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Bull Run 1999 Report: Geraldine Wales

Saturday dawned not so bright as it was 5 A.M. and still dark out when the
ladies in the bunkhouse started to stir, the lights were turned on, and
you could smell the excitement in the air. This was Bull Run. This was 50
miles of pure trail. The weather was predicted to be in the mid 60's and
this was so perfect for this type of run.

As we stood at the starting line I thought how crowded it looked. The
limit on this run last year had been 200. This year RD Scott Mills had
raised it to 250 and it still closed two months ago. I thought about
getting in the middle but then decided that I really didn't want to slow
down the faster runners. Scott had explained to us the night before that
there was going to be a slight course change at the beginning to try and
keep us spread out so that there wouldn't be so much of a back up at the
river crossing. As we started out I was sorry that I hadn't gone more to
the middle. There was very little running room up to the river crossing.
At one point about 25 runners were stuck waiting about one minute for one
girl to try and figure out how she was going to cross this boulder.

After the river crossing I could move a bit but for the first 8 miles had
to make three bit stops as I had diarrea and my stomach felt like a piece
of lead. Then came the blue bells, bunches and bunches of blue bells. They
were magnificient with their heads held high and slightly swaying in the
early morning breeze. Almost as if they were cheering you on. They
helped to calm my stomach. Made it through the first two aid stations in
amazing time. I was sticking to my plan, yes I had one, of not spending
more then two minutes at each aid station no matter how much they tempted
me.

At 11 miles into the run I fell. I do mean I fell hard. My left arm went
into my left side and I came down first on my knee. I slid and was only
stopped by this tree root that hit my head hard. The runner behind me
helped me up and I saw stars for just a minute. Now folks, when one runs
trails one must expect that one is going to have a few falls now and then.
No big deal. If nothing hurts as you get up you dust yourself off and
continue on. Nothing hurt, the stars cleared, so I dusted myself off,
said lets go to the nice man who picked me up and off we went. I few
trickels of blood from the knee but basically no pain.

I ran great and very much within myself and totally on time until the
28.5 mile aid station. Loaded up there and off I went with a few others.
Shortly thereafter came the next downhill and my knee felt like bone
hitting bone. Man you should have seen that baby blow up. It was mean.
At mile 31 I told the lovely Caroline, the aid station captain, that I
didn't think I had enough time to make the cutoff but she encouraged me to
try. I missed it by 8 minutes but by that time my left chest was beginning
to cry out for mercy, my knee looked like something out of a monster movie
and I decided not to push my luck. I asked for medical assistance.

The medical people checked and said it didn't look like anything was
broken and that the swelling of the knee was what probably bought on the
feeling of bone crunching bone. They said to heat and ice; sooo, I had a
long hot shower and then put ice on it. After spending the second night in
the bunkhouse I woke Sunday morning to new surprises. After changing out
of the p j's I noticed blood in certain places. My left back was cut and
so was my left underarm. Physically I had really done myself in.

First, I think it is most important to thank the Rd, Scott Mills, and the
Virginia Happy Trails Running Club for a most interesting run. Second, hey
people really reconsider changing that limit back next year to 200 or
changing the cut-offs a bit. That was far to much at the start. Third, I
loved the new start - keep it. Fourth this ain't the end. For one year now
I have felt like this course was my nemesis. It ain't the course folks. It
is the runner. Baring the fall I would have finished this sucker this
year. This year she showed me her kinder gentler self. I was totally
relaxed out there and was running very much within my self and that was
totally enjoyable.

I have just returned from the doctor. The knee is ok and will be perfectly
well after a few days of icing. I have bruised my first rib and she is
going to take a week to ten days to come around. Would I do this again?
You bettcha. The piece of mind was a total necessity after all of the
things that have been going on in my life over the past two weeks. I
needed calm, serenity, and to be one again. That is life, love, and the
persuit of ultrarunning.
        Lady G(hey 55 today, I am really getting old - yahhhhhhhhhhh)