Growth in the hurt zone – 42 miles during the 2018 LA AFB POW/MIA 24hr torch relay
If you are not willing to suffer, you will not grow. And if you are not going to grow, you will not be your best. And if you are not becoming your best, you will not be happy. And being happy is the single most important thing in life.
POW/MIA Remembrance Day: Established by an act of Congress in 1988, the third Friday in September is recognized as national Prisoner Of War (POW)/Missing In Action (MIA) Remembrance Day. Since World War II, there have been roughly 82,000 service men and women categorized as POW or MIA. 82,000. The scale of that sacrifice is hard to imagine. Yet, through the sacrifices and selflessness of these men and women, Americans and many other nationalities around the world continue to enjoy the freedoms they have every day.
The first 9 hours, 54 miles are run throughout the southbay community, with the torch arriving at LA AFB at 1800 on Day 1. It is then carried around the 1/2 mile track for the remaining 15 hours until the closing ceremony the next day.
As part of the commemoration, Los Angeles Air Force Base hosts an annual 24hour long torch relay. This year, the relay took place from 0900 Thursday 20 Sept to 0900 Friday 21 Sept, throughout the South Bay community and on Los Angeles AFB. The first 54 miles from Terminal Island Coast Guard Station to Los Angeles AFB are split up into one hour long, 6-mile legs. The remaining 15 hours of the relay is run on the Los Angeles AFB ½ mile track. Teams from different Los Angeles AFB directorates and organizations take turn carrying the torch throughout all 24 hours. Keeping the torch moving to show appreciation and to commemorate those who have given so much. A great support and organization crew made sure everything ran smoothly and above all, the torch stayed lit.
Nominal run schedule for the 2018 POW/MIA 24hr torch relay.
I have a deep respect for those that have put their lives and welfare on the line in service to our nation, and in service to the people of other nations. Additionally, after the Ironman this year, I was looking for my next fitness goal, my next self-discovery, my next epic challenge. Not that the Ironman was easy, not even close. I plan to do many more in an attempt to improve my performance from May this year. But I proved to myself that I can do it, through hard work, determination, and growth. So now I have to set a new baseline for myself, because your greatest achievement should never lay behind you, but in front of you.
Setting Goals: So its time to once again think of a goal, a task that seems very unattainable right now, and to go ahead and commit to it. So part of my 2 year plan will be to run a 100mile foot race. It is important to remind yourself that at the time you set a goal, it is not impossible, it is just unattainable. There is no way in the world I can run 100 miles right now, but that is exactly why I am setting this goal. With Test Pilot School next year keeping my travel and leave schedule somewhat limited, I will go ahead and give myself an additional year of preparation to accomplish it in 2020.
2018 POW/MIA relay total mileage, 42.78.
The 2018 POW/MIA torch relay for me was the first significant step toward that goal. It was once again another good opportunity to see where my fitness baseline was. Lets look at the goal setting timeline, which started roughly 2 weeks before the relay run.
T-2 weeks: My original goal was to run a marathon (26.2miles) on the base track between 0130 – 0530 on Friday morning, 21 September.
T-4 days: I then changed my goal to run further in 24hrs then I had ever ran before (which was 26.2 miles), so I decided to attend the opening ceremony and run the first leg, before putting in a full day at work and going home to rest and prep for the marathon. That would get me at 32.2miles.
T+6 miles: After the first 6 mile leg I thought doing 32.2 miles was an odd number, better get to a nice round number evenly divisible by 10, so hence the 40mile goals was conceived.
T+40 miles: Still feeling like I had some left in the tank while on the track, I topped off the total to 42.78miles, walking the last mile.
The opening ceremony was held at Terminal Island Coast Guard station, like it is every year.
Since I had decided to attend the opening ceremony 4 days prior to the start of the relay, I was able to shift all of my work commitments to begin no earlier than 11am, that way I could do the 0900-1000 run and allow some time to drive back to base and start my work day. I am glad I attended the opening ceremony, and first leg of the run through San Pedro was pretty unique as well. Local law enforcement shut down the entire North bound side of the Vincent Thomas Bridge for us.
Change of Plans: Ill have to credit my goal change from 32.2 miles to 40+ to Col David Ashley, a senior leader at Los Angeles AFB and avid endurance athlete. While running next to him he told me his plan for 2018 was to participate in all 24hrs of the relay: on foot, by bike, and by taking rest breaks in between the run times on base later in the day. He led by example by totaling 52 miles across the 24 hour relay, my hat of to you SIr. Right away i thought that was a genius and fun challenge, too bad i did have work commitments that day and the day after (concerning being up for 24hrs straight). I told him i’d fit in any additional legs i could before my planned 0130 run start time on base the next morning. With my last meeting of the day cancelled, i was able to join up with the group for the last community leg from 1700-1800.
