And I thought I worried a lot during the Pistol Ultra...

If you follow me on Facebook, then you already know that it only took hubby 11 days from finishing the Pistol Ultra 100 mile race to sign up for his next 100 miler.

We didn't talk about it.  I came home from an evening work meeting, and he told me he signed up for a race.  An ultra.  I asked if it was another 50K.  I truly thought it was a 50K.

But instantly, a sheepish look came upon his face, and he said no.  He told me that he saw this race on Facebook, and there were only 37 spots left, and he couldn't wait to talk about it when I got home, because it was going to fill up fast.  In fact, when he signed up, there were just 5 spots left.  How lucky was he that he actually got in!?

I realized it must be a 100 miler.

It was.  The Thunder Rock 100, in the Cherokee National Forest.  In May (when Tennessee temperatures can easily be summertime hot and humid).

That was two days ago.

I finally had the courage to check the race out tonight.  

Unlike the Pistol Ultra, which was an 11-mile loop on a well-lit greenway in a park, the Thunder Rock 100 is a "challenging" trail ultra.  Through a forest.  Point to point.  With a river crossing.

Wow.

I guess I need to get over this worrying stuff.  I'll just drive myself insane.

One more goal for me for 2014!

I don't think I'm cut out to be...

...an ultra-marathoner's wife!

As I posted on Facebook last weekend, hubby completed his first 100-mile race at the Pistol Ultra.  He did a great job, finishing in 24 hours and 12 minutes.  He had hoped to finish in less than 24-hours, but  only 12 minutes over is not bad, in my opinion.

His first 100-mile belt buckle.

Due to logistics with kids returning to school, I did not go with him to this race, so I spent an excruciating 36 or so hours worrying about hubby.  During the race, he texted me every so often to give me a mileage count.  He even gave me a quick phone call about 14 hours in.

But that's when I really started worrying - when it was cold, dark, and he had been running all day.  I couldn't sleep, and anxiously stalked the website for live updates when he wasn't texting me.  I got a text about 1 am, 4 am, and then finally, a little after 7am when I got the message, "100 done."

Soon after, he texted me that he was heading back to the hotel to sleep.  My mom asked me if I was done worrying, but alas, I wasn't.  Snow and sub-zero temps were in the forecast, and I knew he wanted to try to drive home (2 1/2 hour drive) asap.  I hoped he would rest and stay over another day if the weather got bad before he was ready to leave.

He called me about 11:30 am and said he was heading home.  After stopping at two rest stops to nap, he finally safely arrived home around 4:30 pm.  

Then, he shared with me what he felt were his "rookie mistakes."

1.  When getting up out of bed at the hotel, he thought he passed out, but doesn't really remember what happened.  He did have a big bump/scuff on the top of his head, though he has no idea how it got there.

2.  His feet and ankles were very swollen and sore, and walking was very painful.  He shared that he thought it might be due to wearing calf sleeves (he thought compression socks on his calves would be a good idea, but wanted to wear his Injinji socks, so he went with the calf sleeves).  He thinks that the bottom of the sleeve messed with his circulation, hence creating the massive swelling on his feet/ankles.

After feeding him a good meal, I made ice packs and tried to take care of him as best as I could.  He scared me to death again when he passed out on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  He thinks this time (and probably at the hotel too) it happened because he had his feet elevated on pillows and got up too quickly.

Many times in the 24 hours after he got home, he said he didn't know why he was stupid enough to pay money to torture himself like that.  He promised he wouldn't race longer than 50 miles again.

But as the swelling went down, and he started reminiscing about the race, I could see the change.  Like a woman who forgets the pain of childbirth once she holds her newborn baby, I knew that this would not be his only 100 mile race.

I'm a huge worrier, which probably makes me a bad wife for a man who loves to push the limits of his endurance.

But I admire his perseverance, determination, and courage to push the limits and take on amazing challenges.  So, I promise not to be selfish and ask him to never run more than 50 miles.  As hard as it may be on my heart to worry about him, I know that it would break his heart to stop challenging himself to take on ever bigger and better adventures in life.

So, I'll keep you posted, but I imagine there are more 100-milers in our future!