No Ordinary Run.  By Jay Alvarez.  Team Endure to Cure Member Jay Alvarez recounts his enlightening experience running the 2010 Texas Trail Runs 50k.

I continually seem to find more meaning to my life and the pursuit of my goals as I further my endeavor as a member of Team Endure to Cure. It has been a little over a year that I have been running for E2C and what an enlightening experience it has been.  Being a part of E2C not only has helped me discover new direction in my life, but I have also found an amazing support group of friends–most who share the same values and goals as me to be an inspiration to others and to enable people much smarter than us to find cures for childhood cancer.

I understand that was not your typical lead-in for a race report, but it probably was one of the  biggest reasons I was able to make it through the 2010 Texas Trails 50k when the going unexpectedly got tough.  This event was supposed to be just another training run, leading up to the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile run in February 2011.   A 50k is nothing new to me, as I have done several 50k races and numerous 30 plus mile training runs.

Early indications all pointed to a great day:  beautiful clear Texas skies and temps in the low 60s, and I was feeling calm and confident.  As we took off and headed for the wooded trail, I remember telling myself, “piece of cake; I have this.”  The first loop would consist of 6.7 miles, followed by two loops of 12.15.

As I finished the first loop, I was feeling great and well ahead of the pace I had initially intended to run. Going into the second loop, I had noticed the aid stations weren’t very well stocked and support was minimal. For those of you who have never done an ultra trail run, this is not typical.  Then I thought to myself that I had everything that I needed and it is a 50k, not a 50- or 100-miler where I would need supplies.  But unfortunately, when it was time for me to take in some electrolytes, I unzipped my race belt but my electryolte capsuls were no longer there.  I must have dropped it some miles back, reaching for a GU packet. When arriving at the next aid station, I immediately asked for electrolytes, but all the could offer was Gatorade and table salt. At that point I was about 12 miles into my run and new I was going to be in trouble. I began to wonder how long it would be before things went bad.

The day was getting warmer, somewhere in the mid 70’s now, and I was sweating more than I had in weeks. As I continued through the race, making sure to stay on top of my energy gels and drinking plenty of water, I still knew this wasn’t going to be enough. By mile 18 I started battling cramps in my calves and by mile 23 made their way to my quads. I just kept pushing forward one step at a time.

As I approached mile 27, I felt like my legs were going to completely shut down. I was having difficulty just walking.  I began to tell myself, “Jay, this is just a training run, drop out and call it a day.” Thinking this was a good idea, seeing as I would be running 100k in less than 4 weeks. I began to accept the fact that I had been beat.  I was about to DNF the race and save myself from possible injury, but a voice inside my head said “What the hell Jay? This event is not about you. You need to remember why you are out here! The children that you are trying to help go through pain everyday, probably much worse than what you are feeling or any run you will ever do.” With that thought in my head, I sucked it up and by mile 28 somehow began running again. I finished the race, only stopping once, due to no longer being able to really lift my legs, I began tripped on a pine root. I crossed the finish in a time of 6hrs and 13 mins.

I learned a lot from this race; not only about the importance of electrolyte replenishment, but moreso about the true meaning of why I am out there running the gruelling distances in the first place. Endure to Cure has helped me redefine what I am capable of doing by showing me that simply by living and doing things in life with a higher purpose–a purpose greater than ourselves–the limits to what we can achieve as individuals, teams, etc. truly are boundless!  I further have recognized that with this principle pushing me to new heights that I not only can inspire others to take action in their own lives , but also eventually be a reason we find cures for childhood cancer.

E2C has become a second family to me, and has certainly become one of the greatest things to enter my life.

Bring on that Rocky Raccoon!!