Post Cactus Rose 100 Mile recovery (or lack of), poison ivy, and the Rockledge Rumble 50 km Trail Run

While things came together for an incredible experience at this year’s Cactus Rose 100 Mile Trail Run, things fell apart for me after the race. The “amazing” camp site we had at the Hill Country State Natural Area in Bandera, turned out to be surrounded by poison ivy causing me to have the worst outbreak I have ever have. I have had poison ivy several times before (I spent my summers in college working at a camp grounds, where I often weed-eated poison ivy while wearing shorts) but nothing compares to what I had for the 5 days after Cactus Rose. I exacerbated the problem by swimming in a chlorinated pool Monday morning after the race helping to spread the poison ivy over my whole body. I probably got a total of 8 hours of sleep from Monday through Saturday the week following the race, as the constant itchy kept me up all night. By Wednesday and Thursday, I would catch myself at work just staring at a computer screen or off into space in a sleep-deprivation/Benadryl haze. While I was able to keep my running streak (currently at day 336) going by still running 2 miles every day, my body did not get anywhere near enough rest to fully recover from the race.

            And in order to keep the theme going of “what not to do in order to recover from a hard run,” I decided to go ahead and run the Rockledge Rumble 50km two weeks after Cactus Rose. The race takes place on the DOBRA trail system at Lake Grapevine, and had not been on my list of races to run this year until I was offered a free race entry. I mean, I couldn’t turn down a free race entry. My friend Carl had registered for the race as well, so my plan going into the race was to just run with him the whole day and turn it into more of a fun, long run with some aid stations set up for us.

Race morning came, and after getting lost several times on our way to the race (you can’t always trust Map Quest) we arrived at the race site about 10 minutes before the race was to start. After a very quick dash to pick up our bibs and get our shoes on and water bottles ready, we were off. Maybe 10 minutes into the race and I was already regretting it. My legs were shot. My breathing was heavy. My back ached. It was going to be a long day. Luckily for me, I was able to keep up with and run with Carl who was not afraid to poke fun at me anytime I started to complain. Often, whenever I vocalize a feeling or thought, I give it more energy, more intensity, I make that feeling or thought more “real,” so having someone there who was not buying into my complaining helped me out a lot early on in the race. Still though, I felt like crap.

The race was a 21 mile loop, following by a 10+ mile loop. I was able to keep up with Carl for the first 18 miles but finally had to tell him to go on. I was done. I was going to just walk the next few miles and pull out at the 21 mile turn around. With some reluctance, Carl agreed and took off leaving me alone to wallow in my self-pity for the next 3 miles. During those 3 miles, I started thinking back to last year when I had DNF far too many races, and the nasty feeling that they had left. I still was able to walk, why not just walk those last 10 extra miles as well. A slow, slow finish time was still much better than a DNF. I bet I could power walk fast enough to bet the cut-off times. So instead of dropping out at the 21 mile turn around, I decided to head back out for what I thought would be a long solo 10 mile hike.

About a mile after starting the last 10 mile loop, I was already tired of walking. So I started to “run.” I may have been moving slower than a heard of turtles walking on peanut butter, but I was “running.” I planned on running for 3 minutes, than walking for 1 minute, but walking felt worse than running. That, couple with the realization that running would get me done and off of my feet faster, kept me running instead of walking. I guess I was moving pretty well, because about a mile from the finish line, I caught back up to a very surprised Carl. He hadn’t expected to see me again during the race. That’s when my “racing” mode kicked back in, and Carl and I took off for the finish line. We may have been over 2 hours behind the winner of the race, but you wouldn’t have known that from watching the two of us race towards the finish, our only goal being to beat the other one. The finish line sits at the top of a staircase leading into a pavilion, and we were running at a dead sprint (again “sprint” being relative here) up the stairs. We both crossed the finish line to the cheers and laughter of those still waiting around the finish line. After catching my breath and getting some water, I headed over to the results table to see which one of us beat the other, only to see that we had finished in a tie. Yep, both of our timing chips had crossed the finish line in 6:30:18. But I did put my arm out, so a photo finish would have shown that I crossed the line first. I’m just saying :)

My plan for the next few weeks, is to focus on recovery. I have the Isle du Bois 55km on December 6, and the Brazos Bend 100 Mile the following weekend of December 13-14. I have big hopes for the Brazos Bend 100 Mile, so going into December healthy and strong is of utmost importance for me. Also, the Texas Trail Running Championship is coming to end, and I have put myself in a good position to make a strong push at the end of the year with both of these races.  

