Soooo yesterday was the Cold Feet 10k trail race. I would like to recap my experience of said race for you right here, right now.
I wasn't even sure If i was going to be able to run the race. 1, I hadn't been running much lately for numerous reasons and secondly I was almost going to be out of town for an important matter but luckily I didn't have to be so it turns out I got to race.
Felt good when I woke up yesterday, ate, drove to the race, got bib, shirt, said hello easy peasy.
I did like 1 minute of warm up but I had been preparing all week for the race, leg work, core work, flexibility work through my Ki-Hara training, running, of course, so I knew I was ready.
Boom the starter pistol goes off.........away we go the fleas and water bugs are immediately way in front as we pass around a bend before hitting the trails. The trails really tighten up in the beginning so I waited before I started to pass anyone. I also knew that the trail was a slight incline here so I powered up but didn't go to crazy. Once I knew we leveled out i picked it up a bit and when we hit the first hill I really started to loosen the legs and move. My plan was simple run fast where the trail was good, run smart through the mud and power up the hills depending on how muddy they were.
I must say this worked really well. I slowed down at a few really sloppy spots knowing that I would pick it backup onve it cleared up and I did. Climbing to the top of the step hill I felt great i knew a nice downhill was coming but i also felt a pressure. I had to pee. There was a couple of guys ahed of me but no one directly behind me at this time so as i ran i whipped it out and pee'd, all over my legs. I didn't care a bit I was running strong and had no intention of stopping. Pass the aid station and up the hill behind the Nature Center slowly picking up speed and picking off runners.
Down the long red trail hill Ii was beating back challenger after challenger. The pounding of their feet was a drum beat. A drum beat that i usually let pass me by but those days are over. I kept pushing harder, through the muck, over the fallen trees, onto the relatively flat path all the way back to the last hill. A short but steep incline that leads to back to the finish. My plan was to save mu strength up this hill but the hell hounds were still at my feet so i powered up it like a diesel locomotive unstoppable and I knew that once I made a turn it was down hill or flat all the way home. With each turn I picked it up even more, passing one more runner as i looked for daylight out of the trails. The breath of Hades still on my neck but it was loud and unsteady. This whole time my breathing was strong, consistent, my legs were springy and responsive I began to get that detached feeling I get where my legs don't even touch the ground like Mercury I flew through the course.
Out of the woods and just a little bit left i hear my shadow trying to pass but there's no way I am letting that happen now. I led the entire way and i am finishing in the ahead of him. I pass a gorilla on the path and KICK. I am pulling away! No, I pulled away now It was about finishing as strong as possible. Hearing the cheers form my fellow runners I rounded the last corner looked at the clock said "FUCK" to myself because i misse my goal by 2 minutes and collapsed onto Steve Zimmerman's shoulders as he pulled my tab off of my bib.
I ran as hard as I could the entire time. I never quit, and i didn't listen to the voices that used to tell me to quit. In fact those voices weren't really there. I had beaten them back by being prepared for this race. Sure, recently I hadn't been running much but over the past two months I had. I stayed consistent through the holidays, kept my diet tight, and it paid off.
I still finished mid pack as always but I placed 2nd in the Clydesdale division for male runners 220lbs. and over. My first time ever placing for a running event so I feel like I broke the ice.
I did this all with no watch, no music, didn't carry anything with me as far as water or gels. The entire race I was listening to my body. I was in tune to my breathing, how my legs were feeling, Are my shoulders shrugging, I would periodically check my arm swing. All in all it was a race in which I ran as hard as i could the entire time as long as it was smart to do so.
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