Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Earth Day 15 mile trail race

I ran this race a year ago and after being humbled and beat up by the hills, I vowed never to run it again. Yet, here I was, lined up for the 15 miler again. It's funny how time can dull the memory of pain. I knew what to expect and I was wiser this time. I had my fueling plan in place. I had logged lots of hilly miles on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. It was cold and it was windy, but I figured the trees would provide shelter from the wind. I wore one of my Inknburn fleece pullovers and my Brooks Moment tights. My plan was to run the three 5.2 mile loops consistently and not let that last loop crush me as it did last year.

I met up with my Trail Sisters at Veterans Acres Park in Crystal Lake, Illinois, feeling optimistic. I also saw a few other running friends before the race. I really like the trail community for the laid-back vibe at the starting line. It really helps alleviate my pre-race jitters. We all wished each other luck, posed for photos, and we were off!

Because runners participating in all three distances go off at the same time, it's impossible to go out too fast. Most of the race is run on a single track course and passing slower runners can be a challenge. Much of the first couple of miles are spent sorting that out. I ran most of the first loop with my fellow Brooks RHT member Kristin and our Trail Sisters leader, Ilisa. We made our way around the woods and by about mile 3, settled into a nice pace. I started to feel pretty warm and wished I had worn shorts. I chased a woman with white hair and we chatted for a bit. She told me is 68 and wants to run Boston on her 70th birthday. She kept me moving! I don't remember much else about this loop because it went so well. I was really pleased with how I ran the hills.

By the time I returned to the start line, I was running solo. I stopped at the aid station to refill my handheld water bottle. I pulled my Bob's Red Mill PBJ bar out of my pocket but I didn't open it until I started to climb one of the steep hills, about 1/2 mile from the start line. I made my way up the hill and immediately ran down the other side of the hill. This worked out well, fueling-wise, and it took me about a mile until I finally finished my bar. I still felt really good and had a lot of space to run. I prefer to run by myself. It started to snow and rain on this loop, the sky spitting ice pellets at us. It got really cold and I stopped regretting my wardrobe choice. My hamstrings started talking to me, but I still felt really strong on this loop.

I again stopped to refill my water--I was surprised at how much I was drinking and that I didn't need a potty break-and retrieved my last bar from my pocket. Again, I started to eat it as I climbed up the hill. I didn't feel as good as I had on my previous loops and I tried to shake it off. My legs were tired. The relentless rain and snow made the course really slippery, which made me slow down even more. I continued to run the downhills and walk the steep uphills, but my walk breaks were a lot longer. The white haired woman caught up to me and we again ran together for a few miles until I couldn't keep up with her any longer. I was pretty bummed about that. 

Interestingly, there was a volunteer on the course who was taking multiple photos of me. He kept appearing at different points on the course where I was running and we had a running dialogue about how he got there--magic carpet, helicopter, what have you. He kept me going. Near the finish line, in the bog, he popped out from behind a tree and took a video of me, which forced me to start running again. He said, 'no, don't run if you don't want to', but my pride took over. I kept running to the finish line. While I ran the first 2 loops consistently, that final loop took me 7 minutes longer. 

You know who won the AG. She came up to me after the race and congratulated me. I told her that I really wanted to beat her because I'm so competitive. She replied, "If you wanted to, you should have run faster!!" Hahaha. Lesson learned: my longest run this cycle was 11 miles and that was on flat ground. My longest hilly trail run was 9-ish miles. If I do this one again, I need to train more miles on those hilly trails.

That aside, I was really pleased with how my race went. I finished first out of the Trail Sisters. I finished in the top half of all the females. At age 60, I cannot complain. This year was about 1 1/2 minutes slower than last year, which I'm going to chalk up to the conditions. My fueling plan worked well and I'll do that again for my races in the future.

