Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog. Now let's get started by talking about how the hurdles, hiccups and hindrances of 2020 might have caused you to lose your motivation to race or even run and what you can learn from some crazy ultrarunners to get yourself motivated to get back out there.
But first keep this in mind... a person's motivation to train is directly related to having a goal. But not just any goal... one they find more than worthwhile to sacrifice time, comfort, and even toenails for.
So check out what some of the runners from the first annual Bad Dawg 2020 30-hour Ultra event had to say about their crazy weekend of running that included torrential rain, wind, lightning, thunder, flooding, pain, blisters, fatigue and a time of quarantine in the gym while they waited out a tornado. If you're laughing right now and thinking what they were thinking then yes... the race perfectly described all of 2020 in just a few hours.
But they pressed on and I hope their stories will not only motivate you to attempt something big but to commit to reaching the finish line no matter how hard it might be to get there.
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Elizabeth is third from left with her daughters on the outside
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Of the many reasons why we chose to tackle the Bad Dawg 100/50/50k Run/Relay and 12 mile Run/Ruck what truly fills my heart is how this race affected my daughters! When Covid first hit our community (Columbia, MO) last March my daughters high school went 100% virtual... sadly it has stayed that way to date. It has been heartbreaking to watch them all day on zoom calls, limited from seeing friends or participating in their beloved high school activities. BUT running isn’t cancelled right? They started running with me mid-week and on weekends, steadily increasing mileage and intensity. I had just completed my first 50 Mile race in September and soon after decided to “try” for a 100. We were excited to see Bad Dawg had options for both of them to participate too! Covid had taken so much away from them, but this race we hoped would be an incredible shared moment for them. The day/evening of the race was less than ideal weather conditions with cold intermittent rain, wind, and more hills than we had trained for. These young ladies were determined! They committed to getting to the finish line no matter what. Covid wasn’t going to ruin this accomplishment. It was an incredible moment to see both my daughters complete ultramarathon distances that day! My 15yr old the 50k and my 16yr old a 50 mile! I knew I had to give it my all to push through to my own goal the 100 mile. You can just tell your kids to be disciplined, have focus, and be resilient in life OR you can SHOW them. That day we did just that. All three of us finished just as we’d hoped and trained for. I know when they look back at this highly unusual year in their life, they will treasure such an accomplishment! Covid couldn’t steal that joy. My momma heart is so full of gratitude for all the people that made that race happen. It will be a pivotal moment in my daughters lives - no matter what the future holds they know they will face challenges with the same grit, strength & resolve. Run baby Run like your momma showed you! - Elizabeth Haupt, first-time 100 mile finisher
Running an ultra in many ways is a metaphor for life. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. Having the courage to set and try to accomplish something crazy like a 50 miler has allowed me to grow as a person in so many ways. Finishing my first 50 mile despite not having the perfect conditions and dealing with other issues, showed me that I am much more capable than I thought. It also showed me that perseverance and determination helps you reach the finish line whether it is in running or other life matters. Life is like training for an ultra. Sometimes forward progress will be slow or feel like a death march. It doesn't matter how long it takes you, just keep your eyes on the finish line. - Michelle Hartgraves, first-time 50 mile finisher
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Elizabeth on left, Tabitha on right
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So the benefits of not giving up are that I feel so accomplished for having completed my first attempt at a 100 miler and a hard one at that.. I would have been done and been able to sleep quicker lol but I would have been disappointed with myself and the fact that I quit. I think it’s amazing how our paths (mine and Melissa's at a September 50 mile race) crossed and this was the first annual BAD DAWG. - Tabitha Rodgers, first-time 100 mile finisher
This past weekend during my adventure at the Bad Dawg 50-mile endurance run was of the epic variety and what ultra-marathon does not tend to have some form of crazy weather or other phenomena occur? The forecast initially called for rain in the morning and throughout the day. What the weathermen missed on the forecast was the waves of heavy rain that just came one after another. Prior to the race starting there was pretty-extensive cloud to ground lightning with heavy rain. I do not mind running in the extreme conditions, but that kind is a big no for me. By getting very little sleep the night before due to the early morning storms, a delayed start time and lot of gravel and rolling hills ahead already had my mental faculties engaged and on high alert. I generally love running in the rain regardless of how heavy it is as it is often a peaceful and therapeutic thing for me to do, but running in torrential downpours of cold rain for nearly 8 hours after repeatedly changing clothes, socks, shoes and gear really starts to wear on you. The body was already tired from getting little sleep, the rain was becoming a very frustrating thorn in my side because about the time you thought it was done and you could get some relief another deluge would soak you to the core and it seemed like another round of rinse and repeat…literally. My feet, while they stayed blister free, were on fire from the constant pounding on the gravel and being cold and wet. They were my only real issue during the entire race and were becoming my nemesis. I wanted to run and go faster and be done, but I was worn out and exhausted. The rain had washed away about every ounce of energy I had to muster, but I kept digging. I have been in similar dark places before and this weekend was no different. I took the challenge laid before me and persevered. I began to just pray and talk to God and share with Him how what He did on the cross was far greater and more painful than what I was enduring and if He could do that for me, then I could push through this adverse challenge in front of me. I began to dig deep and think about all of the training and mental toughness I have built up over the last year; including my 100 mile finish and how something like this while full of adversity was not something I could not handle or overcome. I identified the thoughts that were challenging me with temptation to quit and just shut them down and replaced them with positive affirmations before they could grow roots and take me down. This past weekend showed me that no matter what I face that there are always two options and we have choices to make. We can choose to keep moving forward and finish or we can choose to feel sorry for ourselves and allow doubt and despair to overtake us and prevent us from being the best version of ourselves. - Anthony Gilbert, Ultrarunner
