Yet another Rustyboy race report

Rustyboy · LA, CA Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 225

So today, my wife and I ran Turkey Trot races: She, a 5k (her 1st trail race), and me, a 15k trail race.

It. Was. A. BLAST.

It was 44 degrees when I started off, and in L.A., that's the 2nd coming of the Ice Age. I think about 200 runners gathered for the 15k, facing the RD in a turkey costume, and off we went.

The intial climb was steep as a mofo, for 1.5 miles. It was really difficult to stick to my "walk the really steep ascents, run the flats and descents" credo as EVERYONE passed me on the trail, but it paid off big time in the end. My first mile? 15 minutes. Yeah, it was steeeeeeep.

Once we hit the crest and began the plateaus, I took off. I'ved trained many-a-times on this variety of trails, so I was familar with what was coming up at each switchback, and I used it to my advantage. The morning sun was so beautiful on the trees below, so I took time to recognize what Momma Nature has blessed us with before I hit the *unbelievable* single track climbs and descents. My quads screamed at me with every monumental turn. A German runner ahead almost fell down a 20 foot ravine as she tried to let me pass. I stopped and made sure she was okay before I (painfully) sprinted ahead.

Cool winds whipped across our bodies as we trekked along, now at mile 5, knowing the downhills were coming soon, my forte. I raced uphill, trying to cut down my time during the last 1/2 (a fellow ultra-runner's credo: "If it's during the 2nd half and it feels good, GO FOR IT!") and passed many-a-runner who passed me 1 hour prior during the uphill battle.

I sprinted down the same uphills that beliguered me earlier in the day, passing more and more runners, turning the final curve and hitting the chutes at 01:33:34, placing 33rd out of, what I believe was, 200 runners.

My wife had run the 5k in 49:00, which was amazing since she NEVER runs hills or trails.

One hour later she was off to teach 4 hours of dance, and I was on another trail run of 55 minutes for my prep for the 50k I'm running in January.

BTW, she's dead asleep beside me now, and I am very close behind.