I stayed awake revisited

October 5, 2006 at 8:22 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

I think I may have cured my need to sleep, especially during ultras. Three days after my all night run during the Hinson Lake 24 hour (I will get back to that later) I was called upon to drive all night to Chicago, for the birth of my daughter’s child, my second grandchild.

I left work shortly after 3:30. The baby was supposed to be born sometime during the day on Wednesday. I was supposed to have a leisurely drive, take a couple of hours to nap, and be there for the birth celebration. Babies sometimes do things as they choose, however. Somewhere around Indianapolis (home of the Indianapolis 500) I got the call that things were speeding up. Somewhere around Gary I got the call to hurry. Somewhere around 3:30 AM the man with the pretty lights on his car told me not to hurry so much. As he was telling me that I got the call telling me that my granddaughter had been born. The nice policeman could hear her crying over the phone, warned me to slow down, and told me to go see my granddaughter. I did, and got to the hospital just as the baby was being cleaned up. Thus I got to walk in and see this beautiful child. Tired? The thought never entered my mind.

So…. After needing a nap in 17 of my last 18 100 mile or longer efforts I was able to stay awake for 24+ hours twice in 4 days. I think I’m cured. I cannot wait for my next six day run.