Our running club here in San Angelo is the San Angelo Road Lizards. However, we seem to find ourselves more on the trails than the roads. One of the most popular race(s) on the San Angelo calendar is the Crazy Desert Trail Race put on by Trail Racing Over Texas (TROT).
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| photo credit: Trail Racing Over Texas |
It includes the longest races in the area and attracts runners from all over the state. I did the
5k two years ago, coming in 2nd overall, and the 1/2 marathon (that measured around 15 miles) last year. The courses all start and finish on the north side of the San Angelo state park and the longer races get into longhorn territory. Whereas longhorns are fairly docile, it's a good thing we didn't mingle with the bison in the park.
I originally signed up for the 1/2 again this year after I decided I'd just take it easy and
simply run for the enjoyment for the time being. However, my friends Dennis, Jon, and Cody are bad influences and, over the course of a few weeks, talked me into bumping up to the 50k just to "see how it goes." Right, running 50 kilometers on very little training just to see how it goes. Am I dumb or what?
We did a little bit of training over the past month or so, which I documented
here and
here. However, the furthest we ever went was 14 miles. That's almost halfway!
After last week's PT test, I took this week pretty easy.
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| Joe and I accidentally matching while doing some hill work at KOA (photo credit: Mila Boyce) |
Since I promised a few folks that I'd be at our normal Friday night run, I went out there too.
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| cheesin' (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
While we were running, plenty other Road Lizards were out setting up the camp site at the park.
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| photo credit: Dennis Hall |
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| we asked Dennis if Jon was there (photo credit: Dennis Hall) |
After a beer, Mila, Jammie, and I joined the rest out at the campground for spaghetti and a campfire without S'mores. (you're killing me Smalls!)
I decided I'd rather prepare for the run after a night's sleep in my bed, so we headed home for the night.
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| 100K start (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
Per usual, I got to the race a little late. I got to the starting line maybe 5 minutes before the start, but I needed to go pick up my race packet.
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| start/finish line between the 100k and 50k (photo credit: Jon Preiser) |
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| walking up to the start/finish line. You can see 50k runners gathering at the start |
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| andamos ready? probably not |
Unfortunately, they didn't have the socks that I requested. TROT, instead of just making shirts, offers their runners options. This year, a runner could get a shirt, hat, socks, or water bottle and buff. Since I have like 5,000 shirts and my TROT hat is my favorite running hat, so I requested the socks. They didn't have them, HOWEVER, they offered a $25 pair of sunglasses instead of a pair of socks. Although I didn't go for that since I previously bought the sunglasses, I'd say that's a good alternative. Anyway, I had to head back to my truck to switch out some things, and I got to the starting line 4 minutes after the race had started. However, like I told Jammie, what's a few minutes over the course of 50k?
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| Dennis and Adam pre-race (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| Dennis and Jon pre-race (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| 50k start for those people that were on time (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| unhurriedly walking to the starting line (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| where'd they all go? |
I had a strategy, but not exactly a goal in this one. Well, the goal was to finish and have fun. My strategy was "run 11s to get 12s." I figured that I could consistently run at an 11 minute mile pace and average 12s throughout the race, taking into account walking uphill and aid station stops. And stopping to take pictures. I caught the back of the pack after roughly a mile, but not before taking a sunrise picture.
The first 5-6 miles are pretty easy running. There is the "worst hill in San Angelo," which I now wish I would've taken a picture of, but the majority are mostly flat, dirt trails. I knew this going in, so I figured that this is where I could run my best. Thankfully, I kept to my strategy and didn't go out too crazy.
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| Bekka early in her 10K (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
I found Jon at the Dino trail aid station and we ended up running about a mile together.
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| found Jon |
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| tried smiling while running and taking a selfie where you can't actually see the phone screen. failed |
Through about 8 miles, my "race" strategy was going pretty well. I was running most miles in the low 11s and taking time to stop at the aid stations.
and take pictures with cows
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| cow fam |
That's the section where the terrain gets tougher. The trail turns more rocky and there are some areas that seem to require climbing via walking rather than running. The course eases up over the last couple of miles, and actually includes some trees as it runs along the river.
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| am I floating? (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| photo credit: Anthony Stasulli |
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| I think I'm smiling (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| Jon's not (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| nor Adam (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| Cliff and Kent nearly finished with their first 20 mile loop (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| .... is that Spider Man? (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
I was surprised to see where I was, as I'd expected the course to be a little long. I know a couple years ago the 50k was closer to a 60k and last year's half marathon had an extra 2 miles on it. However, I came through the halfway point at 14.85 on my watch. Kind of a nice surprise. I was feeling good, maybe a little ahead of pace (roughly 2:55 at that point), and happy. I grabbed some Coke, a bar, and a crisp hi-5 and encouragement from Bekka (but forgot to get a pic w/her) and headed back out on the course.