Cactus Rose 100 Mile

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. -Confucius

Two straight years of traveling to Bandera, Texas and two straight DNF’s (Did Not Finish) at the Cactus Rose 100 Mile Trail Run had left me with a nasty felling of frustration. After last year’s 2^nd DNF at the race, I questioned myself as to why I had even picked up trail running and put myself through running such long distances. It took me several weeks before I was able to enjoy running again and remember what draws me to this sport: the self-exploration, the time alone in nature, the trail running community, and the general ebb and flow of success and defeat in running and racing.

In late January, I made the decision to tackle the Cactus Rose 100 again in 2014, and I put together a 10 month training plan specifically for the race. I had been less rigorous in my training plans the previous two years. I gave myself several smaller goals throughout the year as benchmarks to work towards, but my main focus in training was always the Cactus Rose 100. I ran quite a few races throughout the year, all geared more as glorified long training runs which, along with my training, allowed me to get in five 40-52 mile long runs and over twenty 20-35 mile long runs in the 10 months leading up to Cactus Rose. I had built up the endurance, now it was time to execute on race day.

Friday, the day before race day came, and Carl and I made our annual trek down to the Hill Country State Natural Area in Bandera. Carl had served as my sole crew the two previous years and had sign up to do it again this year. We made it to the race site in great time (no traffic despite driving on I-35 through Ft Worth, Waco, and Austin!!!), and were able to get an excellent camping spot in the shade next to the start/finish line. The shade was a great bonus, as it was going to be HOT this year at the race. The Cactus Rose's course is a 4 X 25 mile looped course and it is a self-supported race, meaning that I had to bring everything, besides ice and water, that I would need during the race. The folks at Tejas Trails put up five tents with water and ice throughout the 25 mile course, and each runner has to leave their own stuff at each spot the day before. I really enjoy this type of race, as I usually already just bring my own food and drinks to races anyways. The past two years I had left a large variety of food and drinks at each aid station, but this year I kept it very simple. At every station I left: coconut water, Vega electrolyte mix, fig jam/almond butter sandwiches, Larabars, canned soup at the start/finish turn around, fruit (bananas, pluots, and dates), apple/ginger juice, and caffeine (either yerba mate or canned espresso). Seems like a lot when I write it all out, but still was much less than the two previous year.

            The night before the race I was so nervous that I had trouble getting much sleep. 5am Saturday came soon, and the race was on its way. I position myself closer to the start of the pack than I normally do, as the race course becomes a single track trail early on, getting congested fast, and I wanted to run fast in the cooler weather before the sun came up. The first loop went by quickly, my split time was around 4:50, with me only stopping twice to refill my water bottles. I was seeing some of the faster, more successful, Texas trail runners not too far in front of me throughout the loop, so I know I was moving at a good pace. I grab a can of Amy’s No Chicken Noodle soup, dropped off my head lamp, and took off onto the second loop. I hadn't ever tried eating soup during a race before, but it had sounded good. In hind sight I wish I wouldn't have, because for the next 2-3 hours I kept slightly regurgitating it, leaving a nasty taste in my mouth. Other than that, I was doing a good job of taking in enough calories and water and feeling great.

            About midway through the 2^nd loop the sun and heat started to make themselves be felt. I came into the turn around, mile 50, around 3:10pm, for a lap time of 5:20. I was slightly dehydrated but feeling good overall. I changed socks and shirt, drank a lot of plain water (I had had too much coconut water and electrolyte mix and not enough water) and took off again. The next big climb came around mile 58 and for the first time during the race, I was feeling low. My whole body ached, my knees and low back felt stiff, and my mood was just blah. I knew my calories and water intake were good, and that this low was mental not physical so I forced myself to push through it. It took about an hour and several spontaneous loud yells to work myself through the low point. After working through it, that low point became really the only prolonged low of the whole race. The sun went down on me around mile 65, and the cooler temps help to put an extra spring in my legs.

