One Tough Cookie!
What a race! The night before, I slept poorly so I woke up feeling tired but I was ready to do my best and give it all I could muster! I drove down to Mira Mesa to hitch a ride in to Noble Canyon with some of my new Ultra running buds. Since I have been training up in the canyon, I have met so many nice people! It was COLD! I think the temp was in the low 30's when we arrived. My friend Chad was running late to the race start and he was concerned he wouldn't get there in time to get his bib. Thankfully, the officials allowed me to pick it up for him. After a few bathroom stops, a cup of hot coffee to warm the bones, and a bit of stretching, I was ready to get moving! I met up with several friends at the race start and took a few pictures. The sun was coming up and the chill in the air was slowly resolving. It was turning into a gorgeous morning and the weather forecast called for high 70's to low 80's which was much improved over last year's scorching 100 degree temps. The race started with with the honk of a horn if I recall correctly. There were only 181 in the field, much less than the 250 people that were anticipated. The first 4-5 miles, I struggled to warm up. My hands were so cold. Geez. Forgot my gloves but didn't think it was going to be this chilly. I kept my fingers curled up in my fists. My quads were cold too and it was difficult to move my legs as they felt a bit stiff. I could immediately feel the elevation of around 5,400 feet at the start. Once we passed through the first check point, the course undulated a bit and then we began our descent into the canyon. It was a bit crowded at first and the trail is narrow throughout most of the course, but soon people began to spread out. Running down, I kept reminding myself to step lightly, quickly, and carefully. My left knee was acting up a little. This is a challenging and technical course with areas of very heavy and loose rock. A gentlemen said to me, "you run so dainty!" At first I was a bit insulted. Then he added' "you are so light and quick on your feet... you can do this for sure!" That was just what I needed to hear to keep me moving! Soon I came upon the first aid station. I recall drinking some gatorade and eating a fig newton. For a total of nine miles we continued along the course that dropped around 2,000 feet. Before too long, I reached the next aid station at around mile 13. I took in more fluids, and the volunteers took my pack and refilled it with fluids. My tummy had been rumbling for about 4 miles, so off into the bushes I went and popped a squat. Phew.... yeah, much better. I was a bit dry and hardly urinated, so I made a point of trying to drink a bit more before I left the area. The next 9 miles were difficult on the return up. I ran when the course permitted it, and speed walked where I had no choice. My legs were on fire and I found myself to be a hurting as I headed up feeling the effects of not only the steepness but the elevation gain. I had mentally broken up this course into 3 segments. The first was from the start to the bottom, the next was from the bottom to the top of the canyon, and then the last was to the peak elevation point which then would bring me down to the finish. I knew that if I could just get out of that darn canyon, that I would finish the race. It was hot down there and as the morning sun rose higher, it presented by body with the additional challenge of dealing with the heat of the day. I think I bonked a little at around mile 17. I was hurting but pushed forward. I had this nagging headache that seemed to be worse when I had to walk. It made me feel ill. I chatted occasionally with others that were struggling to help keep my mind off of my pain, but I pushed on and left many of them behind to see them later finish their races with a smile and a thumbs up. Sometimes I am such a flake. I saw a guy run by me, and we ran together for a bit. As I chatted with him and asked him questions about his running life, he then turned to me and I saw his face. He's like, "Kim, it's me!" I hadn't realized that I was chatting with my friend Jeff. So funny! He looked different from the back although I had already seen the back of him at another point at the start and didn't make the connection in my mind that it was him. I nearly fell probably about 5 times catching my right foot on a rock or tree root during the run. I couldn't take my eyes off my feet for nearly the entire duration of the race. Talk about a mentally engaged run?! My biggest fear was injury, so I had to be mindful of every step! I had lost one of my shot blocks out of the slot on my waste pack only to find a gu that someone else had dropped on the trail. The total elevation gain/loss for the race was 4,352 feet. Minimum elevation was 3,722 feet and it maxed at 6,025 feet. Mile 22- I am at the aid station eating watermelon, and rehydrating. I hadn't drank that much out of the pack on the way up because I was nauseous and the gatorade in it was warm. My mouth was like cotton. I drank some mountain dew chased with a coke. Sounds gross I know, but I just couldn't handle drinking any more gatorade at that point. I had the volunteers top off my pack with water and they added ice to keep it cold. One thing that I was sure to do at every aid station was to take 2 salt tablets and wash them down with water. Off I went! The next aid station was about 5 miles away and I had another 1,000 feet to climb. I speed walked and ran whenever the course allowed it. My training on the treadmill with the added weight had served me well. At times, my speed walk was faster than some people's run up the steep areas. I spent most of the race running alone. There were times I didn't see anyone for over an hour. I found that I did better alone as I didn't lock into someone else's bonk shuffle. Mile 23 - I have become quiet proficient at the farmer's blow and it is something that I regularly do to clear my nose. My nose runs profusely at elevation. This time as my nose began to run and I blew, a red streak of fluid shot out onto the trail. I wiped my nose with my hand and blood dripped and streamed off of my finger. Oops! Nose bleed! Just then, I ran into two hikers and they gave me some tissues. I nursed my bleeding nose for the next mile. I began my descent. I was almost done. I came to the last aid station, took in some fluids again and took off. Mile 29 my quads were burning, I got the sensation of feeling very heavy and tired. Sure enough, full bonk. I bent over, stretched and wretched on the trail. Only 3 miles to go. I let gravity pull me down the trail and ran slowly but steady. I stopped when I had to, and continued when I felt I was able to. Mile 32- I am running on the tar, then gravel. I see our truck parked on the side of the road and it's my husband and son waiting there. Evan hops out and runs with me. I then lose him. The trail had been pretty well marked but I took a wrong turn and ran about a 1/4 mile the wrong way. I realized I had made a mistake and headed back. I can hear people in the distance and the lull of chatter. I then see my husband and son again cheering me on and leading me into the finish. I was a woman with dead legs but somehow I could move. I came across the finish line, kissed the rubber rat hanging there (don't ask) and leaned over in my exhaustion. My stomach heaved and cramped. It hurt. They sat me down. For a minute there, I was in a state of panic to remove my pack, hat, and everything that weighed down my body. My stomach hurt so bad. After sitting there with my husband and my friend Shackey that came to my rescue, it confirmed the one thing that I know to be very true about me, I am indeed one tough cookie! Post RACE: I grabbed a shower at our campground. Although the water wasn't hot, it felt good to wash the dirt off my legs and the film of grit off my face. When I urinated, I could see by the color of it, that I had really taxed my body. After the race, we joined up with my friends Jeff, Darcy, and the rest of the Dirt Devil crew for some great food and drink at their camp site. Around 7pm, I was so spent that I couldn't hold a conversation. We were supposed to stay overnight at the campground, but I had heard how cold the night was before and the appeal of sitting in my bathtub soaking and the comfort of my soft bed beckoned me home... soon we left the site, packed our tents and we were in the truck heading there.
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