Brown Socks

Race Report

First- before I get to the race I must mention the most important thing about yesterday- Father's Day! Since I was leaving for the race by 5:30 AM, I wasn't going to be around to wish Zack a Happy Father's Day. I couldn't do the whole breakfast-in-bed-Dad-Day thing; instead I did the next best thing! I found a picture of breakfast in a magazine, or at least something that looked like breakfast and cut it out. I wrote him a little message on the paper breakfast, and left it on the table for him to find when he woke up.

When I saw him later after the race he made a comment like "yeah, this is what it is like to be married to a trail runner- I don't get breakfast in bed, I get a picture of breakfast in bed".   He asked  me to post the picture so you can see how he suffers.

Actually, he did get breakfast in bed a la Marcel. I bought 2 doughnuts (placed in a secret hiding spot, kid level) and one of those canned espresso drinks (since Marcel couldn't pour and carry hot coffee) so Marcel could serve him breakfast in bed. Marcel woke Zack up at a very lovely 6:30 AM by popping him in the head with the bag of doughnuts, and then shoving the bag of doughnuts and the can of coffee (also still in a plastic bag) against his cheek...

So on to the race:

I woke up at 2:00 to the sound of thunder and pouring rain. I love to run in the rain and have run a few trail races in the rain, including my first, but I was a bit nervous about this one.  While the other races were fairly flat- this one wouldn't be flat and I knew we would be running on very skinny, tricky trails and sometimes running along ledges. I thought about crossing the chain- and figured that if there was ever a time I was going to break a limb, this would probably be the day...

So, the alarm went off at 4:30, I got up did all my pre-race stuff and headed to the the race start- the "360 Access" trail-head at the Barton Creek Greenbelt. 

I've mentioned this before- but I will mention it again... I love the Greenbelt.  When I first moved here 10 years ago, the Greenbelt was my second home on Spring and Summer days. I used to spend every weekend at the creek, swimming, hiking, or searching for caves.  The folks I hung out with had never seen a map of the Greenbelt (though they had been going there for years) so every trip was an adventure- we were usually bushwhacking in areas of the greenbelt I haven't seen since. Good times.  I like to think about those times when I'm out there running on the greenbelt- those greenbelt hikes were my first adventures in Texas and I was lucky to find people who liked being in out in nature as much as I did. But it was also a very different time in my life- I drank and smoked a ton and I wouldn't have been able to run 100. feet.  I had few responsibilities- show up to my restaurant job, pay my bills and feed my pets; life was very carefree at the time...so it brings back great memories of a time where I could pack up and head out for a day of hiking and exploring, but also serves as a great contrast to the way I treated my body back then and didn't have anything that I was working hard to achieve.

The race was to start at 6:30, but Steve made an announcement that some folks could start earlier- the slower folks (being slower has its benefits sometimes!).  So I got in line to get the "OK" as a slower runner and I headed out onto the trail.  The early starters ran as a group for the first few miles.  About 3 miles in (or so) faster runners who had started 15 minutes after us were already passing us.  My shin was bothering me slightly- I was very aware of it but it wasn't painful. I just hoped that it wouldn't get worse once I got to the twisted, rocky sections. After about 4 miles we hit the Hill of Life (Aid Station#1).  I hiked up the hill, took a moment to stop at the aid station and get a water refill and continued on.  I was no longer part of the group as we spread out after the aid station, and was running alone now... well not technically alone, many people are passing me...but no one was running with me at my pace. 

So far the course would be described as "easy", but I know that across the creek was a different story.

The next 12 or so miles were much more difficult than I thought they would be.  I felt prepared for steep climbs, lots of technical ups and downs, and rocky descents....but I wasn't prepared for the mud and the very slick rock. Because I lost my bearings after deviating from the Powerline Loop it helps me to break the race down by aid stations:

AS#1- 4 miles- part way up the Hill of Life- to get back down you got to run down a couple of rocky trails- the trails weren't too slippery here and I was able to run down quickly- one of my favorite parts of the race this year and last year.

AS#2- 7.2 miles- getting here was slick, but not too bad. A few muddy climbs, but nothing to slow you down too much.

AS#3- 9.7 miles- The trail seemed to be getting muddier. You got to this station "the overlook" after climbing up a very steep hill- I had to grab the rocks with my hands at one point so I wouldn't tumble backwards. The overlook is not part of my normal running route but I was familiar with it because Monica and I got lost up there during a 20 mile Sunmart training run .  We actually came upon it twice while running in circles...It was good to see the ol' Monica and Jennifer Overlook- it brought back some funny memories. My other favorite part of the race.

AS#4- 13 miles- In between #3 and #4 I encountered about 2 miles of straight mud. Many other runners had been there before me and the trail was just a crazy mess of mud. It was pretty skinny too, and followed along a ridge- so running felt nearly impossible. At times the mud was so slippery it didn't feel like I was moving forward, but side to side.  At other times it was like I took two steps forward and one back. Plus the mud forming dirt snowshoes which made my feet feel like bricks.

AS#5- 15.5 miles- So after hitting AS #4 we headed down the Powerline then headed to the right instead of going down the hill of death.  It seems like much of this part of the trail was rock- slippery rock. The mud wasn't as much of an issue, but the rocks were just as slippery. At one point we had to climb up this vertical slippery rock and I couldn't find the right footing. I just stood there laughing (the guy in front of me was amused) because it seemed so ridiculous at the time.  I think it was at this point that the trail seemed to disappear and we were running from flag to flag (sometimes stopping to locate the next one).

So after slipping and sliding in that section, I was suddenly back on the main trail. It took me a bit to realize that I was on the main trail until I saw the barbed wire.  Just a few more slippery crossings in the "chain" area, and I would be at the finish soon. I was ready for a cold drink.

And wouldn't you know- I made it across the chain safely, then fell on the next slippery rock. I actually slid a bit before catching myself, and luckily didn't end up down in the creek.

And that was the end of the adventure- the finish was around the corner and I was done! I finished the race feeling tired, but different type of tired...tired like I had been running around with weights on my feet for 4 hours. My quads- they were fine (my biggest problem last year) but my calves and feet were achy from navigating the sticky mud. 

My finish time was longer than I expected, but I hadn't taken into consideration how much time I would lose slipping around in the mud. But to be honest, I'm happy with my race.  I really enjoyed being out there on those trails seeing parts of the trail that I was unfamiliar with, and also parts of the trail that I was familiar with (like the overlook).  Like I said, I love the Greenbelt,  so when I get an opportunity to run around on it in the mud with a bunch of other crazies- I'll take it, whether I'm fast or slow I just like being out there.

A post race shot:

Ha! Quite the lovely picture that Zack took. I look like I am really pissed off, but I wasn't at all. For the life of me I can not figure out what I was talking about to make me look that way. This picture makes me laugh because it is the exact opposite of what I was feeling- is it possible to have a stinkier post-race picture!?

I just showed the picture to Zack- he has no idea what I was doing when he took this photo- we had a good laugh though.

The Loop

The past 5 months since Sunmart, my "training" has been whack.  All over the place.  I was given a plan to follow to keep a good base mileage on both trails and roads- and I barely followed it- I tried...but with traveling and moving I didn't really get in any of those tempo, fartlek, or interval workouts. So, to try to make up for this I made up my own nonsense training plan, and barely followed that either.  I was out there running, but not really according to a plan- instead I would do a nice 10-12 mile run with Zack every other weekend, make a few trips to the trail and greenbelt here and there, run around the neighborhood if pressed for time... but nothing structured.

