Holy stinkin' moly. I don't know how you trail runners do it! This was tough, I'm not going to lie, but the end result may be that a new little trail runner has been born :) Thanks to Smooth, Karen and especially Larry (our escort) for taking me up there. It was nice not to have to worry about a long drive home. It was also nice to talk with the ladies beforehand and get all the stories out afterward. I got to run with Catherine for a little while at the start, but then at one point I turned around and I couldn't see her anymore. Shoot. So, I pushed on. I was surprised that I ran all of the first 5ish miles without stopping, I did walk the BIG hill just before the aid station. The aid station came a little earlier than expected, I had only taken 2 small swigs from my water. So, I threw back a Gu and just kept the water I had. After the aid station the beautiful downhill started - whee!!! I finally caught and passed some people I'd been eying for quite some time. Wait...not so fast...the switchbacks started...my complete incompetence on trails was horribly obvious here. I was walking as fast as my legs would go and I still was breathing harder than running downhill. It was TOUGH WORK! I was impressed with all the people I'd flown by on the downhills plodding by me UP the hills... Got caught behind 5 horseback riders - blech. They couldn't move, but did their best to be courteous and not hold me up too much. Gave me a good mental and physical break. No excuses once they move Rachel- you got a break! Only a couple of hills, but mostly flat back to the aid station. My legs were feeling spent, tired, blech. But, it was mile 11 - only 4.5 left, easy peasy...you can do this. Refilled my now empty water bottle, threw back another gu and I was off. GREAT aid station workers - especially nice to see Maurine, wish I could've visited more and asked about her race! Then, the crazy "I'm going to die" downhill section - this was the first part I'd walked up in the race and it was CRAZY downhill, so steep and rocky I couldn't just let the legs fly. Then it flattened out and I struggled, sand and heat and fatigue setting in...walked most of the hill out of the valley. A lady running near me said "all down hill from here on out" THAT made my day! Mile 13 clicked...only 2.5 left and downhill, awesome. HA! That flat/downhill around the back side of the mountain took forever! Mile 15 clicked and I still couldn't see the finish. One curve I went around I just KNEW I was going to see the tents...nope. I screamed, yup. Out loud. I kept passing people and passed a lady in yellow that flew up the switch backs, helped me feel better and push on. Still couldn't pass lady in green that walked the last hill with me. She was staying the same 20-30 seconds ahead. Shoot. Finally saw the tents, but I knew it was longer than the 1/2 mile to 15.6. At least I can see it now, right? Tried to fly down that last hill as fast as my aching feet would take me. I just wanted it D O N E! As I approached the blue tents where I thought the finish was, I saw people with the yellow bibs (25Kers) running back up along the fence...no, it can't NOT be the finish...Noooo. Yup, last 1/2 mile push was uphill, into the wind to the finish. Dang that took a lot of mental power to push through. I actually took a 10 foot walk break and had to regain myself mentally. I was done. Past my goal of 2:30 finish time, and out of placing in my AG I was sure. Just walk it in. "SHUT UP BRAIN! You out sprinted tie-dye lady last week and do you know what kind of crap you'd give yourself if you got passed now?!? MOVE THOSE LEGS!" So, I did. Crested the last hill and sprinted to the finish. What a crazy, crazy race. I seriously don't know how y'all run 50's and 100's on trails. There was no earthly way I was turning around to do the 50K! I was DONE. 25K is good enough for this pansy :) I got some liquid refreshment (coke, gatorade, refilled water, chocolate milk) and chatted with Catherine and Eric (both had AWESOME finishes!!!), saw MattVH finish his first 100 miler (complete and utter AWE!!) and chatted at a few others I'd passed, gotten passed, passed, gotten passed along the route. Then went back to see Smooth and Karen come in. Karen was taking her last strong push to the finish and Smooth was just behind her. I helped (or hindered if you count that she kept trying to talk to me when she couldn't breathe) Smooth to the finish and after cooling down and getting our feet back under us got to visit and hang out. I won a prize in the random drawing - a black diamond headlamp. VERY nice! Now I can be the annoying runner with the flashing light on their head :) It does do solid too. Got some veggie stew (couldn't eat the buffalo...didn't want to give them another reason to come after me!) and a bit more liquid. Listened to the awards, and I didn't see any of the people I was chasing go up there in my AG. So, that made me feel better. Chatted with Scott, Jun and Fritz (1st place finisher on the 50K!) and then headed home. Saw the official results on the way out and I was surprised I was so close to the top! Proud of a top 10 finish in my AG and 14th overall. Not too shabby for my first trail race. The scenery was beautiful and I enjoyed the views even when I was tired. I honestly can't wait to try out another trail run...just maybe not next week :) AP: 9:21 (race stats have it as 9:59, because they did it off a 25K, not adding in the extra mile they made us run!); splits: 9:19, 10:14, 8:43, 7:40, 7:41, 11:10 (aid station stop and first BIG hill), 6:40 (gotta love that downhill!), 10:54, 12:30 (switchback nightmare), 10:22, 9:46, 8:04, 11:03 (I can't figure out WHY this mile is so slow...it should be in the 8's like the rest of them around here. Kind of makes me mad I went so slow.), 8:26, 8:43, 8:22, 9:08 (last uphill .5 to the finish). **demoted....just looked at 'official' results. Somehow 3 people jumped in front of me in my AG and 4 in the overall women. This makes me feel like crud, shoooot. Whatever..** 
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