My First 50-Mile Ultra-Marathon Was a Success

On race day for the 50-mile Mt. Si Ultra, I woke up at 4 a.m. and began getting ready. I ate a heaping bowl of oatmeal with strawberries and raisins. At 6 a.m. I was on the starting line. The weather was low 50's and rain, which is not my favorite for racing.

In such a long race, my intake of food is crucial to my performance. The first 29 miles went flawlessly. I ate fruit gels and dried fruit every half hour and was in a good running groove. I arrived at mile 29 where my family was waiting for me with a big bag of grapes. I grabbed the bag and started the slow grind up to the turn around.

Not long after seeing my family, the rain hit hard and I was soaked. Thank goodness for my friend Cherie, who paced me for the rest of the race. With no rain gear, she gave me some needed pep talks.

Ten hours after the race had started, I finally arrived at the finish line. I was cold and glad the run was over. I was also grateful for the family support and that I had found a plant-based diet, both of which helped me perform on a high level.

The soreness in my legs lasted two days. By the third day I felt great. Recovery time is fast for me since I began eating this way. Even with a rapid recovery time, though, I still give myself a lot of time to rest and repair. One ultra-marathon down and three more to go this year. Thank you Forks Over Knives for your sponsorship!