What a day! I seriously didn’t think I had a PR in me. Nope. BUT, I did want to hit 7:30 AP for the race. That was the goal. I figured I’d just go for it (knowing the first mile is the fastest with the downhill) and if I burned out…well, then I burned out. As a wise friend once posted “Suicide pace is the only good race pace, and today is a good day to die!”
Got to ride up with Kim, Scott, Smooth, Wendy, Carolyn and Kathy. I love it when life all comes together! Had a good time at the start and found Teena, Annie and Nick. Gotta love a good chat with friends J
No warm-up, but we were off….
Mile 1 – 6:13; gotta love that nice downhill start! Faster than last year by 7 seconds – nice!
Mile 2 – 7:10; I knew the 6:13 pace wouldn’t last, but I wasn’t going complain! At this point I was done looking at times. I didn’t want to play that game in my head – just run. There was a group of people that had caught me (one guy had his SG running center jersey on) and I decided to latch myself to the group and go for it. Also, this is where I caught sight of the next female to catch in the tie-dye shirt…bring it on sweetie.
Mile 3, 4, 5 – 6:54, 7:15, 7:36; I caught the lady and passed her, then she passed me back, then I passed her, then I passed her back. We kept reeling in blue skirt lady about 30 sec in front of us, but neither one of us were going to give up to the other one. I actually learned to drink by pinching a cup and really getting fluid in while I ran. Never stopped!
Mile 6 – 7:35; last uphill and flat push. Tie-dye girl edged ahead and I just kept thinking “you’ll catch her on the downhill” – then Teena came running by – CRAP! She told me not to let her beat me, but I just kept holding out for that downhill. Well, I caught the tie-dye girl on the downhill and mile 6 ticked just as we rounded the corner to the finish…she was just off my shoulder, Teena 7 ish seconds ahead.
.2 finish – 5:56; Well, tye-dye girl decided to start her push to the finish. I didn’t want to burn out still .2 to go, but I pushed too…she just pushed harder and pulled a stride ahead. I just thought “well, let’s hope your chip time is faster!” she was after all, always ahead of me. Then I snapped out of it! NOT letting this go. I pulled in and pushed those legs, I was booking it, pumping the arms breathing hard and I started to pull ahead just yards from the finish. I’d done it! I’d finally lost sight of her over my shoulder when I crossed the finish!! Mental power baby…mental power! I’d made up enough time to finish just 1.5 seconds behind Teena. Awesome.
Looked at my watch – YEEE HAAAW! New PR at 43:43 (official time 43:42, but I didn’t know it at the time), I really didn’t think my fitness was there to hit a new PR by almost 30 seconds, but I did it! I was stoked. I knew last year at 44:XX I was like 7th in my AG, so I figured I was still out of podium reach, but I was happy with my new PR on a course harder than DesNews – and not almost 3 years old! I screamed a gasp when I saw I was 3rd in my AG!! I was just so stoked. A big, competitive race and I’d done it – I’d placed! I was just excited. Everyone seemed to have good races, despite all of our drawbacks at the start. Wonderful group of ladies to hang with!!
Got my award and a prize for having green underwear :) that was courtesy of my 7 year old who had the idea for himself! Afterward I ran 2.3 with Teena and Annie, rounded the mileage out to 8.5 for the day.
Just as I was driving away I got the call I’d been waiting for! Brent (BSRools) and I set a time to meet at Turtle Wall trail head for a good 4 mile trail run. Yeee-haaaw! Could the day get any better?
Went back to the hotel and kids had just finished swimming. They got showered we ate roll sandwich and chips lunch in the hotel then went to meet Brent. I ran while they hiked and went treasure hunting (geo-caching). I ran to the wall and back with Sylvie and Brent, except the last big hill to the parking lot (about .3 short of the full 4 miles). I LOVED it! The uphill was hard, but on trails I don’t feel so much like I need to keep a certain pace, so I’m okay with the slower times. It was GREAT fun! Good chatting with them and beautiful scenery. Then, the downhill….ahhh, yeah, I like it! Brent may have just made a convert of me! Now I can’t wait for the Buffalo run next week!
It was one mile (on the Garmin) from the point I left them back to where the family was, so I’m going to call this a 4.5 mile trail run. I forgot to start my watch for one of the portions of the trail, so the garmin has only 4.0, but between not measuring correctly and user error – I think I’m in the right! :) I was proud of the fact, that although slow I didn’t stop on the way back to the family until I got there. Recorded the last full mile at a 10:30 pace…about the same as with the BSRools clan. Then I hiked to the end with the family and back to the car. As soon as I got there hubby handed the carrier and 24 lb Fartlek over to me. Awesome. So, I trucked him the rest of the way there and all the windy way back. Geo-caching along trails is a GREAT motivator for little hikers! We didn’t hear one complaint until about ¼ mile from the parking lot (and last cache) from the youngest. I’ve got some good little hikers!
Overall I had a wonderful day! The wind didn’t really pick up until the afternoon, but there were places along the trail is wasn’t too bad, others were yuck, but overall it was nice. During the race there was a bit of noticeable wind, but nothing like I’d expected. Overcast and cool, but warm enough for shorts and t-shirt. The gluttony at DD’s Pizza afterward was totally worth all the miles and outside fun!!!
Thanks for reading my novel about my wonderful day. Trail running rocks…I want to do more of it! I’m looking forward to a good year, I’ve been through too many injures to now not be smart about them. Tackling the beast….I’ll chase down that BQ and chew it up and spit it out, just watch. | 
