2016 Cowtown Marathon Race Recap

This years Cowtown Marathon was my 8th official race of marathon or ultramarathon distance, and I had decided it was time to give it a real honest effort at breaking 4 hours.  The marathons I have entered in the past were basically all run with the intention of finishing, not worrying about time, and my official PR was at the 2014 Marine Corps Marathon with a 4:11:58.  I did everything right in training for this race, so I thought, and was extremely confident that 3:59:59 was going to happen.


Training went perfectly...and by that, I mean I didn't miss a single run or workout for 6 straight weeks leading up to the race, including a 20 and 22 miler both run at a pace of 8:58/mi, which if kept up for the remainder of a 26.2 mile distance would have easily gotten me to the finish under my 4 hour goal.  In those two training runs, I executed my strategy for the race perfectly.  I drank enough, took enough gels, and paced by the book, even getting faster in the final miles...so surely on race day, the Cowtown Marathon would go my way and I would execute perfectly having practiced it twice already on two long runs.  Nope, not at all!


First off, lets admit right off the bat that 6 straight weeks is not nearly enough mileage to build up for a marathon, even though I was in pretty good shape before I started that 6 week block.  Yet, even with that said, after showing during two long runs of over 20 miles that I was completely capable of running a 4 hour marathon, I had never felt better entering a race.  Ever.  So what happened?? Over-confidence happened.  Somewhere in my brain housing group, I calculated that if I could run 22 miles at an 8:58/mi pace, then I could easily speed it up to about an 8:45/mi pace for race day...you know, with all that 'race day magic' in the air that helps runners perform at a higher level the day of their big marathon.  And that was my problem, as I blasted off the line and turned in an 8:41 first mile, I figured I could hold that pace for 25.2 more, and I've never been more wrong in my life.  I continued turning in mile after mile around an 8:40/mi pace all the way up to mile 19...and you guessed it, ran smack into the dreaded wall that we all fear as runners.  It's like this urban legend you hear runners talk about, the wall.  It takes you down with no mercy and once you hit it there's no coming back.  Your race is over the instant you slam into it, especially when you've exhausted your muscles to the point of cramping like I did on this day.  I saw Dad and Marsha around mile 12 and felt great, then Misti and Ella along with Dad and Marsha at mile 19, and I was like two different runners between those points.  I looked at Misti and embarrassingly said in a defeated voice, 'I don't feel so hot', and as soon as I said it I knew my attempt at 3:59:59 was over.  It was great seeing my girls at that point, as it was the only thing that could make me smile knowing the pain I was about to endure for the next 7 miles.


I slogged on for the remainder of the race, walking when the cramps got too bad, and running (slowly) when they subsided, and finished with my second best official marathon time of 4:12:37...but when you miss your goal by over 12 minutes, you couldn't care less if it was the second best marathon you've ever ran.  Coming down the final stretch, my friends Lori and Eric stayed to watch me finish and it was great to see their faces as I rounded the corner.  She had finished the half marathon 2 hours ago so it was nice of her to stay and see me finish, and I could see she felt awful for me knowing how hard I had worked to run that day.  As I turned to the finish line, there was my family again, along with my friends Krishna and Steven, and nothing is better than the end of a marathon when the people you know who care about you and understand the struggle of finishing a marathon are there to cheer you on.  I smiled and waved to them as I crossed the line, grateful for the suffering to end.  I limped through the finishing corral and gathered up my finisher's medal, all the food I could grab to include ice cream, and collapsed on the concrete to rest for a minute.  It got pretty hot that day, around 70 when I finished, so the ice cream was a nice touch!  After I could peel myself off the ground, I grabbed a beer, and made my way into the Will Rogers Auditorium and found my family and received some needed hugs from everyone.  We all went back outside to the beer tent and listened to music on a nice soft grassy spot while Ella ran around and played.  This was my favorite post race ever, because we got to sit around and enjoy free beer and relax on a beautiful day in Fort Worth.  So there it is, my disappointing Cowtown Marathon, with a happy ending drinking beer, listening to music and hanging out with friends and family.  Somehow it always turns out alright doesn't it?


A few more notes, Bobby finished his FIRST marathon at the Cowtown this year, so it was awesome to see him cross the line after all of his struggles with MS.  Very impressive that he was able to complete this amazing feat, and I'm super proud of him! I also got to run the 5k the day before with Misti and our precious bump, and Lori. We had a great time taking it easy, and Misti did great carrying our baby girl who is due in July!


