| The Run of NJ 4/27-4/29/06
Here is the brief version...I started at Port Jervis, NY Comfort Inn off Rte 23. Jack Crilly was my mule via his Volvo. Carrying supplies for the next 59.5 miles. Had he had an "A" driver then it would have made it much easier for him and I. However, we made it work. Jack would leap frog me every 2-2.5 miles and sometimes more, when I would wave him on if I was hydrated okay. Otherwise I would stop and cross the street to where Jack parked and drink and eat real fast 1-3 minutes usually to ingest, so I wouldn’t have to carry a thing.
Jack Crilly is the father of Mary Therese Rose Crilly. See www.marysfoundation.org. The charity/fund was named in memory of. The weather appeared impeccable. With temps at the start of 60 degrees, clear, sunny, and no humidity at all. However, the wind had quite a presence. The first 20 miles was rolling vacation areas, and farm land. I went from Rte 23 to Rte 653 Clove Rd to Rte 519 before mile 20. At around mile 20 I turned onto Rte 206. The traffic was mostly brutal till 59.5 miles. Sometimes it would take nearly minutes to cross over and get food/water. Then I’d have to cross back. My side, the north bound side of 206 was the most heavily traveled. I lost 105 minutes (60 mins to drinks and crossing road, 10 mins for bathroom, 35 mins talking to Jack to mentally regroup total three breaks like that...15,10,10).
At 59.5 miles, Norman, Fran and Phil relieved Jack. And two of the Raritan Valley Road Runner Club members showed up to run to 69 miles with me. What a delight. We hung out in the parking lot, while I ate French fries and soup for 30 minutes chatting. Said ‘good-bye’ to Jack. Then at about 62 miles we met up with another Raritan Valley Runner, Gene. So now it was John G., Sherry and Gene running with me. Norman and Phil McCarthy (a New York ultra-runner) were driving in our VW and Fran Gregoras drove her little white car behind Norman and Phil. They would leap frog us.
It was dark soon enough, on when the head lamps and the flashers on my reflective vest. Norman said we looked like aliens. At 69 miles John G. And Sherry veered off to get her car, so they could pick Gene up at the end of Canal Rd at 76 miles to take him home. Then John E. From the Raritan Valley Club would run with me till 85.5 miles. I had so much fun with Sherry, John G. And Gene, we told stories, jokes, talked about nutrition. I had a blast. I almost can’t remember a time when I wasn’t laughing or at the very least thinking of something funny.
Soon enough it was just Gene and I. We talked about IPODs and barefoot running. Both items Gene is into and up on. He was so entertaining. Running on Canal Rd, which is an old Revolutionary canal road it was so serene. We soon met up with John E. At 76 miles. He was hanging out at the corner with Sherry and John G. There I ate donuts and potatoes and we told jokes, took pictures in the dark and carried on like a bunch of ten year olds for about 20 minutes or so.
I then ran with John E., a transplant from Montana. He’d also lived in Massachusettes and Maine. I only last ed till 83 miles. I needed mental regroup and then I had hamstring cramps. Stopped and rested for 35 minutes and had an apple, took a 5 minute nap and had hamstring work done on me by Norman. Then Phil and I began our trek together. We had a huge detour that cost us at least 2 additional miles. So 91 miles, was 93 miles; where Phil and I were falling asleep on our feet, literally. We pulled over to the curb and fell asleep on our arms I the seated position. Again I had a 5 minute nap, had 30 minutes of massage on my legs, ate 2 donuts and liquid, relieved myself. An hour had passed and then Phil was ready and we began to run for the next 19 miles. We had another detour, miles amounting to at least 3 more additional miles. As we ran I was telling Phil about this area where there was a Bagel shop and a Dunkin’ Donuts. I craved the site and not before long it was there. I yelled out my order to Norman and Fran and Phil ran up to help them. I kept running alone for the next 15+ minutes. Awaiting my donuts bagels and coffee.
By the time they caught up with me, I could feel the sun’s potential burn. They arrived with the food and I was able to put on my sun lotion and woof down the food. I envied Fran and Norman eating real roast beef, my mouth watered. Then Phil and I were off running once more. We continued through on Rte 526 after Robbinsville. Heading toward Allentown. We ran to what was to be 108 miles, now was 113 miles due to detours. Then ate and got massaged. Somewhere around 110 miles Sally Liang my acupuncturist showed up and then Norman sent her on an errand. She brought us HAMBUREGERS and French Fries!!!! IT was a 45 minutes stop.
