Why run 50K when you can run 53K instead?

On July 18th, I accomplished something I had thought of doing, when I was in my late forties. I wanted to commemorate my 50 yrs on this planet by running 50K. At one point my husband did not think I would make it.Sometimes stopping when you do not feel like stopping, to eat or drink, or simply to walk is not helpful, sometimes it is best not to stop.

I lost my rhythm by stopping. I also did not have a watch on, as my Garmin simply went blank 3 minutes into my run....go figure, I took it as a sign that I was not suppose to wear a watch that day....Not knowing how far you have run and how long you have been running can wear you down. You need that instant feedback sometimes.

I lost the running ability around the 40K mark or so...I wouldn't really know, I just know that when I was told I had run 45K, I was mentally fueled. I would be OK.

Tammy, a friend of Shannon Loutit, thought she would run 40K today. I convince her to join me & run 50K with me, later, she would not only reach 50, she would find it in herself to go to 60K.

At one point, she ran along side me and kept me focused. I would reach my goal and choose to go beyond, simply because I found the strenght within me to go on. Running farther became easy, once I had made up my mind to do it. The body simply followed, strongly, one foot in front of the other, under an amazing blue sky. I would stop at the checkpoint for Shannon's Event. I am strong, today July 18th, I ran 53K. Not a bad day for this 51 yr old.