The mysterious missing miles

In the days and weeks after Pineland, slowly but surely I came to the discovery that it wasn't just me- the damn course was short.

I am who I am- so clearly I'm not thrilled about this. My investigations have led me to the conclusion that I can blame about a half mile or so of the inaccuracy on my Garmin (I know it lost satellites twice) However, that final mile? It just wasn't there. Shit bags!!

This changes my final results a little and for the sake of honesty and future bragging rights for when (IF) I do it again here is what my results were:
30 miles, 5:07:49, 10:15 average pace.
30 miles is still stupid far but I would have preferred to run the correct distance and cross it off the list.

After the insanity of my (short) ultra my grand plan was to take 2 weeks off- or as off I as could muster. My legs have been chugging out miles non stop since January and I know that they needed a break! I'm so pleased to say that I came away from this long training cycle fully intact- no injuries and no small nagging pains. Pretty fantastic.
In all honestly it was hard for me to hang up my shoes feeling as good as I did.
Remembering how I am crazy, not stupid was all it took for me to book some extra hours working and fill up that time when I usually would be running. I know for a fact that my middle aged bod needs a little break a couple times a year!

So, during this break I did have one decent adventure.
Eric and I went over to Roberts Farm last week, a local preserve that has a good number of very hilly hiking, skiing and snowshoeing trails. Café Nomad (a local place which has some of the best coffee and soup around) is hosting a trail race series this summer and this was the first race.

Just the thing after 30 miles on Pineland trails- an 8.5K race on trails that are actually little death traps (for a road runner. I am sure that "real" trail runners have no problems with single track snowshoe trails...)

Before. Clean shiny and happy!

 I had a really fun time, up and down the mountain I went, slogging through ankle deep mud, jumping over fallen trees, clearly going off course on the snowshoe path, and running faster than is safe along terrain that I was definitely not confident on!!

Here we all go! Clearly, I've been all about the neon this spring..

Around the half way point I was in a group of 2 other ladies and we basically formed a pace line, taking turns leading the way. When we got onto the single track we decided to risk getting eaten by a sasquatch, become terrifyingly lost or similar, and we went our own ways at our own speeds. Sad.

Almost to the scary snowshoe trail

 According to our math skills and calculations an 8.5k measures at 5.25-ish miles. Right around the 4.25 mark I had come alongside a pack of women. Not only was I glad to relinquish the responsibility of trail blazer but I was happy to have some people to run the final mile with.

Imagine my shock when at mile 4.39 we came to the finish line.
No, we had not gone off course. Apparently it is the calling card of a trail race, to measure short.

Amusingly it was times and measured as an 8.5k making my speed look BLAZING. For anyone who looked at the results my 41 minute time averaged a 9:35 pace, sadly not the insane 7-something pace that it shows.

Blazing speed super skillzzzz.

Regardless of the wacky missing mile it was a great time and I won a Christmassy cowbell for being the 3rd woman. I'm hoping my schedule allows me to go back later this month for more muddy fun.

Wow, MUDDY.

I'm flying solo until August, since for the first time in 2 years I do not have a major mid summer race I (sadly) could not justify continued coaching for these Summer months.
My assumption was that by the end of my 2 week break that I would be really sad not to have a random night marathon, or 50K to get ready for.
At this point I can honestly say that is not the case! I am VERY busy at work (counting the day I ran Pineland as my last day "off" I will be working straight through until the 29th at best. (insert slightly nervous laughter. good thing I'm awesome. please don't hesitate to bring be huge bottles of cabernet.)
I'm also hoping to find time to run some shorter local races and to just enjoy running (who would like to place the first bet that I get restless and end up doing something silly? go ahead!)

Pineland 50K, redemption, insanity and giant *ahem* roosters

Wow.
It certainly has taken me long enough to do this recap. I guess it goes without saying that I've been really, really busy!

Sunday May 25th I departed on a mission quest to redeem myself in the 50K. Good life choice.
Did this mean shooting for a PR?  No, definitely NOT. In this case, the terrain definitely required a reality check. I ran the 25K 2 years ago- and despite my blistering pace then (yes, I was indeed running like someone was chasing me) it has stuck in my head over the years as one of the most challenging races I have run.

While I might be crazy I am not dumb. I completely understand the mistakes I made at GCI and I learned from them. I also recognized the fact that as far as "ultra" training goes I had not even scratched the surface! My best guess going into this was that in ideal conditions I might be able to run a JUST barely 5:30. My recent "trail" running attempt, plus my Boston time, plus recent years Pineland results corroborated this evidence and I felt totally ok with this!

I awoke on race day seriously questioning my motives.
The traditional Pre-Pineland long distance day dinner might have made me feel less crazy but did little to calm my feelings of complete uselessness/unease.
I hate waking up feeling nervous but it happened. I admit it.

Pre Pineland Pizza, proving that Beer is a legit means of carb loading.

The good news? It was shit cold on race morning. Maybe 50 something, cloudy and definitely damp. IDEAL!!!!! SO IDEAL!!!! FOR REALZZZZZ!

By the time Eric and I got there, confirmed with Sean that we were all insane, set up the tent and such I was feeling quite alright. I was basically double fisting bagels and smearing body glide everywhere per the norm. We also established that Maddy was the lead 50 miler woman at that point- she won by a ridiculous amount. (we are not worthy!!!) (this made me feel like I could handle a puny, wimpy 50K....)
But really I felt calm and it was all good. so I busied myself getting ready. 

Or, texting per the norm. Whatever. We had a sweet tent.

But in reality, as always, I waited until the last minute to get properly ready and Eric was sounding panicky. He likes to be prepared to race hours in advance where I prefer to mosey to the start with my GPS still frantically searching for satellites! (I'm ok with this. We like different things)

Everyone lined up, there were some instructions which I tried to listen to (failed) and they rang the cowbell.
We were off!
It was chilly and damp and lovely.