            I finished the third loop, 75 total miles, right at 9pm, a loop time around 5:40, and was really looking forward to picking up Carl who was planning on pacing me for the last 25 miles. Carl was asleep when I got, and wasn't feeling too good. He had eaten some leftovers that weren't sitting too well with him, but with a little nagging on my part, he decided to at least run the next 10 miles with me. I hadn't really talked with anyone throughout the whole day, and was happy to have someone to have a conversation with. We stopped at mile 80 at the first aid station on the loop and spent a little too much time getting our stuff together. We were there for maybe 10 minutes total, not too long, but certainly my longest stop of the day. The next 5ish mile included several steep technical climbs, giving Carl a good taste for the course. I was still able to power hike the ups, and keep a good pace on the down hills. I was moving so well on the down hills, that I was having to wait on Carl to catch back up to me at several points (sorry Carl, but that was a massive ego boost for me).

We arrived at the next the aid-station, Equestrian, and I grabbed a yerba mate and sandwich, and took off alone. We had decided that Carl was going to wait for me to loop back around where he was than going to run the last 5 mile with me. During the next 10 miles, the temperature dropped, and I had to keep running to stay warm. Not a bad motivation to move fast. When I got back to Equestrian, I learnt that the colder temperature had forced Carl to get a ride back to the start/finish and into warmer clothes, so I was off on my own for the last 5 miles towards the finish line. Those 5 miles went by with me caught in a mixture of exhilaration and anxiety that something might happen to me so close to the finish.       

Finally at 3:54am, I made it back to the finish line, finishing the Cactus Rose 100 Mile Trail Run in 22:54:26. Joyce Prusaitis was there to hand me my finisher buckle and force me to sit down next to a heater. While warming up, I learnt I had finished in 2^nd place overall (I knew I was near the front, but didn't know my exact position the whole race) and was handed a large hand-made metal cactus rose as my trophy. I can’t explain how great it felt to be sitting next to that heater, at 4 o’clock in the middle of night, knowing that on my third attempt, I had finally finished this race. I preceded by celebrating the best I knew how to: going to sleep.

Thank you so much to the people at Tejas Trails for putting on this event and allowing us runners to test ourselves on such an amazing course. Also huge thanks to Carl for crewing for me, and tolerating me talking about this race for over 3 years. I've got at least 3 more ultras lined up for this year, but none can match the sense of accomplishment of this race. 

Possum Kingdom 52 Mile Trail Run

This weekend I ran in the Possum Kingdom 52 Mile Trail Run put on by the folks at Endurance Buzz Adventures. The race unique distance offered me the opportunity for my longest run of the year (by 2 miles), and I came into the race feeling great physically. After a strong finish at the Grasslands 50 Mile Trail Run 3 weeks prior, I was mentally and physically ready for another go at a 50ish mile trail run.

4am Saturday morning came, and Carl and I were on the road and on our way to the race site in Graford, Texas, a 2 hour drive from Denton. Carl had entered the 56km (37ish miles) race, which, coupled with the race course looped patterned, meant that I would have some company for the first part of the race. Or at least as long as Carl could stand me. We arrived at the race site, checked in, got our drop bags organized (with the race being 3 loops of 17.35miles, I just left some extra food and clothes at the start/finish line), and soon Carl and I were lined up for 7 am start. After a quick race briefing, we were off.

We were only maybe ½ mile into the race, when I ran right into a cactus. No one’s fault but my own, as I was too busy talking and not paying attention to what was around me. Weird stuff like that always seems to happen to me at the beginning of races. I had to stop and quickly pull several thorns out of my left thigh, with some in fairly deep too. After the quick stop, Carl and I were off again onto some beautiful trails. The early miles of the race featured some great views over the lake and of the sunrise. The race was mostly on single track trails, almost all of which was very runnable. There were a handful of short, steep hills, and a couple technical sections, but overall it was a very fast trail.

Carl and I finished the first loop, 17+ miles, in 3:05, and I was feeling very good. I grabed several bananas and a larabar and started out onto the 2^nd loop. Carl was going to change some clothes, and I told him I would just walk till he caught up with me. It took him a bit longer to catch up with me then what I had expected, maybe 30 minutes. By then the heat was making itself felt. Luckfully there were trees along most of the trail, and a pretty strong breeze off the lake most of the day which helped. Still it was hot, and I haven’t had too much time to acclimate myself to the heat this year. But this is Texas, there is no point in complaining about the heat.

Around this time, Carl and I started running with another runner out of Houston. The three of us were talking about random things, when we had to come to a sudden, abrupt stop to avoid stepping on large rattle snake sunbathing in the middle of the trail. We were all way too close for comfort with that thing, maybe only a foot from it. It slither off, sending my adrenalin sky high. For the rest of the day, every stick or limb laying in the trail was another snake in my eyes.  

