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2013 Ragnar Trail McDowell Mountain

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Location:

Mesa,AZ,USA

Member Since:

May 12, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I started running again in 2007 after 14 years of not running.

Mile - 4:59 (high school 1992), 5:57 (9/21/2010 ARR Open Mile)

2 mile - 11:10 (high school 1992)

5k - 21:54 (11/18/2010 Tempe Road Runners 5k)

10k - 48:29 (5/9/2009 Race for Hospice)

Unofficial 10k - 47:11 (1/27/2011 Red Mountain Park)

1/2 marathon - 1:49:00 (4/4/2009 Havasu Half)

Marathon - 4:33:09 (11/21/2009 Mesquite Marathon)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Run a half marathon in under two hours.

Run a marathon in close to 4 hours.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Stay healthy long enough to live through the millenium.

Personal:

I am married and have six kids. 

Blog title explanation

Bloggers I've met in real life: 1MileToGo, Aaron Kennard, Andrea North, Arizona Desert Monsoon, auntieem, Bec, Ben, Benjamin, Bonnie, Camille, Cari, Collin Anderson, David Holt, DooneEight Kid Mom, Erico, Flatlander, Gary, Jake Krong, JamesW, Jose, Josse, Julieesplin, JunKelli, Kerri, KP, Kyle Dion, Lightitup, Little Bad Legs, Lybi, Marthon Dreamer, M, Mary Ann Schauerhamer, Misty, Nan, Peds Endo Doc, Rachelle, RADRhett, Riley Cook, Rossy, runningafterbabies, Sasha, Scott Hughes, Scott (Kelli's husband), Scott Wesemann, Slow Joe, Spencer Simpson, Stephen, Steve Piccolo, Susie, The Rookie, Toby, Tracy, Twinkies, TylerS, Walter

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Mizuno Wave Inspire 7 Lifetime Miles: 803.99
Asics Gel 3030 Lifetime Miles: 204.85
Saucony Hurricane 13 Lifetime Miles: 149.22
Asics Gel DS Trainer 17 Lifetime Miles: 87.49
Mizuno Wave Inspire 9 Lifetime Miles: 800.59
Brooks Ravenna 4 Lifetime Miles: 88.83
Mizuno X10 Trail Lifetime Miles: 180.06
Mizuno Wave Inspire 10 Lifetime Miles: 802.77
Asics Gel Kayano 21 Lifetime Miles: 56.47
Mizuno Wave Inspire 11 (blue) Lifetime Miles: 800.75
New Balance 1260v5 Lifetime Miles: 9.19
Reebok Floatride Lifetime Miles: 8.23
Race: 2013 Ragnar Trail McDowell Mountain (16.5 Miles) 03:18:00
Total Distance
16.50

This was my first Ragnar Trail race.  The way it works is all the teams set up their tents at a base camp.  There are 8 people on a regular team.  Start times are staggered throughout the day.  We started at 2pm.  I was runner #1.  I ran the green loop.  When I finish I hand off the race bib which is attached to a belt, to runner #2, and runner #2 runs the yellow loop.  Then runner #3 runs the red loop.  Then runner #4 runs the green loop.  You continue in that order until everyone on the team has run all three loops.

My first loop was pretty tough because of how hot it was.  And that set the tone for my remaining loops.  The green loop was 4.6 miles with lots of up and down hills.  I knew it was hot so I decided to take it very easy because I didn't want to carry any water with me.  I had just drunk a full Gatorade so I figured I wouldn't dehydrate.  I was right, but I probably should have brought some water just to dump on my head.  The hills were really working me because I hadn't really trained for them and I was using muscles that I don't really need to running on the road.  After a while I could feel the cotton mouth coming on.  I knew I was going to be quite a bit slower than what I'd hoped for.  Oh well.  All the time I kept thinking about when I ran Ragnar So Cal in 107° heat and wondering how I would be able to complete my next two legs, but then it was much cooler and they were no problem.  So I figured I'd be ok.

