I'm writing this one while my quads are still sore for once. And yes, the quadzilla did result in a lot of soreness. Maybe as much as Grandma's even, which pretty much says it all. Originally the plan was to hop in the BRRC track meet today, but I thought better of that, and turns out they canceled it in the heat anyway. Still on a 4 times a week, sometimes 3 times scheduled until after the 50k and then we'll see how it goes from there.
Back to the race. I was trying to follow a progression last year of races--5k in April, 10k in May, 15k in June. Turns out there aren't a lot of 15k's in June. Or July either. But there was one lone race north of Allentown. I had a friend from college with whom I could stay, so I singed up without really thinking about it too much. Well, the 5k was hilly and didn't go as well as planned. The 10k was hot and I went out fast, so it was a big of struggle to finish. Quadzilla was pretty much a repeat. I was not ready for the distance, I went out too fast, and the course was pretty damn tough. Racing the first couple of miles meant I was walking a lot by the middle of the race. And then comes the real hills past mile 6. I took my 1:46 finish (more like a half marathon time than 9.3 miles) and continued on without thinking too much about it.
Since last year was the inaugural race I felt that silly compulsion to make the race a tradition. I signed up sometime in April and knew that it was after Grandma's, so I wouldn't be in peak shape. I was also very committed to the idea of the 50k two weeks later, so I knew I would be logging some trail miles and longer runs, if not hitting the same weekly mileage. Not to mention overall better fitness and the whole weight loss thing (I would say I was still 190+ for the race last year). I was eying 20 minute improvement, but anything over 15 and I would be very satisfied with the day. At the start, I believe the race director said only 29% of the people returned for year two.
By doing a little bit of mathematics, I figured out that I could take it very easy at the start. Even running 10 minute pace, I would be in line for around 90 minutes and my drastic improvement. Still, I probably did still start to fast (a guy behind me was having a conversation and commented that everyone would be toast later for starting at that pace). And the first rest stop was 3.5 miles or so, and we were through at 31 minutes. I don't think I took water, or maybe splashed it on my head. There are some hills in the first parts (in all parts, really) and I managed them pretty well. But they get steeper in the middle section (the sign calls it the back of the beast). I walked some of those hills, much more as a strategy to not die than because I was already toast.
I made a friend or two on course and was still going well through the 5 mile water stop. We were too fast for any watermelon (I could have used some) and I think I took Gatorade at this stop. Once I was past the rocky part and the sideways hill that goes for at least half a mile, the real race starts. I don't know if I can accurately describe the hills that start at 6 miles or so. They aren't that big, but they are impossibly steep. If you weren't running a race you would still have trouble getting up them. There are at least 3 and then a water crossing. I wonder what the leaders are like when they try to run up them. I have to assume they climb as well.
The last hill leads up to the finish, but before you do the path turns to the right and goes uphill for at least another quarter of a mile, but probably closer to half. And then down to the finish. I came out of the woods at 1:26 and thought I could make 1:30, but I had to stop for a moment before the turn and then didn't have much 'sprint' to the finish. Still 1:30:38 is a full 16 minutes faster than last year's 1:46:48. I'll take it.
Next up - the big Willy -- Catoctin 50k. Not racing, just doing it to finish. Probably will be luck to finish in 7 hours. Wish me luck...
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