HUNTSVILLE, TX - So after my last outing in PA at the Mile Run Trail Challenge Half Marathon, I headed down to Miami for Spring Break to visit my Grandfather. The sun was hot, the beaches gorgeous, and the training non-existent. I didn't plan it this way, but my legs were quite depleted from the race effort and drive down. I patched a training week together but ended up taking a quick sabbatical from training to fully enjoy my family.
And then, upon returning to work, I had to visit Houston for business. It so happened that the 2012 Hog's Hunt Trail 50K/25K were going on before I had to drive to Austin. Initially, I thought of signing up for the 50K, as I was the defending champion and course record holder (3:34), but the forecast stated 80-degrees. Hmm, with a complete lack of long run recently and a mini-break from running, I thought maybe the 25K would be a better option. And so, I entered the race.
Race morning was hot - 76 degrees and humid when I woke up. Thankfully the trails were in good shape, quite dry, but that meant super-sandy. Competition-wise, I had no idea who would show up, but within the first couple of minutes, I knew it was going to be interesting, as a buddy declared his friend was going to win the race, but I saw an even more dangerous threat... a Texas A&M Aggie... he was a bit larger, looking more like a mid-distance guy, but he was fit. And he took the lead from me after about 5 minutes of running and pressed the pace.
I wasn't super comfortable. The lack of training was evident. After a couple of miles, I decided to attack. I didn't want to battle anyone, but at the first aid station (after feeling I had been going WAYYY too hard), Aggie took the lead while I sucked down a GU and I gave chase. He was very fluid, very strong, running hard on the uphills, but I kept thinking: 1) the heat has to get to him more than me; 2) the pace has to get to him; 3) the hills have to get to him; 4) the sand has to get to him... it was pretty funny, but he was attempting to bury me. At 40-minutes I made the pass and thought, that's it. But within 10-minutes, he charged back and after almost blowing out an ankle heading into a trailhead, I let Aggie take the lead.
So I shadowed him on the singletrack until he had a big ankle twisting moment... it looked bad and I passed by, asking if he was alright. At the next aid station by an hour he was probably 20-30 sec back and I set off to try and win this thing. However, my body had other plans. I was a wreck. I could barely run, my fitness was catching up to me. My right glute basically shut down and my left foot was not landing correctly. But I was in the lead and I was battling. I just needed to make it to the final aid station, which was 2.8 miles from the finish.
Finally, the aid station appeared and I saw 1:20 and change on my watch. The fastest time I had seen on this course was 1:39, and I started the mental games: I have to be able to run 2.8 miles in under 18-19 minutes. I have to, regardless of the terrain. And I set off at a break-neck pace. The worst thing in a race is to work so hard and miss a CR by seconds... I didn't want that to happen, but I completely bonked with a mile to go. It was brutal. I could barely run, but I got a good rhythm going and was surprised to see 1:37 on the clock when I finished, a new CR.
Sure enough, Ryan finished in 1:41 and he turned out to be a 3:54 performer over 1500m and recently graduated. What a battle. It was a great day, but I was toast and thankful it was over and even more thankful I didn't attempt the 50KM... and now, off to London and another forced break from training (this time very welcomed) as I have some long days ahead of me with Tottenham Hotspur.
And then, upon returning to work, I had to visit Houston for business. It so happened that the 2012 Hog's Hunt Trail 50K/25K were going on before I had to drive to Austin. Initially, I thought of signing up for the 50K, as I was the defending champion and course record holder (3:34), but the forecast stated 80-degrees. Hmm, with a complete lack of long run recently and a mini-break from running, I thought maybe the 25K would be a better option. And so, I entered the race.
Race morning was hot - 76 degrees and humid when I woke up. Thankfully the trails were in good shape, quite dry, but that meant super-sandy. Competition-wise, I had no idea who would show up, but within the first couple of minutes, I knew it was going to be interesting, as a buddy declared his friend was going to win the race, but I saw an even more dangerous threat... a Texas A&M Aggie... he was a bit larger, looking more like a mid-distance guy, but he was fit. And he took the lead from me after about 5 minutes of running and pressed the pace.
I wasn't super comfortable. The lack of training was evident. After a couple of miles, I decided to attack. I didn't want to battle anyone, but at the first aid station (after feeling I had been going WAYYY too hard), Aggie took the lead while I sucked down a GU and I gave chase. He was very fluid, very strong, running hard on the uphills, but I kept thinking: 1) the heat has to get to him more than me; 2) the pace has to get to him; 3) the hills have to get to him; 4) the sand has to get to him... it was pretty funny, but he was attempting to bury me. At 40-minutes I made the pass and thought, that's it. But within 10-minutes, he charged back and after almost blowing out an ankle heading into a trailhead, I let Aggie take the lead.
So I shadowed him on the singletrack until he had a big ankle twisting moment... it looked bad and I passed by, asking if he was alright. At the next aid station by an hour he was probably 20-30 sec back and I set off to try and win this thing. However, my body had other plans. I was a wreck. I could barely run, my fitness was catching up to me. My right glute basically shut down and my left foot was not landing correctly. But I was in the lead and I was battling. I just needed to make it to the final aid station, which was 2.8 miles from the finish.
Finally, the aid station appeared and I saw 1:20 and change on my watch. The fastest time I had seen on this course was 1:39, and I started the mental games: I have to be able to run 2.8 miles in under 18-19 minutes. I have to, regardless of the terrain. And I set off at a break-neck pace. The worst thing in a race is to work so hard and miss a CR by seconds... I didn't want that to happen, but I completely bonked with a mile to go. It was brutal. I could barely run, but I got a good rhythm going and was surprised to see 1:37 on the clock when I finished, a new CR.
Sure enough, Ryan finished in 1:41 and he turned out to be a 3:54 performer over 1500m and recently graduated. What a battle. It was a great day, but I was toast and thankful it was over and even more thankful I didn't attempt the 50KM... and now, off to London and another forced break from training (this time very welcomed) as I have some long days ahead of me with Tottenham Hotspur.
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