I am blessed for the opportunity to pair an endurance challenge with my fundraising campaign for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I just wrapped up my second of eleven marathons over an 11 week period on Saturday. The most recent race was the Prairie Spirit 50k which is 4.8 miles longer than a traditional marathon.

I sprung out of bed after a full 8 hours of sleep before the event.  Weather conditions were nice, with a cool, 38 degree start which warmed up within the first hour.  I was able to shed layers early into the day.  My legs felt strong the entire race despite having ran 26.2 miles just 6 days prior.  A blister set in during mile 12, but it was only a mild annoyance as I was in the zone.  The aid stations were stocked with a wide array of proteins and carbs, manned by a very friendly team of volunteers. 

As I hit 20 miles, it was apparent that I had a chance at beating my personal best time for a 50k race. Some of my strongest miles for the day were in the early 20s which is where fatigue generally begins to smack me in the face. My time duration at 26.2 miles was right at 4 hours, 40 minutes which was over 33 minutes quicker than my finish in marathon #1. The last few miles were tougher due to the warmer weather. It wasn’t hot, but my body is still in winter weather mode. I finished in 5 hours, 40 minutes, 57 seconds which was good for #23 overall. I felt strong at the finish and beat my 50k best by 17 minutes.

Next up, Rockin’ K marathon at Kanopolis St Park on Saturday.  This race will be the most difficult trail during the campaign, including 2 water crossings.

If you would like to support my campaign or learn more, please visit mattrunsforlls.com.

Thanks for your support!

-Matt