The Canyons 100K 2018 Part 3: You're Better Than You Think You Are (The Aftermath)

My whole body radiated pain when I awoke the next morning at 6:30 AM.  Lying in bed, my legs hurt all the way up and down, my neck hurt, my shoulders hurt, my back hurt, and my feet, which miraculously remained free of blisters, ached immensely.  Although I was physically pulverized, I felt like a new man.  I sat up in bed reminiscing on the adventure from yesterday.  What an incredible journey it had been!  63.6 miles, 100-ish kilometers along the Western States trail.  It felt surreal following the footsteps of Dean Karnazes, Scott Jurek, Rob Krar, Ann Trason, and so many other ultra-marathon rock stars.  I will forever be grateful for the encouragement that Ann gave me throughout the race, particularly at the Cal2 aid station on the way to the finish line.  All the training had paid off, I kept myself mentally stable (for the most part) and was more capable than I imagined.  It’s like I always say.  You’re better than you think you are.  A whole year’s worth of frustration finally ceased to exist.  I was now a 100K finisher.

After responding to some text messages, I managed to drag myself out of bed.  When I stood up for the first time that morning, my legs felt as if they were made of marshmallows.  After a good ten seconds, I made my way, step by painful step to the bathroom.  I took my time packing up and checked out of the hotel around 8:00 AM.  By this time, extreme hunger had set in.  Throughout the race I had only consumed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, and nuts, with the occasional cheese quesadilla, and I hadn’t eaten anything following the race the night prior.  I drove to Black Bear Diner and stuffed myself before hitting the road.  I couldn’t remember the last time a hot breakfast tasted so delicious.  It was like heaven on a skillet.  I was also still mildly dehydrated and threw down three big glasses of water in that one sitting.  I was the happiest man alive as I made the long drive back to Los Angeles.  I called family members and listened to music, having a blast in the middle of nowhere.  It was a long rally to get home.  I found myself dozing off about halfway through the ride and pulled over to sleep in my car for an hour and a half before continuing, finally making it home around 6:30 PM. 

Finishing felt great, but I was still wrapping my head around the fact that I had qualified for Western States.  Among the text messages I received, some people joked asking me if I was going to attempt 100 miles, unaware of my dream to run Western States.  They may have been kidding, but I was serious.  Earning my qualifier at the Canyons 100K, I would definitely be entering the lottery for the 2019 Western States.  It’s rare that entrants get drawn their first time applying, but we would see what happens.  How would I react if I got drawn?  I’d probably be overjoyed and a little terrified, but I would cross that bridge when I got to it.  I knew one thing for sure; I was just getting warmed up!