Well, I had a spectacular result to this year's 50K. I don't know where I found it but I dialed into a gear beyond what I'm used to doing and I was hauling ass the whole time and felt really great doing it. I finished 45 minutes faster than last time at this race, and 30 minutes faster then the first time I ran it. I passed almost all the people who usually finish way ahead of me. It was thrilling.
The weather was overcast and cool and I picked just exactly the right clothing for the conditions - not too warm, not too cold. I didn't get a single blister and all my toenails survived. I ate regularly and took salt and drank enough but not too much. I kept pushing the pace but never felt like I couldn't sustain it. I made myself run a lot faster than I usually dare to and it didn't back fire. I climbed all the hills strongly and pounded the downs. I spent less than a minute at each aid station. I can't tell you how many people I passed in the last third of the run - just one after an other. All in all it was a very efficient and successful run. Probably my best executed effort of all time.
There were even 2 women who tried to get past me in the last mile - I hung on behind the first one after she went around me and didn't let her get too far ahead as I heard the second one approach from behind. I'll be damned if I was going to run so hard all day only to get passed in the last mile by two women! (Funny, if I was a guy I don't think I would have cared as much). And we three flew down the hill like crazy, almost out of control. If I had fallen I would have ended up just a smear on the trail. Then there was an evil short, but steep, hill. I powered up behind her, trying not to fade as we crested the top. When we did, she had to stop, hold onto a tree and gasp, so I passed her and sprinted on the last quarter mile to the finish. All the time I was thinking they were right on my butt and just about to pass me again so I didn't let up and ran so hard my lungs were burning and I thought I would puke. What a ride! They finished just 8 and 9 seconds behind me.
The stats:
78th out of 201 overall finishers
7th in my age/gender group (out of 24)
17th female overall (out of 65)
I was starting to despair that I could never be more than a back of the pack runner. It's a nice boost.
Monday, May 23, 2011
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