When I signed up for this race, I was in the midst of a gradual ramp-up in early winter mileage; clocking a 24 day 150 mile holiday running streak and generally feeling great about the endurance base I was building for this summers' season.  The intent was to have a nice "easy" 50k at home with my sister (her first ultra and trail race) where my parents could also come out and watch us do the crazy thing we do.  Sounds like a solid plan right?  Then it all fell to pieces.

In early January, as I was really ramping up the long runs for a mid February 50k and hitting up some fast track workouts once a week, my left hip got really pissed off.  I backed off, cut out the speed work, biked a bit more to keep up fitness, and took an extended taper into the February 50k.  That race imploded upon itself due to poor pre-race eating around mile 13 and I stumbled to a DNF at mile 23.  I was planning to try and rebound and have a solid 10-12 week training block for the Dirty German but it just didn't happen.

Every time I'd get out for an easy 5-6 miles my hip would act up and I simply resigned myself to the odd MTB ride, took up rock climbing, and generally didn't give a damn about running.  My long run for this consisted of an impromptu Grand Canyon rim to river to rim run in late April that felt surprisingly good.  The revised plan for the race was to simply run moderately for the first loop and stay open to the possibility of dropping at 25k if it felt like I was doing damage to the hip.  That would have worked if I wasn't such a competitive asshole.

Pre-Race Pics:

COLD sun screen

Sis and I ready to roll:

The Start:  Thanks to my new sponsor Old Spice, I was contractually obligated to bare my hairy chest to the world.

Sis rolling through:

Onto the Race

I lined up near the front of the pack and immediately spotted the eventual race winner in front of me and made a mental note NOT to try and keep up with him.  Off we went and after a few decidedly silly sub-8 minute miles I settled into a comfortable 8-ish minute pace with the tall older fellow behind me in the above start photo.  I knew it was an ambitious pace, but my breathing was very relaxed probably due to living at 7k feet for a year now so I just decided to roll with it and see how long I could hold on.  We snaked through the green tunnel of single track in near perfect conditions.  The trail was nice and tacky and soft from the previous days' rain.  I made the mistake of assuming there would be hammer gels at all the aid stations since I saw the boxes sitting at the start area but alas the gels were few and far between so I resorted to cups of gatorade along with PB&J wedges and fig newtons, which for some reason seemed delicious on the first lap.

I rolled through the Start/Finish  after lap one feeling pretty good with 2 hours flat showing on the clock.  My energy level was high, my stomach was happy, and my legs were starting to fatigue but still felt peppy.  With no signs of hip pain, I knew stopping at 25k was not an option; but also realizing that it would be a really big ask of my legs to hold onto the pace for another 15 miles.  Noting that the aid stations were close together and plentiful, I ditched my handheld and headed out for lap two with a couple espresso gels after chugging some water at the AS.

I was solo for the most part of lap two and the amount of mental focus needed to hold onto the sub 9 minute pace was mounting.  I kept pushing, hoping that I'd start picking off some of the runners ahead who I presumed would succumb to their own overly ambitious starts.  That never happened.  The wheels started to fall off around mile 24 and I knew my legs were toasted.  Everything else was fine, my energy level was good, I was mentally hungry to keep on pushing, but my legs just couldn't keep the turnover up.

At the last aid station around mile 25, I took my time, drank some coke and water, ate whatever the heck looked good, and stumbled back into the woods for what I knew would be a painfully slow last 5 miles.  I grumbled along feeling sorry for myself and somewhat full from the feast I'd just wolfed down until two peppy young ladies blew by me and I decided they would make good rabbits to chase til the end.  It only took a few minutes for the energy to bounce back thanks to the sugar in the coke and soon I could hear the squeeze box playing at the start finish.  My legs woke up, I let out a whoop, blew past the ladies who were somewhat baffled by my resurgence, and flew into the park and through the chute with a big old grin.

The Result:  4:28 which was good for 14th place overall and third in the under 29s and a small german weather clock.

Strava link

I've been wondering these last couple days whether I should keep up with the running, afraid of getting into great shape again just to be knocked back by another injury.  This race doesn't make the decision any easier as I'm sure with better training I could have been down around the 4 hour mark.

Post Race:

Yup, running can have it's "ups and downs".  The ratio of those ups and downs can be variable and as variable as the reasons why people run (enjoyment, racing, getting in shape, fighting addiction, speed, mileage, etc., etc.)  But in the end I think it's a net positive for most people.  Your reference to The Clash is really good... anyway, hang in there.

It's always tease tease tease
You're happy when I'm on my knees
One day is fine and next is black
So if you want me off your back
Well come on an' let me know

Great job!!  I'm sure you blew by me at some point..  Good picts of the start

Nice job, and great time with training though hip injury issues.  How did your sister do?

Thanks everybody, I haven't been hanging around RA much lately so I had no idea there were so many of ya'll out there.  My sister had a good training cycle with a marathon three weeks before but doesn't spend much time on trails.  She told my parents she wanted to slap me at the half way point but finished around 6:20 after struggling with calf cramps for the latter miles.

If you stay, there will be trouble, but if you go, it will be double.

 

I think you should stay.

If I go I'll just spend more time doing silly stuff like this...

Congratulations on running a good race and getting 3rd in your AG! Thanks for sharing the RR and pics.

Eric

Well it looks like I didn't come out of it unscathed.  My right knee has been buggy with off and on pain since the race.  Feel ready to run again but don't want to do any more damage.