Labor Pain Ultra Marathon
Reading Liederkranz German Singing & Sports Club,
Reading, PA.
I have been looking forward to doing this race for a year. 12 hour time limit. Plenty of time to finish 26.2 miles. The race is put on by Pretzel City Sports (my favorite racing company)
Labor Pain 12 Hour Endurance Trail Marathon
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| tech race tee |
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| long sleeve finisher's windbreaker |
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| participant mug |
Runners have 12 hours to run as far as they want. Some runners run for all 12 hours, others run for a particular distance (marathon, 50k, 40 miles, 50 miles, etc.). The course is a 5 mile loop. The start/finish is at the Reading Liederkranz German Singing & Sports Clubs. Most people ran in groups, and they pitched tents and what not for the day. Runners could complete a lap, and then rest for a while if they so chose to do so.
Race was supposed to start at 7:30, but didn't go off until closer to 7:45. I had 12 hours and I was in absolutely no hurry at all. I have had two unsuccessful attempts at trail marathons, and I wanted to make sure the 3rd time was a charm.
So off we go at 7:45. The course was really tough. Lots of steep hills that required walking. Every time I completed a lap, I would stop for 5 or 10 minutes and get something to eat and drink. They had tons of food at the start/finish. They also had a food/drink station at the 2.5 mile marker. By lap #3, they had beer there. I just took one picture today
I set a personal record today of 5 beers. I dare a Kenyon to try and do that during a marathon. That amount of beer would kill a Kenyon.
After lap #5, they have a maker that is 0.6 miles out (so you run out to it, turn around, and come back to finish the 26.2 miles). That last 1.2 miles was really fun. I took my time and enjoyed the scenery, knowing I was going to finish.
So my first trail marathon is in the books. Afterwards, I got to pick up the boys on my way home, get showered and dressed, and headed out to Hartman Ho Down.
This was marathon #5, and it is dedicated to Nate Bauer
Many know Nate (pictured above with my son Nathan) as a great father, husband, brother, son, teammate, and friend...I though got to share a unique experience with Nate 14 years ago. A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Nate and I were part of such a tall tale. Some of what you are about to read is fact, while some is fiction. We are all guilty of telling stories from our personal history that get exaggerated and embellished over time. The old saying “when the legend becomes fact, then print the legend” is something that comes to mind for me right now. Just know that I can say with 100% assurance, that 50% of what you are about to read is true.
So it was May of 1999, and two of the biggest sports stars were gracefully saying their good byes to the sports that they proudly promoted and blessed with their presence. The first of course was the hockey legend known as “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky. The second was the one they called “Booger” in lacrosse. While Gretzky’s #99 was retired all throughout hockey, I did tell the lacrosse federation that I wanted no such honor. There were too many children who wanted to wear #21 in lacrosse, and why deprive them of such a fantasy. After all, the children are our future, and we should teach them well and let them lead the way.
I was a senior playing my last game for Cabrini. We were playing an away game that was in my home town of West Chester. The Golden Rams were kicking the crap out of the Cavs, and the game just could not end quick enough for me. It was late in the fourth quarter ,and out trots a freshman for the Rams to guard me. He was a strapping young stud who had a familiar look to him. Sure enough, it was Nate Bauer. Now as I said, I just wanted the game to end, do my interviews with ESPN, sign some autographs, and say good bye to the sport that brought me so much joy (and for all the others who were so lucky to see me play). However, I could not pass up such a golden opportunity to take Nate one-on-one, just for old times sake. I had been playing lacrosse with and against Bauers for so long, that it would be fun to go against a Bauer one last time.
Now of course, I just can’t do this without increasing the stakes. What fun would that be? So, I told Nate that I would make a wager with him. I said “Nate, if I beat you and score, you have to run around the stadium track in nothing but your jock strap and helmet,.” Nate looked a little worried for about a tenth of a second, and then uttered the following: “OK, Booger. Thats fair. But if you take me one-on-one, and I embarrass you so bad by literally knocking your stick right out of your hand.......you need to name your first born son after me.”
and as they say......the rest is history.
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