Since my Sticks n Stones 50k was deferred to 2021, I decided to try it on my own. Turns out a lot of runners had the same idea so there was a race vibe in the air. And I started in the wrong direction 🙄, which turned out to be a great way to meet everyone! I am so fortunate to have two such kind friends Amy and Luis, that would not only support me on the Saturday of a long weekend, but would also bring a cooler full of snacks and real food and a camping burner to heat it up. Plus a pile of great photos as you can see here. The weather was perfect and the foliage was beautiful. The run itself was a lovely scenic route and based on 10 x 5k loops around a lake. I did the first 6 laps on my own, but at loop 6 I began to fade. It always hits me at around 30k. Luis joined me on that one and lap 7. That was a rough lap with stops on most hills. Amy joined me on lap 8 and 9. 9 was a good lap, where I employed a trick I read about where you count your full breaths to 10 up to 100 and start again. It worked for me in that it got me breathing deeper and not worrying about all the what ifs. Lap 10 I did on my own and I was really wiped by then so there was some walking. I also walked once I hit the 50k mark, but ran in to meet back with my friends who had hot soup and a cold beer waiting. My stomach was a bit iffy at times since there were so many snacks to choose from, and I tried most of it. The other 50k runners going the opposite direction were really supportive too and we cheered one another on. The trail community here is really great. All in all it was what I thought it would be. Right now the only fallout is one of my big toes developed a large painful side blister which has wrapped around to the top and my toenail looks a bit iffy on that side. Slathered in Voltaren now. I could not have asked for better support crew or weather today. My hip injury felt like it would flare up again but it subsided with an ibuprofen. All in all I would say I was happy with it all, given the 2 injuries and covid shutdowns that led up to it.
50k Sticks ‘n Stones long run done - Fun Beyond 10K & ...
50k Sticks ‘n Stones long run done
Congratulations on completing what was a ultra marathon, the photos are fantastic, this is a excellent time of the year to go running..
Congratulations Decker, that last photo says it all. 50 blooming kms! Very very well done.
Lovely to have supportive runny friends too, especially if they provide food.
So inspiring Decker. What an Ironman you are.Many congratulations.Great read, great friends and a great guy.Repair well and keep safe.🏃♂️⭐️👏👏💪🙏💥💫
Simply wow Decker. I’m so happy you got to do it, and it sounds like a lot of fun. Amazing photos. 🎉🏃🥰
Thanks Cheeky. Had to try at least. It was fun in spite of everything. The photos Amy and Luis took were amazing I agree.
Wow - 50km! Just wow! Absolutely amazing achievement Decker 👏👏
It looks like a such a lovely route. How great of your friends to support with yummy food and joining you running as you started to fade.
A massive well done!
Thank you! The route was just gorgeous. This was the perfect time of year with all the trees changing colour. I was quite emotional thinking about how kind these people can be supporting one lone guy just trying to get to 50. There was no official result, no bling, just a few friends out for the morning ( and afternoon :))
Gosh, that was a tough one in mind and body Decker and many congratulations on completing it. 👏👏👏 Thank you for the write up and pictures. It looked like a beautiful day there and what wonderful friends you have. 😀
Thanks Brian, yes it was really hard but my support crew and the beautiful weather made it much easier than it otherwise would be.
🤩 wow, wow, that’s amazing and so inspirational. You have great friends too
Thank you yes I really do have some great friends. I didn’t even have to ask them, they just found out I was doing it and offered to help.
Superb! Well done on getting through it!! 👍🏻💪🏻😁
Thank you for sharing this and your great pictures Decker. Massive congratulations to you on a landmark run!
You showed real grit, determination and resilience to complete this with your wonderful friends. Sharing a very special moment together is really precious. Wonderful pictures too and your run and story inspires people like me to maybe one day give it a go.
You've richly deserved your rest and feeling of achieving something really special. 👏👏👏👏👏 have a well deserved drink buddy!
Thanks very much GTFC. Yes these good friends made what would otherwise be a brutal solo slog fun and relaxed (more or less:)). With your grit and discipline I am sure you can do something like this if you are interested and once you are ready to go for it.
Fantastic run Decker, congratulations on such a massive achievement! 🏃♂️💪
The support crew must have been a great help too.
Lovely run, well done! 😀👏👍
That's just fantastic, congratulations!!! I love the 'wrong way' strategy 😅. After the months leading up to it, that's a phenomenal achievement - do you get the original race bling for your efforts?
Haha Linda, thank you! The wrong way was just how Luis and I trained it a few weeks ago and so I did it again. Somehow I missed all the spray painted arrows along the route until lap 5. No bling now as the race was deferred with guaranteed entry for 2021 (or entry into any if their other events of which there are quite a few)
That’s an amazing achievement, Decker. Hope you heal up quickly and can enjoy feeling proud of yourself.
Thanks Stephen. Quite sore this morn but still functional. Just looking to rest up for awhile now
Wow, well done Decker! Amazing! 👏💪🏃♂️ What a super cool thing to do, kudos to you, I can certainly relate to that last picture! 😂 🛌
Mx
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Thanks so much Abi! You’ve been a huge inspiration to me for a long time now
Aw!
