Cedar Ridge 36k

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!