nothing as powerful as imagination

The last two miles of the race, in the dark, I couldn't see much, and I was limping on my left leg, but here's the insane thing: I felt that, if it weren't for the limp and the temporary eye problem, I could have done another twenty miles or so. I mean, right there and then - I could have done two more loops, maybe.

Of course, that was sheer theory, after all I couldn't do away with the pain in my calf. I was barely walking. But I reasoned that, if the course were flat, I wouldn't have the limp. From here it was just a small leap of imagination to the next statement: I can do a 100-miler. Provided it's flat.

Before my first 50 I have admitted to myself, a few times, that I didn't actually know what would happen and if I would finish. After this race, I had no doubts: I can run 100 miles.

I seriously considered this. At the airport, before we left Wisconsin, waiting for the plane to take off, I was looking up flat 100-mile races.