So because of all of this, I was a bit worried about the race Sunday.  My last long run before the Loop was the 25K race that I did 3 weeks ago- at which I walked a portion because of my stomach issues.  I hadn't run over 25K since Sunmart and wasn't sure how my legs would feel on the tough course.  I ran the 10K portion of the race last year and knew that the trail was full of tall ledges that you had to step up which I knew would do a number on my quads- I remember them burning shortly into the race last year, and I only did one loop! I really didn't feel prepared for the race at all.  Based on last years results of people that have a similar pace, I figured that it would take me 4 hours at least- I would be thrilled with 4 hours, but had a backup plan of 4Hrs 15min that I figured was more realistic.

The course consisted of 3 loops on trails that are typically used for motocross, not runners.  It was rocky and full of ledges that you had to step up, one after another.  The first few miles I took easy and didn't try to pass anyone. Running with a group of people on single track can be tricky- you may feel like the person in front of you is running too slowly, but if you pass a few folks you could get caught up in a faster pace that isn't comfortable and that you can't sustain.  At least that's the way it is for me as a slower runner- a slightly quicker pace than planned can bomb my plan (and I end up walking the end).  So, I took it easy for the first 45 minutes or so, getting used to the trails since I was going to see the same trails 2 more times.  The pack eventually thinned out, and I could run at my own speed without worrying about anyone on my heels.  I took note of the areas with the quad burning climbs and also the flatter, quicker section.  I finished loop 1 in a bit faster than "scheduled", grabbed some more water and started the 2nd loop.  The second loop was good- My energy level went up and down as I climbed up the ledges and then returned to a steady pace.  But my legs mostly felt good and I hoped that they would stay that way for the next loop! At the halfway point aid station (9.3 miles or so) they were spraying the runners with water since it was starting to get hot. The next 3 miles went by quickly as I ran with a few folks that were my pace- and we exchanged stories about Sunmart and Pikes Peak.  Before I knew it I was finished with the 2nd loop.  I stayed at the aid station a little bit longer this time- grabbed some pretzels and an Endurolyte and chatted a bit before heading back out for the last loop. 

The next loop was pretty much the same. My energy level was the same, my legs felt the same- so I was happy.  Shortly after starting the 3rd loop the small group of people that I was running with became spread out and I ended up running by myself for most of the last loop.  It was getting hot on the 3rd loop, but I knew that "water sprayer guy" would show up at 15.5 miles and that there would be more pretzels as well.  I stopped at the aid station to get sprayed and grab some goodies, and ran for the next 3 miles - I was happy to be running and not walking ...I really figured that I would have crashed by mile 15.  I finished in 3:51:51 - ahead of my "thrilled with" time so I was...thrilled.

So the Loop got me thinking- what if my training would have been more consistent? I know that I have improved since last year- I ran the race at the same pace this year for 3 loops as I did last year for 1.  But- what if I would have thrown in a few more long runs and some speed-work or hill-work...well, it's too late now- but that's what I have been in a funk about.

You can get an idea of the course by checking out photos of the race here.

Loops

I ran the Loop 30K race yesterday- I had a mixed feelings going into the race, and finished the race realizing I need to re-think my training, or perhaps re-think my attitude about my training and races.  I can't put it into words right now; it was a good race for me, but it has me thinking about my crappy attitude going into the race... I beat my "thrilled with" goal by 9 minutes (and my "I'll be happy with" goal by 19 minutes) and I felt strong throughout the race.  But I was feeling pessimistic going into the race, feeling like I was very unprepared, and looking back I'm not sure why.  I have to think about it...

Gone but not forgotten...RHR Race Report

My race was almost 2 weeks ago, but it is not forgotten.  No- it has left it's mark in the form of fire-ant bites and poison ivy (or oak?).  I'm still really feeling this poison ivy...

The morning of the race I woke up at 4:30 feeling... grumpy.  Lately, waking up early has been very difficult for me.  The race was in Smithville (about an hour away) at started at 7AM, so we had to leave pretty darn early to get there.  We decided to bring the smaller dog, Rock!, with us to the race, and he ended up driving me crazy along the ride, which did not help my grumpy mood.  He started out sitting nicely in the back of the Element, but after about 15 minutes he starting ripping and chewing things in the back of the car. Since my car is a disaster, I could only imagine what he had gotten into...but I couldn't see what he had because he was under the back seat and it was pitch black in the car (it was my 10 year old United States Atlas).

We got to the race and I wasn't really grumpy anymore. Instead I focused on the flip flops that I was feeling in my stomach. It wasn't nerves, and it wasn't really "upset"- but it didn't feel right.  I have never had problems with my stomach during a race so I tried to blow it off as nerves.

The race started and we were off. As Zack described in his race report last year- the first section is called "Fat Chucks" and it is series of climbs right off the bat. But, I somehow misunderstood what Fat Chucks was! I was under the impression that it was one really really steep hill that was going to kick my ass and leaving me gasping for breath, like something at Bandera.  So, I am going up these short steep climbs that would level out in between, waiting for the crazy Fat Chucks climb, conserving my energy...and I see that bike in the tree signaling you that you are done with Fat Chucks. It was over and I didn't even realize I was climbing it.  So,  unfortunately I have to report that I did not kick Fat Chuck's ass because I didn't know when to start kicking.

The next 4 miles were perfect. Perfect weather, comfortable pace, perfect distance between me and runners ahead and behind (I hate when I have some stompy runner on my heels in a trail race)...until I hit the first aid station. I felt that stomach stuff again and started to get a bit worried that I would have to endure it for the next 10 and a half miles. I took a gel because they sometimes help settle my stomach, and I was feeling OK for a few miles.  Then it hit me about 7 miles in- stomach sickness and little pains. I ate a few sour gummy candies which seemed to make it worse.  By mile 8, I had to stop and walk.  And curse. I was so uncomfortable, I couldn't comprehend going 8 more miles.  The next few miles were run-walk-run-walk and curse. One minute I would be fine, the next a wave of sickness would come over me and I would have to stop in my tracks.  Luckily, I had some Imodium with me- I usually carry it with me on longer runs but never have to use it.  So at mile 9 I decide to take it- knowing that with Imodium you usually have a period of feeling worse before getting better. And that happened- the next 2 miles were a series of stomach cramps while running as much as I could....waiting for the damn stuff to kick in.

Meanwhile I am pissed because I wish I could enjoy the trails: twisty roller-coaster hills with pine tree cover in most areas- with a few open fields here and there. Not too hilly, not too flat- not too shady, not too bright.  I was so focused on my stomach, I missed really enjoying about 1/3 of the trail.

Finally at about mile 11 or 12 the trail opened into a sunny field full of gnats, or some sort of tiny annoying bug that gets stuck in your sweat when you are running.  They were going into my nose and eyes, I had to keep wiping them off of my face and neck.  But, it distracted me from my stomach issues, and by the time I was done with that stretch of the trail- I felt much better. I was able to run the last 3-4 miles at a decent pace to make up for some of the walking that I did, but I lost quite a bit of time walking.  I wasn't thrilled with my overall time, but I was very glad I was able to stick it out and pull through the stomach stuff.  I briefly thought about quitting- but I was nowhere near an aid station- and the aid stations were only manned by one person so getting a quick ride back to the start probably wasn't an option.  These trail races have definitely made me a much tougher person.

Zack did take a close-up photo of me nearing the finish line, but I was wearing side-slit shorts and I think it shows a bit too much of my butt.  Instead here is a picture of the finish line, though I couldn't really tell where the exact finish was...I think it was back where the orange cones are, but as you can see I was still running...

