Down N Dirty 8K

This has become one of my favorite races I do yearly. The unfortunate thing this year has been the rain.  I did get to run with my sister which is always fun.  I talked this race up to my sister on how hard it is but fun.  The other bad part was I ran almost daily since my 50K and my sister is recovering from an injury, so we ran very slow.  The course is not very difficult when running at a slow pace.  The last half mile climb is usually the leg killer but it was not hard at all. Once again the Waco Striders provided a great medal and the shirt was just as cool.  The weather did not cooperate since we ran in thunderstorms the entire race.  I really do not like running in rain.  There was a good turnout and some fast times despite the weather.   I do not know if any pictures were taken so the only one I provided is the medal and the the course below.  It does not look like much but there is some serious elevation change and a few nice views.

My next race was the Tanner Higgins Warrior Run but it was cancelled due to rain. Next up is a trip to Oklahoma and the first in my camper.

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Cross Country Run 5 Miler

I was back at Cameron Park for another wonderful rough day in the hills of Waco. I actually won this time. I did not win the race or my gender or my age group. I beat the course. I ran a smooth 1:11:21 which is a victory. I dropped ten minutes off my time from last year and beat my predicted time by four minutes. I felt good the entire time and finished strong. I also paced, not purposely, two second place finishers in the women’s age group. They said I set a steady pace and was easy to follow. They were very happy to place in there age group and I was happy to have company for most of the race. I ended up 5th in my age group but very happy with my time. I like that every time I do a Waco Striders Trail race I feel good afterwards. My ankle held up well going up and down the hills. I used a new shoe and sock combination that worked really well. I think I will continue to wear the ALTRAs and compression socks for races. I am also liking the numbers I got the last two Cross Country races, last year was 777 and this year was 1. How I got bib #1 I will never know but it was fun wearing a low number.

I am now in full preparation mode for my 50K. I have two races in between so hiking will be put on hold for awhile. I am currently building mileage and I am already running more miles weekly than I did prior to my first 50K. If I stay healthy and the weather cooperates I should be able to get through this unsupported 50K.

Another Top Ten List:Most Difficult Races of 2018

I have been asked the same question over and over again lately. What has been your favorite race so far in 2018? I was thinking that this list is going to be the same as my most difficult races of the year. The list is the same except for one race. The most difficult race did not make my favorite race list. I decided to do the most difficult list and wait on my favorite list. So far this year I have done every race distance I have wanted to do except one. My 50K is this weekend and then I have a couple more races planned to end the year with 25 races. I have done a 5K, 5 miler/8K, 10K, 15K, 20K, 25K and a 1/2 Marathon all on trails. I have done races in freezing weather and snow. I have done races in unbearable heat and humidity and pouring rain. The views from some of these courses have been absolutely breathtaking. All the races and training has been leading up to this weekend’s 50K. The following 10 races as difficult as they were are going to make this weekend easier but not easy.

10. The Wild Canyon Ultra 10K in Caprock Canyon State Park-The rain made the course wet and slick. The course was hilly and rugged but manageable to run. The views were by far the most impressive.

9. Rugged and Raw 10K at the Cedar Ridge Preserve-The preserve is my training ground and I am there about 3 times a week. A race here is just different. The trails are difficult on a normal day but this was a particularly warm and humid day.

8. Rough Creek 10K at Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, TX-This race is well known for the Rusty Crown. It is a torcherous uphill that is a definite leg killer. If that is not bad enough a steep downhill that tends to sends running crashing to the ground.

7. Down N Dirty 8K at Cameron Park-I ran this race last year not knowing how hilly the course was going to be. I was not surprised this year and it still kicked my butt. The last climb after the 5 mile mark is the one that gets me.

6. Cross Timbers 5 Miler off of Lake Texoma-The rain made this course a muddy mess. This is one of the more technical courses but with the pouring rain it was down right impossible to run. The views were nice when the sun finally came out but it was a beatdown of a race.

5. DanMan 1/2 Marathon in Oklahoma-I wanted to get this distance done this year and nothing was going to stop me. I ran in freezing temperatures, rain, snow and mud. I finished and was ten minutes ahead of my predicted time. The course was not too tough but the elements made it a doozy. I only got half of the elevation profile.

