Yesterday was my first trail race, the Dirty German 25K.

I haven't been following any structured plan, just running about 30 to 35 miles a week.

As it was my first trail race, I had low expectations. My main goal was to have fun, enjoy the experience  and finish under 3 hours. My biggest concern was finishing healthy as I pulled my groin a few weeks ago, I've been going to PT and taking it easy for last few weeks.

Because I'm such a nice guy, I brought my girlfriend along and made a long weekend out of the trip, doing the usual tourist stuff.  I used to live near Philadelphia so it was kinda like going home.

Got to  the park and packet pickup was as easy as expected, weather was about perfect 50* and sunny! Then I  stood around  talking to people waiting to start. Before a race I always kinda space out and go to an intense happy place, ( the happy place is kinda a cross between a yoga meditation, and a flashback to my days touring with Grateful  Dead)  and get focused on the race.

And off we went, my plan was to start at about 11 minute miles and stay slow to see how my groin held up. That plan lasted only till the crowd thinned out, then I felt great and had to keep telling myself to slow down. Think I kept myself to around 10 mm for first 5 miles. Seems like what I was doing was to start talking with someone and then pick up pace a bit and then chit chat with some one else, rinse and repeat for the rest of the race. Did run into trails and cocktails, remembered she said she ordered a tie die bandana (tie die is my favorite color), and right beside me was a tie die bandana, small world.

The trails were in my humble opinion in great shape, not very many rocks, and a few mud puddles. I didn't even think any of the hills were bad. I run at blue marsh lake somtimes, so that's kinda what I was expecting, glad I was wrong. There were even a few spots we ran on the blacktop bike path, but I was happy to get back in the woods. I kept telling myself to slow down but it didn't work to well. Only fell once and that was a rather pleasant fall, slowed down  because people were stopping to step over a pile of rocks and I tripped on the rock pile, and fell into a soft and fluffy  mud puddle, hopped right up and on my way. The miles flew bye and before I knew it we were closing in on the finish line, a few more turns and I was across the line in 2:30:04, that's about 9:40per mile. Very happy with that time, (however secretly wish I was 5 seconds faster). Everything worked out great, all the Volunteers were awesome, race was well organized, and even got a finishers glass!

I finished this race feeling strong and in much better shape than I thought I was in. Now the plan is to take some time off and get the groin muscle healed up (quick I hope!)  Then I plan on getting ready for Labor Pains 12 hour run on Labor Day weekend, would like to do 50K there but I will have to wait and see!

Thanks for reading, Mark

Well done! That race was my first 50 miler and it was a great place to start for me too.

I'll see you at Labor Pains.

Nice job on losing your trail virginity.  Perfect way to go into a race..."My main goal was to have fun, enjoy the experience..."

DW and I will probably be at Labor Pains again this year, so looks like we might have a good crowd.  You should have no problem reaching 50k there.

Nice job! Sounds like you had fun and ran a great race. Hope you get healed up quick and can get back at it.

Sounds like a great time chatting your way through the pack.  Did the tourist stuff include a cheesestake...Pat's or Gino's?

Great job.  That is pretty speedy.  You certainly destroyed the 3-hour mark.

I may also see you at Labor Pains.  I hope to make that my next race but we will see.

Well played...I think my favorites were from a lunch cart that was near the Embassy Suites.  Pat's and Geno's are both pretty good, but way overrated.

The good cheesesteaks don't come from Pat's and Geno's. That's just where they funnel the tourists.

Glad you had a great race, Muppy!!  I was looking for you at the mob at the start, but never quite recognized you, and you were faster than I was.  LOL @ the large fluffy puddle.  They had a lot of those didn't they?