I guess the lesson of the run was not to eat 2 giant salads and a bunch of hummus the day before a race...

After I finished the race, we hung out at the car which was parked in a field of tall grass....and I proceeded to chill out in an ant pile. I hung out in the giant pile for a few minutes before I started to feel the little stings on my ankles and it registered that I was standing in an fire-ant pile. Or actually, I think I said "ow" and Zack actually told me that I was standing in an ant pile, because I'm oblivious like that sometimes.  The ants got down into my sock, so by the time I was able to get out of the pile and get my socks and shoes off they had done some damage.  At the time, I thought that was the extent of my race "souvenirs"...but about a week ago the  front of my left leg started to itch. Then the back my right leg.  That poison ivy- it's an all too familiar feeling, that itching that makes you want to pull your hair out.  Who knows where I picked it up- I didn't veer off of the path to make any pit stops but those fields had some tall grass that could have been hiding the evil weed.  This will be the 3rd time in my short trail running career that I have had a run in with poison oak/ivy.  And I have a feeling this will be mild compared to what I will pick up next month at the Belt race on the Greenbelt. Agh.

As for the last 2 weeks I've been working, sitting in traffic for 2 hours a day, and running and going to the gym.  Zack and I are going to the Greenbelt today for a date/run and then we are all running the Mother's Day 5K tomorrow morning.  And then next week a trail 30K. 

I am totally neglecting working on the new house. I've had a wall primed for about a month, but haven't even had a chance to buy the paint yet.  And we have furniture coming any day for a room that needs to be painted...looks like that wont be happening either...I did have 2 hours last week that I could have been working on it, but I just had to watch that David Blaine special instead...bummer.

Flashback

I feel like crap today (coming down with a cold) and don't have time to post a race report about yesterday's race (on my way out the door to Marcel's Kung Fu)...I will say that everything about the race was perfect...except one thing- my stomach.  Ugh- More on that later. 

If you have happen to be a reader of both of my/our blogs you may remember Zack's hilarious race report from the same race course last year (he did the 50K, I did the 25K this year).  If not, Here is the link and photos. 

It's looking like I am keeping up the tradition of GI issues at the ranch.  Luckily, mine wasn't as bad- but did have me cussing for about 5 miles.

 

Why I'll Never Show Up To A Race On Time Again

(Hi, this is Zack.  Jen said I could post a race report on her blog today.)

Yeah, so there was the 2 hr drive, 90 minutes of which was one mile.  There was the whole The Day After, post-apocalyptic vibe of people running through the streets, one crazed woman knocking on my car window yelling about the sherrif who had blocked my car lane (her homemade shirt read: "I run because the drinks are free") .  There was the god awful smooth jazz on the radio station!  Hell is being stuck in traffic while the new Spyro Gyra plays.

I got to the race 15 minutes after the start, but just imagine...NO PORTO POTTY LINES.  I was able to walk right up to the potties at the Freescale Marathon and choose the comfiest, warmest one to poo in.  This was very satisfying to me! 

Next, I ran through the Start gate -- which was a TOTAL ghost town, not a runner or volunteer in sight -- and didn't see anyone really for a quarter mile, but then I descended on the back of the pack.  I have much love for back-o-packers (see my 3M 2004 time for proof) but DUDE it was fun to pass a million people after all that traffic.  So perk #2: Pass thousands of people for the first 6 miles! 

Also, if you have time to be a klepto (which I didn't, although I used to be a klepto as a kid so I still see things in terms of "aww I could totally steal that"), when you show up late to a marathon you can cash in!  Watch your feet and you can scam enough free gloves, hats, sunglasses, and headgaskets to open up a mall kiosk!  And GUs...I could've fed my family for a month with all those GUs.

Once I was running the race was killer.  I averaged a 9:25 mile which is just out of control killer for me.  The last 1/2 marathon I ran I averaged about 10:20 per mile.  So it was rad to PR with a 2:03 time -- even though the ghetto ass marathon timing bungled up my start time so that I'm measured by clock time.  The mats were probably OFF by the time I started.

For reals, it was a great race.  Everyone should run it next year.  Maybe you and I can carpool!  :)

Sunmart -Part 2 -The Race

Now to the race....

I woke up, got ready and headed down to meet Claire in the lobby. I had asked her if I could grab a ride with her so the guys could sleep in, they had a long day ahead of them! Down in the lobby I saw Marshall- a nice surprise! We chatted a bit and then Claire arrived. We got to the park early and found the Hill Country Trail Runners tent where we were told we could put our drop bags.  Then, we tried to figure out what we needed to wear- it was so cold! I had on a a shell, a shirt, and a pullover- plus gloves.  We were told not to drop the gloves at any point during the race , so I had a pin on my shorts to hold them if I wanted to take them off.

We hung out for a bit, waiting for our race to start. Finally, after what seems like ages, it was time to start. The music that they used for the 50K start was strange- “Crazy in Love” but it worked somehow. We were off…I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness that I was finally doing it.

The first out and back was 6.2 miles. It was slow moving, and I took my time. I was confused when we came back though, I thought we were going to follow the same route in that we went out. We were following pink flags, then suddenly blue flags and 50 milers were flying by. I had no clue if I was on the right trail, but I saw a fellow Rogue runner ahead and realized I was on track.  Coming back, I saw Nikki Kimball for the first time and it hit me that I was actually running Sunmart!  I was there- participating, not reading about it in a magazine.

The next 20K was fun- I got to see every Rogue runner from my training group at least once on the out and back section of the loop and everyone looked great. At one point, early in the loop,  I looked over and recognized a women running next to me, it took me a moment to realize that it was Pam Reed (she quickly passed me)…it was a bit surreal, again reminding what a big event the race was. After a while running with the 50 Milers for a few miles, the trail split and we went different ways. I enjoyed the trails on this part of the loop, but the energy was different- without the 50 milers running with us it was really quiet. I made a note to myself that this would be harder the next time around not to let myself get discouraged in this part. Eventually the trail hooked back up with the other runners, and the energy was back- people were moving! I headed back to the tent to get a bagel, some more gels, and more gummy worms (my staple). I had given Zack a list with the approximate times that I thought each loop would take me. Zack and Marcel were on the sidelines waiting for me and let me know that I was right on schedule. I told him the next loop was going to take me longer (my hip was starting to bother me) but I hoped to be back by 7 hours.

 

Heading back in on my 2nd loop- 30K down, 20K to go....

Eating a bagel before heading back out for the last loop- I had brought an Einstein's bagel with me as a secret weapon...

So I headed out for the next loop, really nervous about what was to come. I figured I had 3 hours to get back. I knew that would allow me walk breaks if I needed. I knew that I could get to 23 miles using the “foods” that I usually use, but wasn’t sure if I would chose the right fuel after that. By 20 miles, my hip started to hurt pretty bad and I started to wonder how much worse it was going to feel in a few more miles. I think it was about mile 24 when my hip really, really started to hurt.  This was the part where I knew I was going to have trouble- the part of the trail with only 50K folks- quiet and lonely. But, I wouldn’t let myself "go there", I tried to think positive thoughts, reminding myself how much time I had put into training for it, and how much I had put my family through to be there.

Marcel bundled up back at the finish line with some hot cocoa, waiting for hours for my return...