Going out HABANERO!!! Or slowly and carefully. Or dancing, who the hell knows.

 Many runners went charging off READY TO FUCKING WIN THE DAMN 5K!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good job.

As I previously mentioned, I learned my lesson at GCI!
My pace for the first 10K was methodical and downright pedestrian. I simply kept reminding myself "You don't finish a 50K in the first 10K. don't do something now that you will regret at any point in the last 10K... seriously woman keep it together!!!"

I had a GREAT plan. I was 100% committed to taking in the sights and sounds for the first hour, making sure to hydrate and drink as needed, being very sure to start walking up any annoying hills as early as needed! For the second hour I was going to turn on some tunes if I needed them (I did not) and focus on getting to the point where I would see Eric again at mile 10-ish and mile 15-ish.

After that I had no plan. Z-E-R-O-. Nada. Wow, expert ultra runner!!
And taking in the sights? How about looking dead ahead, about 1.5 feet so ya don't fall. That's more like it. 

As it turned out not having a cohesive plan was no big deal. After seeing Eric around mile 10 I found that the uneven terrain had already taken a toll on my dainty road running left hip.
While starting the second loop (of the first loop... yeah too many loops) feeling my hip and hammy twinging like crazy I seriously said "What the ever loving hell, shut the fuck UP! I don't want to hear any more from you little JERKS!!!!!" Believe it or not, I never felt that pain again. Go figure.
And plan or no plan, I managed to carry for those remaining 300 (or 3ish) hours with no mental struggle.  Plans are overrated!

Right about the time I was cussing my legs there was a creeper photog to capture the special moment.

So, I ran the first loop in just under 2:30, according to plan. I felt fine. I needed to go pee. Angie was hanging out with Eric (and Quinners! baby genius) at the half way point and I stopped for a very quick chat with them. I was super ultra paranoid that anything longer than a quick word would result in Boston level cramping so I moved on quickly! I found a port-a-pottie, went pee and carried on.

About halfway there. Looking squinty. And alone!

I was pretty conscious of the need to not screw up my eating and drinking plan so I was consistently drinking coconut water (seriously... it's a life saver) and over the course of the run I ate a picky bar and about 6 small salted potatoes- as well as several cups of water. The temps stayed nice and cool until the 3.5-4 hour mark, I seriously credit my good day to the weather gods!!!

About 2 miles into the second loop I took my first "real" break (meaning- not just walking up a random hill) to focus on having a substantial snack since I definitely noticed that I was losing steam.
In retrospect, this was a really good idea as I was actually pretty happy for the rest of the race! At this point I felt like I was completely alone, in no mans land. There really was not a damn soul in sight! Nothing!!!! Totally alone. Super awesome (like, the best. Notttttttttttt.) Anywhoo, feeling pretty good, I chugged along watching the kilometers tick by.

Which was super annoying.
At the 11K mark (in the second loop) I was so grouchy! "UGH!" I thought to myself "GREAT!!! THE 11K MARK! THAT is SUPER critical to know!!!!" This made me laugh since I was in the grumpy cranky stage of running not the oh holy hell I am going to die stage.
There s a clear difference, in case you did not know that...
Oh an guess what? I was still alooooooooone.....
And I noticed, with annoyance, the 16K mark (critical) the 18K mark (lifechanging) and so on, laughing and grumping all the while!

At some point in this ridiculously long race (so the start of the last 5K or so...) Danielle ran by my all full of "WHOOOO" and high fives and what not. I had just left Eric behind and had told him that "I just need to finish..." Apparently I was still coherent and honestly I felt good but... It seriously took me 10 minutes to figure out it was Danielle who was the super pumped cheerleader!
Something about looking at the ground 1.5 feet ahead of you for 4 plus hours really takes a toll!

Close (well, close-ish) to the finish prior to handing my pesky fuel belt off to Eric...I love my flower.

 So those final 5K. Aside from feeling like my feet were broken they were amazing.
All the energy conservation that I had done meant that whenever there was a flat spot I cranked it up. It was really, really fun. Totally different than the final 5K death slog at GCI.....
My legs hurt, my GPS wasn't acting right (not that I cared) but I had enough energy left to pick up the pace and run strong to the finish.
The good news? I was no longer ALONE!!!! Ther were all kinds of 25k-ers everywhere and it was so fun having friends to chat with. (or pass. I'm a jerk sue me)

I actually couldn't believe it when I ran in in 5:07:49- just 3 minutes slower than last year at GCI.

Done. Thank the sweet lord baby geezes.

According to my GPS the course was appallingly short- I hope this is not the case! I know that I was having satellite issues and I certainly do not trust my Garmin 100% (but it would be a bummer to have a course measure a mile short- I ran the 25K before and it measured as a 25K so I'm assuming it was my dumb device malfunctioning!) At this point it was HOT out and I was pleased to be done. Oddly, I barely noticed the heat while on course, I really had gone into a "zone" and was totally turned inward. (this is a skill that makes me a ballin' equestrian since I am completely unfazed by chaos, not sure how it impacts me as a runner. I will assume it's good.)

As is often the case after a long run I walked around stupidly for a while, drank copious amounts of Gatorade (so the 30 oz of coconut water and additional H2O weren't sufficient!) I took a shower and felt human again. I ate a red hot dog which freaked Eric out (silly vegetarian) but it was like a little slice of heaven.
I drank a beer.
Kissed a giant Cock.

Well what else would you do?

Was 3rd in my age group.
And went home to contemplate my strange decisions.
(and had ice cream.)

And really, my pictures with this silly bird are quality.