When i saw that David had organized a race here i was pumped. this was one of my original trails that i started training on several years ago. i knew these trails like the back of my hand. but most of all i was pumped because i had talked about 10 people from mansfield to all give it a shot as their first trail run.
they all took training serious and have no idea how great they truley did for their first trail run. i was registered for the 36k and they were doing the 18k which started 15 minutes after me. i got my last second stuff situated then headed to the start about 10 seconds before the actual start. Dave yelled go and we took off at what i thought was a confortable pace.
during training i've been having some bad runs and some good runs. the last two weekends were good runs at sansom then at captn karls 60k so i thought why would this week be any different? im going to try and not complain too much this report but here it goes...
my legs were extremely tired, i walked some up hills for my first time ever out there, and my heart rate was so high i was wondering if i would emerge from the woods on foot or on a stretcher. seriously, my chest was pounding so hard and i had chills and was so weak that i started to get pretty damn worried.
we started and a guy that i didn't know took an early lead. he didn't talk much but i managed to get him to say it was his first trail race. so i knew he was either one hell of a road runner and his fitness would allow him to perform well or the terrain would eat him alive. the first couple miles are easy so he was out of sight on the escarpment down hill. i wasn't sure if i would see him once we got to the tougher sections or not. all this was irrelevent because little did i know i was going to be the one to crash and burn. my heart rate and breathing was out of control. sometimes this happens but after a mile or two it goes away and i settle into a rythym. jacob and i ran the first loop together and we tried chatting but i was freakin dying. we did the first loop in about 48 minutes or so which was what i was expecting, but i was expecting it to be a hell of a lot more comfortable. i knew i was either going to finally get in a rythym or crash.
i started loop two a little behind jacob. i was trying to get relaxed but it just wasn't happening. i fell for my second time but this time hard and it hurt. i let out some cuss words and wasn't sure if i was goiing to run the next 16 miles or limp it in. after about two minutes the pain was close enough to normal that i couldn't use it as an excuse as to why i died out there. i suffered the rest of the loop to see jacob about 30 sec in front of me at the turn around.
i set off to do my two clock wise loops, and what i consider the tougher direction. mainly because you go up escarpment instead of down, up the tougher side of fossil valley and up the last tough climb on cedar break. i was doing all i could and i knew that more then likely i wasn't going to be catching anybody this race. i knew going into the race that this distance was going to be intense and painful. i mainly have one gear. i don't consider myself a fast road runner or fast on the flats. so no matter the distance or going up, down or flat i go the same speed.
on loop 4 i accepted the fact that i wasn't going to snap out of it and just remained breathing hard as hell and having zero power in my stride. i told myself to enjoy the day out there and learn from it. but i wasn't sure what to learn form it. maybe my legs were tired from last weekends effort? but my runs during the week felt normal. maybe i should have fueled a little more? but i never carb up for my long runs. i just told myself that not every race goes good and that i'll appreciate it more when i do have a good one.
after the race i got a chance to hang out with some fellow runners that i knew and i was wanting to hear about jacob's hardrock experience. we hung out for about an hour and half or so til it was time to go celebrate with all my m-town trail runners at the oasis. a day full of trail running, the oasis, and negra modelo doesn't get much better then that.
all of my mansfield group seemed to enjoy it and all did great. they don't realize that not only did they start on a tough trail, but it was hot and humid as well. now the big question is, what race will they all do next?
i know it sounds like i just complained this whole report but i had to be honest. its not that i was out there to win and im pissed i didn't win. its more of a shot to my confidence. im always comparing my training runs from year to year, and its just demoralizing when you do so much worse. i set more personal goals as far as numbers rather then what place i want to get. it was still a very fun time out there (before and after, not during haha) and i love the way endurance buzz adventures had this thing organized. i've already registered for another one of his at glen rose. dave did such a good job that i think he's got a really good thing going for north texas and in the next couple years it will be huge! i will carry the one thing that i did learn from this race to that one and its start a little slower and if im out of breath that early, stop and re group rather then running myself into the ground. litterally three times!
2013 H.U.R.T. 100
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
2012 Captn Karls Mule Shoe Bend 60k Race Report
The weeks leading up the race I probably changed my mind 20 times whether or not to go down for the race. My legs were very fatigued, my runs weren't going as planned and gas/entry was going to be expensive. But I wanted to get in a longer run since it had been too long since i had gone much over 25 miles and plus i love a race's atmosphere, especially one with Tejas Trails familiar faces.