Every race I enter the first thing in my mind are my family. they are my first priority and when I am training I know I am not spending time with them. So when I go to compete, I want to do my best so that I make them proud and show that by not quitting, my time away from my family is an investment to ensure my ability to do my best and not give up. I would have a lot of regret if I didn't do my best or gave up in a race when I know my family misses me. When I complete a race and know I did my best I have no regrets and I have something to show for all the training time I invested away from family. - Jenni Sherman, first-time 50 mile finisher
So where do I begin? This was my first 50k. I have always wanted to do one so I thought why not, it’s for a good cause. From the beginning when it storms crazy outside right before we started I wanted to quit then but I didn’t because a storm can’t stop me. So we finally started and it cold, rainy and windy and I thought to myself why would anybody do this. My answer to my own thought was we are just plum crazy for even signing up. I was good until about lap 3 then my thoughts starting to come in. I wanted to give up I was starting to have some pain in my knee but I pushed and kept going. Then I hit lap 5, I wanted to give up so bad because I was just done. I was tired and cold and wet. Then I thought to myself not many people run this distance. Then I remember one of the runners that was doing the 12 miler and he looked to be in his 80s. I thought about if he can do that at his age then I can finish this. Right before I started my last and final lap, I texted my husband and told him I just wanted to quit. He told me that I should be very proud of how far I had gotten and that he was proud of me no matter what. Then I started to think of my kids. If I quit now, what example am I setting for them? So I texted my husband and told him last lap. He texted me back and told me, go for it babe u got this you can do it. On my way back on the last lap, I was crying from pain, exhausted, cold, and happy that I was actually doing a 50k. Why I didn’t stop was I had to do this for me and me only. I have been told by a lot of my leadership that I am just a female and that I can’t make it in this job. I have proved them wrong every time and showed that I deserve my rank and my job. I wanted to prove my haters wrong. - Greta Perez, first-time 50k finisher
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Jay Tiegs with me (Melissa Martinez)
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At mile 15 during the Bad Dawg Ultra 50 mile race, my left ankle began to swell really bad. I had recently ran two other 50K's over the past three weeks leading up to this event. I had simply put too many miles on my ankle in a short amount of time. At mile 15, I knew I was in trouble. In 20+ years, I have never DNF'd a race before and I sure wasn't going to start today. Rebecca Ito, the Race Director, pulled up to me in her car and kindly asked if I wanted a ride. I told her I would rather die! I begrudgingly downgraded to the 50K and finished the last 16 miles. Ultra distance endurance races have been a way for me to develop grit, discipline, and tenacity. The lessons that I have learned from enduring such pain and hardship have helped me in other aspects of my life. I want to demonstrate to my daughters and those people around me that I am a person who sees things through to the end with tenacity. I am someone who can do difficult things and can see it through to the end. - Jay Tiegs, three-time 50k finisher
I ran the Bad DAWG 50 miler....at 35 miles the constant rain and hills had been mentally taxing on me. I went into a bathroom stall, sat on the floor and texted my boyfriend and begged him to baby me and say something sweet to me or something cause I wanted to quit. He told me he didn’t need to say anything sweet because I was tough and to go out there and kick some a$$. That’s exactly what I did. I sucked it up. I can do hard things. I’m so glad.... I love all the motivating people I surround myself with! - Jill Sigman, Ultrarunner
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From left to right, Todd Raney, Scott Page, Katie Roberts, Alysia
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I don't think my story is all inspiring but here is my skinny. ..I did the event in as an opportunity to get a baseline of where I am for training for Vol State 2021. I will tell you that had I really known what the weather forecast was, I would have been tempted to not even start. It was a training run for me, not an A race. But it was a group event too and I love those. I am so glad I was not deterred by the weather. I learned a lot and most of all, having a group of people pulling for each other is priceless. Katie was shooting for 100 but she knew that I wanted to hit my 50 within 12 hours and it was within sight even after totally walking an entire loop. She kept saying, "We are going to get Alysia to her 50 and then slow waaay down". She had 50 more to go after me....and she was thinking of me. Amazing. I stayed for her finish and I know that meant a lot to her. Friends/support are more valuable than you realize sometime. I am happy to say that I didn't even have a bad attitude about the weather! It was quite a sight to see everyone forging on and making it work (runners and volunteers alike) with what we were dealt. No one gave up...that makes it all that more special. It was a doozie! Hopefully next year the weather is bit nicer to us. - Alysia Maschino
Rain, more rain, mud, wind, tornadoes, 3,000 + ft of elevation on the first 50 miles and 40 miles of gym loops once the course was deemed closed. My main goal for 2020 was a sub-24 hundred. I had a swing and a miss in July but managed to finally pull it off! - Melissa Bland, 100 mile finisher (who was motivated to train all year by making a big goal)
So there you have it. There were so many different reasons these runners chose to sign up for an ultra marathon they knew would be difficult (even if the weather conditions had been perfect). But the point is this... in a world where races are being canceled and virtual events are hardly worth the effort for most people to train, it's super easy to lose motivation. But these runners found an event where they could run with other people that would encourage them to do something epic and you should too! So if you find yourself lacking motivation today, sign up for a race like they did!! After all, it's 2020. What could possibly go wrong?
Happy Running!!!
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