Well into the 2^nd loop, Carl was needing to slow down to manage the heat. We still were able to keep a fairly steady run/walk pace, but he was certainly feeling the effects of the weather. I was fine with slowing down as I wanted to save energy for a strong/fast 3rd loop. We came into the aid station at mile 32, and Carl sat in the shade, while I feasted on bananas, potatoes, and pickles and drank a lot water. Soon, though, we left the aid station and quickly covered the last 2.5 miles of the loop, for a total time of 7:10, marking Carl’s longest run to date.

With Carl done for the day, I was looking to see how fast I could run that last loop. I stopped to fuel up on some bananas and coconut water, and told Carl to expect me back in under 3:20. At the start of the final loop, I was 35 miles into the race and was feeling great. I now felt like I was flying through the trail. I was running around 9 minute miles and having a blast. I stopped quickly at the first aid station just to refill my water bottle and took off. I was still feeling very good and moving well when I came to the next aid station so I just ran through it hoping that I had enough water till the next aid stop.

I had not eaten anything since the start of the loop, so about 13 miles into the loop I decide to eat a larabar I had with me. I didn’t want to walk, as I was still moving very fast, so I tried eating it while running. Not the best idea. I happen to be passing a large group of dads hiking with their little daughters at this time. Well, I wasn’t able to keep the food down and starting vomiting right in the middle of the group. I apologize profusely to the dads for the disturbing scene and causing their daughters to scream, and just kept on going. Even though I threw up, I still was feeling very good, and figured I was close enough to the finish line to not worry about eating anything else during the race.

After a quick, final stop at the last aid station for some much needed water, I was off to the finish line. The last couple of miles flew by, and I finished the race in a time of 10:28, for 8^th place overall, and securing an age group medal (or cowbell in this case). I ran the last loop in 3:05, which meant that the last loop was my fastest loop. Very happy with that. I was also happy with the fact that I never really had a low during this race. Once during the race I did get slightly dehydrated (my urine was very dark), but I was able to quickly fix it, and felt good and had fun throughout the day.

Huge thanks to David at Endurance Buzz for putting on the race, and the volunteers. I loved the course and the aid stations were great. Also, thanks to Carl for letting me run 34 miles with you, and for tolerating my humor during the run.

The next race that I had scheduled for the year, the Lone Ranger 24 hour Run, has been canceled due to low entries, which means that I don’t have any races planned for the next couple of months. While I was sad to see the Lone Ranger race canceled, I am looking forward to being able to put in some good training weeks before another race. With the frequency of my races the past few months, it has been hard for me to have multiple back-to-back quality training weeks. So some time away from “racing” is probably for the best.

Grasslands 50 Mile Trail Run

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Winston Churchill

            Yesterday’s Grasslands 50 Mile Trail Run was a race of 2 complete opposites for me: the first 30 miles were a suffer fest, while the last 20 miles flew by with me clocking paces that are difficult for me even when I have fresh legs. I don’t know why I felt so sluggish for the first half, nor do I really understand why I felt so good for the second half, but either way I ended up with a respectable finishing time of 9:18, a top 10 finish, my 2^nd 50 mile completion for the year, and met some great people while spending the day out on some trails. I can’t complain with any of that.

            The Grasslands Trail Run is held at the LBJ National Grasslands, a 50 min drive from Denton, which meant I would just drive to the race the morning of. 3:30am Saturday, and I was up finishing packing, having a banana/mango/almond smoothie, and was out the door of my apartment. After a quick stop for some coffee, I was at the race site an hour or so before the 6 am start. The weather forecast called for a high chance of rain, so I had come prepare with a packable poncho and extra shoes/socks. Luckfully, it had not rain overnight (the course is notorious for becoming a mud hole due to its sandy trails) and everyone at the start was hoping our luck would hold for the day (our luck did hold, as it didn’t rain once).