So I kept going, running through the hip pain. I grabbed Powerade and bland snacks at the aid stations, knowing I needed solid food in my stomach. It hurt more to walk then run, so I ran as much as I could. I got behind a group of folks that were running together and were taking walk breaks. As much as walking hurt, I didn’t have it in me to try to pass all 4 of them, so I would take walk breaks when they did.  I realized around 27 miles that I had run my “first” marathon. I was surprised that I still had energy and I was thinking clearly. I hadn’t burst into tears yet, thrown up, or had any GI issues….But, the hip pain was bad and I was cursing my decision to run Sunmart. In my mind I could not comprehend EVER doing it again, but I wasn’t in enough pain to stop me then.  I thought of Zack running his first 50K in April - as I waited for him at the finish line of that race, Californication was playing- now I was singing it in my head to keep me going, reminding me of how he toughed it out and finished strong.

Once I hit the last aid station, it hit me- with less than 3 miles to go, I realized that I was actually going to finish!  The group in front of me started to run, and so did I. I ran as much as I could for the next 2.9 miles. I was still in pain, but I think excitement about finishing dulled the pain. I started to think about the next 50K, yup- I was hooked. I wanted that finisher's afghan. I wanted some real FOOD!

The finish was great- I actually had a small cheering section- the first time I have ever run a race and known more than one or two people. I got my blanket, grabbed a huge plate of food (who knew old mozzarella sticks would taste soooo good), and had my first cup of coffee for the day.  I was done.

Marcel chillin' back at the hotel with my Sunmart blanket...

Sunmart Part 1 - Tapering and Pre-Race

There is so much to write about- I don't know where to begin!

I guess I will start with the last few weeks... I didn't write much during the "taper" period, because I was going through a roller coaster of emotions about the race.  My last long run, a progressive pace 12 mile run, left me with stomach cramps for hours- and I was doubting my ability to run any longer distance- especially 31 miles.  Even my shorter runs were crappy and difficult.

I always figured that "taper madness" occurred because people wanted to run and couldn't.  I found out that that for me it was nothing like that.  I didn't want to run at all.  I felt like I was gaining weight.  I felt lazy and unmotivated. I felt pretty darn crappy.

Additionally,  last Sunday I woke up with soreness in my neck.  Come to find out I had a lymph node that was very swollen. I started to freak out because I just knew that this was a sign that I was about to get sick.  Less than a week before the race- how could that happen?  Monday, the soreness was worse so I went to the doctor and pleaded with her to make it go away because I had a race to run on Saturday.  She couldn't find any reason for the swollen lymph node, so she took a throat culture to see if it was strep.  She gave me a Rx for a 5 day antibiotic pack and told me she would get back to me in 2 day about the culture.  Meanwhile whatever my body was fighting could either "present itself" in the near future- or go away. As much as I was dreading the race I surely didn't want to miss it because I was ill...

At this point, I begin to accept that I may not be able to run Sunmart.  I had no idea what my body was fighting and what was going to happen in the next few days.  I wanted to be positive, but at the same tine I felt that I needed to prepare myself for the possibility of missing the race...

By Wednesday, the swelling had gone down a bit, and the Dr. called to say it wasn't strep- and to go ahead and plan for the race!  However, she told me I could not run if I started to run a fever for any reason. So at that point, my nerves took over.  For the next 3 days, I would have these small panic attacks consisting of something like this...

"Jennifer, what the hell are you thinking!?"

By Thursday I am freaking out about every hour.  I'm freaking out because I don't know what to expect in those miles that I have never run- miles 24-31.  I have heard all sorts of stories about the pain, the sickness, the disorientation, the "wall"... I wondered what would happen to me in those miles? Would I get sick, and if so, could I keep moving on? I didn't know. I had no idea what my limits would be and how much distress this race would put on my body. 

By Friday I started to worry about the weather, and what I need to wear. I worried about how much food I need to eat in those last miles.  I basically worried about everything.  I left work early with a sense of dread- because I was actually about to leave to go pick up my packet in Houston.  At the same time, I also just wanted to get it over with so I could stop stressing ab0ut it.

So, early Friday afternoon we headed to Houston for packet pick-up. Now, if you are not familiar with Sunmart, here's the deal: You go to Houston for your packet and pasta dinner, but the race is in Huntsville. At packet pick-up you get to pick up your pre-race "premiums" or  race goodies.  Now, I heard about the "premiums" that you get with your packet- but I was actually surprised when I was handed a big black Sunmart canvas zip-up bag and instructed to walk through the  line and pick "one of each" item out of each of the boxes.  I ended up with a hat,  shirt, binder, sunglasses, nail kit, disposable camera,  travel kit, stuffed animal,  gloves, bandanna, hammer gel, lip balm, endurolytes sample.  This is on top of the Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and lunch, and the finishers Sunmart afghan blanket (or jacket) and medal.  I thought to myself- "Jennifer, you better finish this race, you have all this stuff with the Sunmart logo on it!"

Next came the pasta dinner- a big ol' spread of pasta, salad, veggies, and desserts. I tried to eat as much as I could, but my nerves were in full effect and I had a small appetite.  It was a great atmosphere- a room full of many experienced ultra runners wearing t-shirts from recent 50 and 100 mile runs- and the rest of us rookie Sunmarters, chatting nervously about the race to come. 

We headed to Huntsville after dinner- checked into the hotel, got everything ready, and went to bed...

I did it!

  Updated to add finishing time and photo...

Well, I am officially an ultramarathoner! I finished in 6:56:35.

It hurt like hell, but it was  great in so many more ways.

More later- I'm using the internet in the hotel while the guys catch up on some well deserved TV time- they spent hours in the cold drizzle today supporting me.  I am going to go curl up in my Sunmart blanket.

Turkey Trot in the paper

So, there were thousands of people at the Austin Turkey Trot- THOUSANDS... And somehow my husband, out of thousands of people, made it into the Austin American Statesman the next day.  There were only six pictures! (He is in 2 of 6 grey hat, black shirt, looking down). There was a photographer running next to Marcel and Zack for a bit during the kids race- taking photos in their direction. We assumed it was possibly because of the silly turkey hat that I made Marcel for Thanksgiving.  So, we made a note to check the paper for a photo of Marcel - and sure enough- there was a picture of....Zack and our ghost son, who does not appear in the photo at all...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, I trotted at the Turkey Trot today- my legs are still feeling pretty dead from the Saturday-Sunday work-out, and I just didn't have it in me to push it...  But I had fun running with the thousands of folks out there and it was a great way to start the holiday!

Marcel also ran the Kids K in the turkey hat that I made him- Poor kid!

 

Trail Running Anniversary=PR!

Finally a PR worth talking about! It seems that my torturous training is paying off. Results are not official, but according to my watch I knocked about 24 minutes off last year's Rocky Raccoon time... I'm pretty darn happy. 

More later- but for now:

Rocky Raccoon (25K) by numbers:

Number of pockets sewn into my favorite running shorts so that I could carry my gels: 1  (hey, it worked!)

Handfuls of fritos eaten after the race - 3  (yeah, you get JUNK food at the trail races)

Number of miles recorded on my Garmin by the time we hit the 12.9 mile aid station- only 10! What an awesome surprise to find out we were 3 miles ahead of what our watches read.

Number of people running with me the entire time- 1- my running partner Monica, she pushed me to the end...

Number of ankle twist- NONE!

Number of times I had to walk up a hill- NONE!

Number of alligators in lake - NONE this time...

Pictures from the course

One of my running buddies was kind enough to let me link to the photos that he took on the course and at the finish line yesterday.  Check 'em out- he got some good shots of the terrain.