I decided to roll the dice and head down there not knowing how my legs would do. On the way down there i had to do some major mental preperations in attempt to get all the bad thoughts out of my head. the absolute worst thing you can ever do is start a race with negative attitude or doubt yourself because at the point when it starts hurting you'll give in much easier if you've already "planned on doing bad".
Not being negative, but i knew it would take a miracle for me to break my original goal of 5:45 so i focused on my last years time of 5:54. I knew my splits form last year and i thought they were consistent and solid so i kept those in my mind all race.
Last year - 1:29 (including the out-n-back), 1:24, 1:28, 1:33 - 5:54 total time
This year - 1:22, 1:31, 1:32, 1:34 - 5:59 total time
With the start being in the evening time my whole nutrition was off. My stomach hurt all day and i kept expecting it to go away before the race but it never did. ten minutes before the race i was unable to make any type of deposit in the port o potty so i knew at some point during the race it would hit me. joe yelled go and we took off for the initial .8 mi road out n back. i counted about 12-14 guys ahead of me which was fine because im not a fast runner and there are always ones who start out very fast. as soon as we got onto the trail i started to pass a couple of people. my stomach would shoot pain every now and then and i was bloated and full. not a good way to start. i had to force food the entire race. they tasted fine i was just very full. throughout the first loop i never looked at my watch but i could tell it was probably a hair too fast. toward the end of the loop i looked down and realized that i was about to run my first loop plus the out n back in a little over 1:20 i immediately told the guy i was running with to go ahead and i slowed down. my goal was to come in closer to 1:28ish. my stomach had some pain but i decided to skip the port o potties this go around. i grabbed my other hand held, ate some power bar gel blast and headed off for loop two with my headlamp.
i set out on loop two in a much more relaxed state. i told myself there are plenty of miles to feel bad and that i didn't want it to turn into a suffer fest. my stomach was still very bloated and full. but now i was ready to make that pit stop that i knew was coming. i looked around and there wasn't a single leaf to be seen. the only trees/plants out there are cedar and cacti. cedar irritates my skin so no telling what it would do down there. i started to grab some river rock to try and wipe with but then the pain slightly went away so i figured i would hold off for that one tree with leaves that didn't exist. loop two my legs felt good, my pace was relaxed, but man was it miserable trying to hold it til i got done with the loop. approaching the turn around i veered off toward the bathroom and people were yelling at me that i was going the wrong way. i guess after seeing my awkward sprint to the rest room they got the hint.
i set out for loop three feeling better but was disappointed to find that my stomach was still bloated and full. i won't bore you with any more from loop three. just basically ran at a relaxed pace which was close to loop two, ate when needed, drank when needed and passed a couple people. a pretty uneventful loop. my legs were feeling better and better though. i was expecting some pain at this point but it was actually the oposite it was getting more pleasurable to run.
i grabbed my last two pre-filled handhelds from my ice chest. took a look at my negra modelo that was waiting to be opened which was my motivation to hurry and finish. my watch said 4:25 gun time on it so i set out with a sub 6 goal. i had no clue what place i was in and i didn't care one bit. i knew it is what it is and as long as i push myself and don't give into walking that i wouldn't be disappointed. running every step was one rule i had with myself before the start. i set out just planning on making it in under six. i came up on stephen b. about two miles into the loop. as i passed him he informed me that i was now in the lead. i didn't realize that i passed that many people or that many people had dropped. i told him we were on the verge of a sub six to stick with me and we'll get it done. my game plan didn't change one bit. for some reason i wasn't in the fighting spirit or didn't have any sort of competetiveness in me that night. instead i paid attention to my splits at the aid and kenw i was cutting it close. i came to the final aid station with 22 minutes left to do the final 2.5 miles. i took it up a hair knowing i couldn't mess around. i told myself i needed to get to the start of "the loop" where all the tape is with at least 10 minutes. i missed it by a minute. i then told myself i needed 4 minutes from the road crossing. i hit it with 3 1/2 minutes. so i had to take it up to basically a sprint to come in at about 5:59:30ish.
i was very very happy with my legs this race. they never seemed to fade at all and i was able to hold pretty close to the same pace the final 3 loops. my stomach on the other hand sucked. it hurt before the start so i knew it wasn't heat related etc. it was just too full and something wasn't right.
All the volunteers were awesome like always. Joe and Brad did an excellent job like always. fun seeing everybody, and congrats to everyone who stuck it out at a pretty warm one!
i grabbed my chair and my negra modelo that i had been thinking about all day. there wasn't a ton of people hanging out so after 2 hours i called it quits and hit the road for a lonely 4 hour drive home on 281.
