50 mile trail run video recap

Potawatomi 50 Mile Trail Run

well it rained the night b/f from midnight until race time, so i knew it was going to be seriously muddy. i knew it wouldn't be a PR race--it would just be a try and survive race. everyone was slipping. everyone was wiping out. everyone had mud on their butts and from their knees down. although...i didn't hear anyone complain. everyone seemed to be having a good time. i wasn't really prepared for all the hills. being in the middle of Illinois, i thought it would be relatively flat. it was ALL hills. the entire day would bring 8,000 feet of elevation gain and decent. there were 10 creek crossings throughout the day, so the feet were wet all day. since the course was all mud and hills, it was tough negotiating. going up meant one step forward and slide two back. going down meant surfing or glissading down the mud. what an adventure. this was my first 50 miler w/out a pacer to help me push on. although i had many ups and downs and feelings of weakness, i felt fairly strong all day. it was by far the toughest trail race i've done so far. i'm so proud of my finishers belt buckle. it was epic! epic, i tell you!

McNaughton Trail Run

after the Chicago Lakefront 50k, things weren't working so good.  i mean i felt fine, really...except when running.  i think i strained a couple muscles in the groin area, probably b/c i was in a hurry to get to the race and tore into the parking lot and ran to registration and never found time to warm up or stretch.  smart, huh?  my own fault i reckon.  i could have been smarter about it all but i'm sure there's a lesson there somewhere.  w/ a 50 miler looming only two weeks after that, i was a little worried.  i'd paid the admission fee.  i'm signed up.  one way or another...i'm going to the race and running my best race, even if i fall short and DNF.  of course that's not the plan.  i've been resting hard, difficult as that is for me.  i've been lifting weights and biking to stay strong and ready.  but w/out run miles it's hard to go into the race feeling confident and ready.  i'm not sure at this point how the injury will hold up.  it's not a bad injury at all.  but a little injury can be a BIG nag at such a distance.  last night i ran in place in my living room for 45 minutes b/c that doesn't hurt and i'm able to keep my legs strong.  it felt good and i'm so desperate for a real runners high that it almost sufficed.  almost.  but mostly i've been on the bike, peddling away.  simulating hills.  picturing the trails.  roots, rocks, creek crossings and digging deep.  which is what i seem to be good at.  once in a while...