I didn’t really get to prep any better for this year’s race than last and haven’t done any long training runs except for races since Unfortunately, May is when all heck breaks loose in my life, and just getting the energy to train short distances can be a challenge ~ especially with the Penguins still in the playoffs and me taking on more than a few new clients.
It started out as a very humid day but with a nice breeze in the morning. If the race was run later in the day, it would look like a triage unit out there.
So, I drove with my whole series of fears in the back of my head and realized I was already giving myself reasons to fail (it is too humid, I am not fit enough, my teeth itch, my hair throbs…)
So, when I got bib #724 (wow – Carolyn’s / Gary’s number and my personal mojo number - how cool is that?) I committed fully to believe in the 3 part plan: 1) the blood sugar strategy (more nuun and GU every 20-30 minutes), 2) attack all hills except Killer Hill, the climb after the river and the ramps up to Quarry, and to 3) *stay positive* no matter what.
And the strategy paid off.
Ran much more of the course and perceptually faster with power hiking only on the very steeps and NO cramping. One calf twitch in each calf running around the pond in the last mile. It has to be the blood sugar and the mindset. Maybe these two are related?
I've got a TOTALLY new confidence in the 2-3 hour runs now.
Scary part of the day: After hitting checkpoint #1 and before the swampy gauntlet, I missed the cutback left down the steep hill, but got back and tried to push the down to make up time. Lost my footing and my right foot slid right into a shin-high rock with a sharp edge.
The kind of rock that breaks your leg.
But not today (wearing all lucky numbers).
Just a big bruise on leg that I’ll really feel tomorrow.
Turns out that many people took wrong turns today – even the RD herself. She passed me right before checkpoint #2 ~ OK, there is something *really* wrong with that ~ and later I heard from another runner that some mountain bikers had placed a second set of flags for their ride that may have confused many runners. Couldn't figure out why there were so many mountain bikers on the course this year.
As for the stream bed, this was possibly the best creek conditions ever: 2-3” of water – perfect for running through!
Made up more time this year coming back up after the creek, running the roller coaster (stubbing my left foot four times) and back to checkpoint #3.
Finished in 2:17:09 ~ 51 seconds slower than PR and my second best time on this course.
Scott and his brother Chris made a strategic adjustment, opting for the Sampler in lieu of the 14.5 miler (good choice). They finished solidly in the middle of the pack, but their ages are against them finishing high.
Carolyn finished the Sampler in 8th place after the Dispea adjustment ~ which is her best finish yet. She promises me that she'll update the blog with her story.
Now, only one question: where is Richard Busa?
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