20in24: Laps 4-6

As I started lap 4, the sun started to come out.  Unfortunately, as the sun came out, the temperature started to climb.  Since I could finally take my iPhone out without worrying about it getting drenched, I decided to take some photos of the course on this lap.  This was a great way to entertain myself as I didn't think to bring music with me and the course had started to thin out to the point where I wouldn't see volunteers or other runners for 10-15 minute blocks.

During the first mile of each lap we ran by the Philadelphia Art Museum, which was pretty, but crawling with tourists - it was like an obstacle course running by there!

From there, we would run up one bank of the Schuylkill river.

Cross over a bridge.

Then run back up the opposite bank of the Schuylkill.

As we got closer to the end of the lap, there were some great views of the Philadelphia skyline.

Halfway through lap 4 I realized my armpit was chafing pretty badly.  I stopped at the medic tent on the course for some Vaseline.  I thought they would let me put it on myself, but instead I ended up having a complete stranger lube up my armpit and side-boob.  So awkward.  As I got toward the end of the lap I started to chafe again and realized the gauze and tape I had on my arm was to blame.  My legs were still feeling pretty good, so I decided to make a quick stop at the finish line medic tent to have them remove the gauze and re-lube me, and set off on mile 5.  The medic who lubed me up was nice enough to give me a "go pack" of Vaseline... in a rubber glove.  Of Mice and Men immediately came to mind.

Lap 5 is when things started getting weird.  I knew at some point I would get in to a funky zone where time seemed to pass a lot more slowly and I didn't seem to be making much forward progress.  I hit that point around mile 3 of lap 5, which, compounded with the fact that the sun was setting, made it feel like  I'd lost all sense of time.  I probably had.  I forged on, run/walking, until I felt an unfamiliar and uncomfortable tightness stretching from my left hip to knee.  I'd never had IT band issues before, but I knew right away that was what was bothering me.  I sucked it up and tried to push through the end of the lap before the sun set completely.  I got a good photo of sunset over the river before I finished.

The second I finished lap 5, I beelined to the massage area.  I knew I needed to have someone work on my IT band if I planned on finishing the race.  What I didn't plan on was two people working on my legs.  Amazing.

After my massage, I headed over to the medic tent to get a blister taken care of.  By this point I was on familiar terms with quite a few of the people working there.  You would be too if it was your fourth time visiting the medics.  Once all the sources of pain were addressed I ate something, threw on some reflective gear, grabbed my dad to pace me, took a quick photo, and set out on my last lap.

I should probably mention that lap 6 is where I hit my point of being "over it."  I was tired, dehydrated, sore, overheated, and had multiple blisters starting to form on my feet.  My poor dad thought he'd be running a bit more than we did, and I'm sure he thought I'd be in a better mood.  A couple of miles in to the lap, the tightness in my IT band came back with a vengeance.  This time my right leg tightened up as well.  The pain was so bad I couldn't make conversation - all I could do was make random noises to let my dad know I was still listening to him.  The lights for the medic tent seemed like a mirage when I finally saw them.  I'm pretty sure I thanked the medic who stretched me out no less than 16 times, which is impressive because I was there less than 10 minutes.  The relief only lasted about a mile and a half, but at that point I was taking whatever I could get.  We passed another Lone Ranger and his pacer, who was in the middle of commenting on how wonderful of a night it was to be out walking when he told her to "shut up."  I couldn't help but to burst out laughing.  This guy clearly felt the same way I did.

I hobbled along the rest of the loop until I saw the lights indicating that we were about a half mile from the finish line.  At that point I told my dad we were running.  I think he was a little worried about me breaking myself, but all I could think about was finishing the race.  I was desperate to stretch, take a hot shower, and go to bed.  As I crossed the finish line, all I could feel was relief.  I went straight from the finish line to the award tent, grabbed my award, and collapsed on a cot in the medic tent.  Surprise!  My friend who stretched me out at the other medic tent was there.  As it turns out, he was one of two attending physicians on the course and had come over to the main medic tent to cover for the other physician while he took a nap.  He stretched me out again (while making fun of me for knowing which faces I make when I am being stretched to my limits), congratulated me, and sent me on my way.

Before I packed things up and left, I got a photo in front of the 20in24 sign.

Want a close-up of what was in my hands?

That's right.  50 MILES.