WRATH 48 Recap.

So I debated on recapping this event- because my friend who hosted specifically drilled it into our heads that is was not a RACE…but, I figured since it was an event that I thoroughly enjoyed I thought I’d share it with ya! So, every year, a lady that takes my spin class holds an event at her home called WRATH 48. She sets everything up, literally in her front yard, and all of her crazy runner friends set up shop. Some spend the night and run through the night…some leave and come back the next day to run in the heat to get some hardcore summer training in. Some sleep all day long and run at 2 a.m. – to mimic running in the dark during a 100 mile race. So on and so forth.

The conversation kind of went something like this when she invited me to this hardcore feat.

-A couple of weeks prior to the event-
Me- “So, how have you been? What happened to your foot, it’s in a boot? Long time no see.”
Host- “Oh girl, I had surgery on my foot…it’s healing now. I can still put weight on it.”
Me- “That’s good. I’m glad you’re back in class. Any races coming up?”
Host- “Well, I’m having this crazy runner party at my house. It’s called the WRATH. Do you want to come? It’s literally a big party and we run in circles”
Me- “YES! That sounds totally up my alley.”
Host- “Perfect! I’ll add you to the Facebook group.”

Well…that’s not exactly how the convo went but a pretty close reenactment. So the host lady has done 200 milers…double Ironmans (YES they actually have those) and all kinds of crazy stuff. She decided to put on this run in the summer to give her closest ultra runner friends an opportunity to get some good summer training in and rack up the miles. So I was honored to have been invited, since it was a private, invite only event. The run started Friday evening, and went on until Sunday. And it was SUPER close to my job, so I literally changed in the car and zoomed on over. It has been a long work week so I was so thrilled to just zone out on a Friday night and get some night miles going. I pull up and literally everyone there is older than me. These ultrarunners y’all, they are some troopers I tell ya. A LOT of them power walk. And one of the guys in the gang was no lie, an 80 year old man. So we start and they all take off at a snail’s pace. And I’m the only chick like, “okay…time to run, right?” “Is anyone going to run?”

I ask the 80 year old man…hey dude, do you know the route? Because being the typical road runner/trail racer that I am, I’m used to routes and people being faster than ME who lead the way. The dude just looked at me with a blank stare. “WHAT!?” He said. He literally could not hear me, y’all. Later on I learned that he was an ultrarunner/walker that was basically deaf. He slept on my friend’s couch most of the weekend, then came out to do more power walking and went back to sleep.

And I learned that apparently there’s a very tight knit group of walk/runners that do these runs based on TIME (such as a 24 hour run, versus a 100 miler on trails) that’s usually all paved, and the routes are about 1/2 mile to 2 miles long. And they walk and walk and walk. And they love it. Most of them don’t like trails, they prefer the pavement. Crazy, right?! I think I do prefer TRAILS if I’m going to do an ultra because I want to run a lot of it and it is easier on the body. But doing this kind of made me want to sign up for a 24 hour race just to see how many miles I could cover on pavement…

So yeah, I was one of the only people there that wanted to run, I guess. There were a few (closer to my age) that ran for a bit and then did some power walking in the heat. But I found myself for most of the event…running solo. Which was fine, as with most ultra running events for me I find myself, by myself. Honestly that is what I love the most about it. I am an only child, I like being in my own head. I am a creative. I write for television, for a living. So naturally I like brainstorming and being alone in my crazy head so I can conjure up more mischief. Ha.

The route was a tad over 2 miles long and we ran through a park then after the park closed the route shortened to a 1 miler. The first night when it started I ran until just before 11 pm. 21.1 miles (after figuring out most of the route solo, with a couple of detours ha) The next day (Saturday) I slept in and then came back for some heat training. Over 16 miles done. I went home, did more sleeping (this back to back stuff typically wears me out) then came back Sunday morning for the remaining 10.3 miles.

The 10.3 Sunday miles was probably the hardest part of the entire weekend! I think the heat was really starting to take a toll on me. Physically my body felt awesome, legs were a little tired but the sun beating down on my back finally broke me a bit. My last loop I ended having to take a longer than usual bathroom stop and I simply could NOT stop sweating. I guzzled some water and had to slow WAY down. I just kept having to talk to myself…like “okay…less than a mile…just shuffle in.” Once I saw the older power walker ladies (some that stayed at my friend’s house all weekend) I knew I had to keep running and be the strong one. I pushed it in, wrote my time down, and basically passed out in the lawn chair. My friend handed me my party bag to go (you remember as a kid you used to get those PARTY bags at birthday parties?! That was absolutely the best) and I said my goodbyes and dragged myself to my car.

Overall I loved this event! There were runners all weekend bringing us food, goodies to keep us going, and some of us brought fun beers and beverages to quench our thirsts. I may or may not have had a “Fiesty Blonde” on night 2 before the last loop of my 16 miler.

So, just over 47 miles done this past weekend and it got me to an 85.1 mile week. Woot!! I think next year (if I get invited again…VIP style) I will pop a sleeping bag in the yard and stay all weekend. And do some walking with that 80 year old superstar.

How was your weekend? Do you like running in circles like me?
A lot of runners don’t…I like it all. I just like to run, running’s my favorite.