Race Gear:


Shoes- Altra The One 2.5
Socks- CEP Running+ 2.0
Shorts- The North Face BTN Long Haul 5"
Shirt- Reckless Running Tank
Watch- Garmin Fenix 3
Fuel- GU Roctane Gels, PowerAde and water from Aid Stations

Key West Zonta 5k

Back in November, a week after the Big Cedar 50 letdown (but Marathon PR) Misti and I found ourselves in Key West for a work trip/mini vacation with her job.  It was a great trip, that included some good restaurants, sight seeing, and jet skiing around the island.  It also just happened to be a weekend where they were holding a 5k, and we had to jump at the opportunity to say we've ran a race in Key West!  It was a small race, I'd guess maybe 200 runners or so, and it ran right along the beach/sea wall with great views of the Atlantic Ocean and the sunrise. 


Needless to say, it was hot and humid, even at 8am, with the temp in the low 80's and humidity was around 70%, much different than Texas that time of year.  But it was just a 5k so we could stand the heat for a short race, no problem...so we thought.


Surprisingly, I had a great race, considering I'd ran a marathon PR just 6 days ago!  I took off with the lead pack and stayed close for about half a mile, then some of the younger guys left us all behind, one of them finishing around 16 minutes.  I kept the lead woman in my sights, and figured if I could stay with her I'd have a pretty good finishing time.  We jockeyed back and forth the entire race with both of us fading a few times but surging back with a second and third wind along the 3.1 mile course.  With about half a mile to go I thought she was gonna leave me for good, as she sped off into the distance with me fading slightly.  But as soon as I thought I ran out of gas, a sudden burst of energy hit me and I took off, catching her about 100 yards from the finish and coming in with a time of 22:04...about 2 mins faster than I thought I'd be able to run that day with my marathon legs still recovering.  I finished 2nd in age group 30-39, and was closing in on the 1st place finisher, but ran out of room to catch him, as he beat me out for the top spot by about 15 seconds.  Overall I came in with the 12th spot, this being the highest I've ever placed in a 5k!  I felt amazing!  After I finished, I grabbed some bottles of water and a banana and headed down the street to catch Misti on her way in...and came to find out that her race was completely the opposite of mine, but for a reason we didn't know about until a month later...THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT!!


It was really hard on her to even finish, as she was overheating big time at the end, and pretty much collapsed in a grassy spot to recover as I poured some cold water on her head and neck.  She was wondering why she had such a rough time and had to throw up at the end, but come to find out it was nausea she was suffering from just like the last time she was pregnant.  Couple that with the fact she hadn't even ran in a couple (or maybe several) months, I was proud of her for even finishing that race!  After she cooled off she started to feel much better, and we stayed around for the awards ceremony (which was fun because I don't usually get to do that) to receive my 2nd AG award, we headed out for breakfast, at McDonald's, her first pregnancy craving, lol!


Overall, we had a great trip to Key West, and can't wait to go back one day!


Race Gear:
Shoes- Altra Torin 2.0
Socks- Features Merino Wool
Shorts- Hurley Board Shorts (we were in Key West)
Shirt- Nike Tri Blend Cali Running Tank
Watch- Garmin Fenix 3
Hat- Columbia
Sunglasses- Oakley Holbrook

2015 Texas Road Romp Half Marathon, Waco, TX

Another late post on a race recap, but I thought I'd share a quick word on what I thought was a pretty decent little half marathon...aside from the course miscalculation that turned the race into a 12 miler instead of the full 13.1.


This race was back on November 15, 2015, in Waco, TX, home of Chip and Jo-Jo...for those of you that watch Fixer Upper on HGTV.  I ran this course earlier in the year at the Miracle Match Marathon, so I was pretty familiar with the layout, even though this time it was only half the distance.  My friend Bobby decided to run this one as well, despite not having trained at all for it since he had been dealing with the struggles of MS.  I told him how difficult the course was and to just pace himself through the hills and he'd be fine, and he did exactly that and finished his first ever half that day! Speaking of the hills, this race has them...and steep for a road race!  So my plan was to keep an even effort throughout the whole course, and let the downhills speed me up and uphills slow me down.  It worked like a charm!  I even had some energy at the end to speed up and finish strong, showing once again that half marathons seem to be right in my wheelhouse, having just enough endurance and plenty of speed to keep me in the running for top 10 in my age group at most of the races I sign up for.  This day I proved to be top 4 in age group, and 9th male overall.  No award for me at this race but I felt great and was proud of how well I ran the race, with the top 3 finishers in my age group finishing in the top 5 overall.  In the final mile, I passed a top 2 finisher in the 25-29 AG, which made me feel good about how I closed out the race.  It's always fun to reel someone in at the finish, instead of the other way around when you're struggling at the end and people pass you.