            The race course features a short out-and-back, followed by 4 loops in a clover pattern, all starting/finishing at the same point, which meant at any time I was only 10 miles max away from my drop bag. 6am came and us 50milers were off. I quickly realized that I was very low on energy and found myself near the back of the pack (which turned out to be a blessing in disguised as the lead pack took a wrong turn only a mile into the race and had to run a couple of extra miles to correct their mistake). I wasn’t too worried about being stuff/slow early on, as 50 mile is a long way, and just figured I needing to warm up a bit. After finishing the out-and-back section, I was onto the first of 4 loops and feeling even more sluggish. I stopped at the first aid-station eat some bananas and drank some extra water hoping that that would help pick me up. It didn’t.

            Mentally I felt ok, but I just physically didn’t have any energy, any push. About 10 miles into the race I met up with James (I think that was his name: I’m always bad at remembering names, especially while running 50 miles) after we both made a wrong turn on the course and had to backtrack maybe a quarter of a mile to the right trail. I would end up running the next 20 miles with James and another runner from Scotland. The two had met at the race the year before and were happy to (literally) run into each other again this year. I was very willing to run with this group who wanted to talk, as I was able to just get lost in our conversations and forget about how I was feeling.  

            The three of us finished the first loop, and I rummaged through my drop bag to see if I had anything to help get me some energy. I down a coconut water, ate some bananas, and then three of us were out for our the second loop. A couple of miles later, and I was still struggling to have any energy. We were running on pace for a 10 hour finish time around mile 20, I was struggling to stay with the group. I can’t over-emphasize how helpful it was for me to have been running with those two. They had much to talk about: home brewing, traveling, mountain climbing, and other stories that allow me to mentally focus on their conversations and to just keep my feet moving.

            Our pack of three arrived at an aid-station around mile 25, and I was starting to feel a little better. I ate several bananas, refill my water bottles, and off we went. Almost immediately after leaving the aid-station I started to feel much better. Instead of being in the back of the pack of three, I was now leading and even at times walking until the other 2 caught up with me. I made the decision that I would stay with the group for the remainder of the loop, and take off alone for the last two loops, with the hopes of beating a 10hour finish time. We finish the loop, putting us at 30 miles in 6hours for a pace of 12 minutes per mile. I was feeling great, and honestly a little gutsy, so I dropped off one of my water bottles (I had been carrying 2), eat 3 bananas, and headed out alone.

            I still don’t know why I started to feel so good, but after suffering and shuffling for 30 miles, I was finally able to fully open up my running stride and was genuinely enjoying running through the woods. This loop was 10 miles, and I did not stop once. I bypass both aid-stations (it’s usually a very stupid decision to skip any aid station during an ultra) feeling great but fearing the come-down from my high that I was certain was soon to come. I finish the loop, with a spilt time of 1:39:40 which equates to a pace around 9:30. I have trouble running that fast on trails when I am fresh, and let I was running that fast (or I should say “fast for me”) 40 miles into a race.

            I was running a rather big caloric deficient as I had not stopped to eat once during the last loop, and stopped for 10 minutes (my longest stop of the day) to get some calories in me. After eating several more bananas and downing a Gingergizer (12oz apple juice with a shot of ginger juice: it’s a basically a sugar rush/adrenalin shot for me), I took off for the final 9.5 miles of the race. I was hoping to finish the loop before the sugar rush ended, as I know all too well that it isn’t pretty when I come down from that sugar high. I was still running at a pace that had earlier in the day seemed impossible for me and having a blast on the trails. After a quick stop at an aid-station at mile 45 to refill my water bottle, I was finally able to believe I was going to finish, and was awaiting the veggie burgers I had packed for post-race. I finish the last loop just as fast as I had the previous loop, for a finishing time of 9:18.

                The causes for my sluggish start are unknown to me: I slept well, ate well, and tapered for the race as I normally do. But I am glad I stayed with it and allowed myself to run through it. The last 20 miles were well worth it. As far as recovery, I feel fine today. Ran an easy 3 miles today and notice some tightness in my hamstring and lower calf, which isn’t anything to complain about after a 50miler.

            Huge thanks to the North Texas Trail Runners for putting on a great race. And thanks to James (I really hope that was his name) and the Scottish runner for helping me through those early miles.

            And now I’ve got two weeks until the Possum Kingdom 52 mile Trail Run. 

Cross Timbers 50 Mile Trail Run

Yesterday I ran in the Cross Timbers 50 mile Trail Run, which bills itself as the “toughest little trail run in Texas,” along the Texas shoreline of Lake Texoma. While I can’t attest to it being the toughest, it did have everything that a trail runner could ask for: beautiful, fun technical trails that made sure you were watching where you were going; great views over the lake; trail markings everywhere (has to be one of the best trail markings I’ve experienced); gourmet spreads at each aid stations; pre-race hot coffee; and some nice race swag (we all know we only race for the t-shirt).

