http://www.trailrace.com/malibu.html
Pre-Race:
Pre-Race:
- Oh, God. My stomach hurts. Like I've swallowed a balloon and it's going to pop. Can I even do this?
- 2 Immodium, Tums, and Gas-X (each) later: My stomach STILL hurts. There's no way I can run, much less eat breakfast. They're going to have to helicopter me out on top of the mountain.
- At the race site: How can I do this on an empty stomach? Ugh. My stomach STILL hurts!!!
Race Start:
- Well, I'm running. My stomach hurts but it's not getting worse. But now I have to PEE!!!
- Everyone out here is SO fast! They all look like ultra marathoners or something. At least it's pretty.
- Fog, fog, fog. Everywhere I look, there's fog.
- I don't remember this hill on the course map! I thought the first 3 miles were flat. Hmmm.
The Mountain:
- (Miles 3-6): So this is what 2500 feet in 3 miles feel like. Because I've always wondered. Dammit, I have to PEE!!!
- Where is Brent going? I thought we were going to run together!
- (2 miles later after running up the whole godamn mountain): Yes! I'm going to catch up to him. I'm SO relieved. I can finally tell him how MAD I am at him!
- (Mile 5, after making up): It's so fun to run together! Look how beautiful it is! I wish we had brought a camera.
- (Mile 6, the top): The sun is out now. I miss the fog. I guess it burned off. Wait a minute. No, the fog is still there. It's just below us. We're above the clouds!
(Miles 6-8) Are We Going Down Yet?
- Where did this hill come from? I thought we were done with the ups! The ups are downs and the downs are ups. It's Bizarro Xterra!
- Do I need a rope to climb up this rock? Jeez...I'm on my hands and knees!
- This is more of a hike, not a run.
- Walking is nice. Do I have to run?
- An aid station! Thank God! Port-a-Potties, water, Cliff Bars, whoo-hoo! Time to eat breakfast (Oh, my stomach feels better!)
(Miles 8-10) The Horror of the Bees
- Downhill hurts my stomach. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
- In one of the few flat sections on the run, across a small meadow, the overwhelming sound of buzzing filled the air, vibrating in my ears. The ground was covered in black, shiny bees, so thickly, it looked like black lava. It was something out of a Stephen King novel. I squealed, shut my eyes and mouth and sprinted through as fast as I could. Apparently, I run much faster when terrified (anger is another good motivator).
(Miles 10-12) Down, down, down
- I thought uphill was bad! I wish I had an uphill NOW!
- OW!!! Will this downhill ever end?
- You got to be kidding me!
- Pain. Toes, quads, knees, stomach. All I feel is PAIN.
- Uphills=WORK. Downhills=PAIN. I want up.
(Miles 12-14) The FINISH!
- Ah, this must be the wicked final uphill I was warned about.
- It's HOT!!!
- I'm SO glad I'm going up and not down right now.
- I'm going to finish, I'm going to finish!
- Ah, the final 0.5 miles of a race. Pure and simple happiness. Nothing else like it.
On the other side of the finish line:
- That was some recovery run!
11 comments:
Recovery!!
I think I need a recovery from YOUR recovery!
Good job out there.
what's up with the bees?
That was a recovery run? OMG.
Great recap! :)
Awesome scenery from the mt!
And that's a recovery run....holy crap is all I can say! Nice report!
Loved the race report... probably one of the better ones I've read lately! CONGRATS to you because that run sounds miserable! :)
Isn't trail running awesome! Nice job with the race!
Yeah, those Santa Monica mts are a great training resource - and nice to just take in as a little respite from the city and its smog on a hot summer day.
I think this year's race is over, but there is a great trail runner's race in Albuquerque in the spring. It starts at the base of the Sandia Mountains and goes up to Sandia Crest, so from 5,300 to 11,000 ft. It's a great cardio challenge, well attended, and a lot of fun - or so I hear. :D
Great job! I agree with everyone else -- that is some recovery run!
The bees would have totally freaked. me. out!
makes a 1/2 ironman seem easy. love the internal dialogue - i am smiling reading this.
You pick some strange ways to recover :-)
What?? What kind of recovery run is that?? haha
That's crazy about the bees! And, being above the clouds too!
Nice job out there.
Post a Comment