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| thumbs up for loop 2 |
Shortly after I finished the first loop, Ross finishied his half marathon.
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| Happy Ross (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
The second loop started out pretty well but I decided to take it even easier than I had been. I was trying to do the smart thing and place priority on my level of effort/heart rate over my pace. I even chomped down some pickles at the first aid station. Not too long after, I got hit with the worst cramps I've ever had. My quads seized up and I tried to dead leg walk for a while, swinging my right leg instead of stepping. It was bad enough that the guy behind me stopped and checked on me when he caught up. That was before I took a picture of him among the cacti. He's from Slovakia and had never seen cactus before.
And this is what I like about ultras. Obviously, my plan was out the window. I had to figure out what to do just to stay in the race. My first thought was to dead leg it to the next aid station, roughly 3 miles away, and see how I'm doing from there. I stopped and stretched a couple times and eventually the cramping dissipated. On the first loop, I had split the race mile by mile, now my trek was measured in a different way. It was a tree, a rock, a cactus, or a section of a song. The guy in black behind me catching up was usually the sign to jog ahead for as long as I could. If I couldn't make a pre-ordained spot, I went until my legs were about to seize up again. I started doing pickle juice shots at the aid stations. And there might have been some singing and dancing once I figured I was alone enough.
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| Took my phone out to send Mila a beautiful rendition of "Con Calma" and take this pic. Behind me is my Slovak bud. |
Mila might have her Chick-Fil-A motivation, I go with chocolate milk. Around mile 25, I stopped on the side of the trail to send out a request for a "jug" to Mila and Jammie. I had just 5 miles left until chocolate milk! (I hoped)
After taking it easy and downing enough pickle juice, I realized I could go a little bit further before seizing up. Those 1-2 minute "to that tree up there" spurts became "let's see how this goes" for a few minutes. The 18-20 minute miles became 15-17 minute miles. Once I could "smell the barn" I found I could get under 15 minutes. On my watch, I finished in 6:50:30. Starting late, my official time was 6:55:26, good for 48th out of 77 finishers. The winner ran a 3:35!!!! That's ridiculous. It's faster than 7:15 per mile. Get outta here.
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| photo credit: Anthony Stasulli |
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| just about there (Photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| thanks beardy dude (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
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| Dennis finishing up looking all smiley. He way improved his 50K PR and finished in 6:23:47 (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| super happy to finish (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| not posed (photo credit: Anthony Stasulli) |
Jammie had answered my call and bought us two half gallons of chocolate milk along with chicken tortilla soup. What a champ! Mila showed up to congratulate me too. I lazed around a bit, and waited for Jon to finish.
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| comfy sandals and gross toes |
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| yay Jon! (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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Jon's first ultra (well, first time he'd ever run more than 14 miles)
photo credit: Jammie Preiser |
We all sat down to await Mark, Kent, Cliff, and Adam (yes, that Adam).
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| coming in after their second loop |
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| photo credit: Anthony Stasulli |
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| photo credit: Jammie Preiser |
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| another first time ultra runner! (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
Cliff and Kent came in, ate, changed socks and shoes (Cliff was having toe problems), collapsed for a while, then took back off.
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| photo credit: Jammie Preiser |
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| will someone help him up? (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
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| there they go again |
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| gummy bears?!?!?!? (photo credit: Jammie Preiser) |
After Kent and Cliff took off, we knew that we had a few hours. I returned home to shower (you're welcome Mila) and relax. Mark finished in 14:43 and Kent and Cliff finished together in 15:06. Great job guys!
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| photo credit: Jammie Preiser |
All in all, it was a great experience. The highlight of the run was talking to a long horn. No, I wasn't hallucinating. There was a cow in my way on the trail. First I said "Excuse me cow!" It didn't move. However, I next yelled "MOOOOOOVE!" and it did! The guy that I didn't know was behind me found it amusing. The low light had to be those cramps.
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Jon and I got sunburned
(photo credit: Jon Preiser) |
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we had some SARL volunteers too!
(photo credit: Nicole Lindsey) |
The race was great. Thanks TROT for putting it on again! The course was very well marked, even if those darned cows did get ahold of some of the signs.
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