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!)