Jennifer

The Belt- Part 2

OK, so as I was saying, the race had a "rolling start" which meant that we could start anytime between 6:30 and 7:00. Well, when it hit 6:30, all the fast folks started to speed onto the course, one by one.  I looked around for one of the runners that was meeting us at the race, but didn't find her. We were concerned that she got lost on the way, so I headed back to my car to see if she had called. When I returned to the starting line- most of the folks were gone. I waited about 5 minutes more for my friend, and decided to take off- I wanted to minimize the time I would spend in the heat later in the morning.  I had with me some gels, my handheld water bottle, and a few endurolytes in case I really sweat out there.

So, I headed out down the trail (toward Zilker Park) and was directed to the right to the Toy Loop. This was not the toy loop that I did on Tuesday by the way, but I think I crossed some of the same paths here and there.  It was nice and cool, and the sun had just come up.  It was just me, the trees and the rocks, for quite a bit of this loop. Here and there I would pass someone, or someone would pass me, but I did most of this section by myself.  This loop returned me back to the main trail and back to the starting area, and I was now going the opposite way on the trail. I ran quickly (for me) along this part which is very familiar to me- crossing the chain, dodging the rocks, avoiding slipping on the wet moss and off the side of the bank. The course then led me across the creek under the mopac bridge and then up that slippery climb to the mile 3 aid station.  There was a dude taking photos here as we crossed the rocks, and I think he got one of me slipping and looking like a dork.

The next section was the easy part, basically flat until the hill of life. Then- happiness- we only had to go halfway up the hill of life! Great, and I am still feeling strong after the half HOL! I get a water refill and continue on.

The next section brings you to the power-line loop.  We ran down some side trails from one side of the creek, across the dam, to the other side of the creek, and then up, up , up, down down, up, up , up for the next 4 miles to next aid station. OK, now my quads are starting to rebel. The rest of my legs- fine. My quads- heavy and burning. After leaving the aid station we ran down the power-line, back down to the main trail, and then up again.  Running along the power-line is not my pleasure- it is flat but full of rocks, and it feels like it is jumbling up everything inside of you. And it is exposed to the sun, so it was hot. I start to have indigestion or something at this point- a have a bubble in my chest that I can't get out and I am burping up that darn raspberry gel. Here I am all worried that I am going to have stomach issues with the heat, and I get indigestion from my gel? Ugh.  I sing some songs to keep myself moving, my mind of the bubble of pain.

Next, another loop. This is where "the hard part" is supposed to start. I think it was around this point that we were directed through the barbed-wire fence and my hat got stuck on a barb and came off.  Then we start to go up.  Again. The climb up at this point is so steep, I don't even feel like I am moving.  I can not believe how SLOWLY I went up that climb, the entire time I am thinking that I'm going to halve to walk the rest of the way. My legs are done. But then a flat section came, and I would run it, then a downhill, and I would try to run it and much as the footing would allow. On this side of the creek, instead of big large rocks , the ground is soft and mulchy, but the rocks are smaller and slippery.  Going down fast in this part (like I was across the creek) was just not working, I was sliding down these sections, grabbing on to tree branches here and there to keep me on the trail.  It was about 11 miles or so that I started to feel a hot-spot on my right big toe and a blister on the neighbor toe from all the steep  down hill running. 

So then, another loop, this one the climb seems to go up forever, though I'm sure it wasn't as high as I thought it was a the time.  I'm pretty miserable going up this. Once again, I can't believe how slow I am climbing this thing, and think for sure my legs are done. But then I start to descend, back onto the main smooth trail, and I can still run with a few power-walking breaks across the rocky parts. I know this section and I know that I am almost done. I run back across the same rocky area, across the chain, under the 360 graffiti bridge, up the ramp, and across the finish line.  I forget that I have a chip on, because I haven't done a trail run with chips before. I try to stand still for them to cut off the chip, but I am a bit wobbly (see previous post for evidence).  I was SO THIRSTY, I barely made conversation, and only wanted my iced Gatorade endurance drink that I had waiting for me in the car.  But I was very happy- I finally ran the whole course on the greenbelt and was introduced to some new places for killer workouts- if, I can find them again. Not sure if my race-fog will allow me to remember how to get to those loops though. Despite the 4.5 miles of indigestion, I had a great time, and am happy to once again finish a 25K- with hopes of Sunmart in the future.

So that's that. Now, tomorrow, it is time to head over to the running store and grab some new road shoes- I'll be on running on roads for the next week on our vacation back home. And maybe, if I am lucky, I'll take a venture down to my old childhood park and check out the trails that I used to live on as a kid.  And not to mention a very cool 5K that I am running with a fellow running blogger...

Jennifer

The Belt Part 1 - Pre Race Dream

I went to bed early to get some good sleep because I was to be up at about 4:45 Am. And typically I don't sleep well the night before a longer race, so I wanted to get as much as I could.

During the night, I had an awful race dream.  I dreamed that I brought Marcel to the start line, and then just took off with no consideration for who would be watching my child.  Zack was still sleeping at home, I guess... So, I'm running and running, and I get to the first aid station and someone has brought Marcel tot he aid station for me.  Well, now I realize what I've done (basically abandoned my child at my race) and so I bargain with a person at the aid station to watch him. Then, I start running away and my legs are sticking to the ground, and I am practically having to lift my legs up with my hands to move forward (I saw Murderball last night, I think that explains that part).  Then, get this, the race course actually runs through a restaurant (probably Trudy's, it's close)  and I am following the  colored streamers that are marking the trail from point to point, (which was actually like- ice machine to grill, grill to dishwasher...) until the streamers are no longer being used, and I have to follow a new course marking. The new course markers are, of all things, those little flower appliques that you put on the bottom of your tub so you don't fall down. Don't ask me why that was in my dream, I haven't seen a tub flower since I was at my grandma's house 10 years ago.  Back to the story- have you ever tried to run through a restaurant?  I worked in restaurants for 10 years, and know nothing is worse than a wet floor in a restaurant kitchen- I had a bruised tailbone one summer to back that up. I don't know what would be worse, running through restaurants, or trail running.

Anyway, a bit more running through restaurants (I guess we went through all of them in the Brodie shopping center) and out to the trail. They are serving hot food out of chafing dishes at the aid station. I pass on the roast beef  and stuffed cod. I need ice for my water bottle- they give me an entire bag and I have to deal with breaking the ice up, and trying to pour it into my little 8oz water bottle, that of course falls over continually as I try to fill it.  I'm freaking out about Marcel being left with a stranger, but I keep going after I fill my bottle.

Then I wake up.  Let's just say the nothing that could happen to me at the race this morning would be half as bad as my frickin' dream. That gave me a bit of comfort as I told the story to another runner this morning - I was going to be just fine.

Race report later-

The Race by Numbers - and some babbling (I need coffee)

I made it in one piece and I don't think I looked as bedraggled as I thought I would at the end.  I could still run at the end, so that made me happy- after many many climbs that seemed like they would go on forever and made my legs burn and make me feel like I couldn't take another step--I could still run at the end!  The race shirt says "get spanked" on the back;  I think I did, but not nearly as bad as I thought. The course had a time-trial start, so we could start anytime between 6:30 and 7:00. Most people started at 6:30 sharp, but I waited around for a friend (who did not show) and started out by myself. I was pretty much by myself for most of the run- was passed by people and passed others, but never really ran with anyone for very long.  That was kinda strange because I am used to trail runs being so congested for the first few miles, and I was sailing along by myself for quite a while...

Anyway, I will write up a full race report later, because I really enjoyed the course- but I am kinda tired right now and really just babbling- but for now, the race by numbers-

The Belt by the numbers:

Number of climbs during which I thought my legs were fried- I stopped counting- maybe 10?

