The Race

I've been struggling with how to blog about my race experience. It was physically and mentally one of the most difficult things I've ever done, or at least a close second to giving birth to Taylor. The morning was cool and windy but no rain. I was feeling ready and positive; I had energy and the normal butterflies-in-my-stomach feeling. There were only a handful of people for whom this was their first trail race. In previous road races I've done, there are usually a good number of people who don't look like runners. Not here. These people were hard core runners and many were decked out in trail running gear. There were 125 people in my race and 150 people running the 50K. We started together. I had hoped not to walk too many hills so I was surprised when many of the runners walked the first hill. I jogged and passed a lot of people on the first few hills. I felt good. The course was basically a loop with a spur (out and back) on the far side. I had never run the spur before and was disappointed to find that it was basically 3 miles down and out and therefore all up hill on the way back. The spur gave me a chance to see who was ahead and behind me. I was surprised to count myself in 4th place for the women. I was definitely tired and not running up any more hills, but I figured if I just kept going I might be able to finish fourth. I had to talk my body into making it to the last aid table where I planned to get more to eat because I was spent and hungry. I knew once I reached that point, there were no more tough hills and I was relatively close the the finish. Perhaps it was all the food choices on the table, or maybe I didn't have enough sugar in my brain to think straight, but from the table I made a wrong turn and started on the path that looped back out. I realized my mistake about .25 miles later and stopped to confirm my mistake with the next runner. Yes, I had messed up and now had to run about .25 miles back up the hill to the fork. I was mad! I messed up my time and my place in the race. (I'm rediscovering my competitiveness). When I got back to the food table there were two girls who were just leaving down the path. I wasn't going to let them get ahead. I mustered up any strength I had left and passed them, only to have them pass me right at the finish. I hate it when that happens :). I had nothing left. All I wanted was food, a bed, and a shoulder to cry on. I even forgot to go pick up my T-shirt.

Putting things in perspective: I ended up finishing 5th for the women, with girls numbers 3 and 4 passing me at the finish and beating my time in only tenths of a second. So without the wrong turn I would have been 3rd! I was 29th overall with a time of 3:16. I didn't get injured and feel relatively good. It's all about the ice bath. Peter dumped the whole bucket of ice from our freezer into my already-cold-water bath saying, "You'll thank me later." Oddly, I do.



The girls at the finish line waiting and waiting for Mom. Peter got there early and ended up waiting for an hour and a half.

I think it's time for some new running shoes :)