El Scorcho Part II: The Run

I am not always the most prompt blogger, but I didn't want to keep you waiting too long for the rest of the El Scorcho story. Part I included the basic timeline and logistics of a 25K run at midnight. Now let's get to the best part...the running.

So we arrived at Trinity Park around 10:30, took pictures, ate a snack, cheered for the 50K runners, and then lined up for our turn. The race results were broken down into 5K segments (3.1 miles) as it consisted of five loops of 5K around the park. I think that it works best to break this story down into 5K segments.


Start Line: Can You Find Me?

Lap 1
30:47 min
Avg Pace 9:54/mile
Mile 1 10:08, Mile 2 9:44, Mile 3 9:22

Our running friend Gretchen got a last minute entry for the race and she teamed up with Erik and I for the journey. It was great having her and she really kept Team K going at times. I started the race in my beautiful pink running tutu with special flashing lights added for the occasion of a midnight run. However, within the first mile I knew that the tutu would have to go! The first lap was a little tricky because the race surface varied greatly--dusty dirt type path, grass, pavement, and even a basketball court. It was all about getting my bearings and getting familiar with the terrain. The beginning of the race was congested and a runner in front of us did a face plant within the first mile. It was a great reminder to me that I would have to be aware of where my feet were landing all night. Our cheering squad and home base were set up just beyond the start/finish line and it was a huge comfort knowing that they would be there at the end of each 5K. Corina and the girls were just awesome--super soakers, misters, signs, cheering, smiling faces, the whole bit. At the end of this lap we all hit the porta potties and I grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and gulped it down. The tutu was also left behind...theme for the night: SO THIRSTY!


Gretchen & Me Before Start

Lap 2
33:09
Avg Pace 10:40/mile
Mile 4 11:29, Mile 5 10:25, Mile 6 9:37
I was feeling good on lap 2--I had a better sense of the terrain and knew where the water stops would be. We were maintaining a nice, consistent pace with mile 4 being a little slower due to our rest stop at home base. Erik and I were enjoying a great run with Gretchen. I was feeling so free without the tutu weighing me down--apparently I said to Gretchen "wonder if my tutu is still flashing?" I was so thirsty and made sure to alternate electrolytes and water so that I would get all out of wack and end up getting sick. The heat is a scary thing and I was worried about the effects that it might have on all of us. While I was feeling so thirsty, I was sweating up a storm and that told me that the body was right on track. Once again, we hit the porta potties and got lots of hydration and support from our cheer squad at home base. This is where I remember cheerleader Marci saying "Hurry up! I want to go home!"


Liza, Ben, Erik, and Marci

Lap 3
37:40
Avg pace 12:07
Mile 7 14:06, Mile 8 11:05, Mile 9 10:34
This lap might have been the most challenging mentally because it was smack in the middle of the race. I knew that I had made some real progress by approaching the 9 mile mark, yet the end was still another two laps (6.2 miles) away. The aid station at 1.5 miles in was so brightly lit that I began to look for it as soon as we rounded the bend and headed in that direction. The volunteers there were awesome too--they handed me an ice cold paper towel each time that I passed through there. They also had water and this is the place where I would pop salt tabs and take a gel. We got a little slower when we passed through there, but this race was not about speed--but rather endurance and doing something totally different. Near the finish line we watched two insanely fast guys race it out for 2nd and 3rd place in the 25K. Yep, they finished that much ahead of us--it was fun to witness and we were swept up in their momentum a little bit. Home base was looking good as they cheered us on "Only two laps to go!"


Stacy, Erin, & Michelle

Lap 4
39:33
Avg pace 12:44/mile
Mile 10 14:56, Mile 11 10:34, Mile 12 12:18
I started to feel better mentally at this point, we were half way there. I also knew that this lap would bring me near the top of my usual distance. I am a true half marathoner and rarely run more than 13 miles at a time...in fact, I have only run 25K two times in my life and those were in the dead of winter (aka nice COLD temperatures). I really started to think of the race in segments now going from aide station to aide station. My feet and legs were feeling pretty tired, but it was my bones that felt tired--not the muscles. It was that feeling like I had been on my feet for a really long time. We were taking a little bit longer at aide stations and this is reflected in our pace. This is the first lap where we did not have negative splits (getting faster with each mile) and it looked like that trend might continue. I was still so thirsty, but felt pretty good otherwise. I was always concerned about Erik and Gretchen--especially when Gretchen said that she had stopped sweating. One more lap to go--we can do this!


Finished: Erik Looks Spent!

Lap 5
39:36
Avg pace 12:45/mile
Mile 13 14:19, Mile 14 10:43, Mile 15 12:15, Last .78 (by Garmin) 11:05
We took one last break at home base and headed out for the final lap. Woohoo!! Early into the first mile we came across Gretchen's husband John and he joined our little group as we made our way around the last loop. The mind is a crazy thing and I started to feel so much stronger during this lap. I knew that the end was closer than ever now and I was so ready to be done. I was so happy to pass through the aide stations that last time that I almost told the volunteers that they wouldn't be seeing me again! The red numbers on the timing clock were visible ways before the finish line (fellow runner Felix estimated about a mile) and John pointed that out when they first came into sight. What a beacon in the night! I was just about to do this!! I glanced at my watch and noticed that we would come very close to the 3 hour mark. Once we got close to the finish line we ran it in with as much speed as we could muster and the announcer said "we have a group of 4 finishing the 25K!". A large and very cool medal was draped around my neck and I went off in search of hydration. The race was finished. I did it. A new personal record for distance was set.


Corina Welcomes Me At Finish

Time: 3:00:20
Distance: 15.535 miles
Avg Pace: 11:38

My favorite quote is about growth coming when we leave our comfort zones and this was a huge step outside of my comfort zone. A race at midnight in the dead of summer at my longest distance ever...and I did it and came out feeling really strong. As I said earlier, this race wasn't about speed but rather surviving in some rather odd and extreme conditions. El Scorcho taught me so much about myself--it taught me that I am stronger than I ever imagined and capable of so much. It showed me that my training is good and that the hard work is paying off. It has taken 25 half marathons and now a 25K to show me that I AM ready to tackle that first marathon. The fear and trepidation that I felt over the "M word" is be replaced by excitement over the possibilities.


The Bling

And who am I kidding...El Scorcho was just plain FUN!! When can I sign up for next year?