10 mile race.
Got fat over winter. Again.
Been back at it for about 8 weeks.
Mileage is down from last year, but times are actually close.
Last year I ran my first 10 miler on this week, so why not this year also?
Well, I'm 100 miles down on training, and this is a trail race and last year was on the track.
I should have a shot at 9 pace. Shouldn't I? How bad can it be?
Well, umm, ooofff.
It rained for about 24 hours leading up to the race,
and it drizzled the whole race. Which actually kept me cool.
But the trail deteriorated, especially as more runners passed
me and tore it up ahead of me.
It started downtown, then ran through two different parks before finishing at a third park.
Mile 1, light drizzle on city streets, about 8:30. This will be easy.
Mile 2, water soaked grass, narrow trail heading into the woods.
dirt+water = mud. slick going, 10:53. Well, if that is as bad as it gets, no problem.
Mile 3, slick mud on a narrower trail with a camber. slipped and face planted.
Landed on my left side, rolled to get out of the way of other runners.
Got up, kept going. 12:10
Mile 4, slicker mud on steeper cambered trails. Fell again.
Had to stoop down to duck walk on the steep slope under a freeway overpass. 12:10
Mile 5, atv trail, wider with stretches that weren't mud. 11:17
Mile 6, narrower slicker mud on cambered trails. One was beside a freeway bridge with
a concrete wall on one side and the lake on the other. No problem as long as you could
stay on the 20 inch wide slick muddy trail and did not lose your footing on the steep
even muddier trail skirting the lake shore at the far end. 15:30
Mile 7, left thigh is starting to tighten up, pain is moving down to the knee. More trails.
more mud. more hills. Two detours where the lake had put the trail under water. 13:04
Mile 8, more of the same, knee started feeling wonky, walking steeper sections. 14:23
Mile 9, bike trails, a fair amount of sidewalk, knee getting worse. 12:06
Mile 10, more steep muddy trails next to drop offs down to the lake.
Then some sidewalks to the finish. Jog till the knee hurt, walk, jog, etc. 14:05
Just under 2:05.
35 minutes behind what I thought was possible.
Fitness was a bit of a problem, the course was a big big big problem.
Old fat guys and challenging trails don't mix.
Twice during the race I texted my sister.
First time to tell her I was going to be 15 minutes late.
The second time to tell her I was going to be another 15 minutes late.
I was wearing two shirts and tights so the falls were not as bad as they could have been.
No cuts or wounds, just the impact on the left thigh.
Which about an hour later was even more painful.
A hot shower and advil got it under control, but I'll be walking funny for a couple of days.
But I did get a nice shirt.
Here I am after the war.
Supposedly a photographer caught my face plant.
I will have to check the race photos.
