Andros Island is actually several islands so I debated about doing the entirety of Andros, connecting the sections by kayak, or just running the north section from Behring Point to Morgan's Bluff. I ultimately decided on just the north section because I wasn't ready to deal with the logistics of traversing 4 separate islands including 1 without any roads.
I recruited my husband, Nehmiah Forbes, as my roving crew and aid station. He followed along in the car with all of the water and snacks. I also convinced two friends, Christine Bisaha and Julia Winter to help me along. Christine and Julia took turns keeping me company on their bikes or eventually walked with me when I couldn't run any more.
Our morning began at 2:15 when I got up because I couldn't sleep any longer. I had been having waves of panic/adrenaline all night. Our son helped us load up the water and food and we were on the road by 3:15. Julia and Christine met us on the way and we were south of Behring Point at the end of the road by around 4. Christine and I got all our gear together, took a few quick pictures while being attacked by mosquitoes and we headed out into the dark to start the adventure. It was relatively cool at that hour but very humid. I could see the water vapor in my head lamp.
I started off very happy with my progress. I made it to the 20 mile mark around what I hoped it to be. However as the sun came up and the temperatures rose, I started to overheat. I made it about 30 miles before I had to just walk awhile. I could throw a few runs in here or there but my heart rate would max out and I would feel terrible. I decided to walk through the heat and start running in the evening. Once the sun started to set, I tried running again and managed a mile or two but eventually I started feeling sick and lightheaded every time I ran.
Another challenge that I had to tackle was my stomach. I was having trouble eating which is unusual for me. I normally can eat anything while running and have an appetite the entire race. This time nothing sounded good. Thank goodness Christine brought boiled potatoes. Those were the only thing that kept me going!
One of the challenges that I didn't expect was the mental aspect of running a long straight road. Granted there are curves and turns but it is essentially a south to north road. I have traveled it many times and know the relative distances. It is much easier to run on a trail and not know exactly how far you have to go. Sure, a watch can tell you that you have 6 miles to go, but it is another thing to know that you have to pass that airport, a farm, and another road. At one point, I wasn't convinced that Google was right and made Julia drive to the end to see how far I had left to go. I was sure while thinking about all that i had to pass, that is was much farther. She humored me and did it.
Besides my roving entourage, I had some encouragement along the way. A few coworkers passed me as they were headed to a restaurant and screamed and cheered for me. My son, Nehmiah Jr, sent me encouraging Snap-chats during a hard section. My neighbor Kate Laurent and her family brought my son to join us with about a hour to go. I knew he didn't want to sit in the car for 18 hours so it was glad she could do that.
I really thought my training went well this time. Normally I never get close to the weekly mileage and do a lot of my training on the elliptical. This time I really had the consistency and running mileage. I was starting to think about doing a 100 mile race next year. During my 64.5 miles, I began to doubt my training. I didn't even make it to 50 miles running. While I think that I'll still hold off on the hundred, I realized afterward the difference. Normally during a race, my hip flexors and quads are killing me. I often have some ankle or arch pain. I had no issues during the event except for my feet which felt painfully burny and swollen (although they weren't). This time only my calves and feet were sore the next day and by the third day I could walk just fine. My feet are still a bit sore if I stand for long periods but I think that might just be from running on the road when I train mostly on trail.
I love running amnesia! A day after my run, a coworker asked me how it went. I told them that it was fun. Christine heard me and laughed while calling me a liar. Of course she understands that even if it might be miserable at points, there is something fun about accomplishing your goals. I'm so happy that I was able to run the length of Andros! I really wanted to be the first since I am pretty slow. I might not be able to keep the fastest known time but I will always have the first known time. I'm sure that this island isn't on everyone's bucket list, but it would be neat to see someone from here attempt it.
I'm so thankful for my husband and friends who believed in me and encouraged me to keep going. And for the answered prayers for no lightning or dog attacks.