The course is beautiful, taking you through Cameron Park in downtown Waco, in and out of some steep hills and beautiful tree lined views and a path along the river.  You cross a few bridges as well, with the finish line being on a beautiful pedestrian bridge across the Brazos toward the convention center.  As far as downtown parks go, this is one of the best for running that I've come across, and I would recommend running any race put on in Waco, as most of them are centered around this area.  I mentioned earlier that the race was a little short, that's because around mile 7 there was an aid station in the middle of an intersection that was sending runners the wrong direction, cutting off a half mile out and back portion of the course.  The volunteers at the aid station seemed a little confused as myself and 2 other runners approached flying downhill yelling, 'Which way??'.  They just raised their arms and pointed right, so we went right...and after the finish all the runners asked the same question, 'Did your GPS say you only went 12 miles?' and the answer was yes.  If it hadn't been for that little mistake, I could have logged a half marathon PR that day as I finished in 1:36 and was speeding up drastically at the end.  I probably would've finished around 1:43, but it didn't bother me much, as I was just at the race in particular to have some fun, enjoy the scenery, and cheer on Bobby as he finished his first half.


It was a great day of running, and I'm sure I'll be back in Waco soon to run another!


Race Gear:


Shoes- Altra Torin 2.0
Socks- Features Merino Wool no show
Compression- CEP Calf Sleeves
Shorts- Nike 2 in 1 5"
Shirt- Cowtown Half Tech Finishers Shirt
Watch- Garmin Fenix 3

The Not So Big Cedar 50 Mile (aka new Marathon PR, or the Texas Flood Marathon)

Very late post, but back on October 31 I was supposed to run the Big Cedar 50 Mile in Dallas, but due to some pretty bad flooding the day before and of the race, it was cancelled.  Needless to say, this was extremely heart breaking news, as it was my first ever 50 mile race and I was looking forward to that day for over 8 months.  It still bothers me today that we didn't get a chance to run...part of an ultramarathon is that bad weather or not, you run the race.  That's what makes an ultra so difficult, not just the distance, but overcoming weather conditions is what you always hear about when you read race reports from Leadville, Hard Rock, and Western States...that's part of it, yet we had some flooding (it was severe, chest high deep crossings they said) and the race was called off. 
Anyways....
That morning at 2:30 when Misti and I showed up in the pouring rain to be told by a man in a VW Van that the race was cancelled, so, in shock, we drove back home feeling very unfulfilled that all of the miles put in to prepare for this day was all for nothing.  When we got back to the house, I was wide awake and decided I was gonna go for a run anyways, and created my own 'Texas Flood Marathon'.  The rain had subsided for the most part down to a drizzle, the temps were in the 60's with around 100% humidity, but I didn't care.  I figured that if I had trained for a 50 miler, I could shoot for a marathon (unofficial) PR that morning, and celebrate at least a tiny win with my friends and family so that the effort wasn't a complete waste.  So around 5am, I took off, leaving the garage as my one and only aid station, and my wife as the lone crew member.  She was amazing by the way, and stayed with me all morning when she could have (and should have) gone back to sleep.  I stopped in every 6 or so miles and she would help me refill my bottle, or give me gels, and help me change out socks and shoes.  Around mile 17 I had a rough patch and as I sat in the garage changing my shoes (I was soaked from the rain and humidity and my feet felt like they weighed 5 lbs each).  It may have been the humidity that was bringing me down, but I think it was just that the disappointment of the day had set in, and I was honestly just sad.  I was about to call it quits when Misti told me that some friends, Bobby and Krishna were gonna be there when I finished, and I figured that was enough to make me get up and finish the 9.2 more miles, so off I went, and slowly but surely started to feel a little better.  My pace slowed a bit around mile 24 and 25, taking the possibility of breaking 4 hours off the table, but my previous PR was 4:11:58 at the Marine Corps Marathon in 2014, so I knew I could still beat that.  I didn't just beat it, I crushed it by over 6 minutes with a 4:05:51. 
As I was about to finish, Bobby and Krishna arrived, and my Mom, Misti, and Ella were there to greet me as well, and that was enough to make all the effort worth it.  My Dad and Marsha showed up a little later, too.  They all supported me through what was a rough day, and helped raise my spirits with some post race beers, and Misti surprised me with the most awesome race gift, a black thermoball North Face jacket!  To me, this is what running is about, overcoming some adversity, achieving a personal best, and having your loved ones support you along the way no matter what. Extra bonus that day was that we took Ella trick or treating and she had a blast!


