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<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">This was my first trail race, so it was probably not the wisest move to sign up for a marathon distance! Regardless, I learned many things, one of which is that I love trail racing! Very different vibe than road racing, and I enjoyed every painful minute <img alt="smile.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies//smile.gif" style="width:1px;height:1px;"><img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;" title=""> So some quick results:</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Short:</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Total time: 4:32:17</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">1<sup>st</sup>/14 in the 40-49 AG</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">7<sup>th</sup>/42 OA female</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">I did not have huge expectations going into this as even though I have done a fair bit of trail running this summer, I still do not have the confidence I should have on the single tracks. Mentally I had to keep telling myself that my pace is going to be much slower, just due to the nature of the trail. This was a 3 loop course that was probably 95% trail (short out and back on road as we started). At the start of each loop there were a couple of good climbs, but the rest was just rolling to flat. At the end of the loop there were a couple sets of stairs, one that seemed to get bigger every time I hit it, so that was a challenge. There were even stairs you had to go down – harder than it sounds, especially on that last loop! The biggest challenge for me was just staying mentally focused for that long. That proved to be too difficult at times – I actually face-planted twice! Not surprising though, I seem to fall a lot on my training runs. <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;" title=""> Must get better at picking up my feet! Only a couple of bruises from that. One guy behind me completely bit it and had to be pulled from the race.</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">My goal was to take the first loop really easy, pick up to a steady pace on the second loop, and just give what I had left on the last loop. That worked great for the first 2 loops, but I certainly did not have much left on that last loop. I believe something happened related to my salt intake – my calves were cramping like they never have before for about the last 4 miles. Every time I stopped to walk up the hills, my toes would start curling and my calves would just get completely tight! I thought I had enough salt – I always eat a little saltier the day before a race, I had a bottle of Gatorade before the race along with my other breakfast, and 4 gels and some Gatorade during the race. Perhaps not enough? Whatever it was, it forced me to stop several times during the last couple of miles to try to work out the cramps, so that was frustrating. When I crossed the finish, my face was completely salty. So maybe too much? I have no clue, but I need to get that figured out. It’s weird b/c I ate much the same as I have before other races, it was not hot (in fact quite cold at the start). Any thoughts on that would be appreciated!</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Anyway, I finally crossed the finish at 4:32:17. I was hoping to go under 4:30, but was not terribly disappointed as I knew this was my first marathon on trails, it would be slower, and I just needed to get through it. I was shocked to win my AG – I was watching the awards and my DH and DD were still messing around at the finish line so they weren’t even there to see it. I did not think I had a chance of even placing! So that was a nice little parting gift, a pint glass and a gift certificate to a local running store. Yay!</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Overall a great race, put on by a great group of race organizers. These guys are determined to make it a positive experience for each runner, and I think they hit the mark! I hope to do this race again in the next couple of years, hopefully when I get more experienced ‘trail feet’ <img alt="smile.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies//smile.gif" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Short:</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Total time: 4:32:17</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">1<sup>st</sup>/14 in the 40-49 AG</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">7<sup>th</sup>/42 OA female</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">I did not have huge expectations going into this as even though I have done a fair bit of trail running this summer, I still do not have the confidence I should have on the single tracks. Mentally I had to keep telling myself that my pace is going to be much slower, just due to the nature of the trail. This was a 3 loop course that was probably 95% trail (short out and back on road as we started). At the start of each loop there were a couple of good climbs, but the rest was just rolling to flat. At the end of the loop there were a couple sets of stairs, one that seemed to get bigger every time I hit it, so that was a challenge. There were even stairs you had to go down – harder than it sounds, especially on that last loop! The biggest challenge for me was just staying mentally focused for that long. That proved to be too difficult at times – I actually face-planted twice! Not surprising though, I seem to fall a lot on my training runs. <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;" title=""> Must get better at picking up my feet! Only a couple of bruises from that. One guy behind me completely bit it and had to be pulled from the race.</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">My goal was to take the first loop really easy, pick up to a steady pace on the second loop, and just give what I had left on the last loop. That worked great for the first 2 loops, but I certainly did not have much left on that last loop. I believe something happened related to my salt intake – my calves were cramping like they never have before for about the last 4 miles. Every time I stopped to walk up the hills, my toes would start curling and my calves would just get completely tight! I thought I had enough salt – I always eat a little saltier the day before a race, I had a bottle of Gatorade before the race along with my other breakfast, and 4 gels and some Gatorade during the race. Perhaps not enough? Whatever it was, it forced me to stop several times during the last couple of miles to try to work out the cramps, so that was frustrating. When I crossed the finish, my face was completely salty. So maybe too much? I have no clue, but I need to get that figured out. It’s weird b/c I ate much the same as I have before other races, it was not hot (in fact quite cold at the start). Any thoughts on that would be appreciated!</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Anyway, I finally crossed the finish at 4:32:17. I was hoping to go under 4:30, but was not terribly disappointed as I knew this was my first marathon on trails, it would be slower, and I just needed to get through it. I was shocked to win my AG – I was watching the awards and my DH and DD were still messing around at the finish line so they weren’t even there to see it. I did not think I had a chance of even placing! So that was a nice little parting gift, a pint glass and a gift certificate to a local running store. Yay!</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', serif;">Overall a great race, put on by a great group of race organizers. These guys are determined to make it a positive experience for each runner, and I think they hit the mark! I hope to do this race again in the next couple of years, hopefully when I get more experienced ‘trail feet’ <img alt="smile.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies//smile.gif" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></span></span></p>
