Way Too Cool 50K race review

Way Too Cool was actually pretty cool.  I loved the trails, the setting, the course.  The race was so well marked and the volunteers were the best- both vital elements to a great race!  Yet, I still feel a little “Harumph”.

Last week’s race wasn't a terrible race, but it just didn't go the way I hoped or planned or practiced, and that's disappointing.  It happens, but it still is disappointing.

I will start by saying that I didn't set myself up for total success, and I spent waaaaay too much energy stressed about the weather (rain, ugh.  You should see my last blog post, LOL).  And if I am being honest with myself, I did choose my flights poorly with an eye to being a good mommy rather than an elite runner.  Getting in late seemed ok because I might not go to bed much before this in a normal day.  However, flight delays were not on the agenda.  

The elements I could control were all spot on.  I am proud of my training and strength on the hills in the last 8 weeks.  I have been working on leg strength specifically, in addition to the core and hip strength I already do.   My hill tempo workouts were awesome!

I would also say that my race day fueling and nutrition were good; I felt like my muscles were getting the sugars they need while my stomach was neither upset or growling with hunger during the race.  I also felt less foggy than I have at past races, which was helpful on these technical trails.

The parts I couldn't control seemed to control me.  The muddy trails and stream (river!) crossings were beyond challenging and went in the face of my running style.  I don't know how my running form compares to the top girls, but they seemed to glide over the soggy trails while I slapped and sputtered and slid all over.  I nearly fell a dozen times but managed to only hit the ground twice.  The first time was manageable though annoying, just a slip in the mud.  The second fall... well I don't even know.  Around mile 18 I was running and then I was just on the ground.  The guy behind me tried to help me up but I just laid there and told him to go.  It was a little dramatic.  My inner drama queen won this round.  I got up, I tried to get going but my body hurt.  My pants were ripped, my knee was bleeding.  My hands were too muddy to effectively clean myself up.  My inner pity party continued to the next aid station at 19.5 miles.  I had just had enough.  Type II fun may not be for me.

I finally got my head on straight again and got myself moving with purpose.  I felt dumb (and still feel dumb) for the low points I hit in this race, but that's just the way it goes sometimes.  As I started to race again I felt the pain in my left hip/hamstring muscles.  This is a weak area for me and no amount of therapy, massage or strength training seems to make it go away; at best I just manage the pain and try to delay onset.  In this training block I have had little to no pain and before falling in the race, I was feeling strong.  In falling, I must have overstretched the muscles or tweaked something because I felt it all of the way back.  All 13 miles of painful steps.  It kinda stunk.  But you know what would have stunk more?...  Not finishing!  I continue to be proud of my finish and coming back from that low point half way out.

That moment with my face in the mud, wondering how and why I got there, cursing the entire process- that was the lowest low I’ve faced in a long, long time.  Running is like that- a string of successes can seem invalidated by one mental battle with yourself.  I don’t race my competitors, I race myself.  I like finishing and knowing that I never gave up.  That’s the win, no matter what place I finish.


I’ve had a hard time celebrating this run because, though it was a PR and I did run with some of the best gals (and still wasn’t too far off the clock, plus I had some really good Strava segments), I am too aware of my failures and the mental space I let myself go to.  Right now I need to learn these lessons, feel the sting and internalize the pain a little.  Only then will I grow with confidence for my next race.  It’s not all sunshine and rainbows- we know this before every race and ultras only amplify this fact.  But it is a lot of fun if you get back on the horse and keep riding.  The trails are calling!

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