Cactus Rose 2013

Going into CR, I felt really good. I was rested; I was injury-free, and anxious to run. I'd trained harder than last year and felt more focused.  

We got to Bandera around 5pm, quickly caught a bit of the trail briefing and off we went to set up our drop bags.

After a sleepless night, we were ready to begin.

Loop 1:

I started at a pretty good clip. Looking back, it was kinda humid, so I began to worry a bit. I really was expecting the same temps as last year, but it was not to be.

I felt a bit too comfortable because I could tell I was going much faster than I had planned. I figured I was pushing in an attempt to get catch up to my friends, so I decided to slow down quite a bit. My goal was to average 7 hours per loop, and I was on pace for a 6 hour loop. I decided to walk more this loop…even the flats. I still had a long way to go.

It turned out that 1 of my friends, Ace, was actually behind me. He caught up several miles later.

The 1^st 15 or so miles of the first loop were pretty tame, but I knew the hard part was about to come the last 10 miles. And it did, but I still felt really well when I finished. I ate a pretty ginormous taco and after 10 minutes, was ready to go at it again.

Loop 2:

In retrospect, I ate a little too much, because I felt sluggish right from the get go. I couldn’t explain it: how could I finish loop 1 feeling so well and then start loop 2 so poorly? I hoped that I’d regain my mojo soon, but it only appeared here and there.

After the initial tough 10 miles, I was pretty exhausted but glad I had about 15 ‘easy’ miles before finishing up the 2^nd loop.

I didn’t have a lot of food in my drop bags, but I had a lot of a lot. I’d decided to eat different foods at each station since I tend to get tired of the same ol’ same ol’ and get stomach issues.

With about 10 miles to go to finish up the 2^nd loop, I started feeling a little twinge on the outside of my right knee and the top of my right ankle. Plus, the inside/back of my left knee was bothering me quite a bit. Since I always get aches and pains here and there, I figured it’d go away soon…but it didn’t.

Upon finishing loop 2, one of my friends, David, gave me an ice pack to put on my knee. I also decided to wait around ‘til Ace came in. We’d gotten separated sometime during the last 10 miles or so.

I rested, ate some soup and iced my knee for about 45 minutes.

Loop 3:

I could kinda feel like I was in a bit of trouble. My knee pain was pretty unbearable. Other than that, I felt like I was still good. I asked my trusted partner, Sami, if she would pace me this loop instead of the last. “What about the last loop?” she asked. I told her – I’ll worry about the last loop when it gets here. Right now, I’m just worried about this loop. She quickly got ready and we took off.

From the lodge to equestrian was a death crawl. I couldn’t bend my knee or step onto anything. The 1^st incline coming out of the lodge was extremely painful. I noticed I was stepping oddly just to avoid or compensate for the pain. We tried running several times, but it was pretty ugly.

It took us almost 2 hours to do the 5 miles to equestrian. I knew I’d never do the next 10 miles OR the more difficult sections on time. Forget the time, I didn’t think I could physically do it with my knee acting like it was.

As we approached equestrian, I told Sami that I thought that’s as far as I could go. I felt really disappointed for stopping at mid 50. I’d like to think I have a pretty high pain tolerance level, so I think it was reached.

I decided to call it right then and there. I also said I’d take a long break from trail running and probably was done with attempting another 100 miler.

We went to our cabin and after a painful shower (from the stiffness setting in and the sotol cuts), Sami taped me up with K tape which made a big difference.

We went back in the morning to pick up my drop bags and cheer on some of the other runners who were out there. Unfortunately, we only got to see a couple runners at Nachos which I think was mile 90. Those guys were HARDCORE!!!

It’s been a few days, and I have had time to think about my DNF. I don’t know how I was able to do that last year. I didn’t start hurting ‘til mile 90ish, and this time, it happened much much earlier.

Despite my DNF, I had a really good time.

Oh, and about taking time off from trail running? Well, I’m debating about doing the 50k or 100k for Bandera…so…so much for taking time off.

Preparing My Drop Bags...Like I needed more stress.

Preparing a drop bag can be very stressful...let alone preparing 4.

