It’s not easy to run 100 miles. My first time, it took me 31 hours but I got my picture in UltraRunning Magazine. It got me thinking, the process is actually a lot like getting plastic surgery!
Commitment
There was a moment about 4 months prior when I decided, “Oh dear, I want to do this. I really am going to do this.” My friends and wife all questioned my decision. They said I didn’t need to do this.
The decision was not about them; it was about doing something for myself.
Preparation
I research various races. I asked running friends for recommendations. I looked at online reviews of events. Finally, I decided on the Zion 100 – it felt like a good fit.
I altered my diet and increased my workouts to make sure I was in optimal health. I did everything to ensure that it was medically safe.
I paid for the race, ensured I had adequate time off for event and recovery. I made a hotel reservation.
The days before
Diet is important for running as it is for surgery. For Zion 100, I focused on eating super clean the week of the event. The morning of the event, I had a light breakfast. I had also prepared what I would eat during and after the race. (For surgery, you can’t eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery.)
I picked up my race packet (like prescriptions maybe?) the day before the race.
The big day
I called my wife the morning of the event, and she wished me well. (She does not think ultramarathons are great spectator events.)
I arrived at course an hour before the start.
The race had amazing staff and support. They did their best to make me feel comfortable. They would keep track of runners at aid stations to ensure nobody had gotten off course. This seems similar to having a great anesthesia and nurses on the day of surgery.
During the race I didn’t sleep at all. So this is different from plastic surgery, but I finished it safe and sound.
Recovery
How we take care of ourselves after surgery or an ultramarathon is important to maximize recovery and minimize complications. Patients often feel ok right after surgery, but like an ultramarathon, soreness increases gradually before getting better.
By the time I got to my hotel room, I was not moving so well. When I dragged myself to the front desk to ask for some extra soap, their initial response was “I am sorry sir, the amenities of the hotel are only for its guests.” The front desk thought I had just wandered in from the street!
The first day I mostly just slept. Like after anesthesia, liquid intake is more important than calories. But each day that followed, things got better. I was less sore, and gradually I was able to get back to my prior routine.
Everybody’s body is different, but it took me at least a month to recover and resume my prior running routine.
The Response
My friends wanted to know how things went. They wanted to see my pictures. They couldn’t believe I had gone through with it! Some I suspect, were a little jealous.
The Result
Reach high! Just beyond our fingertips is the world of things never done before.
See, getting plastic surgery can be like running 100 miles 😉
If you are considering running an ultramarathon, check out ultrasignup.com. For plastic surgery, our number is 703-596-1660. Just don’t do both on the same week 😉
