I was invited to run the 41^st annual John F. Kennedy Memorial 50 Mile race by Mark and Loretta Malander of the Reston (Virginia) Runners club. Mark is one of our top Tiger Track Team distance runners and Loretta placed highly in the JFK 50 last year with a time of 8:34. The idea "clicked" because my wife Kathy and I had promised my 89 year old mother in law Irene ("Nannie") that we would take her to the Shenandoah Valley to visit her family and the graves of her 9 brothers and sisters – she is the last alive. Kat was born in the Staunton Va. area of Scots-Irish ("hillbilly") decent. Hillbilly women make great wives if you can get one without getting shot! Her family still lived in log cabins in her youth. The area is steeped in vivid history and blessed with incredible beauty. I knew this would be a memorable trip.

I joined the Reston Runners and they set me up with a crew for the race, Tony and Christine from the club. I’ve never had a crew in a 50 mile before or even in a 100 mile race – but this is a point to point race with some unusual features. The race starts in Boonsboro Md near Hagerstown and climbs up South Mountain onto the Appalachian Trail. South Mountain is the northern extension of the Blue Ridge into Maryland. The trail crosses the mountain ridge going south and descends after 16 miles at Weverton Cliffs on the banks of the Potomac River separating Maryland and Virginia. The race is then run on the flat dirt towpath of the C & O Canal for 26 miles winding along the Potomac to the northwest along the West Virginia border. The last 8 miles are run on hilly country roads to Williamsport Md, the site of General Robert E. Lee’s crossing into Maryland that eventually led to Gettysburg. The JFK 50 is the oldest ultramarathon (longer than 26.2 miles) race in the USA. This one would be extra special as it was to be held on the 40^th anniversary of the President’s death.

At the pre-race banquet Friday evening with the Reston Runners, Kat, Nannie and I got to meet the club members. They provided a special red singlet with my name on it. Reston Runners would all be recognizable. I made arrangements to get a ride in the morning to the staging area, Boonsboro High School. At the school I met Tony and Christine. I must admit that I considered them a "frill". Ok, they will meet me five times at various places and deliver a set of shoes at Weverton to change from the trail to the path. The last 50 mile I ran I did not change anything and I was fine. There are aid stations every 2-5 miles. How much help did I need? Race instructions were given and there was a moment of silence in honor of JFK. Afterward we all marched into the street and a half-

mile down to the starting line. The morning was cool (40’s) and beautiful! The high for the day promised to be in the high 60’s, a little warm for Yankees but perfect for a Texas boy like me! I wore my Texas shorts, a long sleeve shirt with the red singlet over it and carried a bottle on my waist. I stood a little behind the starting line at 7:00am and behind me were 1000 runners! It felt to me like a street marathon was about to begin instead of a trail ultra!

When the gun sounded I ran up the street toward South Mountain. After the first mile the road rose steeply and steadily upward. I had been advised to go out hard in this first part to get a good position on the AT but it was just too hard to run without walking breaks in miles 2 and 3. "Save your energy" I thought. My left ankle began to hurt. I have a chronic tendonitis there and I was concerned that it might hurt but this was way too early – a very bad sign. We entered the woods on the ridge and the road became a rocky trail. I expected the rocks but I also expected the trail to level out. It just kept climbing mile after mile. The rocks were jagged and there was no even surface at all. Even worse, a thin blanket of leaves covered jagged edges and holes so every foot placement was a gamble. A guy I was running with said that it was easier a couple years ago with 18 inches of snow – "covered all those rocks". If you can imagine running through the rocky bed of a dry creek, this is what it was like. There was no way to get any rhythm going. Each step was a reach or a dodge. My ankle got more and more painful. After finally topping the mountain the downhills came with a new terror – getting out of control on those jagged rocks! After a long "technical" downhill at 9 miles we came out of the woods into a field at Cramptons Gap. A crowd lined the path cheering. Tony and Christine were standing right in front yelling "Bob!" "Bob you are doing great! What do you need?" "I'm fine", I said without much conviction. "Just a refill". "Great Bob, keep going, see you at Weverton". Gee that was nice, I felt better.