With a half marathon out of the way (13.28miles) and still feeling good, I left base and headed for home to eat dinner and get some rest before the 0130 Friday morning marathon start time. After crawling into bed at 2000, I did not end up sleeping much because i was too excited for the fun challenge ahead. I ended up getting out of bed at 2330 to get ready and prep my nutrition I would need throughout the early morning run. I got to base by 0100 and started my first run of 21 Sept at 0130.
The base track is a left turning, 1/2 mile rectangular shaped path made from a soft rubber. The plan was to run a 10K with every 90 minute group that came in, which worked out well for the first two 10Ks (roughly another half marathon). I knew recovery in between the 10Ks would be important due to the repetitive surface and constant left turns i would be making. I was icing, foam rolling, stretching, and staying warm throughout my 30 minute breaks.
The team putting in work. That torch and POW/MIA flag never stopped moving for 24 hours straight.
Growth In The Hurt Zone: My wing (directorate) was assigned the 0400-0530 leg, so i decided to run all 90 minutes with them (rather than just limiting myself to the 10K/60 minutes). Even before the 0400 start time, having already run a total of 27 miles, my feet felt a little fatigued. I had my shoes off, sweats on, and was comfortably stretching, so the thought of putting my shoes back on was surprisingly difficult. Yet that decision was easily made when i recalled what we are commemorating by running this 24hr relay. The shoes came back on and the 0400 run started.
About halfway through that leg, approaching 30miles, I started slowing down. I dropped about 30 seconds pace off the front pack and i was hurting. My muscles hadn’t cramped up all day (and wouldn’t for the rest of the relay thanks to good nutrition), but my feet were beat, they felt heavy. Putting one foot in front of the other stopped becoming an subconscious choice, and i had to start willing every step. This is exactly where I wanted to be. Making those thousands of conscious choices to take every step for the next 12 miles/two hours while all I wanted to do was quit, comprised an invaluable learning moment.
Anytime you can experience pain and growth is a good time, for it builds your resiliency for later episodes of hardship in your life. All this time I was cognizant of the difference between hurt (positive) and injured (negative). I would not sustain an injury out of this experience, but I was looking forward to being in the hurt zone for a long time.
Sweet overnight base camp station by one of the directorates on base provided all the necessary ingredients for a 15 hour run on the track.
After making it through the 0400-0530 leg, totaling almost 35miles, I felt great, and spirits were high. Even though my feet hadn’t stopped hurting, I felt like I was getting stronger, both physically and mentally. My remaining game plan was to knock out one last 10K from 0600-0700, take an hour recovery break, and finish with whatever i had in the tank from 0800-0900. I ended up totaling 42.78 miles for the day, and gained a lot of valuable experience.
After putting in a few hours at work i headed home around 1300 to continue my recovery. The running portion was a great preview of where my fitness stood in relation to the 100mile race I want to do in 2 years time. The recovery portion is just as important. What can I do throughout training to make me get back on my feet quicker? I spent the afternoon doing 30 or so minutes of foam rolling, light stretching, icing the joints, hydrating, all in between 60 minute naps. This kept my blood flowing and avoided any serious soreness you get after laying down in the same position for a long period of sleep. At the time of writing, 24 hours removed from the end of the run, I feel really good. Just light soreness in the ankles, but nothing more.
Perspective: My number 1 rule in life is to put things in perspective. Sure 42.78 miles in 24 hrs seems like a lot, but it is nothing compared to the hardships our service members that were POWs and MIAs had to go through. Case in point, Louis Zamperini. He was a collegiate athlete who ran a 4:08 mile and a 1936 Olympian, who volunteered to serve in WWII as an Army Air Corps bombardier in a B-24 Liberator when his airplane went down in the Pacific in April of 1943. After 47 days afloat he was captured near the Japanese Occupied Marshal Islands. What happened to Louis for the remainder of his captivity until 1945 is well documented in the incredible book Unbroken (turned into a major motion picture). A highly suggested read. To keep things short, however much I suffered during my 42 mile adventure don’t even compare to a blink of the hardships this man endured and thrived in. Put things in perspective, and they will fuel and motivate you to accomplish things you wouldn’t think you’d be capable of.
The closing ceremony at Los Angeles AFB featured Luke Zamperini, son of Louis Zamperini, who’s story of survival and grit as a POW in WWII was immortalized in the book (and later film) Unbroken.
