My First Trail Run...Go Big or Go Home!
I have heard about the Mud & Chocolate Trail Runs and really wanted to run one this year. I decided to just do it instead of thinking about it for another year. So, despite the fact I didn't train on trails, big mistake by the way, I learned a lot about myself during this run and so proud that I finished this race! This was a challenge and it has been a while since I've been this proud of myself post race.
The morning of the run, it was dry, sunny and beautiful in the South Sound where I live, but once we were within 5 minutes of the race location at the Redmond Watershed it started raining and was a soggy mess! Guess that means there will be plenty of mud! I checked in, got my number and shirt and then gathered my fuel belt while waiting for the race to start.
This was my first trail run and it was a half marathon distance. I was crazy nervous but excited to try something new. For a veteran road runner, I knew it would be harder but really underestimated how much harder it is to run a trail, especially with thick mud involved. I slipped in a few spots, didn't fall, but definitely had to catch myself. The mud was thick and leaping over some puddles took more energy out of me, so I ended up just walking through those spots.
We had to run three loops of a little over 4 miles each loop. The first loop seemed like it was taking me a long time. My Garmin was not working in the trees, so I had no idea of my pace, walked more than I planned and just felt kind of lost pace wise. The trail was very well marked for directions but I had no idea when we hit each mile. The steep uphills in places made it hard to keep a steady pace. Once I passed the water station the first time and started the second loop, I mentally told myself I could do it and prayed a little on the uphills the second time. I was a little slower on the second loop but not by much. I was relieved to make it to the water stop after the second loop and stopped to make sure I still had time to finish loop #3 before they closed the finish line.
I had a mental battle with myself for that last three miles of the second loop whether I should just take it in to the finish line and just complete a little over 8 miles and consider it lesson learned. You must train for trail runs! The director at the water stop assured me someone would be at the finish if I wanted to continue that last loop. I just knew I was last and mentioned that to him and he said, "no, there is still someone else behind you". That was enough for me to gain a second wind and keep going.
That last loop was painful! Just a few steps in, I felt my blisters on the bottom of both feet. They were very large and could hardly feel a spot that wasn't blistered. I could feel them every single step. Every rock I hit on the path accentuated the pain from the blisters and my pace slowed down significantly. I just kept telling myself, one foot in front of the other, just get to the finish. I daydreamed of having a nice juicy burger and celebrating at the chocolate buffet the race had prepared. Those last four miles felt like eight! I really felt like I would never get there! Then, as I excited the last one of these gates, I felt a little relief. I still had a little ways to go but there was a nice downhill stretch coming soon.
With somewhere around 1.5 miles left (I'm guessing), my calf cramped and I was really nervous. I'm talking charlie horse kind of cramp, completely seizing up. I kept moving forward with a little limp and then lightly jogged the downhill section to try to get the cramp to work itself out. It worked for a little while and then I had to walk as it seized up again. About four tenths of a mile from the finish, I was lightly jogging a welcomed downhill stretch and saw one of the race directors who encouraged me and let me know I was getting close to the end. He continued on to find the person behind me and run them in. I made it up one more hill very painfully with the cramping and then took the left to the finish. I think my smile had returned when I mad that left. It was a little short climb up to the finish but I was so excited to see the tent! The directors were fantastic and so welcoming! The chocolate buffet was still fully stocked and all the perks (chocolate medal, the official race medal and a Seattle Chocolates chocolate bar) were in my hands. My very, very swollen, puffy hands.
I apologized over and over for taking so long and then the final runner finished while I was visiting the chocolate buffet and taking a few pictures. We were both first time trail runners, both had no problems with road races and we both thought this was the hardest thing we had ever done! The directors honestly made us feel like we won the race when we were the last two finishers. That was special. I have been at races where I was at 11 minute mile pace and was treated like the slowest runner on the planet. I even finished one road half marathon with 45 minutes to spare and they had packed up the finish line! I truly was slow at this run and these directors were phenomenal! I never felt less than or like an unwanted runner. They were excited to see us finish our first trail run and if I had the energy, I would have actually cried for persevering through this difficult run. I did not want to finish that final loop! I had myself convinced that I should turn to the finish and get a DNF for the first time since a medical issue at Disney in 2006 but I didn't! That was huge! Everything in me wanted to stop! But, nevertheless I persisted! :)
What kept me looking cute on the course? I thought my first trail run deserved a new skirt, so I selected my brand new skirt I had yet to wear! I was saving it for a special day - my first trail run! I met fellow skirt sports ambassadors Pam and Judy. Pam wore the hover capri, which is great for a rainy run! Judy wore the cascade skirt, which is super cute! I wanted to take my new lioness for a spin on this special occasion, so I layered it with redemption capris! These skirts and other fun styles can be found at www.skirtsports.com if you want to check them out.
Thank you Mud & Chocolate for treating this first time trail runner like a winner! Although I didn't fall in love with trail running, I learned that trail running requires training! I may be able to wing it at a road half marathon but that is not the case on the trail. There are physical and mental obstacles along the trail that require you to adapt and find your inner strength and keep your balance. I feel stronger having finished this race and I did it under the time limit...just barely!
Oh and by the way, that daydream of the burger...yeah I earned that and the chocolate too!