The trail climbed out of the Gap and the next 5 miles were ups and downs but generally up. There were a few short dirt sections but most of the trail was rocks. I had expected to see mountain vistas up here but all I saw was trees and the rock in front of my foot! It was exciting though, in a sort of "survival" way, and I talked to those I met running near me. Finally the long anticipated descent of the Weverton Cliffs was before us. It was a long series of steep switchbacks - not as bad as I had expected but I probably smashed a couple toenails in this section. My crew met me at the bottom. It was like a NASCAR pit stop! They had a camp chair all set up. They sat me down and began removing both shoes at once. I complained about my left ankle and Tony said "I'm going to tape it over the sock". I've never run with a taped ankle before. "How does that feel?" "Ok, I guess". "I'll take two more Aleve". They fed me, watered me and I was off at Mile 16, 2:54 on the clock. Interesting - I could not feel any ankle pain - no pain at all! Tony really must know what he is doing. I never felt so much as a twinge from the ankle the rest of the race!

I felt really on top of it now! The trail connected with the C &O Canal and flattened out. I could run free and fast! With my system of two minute walking breaks every 10 minutes I could average under 10 minute miles and keep it up "forever". Passing the Harpers Ferry Trestle at Mile 18 I felt a big change - like somebody pulled the plug! I began to feel weak and light-headed - even a little dizzy. What's happening? I had taken plenty of water in the form of diluted sports drinks, a can of Boost, cookies etc. I slowed down a lot and walked more. I was really worried now. I thought - I feel dead and I've got over 30 miles to go - how can I get through this? The aid stations were closer together now and I forced myself to drink and eat more than I would normally, thinking that I must be depleted or dehydrated somehow. I had a full stomach of food and drink and now I felt like I was going to be sick on top of everything else. I kept pushing on as best I could. Once I staggered and almost fell into the Canal! I thought - if this was a marathon I'd just tough it out and walk it in but this is a 50 mile - I've got to understand why I feel this way so I can recover!

I prayed. God has helped me through so many difficult situations in my life. I can say confidently that He has never failed me. Some of the tough times I've gone through I've found out there was a reason - I learned. I was running alone but near others - just out of sync. When I was running they were walking and visa versa. About this time I saw Doug Crawford, one of the Reston Runners. We ran and walked together, I told him how bad I felt. He was having some problems too. I said "You will be able to tell when I feel better - I'll tell you stories". I crossed the midpoint of the race in silence with Doug. About that time a song came into my head and it was a tune I had learned from my mother as a boy. Kind of a melancholy tune. I tried to get it out of my head but it kept playing. I knew the words still:

Farther Along

"Farther along you'll know all about it
Farther along you'll understand why
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine
You'll understand it all bye and bye"

My brain was so fuzzy I never thought about the meaning of the words. I just sang it over and over. I did not realize it until after the race that this was the answer to my prayers.

Doug and I tried to keep each other motivated. We played a game with the mileposts. See if we can run to the next one. After making it we would walk as far as we needed. My crew noted that I looked puny but kept up the encouragement. I took an electrolyte pill and felt better. I had been taking them but maybe not enough. The only salty food available was pretzels and they made my mouth so dry. I took another pill, felt even better. Now I began to tell stories to Doug. I also began to understand that electrolyte balance was my problem. I needed salt to absorb fluids, process food, make energy! Doug produced some salted boiled potatoes and they helped me a lot. Candy and fruit at the aid stations was doing nothing. Doug and I were both recovering slowly. We managed an 8:30 mile about mile 35. My spirits improved greatly after that and at the mile "38 Special" aid station the "I can do this" feeling was back in full force. I heard shots in the woods above the path and imagined General Burnside's blue troops emerging to confront the Grey forces of Generals R.E. Lee and Longstreet. About this time we were diverted off the path into the briars and mud of the Canal bed to avoid emergency vehicles on the path. Apparently a man had fallen into the rain-swollen Potomac River on the other side of the towpath and was being rescued by boat!

At mile 42 Doug and I left the towpath for the roads to the finish. Doug was having some cramps but I knew he would make it fine. I decided to run to the finish as fast as I could. I had been in the race about 8:30 hours. I took off with gusto, even running up the hills - passing everyone in sight! I reached the last aid station - my crew noticed a big change in me. When I saw the finish line I sprinted while the crowd yelled "Go Texas!" and "What a strong finish!" I finished 9:39:49 248th of 829 official finishers (50.2 miles) and was given a huge pewter finishers medal. My crew took me back to my hotel. Now I felt like they had saved my life!

Later that evening Nannie said to me "Son in law I've got some pain patches here - how many would you like?" I answered "Just one Nannie - one really big one for my whole body!"

P.S. Loretta Malander ran 8:33 - beating her record by one minute! Doug Crawford finished in 10:09. The man that had to be rescued was life-flighted and apparently survived. He was not one of the runners.