With the race only an hour away from home, Carl and I decided to just get up early and drive to the race the morning of, which I found out a lot of other runners did as well. I came into the race undertrained and overweight and not knowing what to expect as far as terrain goes, so my two goals for the race was: 1^st to finish, and 2^nd  to finish around 10-12 hours (at the starting line, I added a 3^rd goal, which was to finish before the Pomeranian who was running with his owner). Race was scheduled for a 6:30am start, and headlamps were recommended. But with a near full moon, and twilight only 20ish min away, I opted not to use one. After a quick “good luck” and “have fun” speech, the race was underway.

The course was a 12.5 mile out and back (for 25 miles total) that us 50 milers would do twice. The first loop went by rather fast and uneventful. I ran for an hour with a couple from Houston who were doing their first trail and ultra race. They both had a strong road running history, and were questioning the strategy of hiking the up hills. I tried to explain to them that their legs would be thankful for hiking the up hills 30 miles later, but that is something I too struggled with when I first starting doing trail ultras. I ran on ahead of them awhile later, and found myself mostly by myself for the remainder of the first loop. With 4 races going on, all on the same single track trails, I was surprise that there never was any trail congestion, or at least any that I experienced.

I saw several bandit/pacers out on the course so at about 20 miles into the race and 5 miles from the start/finish area, where Carl was waiting for me with food, I decided I was going to talk him into running most of the second loop with me. I got to give him props, even one week after running his first 50km ultra, he was up for joining me for most of the second loop. With Carl running with me, I was off onto the 2^nd loop, and feeling very good, especially after having already run 25 miles. Carl and I started having some of those conversations that can only take place out on a long trail run. The kind that compare running hills to going a dance: where the uphill is the slow and awkward courting of a girl, and the downhill being a quick tap dance, and ends with me singing Relient K in the middle of the woods. Those kind of conversations.  

Carl and I reached the aid stations at mile 9.5 (mile 34.5 total for me), where we decided he was going to wait for me to come back and then finish the loop with me. I was still feeling very good and strong. I was running more/faster on the 2^nd loop than then I did on the 1^st. But that changed fast. About .5 miles out of the aid station, I hit a big low. I knew it was coming, I always seem to hit a low point around mile 35 in every race. Because I had been expecting it, the low didn’t really bother me too much, but was more of just a nuisance. I just kept running and still was able to run this section in the same time I did 25 miles earlier.  

I made it back to the aid station where Carl was waiting and was a little dehydrated. While 70 degrees is perfect weather any other day in Texas, it was 20 degrees warmer than what we have had for the past several weeks and what I had been training in. Hydration became a big problem the last 9.5 miles for me. Still though, I was happily surprise that my splits between aid stations were only 3-5 min slower. At about mile 45, I had salt rings all over skin, was very lightheaded, dizzy, and was having trouble focusing on what was in front of me. Defiantly the hardest few miles of the day. Carl and I made it to the aid station at mile 47.5, and I sat down for the first time of the day to drink some water and cool off. It wasn't ideal to have to sit so close to the finish line, but I needed it. We were only at the aid station for 7 min, but the quick break and cold water made all the difference.

The last couple of miles flew by quickly with me finishing in a time of 11:11, and achieving my goals #1 and #2 (I also achieved #3, but that is still one tough little Pomeranian). I also ran nearly even splits (if I subtract the stop at mile 47.5, I ran dead even splits) which I was happy for. All in all I am happy with my race performance. Nowhere near my fastest, but with the amount of races I am wanting to run in the next few months, I won’t be doing much “racing” but focusing more on just completions. I am feeling much better today after a couple of good meals and a lot of liquids, and am about to head out for an easy 3 mile jog to shake out the legs. Huge thanks to Carl for running with me, and to Theresa, the race director, for putting on a great race.

And now, I have two weeks till the Nueches 50 Mile Trail Run in Rocksprings, Texas. 

