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.

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Training for Something

Since my weekend race is the Habanero 30K, I have been heat training for over a month.  The race starts at noon in central Texas and yes it is August.  I am still keeping my eyes on the prize which is the October 100K.  I like the no real training guide method of training.  I see other runners staying to a strict running regiment and using a coach.  It seems to work for some runners but I do think I would like to be told when and how much to run daily.  As my blogging might tell a little about myself, I do things randomly.  I write randomly, I think randomly and I train randomly.  I have fun on my training runs.  I switched from road running to trail running because it is more enjoyable.  Do my training methods work?  So far so good except for once  but I did barely finish.

For this weekend I have put in a ton of very hot and humid miles.  Most of my training runs have been at the hottest time of the day.  I have been running hills on the trails since there are no sandy trails in my area.  I am guessing running hills is just as hard as running in sand.  I also did a 105 floor stair run.  It took me three days to recover.  My calves were not ready to run up stairs for that long.  I am “tapering” this week with shorter runs but am going much faster.  I do not know what that means but I do not need speed for this weekend.  I have not had any gym workouts as I planned but I will get there eventually. I feel good but under prepared.  I keep hearing this race is a beast and I am about to find out.

Possums Revenge 17 Miler

I heard so many great things about running at Possum Kingdom Lake and this race in particular.  I just had to sign up and run.  I decided on the 17 miler which would give me one entire loop of the race.  I am glad I only did 17 miles because it was hot and humid.  The Texas weather has been very wet lately but also very humid but just in the last few weeks the heat has been turned up.  For many runners, this was there first hot race.  The rain has closed the trails and for those who do not road run they would have had limited running time in these conditions.  I was lucky enough to get run a 25K and a half marathon in last past few weeks.  I also have trails close by that rarely close since they drain really well.

I brought my sleeper camper to this race to stay at the state park but decided to stay at the start/finish line area instead.  I did not have electricity at the start/finish line so I had to make do with a cool breeze coming off the lake for my A/C.  We had a group of about 15 people stay in that location so good times were had by all the night before the race.

Even though the race start time was relatively early, it was already humid and warm.  The first 4 miles was uphill and sandy.  It was not an ideal start because both of those conditions take a toll on your legs.  The course had constant elevation changes so getting into a running rhythm was difficult.  Luckily about 4 and a half miles in there was a long flattish downhill section that lasted about a mile and a half.  I got into a good pace and felt fast and comfortable.  It was a trap.  It was the only part of the course that could be run like that and I went way too fast to early.  The first manned aid station was over 6 miles from the start. By the time I got there I was drenched with sweat.  I decided to go with a hand held instead of a vest.  I should have done a vest.  I got a refill and iced everything I could and started off down the trail.  The views I got until the next aid station were awesome.  The course turned extremely hilly and challenging but the views were worth it.

I got to the second aid station and stayed a bit longer and this time took in some food.  I re iced and refilled and headed off for the final six plus miles.  This section was not as difficult but I was exhausted.  I could not keep a decent pace and rarely found a running rhythm.  The hills were not as extreme but still plentiful.  There were also some nice prairie land sections which were flat but I could not get enough speed to make them fast.  I also took a nose dive in the section trying to swat at bugs flying around my head. I learned a lesson this day.  I cannot outrun bugs flying around my head and I can trip over nothing.  I get to the final aid station and I am absolutely spent.  I spend more time here than I should but get food, ice and refills.

I am on my way to the finish line knowing that the sand section is on its way.  I am so sweaty that the sand on my shoes look like mud.  I know that I am running downhill but it does not feel that way.  I am really tired so now I am walking a bunch.  I only start running again when I hear the noise at the finish line.  The sand ends and I get to the road and the short but very nice downhill finish.

It was a tough race made tougher by the heat and humidity.  I think the aid stations were spread out to far.  I ran out of liquids twice.  Overall a great course ran by a great company. Trail Racing Over Texas(TROT).

One more race till I take a two month break and stick to training for the 100K.

Running the Rose 11 Miler

Last September I ran a 25K at Tyler State Park and it ended badly. My legs became useless after three hours and I missed my anticipated finish time by one and a half hours. So I signed up for another race here even though it is shorter. Once again Tyler State Park got the best of me, sort of. I twisted my ankle within the first two miles of the race. I have rolled my ankle many times running the trails. I never had the pain I went through this time. I was limping for the next half mile or so. The pain eventually came and went continuously throughout the next nine miles. I did finish and the win was that I was only three minutes slower than my predicted time. My time of 2:33 was not too bad considering the difficulty of the course and the twisted ankle. I am guessing due to the previous damage that has been done to this particular ankle, the ankle did not swell too much. The foot was bruised and swelled a little. The foot already had so many crazy injuries so seeing swelling is hard. The next two days it was my achilles on that leg was very sore. The race itself was put on by Trail Racing Over Texas and their races are always great. Plus having the support of the Dallas Dirt Runners is always fun. I also had time to conversate with runners from my friends from the south, Waco Striders and north North Texas Trail Runners.

It was a fun race despite the injury. I have some other races I want to run that are put on by T.R.O.T. So returning to Tyler will be put on the back burner for awhile.

Next hike a hiking trip in the San Antonio area.

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.

Crazy Desert Trail Race

I did the 5K race again. This is another race by Trail Racing Over Texas(TROT). This is my second TROT race and I like their races. This race was in San Angelo, TX which is four and a half hours southwest of the DFW metroplex. I did this race in combination of hiking San Angelo SP. The course was relatively flat but did have some short rugged hills thrown in. The run started off slow because I was trying to get my run tracker started but it never happened. I was the last one to start and had to pass all the walkers and slower runners. The trail was mostly single track and that took awhile to do but it kept me at a good pace early. I still have a tendency to start too fast and burn out near the end. The course was a single loop that was at the north end of the park. This part of the park was very west Texas desert like. The views were fabulous and the temperature was just right. I ran in these great conditions and put up my best trial 5K time to date. I ran a 34:31 and came in first in my age group and thirteenth in my gender and twenty second overall.

This was an all around fun weekend. This was one of my favorite 5Ks of the year.

The next trail race was an experience I will never forget.

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.

My socks were white when I started and the bottom of my shorts are wet due to running in high water.

The next trail race was the most unique trail race I have ever done and will do.