Race Gear for the 'Texas Flood Marathon':


Shoes- Altra Torin 2.0, and Altra The One 2.5
Socks- Dry Max Trail
Compression:  CEP Calf
Shorts:  The North Face Better than Naked Long Haul 5"
Fuel:  GU Roctane Gel, Roctane Drink Mix, Gatorade, Si Caps

McKinney Roughs 50k

Just a quick recap of the McKinney Roughs 50k this past weekend, an appropriately titled race, as it was the 'Roughest' ultra I've encountered of the 3 I have been a part of. The course was extremely hilly (6000ft of elevation change), and had some beautiful, natural scenery with rocks, roots, dirt and sand...all which made for some difficult footing at times and gave me a pretty good blister on my left heel due to my feet shifting in my shoes.

I quietly went into this race with an injury, my right quad had been strained the week before during a speed workout on the track, but I had taken it easy since then and it was starting to feel better so I thought I'd be fine. It turned out I wasn't, and the quad turned into a quad AND a hamstring. But I'm not quite sure that was my biggest problem on Saturday...those honors would go to the brutal amount of climbing/descending and a failure to replenish a depleted stock of calories. Oh yeah, and there was the issue of the temperature rising from 59 at the start to 91 at the finish. I was shocked at the amount of climbing involved in this run, and it shocked my legs to the point of failure around mile 20. This meant I was going to have to dig pretty deep into the 'well of resolve' in order to even cross the finish line. Those who know me well, know how I feel about quitting, so that wasn't really an option. I honestly thought a few times I was gonna collapse in the middle of the trail and hope someone would come along to pick me up eventually. I just suck, absolutely suck, at the fueling game when it comes to ultra running. I can't for the life of me figure that part out. No matter what I eat or drink, my stomach and sides seem to cramp, which in turn eventually makes my legs cramp, and when that starts, you're in for a long day. Anyways, I dug deep, like, to the core of the Earth deep, in order to finish with a time of 7 hours and 5 mins, with the Garmin measuring about 30.59 miles.

I attribute some of my failures to the fact that I am very green to this sport, and to struggle is probably normal. But I'm also hard on myself and would like to see improvement a little quicker than its probably going to happen. Regardless, I know that in order to finish a race that is 50 miles long where I will burn around 6000 calories, I'm gonna have to put some calories back in if I think I'm gonna finish on my own two feet. I have also lost quite a bit of muscle these last 2 months, and am starting to feel pretty weak, and the fact that a few friends have made the comment 'you look skinny' (with that sideways smirk stating that what they really mean is you look sickly) lets me know that I need to better balance this last month before Big Cedar on Oct 31. So here's what's gonna happen before my date with 50 miles:

The gym will be my home.

I will gain at least 5 lbs of muscle back.

No more long runs over 2 hours.

The treadmill at 15% incline will be my new track...and I will embrace it.

A fueling plan and race strategy with my crew will be drafted AND implemented on race day!

I will eat like my life depends on it.

I will show up ready to smash 50 miles. 

All in all, I still had a blast at McKinney Roughs. The camping was great and we watched a pretty motivating endurance and adventure sport movie with beer and popcorn at the outdoor amphitheater the night before the race. Finishing something this tough always breaks you down a little, but it's also what makes you stronger and more prepared for the next test which is why I love this sport so much. It's not just running; it's accomplishing a feat of endurance and showing yourself what you're truly capable of in times of extreme adversity. I'll be proud to toe the line at the next race knowing that I've put everything into accomplishing my goal of 50 miles, and with my family and friends present, I will be proud to finish for them.