My next loop was the red loop.  It was 7.6 miles and had the most elevation change.  But the nice thing was that it wasn't as much up and down all the time.  It was just a gradual climb up and then back down.  By this time it was 11pm.  It had cooled off considerably.  I was still recovering from my first loop, but I had no problem running the whole way.  This time I carried water with me and my phone so I could use Endomondo to know how far I'd gone.  After about 1/2 mile I took my headlamp off and put it in my pocket and ran by the light of the moon.  It was a risky maneuver, but I enjoyed it.  I didn't fall at all like 90% of the runners out there.  Probably because I was going slow.  I did have a couple times where I would step in a depression and jar my back, but it was a pretty good run.  They had the course well marked with colored lights on the markers.  After I finished I pretty much slept until my final leg.

The last loop, the yellow loop, was the shortest distance, 4.3 miles, but everyone said it was the hardest.  They were right.  It had the toughest hill and the most rollers.  I was pooped.  But I kept a pretty steady pace.  Steady and slow, don't you know.  I forgot to put Body Glide on this time and started feeling my sensitive areas getting uncomfortable, so I took my shirt off.  At one point a girl passed me and I apologized for what she had to see.  She laughed.  Hard.  Despite how hard it was I managed to finish strong.  The nice thing was that the sun had just come up and it wasn't too hot.  Unfortunately for the rest of my team they had to run in the heat again.  We ended up being 5.5 hours behind our projection time.  Little Old Lady!

Most of the people I talked to said they preferred the trail relay to the road relays.  You don't have to worry about driving all over the place.  You get more sleep.  You get to hang out with the whole team all the time.  I still think I prefer the road races just because I much prefer running on the road.  Trails are tough. 

Brooks Ravenna 4 Miles: 16.50
Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Tara on Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 21:57:10 from 75.169.137.75

Wow, all three of those loops sound brutal. Heat, distance and hills. It sounds like you still had a great time. 5.5 hours behind...LOL! Sorry, but it is funny, and common too for any Ragnar team. Way to go!

From Burt on Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 22:25:14 from 63.224.135.169

Thanks. Everything about the experience was brutal. Everything!

From DaleG on Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 00:06:21 from 98.202.43.67

Isn't Brutal your middle name?

Sounds like a good time!!!

From Burt on Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 00:43:37 from 63.224.135.169

My middle name is Al. Burt Al McCumber.

From Burt on Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 00:43:58 from 63.224.135.169

That wasn't as funny as I thought it was going to be. It's late. I'm going to bed.

From SlowJoe on Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 17:36:10 from 66.69.93.8

Congrats on the ragnar, Burt. You should never have to apologize for taking your shirt off and making people uncomfortable. That's what I tell myself anyway.

Great report!

From flatlander on Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 10:18:49 from 198.207.244.102

I might actually consider a trail Ragnar, seems more manageable from the logistics and odor standpoints.

From Steve Piccolo on Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 10:56:51 from 209.122.31.187

Way to get out there and run another one!

From Burt on Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 16:49:46 from 71.216.109.214

Joe - you just haven't gone through puberty yet.

Flat - Odor in a tent is better than odor in a vehicle. I'll give you that. But I did have to shower with baby wipes.

Steve - nice job on your marathon with the 1-mile a day training :)

From SlowJoe on Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 17:28:09 from 166.147.72.43

Well, I'll go through it one day and then you'll be sorry, Burt McCumber. You'll be sorry.

From The Quiet Pirate on Thu, Oct 24, 2013 at 07:16:43 from 152.26.230.54

Sounds like fun! Terrible, hot, exposing your sensitive parts fun.

From Tracy on Thu, Oct 24, 2013 at 18:29:51 from 209.175.177.37

I had to reread the line "I was pooped" twice. I skipped the second word the first time. It made me imagine how much greater an already great race report would be.

Awesome job! Trails are tough!

From Burt on Thu, Oct 24, 2013 at 22:50:26 from 184.98.203.185

QP - Sounds like a pirate's idea of a good time.

Tracy - The porta-potties were pretty decent. Remember that time you and I went trail running? I wish I felt as strong now as I did back then.

From Tracy on Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 07:40:15 from 209.175.177.37

I think that was back in your p90x days, right? You can get there again! I still think you need to find a race for me so I have an excuse to go west young man.

From Burt on Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 19:15:00 from 184.98.203.185

Give me a time frame. :)

From Neasts on Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 20:59:21 from 71.213.44.196

Burt, you raced! I see you have discovered that Body Glide is the synthetic material of the gods.

From Burt on Sat, Oct 26, 2013 at 15:06:08 from 184.98.203.185

Neasts - Raced? bahaha! Hey, why aren't you running the Javelina Jundred right now?

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