So I was sitting by the fire in the middle of the night at the McNaughton Park Trail Ultras last year, waiting for Paul Stofko to come through as his wife Rachel and my friend Terri and I were crewing him in the 150 mile race, when I began chatting with Jon Obst, a fellow ultra runner who lives in Atlanta, GA and who was running the 100 miler. Jon puts his own special brand of *BAM!* into his recipe for living a life of pleasure spiked with pain, and I learned that very quickly as we talked...
In chatting with Jon fireside, I learned he has Type I, insulin-dependent diabetes, a disease that requires careful monitoring of blood glucose and is difficult enough as it is to manage when ultra marathons are not part of the equation. But Jon not only manages his diabetes well, he does it by taking the bull by the horns and making each day the most it can possibly be for him by challenging his body, mind, spirit and soul with well-earned blood, sweat and tears.
Jon and I kept in touch via email and as our conversations progressed, he told me how he likes to spend his birthdays: running his age in hours. I heard about people who do this and I was so intrigued by the idea that I planned to not only join him with everyone else at the end of January for his 26th birthday celebration (I had to pass due to health issues, but I was there in spirit), but we discussed running my 43rd birthday in hours (not miles) together this March in Death Valley (43 miles just doesn't cut if for me). That plan is on hold until most likely next year, but whether it comes to be for me or not, one thing's for sure: Jon is out there doing it and giving it his all, and it's that kind of spirit that inspires me to keep going...
Jon doesn't have a blog (but I think he should get one!), so I kindly offered to post his 26th birthday celebration run report here for everyone's pleasure.
PLEASURE SPIKED WITH PAIN, JON OBST STYLE
A 26TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 90 MILE CHALLENGE
From the bottom of my heart and with the utmost appreciation, THANK YOU to all of you who supported and ran with me during my challenge! And to all of those who were there with me in spirit, sending positive vibes - thank you.
Thank you (I keep saying thank you, but really...it goes beyond words) in absolutely no specific order to the following people:
Drew - Oh my god, where do I start for helping me find such a badass, tough course? The excellent/professional way you marked it, all of your support, aid nonstop the entire 26 hours, maintaining the fire...to say the least, umm...you f**cking rock!!!
Billy - My fast ultra running dog friend, I so enjoyed sharing the trial with you and you helped me speed up. I like your headlamp and glad you liked the roast beef.
John - Thank you for the huge tent which was very useful!
Lane - Such a good friend and amazing runner. Ironman Florida and Pinhoti 100 the next week - cannot wait for your Ironman and then two 100 mile back to backs in November and the 12 mile swim...this list could go on a while...5 miles but you were out there with me the entirety.
Jen - The pizza was delicious and helpful. You are going to win the Keys 100, this I know, and I will do my absolute best pacing you to victory and am honored to do so.
Tony - Thanks you for coming out early in the morning, helping me watch footing, carrying my handheld, and guiding me to 90.
Dad - For all your strong support and kind words always, starting me running as soon as I could walk, and for the IHOP after 90 miles, mmmm.....
Carol - Thank you also for your constant support, birthday gift of Cirque du Soleil and The Machine...helping me drive back means so much.
Matt - Hardcore, Mad Matt! Props and congrats on completing 40 miles, your longest run in such conditions. I am so proud and was so happy for you - you never let up the entire way - you are officially "seasoned." Also, supporting me while doing 40, I eagerly awaited seeing you tear up and look forward to tearing up with you a ton of hard ultras!!! Blue Moon pizza is stellar!
Reeve - My main man, coming out at midnight and running with me until 10 in the morning, throughout the entirety of my run. Thanks for making me laugh, for your positive energy and helping me with GUs and keeping my blood sugar on track. Spending a long time with you in the woods was tooo good.
Paula - You are cool and badass in ways simply too numerous to mention. It was more than a pleasure running with you again on my Birthday Challenge and congrats on a wicked 20 - you could have run forever.
Nick - I always enjoy running with you and your pacing me at Pinhoti was so epic. I was reminiscing of that running beside you last night...the memory of that sunrise still stops me in my tracks.
Dan - Thanks for starting my run with me and helping me with supplies, yummy donuts, getting in 20 - and your upbeat, cheerful attitude and love for my course brightened my mood and I was so glad to run some with ya man. Pikes Peak I am seriously considering.
James - Was really nice seeing you again man. Glad you are well and keep on running.
Colt - Great to meet you and thank you for coming out - mad respect right back atchya.
Bryce - For the chicken noodle soup, hot white rice, coffee, and hearing so many of your interesting stories and thoughts and fast paced running. You are going to unleash hell on the Iron Horse 100K.
