Wow! This was one tough trail race. It was 5+ miles on the first loop done four times and 3 + miles on the second loop repeated 3 times.
The trails were rocks and roots and very little flat or smooth areas. So at 8AM we start. Maybe 75 are running this race and the course record is 4:31 and 100 dollars was being offered for breaking that record. I wasn't worried about that. After winding in and out of the trees for 2.5 miles you came to why this trail got its name. The stone steps. You looked up and they went on forever and then you rounded a bend in the trial and they just kept on going. It was so tough as they were straight up it seemed. At the top continued to run and recover from that climb. The last big hill was toward the end of the 5+ mile loop and it was a dozy also, but with no steps.
The 3+ mile loop was not as bad, but still hard. It was a very pretty trail race and I did stop/slow down so that I could see the sights. I had to do it that way because if I lost focus on the trail I'd trip and fall.
The first 8+ miles to me 1:21, second 1:24, and third 1:29 and the last 5+ mile loop 58:03 for a grand total of 5:13:34 by my watch. There was no finish line so not sure win they stopped the time for me.
On the last loop I tripped and landed on my hands cutting my right hand a bruising my left on rocks. Ouch! Also on the first loop I twisted my right ankle, quickly followed by my left. Hurt, but wasn't bad. On the last 3+ mile loop I again twisted my left ankle and that hurt and it was swollen just a little after the race. Tis okay now.
At the end I was presented with 150 dollars for winning the SouthWest Ohio 50K trail race series (four 50Ks) . Hurray! Now, I am done for the year. Time to rest and let the body heal. It has been a tough, good running year for me, but if I don't stop for awhile my knees are going to get very angry. :)
Oh, the course record was broken. 4:19! Til next time
Thanks for reading,
Wes
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
2 races in 2 days. What was I thinking?
Well I did two races this weekend. Something I've never done before and probably never again, especially long ones like these two. Maybe two 5Ks would be more reasonable.
Race 1: Taylorsville 6,12,18 mile trail race. I did the 18 miler which was the 6 mile loop 3 times. For trail runs this was pretty tame except for the roots and rocks wanted to grab ya. No real bad hills. There was 6 ravines you had to go in and out of along the river in the first 3.5 miles which put you out on a bike path for just a little over a mile before plunging back into the woods back to the start. The weather was wonderful. Cool and not a cloud in the sky. First two loops was wonderful and then it was getting a bit warm the 3rd time. All mileages started together and I kept near the front. Finally we spread out some which made it easier. I was coasting along pretty good and this guy in a grey shirt passed me the last mile of the first loop. I thought he'd be running the 6 mile option. At the turn around I could see that he wasn't. He was crusing but I was able to keep him in sight. He was quite a bit ahead on the bike path then as I only caught glimpses of him the last two miles of the second loop. I was hoping he was only doing 12. At the turn around I didn't see him and the 1st mile of the last loop. Then I saw him. Agh! He is running 18! However, this time he was getting closer. Yes, he was tiring out. Before getting to the ravines I passed him, speeding up some putting a good bit of distance between us. That was the last time I saw him. That was the only person I saw on the last loop and no one passed me so I was thinking that I may be first. I was excited to be 1st. The last two times I've run this race I have been 3rd both times. I was getting tired but I kept pushing wanted to hold onto 1st. Finally the finish line in 2:24:01. I went to the scorers table and guess what. Two other guys that were so fast that I never even saw them beat me. bummer eh? Still, a good race. 3rd again!
Sunday morning I woke up a bit sore and thinking, I'm not doing this 1/2 road marathon today. I am tired and I don't feel like it. Then I saw a note from my girls wishing me good luck and they love me so that motivated me to go.
The last time I did this half (Dayton River Corridor Classic) was 3 years ago and I got 1:24 something. Another beautiful day and we were off at 9AM. I managed a 6:30 per mile pace for the first 3 miles and was in the front pack when the leader of our pack missed a turn!!!! We all just followed and then stopped looking around. I thought to myself, "Damn, I don't need this. I'm tired and do not need to run extra." Kinda deflated my sails so to speak. We ran across this field and hooped over a wooden gate. Well the first several hooped over the gate before it collapsed. Really, it feel down. Was funny. Nobody hurt. So between miles 3 and 4 my split was 9 minutes. Ugh. So I got going again and my splits were around 6:45. Around mile 6 I was strating to struggle, but still maintaining those times. The last 3 miles was a real struggle. 7 minute splits except for the last mile which I actually walked just a little. The last 1.1 was 8:01. My total time was 1:32:34. Not horrible. Actually better then I expected of myself considering what I did yesterday.
So now it is rest time. I have one more race this season and it's a 50K next weekend. After that I'm taking a few months off. Mainly because I am being deployed. I do need my body to heal though.
Thanks for reading
Wes
Race 1: Taylorsville 6,12,18 mile trail race. I did the 18 miler which was the 6 mile loop 3 times. For trail runs this was pretty tame except for the roots and rocks wanted to grab ya. No real bad hills. There was 6 ravines you had to go in and out of along the river in the first 3.5 miles which put you out on a bike path for just a little over a mile before plunging back into the woods back to the start. The weather was wonderful. Cool and not a cloud in the sky. First two loops was wonderful and then it was getting a bit warm the 3rd time. All mileages started together and I kept near the front. Finally we spread out some which made it easier. I was coasting along pretty good and this guy in a grey shirt passed me the last mile of the first loop. I thought he'd be running the 6 mile option. At the turn around I could see that he wasn't. He was crusing but I was able to keep him in sight. He was quite a bit ahead on the bike path then as I only caught glimpses of him the last two miles of the second loop. I was hoping he was only doing 12. At the turn around I didn't see him and the 1st mile of the last loop. Then I saw him. Agh! He is running 18! However, this time he was getting closer. Yes, he was tiring out. Before getting to the ravines I passed him, speeding up some putting a good bit of distance between us. That was the last time I saw him. That was the only person I saw on the last loop and no one passed me so I was thinking that I may be first. I was excited to be 1st. The last two times I've run this race I have been 3rd both times. I was getting tired but I kept pushing wanted to hold onto 1st. Finally the finish line in 2:24:01. I went to the scorers table and guess what. Two other guys that were so fast that I never even saw them beat me. bummer eh? Still, a good race. 3rd again!
Sunday morning I woke up a bit sore and thinking, I'm not doing this 1/2 road marathon today. I am tired and I don't feel like it. Then I saw a note from my girls wishing me good luck and they love me so that motivated me to go.
The last time I did this half (Dayton River Corridor Classic) was 3 years ago and I got 1:24 something. Another beautiful day and we were off at 9AM. I managed a 6:30 per mile pace for the first 3 miles and was in the front pack when the leader of our pack missed a turn!!!! We all just followed and then stopped looking around. I thought to myself, "Damn, I don't need this. I'm tired and do not need to run extra." Kinda deflated my sails so to speak. We ran across this field and hooped over a wooden gate. Well the first several hooped over the gate before it collapsed. Really, it feel down. Was funny. Nobody hurt. So between miles 3 and 4 my split was 9 minutes. Ugh. So I got going again and my splits were around 6:45. Around mile 6 I was strating to struggle, but still maintaining those times. The last 3 miles was a real struggle. 7 minute splits except for the last mile which I actually walked just a little. The last 1.1 was 8:01. My total time was 1:32:34. Not horrible. Actually better then I expected of myself considering what I did yesterday.
So now it is rest time. I have one more race this season and it's a 50K next weekend. After that I'm taking a few months off. Mainly because I am being deployed. I do need my body to heal though.
Thanks for reading
Wes
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