Number of Clif Shots/HammerGels consumed- 3

Number of times I burped up those damn raspberry HammerGel/Clif Shots- about 25.  No more raspberry gels for me.

Number of times my hat got pulled off by going under barbed wire - 1

Number of tattoo compliments- ~10. I sure like Austin trail-runners.

Number of times I thought someone was on my heels only to find out that I was hearing own my sweaty soggy shorts squishing and thought that it was a person running behind me. A few times. It was pretty darn sweaty out there. I also poured a ton of  cold water down my back, so between that and the sweat I basically looked like I had jumped in the creek (without the sludge of course).

Number of times I sang "Blue Orchid" to keep my ass moving- 2

Number of blisters from running down rocky hills - 7

Number of ankle twists- 0. None. Zilch.  No falls either. Didn't even slide on my bum going down into the grotto. Stayed on my feet the entire time - this is a HUGE thing for me considering I FELL DOWN ON THE FLAT ROAD 2 weeks ago! Yay!

Number of hours and minutes that it took me to finish the 15.5 mile course- not sure yet, I think about 3 hours, 24 minutes.  I'm happy with that- it's longer than my last one, but this course is about 20X harder than that one, so I'll take the extra 10 minutes.

OK. My head is pounding from caffeine withdrawal- gotta go get some coffee.  More Later.

Me and my saggy, soggy drawers trying to stay upright after I had to stop to get my chip removed. Notice that the person who removed my chip is walking away, and I am still standing there all spaced-out.

Results

So the results are posted, and I ran just over 1:14. Of course, I wish I was faster(!), but I am happy with my time considering it was a tough (for me) course. Most importantly, I really enjoyed myself and had a "buzz" all Sunday from the run.  That's what it is all about....!

The Loop

While I was out running the race today, Marcel and Zack were writing stories for Marcel's class journal and this was one of them:

Marcel's Mommy runs as fast as a green Jeep driving through the woods chasing a leopard who is chasing her car.

Well, it wasn't quite like that. But it was a good time!

We woke up this morning super-early to get to the park before the parking lot filled up. Once the parking lot was full, they were going to bus in runners from the parking lot a few miles down the road. Needless to say, we were not feeling that - especially since Zack is in an aircast. We got there early enough (6AM) to get a good spot close to the finish area, and also see the sun come up.

As we made our way to the starting area, Zack spotted the "spouse and children spectator area" near the start.  However, seems that I was the only person who dragged her spouse and child out of bed at 5:30 for this race; there was not a single kid in sight. Ususally we see a few kids at least. We also spotted where the trail finished- a steep drop down from the course to the parking lot. The RD called it the "hill of death" in his pre-race speech.  Good thing I wore my trail shoes.

We started the race at 7:30, about 30 minutes after the 30K runners departed. I had read that the course would be rocky with many "rock ledges".  Right off the bat, I encountered a few of these and my quads were burning. I was a bit worried for about a mile, because my legs were feeling heavy so early in the run. It was definitely more technical surface than the other trail runs that I have done, with many more "step-ups" and "step-downs". Many of the "step-up" areas were ledges that were about the height of 2 stairs, and in some places there were 3 or more in a row.  But, after about 2 1/2 miles my legs warmed up and felt strong again. I walked the steeper inclines, and tried to slowly jog up the shorter climbs, to keep moving.  At one point I  caught up with a father-daughter (perhaps 13 years old?) pair and ran with them for a few miles. I couldn't help but think that maybe one day that would be Marcel and I, or Marcel and Zack- or hey, all three of us!

The course was so well marked- it was awesome. There were ribbons and signs everywhere. The ribbons were hanging down, above the trail, and I would brush them with my shoulder. They were wet, and as far as I know there was no rainfall last night so I could only assume that they were actually covered the sweat of the runners ahead. I actually hit one with my face, to that was a bit yuck. But hey, I was thankful that they were there!

The last few miles seemed a lot less technical until the end. There were no mile markers of course, so I had to estimate the distance I had covered, based upon my Prickly Pear pace. After about an hour and 10 minutes I figured that I was fairly close to the end. There was a steep climb, and I soon saw the finish area through the trees. I ran along a ledge, and approached the "hill of death" along with another runner.  When I realized how slick and steep it was I froze for a moment, trying to find a good way down. I watched the other women's footing and followed her lead. Thankfully I did not slide down on my butt, or lose control and crash into the spectators (as one other runner almost did).

(In this picture you can see how steep the drop is behind me)

Right now I have no idea what my finishing time was.  I never started my watch, and wasn't paying attention to the time once I got to that last drop. Results will probably be posted early this week and I am anxious to see how I did.

After the run, Marcel confided in me - "Mom, I was stressing about you". Apparently he had seen few runners who had had bloody knees from falling on the course. He was worried that I was hurt.  Poor dude.

The Loop by numbers (and lesson learned):

Number of falls- 0

Number of ankle twists- about 3, not as bad as the last time

Number of giant rocks kicked- 1 (couldn't have been ugly)

Number of 30K runners who lapped me- at least 10

Number of sweaty ribbons I came in contact with- 5

Lesson Learned: Having trail shoes on made a huge difference.  At Prickly Pear I had to walk over the very rocky areas and felt every pointy rock jam into the bottom of my running shoe. But with the trail shoes on,  I could run over the rocks and not even feel them. Made a huge difference.

I had a great time, and really enjoyed the course. Didn't run as fast as a Jeep, but I feel like a ran a bit faster and smarter this time. Came home and had my favorite post run snack - a Cup Noodles.

(Marcel and I post race, Marcel looking thankful that Mom did not have "any of the blood")

Photos

Photos are up of Prickly Pear- check them out to see pictures on the course.

I didn't make it in any of the photos, so I will have to continue to post my drawing.

Prickly Pear 10 Miler

Prickly Pear 10 Miler 2005

We left Austin around 3PM on Friday and made it to San Antonio before 5PM. We stayed in the host hotel, so I had the convenience of picking up my packet in the lobby, instead of having to drive to the park or somewhere else to get it. It was a stress-free trip and a stress-free evening which is always a bonus when you are dragging your family along with you.

I went to bed early and had a surprisingly good sleep for a being in a hotel bed. I woke up feeling well rested at 5:00 AM and was ready to go.  At about 6:15 I went to the car to pack it up, and felt a light rain in the air.  I went back to the room to break the news to Zack---yes, it seems that this may be another rainy race for my husband and son. Present Count - 4 rainy races,  2 non-rainy races, in the past 8 months.

Thankfully for Zack, his aircast, and Marcel, the rain subsided shortly after we arrived at the park at about 7:00 AM. We tried to get to the park in time to see the 50K'ers take off, but couldn't figure out where the starting line was so we missed them.

The 10 miler started at 8:30, so I spent the next hour and a half hanging out at the playground and catching up with a race buddy. We listened to the race briefing and walked to the starting line, and suddenly the race started. Because there was no air-horn signal, I wasn't sure at first if it was actually time to go! I followed the pack down the road until we turned in to the single-track park trails. We all lined up single file, all of us trying to determine what pace to stay at; you could stay behind the person in front of you, or speed up and pass and perhaps get sucked into a quicker pace. I stayed behind a group of people for a few miles, running conservatively, but soon everyone started to spread out and run at their own pace.

By mile 2 I realized that the Powerbar I ate for breakfast wasn't going to get me far, so I took a gel. I can't eat much in the morning when I run because my stomach upsets easily. Fortunately for the distance I run, I can do 10-15 miles on a Powerbar, gels, and a bit of sports drink. I know when I increase my distance I will have to adapt to eating more in the morning... But for now, the Powerbar works.