How are you feeling today?
Haha like Tin man today! Dog stepped on my sore toe last night and I saw stars 😂
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
I'd say go for a walk, but probably a bit much to ask of your poor toe xx
Ouch 😬🤨
😂😂😂👏👏👏👏👏
You've got it man! Well done! Congratulations!
I'm toying with the idea of tackling 75k if I manage to train properly until March, at least. Ever since I crossed the 50k line I've been a member of online ultra community and realised that not only did I not use any support, I didn't even do rest brakes or carried food, apart from a small chocolate bar and electrolyte drinks. Haha, what an idiot. That means if I were supported I could tackle those distances easier?!
You certainly used a more intelligent, sensible and logical approach! 👍
Just awesome, I cannot imagine...I've seen you say above here there is no bling, well, I think you should design and order your own medal, you certainly deserve one...
Thank you so much. Actually Amy carved a little Covid runner from a twig and even made a little mask for him. It says 50k on the front and my name and date on the back with the tagline “going my own way” since I went the wrong direction. Its the nicest medal I have and I will treasure it.
Oh that's just lovely, yes treasure him xx
Not sure if you’ll be able to see this but here is a pic of him :):
photos.app.goo.gl/vtKmgiJL3...
Yes, I can see hi! He's just wonderful xx
Wow Decker! What an achievement. I can only imagine how hard those last 20 k were. You've got some great friends and support. Congrats you Ultra-runner you 💪👊🙌
Thanks so much Sask! Yes the last 20 were really hard. I should have trained hills a bit more for this, but I was worried about re-injuring something too before the day. These friends are amazing people and both seasoned Ultra runners too. I am lucky to know them.
You sure have come a long way from when we were pumped to reach 10k! I’m so excited for you and all that you I’ve done with your running. You’ve definitely earned your Thanksgiving feast this weekend! Have a great one! I’ve just made some homemade apple cider, some fresh baked cookies and am getting ready to get my turkey roll in the oven. I’ll be enjoying my apple cider with some Apple Pie Moonshine once I’ve got all my chores done and can put my feet up. The difference is I haven’t burned a pile of calories like you just did but with our crazy wind this weekend, my desire to run outside is low. Time to do some cross training instead!
Have a great relaxing long weekend and soothe those sore muscles and ouchy toe!
It feels so long ago that we started all this doesn’t it? I’ve learned so many things along the way and met some really amazing people like yourself. This running thing is really something! Oh that all sounds so good! We went apple picking last weekend so Mrs Decker made Apple Crumble and Apple pie which I’ve been devouring like a madman!
This sounds utterly incredible!!
50k sounds tough but you are tougher. An amazing distance with just as amazing friends also. Well done 👏👏💪💪👏👏
Well done Decker 😃. What a run! Sheesh 🙂👊✊💪🏅🏃♂️🌪☄️🔥. Awesome 👏
Rest your sore feet and daydream about your next adventure 🙂
Thank you Misswobble. In full rest mode now and running daydreams on hold under orders from Mrs Decker. 🙂
Congratulations Decker - great effort very well done 😀🏅🎉 Looks like a very nice route - hope you are recovering now!
Thank you kindly. The route was just beautiful and I have no plans to do anything for a long time
Superhuman Decker 👍
Thanks Imc50. Did not feel very super and barely human by the end 
Bit worried about the combo of hot soup and cold beer 😆
Incredible inspiration story. Well done
Thank you
Amazing as ever Decker! 👏👏💪🏅Great that so many of you decided to get out and do this - I bet your wonderful support crew helped too! Wonderful photos too - especially the one of you ‘resting’ afterwards on the bench!!🙂😄
Just a great achievement and so inspiring!
OMG!!!! What an epic distance to run 😳 I go blank if I think of that number of miles. I mean, even driving that distance is an effort 😂
A massive congratulations to you Decker, that’s a tremendous achievement. You remind me of those Duracell bunnies, just always going forward. Seriously though, very well done 💪
I love all the photos and you must be a great friend yourself because you have very good friends 🥰
Ps I’m just wondering though how you got up from that bench after your rest...... 🤔😫
Haha the trick is to go super slow apparently 🙂. I had no pace expectations and knew I had not really trained for a trail run at this distance, so there were a number of walk breaks at the hills etc. I just needed to finish the distance.
My two friends are just Ace. I was planning on doing this solo and they offered up their Saturday of a long weekend to wait around for me during this Covid crisis the day after our province went into Stage 2 lockdown. You can’t put a price on that and I will never forget their kindness.
Good friends are a gift 🙂
Sounds like a great day out. Congratulations!
Fantastic job, and impressive persevere, very well done 👏🏃♂️
It's amazing the difference the support of friends can offer...clearly a great couple of buds you had there helping you to achieve your tremendous goal 🎉
I hope you've not stiffened up too much, and the nail is still firmly attached 🤞
Just unbelievably awesome...you are amazing. What a distance!!!
I remember when you did C25K....I have said many times since, how far you have travelled and this just sums it all up!
A huge well done to you my friend... inspirational x
PS
Slow and steady ( not so slow for you, though really does take you to the most amazing places!!
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