13.1 take 2

Last Saturday, Oct 20, I ran my second half marathon this year and well in my life. It was the SoJo half marathon, it took place in South Jordan, UT starting in the Daybreak area. I was kind of excited mostly nervous because I had become lax in my training. My first on I was all gung-ho doing my running everyday but there was a point where I started burning out but I knew I HAD to go run or I would really hate myself after my race.

I went to bed my normal time,because I have found that going to sleep earlier does nothing for me other than add hours I am in bed... awake. I slept great!... for 2 hours and then I was up every hour. I seem to always have this fear I won't hear my alarm clock go off and I'll be late or miss whatever it is I need to be to. However, in the past my phone (which is now my alarm clock) has fallen under my bed and managed to hide under some clothing and I have still heard it going off. For some reason I suddenly think that I'm not going to hear it when it is 10 inches away from my head with the volume set a few notches higher than usual. I'm weird, it's okay I'll admit it. So here I am race morning waking up every hour checking the time. At 5:30 my husband's alarm goes off, after that I gave up trying to go back to sleep and I was out of bed at 5:45. As I ate my oatmeal I went over all the things I need in my head. Even with all my preparation, when I got to my friend's house she asked if I had my shot blow. NO! crap. Shot blox are of most importance to me when running long distances. They are like gummy bears but a cube and the there is science behind them, all I know is they keep me going. I used them in my last half marathon about every couple miles after mile 5 or 6. My brain was freaking out about how I was going to make it through this half marathon without a good amount of training or shot blox. Fortunately Kim had some energy blast things, made by Power Bar, that she dug out of some drawer in her kitchen. At first I was weary but figured about mile 9 I probably would have eaten it off the floor.

It was chilly, cause it's autumn time and Utah is actually getting that season this year, and the wind was BLOWING! Worst combo, in my opinion. I hate running when here is a lot of wind. It just makes shedding your jacket the worst. Even though in your head you know that once you start running you'll be glad you put your jacket in your drop off bag (which are bags you put all your stuff in, usually put your number and name on so you can pick it up at the end of the race). Shivering all the runners huddled at the start line to send off the 2 hand cyclists and a few minutes later we were off like a herd of cattle, only faster. My first mile was clocked at 8:24 (8 minutes, 24 seconds) once my little app thing communicated that to me I looked at Kim and said, "I just got an 8:24 mile." She nodded, "We should probably slow down". Our next mile average was 8:45... Eventually I had to break away from Kim (meaning she left me in her dust) because I knew if I wanted to finish this race this was not the proper pace. The race went well. Most of it was downhill which I think helped make up for my lack of training. Mile 8 I started getting a pain on the top of my right foot near my big toe. I continued to run because I figured the sooner I get to the finish line that sooner I can get off of it, only 5 miles to go whoo hoo! The miles flew by as I was listening to my audiobook, well at least until mile 11. I made myself run no matter what and I made it to the finish line and I celebrated my 2 hour and 17 minute finishing time. One thing I thought was really weird about this race is they had pretzels and Swedish fish at some of the aid stations. Swedish fish I can understand because they would have the same effect as my shot blox. But pretzels? I can't imagine running while chomping on pretzels. I understand salt replacement and that they would be a great post-running snack but while I'm running? I just thought it was weird.

Yay for experiences. I think after my Ragnar Trail Experiment I am interested in running on more trails but I may hold off for a while. Give my body a break from running because I think my brain is burned out on it. I do intend to keep exercising, I'll just find some other ways for a little bit. Thank you for reading =)

Ragnar Trail Experiment

About a week and a half ago I was invited to participate in the Ragnar Trail Experiment by a friend. I found out I would be running 3 legs, two almost 4 mile legs and one 7 mile leg, on trails. Trail running is not something I was experienced with but I figured what the heck it could be fun and one of the few Ragnar runs I might be able to afford. I was already training for a half marathon that I will be running next Saturday so I figured it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to do roughly 15 miles.

Friday morning I was up 4:30 AM to make sure I had everything and get to our meeting place. We had to be to Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort by 12 PM. We packed the suburbans full of camping supplies, our gear and our team of 7. Saying a prayer for safety we headed on our way. The rain started about 30 -40 minutes into our drive. I was in one Suburban with Logan and JaNae. At one moment, about 1. hours into the drive, I was looking down at my phone and I hear JaNae yell then BAM!! We hit something. The Burb starts hydroplaning and we are swerving down the highway, weaving in and out of the reflector posts along the highway. Next thing I know we are heading down the ditch or ravine between the two directions of traffic. At this point I hear JaNae's voice but I don't know what she is yelling. I'm thinking, "We're going to roll, oh my gosh we're going to roll and I'm not going to get to run. I've never been in a rolled vehicle, please don't roll!" Then the vehicle came to a halt about 20 feet away from a steel rod in the middle of the ravine. JaNae was about to freak out when Logan turns to her and says everything is okay. He got our recorded the damage with the video camera that we happen to have. I was like HOLY CRAP!!! I can't believe that just happened. What happened was a big, lifted truck lost its tire. Logan said he say the sparks, from the wheel hub hitting the ground, so he was slowing down, looking for the tire, when the tire hit us on the passenger side bumper. We were delayed getting information and talking to the highway patrol man that showed up after we drove out of the ravine. Yes, we were able to drive away. What a miracle! Logan says the only thing he remembered was the sparks and hitting the tire after that just that his hands were moving, with the steering wheel, and then being stopped in the ditch and telling JaNae it was going to be okay. There was a guy that stopped, as an observer, and he was so surprised that we were still upright. People say miracles don't happen anymore. I disagreed before yesterday but now I strongly disagree. It was a miracle we didn't roll, that we missed all the posts along the way, and that we didn't get any other vehicles involved while swerving! Miracle and I am grateful.