El Scorcho 50k 2015 Fort Worth, TX

Not sure where to start on this one, so apologies if I bounce around a little, the night was a blur!  First, big thanks to my friends Adam and Tara who acted as my crew for the race, unfortunately my wife was out of town so Adam and Tara volunteered to sit through the night while I went for a little run.  And they did an amazing job for being thrown into the world of late night ultramarathons, performing like seasoned pros!  Every time I came around the loop to our makeshift aid station just past the start/finish line, they were extremely alert and catered to my needs/complaints in a timely manner, so I am extremely grateful for how they handled all the chaos a 50k can (and will) bring, especially one in the middle of the night in a Texas Summer. 
This race was NOT on my radar, just for the record!  I had signed up for the Big Cedar 50 mile race, which isn't util October 31, and after I hired a coach to help me train for that race he suggested I just dive headfirst into a 50k called El Scorcho here in Fort Worth.  The furthest I've ran in the last 4 months was the Tangle 30k, so jumping straight to a 50k seemed a little crazy, but then again, so is signing up for a 50 miler.  Nonetheless, I contacted the El Scorcho website and got put on a waitlist since they were sold out, but a week later was informed I had been 'selected' to partake in this wonderful event...in Summer...in Texas...in the middle of the night.  So here we go.
We parked about a half mile from the start/finish area, but I was wise enough to bring a wagon for my ice chest and gear (well, it was my wife's idea...I'm the idiot running 31 miles at night, so wise isn't the word I would use to describe myself).  My crew, however, failed to bring a wagon, so the 1/2 mi journey was quite the trek, but we made it eventually to a nice spot after the finish line and set up camp.  My coach had instructed me to eat whole food and ditch the gels I'm accustomed to using on long runs, and to drink gatorade, lots of gatorade, like 30 oz per hour, so I had an ice chest packed to the brim with all kinds of crap like sandwiches, fruit cups, cookies, gatorade, water, Boost (it's like Ensure), gummi bears and of course beer for afterwards (although on my last lap I could've used one!).  I started off  lap 1 (its 10 laps of a 3.1 mile loop) with my Salomon hydration vest with a single flask of gatorade, about 17 ozs worth and the first lap flew by quite easily.  I had to make myself slow down to about a 9:30 min/mi pace so that I wouldn't blow up later on....which may or may not have happened, keep reading.  At my aid station, we'll call it "Camp Night Racer" or CNR, due to my online supporters who made signs at home and posted them to Facebook since they couldn't make the race (love you Bobby and Krishna!), I switched out my Gatorade flask for a water, grabbed some gummi bears and headed out.  Still felt great, and made the second loop just as quickly as the first.  Back at CNR for the start of lap 3, I decided to drop the vest and go with a handheld bottle, put on a hat with some ice in it and was off again.  Lap 3 was still going pretty good, but I could tell my stomach might not like me drinking so much Gatorade along with the gummi bears.  For the start of lap 4 I decided to grab a Boost and headed out of CNR on a fast walk so that I could finish the drink before I started to run again.  I forgot to mention I have also been consuming 3 salt capsules every hour, along with the 30 ozs.  Lap 4 was when I started to realize how hot it was going to be throughout the night, and that my stomach didn't like what was going on.  I started lap 5 with a sandwich, watermelon, and some water, still able to run just fine...until I got back to CNR for what would end up being the longest next 16 miles of my life, and by far the hardest.
My crew could sense I wasn't feeling too great, and it took me a little longer to get back from that 5th loop.  This is when the race gets a little foggy, but I will try to remember as much as I can!  At CNR I decided to change my shoes and socks, being that the heat index was still close to 90 at 2 in the morning I was drenched from head to toe.  I thought the change would do me some good to have dry feet for the rest of the race…this would totally blow up in my face as the insoles in my Altra Olympus started folding like an accordion underneath my feet, causing some major hot spots and foot pain.  The only reason I never switched back to my other shoes (Altra Instinct 3) was because we had to move the timing chip from my laces and it took too long.  I don’t remember, but I think I opened up a fruit cup and ate some fruit hoping the sugar would give me a boost…but all it did was make my stomach cramp even worse.  With the stomach cramps came muscle cramps, and for the remainder of the race I battled the worse cramps of my life.  It was like a vice grip on my quads and calves, making it impossible to run at a steady pace.  This was going to make for a long night.
Laps 6 and 7 were a real low point for me, I can remember fighting back thoughts of quitting during each of those laps.  I found myself repeating the mantra, ‘relentless forward progress’ in my head, as each painful step got me that much closer to the end of each loop.  I also found myself thinking of people that aren’t physically capable of running a 50k and that I should be thankful that I am strong enough to put myself through the agony in order to achieve such a goal.  It’s not fair for me to complain about muscle cramps while I have friends and family that, due to medical reasons or physical limitations, are not able to know what it’s like to finish a race like this.  It’s a powerful thing to go through so much adversity on one given night and come through the other side knowing you had the mental strength to make it, even though your body is screaming at me to stop.  I think that’s why we do it, to have such a great feeling of accomplishment knowing that you were tough enough to claw your way to the finish, even on nights (like this one) when stuff just isn’t going your way. 