I decided to roll the dice and head down there not knowing how my legs would do. On the way down there i had to do some major mental preperations in attempt to get all the bad thoughts out of my head. the absolute worst thing you can ever do is start a race with negative attitude or doubt yourself because at the point when it starts hurting you'll give in much easier if you've already "planned on doing bad".
Not being negative, but i knew it would take a miracle for me to break my original goal of 5:45 so i focused on my last years time of 5:54. I knew my splits form last year and i thought they were consistent and solid so i kept those in my mind all race.
Last year - 1:29 (including the out-n-back), 1:24, 1:28, 1:33 - 5:54 total time
This year - 1:22, 1:31, 1:32, 1:34 - 5:59 total time
With the start being in the evening time my whole nutrition was off. My stomach hurt all day and i kept expecting it to go away before the race but it never did. ten minutes before the race i was unable to make any type of deposit in the port o potty so i knew at some point during the race it would hit me. joe yelled go and we took off for the initial .8 mi road out n back. i counted about 12-14 guys ahead of me which was fine because im not a fast runner and there are always ones who start out very fast. as soon as we got onto the trail i started to pass a couple of people. my stomach would shoot pain every now and then and i was bloated and full. not a good way to start. i had to force food the entire race. they tasted fine i was just very full. throughout the first loop i never looked at my watch but i could tell it was probably a hair too fast. toward the end of the loop i looked down and realized that i was about to run my first loop plus the out n back in a little over 1:20 i immediately told the guy i was running with to go ahead and i slowed down. my goal was to come in closer to 1:28ish. my stomach had some pain but i decided to skip the port o potties this go around. i grabbed my other hand held, ate some power bar gel blast and headed off for loop two with my headlamp.
i set out on loop two in a much more relaxed state. i told myself there are plenty of miles to feel bad and that i didn't want it to turn into a suffer fest. my stomach was still very bloated and full. but now i was ready to make that pit stop that i knew was coming. i looked around and there wasn't a single leaf to be seen. the only trees/plants out there are cedar and cacti. cedar irritates my skin so no telling what it would do down there. i started to grab some river rock to try and wipe with but then the pain slightly went away so i figured i would hold off for that one tree with leaves that didn't exist. loop two my legs felt good, my pace was relaxed, but man was it miserable trying to hold it til i got done with the loop. approaching the turn around i veered off toward the bathroom and people were yelling at me that i was going the wrong way. i guess after seeing my awkward sprint to the rest room they got the hint.
i set out for loop three feeling better but was disappointed to find that my stomach was still bloated and full. i won't bore you with any more from loop three. just basically ran at a relaxed pace which was close to loop two, ate when needed, drank when needed and passed a couple people. a pretty uneventful loop. my legs were feeling better and better though. i was expecting some pain at this point but it was actually the oposite it was getting more pleasurable to run.
i grabbed my last two pre-filled handhelds from my ice chest. took a look at my negra modelo that was waiting to be opened which was my motivation to hurry and finish. my watch said 4:25 gun time on it so i set out with a sub 6 goal. i had no clue what place i was in and i didn't care one bit. i knew it is what it is and as long as i push myself and don't give into walking that i wouldn't be disappointed. running every step was one rule i had with myself before the start. i set out just planning on making it in under six. i came up on stephen b. about two miles into the loop. as i passed him he informed me that i was now in the lead. i didn't realize that i passed that many people or that many people had dropped. i told him we were on the verge of a sub six to stick with me and we'll get it done. my game plan didn't change one bit. for some reason i wasn't in the fighting spirit or didn't have any sort of competetiveness in me that night. instead i paid attention to my splits at the aid and kenw i was cutting it close. i came to the final aid station with 22 minutes left to do the final 2.5 miles. i took it up a hair knowing i couldn't mess around. i told myself i needed to get to the start of "the loop" where all the tape is with at least 10 minutes. i missed it by a minute. i then told myself i needed 4 minutes from the road crossing. i hit it with 3 1/2 minutes. so i had to take it up to basically a sprint to come in at about 5:59:30ish.
i was very very happy with my legs this race. they never seemed to fade at all and i was able to hold pretty close to the same pace the final 3 loops. my stomach on the other hand sucked. it hurt before the start so i knew it wasn't heat related etc. it was just too full and something wasn't right.
All the volunteers were awesome like always. Joe and Brad did an excellent job like always. fun seeing everybody, and congrats to everyone who stuck it out at a pretty warm one!
i grabbed my chair and my negra modelo that i had been thinking about all day. there wasn't a ton of people hanging out so after 2 hours i called it quits and hit the road for a lonely 4 hour drive home on 281.
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