During last year's Cactus Rose 100, I fully stocked my drop bags.  Over-stocked, I would say. I ended up bringing more than half of my stuff back. As a matter of fact, Halloween was only a few days later, and I ended up giving the trick or treaters nutritiously caffeinated fuel-filled goodies (GUs, stinger waffles, fig newtons, etc...you're welcomed, parents).

Looking through some of the FB posts lately has made me really nervous. Everybody looks so prepared, and I feel so under prepared.

I feel like my 4 (1 less than last year AND smaller) drop bags are enough for me, though. My thinking is that I've got just what I think I'll need - no more. No less.

Plus, the whole I gotta haul it back after the race thing is what I'm not looking forward to. I don't really think I'll be in the mood to carry it back to our car. I wasn't last year, and I needed my friends/pacers to help me.

I hope I don't regret it (but I think I've thought about everything)...besides, my new approach is: less is more.

BUT if you see me crawling on the trail this weekend dehydrated and near starvation, well...it didn't work.

Ultra Spire Spry Hydration Vest

I'm not a big fan of handhelds, so I'm always on the lookout for a super duper hydration vest. One that fits just right.

I think I've come close to it in the ultraspire spry. Truth be told: I had access to this minimalist vest minus the bladder. Recently, I ordered a bladder for it and wah-la!!!

It's a minimalist vest and I liked it's...minimalistness. The fit was really snug and comfortable.

Personally, I don't really care for 1.5 liter bladders. I think they're just a little too much. Its 1 liter bladder works really well. It's the perfect size for those shorter distance runs or when aid stations are spaced pretty close together.

The bladder was really easy to close. Unlike the salomon s lab (my current second favorite), I didn't have to work at making sure there was no air in it. It closed/sealed easily and it was really quiet. There was no sloshing around during the run, and trust me: the sloshing can annoy you or those around you.

The 2 chest pockets came in handy for my headlamp on a recent run - no bounce. A couple of gels/gus or whatever you fuel on fit in the other pocket comfortably. I'm sure I could even fit a water bottle in there.

My only complain is that the hose connecting the hydration bladder is very long. It wasn't a big deal, though, I just creatively maneuvered the hose around a bit, but it did not affect my level of comfort.

As an added bonus, you can take the bladder out and use the vest by itself. It's a win-win.

It runs around 70$, but in my opinion, it's a worthy investment.

I'm even trying it out this weekend as I tackle 100 miles.

If (like me) you aren't a fan of bulky hydration vests or handhelds, this is just for you.

Lighthouse Hill Ranch 10/20 Mile/ 50K Trail Run Recap

Since I usually have a difficult time running any distance longer than 20 miles here locally, I was going to run the Lighthouse 50k as my weekly long run. Sometimes, it is an expensive thing to do my long run during a race. I know. I know. I can run it bandit, but I prefer not to.

My goal was to run it conservatively and just finish. Besides, it’d been raining all week, so I didn’t want to risk any sort of fall/injury. The fact that it rained the entire drive to Johnson City only reinforced my thinking. I actually thought “Do I wanna run in mud for 31 miles?”

The night before and the morning was actually really nice and cool. It was odd, because the day before, it’d been in the high 90s, and here I was less than 24 hours later wishing I’d pack a sweater.

I was pleasantly surprised that the morning of the race, the course was not very muddy. The temperature was cool, and no rain in sight.

Loop 1:

Lately, I’ve been very fatigued, so I was worried with the few “easy” climbs during the 1^st couple of miles because I felt sluggish. I guess after I warmed up (and coincidentally the climbs were over with), I began feeling stronger.

The course was fairly flat. As I was running, I could see huge hills I was headed towards. The course ended up going around them instead of over them. I was glad, but a little disappointed. These races in the hill country are my only opportunities to get some hill work done.

The rest of the course was very runnable. It passed through several pastures/brush areas – typical hill country minus the rocks and hills. There were quite a bit of longhorns and cattle along the course. Several times, I had to give some of them the right of way – more like I had to stop dead in my tracks while they crossed or even skedaddled down the same trail I was running.

I managed to run the 1^st loop in 1:36. I felt really strong and confident. I skipped each aid station since it was nice and cool, and I had my own handheld. I felt I was in pretty good shape downing a couple s caps and a couple stinger waffles. Besides, the aid stations were not manned yet, and truth be told, I sometimes prefer the volunteers to the goodies.