So there I was, back at CNR after lap 7, looking at my crews faces trying to think how in the world I was going to tell them I had to quit…all this work, all this time, I didn’t think my body was going to allow me to keep going.  I was frustrated, and they could tell, so they each said that I should take my time and just keep going, that I would find a way to finish.  I said I was done with that Gatorade and food bullshit, just feed me water, ice, and give me a gel.  I also grabbed my ipod, and took off for lap 8, the lap I will call ‘redemption’.
I learned a few things during lap 8, first was that I had some resolve deep inside that was going to make me finish this damn race.  They were gonna have to pick me up off the ground before I quit.  I knew I was a determined individual, but I didn’t know how far it went until that 8^th lap. The second thing I learned was that I may be a water and gel kinda guy. By now I had shed my headlamp and hat, and was running with just one handeld bottle of water, and one gel in my pocket.  No more Gatorade or food, and no salt tablets, I was done with all that.  Something told me that my sodium balance was off, and that was making my stomach feel bloated and cramped, and as soon as I just started drinking water (and less of it) I started to feel better.  I found myself running again!  And running at a pretty decent pace too, the only problem is that once muscle cramps set in, they don’t go away, so as soon as they would come back I would just start walking with a purpose, not slowing down that much really, just unable to run.  As soon as I thought the cramps were at bay, I’d take off again, and I would do this until I finished.  Mile 26 was actually my fastest since mile 12!  With my stomach finally at ease I felt great, and if I didn’t have the cramps in my legs I would’ve been able to run the rest of the way at a pretty decent clip, I would notice when I was actually running, my pace was as fast as when I started the race, and that made me feel unstoppable! I finished lap 8 and was back at CNR with an extremely determined look on my face, and basically just said GIVE ME A WATER AND A GEL SO I CAN GET THIS OVER WITH!  I even surprised the crew with how fast the loop was, Adam said, “Dude, you’re killin it!”  It was nice to see the look on their faces knowing that I had overcome adversity and was going to be able to finish before the cutoff of 7 hours.  So off I went, for loops 9 and 10, and it was great!  I still had to run/walk due to cramps but I had figured out how to manage them.  Seeing the finish line was an unbelievable experience, and an overwhelming sense of pride came over me like no other race I’ve ever done.  That one was tough, but I finished what I started.
I’m not sure how many people quit that race, but the rumors were that over half that started the 50k bowed out at some point in the night.  Having friends like Adam and Tara there helped me a ton, I didn’t want to let them down after coming to help me on an all-nighter, and plus, it’s just embarrassing to quit.  Sometimes it takes more mental than physical strength to run a race, and this night was all about the mental game.  The physical aspect for me was over at mile 15, so that meant to finish I would have to basically limp for the next 16 miles, and in order to do something like that you have to have a STRONG mental game, which was the main thing I took from this race.  I may not be physically ready to run 50 miles, but come October 31^st,  I will at least know that I have the mental strength to get through just about anything I put my mind to. 
Couple things real quick about El Scorcho the race…it is an extremely well put on race with some amazing volunteers.  In just a 3.1 mile loop there were a total of 5 aid stations!  I’ve never seen that in any other race, so for them to stay up all night for the runners is pretty cool, so I commend their efforts to help us run such a tough race like this.  My favorite was the cold blue towel station, extremely refreshing to get that ice cold wet towel every 3.1 miles!  The race scene itself is really cool, pretty much like a giant campsite with people wearing glow sticks, playing music, and just hanging out.  It was like an all-night tailgaiter for the spectators, which looked like a lot of fun as I would run by with a jealous look on my face seeing all the beer bottles glisten with sweat and smiles on everyone’s faces!  The post-race Shiner Prickly Pear was one of the single best beers I’ve had in my life!  Trinity Park is such a great place to run in Fort Worth, there’s a good mix of surfaces to run on, and even at night it’s a pretty place with all the trees and the river flowing by. Not gonna lie, I was pointing my headlamp towards the river early on in the race for alligators, since they recently caught and released a 10 footer just steps from the course we were running!(on laps 6 and 7 I was looking for one to bite me so I could claim injury and get the hell outta there!) Overall, this was a great experience, I learned a lot about myself and what I can eat/drink while running, that I need to rethink my long distance shoe choice, and that the ‘relentless forward progress’ mantra is a good one to live by, because eventually, you’ll get where you want to go, as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Thanks for reading, see you on the trails!

