So, needless to say, 2015 racing season was a bit screwy - no tris, some short races, and a helluva long 9 month marathon. Worth it? You betcha. Coming back in 2016 and dropping the hammer? OF COURSE. With my body healing quite nicely from Miss Biz, I decided to end the season with a race we hadn't run since 2012 (ironically, I ran it, then found out I was pregnant with Rob 2 weeks later....hmmm), The Mendon Trail races. This is a super low key race - there is a 10k, 20k, 30k and 50k option - costs $18 to enter, and post race bagels, soup and candy. There is an aid station at start and halfway through (it's a 10k repeater loop in some pretty wicked trails) that is super stocked with ultra goodies. And did I mention it's $18? Yep. So about 4 weeks ago, I signed up for the 20k, figuring I could ramp up to the 12.5 miles on the treadmill and be just fine. Heh. Famous last words. Life happened. Long run capped at 8 miles. But the promise of 5 kiddo free hours without a baby attached to me or a toddler needing attention ( I love them, you know i do, but Momma needs her time) outweighed any rational thought to going from 8 flat ish miles to 12.5 hilly miles.
The race started at 9:30, so I woke up at 2am. and 4;30. And 6. Oh wait, that's normal :-P Got the kiddos breakfast, got ready, made a pbj and coffee for the road, and set out for Mendon about 8am. In the past, this race has attracted about 50 people for all distances, but it seems this year the word got out and the parking lot was jammed. I parked, got my bib, and tried to stay warm while I chatted with a few ultra friends. Before we knew it, it was go time.
Loop 1: 1:08:xx. The first 10k wasn't too bad. I let my mind wander the first mile or so, then realized as I almost bit the dust on a root....you can't do that during a trail race, duh. Zoning during a road race - ok. During a trail race - hello broken ankle. I dialed it down a few paces, turned down Pendulum, and enjoyed the course. About mile 4, at a stupid steep hill, a few key things occurred to me: 1. 8 miles was not enough... 2. buy freakin trail shoes dummy 3. bringing a fuel belt would have been smart. ahh well. the good/bad thing about looped races is if you're in trouble, you can tap out. but if you're talking yourself into quitting, you can. I thought about it for 5 minutes then said nah.....mom time in the woods is where its at. Sorry Greg. (note - he kicked butt at home with the kiddos). I crossed lap one, fueled with some oreos (friggin awesome) then started lap 2.
Loop 2: 1:14. as I trotted off wondering what brand of crazy I am, I made a runner friend who made mile 1 go by super quick. As I started up steep hill one of seven thousand (how did they make them bigger on loop 2??) I heard someone breezing by me who must have had jets on his feet. I told him good job and he waved at me - I realized I knew the guy, a fellow triathlete we call "ultra adam" because he's freaking crazy awesome and runs ultras and triple ironmans and crap. ok, im jealous. It was good to see him, though i must admit i felt damn inadequate as i realized he breezed by me as if i was sitting diwn for coffee and he was on lap 4 to my lap 2. damn. Regardless, I tried to chase em down and both my legs and mental math went out the window a half mile later. oops. I decided after the aid station halfway in to enjoy the rest, quit looking at my watch, and say the hell with my quads and storm the downhills (oh hell did i pay for that Sunday). Before i knew it ( i lied, it took forever) i saw the finish. i had been bobbing back and forth with a girl for a few miles, so i found my reserves, sprinted, and passed her right before the finish (,....as she went on for another loop. whoops). my time was 2:22, for an 11:30 pace and 3rd in my age group (yes, there were more than 3 of us :-P)
Even though it was freakin hard and I was in no way trained for it, it was an awesome race and I'm thrilled my body let me do it 8 weeks post baby. Now it's time for some off season training - some weights, serious core, and a look to figure out what's up for 2016 and how to do it with 2 littles and a ft job. stay tuned :-)
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| go time (rich detwiler) |
Loop 1: 1:08:xx. The first 10k wasn't too bad. I let my mind wander the first mile or so, then realized as I almost bit the dust on a root....you can't do that during a trail race, duh. Zoning during a road race - ok. During a trail race - hello broken ankle. I dialed it down a few paces, turned down Pendulum, and enjoyed the course. About mile 4, at a stupid steep hill, a few key things occurred to me: 1. 8 miles was not enough... 2. buy freakin trail shoes dummy 3. bringing a fuel belt would have been smart. ahh well. the good/bad thing about looped races is if you're in trouble, you can tap out. but if you're talking yourself into quitting, you can. I thought about it for 5 minutes then said nah.....mom time in the woods is where its at. Sorry Greg. (note - he kicked butt at home with the kiddos). I crossed lap one, fueled with some oreos (friggin awesome) then started lap 2.
Loop 2: 1:14. as I trotted off wondering what brand of crazy I am, I made a runner friend who made mile 1 go by super quick. As I started up steep hill one of seven thousand (how did they make them bigger on loop 2??) I heard someone breezing by me who must have had jets on his feet. I told him good job and he waved at me - I realized I knew the guy, a fellow triathlete we call "ultra adam" because he's freaking Even though it was freakin hard and I was in no way trained for it, it was an awesome race and I'm thrilled my body let me do it 8 weeks post baby. Now it's time for some off season training - some weights, serious core, and a look to figure out what's up for 2016 and how to do it with 2 littles and a ft job. stay tuned :-)
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