With today's Chilly Cheek's 7.2mi trail race being the first time I have run one of Ron Horn's trail races when it was part of a national-series (La Sportiva), I was in for a bit of a surprise.
Unlike last month's Ugly Mudder, where a push out of the start had me in 4th place after 1 minute (which I apparently overdid and dropped back), today's race took off large and fast, and I was probably in 40th at the 1 minute mark! I'm not sure if the crazy pace was due to a lot of out-of-towners, or just the locals (with perhaps a few more of the strong ones showing up) trying darn hard to keep up.
By minute 4, as the first mini loop came back toward the start, I was fighting past several folks through light-green, and scrambled out onto a road segment in about 25th place. The next 5 minutes consisted of pass, get-passed, alternating, with various different people, until, aw-crap, the lead woman passed me. I have
never been
chicked in a trail race. Ever. Something I mentioned to several of the other guys around me - all of whom said the same thing...!
And there was my incentive. Because not only did she go by, she went by fast, picking people off, and I had to hold on, or get beat. In a
trail race. The next 20 minutes was utterly grueling, as she'd pass two people, in the time I'd pass one trying desperately to keep her in range. Uphill, downhill, crappy footing. Didn't seem to matter, she kept, slowly, pulling away - as we both kept climbing the field of other runners.
Then finally, on just the right downhill slope - or perhaps me in enough oxygen debt to be more reckless - I noticed I had closed some of the gap. So at the next similar slope, I surge past a guy to get a clear fly down the hill, and wham to a short paved section at the bottom, and I'm now just 2 places and 50m back. Up the next climb, just hold on to the gap. Sidehill, rugged. Closed a little? Hold the gap. Close a little? Slipperly uphill, gaining. Passed the last guy between us. I can do this.. Got her.
Now don't look back.
No one in front. Water stop skipped. Glimpse of something far ahead. Focus on that. 10 minutes of glimpses, and struggles to catch some white-shirt, far away. Stay motivated. No noise behind, no one in view in front. Stay motivated... Climb, stay motivated. Slight downhill, run like you still have to pass her. Still quiet. Uphill - is that breathing behind me? Sounds like a guy...
Don't look back.
Real steep. Some guy says on-your-left. I fight him a bit, then he goes by & misses a turn, and I yell out to him, so does another guy I hadn't heard, right behind me. Get ahead of him as he recovers. Total crap footing. Push hard. Shake these guys - I thought I had a gap!
Don't look back.
Diagonal up, nearing the top, then a switchback to Mt. "Whadafug" (a nasty, off trail climb to the Mt. Penn ridgeline.) Switch back is sharp, so it's too hard to avoid looking back, to see where the two guys are. Oh crap. One guy. The lead woman. And then a huge string of guys. Probably 10 places in less than a minute behind!!
Climb like you mean it... Scramble over the wall. Downhill on the pavement. Run like hell, as I'm not the fastest on pavement. 100m later, a flour arrow puts me back into the woods, then downhill. Choice of slipperly mud, and stable jagged rocks as I dive down the hill.
Gotta, stay, ahead. 3 people passed me in the last minute 1 month ago. Can't let it happen again. Gotta get a big margin in this crap and, uh-oh, now easier downhill. Keep pushing. Hard. On the grass trail by the reservoir. Right where I got passed last time! Can't hear anyone behind. Doesn't matter. Gotta move. Down the steep-grass, careful off the wall.. now sprint the last easy 100m, then scramble. Up the nasty hill to the finish. No heavy cheering. Eyes on me, not looking right past me? Just finish it out.
Got it.
Record intact. Didn't get chicked. By the woman who I just figured out is the 1 woman who didn't herself get chicked at the
USATF 10k Trail Champs last year...
I can be proud of that.
Though I have been chicked in a Billygoat.
Recently. Something I hope to resist this year...