Road vs. Trail and My B-Day at the Tangle 30k

So now that I’ve run the entire gambit of races, I thought I’d share some of the differences between road and trail races of distances from 5k to Ultramarathons.  This weekend was my first foray into the trail scene, so I’ll dedicate much of this post to painting a picture of our crazy yet amazing weekend in the beautiful Hill Country of Central Texas.  First, let’s discuss some quick differences between the road and the trail.

Road racing will always have a place in my heart as it was what got me hooked on running, from my very first race, the San Diego Half Marathon.  Road racing has such a rich history with World famous events like the Boston, NYC, and London Marathons.  The scene at a road race is so motivating, with thousands of runners ranging from 40 year old out of shape Dads to Elite athletes from around the world looking to run 4-5 minute miles!  In no other sport can you compete right alongside the best in the world like you can running, it would be like stepping onto the court at the beginning of a Mavs game and shaking hands with Dirk saying good luck, man!  The colors, sights, and sounds of a road race might be my favorite part, from the eclectic range of runners, to the overcrowded expos, and the live music amping up all the runners ready to toe the line.  It’s such a vast community, so there’s always support with road running, and you can do it anywhere.  Most courses are relatively flat, so it’s easy to keep a steady pace, and for the most part there are no surprises in a road race.  You know exactly where the aid stations are, and you can usually even drive the course which is very beneficial if you’re travelling somewhere you’re unfamiliar with.  All in all, road racing, any distance, is pretty easy to get started in, as there’s usually a race in your area every weekend.  You can work in races as training runs for longer distances, something I like to do because it’s fun and keeps you in racing shape.  I ran a marathon a month before my 50k this year just to check where I was fitness wise, so even a marathon can be just a regular old training day if you’re gonna be going further in the future.  Long distances are extremely rewarding, and nothing is better than the finish line at a marathon…except an Ultra!  But short distances are lots of fun because you get to run much faster than normal.  I’d love to run more 5k’s and 10k’s if I had the time; its quick, rewarding, and fun, plus it doesn’t take your whole day like a marathon will (half day to run, half day to recover).  So, now let’s go off the beaten path into trail running as I explain the happenings of this past weekend, which was so much fun!

We decided to leave on Friday evening instead of Saturday morning so our daughter could sleep in the car on the way down to Austin.  Get on the road and, boom, traffic jam amidst severe thunderstorms.  Don’t ever take 35 south from Ft Worth to Austin, just don’t.  We stayed in a hotel in Austin Friday night and got up the next day to pick up my race packet at Rogue Running.  Pretty uneventful, much different than getting your race packet, say, at the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C.  There was no expo, no runners, and no festivities of any kind, just kind of, “Hey I’m here for my race packet”, and “Here ya go”.  We hung out at Zilker Park with a beautiful view of downtown, and the river, and just let Ella run around for a while.  We had an awesome time, then went to eat at Shady Grove, which was AMAZING!  Great beer, food, and patio…we’ll definitely go back next time we’re in Austin.  We left Austin and drove to Johnson City, about an hour away, and it’s gorgeous out there…and remote.  We get to the Best Western, and our room reservation was non-existent.  No rooms available.  Mind you, the race is in the middle of nowhere with the smallest towns imaginable and NO VACANCY on every hotel/motel/Inn all the way back to Austin.  We have our 21 month old daughter with us, and have to be at a race at 7am, so the thought of going back to Austin to stay the night only to get up at 4 am in order to pack everything back up and get to the starting line sounded awful, we were devastated.  The clerk luckily found a place down the road in Blanco that just had a cancellation, so we booked it immediately!   It worked out perfectly because it was an upstairs ‘apartment’ with a kitchen, living room, and separate bedroom, so it made it much easier to put Ella to bed.  So as we’re getting ready for the next day’s race, packing backpacks, snacks, etc., we check the forecast and there’s no chance of rain until late afternoon, so of course we don’t pack any rain gear…to be continued.

