The Bandera trails are tough!
This race did not begin with a 3am laughing fit. (killed that streak). But I did have a dream that I caused a huge pile-up on the Interstate while talking on my cell phone and trying to change lanes.
So the time I spent driving to and from the race were filled with fear of that dream coming to reality. Except it was 5 in the morning and there were only maybe 3 other cars on the road. And the moon was the distraction. Full and brilliant and right in front of me. Splendid in person. Not so splendid in photograph attempt.
Let's not speculate on how I took that picture. Moving on.
I had to blast the AC the whole way there to keep Suby Sue from fogging up. (I'm so hawt...). That was cool. Literally.
By the time I got there, pried my icicled fingers off the steering wheel and stepped outside, the crisp Texas January morning felt kind of balmy.
I hit the port-a-potties (round 1), checked in, got my bib and then sat in the car waiting for race start. (it's what all the cool people were doing).
And also watched this magnificent sunrise.
7:15 finally came and I ate a couple energy chews, laced up the shoes, and made my way to the start. Except I realized another trip to port-a-potty row was going to be necessary. Even after I saw the line:
Looooong. But it was going to be my last chance to use a "civilized" toilet for 6 hours!
I stood in line fidgeting and glancing at the time on my phone every few seconds. Eavesdropping on nearby pre-race chatter was boring until I heard someone mention that the 50k was starting at a different location about a quarter mile up the road.
Oh hot dog. I thought I was at the start! Time was really nearing 7:30 at this point. I mean, it was 7:26. I mentally weighed my options again and decided that restroom usage still had priority over starting on time. I thought the race was chip time based on when you started. But I found out later that it was chip time based on gun start. Knowing that then still probably wouldn't have changed my decision to wait for the toilet so I guess it wasn't a big deal. Plus I got to witness about 30-some-odd equally anxious trail runners call out and word-pounce a girl who tried to cut in front of the line. At the same time. It was quite the uproar. I don't think she'll try that again anytime soon...
I finally got in and out of the portable john and rushed over to the 50k starting line. Sure enough, two minutes late. It was on! I think the late start hurt me a bit. I was pushing pretty hard at first to make up the time and feeling really strong and competitive. There were several bottle necks that I tried to pass off-trail (and succeeded) but it took a lot of extra energy. About 1.5 hours into the race I was already feeling kind of drained.
But the scenery was beautiful and the weather was beautiful (albeit a little warm) and there was a new patch of rocks to dodge with every step so that filled the passing miles with excitement.
Everyone jokes about the rock-breeding program at Hill Country State Natural Area but the funny thing is they're not kidding. Those rocks are getting it on there!
And let's not forget that growing amongst all the acres of surplus from that propagation are the sotol plants. Talk about a desert spa treatment! Nothing exfoliates like running thru sotol for hours.
Oh yeah. There's hills too. HILLS.
The worst part about this race for me was the mental struggle. I never did see any mile markings and had no idea how far I'd gone and how far I had left to go. Not to mention it was a one loop race so the whole thing was a surprise. Which isn't as cool as it sounds. Like, I'd prefer mentally preparing for two mongo hills right at the end instead of just happening upon them when I thought I was closer to the finish.
*whimper*
I didn't shed any tears during this race but there were a few whimpers that escaped. It really was my fault though. I should have read the entire pre-race email and looked at the course map. Then there would have been no surprises...next time! When I read over it all on Sunday after the race, it really laid everything out quite well. Amazing...
I had a few mantras that I kept repeating throughout the run but the one that really stuck was "everything eventually ends". Not really empowering or motivating but a good reminder.
One of the things I love about endurance trail running is just how many "life lessons from suffering" there are to learn. It's so hard to describe but there is just a kind of strength you feel when you're beaten and emotionally raw and physically drained, yet you still keep taking that next step. There were so many times I'd think to myself, "just run 100 more steps and then you can walk" and I'd get to that 100 and think "25 more" and just kept going. Miles would pass. Hills would be conquered. The finish would get closer. I just had to keep pushing forward.
"Everything eventually ends."
Endurance is an incredible thing.
And aren't this guy's dreads cool??
I gave him props as I passed him.
The run sure beat me up mentally but finishing was just elating. The last half-mile stretch I caught up with a girl I remembered seeing at the Sendero 50k. We'd leap-frogged a couple times earlier that day and neither one of us was about to let the other slack off. My leg muscles were threatening to seize up with every step but I ran as fast as I could, prepared to fall over in spasms at any moment. Thankfully that didn't happen and I crossed the finish line just a few seconds after her. 6:07:04. (6:05:34 by my stopwatch). (remember that late start?). Good enough for top 10 in the females. (out of 80ish). I was really happy with the finish!
There were cheers and well-wishers and support tables and the whole spread. Really nice when you don't have any spectators of your own! Someone handed me a finisher's medal while another person took off my ankle timer and then escorted me to the food table. I sat at the food table for a while trying to muster up the energy to eat a banana and watched in awe as some 100k runners passed thru the start and then headed back out on a second loop.
Oh did they ever have my respect! I kind of felt like a pansy right then. Most of them would be out there running well into the night.
But I had a wedding reception to get to.
Notice the salt-encrusted face and Tshirt demoted to a Kleenex. It wasn't pretty...
I walked around the parking lot for a bit trying to loosen my legs up and took the above self-portraits. Awkward! But necessary. When I did pile into Suby Sue to head back, I had to wait a few minutes to call the Kyoo mom. We'll say it was because reception was spotty at first, but really it was because I was still choking back tears.
Something about running and finishing the toughest race in my life (so far) had me pretty emotional.
But let's keep that between me and you, k?
Have a great day :-)
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