I did take an Epsom salt bath for the first time after a race in a long time! Cramps and blisters were plentiful after this one. Again, lesson learned...training is a must and finding some trail shoes that don't lead to blisters is a must. I am still digging out the dirt from under my toenails but I don't mind. My Mud & Chocolate sweatshirt says it best..."get dirty. eat chocolate." Don't mind if I do.
The morning of the run, it was dry, sunny and beautiful in the South Sound where I live, but once we were within 5 minutes of the race location at the Redmond Watershed it started raining and was a soggy mess! Guess that means there will be plenty of mud! I checked in, got my number and shirt and then gathered my fuel belt while waiting for the race to start.
This was my first trail run and it was a half marathon distance. I was crazy nervous but excited to try something new. For a veteran road runner, I knew it would be harder but really underestimated how much harder it is to run a trail, especially with thick mud involved. I slipped in a few spots, didn't fall, but definitely had to catch myself. The mud was thick and leaping over some puddles took more energy out of me, so I ended up just walking through those spots.
We had to run three loops of a little over 4 miles each loop. The first loop seemed like it was taking me a long time. My Garmin was not working in the trees, so I had no idea of my pace, walked more than I planned and just felt kind of lost pace wise. The trail was very well marked for directions but I had no idea when we hit each mile. The steep uphills in places made it hard to keep a steady pace. Once I passed the water station the first time and started the second loop, I mentally told myself I could do it and prayed a little on the uphills the second time. I was a little slower on the second loop but not by much. I was relieved to make it to the water stop after the second loop and stopped to make sure I still had time to finish loop #3 before they closed the finish line.
I had a mental battle with myself for that last three miles of the second loop whether I should just take it in to the finish line and just complete a little over 8 miles and consider it lesson learned. You must train for trail runs! The director at the water stop assured me someone would be at the finish if I wanted to continue that last loop. I just knew I was last and mentioned that to him and he said, "no, there is still someone else behind you". That was enough for me to gain a second wind and keep going.
That last loop was painful! Just a few steps in, I felt my blisters on the bottom of both feet. They were very large and could hardly feel a spot that wasn't blistered. I could feel them every single step. Every rock I hit on the path accentuated the pain from the blisters and my pace slowed down significantly. I just kept telling myself, one foot in front of the other, just get to the finish. I daydreamed of having a nice juicy burger and celebrating at the chocolate buffet the race had prepared. Those last four miles felt like eight! I really felt like I would never get there! Then, as I excited the last one of these gates, I felt a little relief. I still had a little ways to go but there was a nice downhill stretch coming soon.
With somewhere around 1.5 miles left (I'm guessing), my calf cramped and I was really nervous. I'm talking charlie horse kind of cramp, completely seizing up. I kept moving forward with a little limp and then lightly jogged the downhill section to try to get the cramp to work itself out. It worked for a little while and then I had to walk as it seized up again. About four tenths of a mile from the finish, I was lightly jogging a welcomed downhill stretch and saw one of the race directors who encouraged me and let me know I was getting close to the end. He continued on to find the person behind me and run them in. I made it up one more hill very painfully with the cramping and then took the left to the finish. I think my smile had returned when I mad that left. It was a little short climb up to the finish but I was so excited to see the tent! The directors were fantastic and so welcoming! The chocolate buffet was still fully stocked and all the perks (chocolate medal, the official race medal and a Seattle Chocolates chocolate bar) were in my hands. My very, very swollen, puffy hands.
I apologized over and over for taking so long and then the final runner finished while I was visiting the chocolate buffet and taking a few pictures. We were both first time trail runners, both had no problems with road races and we both thought this was the hardest thing we had ever done! The directors honestly made us feel like we won the race when we were the last two finishers. That was special. I have been at races where I was at 11 minute mile pace and was treated like the slowest runner on the planet. I even finished one road half marathon with 45 minutes to spare and they had packed up the finish line! I truly was slow at this run and these directors were phenomenal! I never felt less than or like an unwanted runner. They were excited to see us finish our first trail run and if I had the energy, I would have actually cried for persevering through this difficult run. I did not want to finish that final loop! I had myself convinced that I should turn to the finish and get a DNF for the first time since a medical issue at Disney in 2006 but I didn't! That was huge! Everything in me wanted to stop! But, nevertheless I persisted! :)
What kept me looking cute on the course? I thought my first trail run deserved a new skirt, so I selected my brand new skirt I had yet to wear! I was saving it for a special day - my first trail run! I met fellow skirt sports ambassadors Pam and Judy. Pam wore the hover capri, which is great for a rainy run! Judy wore the cascade skirt, which is super cute! I wanted to take my new lioness for a spin on this special occasion, so I layered it with redemption capris! These skirts and other fun styles can be found at www.skirtsports.com if you want to check them out.
Thank you Mud & Chocolate for treating this first time trail runner like a winner! Although I didn't fall in love with trail running, I learned that trail running requires training! I may be able to wing it at a road half marathon but that is not the case on the trail. There are physical and mental obstacles along the trail that require you to adapt and find your inner strength and keep your balance. I feel stronger having finished this race and I did it under the time limit...just barely!
I did take an Epsom salt bath for the first time after a race in a long time! Cramps and blisters were plentiful after this one. Again, lesson learned...training is a must and finding some trail shoes that don't lead to blisters is a must. I am still digging out the dirt from under my toenails but I don't mind. My Mud & Chocolate sweatshirt says it best..."get dirty. eat chocolate." Don't mind if I do.
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