We get to the race on time, and the scene is vastly different from any race I’ve ever been to.  Everyone’s just kind of hanging around, very laid back, and unorganized in a relaxing kind of way.  No pressure to get into a starting corral, and it’s not crowded at all, maybe 300 people including the 10k runners.  We unfortunately had a flat tire on our jogging stroller for Ella, and someone who parked next to us let Misti borrow her stroller in exchange for a hair tie, lol!  (And later there was an incident where we were out of diapers so Misti made friends with some locals that gave her a biodegradable diaper so she could change Ella as I crossed the finish line, lol!)  There was a line for the few port-o-johns set out, so I go off into the trees…first perk of trail running!  As I’m looking around I notice everyone has a timing strap on their ankle but me, so with 1 minute left before the start, I run over to a table (unmarked) and ask if I’m supposed to have one, and they cooly hand one over to me.  Still, very relaxed and unhurried even though I can hear them counting down the race start in 10 seconds…again, way different than a road race!

With my timing anklet on, I get to the starting line just in time to hear everyone shout go, and the 30k officially begins.  The biggest difference I will tell you from road to trail is this, YOUR NORMAL PACE WILL GO OUT THE WINDOW!  I’m a 9:30 min/mi kinda guy in a road marathon, on this trail I was more of an 11:40 min/mi kinda guy!  It took me 3 hours and 13 mins to run 16.53 miles, which on a road would’ve  taken about an hour less!  And every step of the way was off canter, either stepping on a rock, a branch, side of a boulder or tree root, or along a river bed.  The level of difficulty was ten-fold that of a road race of any distance I’ve ever ran.  Within a mile I was wondering how my legs were gonna make it to the end, almost 17 miles!  Not to mention, the humidity was 100%, no really, 100% and the temp was around 80.  The conditions for a road runner like me were brutal, and I even heard people on course saying it was the hardest trail event Rogue has ever put on, and you know what, I loved it!  Instantly hooked as we wound our way through the trees and river beds, through caves and alongside a cliff embanked river with water so clear you could see the bottom.  I couldn’t believe I was in Texas, it was absolutely beautiful.  I elected not to wear headphones for this race either, so that I could completely engulf myself in the surroundings.  I wanted to hear the leaves moves on the trees, the water rushing down the river, and the ground crunching beneath my feet.  The absolute best part (for me, not the spectators) was the fact that a thunderstorm rolled through and let me tell you, running trails in the wild, with thunder, lighting and rain, might be the most exhilarating way to run I can think of!

I was smiling ear to ear for the entire 16.53 miles!  I was hooked! 

And when it was all done, and I slogged my heavy, tired legs up and down 3000 feet of elevation change in the rain…there was no fancy finish line, no medals or cheering crowds…just a couple trail runners with canned beer at the finish waiting for everyone to come through the trees and share some local craft brew and stories about falling over rocks and alongside the river bed.  It was truly a different experience, and I can’t wait to go back next year! 

So some lessons learned and wisdom to pass to those of you interested in trail running (and you should be because it’s so much fun)…shoes are of the utmost importance, if I didn’t have trail shoes with rockguards in them I wouldn’t have been able to run that race.  Seriously, know what terrain you’ll be running on because it could make all the difference in the type of shoe you choose to run in.  I ran in Altra Superior 2.0’s, and I’m gonna make a separate post to explain how much I loved these shoes.  Also, try running without headphones when out on the trails, and like all the hippie trail runners before us, become one with nature!  I experienced a true runner’s high during this race and I really think that’s why.  Check and recheck your lodging reservations, because most trail runs are out of the way and you need to stay as close as possible to the race without any surprises.  Expect to take anywhere from 2-3 minutes off your normal road racing pace due to hills and other terrain that you don’t experience on a flat road.  Buy a handheld water bottle you’re comfortable with, because in the remote areas of a trail race you will need to carry water/Gatorade with you.  Also, a SPI Belt is a must to carry gels, and keep your trash on you until you reach an aid station so that you don’t litter the course.  Overall, just expect a completely different experience and crowd at a trail race, and go with the flow!  You’ll love it!

So that’s about it, if you’ve got any questions, post them and I’d be happy to try and answer.  See you on the trails!

B