4. Ragnar Trail Relay in Comfort, TX-The three courses were difficult but once again rain was what made this a difficult race. The 7.5 and 3 mile courses were not too bad but the 5 mile course was treacherous. It was by far the most technical and I had to run it night with bad lighting.

3. Chupacabra 15K at Cameron Park-This is another race at Cameron Park but the start/finish is at the bottom. The course is relentless. It is always going up or down or a switchback. There is not a straight or level part on the entire course. It slowly wears a runner down.

2. Mount Magazine in Arkansas-They lure you in with a free race then you realize it is a trap. The heat and humidity were way too high for that early in the morning. The course was probably the most beautiful and dangerous. The cliffs are unforgiving and the climbs last for miles.

1. Pineywoods Ultra 25K at Tyler State Park-I did not think I was going to finish this race. Another rain soaked race with high humidity and muddy trails. The distance was the longest race to date but I fell apart well before the finish. My legs gave out and I finished, barely. The race was not that technical or difficult but it was just one of those races where nothing went right.

The biggest factor in making these races difficult besides the elevation changes was the the muddy courses and high humid temperatures. The good thing is that these races make me prepared for anything. I like the weather prediction for the 50K. It is supposed to be sunny and dry with a temperature range between 46 and 62.  Hopefully the 50K will not make this list but the list of one my favorite races of the year.

See ya on the trails.

Chupacabra 15K

I love running races in Waco. I appreciate the difficulty of the courses and the friendly atmosphere. Waco Striders Running Club host four trail races each year and as a group they are called the Huaco Cuatro. This was my second year finishing all four races. This year I decided to do the max distance in all four races. The first two races were 5 milers that are always longer than 5 miles. The third race was a 10K which has been an accurate distance. The Chupacabra 15K was a distance I no idea what to expect. The 5K last year was a bit long but nothing unexpected. I ran several distances around the 10 mile range so a 15K was not going to be an extraordinarily long distance. The terrain in which this particular 15K was held is a different story. Running in Cameron Park is difficult but with high humidity and heavy rain before the race made it extremely tough. I would compare this 15K to a hard 1/2 marathon on the trails. I actually finish my trail half marathon faster and finished a mountain 20K in about the same time. This was a tough race. I actually spent part of the race in last place. I am not the fastest but I am competitive enough not to be last.  I finished with a not so great time but just finishing was good enough on that day. I liked the post race breakfast tacos, always a good race when tacos are involved. I will be back next year to conquer this race. The race medal(wood) was awesome.The Huaco Cuatro completed once again.The flooding on the side of the road on the way home during the second round of showers that day.

Next up is a bucket list race I finally will run.

 

 

Cross Country Run 5M

I really enjoy the races the Waco Striders host at Cameron Park. This is the easier of the two courses they have at Cameron Park. I must say easy is a relative term. The two courses are some of the toughest courses I have run in Texas. But I have not run in the Texas mountains yet. The thing that makes these courses tough is that you are always ascending or descending. There are very few flat areas and the downhills are technical. The course is not one of the more scenic courses but there is a nice view of the Brazos River before you descend to the finish. I was prepared for the extra mileage they always put in the races. This time it was only an extra half mile. The odd thing is that they did not have bananas for the runners. They had the usual water but then popsicles and donuts. 

I really like that this year they have wooden medals and soft thin cotton shirts. I do not like the tech shirts or the under armour type shirts. Overall it was a good time and good race.

Down N Dirty 8K

I am back in Waco doing the Huaco Cuatro Series. I had a great time running the series last year so I decided to do it again. The first race was the toughest. I was prepared for it this year mentally but I was physically tired. I ran most of the race and cut nine minutes off my time last year. Once again the course was over a half mile longer than the noted distance. The course was changed just a bit but still was very hilly and challenging. There was over 700 feet of elevation change and a steep uphill finish. The people are also great and the tacos are worth the run alone. 

I finally got some pictures of the Brazos River from the top of the course. I cannot wait to run the next three races. The new medals were also nice and the finishing plaque might not be needed.

I will get back on the trails and in the state parks in the next few blogs.