This is a well run, low key and cheap ($10) winter trail run. My friend Andy and I met at 5:00am at the park and ride to head down for the 7:30am start. We stated on major road adding 15 minutes to the trip, but a little safer as there was 3-4 inches of fresh snow in southern Wisconsin. We arrived at 7am and in a blink of an eye we were off and running. There are 5 loops to the race and each loop starts / ends at a heated shelter where we all parked.
Loop #1 I settled in chatting with people, but soon decided I did not want to get sucked along faster while talking, so I pulled over and walked as 25-30 people passed. I started running at the back of this pack and chatted with Kevin a person I just had met for a couple of minuted until I walked and let him go ahead. I find my trail running rythm is different than most people and I generally do not play well with others, so I try not to run with people very often. The trails were slick, so I just fell into a slow plodding pace without much of a push off in my stride.
At the end of this loop, I spent 10 minutes putting on Yak Trax. warming up, and eating some real food. Loop #2 was much the same, I would catch up to people chat a little and then either pass or start walking. After loop #2, I took the time to change clothes and warm up again. Loop #3 was not much different, I did not waste as much time at the shelter, I was just continued plodding along.
In loop#4 I was feeling the best I had felt all day and actually started to run more, walk less. I also started to use more of a run stride intead of a shuffle stride. I think by this time I just wanted to be done and drink a beer.
In loop #5 I passed at least a dozen people. It was not because I was "Racing", but because I wanted to be done. Funny it hurt like "racing", but it had nothing to do with a finish time, beating someone or a personal goal. Finally the race was over, I went in and wrote down my finish time on the clipbaord: 6:26, had a bowl of chili and found a kind person that gave me a very nice IPA.
Once again I have proven 2 things to myself: 1) You do not need to be in shape to run an ultra (50k-50Mile) and 2) It really hurts / sucks to run an ultra out of shape. I am hoping I found some motivation to continue my consistent training beyond the last 5 weeks.
Good running to all!
