I signed up for this race on a whim--needed motivation to train and knew the race directors were good guys and it would be a good time. Training was dismal but just enough, I hoped. This was out in Cassoday, Kansas, on rocky dirty roads, in the Flint Hills...and their were hills, a lot of these roads have not seen traffic in a long time, very rocky in places, and hot, and windy, and exposed,--Kansas!!
My strategy going into this as the predicted temps climbed and climbed was to go out fairly fast, maybe even suicidal, and enjoy all the good miles I could when the weather was reasonably cool, before the sun and wind started their punishment.
The morning was pretty uneventful, coffee, donut, drive. I peed a few times, and offloaded my drop bags which were actually nothing but my g2 purple gatorade and socks. They were serving gubrew and I know that stuff is disgusting, so wanted my own gatorade of choice! We milled around at the pre-race briefing, I chatted with a few people I knew, and as the sun rose, we were off. I did not wear a watch, or carry a phone or music, just ran.
The first 8 miles to the first aid station weren't too bad, not hilly or rocky. I went out in 4th overall--three men ahead of me. I felt good and strong, and drained my whole bottle of gatorade along with a hammergel and some water, picked up 1/4 of a pb and j at the station and an s-cap and took out. Pitched my shirt here too--it was already getting hot and humid.
The second 8ish miles I got the two guys running ahead of me--the other one was way out in front. Eventually me and one guy, from omaha, pulled ahead and ran together a while. he was super cool. Another hammerjel, gatorade, water, s-cap, 1/4 pb and j. This is the hardest, rockiest, hilliest part of the course. monster hills and rocks. I was cruising through them but knew they were gonna be a show-stopper coming back.
I pulled ahead of Omaha and started chasing number one. I caught him just before the halfway point and the turnaround. While this section was not as bad as the last section, it had it's fair number of hills. I repeated the same routine at the halfway point for nutrition, and then whipped around to start the real battle. It was much hotter now, and the first thing I noticed was the face full of 20mph wind. ugh. The original number one guy fell back, and a new guy caught up with me--we traded leads for the next 16 miles. He had long legs and would occasionally do this power walk and fall back, but then run and catch up. My 5 footer legs are no good at power walking--I am better of shuffling.
As we hit the aid station before going back into the really hard part my legs were pretty much fried. hamburger. Energy was good, stomach was good, but my undertrained legs were officially trashed. I knew I was now in for a shuffle to the finish. This 8 mile section was just brutal--actually worse on the downs than the ups as far as leg pain, but I forced myself to pick up speed and just grimaced going down because my quads were so wasted, but I needed to bank time because my upward power hike was pretty pathetic.
I thought the last aid station would never come. I was relieved because I knew it would be flattish and finishing was now on the radar, but the last 9 miles were where the fatigue and the heat started to melt me. The wind was relentless, the sun was relentless--I was a hot, miserable, shuffling lobster. I started picking out landmarks far away at what I hoped was a mile or two, and making bargains with myself that I could walk two telephone poles if I just shuffled the rest of the way. This was the game I played to keep moving forward and not just give up and walk all together. oh, and new number one guy--he took off like a bat out of hell and wasted me by 12 minutes!! I went for a hammergel and realized I didn't have one. This was a little disheartening, as was my dwindling water bottle.
They moved the finish to the community center this year so we had to run past the starting line and it added some distance. I looked sadly at my car as I shuffled by. There was a train track between me and the finish--and then I heard the train in the distance. Oh no!! I was NOT getting stopped by that train, and it gave me enough motivation to force my wasted legs to pump, and I beat that dang train and I could see the finish and hear the cowbells and it was all over a few minutes later.
First woman, second over all. I am pretty pleased, as I didn't expect a decent showing in my current lack of fitnessy. This course was waaaay harder than the praire spirit 50 I did last year. I was definitely chewed up in the second half, with my one hour positive split!! I am glad I did this, but glad it is done, and chomping at the bit to get trained up this summer.
Now off to continue eating my weight in food!
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