowledge that you gave for someone else. 

20 Hours. 50 Miles. 10,000 feet of elevation gain. Those are the numbers you’ll see on Strava (I’m not on Strava by the way) or Garmin Connect. What you will not see is the growth that I experienced during that time. Knowledge was gained. Experience was added. Connection was established.

The Value of Selfless Endurance

Being a good pacer means giving of yourself in order for somebody else to achieve their goals. Becoming a better trail or ultra runner means that you pace and crew so that you can learn more about yourself.

Over 20 Hours. 50 Miles. 10,000 feet of elevation gain. I became a better trail and ultra runner but more importantly I also became a better pacer. Lessons, like inches, are all around us. What we do with them is what makes a difference in your life and the life of others. Pacing 50 miles is selfless endurance but more than that it’s magic!

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