The race started at 7 pm. It was mighty hot, and the first mile or two were single file. I remember looking at my Garmin at 1.2 miles/12 minutes, which is a mighty fast pace (for me) on the trails (especially running over big rocks and through tall grass). I went faster than I should have because I didn't want the people behind me to have to slow down. The trail widened a bit after that, and we started walking up the inclines. The first aid station was at mile 4, and they had water coolers and electrolytes. I refilled my fuel belt bottles, swallowed a couple of tablets, and ate a gel.
I noticed some pain in my left foot around miles 3-4, especially when I was walking. Fortunately that subsided though. It started getting dark at around 8:30 or 9:00. Derek and I continued to walk up the inclines and run the flats and downhills. We refilled our bottles at the mile 8 aid station, and I grabbed 3 peanut butter crackers that hit the spot. I could tell I needed salt. The next four miles were pretty tough. The downhills were more technical (so I couldn't accumulate any speed), and it seemed like we went uphill WAY more than downhill (funny how that works). I took a potty break at around mile 10 or 11 (hooray for the random park bathroom). It felt like I needed to pee, but I was obviously pretty dehydrated and not much happened. We were ready to hit the aid station at mile 12 and refuel. Then we got there and heard the bad news: they were out of water. This was rather ironic considering how the Race Director warned us to stay hydrated (a runner at the first race of the series ended up in the hospital). Since we were pretty worn out and dehydrated, we decided to walk the last 7 miles. It was a v-e-r-y l-o-n-g w-a-l-k.
I felt like I might throw up, and I was questioning how on earth I would finish 50 miles in February. We went from a 4:15 estimated finish to a 5-hour estimated finish. Fortunately there was a water cooler at mile 16, so we downed a bunch of water (nectar of the gods). The last 7 miles were a disaster though. Not only was there the hydration issue, but that led to nutrition issues since we couldn't eat without having some water to wash it down. We crossed the sweet, sweet finish line at 5:03 and grabbed some cold water. After resting for a few minutes, food began to sound better. I ate a PB&J and a Morningstar black bean burger patty and I felt 100 times better. The good thing about walking (instead of running) was that my legs aren't even that sore.
Final Results: 58th out of 77, 5:03:30
Lessons learned from my first trail AND night run:
1) I need to buy a small head light. I borrowed one from Dee, but it was too large and clunky for running (I think it was designed for cycling). I ended up borrowing a small handheld flashlight from Derek, and that worked well.
2) The 6-oz fuel belt bottles are a pain in the a$$. I will try a camelbak or large handheld water bottles next time.
3) I need to experiment with salt tablets in training and learn how many to take before, during, and after a race. I was totally craving salt on Sunday.
4) My nutrition is still a mess. I can handle gels early on, but then I prefer salt rather than sugar. I need to experiment with different foods in training and see what my tummy can handle.
5) I need to experiment with my anti-acid medicine and perhaps double-up on race day. My mucous was getting really thick (gross out) and it was difficult to swallow (that's what she said). This probably affected my nutrition as well.
6) If I'm allowed to drop off a bag at an aid station, I will do it (and pack extra food and water just in case). This saved some people at the waterless aid station.
7) The Sansom Park trails provide great technical training. The race course seemed much easier. 8) As Derek said, I need to work on "power walking" (especially for the 50-miler).
9) I couldn't imagine running a course like this by myself. It was ten times better having a buddy. It made the race go by faster, and it also helped my attitude. I would have been way more negative if I were by myself. So thank you, Derek!
10) I need to invest in some dirty girl gaiters to keep the trails out of my shoes.
Looking all fresh (and hydrated!) before the race:
Hanging out in the shade:
The prize:
2 comments:
Great race! It's always good to learn something during a race and I think we learned quite a bit. I'm glad we were able to suffer together.
Nice job; thanks for all of the helpful tips! It is always great to learn those things from other people's experiences :)
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