Loop 2:

Having restocked on haterade and finding out how many of my frunners were doing (some did the 10/20/50k), I began my 2^nd loop. Again, I began feeling sluggish the 1^st several inclines/miles. “How could this be?” I asked myself. “I felt great 5 minutes ago!” My only guess was that maybe I took too long at the start (10 minutes) that my body got out of it’s “zone.”

By mile 3, I felt much better and continued running well. I continued taking my s caps and nutrition at the top of the hour every hour.

The 2^nd loop was completed in 1:45.

So far, I was pretty content with my splits. If only I could be consistent during the last loop, I told myself.

Loop 3:

By the start of loop 3, the sun had come out and it was beginning to get warm out there. Again, yes, again, I struggled the 1^st 3 miles. The heat didn’t make it any easier on me. This time, it took me about 4 or 5 miles to regain my mojo.

At mile 5, when I was finally able to go fast (since it was a pretty steep downhill), a longhorn appeared out of nowhere and started taking its time on the trail. I came to an immediate halt. I started having an inner debate with myself:

What’s the proper thing to do when you’re running and a longhorn gets on the trail in front of you?

1.       Do you go around it? If so, will it chase me? (I decided not to chance it)

2.       Are longhorns like bulls? (Probably not, but not gonna chance it)

3.       Do they chase people? (I just don’t know)

4.       I’m tired. Can I outrun a longhorn? (Probably not)

5.       Should I “shoooo!” it? (I tried. It didn’t work)

6.       Should I throw a rock at it? (I just couldn’t do that. I threw the rock near it)

I ended up doing what any rational runner would do…I walked behind it for a couple of minutes until it went off trail. It served as a rest period, I convinced myself.

This time around, I was stopping at each aid station and pouring water over my head. The heat was becoming very uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I able to finish this loop in 2:04.

Overall, it was a nice race. Not too tough. Not too easy. I slowed the last loop but managed to place 1^st in my age group AND set a 50k PR by 17 minutes (5:26).

Photo courtesy of Run In Texas

 

 

Is There Ever Enough Time In A Day???

One of the benefits of being a public school teacher is being off the entire summer. My plan was to run early in the mornings and then (possibly) in the evenings this summer. The beloved 2 a days. Now that the summer has ended, I can admit that I only ran once in the morning. My bed was just too comfortable. The rest of my runs were in the afternoon/evening.

School's begun, and I get home tired and sometimes with work to do. By the time I get my run in, it's late, and it feels like I just get home in time to run, eat and then go to sleep.

How best to juggle school and my (lack of a) personal life is a difficult question.

I've run early a couple times since school began, but that's torture. I had to get up at 4:30am to at least get in 10 miles and be at school kinda early.

But it looks like I'll have to do some early morning runs to be able to juggle all that I have to juggle.

I'm curious how y'all juggle running, life and everything else that comes your way.

Rough Creek Death March...

The race on Saturday would be 3 13ish mile loops. I’d read race reports that the course would be exposed with little shade and to expect some crazy climbs. After upping my training the last several weeks, I wasn't expecting much more than just a finish to a really long run.

After getting lost a bit, we finally found the race location with less than an hour before the start. We got our bibs and began to get ready.

Loop 1:

Immediately, at the start of the race, I realized my hydration vest bladder had a leak. It was a slow leak, and my back and butt was soaked with Gatorade. I hoped that it was a slow leak and would not affect me much. Besides, I had no back up.

I ran this loop alongside Ace Gallegos and finished the loop around 2:40ish. We were running at a pretty good clip and were so self sufficient that we didn’t stop at any aid station. I began and continued eating something and taking an s cap at the top of each hour. About 10 miles of the course were pretty runnable with the exception of about 3 miles which had some crazy climbs. Looking back, I’d call them obstacle course type climbs. There were runners climbing the steep hills on all fours. We took about 10 minutes at the start before beginning our 2^nd loop.  

Loop 2:

The weather during the 1^st loop was pretty reasonable, and I knew it’d be getting hot pretty quickly during the 2^nd loop. My buddy, Ace, changed into a long sleeve shirt and cap with flaps that he had submerged in ice water before starting the 2^nd loop. I’d soon come to realize I should’ve done the same. Ace had an extra hydration bladder that seemed to fit my salomon vest. I quickly realized that it was a 2 liter bladder that was filled to the rim. I noticed the weight difference immediately but thought little of it.