Jeff, Kelli & Mateo - Thanks for coming out to see me at midnight in those freezing temps and bringing me a hot pizza, along with inspiration.
Andrew - Thanks for coming out after working all day on Friday, running with me until 5 or 6 in the morning and then going back to work again this morning. No sleep for the weary - we ran strong together and you were thee at a crucial time, getting me through some low moments. I look up to you and
sooo await running Iron Horse 100 with you.
Rachel - Thanks for your encouraging phone call at the start and words of inspiration. I thought about that a lot while running and it kept me running hard. We must get out there soon.
Connie - While not there physically, I felt all of your vibes and you were supporting me. I ran hard for ya.
Grandma - Thanks for driving out all the way to see me run and shout some encouragement and for your countless acts of kindness.
My brother, Ben - JUST your presence was all I needed. I enjoyed your thoughtful words and really enjoyed seeing you there, and finally
Lee - Thanks for taking off of work to be there and run at the start - that meant quite a lot to me.
I usually do not write run/race reports. I am a real strong introvert. It is Spiritual. When I run I think of nothing, nothing at all...it cleanses me, it clears me. I am zoned out, floating, in a trance, meditating, depending on the run! I leave this world. I leave my body. Completely devoid of self, thoughts totally impossible to form, soul meet body. It is everything. Can also be kinda scary. It is a very personal experience to me, as was this most recent (birthday challenge of mine). My kindred spirits and I were a posse, a force, indestructible. Also, this run was above and beyond. If you do not understand ultras (as a lot of people in general do not) and have to ask why, I will not tell you as you will never understand.
There are a few recollections:
1) Utterly beautiful trails;
2) 'twas a very long, 5 mile loop;
3) Main aid station/tent was set up on the side of a gravel road in a field and was well stocked;
4) We ran down some fireroad for about 1/2 mile then turned onto singletrack. Then started the quad busting hilly, hellacious climbs. It was very hilly throughout, some hills a lot steeper than others;
5) Just technical enough with rocky sections;
6) A few creek crossings;
7) After one of the steep climbs, there was a meadow with a view of a starry night which we enjoyed viewing each and every time. We also saw a real pretty red half-moon;
8) 20 degrees Farenheit - everything was frozen;
9) We would stop to get aid, while sitting by a roaring fire, and shake, getting colder by the minute. F**ck the cold...ahhhh...I hate it. Then start running and get toasty within a mile or so, feeling good. Then get aid and become frozen. This cycle would repeat itself many times;
10) Band of brothers;
11) I was feeling strong and running solid the entire day/night. 40 miles came and while floating, for all intensive purposes, I had not even "started running";
12) I hit a really heavy low point at 75 miles. My blood sugars went low, then high (which takes a while to recover from in general). I was out of it, but rebounded quickly and my crew got me back and running strong again;
13) Endorphin rushes;
14) I wore no Bodyglide, but experienced no chaffing. The shorts I wore are a secret;
15) Some very serious, helluva heavy mileage was covered by all of us;
16) We ran our asses off and then some!!!;
17) Every minute was enjoyable: the good, the pain, the hills and the freezing weather;
18) Run until you cannot move another step. Then run longer;
19) Around mile 85, I had some reservations coming up. With newfound strength, I emerged and felt good as new. I finished and felt fresh, recovered. It did hit me later, though. I am still having trouble forming thoughts, my face is wind burned, I am sweating and am hot but also cold. I am somewhat sore and definitely feel it in my muscles, though I like being sore;
20) I was going to keep on running to 100, even 120 or so, but it would have been over 26 hours and this was my 26 hour birthday challenge. There is next year for 27 yours and yes, when I am 50, I will be running 50 hours;
21) Mixture of emotions: some sadness. Actually, a fair amount of sadness;
22) I feel that I am still out there running right now with my crew and want to be more than anything in the world;
23) Misty now...I have and will be crying...some of which are tears of happiness;
24) I do not want this to have ended but runs end, especially ultras. I am stripped down to the bone;
25) I find crews to be sooo helpful and necessary (the right people, there has to be a connection), but more so...it is a way for us to have such a profound, out of this world experience and not just have that experience, but to have it together; and finally,
26) A marathon is an experience. A 100 mile distills in your soul.
Congratulations Jon! The conditions would have rendered most people *without* diabetes to the warm confines of a bed long before the 26th hour...hope I can be part of your 27th Birthday Challenge celebration!
*My apologies to Jon for posting this so late; I had computer issues. I wasn't able to download the pics until much later after saving the text and it affected the formatting, so I had to put the pics instead in the right margin which doesn't allow for a flow of the story. I'll incorporate the pics into the story when I can so they don't flow into other pictures in the margin.
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