After running the Taco Bell 50k, here are 5 things learned that can help others start running no matter your ability

When I agreed to run in the Taco Bell 50k as a four-year-long certified couch potato with type one diabetes, worry ensued about whether I’d taken on too much. But when race-organizers invited me to run with them, I agreed. 

Jason Romero and Dan Zolnikov, who belong to local run group Achilles Denver, turned out to be safe hands helping me along. The group supports disabled runners participating in endurance events.

Also comforting: The announcement before the run of “please don’t leave anybody behind, make sure to check on people.” The reassurance translated into a confidence booster.  

Getting off the couch is the hardest step, but take it

Saturday morning came with me groggy and tired from staying up late. When the alarm tripped at 4:30 a.m., it reminded me of the commitment made, and I immediately wanted to back down.  
 
But the promise made to Zolnikov that I would “see him at the race” pulled me out of bed. It was to be the hardest step I’d take all day.   

Motivating yourself with food

After scraping myself out of bed, I opted to fuel my body with a breakfast sandwich. 

I recalled one of the racers, Russell House, telling me that “ultramarathon running is an eating contest with some running thrown in,” and I could not be happier to report the truth behind that statement.  
 
As a precaution, I adjusted my insulin levels prior to the race knowing my body would not need as much to thrive.   

Why city running lends a hand

I’ve always found many reasons to avoid running, especially with diabetes. The fear included not knowing if I would be able to have something on hand or find somewhere nearby when I needed it.  

Questions like “What if I needed to stop somewhere along the way to catch my breath?,” “Where will I stop for short rest breaks to catch my breath?” and “How do I know how to pace myself?” arose.
 
City or suburban running solves a lot of those issues with two things — everything is an aid station and breaks opportunities exist at every crosswalk.  
But in competitive marathons or ultramarathons, you might run a couple miles before an aid station can resupply you. With city running, aid stations are everywhere. 

Sticking together

The Taco Bell 50k promotes the concept that everyone of all abilities deserves to run. Organizers do this by not only ensuring plenty of “guides” are out on course but also the mantra “stick together.”
 
I put this to the test saying goodbye to my support person, my husband, and ventured out onto the course.  
 
A group of runners I had spoken with prior joined and we set out through the streets of Denver. I kept up with founder Romero for about a mile before I began to fall behind.  
 
Falling behind with me was another diabetic, Robert.

We shuffled our feet along at a slow jogging pace as we talked about why we both were out there.  
 
It turned out Robert was also working on improving his diabetes and runs every day to keep his blood sugar stable. As we slowed to a walking pace, I looked up to realize the group we had started with was gone.  
 
But as we approached a large hill, we kept our walking pace quick and steady, cresting the hill and rounding a corner to see our first Taco Bell stop. 
 
At this point we had only made it about 1.25 miles into the race. With my blood sugar dropping, I grabbed a midnight Baja Blast to raise it up, unsure how much further to go.  
 
Robert was there egging me on.

“You can do more,” he said.

He encouraged me through the low blood sugar drop and off we went to the second Taco Bell location.

By the time I was ready to tap out at the second location, we had caught the group we started the race with.  
 

Supporting a cause bigger than yourself

The final lesson was everyone who wants to participate in the sport of running can, and should get out and participate.

The whole reason that many people participate in marathons is to improve their overall health or their mindset, or to do something bigger than themselves.  
 
My feeling is if you’ve been wanting to exercise and don’t know where to start, what better place to start than by running with friends in support of an organization that helps others. You don’t have to start with the Taco Bell 50k.