More running schmack

The weekend is done; it was big.  Really it may not sound like much to add a few miles to a marathon, but it's big and I was a little afraid.  Trail runs are tough in a different way.  There are some simple formulas........times are easily doubled on the trail for equal distances on the road.  Different muscles come into play, you are out there for longer, your body more depleted.  Road running is a pounding slog, trail running is artful. For the first time I took salt tabs, really needed to as it was so hot.  I discovered rock mellon, water mellon and bananas are what I gravitate to (they won't get me through a 50 miler but they ease the pain). Cute moment, a very grizzled veteran of ultra's offered me some of his salt tabs at one point, reminding me they were important, he was running his second 50k in 2 weeks.....awesome; I had my own but it was sweet of him to offer.  I met some interesting characters (including a Vet......Coast Guard) and also spent big chunks of time running alone, not another soul in sight.  Thankfully the course was well marked.  The folks on the aide stations were fun and engaging and as you near the end they know you can't quite coordinate yourself, taking your water bottle and filling it up as you struggle to bring it all together.  A couple of times I had to take my shoes off, get rid of little stray pebbles (there is a clothing solution for this.....got to get on to that).  Little insight, on the 50 miler it's most likely the crew will need to help "manage me" as time goes on and tying shoelaces becomes more complex as the hours tick by.  I have a very vivid memory of my Army training, humping a pack for hours on end, stopping to rest, taking the pack off and then, as we were told to gear up, turning to my pal and telling her that if she didn't lift my pack onto my pack I wasn't going anywhere.....humbling moments, ultra's feel like that.