Houston – Big Guy Hiking

What the heck just happened? #DNF

I am still wrapping my mind around this race and what could have been. The Habanero Hundred and in my case the Habanero 30K or my DNF 20K. It was a case of doing everything right but one little change of my routine and that was it. I heat trained for weeks and had good nutrition and hydration the week leading up to the race. I was ready for the worse that the Houston area heat and humidity had to offer. I was ready for the course with its sand and no shade. I was ready to conquer the hottest race in Texas. Did a mention a change in my routine.Pre race group photo and my shirt is already drenched

Since I have been training in the middle of the day all summer, the noon start time did not throw me off as it did some runners. Instead of drinking from individual water bottles, I decided to go with a gallon jug of enhanced water. I usually do not drink enhanced water because I get my electrolytes from SOS powder mixed in spring water. I still used the SOS powder but I thought I needed this enhanced water due to the nature of a midday start of the race. I was told how hard the race can be if you are not properly prepared. The temperature reaches triple digits and no shade. The sand makes it even hotter and tender feet. I had all of these thoughts going through my mind while training for this race. I knew I was prepared and slightly confident. Did I mention a change in my routine.The most shade on the course.

On the four hour drive down to the race I was drinking plenty of enhanced water so I would be hydrated before running in the heat. I got to the race with three hours to spare before the race start. I set up my camper and met up with the DDR crew and I was sweating a ton. I drank more enhanced water because I did not want to be dehydrated before I even hit the starting line. I have now finish off a half gallon of enhanced water. I never even checked what enhanced water was or what is in it. Hence the change in my routine, I never drink enhanced water.Me being the tallest and darkest at the start

My race should have consisted of three 10K loops and a smile and medal at the end. My race actually consisted of two 10K loops and feeling like death. I was flying the first loop and finished it feeling good and about ten minutes ahead of my predicted pace. I even did a little dance at the end of the loop that made the volunteers laugh. I hadn’t taken in any food but that is usual for me. I had been icing myself at every aid station and felt good. It was the feeling of the beginning of the end.Still looking for shade

The second loop started like the first loop. Since the trail was not technical it was easy to get into a rhythm with only the sand being a constant obstacle. I got past the first batch of sand and realized I had stopped sweating. I had gotten iced down at the aid station and refilled my bottles with enhanced water. I thought maybe I just over iced and started drinking more water. By the time I got to the midway aid station, I was sweating again and feeling good. The feeling last about five minutes. It felt like a bomb went off in my stomach. I was releasing so much gas and it was awful. I am sorry for all of those running behind me. I could not stop. The end was near. My stomach was killing me. Everything else felt good and I was showing no signs of heat exhaustion. I had no idea what just happened in my stomach. I tried walking and it was painful and running made it worse. My legs felt good and my mind was clear. No dizziness or nausea, I actually felt good except for my stomach.I look soooo defeated at this point.

I got to the start/finish aid station and called it quits. I could hardly walk at this time. I ate some peanut butter pretzels and my stomach immediately rejected it. I hate public restrooms and especially port a pots. I used the same one 20+ times the next eight hours. I once again apologize for those who had to go in after me. I had an awful sleep but woke up feeling better. I learned a very important lesson the next day. There is a mineral called magnesium. It makes you POOP and too much gives you diarrhea and guess who drank almost a gallon of water enhanced with magnesium citrate. Yours truly. The one change in my routine killed me. The leftover water it still sitting in my refrigerator. I will eventually drink the rest but not anytime soon. It is a reminder of my self imposed colonoscopy.Back to drinking regular water and I didn’t die like Kenny. Just kidding he survived.

A huge shout out to two fellow bloggers @thedancingrunner and @pkadams for both crushing there 50Ks. They are an inspiration to me and true badasses.

San Felipe Shoot-Out

I had a wild time at this race. San Felipe is a small city one hour due west of Houston. The race took place in Stephen F. Austin SP. The park is nice but the park staff is the best. The wild and crazy part was the weather. I drove in blinding rain for an hour and a half of a three and a half hour drive just to get there. I got to the park and it was hot humid and no rain in sight. I got a good hike in and then settled down at the camp site. The main problem was a tornado watch in the area. I am still trying to distinguish the difference between a tornado watch and warning. I figured it out quick that night. So as the storm clouds rolled in with lightning and thunder, I found out the difference. A tornado warning is that the weather conditions are conducive to producing tornadoes. A tornado watch is when the is a tornado on the ground in the area. I actually slept well in a shelter at would have easily been blown away if a tornado hit the park. The crazy thing is that the park did not get rain either. It rained everywhere but where the race was taking place. I am truly blessed. The shoot-out format was really cool but not for me this year. The shoot-out is a 5K followed by a 10K and lastly followed by a half marathon. All three races are back to back to back, the rest depends on the speed of the finish of each run. I would have had adequate rest between the 5K and 10K but my 10K times at the time would have left me with just a few minutes before the start of the half marathon. I only registered for the 5K and had a great time. I put up a time of 35:54 on a relatively flat and fast course.

I eventually want to do the shoot-out or at least two parts of it. I think this would be a good training run for the year I chose to do the Ragnar Trail Run.

The next trail run was a flat and fast 5 miler. I had an are you kidding me finish.

Horseshoe Trail Run

My first trail run of 2017 was in Hitchcock, TX at Jack Brooks Park. The race was the Horseshoe Trail Run 5K. Hitchcock is about forty five minutes south southeast of Houston. The race was put on by Trail Racing Over Texas which does many races all across the state. The course was not in good shape and it was basically a mud run. It was raining most of the previous day and then poured all night. The day of the race it did not rain and was really nice and sunny the rest of the day. The morning of the race while running was humid and misty. I have not done many trail races before but I do all my road running training on trails. I was not ready for what this course had to offer. Mud hills in which a human chain was made just to get up to the top, water up to my knees and having to hold onto trees just to get up other mud hills. I am really not interested in OCR or mud runs so this was not one of my favorite runs while running. After the race I was excited to finish and I kind of liked the race. My finishing time was over 1 hour and 30 minutes but that is a true anomaly of a finishing time. I also had my son with me and he also had a good time at the race and his time was about fifteen minutes slower than his usual time on a trail 5K.