Anyway, The gel helped and I felt pretty strong throughout the race after that point. I didn't push it, and walked when I needed to. The paths sometimes were very rocky and made it difficult to run in parts; my ankle twisted a few times, and I nearly fell once. The trails were slightly sticky from the early morning rain, and a bit slippery in a few places. But the trails were wonderful, with plenty of long runnable stretches through wildflowers and tall grasses.

Near the end of the race, we had to cross a big nasty black mud puddle which led to a led to a sizable patch of very sticky, slippery mud. My shoes had accumulated giant dirt waffles for about a quarter mile, but eventually I was able to set them free.  By mile 8 I felt a strange blister on the bottom of my foot in a place I never get blisters- I didn't know if I had a rock in my shoe or if it was just some strange friction as a result of the rocky trails.  I decided not to stop to check it out, because I was so close to the end (it actually occurred because my stinkin' sock was too tight, I think I shrunk it in the laundry).  About a mile from the finish line, I caught up with another woman, and chatted with her a bit until we crossed the finish line.

I finished a bit slower than I thought I would (a bit over 2 hours), but I hadn't realized that the trail would be so rocky in parts (I did not have my trail shoes on) and that some areas would be so slick. I am happy with my race, and I feel like I stayed pretty strong until the end, despite my loss of energy so early in the race.  The race coordinators and volunteers did a great job of making the race very friendly and unique. The race had a really great vibe. I will definitely go back again next year, and who knows - maybe I will try the longer distance next time! Next year I will wear trail shoes though...

For now, I don't really have any running plans for the summer- I have chosen a few "maybe" races, but have not committed to any.  I really want to go back to Huntsville on October, and run some of the longer distance road races in Austin in the fall. I don't want to burn out this summer (like I did last year) so I may just take it easy. Or maybe I won't. Who knows...

Day of Surprises

A bit of background about why I registered for the 2005 "Round Up" 10K:

Last year, I decided to sign up for the inaugural 2004 Round Up 10K. Prior to signing up, my longest run was a 5K.  I trained for weeks to get ready, running 6 mile runs on the weekends, and felt very prepared when I showed up on race day. However, 20 minutes later I would learn I was sadly mistaken. The race was scheduled for 2:00 in the afternoon, and I showed up in a black sports bra and black shorts, no sunscreen, no water bottle, and no hat.  I had been running in the early morning and didn't need these things! Black running clothes are fine in the morning when you are running on a shaded trail! I started the race feeling strong, but by mile 2, I was already starting to feel bad. Last year's course took us north of the Capitol (instead of South, as it was this year) into a pretty busy section of town.  Cars were backed up along the race route and exhaust from the idling vehicles was nauseating. People had their hoses out in front of their houses and were spraying the runners- which offered momentary comfort. I could feel the sun burning my sunblock-less New Yorker skin. My mouth was so dry, it felt like I had cotton balls in it. At about mile 4, I began to walk and curse myself for signing up for the miserable race.

At this point, I start to alternate walking and running. I had no energy and I was burning up.  And then it happened, my most shameful running experience yet,  less than a mile from the finish a person running in a giant foam sandwich costume passed me right in front of the race photographers. To add to the physical pain all I could imagine was the photograph of me, staggering and tomato-red, getting my ass kicked by a running foam sandwich.

I finished the race in about 1hr, 11 minutes and promptly went home to pass out. When I awoke, I had a migraine and my skin was burned and i felt like I could crumble into pieces (like in that Gatorade commercial). I even had a burn in the part of my hair.

So this year I went back to put the demons to rest.....

Round Up 10K:

When I checked the weather report yesterday, I swear I didn't see anything about the possibility of rain today. I went to be early last night and slept like a log. When my alarm went off at 5:45 this morning, Zack pointed out that it was pouring. Surprise #1. I had slept so hard, I never even heard it. We opened the blinds and watched the lightning for about 10 minutes, and then got up.

I wasn't really concerned about running in the rain, in fact I prefer it. However, I didn't realize how cold it was! The weather here has been in the high nineties this past week, and I assumed it was one of those "warm rains".

We realized that both of our umbrellas are at our workplaces, so Zack decided that we would stop at the 7-11 to pick up a rain poncho on the way to the race. Unfortunately, 7-11 had a wide array of hair-combs, but no ponchos. The cashier told Zack that it was because it didn't rain often in Austin (only on days that I sign up for a race). So, he drove over to Racetrack; no ponchos there either. But, by the time we get to the Capitol, it stopped raining.

We get there, I grab my chip (which was the longest line in which I have ever waited for a chip) and then proceeded to find a port-a-potty. The row of port-a-potties by the starting line had a ridiculous line and I knew I wouldn't start on time if I joined it. Thinking I was in luck, I found a lone handicapped bathroom that had a small line of woman waiting for it. Score! However, I learned a valuable lesson today in the port-a-potty line: A small line of  6 casually dressed non-running- type ladies moves more slowly than a line of 25 male and female runner types.  I mean, I've got the whole port-a-potty thing down, it takes me 30 seconds. I didn't realize how much time the rookie port-a-potty user takes. I was so impatient, I started to to the dramatic check your watch gesture every 10 seconds, which is something I hate to see people do.

So, I get right in line for the start after I finally get to use the restroom. I realized I made a poor choice of starting position when I overhear the woman in front of me mention that it took her 2 hours last year, I should have realized I was behind a wall of walkers when I saw that they all had umbrellas! Now, I'm no speedy person, but these women were clearly in the wrong part of the line. As the horn went off, I realized that there were many walkers in front of me, and that I would have to do some strategic dodging to get around them.  I zig-zagged through many groups of walkers as I headed up Congress, but soon was free of the obstacles and headed on my way.

Shortly after the race started, it began to pour.  When the thunder cracked, I was starting to become concerned about my choice of apparel- a tank top, shorts, and a thin jacket that offered no protection. It was fine though- I enjoy the cool air when I am running, and like to run in the rain. It washes away all of the salt and sweat, and really helps me to stay regulated. As I mention in my Chili Powder post, of my last 4 races, 3 have been during rainstorms (Rocky Raccoon 25K, Decker 20K, and today). I have enjoyed all of them.

The course went up Congress, down South First, and downtown slightly before retuning to the Capitol. The course was moderately hilly, which I really liked- because if there are ups, there are downs. Gotta love running the downs. I really don't like flat (I ran the runway 5K last year and wont ever do it again, too boring without changes) and have enjoyed runs with a hilly course the best.

By the end of the race, my hands were feeling a bit numb, but I was still feeling good. I conquered that hill where the sandwich passed me last year, and finished happy. I had no idea what my time was, but I didn't any expectations considering I was injured just a few months ago.  I finished, grabbed some food, then proceeded to the car where we warmed up. Zack even took his long-sleeved shirt off for me to wear, and I warmed up in time to head back out into the for Marcel's race.

This afternoon, I checked out the race results and to my surprise (#2), I actually ran my best 10K time today, one minute faster than my last 10K in October. I wasn't paying attention to the time, and didn't use my watch during the race, so I had no idea. I'm very happy about that!

Surprise #3, my wonderful husband got me a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers this evening!

Motive

From 11/22/04

Motive.