Piney Woods 50km Trail Run

Piney Woods 50km Trail Run

"The marathoner is by most standards a peculiar guy. He has found freedom through the acceptance of rules, has cured his loneliness with solitude, and has discovered the peace inside of pain and effort."
-George Sheehan

            Ultra and trail running are possibly the quintessential solo endeavors. Participates, for the most part, run and train for hours each week alone. Our events frequently take place in remote areas where we then spend hours upon hours running through the woods, desserts, mountains, and/or general boondocks with little signs of human existence save for the oasis-like aid stations every 5 or so miles. Let one of the things that draws me to this sport is its social aspect. In every race I met several new running buddies whom I run with on and off during the day, telling jokes, sharing stories, and generally just helping each other to the finish line. We don’t think twice of about sharing our water and food or helping someone up if they fell. We just do it. This holds true from the runners barely beating the course cut-off times to the lead pack. We also make friends at aid stations with volunteers who are there for the sole purpose of helping us met our goals. Ultras and trail races become a communal efforts, with each participant helping each other reach the finish line.  
            This weekend I got to see this from a different perspective: as a volunteer/crew and not a runner. I traveled down to the Lake Houston Park for the Piney Woods 50km to help out my friend Carl who was running his first ultra and who has crewed for me at several races. We arrived the night before to a fairly empty park. We were both too lazy to put up our tent, so we just slept in the car. Morning came soon, and the park started to fill up. The 50km and 20 mile race both were to start together at 7:30am and each seemed to have about 30 entreats. The 50km race featured a short 1 mile loop, followed by 3 10 miles loops. The race was certainly low key, and didn’t actually start till about 7:40 but I nobody seemed to care.
            After the first 1 mile loop, Carl stop to drop off some layers of clothes. While it had been cold and wet during the week, temperature the morning of the race was near perfect. A little chilly and humid but for the Houston area, nothing too bad. As the 50km and 20milers were in the middle of their first 10 mile loop, the 10mile and 5k race started. With the 4 races going on simultaneously it was hard to tell who was running what race, but over all there never seemed to be any congested on the trail. The 50km race leader came by soon afterwards looking strong and running at a very fast pace for the distance.
            Carl finish his first loop right on the time he had expected. A quick changed of socks and shoes, and he was out for his second loop. I spent the next few hours helping out at the start/finish aid stations. Every runner was commenting on how fast the course was and seemed to be having a great time (I also learnt that the aid stations before me was passing out beer which might have helped to explain the cheerful spirit of a few runners). The Houston Area Trail Runners were there as well helping out and seemed to be well represented in the race.
            The 50k leader, Joshua Pauley, finished his 3rd looped winning his first ultra in a very fast 3:32. Ill be seeing him again later in the year as we both are running the Possum Kingdom 52miler put on by Endurance Buzz Adventures. Soon afterwards, Carl finished his second loop right on time and stilled looked strong. After another sock and shoe change, and getting some calories in, he was back off to start his finally loop. I was surprise to see him still moving so well after 20miles. While he was finishing his final loop, more of the 50k and 20mile racers finish, each adding to celebrations at the finish line where race organizers had typically Texas bar-b-que fair for the finishers. Almost on clock work, Carl came around finishing his first ever ultra. Other than some general fatigue, he seem to be in good shape and I am sure he’ll be wanting to run something even longer fairly soon.

            Outside of helping out at the Piney Woods race this weekend, my training this week has been focused on getting ready for my first race of the season, the Cross Timbers 50mile Trail Run next weekend. I'm not sure what to expect as far as course/terrain goes, so I haven't set any goals for myself for the race other than to finish. Ill have a write-up of that race next week.

Following Through

It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish.

-J. R. R. Tolkien

Two ideas, goals that I have talked about for some time have been to start a running blog and starting a running streak. I started the latter on 14 December 2013 and, as of today, have successfully ran at least 2 miles each day for 49 days (186 miles total). Not the longest streak by any means, but it has been habit forming: my streaking changes the question from “if” to “when” I am going to run each day. I don’t have a hard goal or set date in mind for how long I want to continue the streak, but “a year” certainly has a nice tone to it.

As for my other goal of starting a running blog, well here I am. I hope to post weekly on training, racing, running in Texas, food, and any other thoughts I may have about running. With an ambitious racing schedule for the year (I plan on competing for the Texas Trail Running Ultra Championship Under-29 Category and racing several other races not in the series) I should have enough race reports to keep this blog interesting.

            I'm going wrap this post up, short I know. Next week Ill have a write-up on the Piney Woods 50km where I am volunteering/crewing for my good friend. Thanks for reading.