May 2017 Running Challenge

Ran my first trail race this morning, and I LOVED it! The race had 3- and 6-mile options (one loop or two). I did the 3-miler.

The race started alongside a lakefront pavilion and ran toward the beach, then along a sidewalk fronting the beach before turning up a sand dune and onto a wet grass-and-gravel path. The sand and water made for a tough slog to start (and end) a race.

(My husband and son exploring the pier before the race began.)


"Wet" is actually an understatement. It stormed here yesterday and left standing water over at least a third of the course, ankle-deep or more for 20 feet in some places, including across the field of massive live oaks we sloshed through - huge grin on my face - before reaching the actual trailhead.



The path was basically grass and gravel, riddled with roots, and much of it under water. Occasionally we'd cross an old wooden creek bridge, lined with ant piles - because where else can they escape the swampland surroundings? Cypress and bottomland hardwoods everywhere, with their knobby-toed roots crisscrossing the trail. (Eyes down, feet up. Duly noted!)



This was my first race without earbuds, and I thought hearing myself huff and puff would annoy me, but I think it just kept me more in tune with how I was doing and made adjustments more intuitive. And of course, it was wonderful to hear the birds chirping, wildlife scampering (one deer sighting!), and wind rustling through the trees. Feeling yesterday's rain sprinkle down from windswept trees, the sunlight piercing the canopy to throw sparkles on the water as we sloshed -- it was pretty amazing!

And yay for the race director choosing not to send us to the alligator marsh!



I'd love to fault the beauty of nature for the error I made that (at least in my eyes) DQ'd me. But no, that was just me out-thinking myself. The course was mostly an out-and-back, with one exception where a section of return route parted ways with the original out path - I missed the turn for that and ended up doing a straight out-and-back instead. Almost went right, like I was supposed to, following an upside-down sign that pointed that way; but then I saw a second sign pointing left and got confused. I was alone on the trail at that point, no second opinion to be had. I figured either direction could wind up being the wrong one, but at least going left would keep me on a path I had already traveled and knew was marked. So that's what I did. Later, a runner passing opposite me on their second loop (for the 6-miler) confirmed my error, but it was too late to turn back by that point.

The correct return path rejoined me before the end, and my route wound up being 3.1 miles, same as expected, but I wonder what all I missed. I'm kinda bummed about that, but what's done is done. I'm still damn proud of myself for finishing - and faster than I expected, despite stopping a few times for pictures and slowing considerably for the deep-water sections. Forgot to stop my running app at the finish line, but splits say I made 3 miles in 41:58. (For comparison, my last road race 5k time was 42:03.)

When I made it back to the field of live oaks, my husband and son were there waiting and cheered me on toward the finish. Perfect ending to a pre-Mother's Day race.

I enjoyed it so much I've already signed up for a 5-mile trail race three weeks from now. Maybe this time I won't miss any turns.


5/1: 2.0 (2.0/30)
5/2: 2.25 TM (4.25/30)
5/3: 2.75 TM (7/30)
5/4: 2.5 TM (9.5/30)
5/5: Rest
5/6: Rest
5/7: 2.75 TM (12.25/30)
5/8: Life
5/9: 3.25 TM (15.5/30)
5/10: 1.0 hills TM (16.5/30)
5/11: Rest
5/12: Life
5/13: 3.1 trail race (19.6/30)

5/2-3 miles
5/5-2 miles
5/7-3 miles
5/8-4 miles
5/10-3 miles
5/11-2.5 miles
5/13-5 miles

Total-22.5/65miles

Race went well, I wanted to beat my old time, but missed it by 10 seconds, dang it. I ran my 5 mikes in 55:48, but when you consider I had the flu 1 week ago, and 5 days ago caught my husband's cold, so I'm still getting over both, then I worked a graveyard the night before, so no sleep, and I got stopped because an ambulance had to go by, 55 minutes really wasn't to bad