I ran Motive yesterday. I was pretty apprehensive going into it considering that I had not done a "long run" since Rocky Raccoon. The longest I had run before yesterday was a 7 miler a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I was a little worried about how my legs would perform in those last few miles. Also on my mind were the hills at miles 4.5-5 and 6 that I was not sure if I should try to run **Gasp** or walk. The hills were yuck of course and I feel a bit nauseous during this part. Looking back I should have taken a gel at the 4.5 mile water-stop, instead of at 6 when I eventually took it. Unfortunately I forgot about the last hill at 6, instead I was a bit caught up in watching the young female cellist that was entertaining the runners, and forgot that Zack said that when you turned the corner there would be a big hill that you had no momentum to run up because of the turn. Ugh. I walked it. The rest of the course was pretty flat from here.

At mile 9 I had a great flashback. Mile 9 was where I was camped out last year waiting for Zack to pass. At the time I could not comprehend even running a 5K, it was just shortly after Motive that I walked my first 5K race. Anyway, here I was at that same spot, passing by my husband and son feeling pretty strong still.

So I did it, with a few walking jaunts around the hills, and a bit of walking at the end :(. This was the first time I had run 13 miles on pavement, so my legs were quite achy by the end. But I can wear my socks with pride knowing I finished one of the hardest course in Austin in a decent time (2:29). As hard as I am on myself about walking some of the course, I have to remember that last year at this time I was only a spectator who did not know that she would run the same race a year later! Not bad.

Next up Decker Challenge
then....Bandera 25K. Gulp.

Rocky Raccoon Race Report

From October 24, 2004

On my quest to do an ultra, I decided to start with the Rocky Raccoon 25K Trail Run. The race took place in Hunstville, Texas, the same location for many of the Texas Trail Runs such as Sunmart, Hogs Hunt, and the Rocky Raccoon 50/100 miler. I figured it would be a good start. Initially I planned to do Sunmart in December, a plan that has since been put on hold so I can survive the holidays. Also, an injury and a cold have kept me sidelined from some of the longer runs that I had planned over the last month and I did not want to push my training and injure myself. So, my goals this year were to run the RR25K and the upcoming Motive Bison half marathon. We will see what is in store for 2005…..

We arrived in Huntsville around 7PM on Friday. Packet pick-up was at the lodge inside the Huntsville State Park until 8PM that evening. I left Zack and Mar at the hotel and ventured up I45 looking for the park. I followed the signs, down the very dark roads, until I finally found the lodge. This first trip into the park I missed fabled the “beware of alligators” sign that I had previously read about. The park was very wooded and dark, and smelled of fir trees and crisp air. It reminded me so much of my grandparents camp in upstate New York- the smell, the trees, and the lake. I felt like I was home, and all pre-race anxiety went away.

We found a Chili’s, ate some pasta, and went to bed early. I slept surprisingly well for the night before my first trail run, and the first time I would run 15.5 miles. My longest run pre-RR25K was a fourteen mile run that I did about 2 or 3 months ago, before I had problems with my IT band/knee.

We traveled into the park a bit before 7:00, and this time we saw the “alligators exist in the park” sign. It made us all a bit uneasy; I had thought that the alligators were an ultrarunning urban legend.  We got to the park as the 50K runners (7:00AM) were taking off in the dark. It was humid, but very bearable. I had my hand held water bottle and 4 gels; one with caffeine in case I started to crash. Marcel and Zack hung out behind the lodge, watching the lake as the sun came up--and they actually saw an alligator out in the water!  About 7:30 or so it started to thunder and then rain started to pour down on us. My confidence started to fade, as I knew the trails were single-track and jeep roads. I had already read about how portions of the trail, when wet, were so slippery that you could slide backwards on a climb. I told Zack I hoped to see him by noon, giving me 4 hours to complete the muddy 1 loop of the course.

I started off conservatively, not knowing how to gauge myself against the other runners. I had no idea how fast these runners were, so I started near the back. Before we actually hit the trail I passed a bunch of folks on an uphill, many had stopped to walk the hill (as would be the case throughout the entire run). I felt strong and had run a steep incline at least once on all of my long runs, so I figured I could run it early. I think it was a good choice, because I never saw those runners again.

For the first 4 or so miles to the aid station #1 I was in heaven. This was unlike any road race I had run- it was so secluded and beautiful. Runners were chatty, supportive, and complimentary. There was no crowd support of course; we were our own support.  I was running with a smile on my face and making good progress. I estimate that I made it to the aid station in about 45 minutes, which I was very happy about. Along the way I had battled that slippery red clay uphill fairly well, only sliding a few times. I was pacing myself with a few women in front of me. We all walked the uphill climbs and ran the rest. I would run for long stretches until I came to a hill, and I would power-walk them.  I felt strong still, so stopped for a very short time at the aid station to get my number registered and my bottled refilled.

I left aid station #1 with a different group than I had come in with. It was mostly downhill so I took advantage, and quickened my pace. I was loving the terrain, hopping over roots (many, many of them), running through puddles (sometimes deeper than my ankle), and navigating the twists and turns. I got to the aid station #2 in good time, heard them call my number, and kept moving. I took my second gel and was off to finish the next 7.5 miles.

I was starting to feel fatigue in my legs and pressure in my knees and ankles at this point. I knew the next aid station was not for another 5 miles and I knew I needed to carefully keep track of the time so I would know how far along I was. The stretch between about 10 miles and 12 miles was the hardest point for me. My body felt completely different from the last time I ran 12 miles and now I was in unfamiliar territory. My calves hurt more than they ever had before and my ankles were hurting from dodging the roots. I knew I had to conserve energy to finish strong. There was a point where the trail I started to take longer walking breaks, as did the rest of the folks on the trail with me (though they were few and far between at this point; I had lost quite a few runners that were with me and a few runners lost me). There was a point where the trail started to wind around like a zig-zag and I got a little dizzy! That was the only point in the race that my stomach bothered me, and I think it was from the twisting and turning. I felt a bit like mouse in a maze for about 10 minutes. The rain continued and by now much of the trail resembled a long narrow pool of chocolate milk.

I came to the next aid station and they told me that we only had 2.8 miles to go- I had thought it would be longer! I headed out to finish my run, estimating that I had about 45 minutes left. The next 2.8 miles were very strange for me. Somehow I had lost the folks that I was running with back at the aid station and I was alone for most of the last part of the race. Luckily I didn’t think about the alligators, and tried to look around and take in my surroundings- red mushrooms, purple berries, and ferns. I think it was in the last few miles that I crossed a series of footbridges, which went over the swampy edges of the lake. It was beautiful, and the only time that I really felt the sun throughout the whole run. I wanted to stop and soak it all in, but continued to run to try to make it to the finish by 11:15.

Alone, with runners far in front and behind me, I followed the orange tape through the last few miles of the course. At points I just prayed that I was going the right way.  I could hear cars in the distance, and figured that I must be coming upon the lodge in a short while. It was at the last mile, while running over broken up pavement and rocks, that my right foot began to hurt. The arch felt as if those rocks had bruised it and it was all I could do to continue running on it- every step was painful. I pulled around a corner and saw a photographer and I knew I was at the end (should have a good photo of me sloshing thru my last mud puddles of the morning). Sure enough, I followed little orange flags to where people were cheering. I saw my family there, trying to stay dry with makeshift plastic bag apparel. I had no idea when I was supposed to stop, so I continued to run until I finally saw the time clock and the “finish line”  (which was 2 girls handing out awards to the runners). I finished in just over 3 hours and 15 minutes. My legs hurt more than they ever had before, my arch was bruised, I was covered in mud. I took my socks off to find wrinkled up white feet, a bunch of new blisters, and gray mud caked between my toes. I think I am hooked.