I ate sugar for the first time in a year at Pistol! It’ll take a little bit of reading but I’ll tell you why.

The training block leading up to this race would be anything but normal for MFH (My Favorite Husband) and myself. Because this kind of “excitement” rarely happens to us, we’re going to do a brief summary of the past few months to let everybody catch up.
October 2021 MFH and I found out for sure that we would be moving home to Mississippi. We were thrilled! MFH’s company asked us to wait until after the New Year before moving and we were find with that. Both of us knew Pistol was coming up in March so we wanted to move soon enough so as to interrupt training as little as possible.
Best laid plans, right?
In November it was decided we would head down to #1 Son’s house for the Thanksgiving Holiday and to do some house hunting. At that time, the renter in our home in Mississippi was planning on purchasing so we needed a place to live. Problem was, we couldn’t get a firm closing date from our renter, confirmation of financing, etc and we were getting uncomfortable with the whole situation. During our visit at #1 Son’s, we finally found out that our renter would not be purchasing our home so we could move back! We enjoyed our house and property so that was just fine. There was still the tiny detail of getting our renter to move out so we could move in? What a mess!
Upon returning to Iowa after Thanksgiving, we found out we would be moving the last week of December. We were spending the Christmas Holiday with #1 Daughter and her family in Colorado! That left us 2 weeks to pack up the entire house AND get it loaded onto the moving truck before we left for Colorado. We were spinning in circles and not much training was getting done.
So, the house was packed. The truck was loaded. We flew to Colorado and had a wonderful time. Flew back to Iowa, picked up the animals and the next day started driving home to Mississippi.
We ended up living a week in a hotel before we could strongly encourage our renter to get out of the house. We had just one day left before the moving truck arrived by the time they moved but everything worked out just fine. It was just a very high drama time in our lives and neither one of us is big on drama.

Y’all, my coach is so patient and tolerated all of my meltdowns while keeping me focused on the race. I don’t know how he does it but he’s amazing! Thank you, Denny!!!
So, after about 6 weeks of intense training, it was race weekend! YAY!!!

Leading up to race week, MFH wasn’t sure if he’d be able to go to this race. He’s got a big project at work and if was looking iffy. Finding any pacers for this race had been a bust as well so I was looking at a zero support event.

At the last minute, MFH decided he could go! YAY!!!
At the last minute, two of my #MScoffeerunners friends decided they could come pace! YAY!!!

Y’all life was looking mighty fine.
MFH and I had a lovely drive to Tennessee Thursday for the race. We like to get to a race a day before packet pickup to rest a little bit. I get all wound up and burn up so much energy before the race even starts so we have found this to be a smart thing to do.
Friday morning I realized I’d forgotten to pack a few things to MFH volunteered to hop in the car and get them from a store. The store was only 2 miles from the hotel so no big deal, right?
While he went shopping, I grabbed a quick shake out run on the hotel TM.

Um, I’ve been in an accident and the car’s a little messed up.
My first question was, Are you okay!?! I mean, who cares about a car??? MFH is what’s important!
He replied he was fine but we wouldn’t be driving the car home.
After I found out where I way, I literally ran from our hotel to where the accident had taken place. The police were already there. The other car had already been towed and I gave MFH the biggest hug EVER!!! *and he was right, we weren’t driving the car home.

The car was towed, we got a rental and our two adult children went ballistic! They decided we weren’t allowed to drive ourselves home. #1 Son drew the short straw and drove up to Tennessee from Mississippi to play chauffeur and drive us home after the race….which was very sweet.
Once we secured a rental car, it was packet pickup time. Both of us were kind of fried after the events of the morning and just went through the motions of the packet pickup but it was still fun to get the bib for the next day!



My first pacer was #1 Son. Not only was he there to drive, he decided to do a loop with me! I’m a lucky mom.


While on the loop with David, loop #3, my keto flat out quit working. Friday evening before MFH and I went to bed, my tummy had been a little off? I contributed it to stress from MFH’s wreck. At breakfast I had a hard time eating but figured it was race day excitement. David and I were around mile 26 and my tummy said, Absolutely not!!!



David handed me off this his wonderful wife, Patricia. I was in a much better mood this loop. I had picked up my trekking poles and the S/F and my rumpatootis was very happy about that.
I don’t this Patricia and I got a pic together so here’s a pic of her visiting the cow around around the S/F loop. She’s so funny!!!

This was loop 4 and it was getting rough. I was still doing…okay? My pace tanked on this loop. Patricia was helping me on some of the larger hills by giving me a gentle push in the small of my back…which is technically cheating and I knew it but I did ask for the help and she kindly did it.
There’s really only a few large hills at Pistol and in the grand scheme of ultra running, Pistol is a very flat course. There’s lots of little hills but they’re kind of mean. The post the grade signs next to them. Just a bunch of very short inclines.


The downhills, which I normally handled pretty well, I was forced to go down backwards and MFH had to keep me from falling.

I. Was. Done.
In all honesty, I should have stopped after the 4th loop but I would have always thought I could have done more….which would have been true but after that 5th loop, I had nothing left to give.
It’s weird but there’s a sense of satisfaction of giving it your all, of knowing you literally did your absolute best. My best wasn’t good enough, this time, to finish that last loop but it was a pretty doggone good best!!!
Happy running everyone!!!
#IRun4Aiden

Loved this…thank you for your share…u r one bad ass Melinda…from another one
Melinda,
Good on you! What a bunch of non-stop drama you’ve had for the last months. Showing up and racing was already a 100% effort. Thanks for that race re-cap – also the laughs! I needed that today.
jane b.
You are so lovely and inspirational. The miles you accomplish are nothing short of amazing!! When I struggle in my very short 6 mile runs I always think of you and it keeps me going!!
You are so incredible! I love your pacers!
As usual, totally awesome Melinda and the support group! Super accomplishment! Congratulations!