Trail Runners

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Resolution Run 10k race report (Read 127 times)

wanderingoutlaw


    I've been lurking in this user group for the past couple of months--always been more of a trail runner wannabe.  I found a couple of trails close to my house (in South Carolina) over Thanksgiving (US) weekend but have only found time to for five trail runs.  Heard about a new trail race just before going out of town for Christmas so when I got back last week, I checked out the trail and decided to run the race.  Here's my report.

     

    Resolution Run 10k race report

     

    I was scared that it would be too cold or too wet to run barefoot as the week progressed towards Saturday's race, but fortunately only a little rain fell Friday morning and the sun started peeking through the clouds Friday afternoon.  The temps also didn't drop as far as originally forecast.  Around 29F at the start and about 33F at the finish--still the coldest temps in which I've run barefoot.

     

    Arrived at Sesquicentennial State Park with only enough time for less than five minutes for a warm-up (after packet pickup and bathroom stop).  Wanting to keep my feet warm for the start of the race, I did run my warm-up in socks and running flats (first time I've run in them in six months).

     

    Stopped my warmup when I heard the race director giving final instructions--most of which I missed being in the back of the pack.  Took off my shoes and socks and handed them to my wife.  As the director cocked the starting pistol and started to say, "Runners, to your mark . . . ," the pistol fired prematurely and runners started running.

     

    The first mile of the course is a firebreak road--mostly hardpacked sand, except where all the faster runners churned it up.  Only one mud hole and one uphill where a lot of water drains down and stays on the road.

     

     

     

    I started at the back of pack and tried to start slow.  After a quarter mile or so, I settled into a pace and tried to run just behind a couple of women who were running together.

     

    After the first mile the course enters single track trail through mostly pine trees, with some hardwood trees.  The trail remains sandy with lots of pine needles and other leaves.  Sticks, pinecones, and some roots seem to be the only obstacles.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    During this second mile my feet started to warm up so I started to speed up, passing the two women around mile 1.5.  I passed maybe ten people by mile 2.  I kept monitoring my heart rate, as I wanted to keep it below 180 for the first half of the race.  When catching up to other runners, I would often slow to their speed and run with them for half a minute and wait for a good location to pass them.  After mile 2 I would only pass one or two runners per mile.  For some long stretches of time, there was no one in sight in front of me--like I was the only one running this trail this day.

     

    Around mile 5, the route comes back out of the woods onto the firebreak road and returns to the start/finish line.  Only passed one runner in this last mile--actually passed him by running thru the mud puddle as he straddled the edge.

     

    Although no one was close to me, I was able to speed up and sprint thru the finish line and chute.  Didn't quite beat an hour but did beat my expectation.  Official finish time of 1:00:15. My watch time (started when I crossed he start line) was 1:00:04.

     

     

    The course is not certified and seems to be short.  My Garmin watch (which I know is not accurate) measured 6.07 miles.

     

    After knocking off the dry sand off my feet, I posed for my usual post-race soles photo.  My feet felt great during the race, but I did end up with a large blister on the end of the second toe of each foot and a small blister on the bottom of each big toe.  I suspect my form started failing the last couple of miles and I pushed off with my toes too much.

     

     

     

    The splits, which are all measurements from my Garmin watch, the lap being pushed at the race Mile signs (distance/time/avg HR):

    1.00 miles / 9:53 / 166

    0.98 miles / 10:11 / 173

    1.16 miles / 11:17 / 173

    0.83 miles / 8:43 / 177

    0.98 miles / 9:35 / 178

    0.94 miles / 8:53 / 180

    0.19 miles / 1:34 / 182

    John


    Happy

      Nice race report and photos - good that you've now started to run on trails; not just dream of it. It changes your life.
      5K, 4/28/07 24:16 PR 10K, 5/5/07 49:23 PR 1/2 M, 12/08/07 1:49:34 PR Marathon, 12/09/06 3:57:37 BQ 50K, 10/04/2009 7:27:00 PB 40M, 4/17/2010 11:20:00 PB


      under a rock

        I thought about doing that race. Now that I see your pictures and have read your report I wish I had.

         

        Garmins can come up short on trails. All but one of the three trail races I've done have come up at least .25 miles short.

          Great job, John.  Come back soon!

          Leslie
          Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain
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          Trail Runner Nation

          Sally McCrae-Choose Strong

          Bare Performance