Running the Rose: Sunshine in the Piney Woods

There was not too much time to dwell on my struggles at Knob Hill because the very next Saturday I headed out to Tyler State Park for the Running the Rose 22 miler.  I wanted to get a good test run on things like nutrition, hydration pack, and pacing in the final weeks before Black Canyon 60K.  My attitude - and the race conditions - could not have been more opposite, complete with an email from the race director saying the trails were "the most perfect they have ever been." The forecast promised beautiful sunshine and mild temperatures and I would see lots of friends on the trail.  I was pumped!

I spent a good part of the week leading up to the race trying to rest up, rid myself of the congestion that started at Knob Hills, and fight off a raging case of poison ivy that resulted in a trip to the doctor.  On race day, I woke up with the congestion and a slight cough, but my energy was much improved over the week before.  I was so excited about spending a day playing on the trail amongst the tall pine trees and sunshine.

We found Karen and Jason as soon as we got there and then quickly saw many other friendly faces from Dirt and Vert, Team Ninja, and Dallas Dirt Runners. I love the feeling of community at a trail race.  It is like we are all hanging out at a campground and then a race breaks out. There is not a more relaxed race vibe out there and is such a stark opposite from my other love - triathlon.

The race was an 11 mile loop that you run twice.  Rob, the race director, seemed to take glee in reminding us that there were five big hills in the first two miles.  I knew that the trails at Tyler were hilly, so this did not phase me too much.  I also knew that my first few miles would be slow as I made it over these hills and we all joked as we took off and found ourselves standing still waiting as the line of runners went up and over the hills.

The best part of visiting East Texas is seeing Julie!

My first three miles were a little conservative as I was following a couple of other runners who were going slower than I needed to.  I took this as an opportunity to get through the hills without burning too much energy right out of the gate.  I went around them near the first aide station and never looked back.

After that it became a steady game of run when the trail was runnable, practice hiking when the hills came, and experiment with eating and drinking from my pack. The aide stations were at 3 miles and 8 miles on the loop plus the start/finish.  I made it a point to skip the 3 mile aide station and go all the way to the 8 mile stop each time because the aide stations at Black Canyon 60K are approximately 7 miles apart.  Some parts of the trail had two way traffic and I made it a point to smile at and encourage the other runners as we met.

Mr K called out to me as he was near the 8 mile mark (I was still a mile or two away), he had a great smile and looked like he was having a good day.  It is always a relief to see him out there and know that he is having fun.  I started out in arm warmers, mittens, and with an ear band on my head, but I had pulled those off before I got to the rest stop as it the sun was warming us up nicely.  I had someone at the aide station put them in my pack for me, grabbed some Peanut M&Ms, got a refill on my electrolyte bottle, and I headed back towards the trailhead to finish the first loop.

Photo: Trail Racing Over Texas

The trail got a little bit busier towards the end of my first loop because there was a 7K race and those runners were nearing the end of the trail at the same time I was.  It was fun to hear the cheers for them and see them get their medals.  I got that first loop done in 2 hours 15 minutes on the dot, which was in the range of my projected pacing. I circled through the start/finish aide station, filled my bottle again, grabbed a cookie, and headed off for the second loop.

The start of the second loop was very different from the first loop as the runners were so spread out now and there were no traffic jams in the hills. There were times in the first loop that I had no idea which direction I was headed in and I felt more familiar with where I was in relation to the course the second time around.  Just more of the same - run some, hike some, drink some, eat some, encourage other runners, and enjoy a beautiful day amongst the piney woods.

Photo: Julie Lewis

I did grow a little impatient in the back part of the course because we passed within sight of the aide station a couple of miles before the course took us there. I just really wanted to be there because I knew it meant I would officially be headed towards the finish. That section of the course was very runnable and I just put my head down and did the work. Soon enough I made it to my desired break spot, got another refill and another cookie and joyfully headed out the finish the last 3 miles.  I did not survive on cookies alone, I was giving the Spring Energy gels a test run during this race and they did not disappoint.  The Speed Nut was an especially nice boost as I started the second loop. I was also giving Nuun Endurance powder a trial run in the bottle in the front of my pack. Two thumbs way up! Of course, I always give a shout out to Coeur Sports and their fitted run shorts. Those things have become my go-to for trail running, the pockets on the side of the legs is especially handy for discarded mittens and arm warmers.

On the return I saw Ben, race director of the infamous Knob Hills race from the previous weekend, and he told me that Mr K had fallen and scraped up his hand pretty bad. Seems I'm either rolling in poison ivy or he is leaving blood on the trail - you can't take us anywhere.  I met up with Karen soon after that and she told me the same thing about Mr K's hand.  This was a big day for Karen, she broke her ankle at a race on this trail over 6 years ago and this was her first time to go back there. I'm so proud of her for facing her fears and slaying some dragons that day!

Photo: Julie Lewis

The cough and congestion that I had been fighting all week really started to rear its head in the closing miles and I found myself coughing way more than was comfortable.  Despite that, the difference in how I felt from one race to the next was huge.  I could hear the hum of the finish line now after rounding a few more bends I could see it.  I was about to finish my longest trail run ever! It took me 4:45:22 and I was the 12th female to finish.

I crossed the finish line, collected my medal, and found Mr K in the med tent getting his wounds cleaned up. They were not serious, but I was glad to see he was taking the time to get them washed out so that they would heal properly.

Post race at a trail run is just the best - we visited from friends from all over, shared many laughs, and gave Karen the biggest cheer as she came across the finish line. There was sunshine and blue skies and I had that "happy tired" feeling that only a day of work can bring.

All in all, I would say my tune-up race for Black Canyon 60K was a huge success.  I walked away feeling good about my efforts and knowing that my hydration and fueling strategy should work for me.  It was a big confidence boost to get that longest trail run under my belt.  In some ways it seems daunting to think that I will run fifteen more miles at Black Canyon, but I know that I can do it.   New challenges are supposed to be a little bit scary and I'm ready to see what I can do.