7 or so miles into the 2^nd loop, the heat became unbearable. I felt exhausted, dizzy and just plain overheated. My calves and quads were screaming from the hill workout I’d just put them through. I found a tree that had some shade and sat my butt down. I rested for about 30 minutes before deciding I wasn’t going to chance it any further – I was gonna call it a day.

My plan all along was to treat this as a long run…a 40 mile long run. Truth be told, I’m more  likely to do a long run if it’s a race. I’ve never been able to complete a long run of over 20 miles otherwise.

I told myself to keep my eye on the prize, Cactus Rose 100, and not sweat this DNF. Nevertheless, I’ve already begun making a contingency plan for CR in case the heat becomes a factor.

A special shout out to my 1 & only, Sami, for completing her 1^st marathon. That day, the heat and course was too much for me…not for her.

Colorado Bend 60k Recap

Having DNF'd (or not continuing after 30k) at the Muleshoe 60k a few weeks earlier, I felt like I needed a good run at Colorado Bend.

The plan was to pace myself (something I am unable to do frequently) the 1st 30k loop so that I could finish well the 2nd 30k loop. We (Sami/me) started at the very end of the pack with the 60kers. My only concern was to finish the 1st loop before 1am (the cut off to start the 2nd loop is 1am).

I also wanted to work on my power walking/hiking up the tough climbs. This is something I need to start doing more - as practice for Cactus Rose because last year I did a lot of walking towards the latter part...if I can call it walking. It was more like crawling.

Loop 1 / 1st 30k:

The 1st 3 miles leading to the 1st aid station were very technical and tough. The next 5 to the next aid station seemed to be more of the same. Up until this point, I'd power hiked/walked all the way. At around this time, one of our friends, Donna, caught up to us and asked if she could tag along. Of course, we said it was cool. At this point, they said it was cool if I went up ahead. I ended up 5 miles or so with another runner, Rick.

My favorite part of the loop was a little dark section which seemed to be about 1.5 miles that was the most runnable part. It was narrow, surrounded by waist high weeds and next to a river/lake. It was eerily quiet, but I hauled it in this section.

Right after the last aid station, it was a return to the 1st/last 3 miles. At this point, I'd caught up to a lot of my friends who were doing the 30k. They appeared tired, but I was happy for them they were almost done. Also, seeing other runners who were starting their 2nd loop gave me that little extra boost.

I finished the 1st 30k in 5:15ish. The best part of it was that I still felt pretty well. I'd been taking my s caps hourly and drinking a steady stream of liquid calories. I took about 15 minutes to eat and fill up my hydration vest before starting the final loop

2nd Loop/2nd 30k:

I tried to hurry in the beginning of this loop, because I wanted to catch up to Nancy Marks. I knew it'd be tough, because she has a steady pace. So steady, that I'm kinda jealous of it. I ran into Sami/Donna at about 2 miles in, told them they had about 2 miles and to keep up the good work.

After the 1st aid station, I began to tire. I know this because I was not picking up my feet. I kept kicking rocks...it was the most painful thing I have ever felt. Little did I know that this would be a continuous thing.

I wish I could tell you more about the 2nd 30k, but the only thing I remember is kicking rocks over and over and over again. I was even afraid to take off my shoes/socks to see the damage at the aid station.

At the last aid station, Peter Bray, told me I had 3 miles and an hour and a half to do it in. I was almost done. These last 3 miles were the most interesting, though: my headlamp began to badly dim. It made this technical section even more treacherous.

Finally, I hit the little dirt road which meant I had less than 1/2 mile to go. Once I saw the time clock, I knew I was there.

Thanks to Alex Segovia who I ran into immediately as I hit the dirt road. He said he was about to go into the trail on a 1 man search party to see what had happened to me. I think he'd still been celebrating since coming in 3rd in the 30k 8 hours earlier.

Final Thoughts:

This course was a lot tougher than I remember it from last year, but it is also my favorite of the Capt. Karl night series due to its scenic awesomeness.

I ended up finishing in 11:35. Yes, 11 hours and 35 minutes. I ended up finishing 2nd from the last, and you know what? I'm a little disappointed. I woulda worn the DFL title proudly. Oh well...maybe next time.