Well I finally completed my first 50k. Yesterday I ran/walked the Mesquite Canyon 50K just west of Phoenix at the White Tank Mountains. I have so many things on my mind and had a lot of time to think about what I was gonna write on this post so if it seems like rambling, running, and some personal I hope you'll understand. First let me start off with I'm very please to have completed my first Ultra, I will not claim to be an Ultra Trail runner though since I had to run and walk this course. The hills were brutal, the course was technical, and I had to listen to my body. Yesterday I saw so many great trail runners and was very impressed with their perseverance to complete a difficult race. The race started great I felt good other than a lack of sleep the last two evenings and started up the trail running good. I paced myself and ran a lil too fast on some of the easy parts of the trail too. Then the incline kept going and going, so I found myself walking a lil and running as I was being past by a few runners. Then the steep decline came up and it was like going down a twisty winding staircase except it was full of loose rock and big boulders too! I remember a guy from NY flew past me and I'll come back to that later. Once I got to the bottom of the (staircase) the trail was a lil smoother and I began running to the turn around spot... at mile 11 I was passed be the leaders, so they must have already been 4 miles ahead of me, freakn studs. I said something positive to every running I past or that past me, except the one guy that was yelling at his buddy and it scared the shit out of me. LOL At the turn around mile 13.4 I stopped and filled up my water and had some snacks. Thanks to all the volunteers that assisted, they were all great! Then it was time to head back up the trail and then the (staircase) Wow, this was tough hiking up and I only had a few people pass me so I was feeling like I was doing well. Then when the trail opened up a lil I ran/walked cuz my legs were tried, but more importantly I was feeling slight chest pains I'm not sure if it was the slight elevation or if it was cause my heart was working harder than it has on a run?... But none the less I ran down the declines and walked up the inclines knowing I still had 15 hard miles to cover! Back to the guy from NY, I was walking up one of the inclines and he was walking and cramping really bad. I offered him water/snacks and then filled his bottle from my camelback. He ended up recovering well even though when I left him he was hurting and sitting there... He caught up by the next exchange and said thanks and then he continued on pulling away from me. It was cool seeing him power through. I continued to run and walk depending on the chest pains and climbed the last hill and down the decline into the river wash... dam this was tough with loose sand, huge boulders, and water. They marked the trail great and it was beautiful too. As I exited the wash there was more decline similar to the (staircase) earlier in the race, but this one was almost more technical requiring me to use my hands to balance and jump down in many areas. Then this came to a smoother decline trail and then the last rest stop was great. The people were very helpful and encouraging letting me know that there was only 3 more miles. They asked how was doing and I said, I'm gonna completed this dam thing! When I left I was running a lil and getting teary eyed like I am while I type this. This was for several reasons; because I was happy that I was completing something so difficult, cause I didn't give up, because I'm dealing with a difficult personal lose lately (that's why I haven't been able to sleep), cause I heard some stuff that I didn't want to hear, and overall I'm going through one of the most exciting times in my life (I just bought a house, I have great kids, and I'm in the best shape of my life), yet it is one of the worst times in my life (right now) because I feel lonely and heart broken. Sorry, but this is who I am so read with caution. LOL I'm very passionate about the good and the bad. Well back to the run... I continued on with running and walking as I was looking forward to crossing the finish line so I could just sit there and cry and let out all the emotions of completing and hurting. I finally saw the finish and got emotional as those that were still there cheered me in. Thanks to all of them! Then I sat there... and cried

My closing thoughts. I did it, I didn't give up, I'm so happy during such a good and tough period in my life. I know that just like this race I will get through it, but it will take me a lil longer than 7:23:17.

Thanks to all my DM friends for your support week in and week out and thanks for listening to me when I'm high and low. I hope you all had a great week and if your raced it was fun, fast, and injury free.