A Waltz in the Park with Strauss and the Art of Pacing

November 06, 2016

A Waltz in the Park with Strauss and the Art of Pacing

When someone you only really know on Facebook asks you to drive six hours and run all night into morning, what does that make you? Facebook friend with benefits?

Stephan Strauss asked me to help pace the last 25 miles of Rio Del Lago 100. Simple, right? It's "just" 25 miles, and he will likely be walking at least half of it, if nor more. This should just be a waltz in the park for me. Did I mention that I don't start until somewhere between 11 PM and 3AM?

Stephan ran the first 50 miles at a blistering pace, passing mile 44 checkpoint a half hour ahead of 24 hour pace. I had to boogie to get out to Auburn. I got to Auburn at 10:40 PM, right where a 24 hour runner would show up. The carnage coming up the hill to Auburn was fun to watch. A night of the half-walking half-dead. Stephen wouldn't zombie shuffle his way up the hill for another two hours. He was in no form for a waltz.

He did however quick step in way through the final 25 miles, never wavering below an 18 min/mile walking pace. We passed two dozen other runners like they were standing still. And we were just walking. He walked so fast that many times I had to run a bit to keep up, resisting my urge to shout "Wait for duckling!". We steadily chewed up 3 miles every hour. 1-2-3, aid station. 1-2-3 1-2-3, aid station, 1-2-3, aid station, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, aid station - I don't know whether to describe this as a waltz, a rondo, or a Fibonacci series. We passed the hours talking and passing gas, though the latter was mostly me. So now, we're more than just Facebook friends with benefits, we're actual friends with benefits. Wait, that didn't come out right...

We pushed the final section, hoping to get under 28 hours, and we did by 30 minutes! 1-2-3, 1 and done!