Once we got to Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, on time in spite of death defying events, we were able to check-in and eventually able to set up camp (there was some confusion but it got figured out). We had the 2 suburbans in a V shape with the backs together. Then we set and Easy-Up and nestled as close as we could to the open backs of the burbs. Laying down a tarp for the floor and hang in tarps for walls with blankets for insulation. It was cold about 45 degrees when we got there and it was raining off an on. We also set up our propane heater so we got roasty toasty. It was the coolest little set up. We had the common area and the two "bedrooms" (as we called them) in the back of the suburbans.

We were suppose to have 8 people on our team but one of them wasn't able to make it so we had 3 legs we had to cover. We got things all set up and figured out our running order, I was runner #4. At 2 PM we sent JaNae off to run trail #1 (the green trail, 3.9 miles). When she came in we sent Jody off onto trail #2 (the yellow trail, 3.8 miles) then Calleen onto trail #3 (the red trail, 7.2 miles). Then it was my turn. We had a tracker and were able to tell where our runners were but on Calleen's run the phone she had on her for the tracker died so we didn't really know where she was. We estimated she would be back about 6:30. At 6:20 I got my stuff on and had my shoes on, one tied, when we heard the loudspeaker announcer say, "team 2 your runner is here." Oh CRAP that was us so as I'm running out the door I was tying my other shoe and sprinting down to the start, about 75 yards from our humble tarp abode. We switched the timer anklet and away I went. 

The trail was marked by green reflector tape, and glow sticks. It wasn't dark yet and I hoped to get back before it started getting dark enough that I would need my head lamp. The rain had stopped for a little while so the trail had dried just a little. I have never done trail running so I didn't really know any particular "best practices". There was horse poop all over at first I tried to avoid it but once I started getting mud caked to my shoes I figured mud, poop, who cares just as long as I don't face plant into poop. There were parts where the trail was covered by a puddle, they instructed us to just run through it, I went around. I figured the less mud caked to my shoes the better, I don't need 5 lb weights on my feet to make it harder. Some times there was no way to avoid squishing through mud. about 2.5 miles, maybe I started walking, the altitude (6,500 ish ft) and the mud caked on my shoes were wearing me out faster than normal. As I was walking I came upon a little, 2 story, white house with its windows smashed out. It made me think of a house on a movie called 'The Road' and in that movie the house belongs to cannibals. I stared at all the windows cautiously and miraculously found my second wind and took off again. There were some steep parts where I told myself it wasn't anymore difficult than Suncrest and to just keep going. I made it through those 3.9 miles in about 45 minutes. I was proud of myself. It is not my best time for 4 miles but for running with mud cake weights, in the rain and cold I will take it. 

After me Logan headed out on the yellow trail. Shortly after he got back they closed the yellow trail because it was getting to be too dangerous but they still left green and red open. Teena headed out on red for her 7.2 miles. She did not return until 3 hours later, covered in mud. She had fallen 4 times and couldn't really run because it was too muddy and there were some "rivers" running across the trail die to the rain. I think it hadn't stopped raining since the last mile or so of my run. To be honest after I heard the yellow trail had been closed I crawled into the back of the burb to get some sleep. I estimated my next run would be at 4:30 AM. I vaguely remember Teena coming back to camp and everyone there gasping at how covered in mud she was. When I eventually woke up all the way, around 11:30 PM, I saw the runner that was suppose to be out on the trail standing in our tarp abode. I asked her if she was back already and she said she wasn't going out, we were calling it a night.

I slept all night on a cot in the common area. At 7:30 I woke up, we had a focus group at 8:20 to give feedback about the Ragnar Trail Experiment. After that I said I would go out with Jill, who didn't get a chance to even run, if she wanted to run of the trails. She didn't want to. We watched some of the people come in some had mud up to about mid thigh, one guy had mud from his shoulders down. We decided to hangout for a bit to let stuff dry, since it finally stopped raining, then pack up and head home. 

I didn't get to do all my runs which was kind of disappointing but I didn't want to put myself in danger of getting hurt a week before my half marathon. I loved the Ragnar Trail Experiment though and would do it again if they make it an actual event. It was cool being a guinea pig... a muddy guinea pig for something that I think would be a great thing. Ragnar Relays aren't for everyone but I think this would be something more people would be able to do. I hope Ragnar does it. I think if we did end up running and I ran all my legs in the mud, like I ran my first leg, I would have not been recovered enough in a week to run my half marathon. If it would have been dry then it would be a different story, I think I would be fine since I would have had about 7 hours to recover before my next run. I had a great team and I am glad they invited me to be with them. I hope you enjoyed reading and next week tune in to see how my half marathon went...hopefully this commitment will actually make me write =)