This is an awesome trial marathon/half in the local hills here above O-town. Full has about 4600-4800 vertical feet of climb and is 99.9% trail.
Was debating were to run on Saturday and nothing was sounding too appealing. Really need to get away for a nice roll through the Winds again or the Tetons, but not this weekend. I knew this race was coming up, and in fact the RD asked if I could run an aid station again, but with my sporadic running this week and limited time, I wanted to be selfish and get a good run in. Never having run this race or even some parts of the course, I thought what the heck and signed up about 9:30 last night. When the alarm went off this morning, I really didn't want to get up. Sleep has been scarce for a week or so with the new guy. Dragged myself out, drove very unmotivated to the start, sat in my truck for a bit wanting to close my eyes for another 10 minutes, finally walked over and got my number, talked to Phil L, who wasn't racing but headed up BL with his son, Talked with Shane the goat for a bit, hit the POP and walked up to the start. Here's the Highlights (and a few low-lights): -In the 100 yards to the single track, no one wanted to jump in the lead so I did. Not where I wanted to be, but there I was. -Lead about 2/3's of the initial 2800-3000 ft climb. Had another guy with me that I thought was the goat, ended up being a kid named Pablo, who passed me like I was standing still and put a big gap between me and everyone else for a bit. -I went out too hard and started to die a bit a the top of the climb, Came through the first aid at the saddle in 3rd, right with second place at 1:08. -Kept about a 30 second gap behind second most of the way across the ridge, when the goat came by like I was standing still and I was in 4th. Second place was in third as the goat picked him off quick too. The guy can run downhill! -Got stung by 3 bees on the Lewis Peak section! What the hell? I think I made up new curse words when the 3rd one hit me on the inner thigh! -Tripped and stumbled on a root at one point, calf locked up so bad I thought I was not getting off the mountain. Had to stop and stretch it out for a couple minutes. On the subject, I don't think I have accumulated so many near crashes in all my runs all season, every mile it seemed I was stumbling around after nearly wrecking on some rock or root. Only hit the dirt once, right off the start, just as we hit the single track, not a biggy, no high speed crash, just hands on the ground.
-My asthma kicked in pretty hard through this one, especially after the bee incident(s). Lots of inhaler hits. Frustrates the heck out me this time of year, another month and it will mellow out. -The decent off Lewis to Windsurfer Beach was a long hot, out of water for almost an hour grind. Some miscommunication with the volunteers and no aid station at the top. Silly me only took half a bottle at the top of the North Ogden Divide, thinking I'd fill up at the top. Nope. -Total mental/physical break down on the North Arm trail section. Walked a lot, complained to myself too much. Generally felt horrible rolling up and down, in and out of trees and weeds.
-Caught sight of 3rd place as soon as we hit the pavement section. That, and the fact that I caught sight of 5th behind me, snapped me out of it and I ran the last half mile or so strong. -Finished less than a minute behind 3rd and a minute or less in front of 5th. Sheesh! gotta keep my head in the game! Great race, awesome, tough course. Might have to make it a regular, at least redeem myself as this one was not my best run physically. My mind/body just wasn't ready to run hard for that many miles/vert. Happy I ran it though, gives me something to think about going forward. Shane the goat ended up winning again at 4:01
Week (weak) 40 miles, 5500 vert or so. Not what I needed at this point, but was all I could get.
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