Seems like forever since I've written a race report. It has also been a while since I've run 15.5 miles at the pace I ran today...so I'm a bit tired after coming home and attending to chores all afternoon.
Anyhoo...I got there plenty early to register, in high spirits despite not having slept a wink the night before. I don't know why this happens before races, I really do not. I wasn't even all that geared up for this one. It was, after all, supposedly just a training run.
After registering, I parked the car in a rock star spot, set the alarm and crawled into my fleece sleeping bag liner for about twenty minutes of pre-dawn quality shut-eye.
After waking as the sun rose, I pulled out my iPhone and turned some Hatebreed on to set the mood. Lucky is the runner who has those songs stuck in their head for a race. I still refuse to wear headphones during races...
As more people started to mill about, I decided to track a few fellow Upper Midwest Trail Runners down and chat them up. I talked to Steve about his finish last WEEKEND!!! at the Zumbro 100 miler (he was entered in the 50K!!!).
Then with very little fanfare, O.C. started the 50K field off to their start. This year's 50K was dedicated to O.C.'s late wife, Kathy. Last year, O.C. put on this amazing event shortly after she passed. Hopefully he keeps putting the event on, despite having planned a Mexican vacation for this time next year!
I saw Kate Havelin, the Minnesota Trail Series and UMTR representative and chatted with her for a while...if you haven't joined, DO IT!
With very little time to spare, I made it out to the start of the 25K. I felt an urge to hit the porta john before the race started, and of course the horn to send the runners off blew while I was in mid-stream. So I was a little late in starting out...
There was very little that was unexpected on the course. It was ziggy and zaggy in spots due to some reseeding projects on the trails. There were a lot of runners in the field, and one thing I love about this race is there are always so many people to give kudos and cheers to as they run past at different parts of the course. Unless of course you're plugged in to your own little musical bubble...then you can hear nobody saying anything to you, good, bad or otherwise. Er Hum.
I was sore in the upper body due to a new workout regimen I started, so every time I tensed my core it brought a good shot of pain and a little motivating adrenaline...My arms were also tight and I had to switch my handheld water bottle around a lot more than I usually do. Pushups, situps and pullups until your body is jelly the day before a race? Not smart.
The first loop I ran pretty much on my own, got killed going down the ski-hill just because I was trying to bomb down. My quads aren't ready for that...yet!
It was so dry this year...No mud whatsoever. A bit of a disappointment, I have to say! No worries, though...I'm sure Milaca's Runnin' in the Ruff will have plenty of water to deal with.
I tried to concentrate on cruising along effortlessly after the ski-hill...which was accomplished. I didn't feel like I was overdoing it (but I was pushing the pace a little bit), I was keeping hydrated despite forgetting my S! Caps, and most importantly, I was having fun!
Thanks to all the Aid Station volunteers, many of whom staff the same A.S. every year. You all rock!
Before I knew it, I was on the short path that crosses the lake and heads through the finish chute. That was a quick lap one...I thought to myself.
I couldn't believe I had just come through in just over an hour for the first lap. Yikes. Things had to slow down! My goal for the day was supposed to be three hours...
I had a couple of great conversations with folks on the second lap. I don't know why people got chatty, but it was really nice! There was the girl with the TCRC who would wind up smoking me, she was a strong runner! And a guy with an accent I couldn't place. The people I tried to make laugh...the people who I probably annoyed...Joel Button's big high five! All of these great snippets of conversation that happen when you're exerting yourself quite a bit are something I will always cherish about trail races!
I was starting to feel the trail abuse on the sides of my big toes and on the sides of my pinky toes going down the big ski hill again. I haven't quite developed my full-on armor plated foot skin as of this point in the season! No worries, though, it still felt really great to run (relatively) fast in the Vibram FiveFingers KSO's!
As usual, people asked about them or whispered about them and just so everyone knows...it's totally cool to ask me about them! I'm a zealot...I'll try to convert you, but I'll answer whatever you want to know about the Vibram FiveFingers.
But...Just because my foot armor isn't developed yet...I decided to carry the FiveFingers for the last 1.5 miles and run barefoot on the chip trails! Ahhh...did that feel wonderful! Okay, not 100% (because some of that chip is straight up sharp, man!) of the time, but moreso than not. I could have passed a lot more people towards the end had I left the VFF's on, but hell...this was a training run, after all!
AND!!! I saw a relay runner who was running with the ultra fast Team Duke Rembleski (Husband of Eve Rembleski who won the female 50K) -- wearing the FiveFingers KSO! Awesome!
So the 2009 Trail Mix was a great day for a run. The results will be up soon on the website.
Of course...I have no pictures. I am such a bum. I got to my car to grab my camera and was hobbled by double charlie horses. I hope you understand. Hopefully the many photographers on the course got some good snaps...
Ah...So nice to have the first race of the season down!
Anyhoo...I got there plenty early to register, in high spirits despite not having slept a wink the night before. I don't know why this happens before races, I really do not. I wasn't even all that geared up for this one. It was, after all, supposedly just a training run.
After registering, I parked the car in a rock star spot, set the alarm and crawled into my fleece sleeping bag liner for about twenty minutes of pre-dawn quality shut-eye.