As Sally, Fran, Norman, Phil and I stood in a circle under shade by the side of the road eating hamburgers. I turned to Phil and said, "God this food is a #%$@&! Divine Experience!" Which of course was followed by laughter. Phil totally agreed. I then walked with Phil for the next 20 miles. At mile 130(135) I got food and a massage. Then began to haul butt for the next 70 minutes. Then got another massage just before 140 miles (145). Then before I knew it Jim Manning showed up to relieve, Norman, Phil and Fran. Jim and I would go solo through the night and into the next day. Phil had put in over 50 miles with me and was spent. Sally left 2 miles before Jim got there.
Soon Jim and I were alone and the night began to fall. I got one last massage from Norman nervously he said, "I’m sorry I have to go. It’s now between you and God, Jody." I shook my head in agreement. If I was more with it, I was going to say, ‘It’s always been.’
I began my run again from 140 (145) till about 148 (153), then Jim pulled over and as he worked on my legs, my whole body shivered. We’d gone from 70+ degrees, as high as 77 and would begin to drop through the 40's then the 30's and soon close to 28 degrees before the morning broke. This would be the hardest part for me. I have problems when the temps drop under 45 when it’s more than a 30 degree change especially. Jim had me sit in the front and cranked up the heat for 15 minutes; then I ate saltines here and there as he began to re-work on my legs. I was hallucinating. Actually I began to hallucinate about 145 miles into this thing. Seeing cars and sign when nothing was there. Calling to Jim, "Hey, did you see that car. Was that a car?" I’d say. I said this so many times before 149 miles it was crazy. It would last 3-5 seconds then I’d snap out of it.
Even funnier is I started to talk to Jim as if he were my kids. I said, "Toby the purple pooka-dotted PJ’s are..." Then I’d snap out of it, seeing Jim’s white bearded face with a big smile, shaking his head. I even thought he was Sarah at one point. I spoke to him about white sweaters with brown buttons. I looked right at him and couldn’t see him.
After that I was running over the Mullica River Bridge and ran till 158 (163) miles when we found a bar. Jim went into the bar to get hot water for Chicken Soup. It was the only thing around that was open at 2:30am. Our hot pot broke and the one Jim just bought, the adapter was ill-suited for his car. I figured I’d stay in the car with the heat on full and he’d get the water. He came out shaking his head with two small cups of water. "Man, they were drunk..." I took a 10 minute nap, he worked on me after my chicken soup and then after an hour, I began to run to 162 (167) miles. There was a WAWA, YEAH! Real coffee. Well not good. We took a 20 minute break for coffee, and food. Coffee was watered down. Then off I ran till 1/10 of a mile before the Tuckahoe River Bridge 174.4 (179.4) miles. Then I walked till 180 (185) had Jim order me a Turkey hoagie with pickles, oil, vinegar, lettuce and tomato. Ate 6 inches of the 12 and began to walk to 183.5( 188.5) miles. Then grass started jumping and crawling infront of me. He pulled the car into shade and we napped for 14 minutes. Then I got up drank water and ran onto Rte 47 South to just around Rte 626 and started to walk at 198.3 (203.3) miles. I took a 15 minute stop to drink and Norman, Sarah and Toby showed up. Then a mile later Jack Crilly and his two 18 yr old twins showed up. They were going to bring me in. With 4 miles to go I wanted someone to walk with me. I was now walking, hallucinating, people wearing white pants holding blue poles. Jack walked with me the last 2.8 miles. It was great! He really helped me. As we approached the Cape May Lighthouse the ranger was about to lock the gate. Jack yelled, "No you can’t!" He then explained to the ranger Jane McNutt. She let us in. I touched the lighthouse, cried of course. Then had everyone come and stand and hug the lighthouse.
After pictures and talking to some spectators few that were there, the cleaning out of Jim’s car and cleaning my feet and changing clothing began. Toby wouldn’t come near me till I changed. I wondered what I’d find when I took off my shoes. I hadn’t seen my feet since 7am Thursday over 2 days ago. It was Saturday 56 hours and 55 minutes later. (All told breaks tallied 9 hours and 45 minutes.) Guess what, not a mark, not a blister, nothing swollen. The feet were impeccable. It was as though I hadn’t ran at all. I showed Jim, who is a physiologist, "You must have said to your feet, ‘I don’t do blisters’". To tell more later. I could write a book on this, but this was just the superfiscial stuff. Thanks for your support. Love In Action, Jody-Lynn |
