My first 48

3 Days @ the Fair = 144 laps for 123.52 miles. Thoroughly, thoroughly pleased with this first foray into multi-day fun.

It's Thursday the week after the run and my brain's still got a general fuzziness about it, but here are some impressions that I need to commit to words in hopes that they don't vanish.

Things to remember: Take a table. Take a lawn chair. HEED watermelon rocks. Fresh fruit (watermelon, blueberries, strawberries) rocks even harder!!! Decide to take a sleep break only when your eyes begin to cross. Opt for covering two more laps before each sleep break. Eat a belly-full immediately before sleeping. Change SOCKS!

More things to remember: Spray bottles with cool water. Rain hat. When running on this much pavement for this long, re-apply sunscreen often. Pitch tent as close to the tangent you will be running as you can. Extra steps matter a LOT when you're going for this long.

Practice VERY slow running. Often. So that it doesn't seem quite so weird when you are forced to do it. Develop several different walking "gears." Practice those often, too.

For 2011, remember to bring RD Rick McNulty a six-pack of Starr Hill Lucy.

So, how did it go? Still not sure I have the words to convey it just yet, but i did learn a few lessons along the way.

10) A .85-mile loop is just about perfect for the multi, especially when there's a full-service kitchen right on the course that stays open the entire race.

9) Walking through the heat of each day = solid strategy.

8) Cheese quesadillas are ridiculously tasty at Hour 42.

7) When you sleep, make sure the shoes are off and the feet are ABOVE the heart.

6) A kind word is always worth the effort.

5) Sitting in a "normal" chair without propping your feet above your heart? Worthless.

4) Tough is contagious. Soak it up at every chance.

3) Laughter is strong medicine. For yourself and those around you.

2) Bacon. rules.

1) Run 3 mins., walk 2 mins. is solid. And will be even moreso as I learn how to run slower.

Random thought that flashed through my mind about 3 a.m. Sunday: There is a universe between "I think that I can" and "I have."

Here It Comes ...

Three gear bags jammed full. A sleeping bag. A tent. A cooler on wheels. A folding chair. A four-pound bag of trail mix. Myoplex lite. Organic chocolate milk.

Am I running a race or going on a two-week jungle safari?

The 3 Days at the Fair is Friday through Sunday at the New Jersey State Fair. Course is a .85-mile loop. Entrant list reveals 31 pre-registered runners are in the 48-hour. Starts 9 a.m. Friday. Ends 9 a.m. Sunday.

Do I have any idea what I'm getting myself into this time? Not really.

Do I have a plan? Yes. Run 3 minutes. Beep. Walk 2 minutes. Beep. Repeat until i can't stand it any longer, then go to something else. Idea is to go SLOOOOOWLY until, oh, dark ... the first night. (Wow. Yeah. You know it's something when you can use "first night" AND "second night" when talking about a race you're doing. Wow.)

Message for this one is simple: Run from the heart. Embrace the unknown.

This one's been calling to me for some time now. Tomorrow is the 6-hour drive up. Friday, we tee it up. And round and round we go.

Here's to shuffle shuffle plod plod fun fun. And hopefully some unbridled joy along the way.