After waking as the sun rose, I pulled out my iPhone and turned some Hatebreed on to set the mood. Lucky is the runner who has those songs stuck in their head for a race. I still refuse to wear headphones during races...
As more people started to mill about, I decided to track a few fellow Upper Midwest Trail Runners down and chat them up. I talked to Steve about his finish last WEEKEND!!! at the Zumbro 100 miler (he was entered in the 50K!!!).
Then with very little fanfare, O.C. started the 50K field off to their start. This year's 50K was dedicated to O.C.'s late wife, Kathy. Last year, O.C. put on this amazing event shortly after she passed. Hopefully he keeps putting the event on, despite having planned a Mexican vacation for this time next year!
I saw Kate Havelin, the Minnesota Trail Series and UMTR representative and chatted with her for a while...if you haven't joined, DO IT!
With very little time to spare, I made it out to the start of the 25K. I felt an urge to hit the porta john before the race started, and of course the horn to send the runners off blew while I was in mid-stream. So I was a little late in starting out...
There was very little that was unexpected on the course. It was ziggy and zaggy in spots due to some reseeding projects on the trails. There were a lot of runners in the field, and one thing I love about this race is there are always so many people to give kudos and cheers to as they run past at different parts of the course. Unless of course you're plugged in to your own little musical bubble...then you can hear nobody saying anything to you, good, bad or otherwise. Er Hum.
I was sore in the upper body due to a new workout regimen I started, so every time I tensed my core it brought a good shot of pain and a little motivating adrenaline...My arms were also tight and I had to switch my handheld water bottle around a lot more than I usually do. Pushups, situps and pullups until your body is jelly the day before a race? Not smart.
The first loop I ran pretty much on my own, got killed going down the ski-hill just because I was trying to bomb down. My quads aren't ready for that...yet!
It was so dry this year...No mud whatsoever. A bit of a disappointment, I have to say! No worries, though...I'm sure Milaca's Runnin' in the Ruff will have plenty of water to deal with.
I tried to concentrate on cruising along effortlessly after the ski-hill...which was accomplished. I didn't feel like I was overdoing it (but I was pushing the pace a little bit), I was keeping hydrated despite forgetting my S! Caps, and most importantly, I was having fun!
Thanks to all the Aid Station volunteers, many of whom staff the same A.S. every year. You all rock!
Before I knew it, I was on the short path that crosses the lake and heads through the finish chute. That was a quick lap one...I thought to myself.
I couldn't believe I had just come through in just over an hour for the first lap. Yikes. Things had to slow down! My goal for the day was supposed to be three hours...
I had a couple of great conversations with folks on the second lap. I don't know why people got chatty, but it was really nice! There was the girl with the TCRC who would wind up smoking me, she was a strong runner! And a guy with an accent I couldn't place. The people I tried to make laugh...the people who I probably annoyed...Joel Button's big high five! All of these great snippets of conversation that happen when you're exerting yourself quite a bit are something I will always cherish about trail races!
I was starting to feel the trail abuse on the sides of my big toes and on the sides of my pinky toes going down the big ski hill again. I haven't quite developed my full-on armor plated foot skin as of this point in the season! No worries, though, it still felt really great to run (relatively) fast in the Vibram FiveFingers KSO's!
As usual, people asked about them or whispered about them and just so everyone knows...it's totally cool to ask me about them! I'm a zealot...I'll try to convert you, but I'll answer whatever you want to know about the Vibram FiveFingers.
But...Just because my foot armor isn't developed yet...I decided to carry the FiveFingers for the last 1.5 miles and run barefoot on the chip trails! Ahhh...did that feel wonderful! Okay, not 100% (because some of that chip is straight up sharp, man!) of the time, but moreso than not. I could have passed a lot more people towards the end had I left the VFF's on, but hell...this was a training run, after all!
AND!!! I saw a relay runner who was running with the ultra fast Team Duke Rembleski (Husband of Eve Rembleski who won the female 50K) -- wearing the FiveFingers KSO! Awesome!
So the 2009 Trail Mix was a great day for a run. The results will be up soon on the website.
Of course...I have no pictures. I am such a bum. I got to my car to grab my camera and was hobbled by double charlie horses. I hope you understand. Hopefully the many photographers on the course got some good snaps...
Ah...So nice to have the first race of the season down!
8 comments:
I was tempted to reply to your previous post regarding the race being run as a training run. I figured I could just wait until today and say "told you so". Guess you can say it was a tempo run. Glad you enjoyed yourself. I wanted to run the 25K too but couldn't squeeze it in.
Sounds like you had fun! Great race report.
Congrats on getting back in the race scene again.
Great day for a run, huh? Sounds like you had a lot of fun!
Hope to catch up with you somewhere before Superior - do you know which other races (I mean...training runs) you'll be doing leading up to Sawtooth this year?
It was nice to see you out there, Keith... and way to smoke the 'training run'. The race season has begun! :)
Before you try the sawtooth 100, you're going to have to learn how to not bomb the downhills - it's taken me two years, but I may have finally figured it out - but it's so much fun!
nice one. nothing like a training run that turns into a great race! the season is indeed underway.
It's so much easier to NOT bomb down hills when they are filled with obstacles. That grassy ski slope was just so smooth! I bombed down it too, and paid for it.
Great race report!
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