Trail Run race 8:30:16 [5] 55.0 km (9:17 / km) +1500m 8:10 / km
(injured) shoes: Salomon XA PRO
Moab Red Hot 55km Utah Feb 18th
Didn't sleep well - stomach upset but I think that hits everyone one based on the activity in the condo all night long.
It was below freezing to start but we warmed up as the first thing we did was run a km uphill then small downhill into a valley. We stopped for a nature break and were in dead last!
Caught few people by the next big uphill and went back and forth with a few for hours. At the 2hour mark we were behind our 8kms per hour target. The hills were steep!
Made the cut off at noon, but distance on my garmin only showed 29kms...it was going to be a long long day! Views were great and I was running in T-shirt and should have not worn the tights. We past Chris Currey looking really bad shortly after cut off point. Karen gave him salt tabs. I struggled up to the 4th aid station - had no protein until then (it was a relentless uphill for over an hour). Did better on the downhill until I slipped and jammed my left big toe. Now I really was hurting. It was a tough 6.5miles between those aid stations but I was stronger now that fuel kicked in. Karen was AMAZING! She was having so much fun it was carrying me along and making me laugh. She gave me the big high five when I reached my first 50kms! At about the 51-52km mark I told her to go for it and not slow down for me anymore (I should have siad that much much earlier). She looked great and was so fast Hugh missed getting her picture! and the best part...Karen waited and cheered me in at the finish!!! 189th place out of 200....could have been worse! I now have my first black toe nail and I wear it with pride, tenderly!!!