Things that I have run since the last time I wrote here:
1) Lutz Independence Day Race: it was hot and for some unknown reason, started at 8am--which is maybe a bit too late to start running a race in July! But I survived. I walked in places, but survived. What was great though was the fact that I decided to make a 'bucket list' of races that I want to do. Races that look cool and may be elsewhere. Races that will take some pre-planning. But I came up with a nice assortment of things, along with the realization that right now, what I really want to be doing is running on trails. Because almost all of the races that I selected are trail races (with a few exceptions, like the NYC Marathon, which I should be doing in either 2014 or 2015). Even the runs that I want to do around these parts next year are primarily trail races. So I guess that this is just where I am right now.
2) Picnic Island Run #3 (final one): Did it! And finished the series. So that was cool. The race itself was less cool, particularly the part where there was a tropical-level downpour and rain was dripping into my mouth. That part was pretty gross.
3) Watermelon Run #2 (actually #3): Did it! And it was 100% humidity. For real. Not nearly as much fun as the last one.
I also found a trail race that I am excited to do. It is the 12-mile choice for the Mystery Mountain Marathon in northern Georgia. Why the 12 miler? First, because I don't really have time to get in shape for a marathon right now, particularly one that looks challenging because it will be on trails. Second, because I have realized that it is nice to do the shorter distance when you are a slow and steady runner. It alleviates concerns about being the very final last person out there. This may be a new policy (when possible). Third, because this is the elevation profile:
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| Honest to God, this makes me laugh every time I look at it. |
Notice that the thoroughly ridiculous drop happens after the 12-mile mark.
But it will still be challenging. These are technical trails with still some elevation change. And there could be bears. In fact, the website warns exactly about that possibility: 'Headphones naturally impair the ability of runners to hear one another on the trail. (They also hinder your ability to hear bears!) Please consider leaving your headphones behind.'
So my plan to train for this is to do a challenging 1/2 marathon program, along with some tricky runs. Such as trail runs. I did one this morning and it was definitely a challenge--and not only because part of the run consisted of dodging from large banana spider webs (I went out with a local trail running group on Facebook if you are looking for trail runners in the Tampa area). In fact, we didn't go on one route because there were too many spiders. That seems like a serious statement when the trail runners are deterred because these are people who happily cavort around the woods with who knows what nature craziness in there.
The run was at Balm Boyette Park, which is mostly used for 'mountain' biking. That term seems somewhat inappropriate for Florida:
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| Bright and early. Some people even had their headlamps. |
As part of my official conversion to trail-runner-dom, I did buy an official pair of trail shoes. I figured that I will definitely need them for the Georgia race, but I was glad to have them this morning. I meant to take a picture of them last night and share it on the blog because they are among the nicest looking ones that I have owned. But I forgot, so allow me to share what they looked like after the trail run this morning:
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| Fortunately this mostly came off with a good rinse. |
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