The race organizer, Ornery Mule, puts on great races and this was no exception. It's a well-organized race with easy packet pickup, a well-stocked aid station, and enthusiastic volunteers throughout the course. Last year there was a guy at the top of one of the steep climbs who was wearing a different onesie for all 3 of my loops, He was there again and he didn't disappoint, including wearing a Christmas tree onesie when it was snowing. One of my Trail Sisters, who runs there regularly, was at the top of another hill with a hug and encouragement every time I saw her. Good volunteers really make a tough race better and this is an exceptional group!

I was fortunate to be at the finish line when the organizer came over and told me that there was a 50k runner coming in who would be breaking the course record. She told me how much he runs there and he studies the course, planning his training around it. This guy lapped me 3 times on the course and he was flying, only wearing shorts and his running shoes. He was covered with mud. It was so exciting to see him come in at a finish time of 3:43:48!!! There was a volunteer with champagne and she sprayed him with it. Brrrrr!

This is what I love about trail races. The feeling of community, the small venues, the handmade medals--it's just a fun vibe. I have a feeling that I will be back next year. After all, I have to beat that third loop!

Have you ever run a race multiple times, just to beat the course? What race do you repeat every year? Have you ever volunteered at a trail race?

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics, with the Runners' Roundup: DebbieDeborahJen, and Lisa.


14 comments :

  1. Congratulations, Wendy!! This recap and the photos were worth the wait!
    You are smiling on every photo which says a lot about how much you enjoyed this race. Yes, go back next year and kill that 3rd round!
    I have never volunteered at a trail race but I would love to. You are right, the relaxed vibe among trail runners is very cool.
    Were these medals all hand-painted? They are so special!

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    1. The RD had a couple of Sundays where volunteers could come and paint the finisher medals. We got to choose which ones (finisher and AG) we wanted. I absolutely love mine! And yes, I had fun the whole time. Even thought the course beat me on that third loop!

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  2. Congratulations! This sounds fun and challenging, and you got some great race photos. Yes, I think that's the way to conquer this race- keep doing it over and over again. And I like the swag- is that "I ran my a$$ off" a sticker? I would definitely put that on my car.
    So, our races were on the same day and it's funny to compare them. You had snow- i had people spraying me down with water and putting ice in my cap. And, someone broke the course record on my race as well- sadly I didn't get to see it because I still had quite a bit of running to do at that point. I think he did something like 4:13- remember my description of all those hills and sand??? I can't even imagine how these people run so fast.

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    1. Same! I mean, the guy who broke the course record at my race finished the 50k 30 minutes after I finished the 25k. So humbling.

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  3. Congrats on your race! This sounds so challenging but also fun. Its kind of funny- there are a few courses I have run multiple times and my times are almost the same (or within a few seconds of each other). I actually ran the Baltimore half in the exact same time in 2007 and 2011. I guess Im consistent?

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    1. THat's a good thing! I guess I am too, although this race felt completely different than last year.

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  4. Congrats on another race finish!
    Wow! Seeing that guy finish the 50K in such a speedy time must have been awesome. I always enjoy cheering on other runners, especially at the finish line.

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    1. He lapped me multiple times on the course and he was flying. It was truly amazing!

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  5. Trail races have such a great vibe. We have some decent running trails here (not the best), and there is a new organizer putting out a lot of runs and races, but I am nervous about my ankle on really unsteady ground :(

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    1. I am sure! Have you considered working on strengthening your ankles? I do a lot of that in the gym.

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  6. Congrats on another tough race finish. Looking at the photos it looks like an almost impossible path.
    However just 2 weeks ago I also vowed never to run a trail again but, for sure, I will keep my promise.

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    1. HI Stefano!!! Yes, this trail is really tough. I was feeling pretty beat up after the race. I can't imagine running a 50k on this course. I hope you keep your promise to run trails again!

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  7. Congrats, Wendy! I love that you are smiling in your photos. I know it was a challenging course but you made the best of it. Wow, that finish time for the 50k. Amazing!

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    1. Tough, tough race. I'll see if I'm up for it next year. I'd sure like to conquer that course!

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