The plan:

My plan for the day was to run with a consistent effort from beginning to end; to not walk the hills but rather run them with the same effort as in the flatter parts (the HR monitor really helped here), to aim at a 1:45 finish time, which would give me a 5 minutes course PR, and of course to just let the wings and the legs fly and have fun in the dirt.

 

Result: 10 miles in 1:42. A 5 minutes course PR and 4^th AG.

 

Total ascent: 3015 and 2920 total descent.

 

The long version

The Run the Sun is part of a trail race series that takes place in the Methow Valley. Of the 5 races they offer, this is my favorite one. The distance is perfect and the elevation profile challenging enough to make it for a tasty little adventure worthy of traveling the one and half hour to participate in the race.

 

 

This year, the weather was a little bit hotter than last year (79 at the start and 85 at the finish), but I was not too concerned about the heat since I have been doing my share of hot weather running in the last month. Come race day I traveled to the Methow early enough to make sure that I got to the starting line with some time for bib pickup and some warm up miles. I ran this race in the last two years with no warm up and I suffered the consequences.

 

 The 10 mile racers were sent off 5 minutes ahead of the 5 milers. In years past I always started very, very slow on the first half to the point that the 5 milers would be passing me as I was going up my nemesis. This year I decided to throw caution to the wind and just run as fast as my lungs would allow me from the start. No 5 milers passed me until mile 3, which brought a huge smile to my face.

 

 

Like I said, the trail starts out in a nice flat area, but not even a mile later comes the beginning of the first of many hills. This is the steepest hill of the course as well. By the time we got here the sun was already getting hot, which made running up the hill a major task. My legs were burning and my lungs were not happy with me. I wanted to walk so badly at this point, but I had purposed myself that this year I would run the whole darn thing, so running IT I did. My HR got here at its highest (186) and I thought I was going to puke, but all the discomfort was forgotten when my faithful garmina told me that I ran that mile at 9:56. This was a huge ego buster for me since I have never been able to run the entire hill without stopping or walking big part of it let alone to run it at a sub 10 pace.

 

 

From there on the trail just meanders thru the woods following the same path I so enjoy skiing in the winter time.

At around mile 3 I passed three runners and from there on the racing began for me. I was not going to let my road kills pass me back. This served me as an incentive to pay attention to my effort to ensure that my HR was never below 150 nor higher than 160, or basically to not slow down or go too fast.

 

I am one who never spends too much time analyzing my splits, but I was shocked when my garmina showed me the following splits:

 

 Mile 1:9:24

Mile 2: 9:56 (beginning of hill)

Mile 3: 11:44 (hill and three road kills)

Mile 4: 11:45 (hill)

Mile 5: 9:40

Mile 6: 11:18 (hill)

Mile 7: 9:51

Mile 8: 10:13 (hill)

Mile 9: 9:49

Mile 10: 9:08

 

 

 All the way through the race I put a lot of effort in being present in the moment. I focused on my pace, my breathing, my form and my surrounding. I paid attention to my footing to avoid any falling, there were parts of the trail where the roots were very exposed. Thank goodness I did not fell down at all.

 

Trail racing has a magic of its own, but running in the Cascades Mt. is even more magnificent. The trees, the mountain peaks, the wild flowers, the birds. Ohhh, the birds were very chirpy all around me, possibly complaining about the heat of the day as much as I was. We crossed several streams in which I cooled my hands, my arms and my head as I ran by them. At the water station (there was only one, which we hit twice) I took the time to hydrate well, took a gu and gave a sweaty hug to the little kid who as handing out the Gatorade. He was a sunshine who sparked our tired souls.

 

 

The finish line greeted me with a 1:42 time, a 5 minutes course PR and a 4^th place AG. I came back home with a nice sun tan, some ache muscles, my lungs loaded with fresh air and a gift certificate for a pair of Brooks running shoes.

 

 

It was a perfect day, indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just love the Methow Valley and have always enjoyed reading your reports from this race each year. That photo really captures your grit and determination. That is a fantastic time for a 10 mile hilly run, Nancy! just fantastico!!  Congratulations on a great race, 4th AG, a course PR AND momma's got a new pair of shoes! whoo hoo!

Well,  Well, now your a pro.  Collecting a little bonus at the end for your effort.  Nice.  Sounds like you had a wonderful time in the woods and sun.  Me thinks your spreading your wings a little to much and flying vice running like the rest of us mortals have to do.  Wish I had that cool mountain stream to cool me down last Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday..  Well you get the picture.  Its HOT and HUMID here.    Congrats on your course PR and a nicely run 10 miler.  Whats up next?

You smoked that hilly trail course, mariposai.  It sounds like a scenic and tough one but you bested it.  Congratulations on your PR.

 

TomS

Fantastic run and great job on those hills.  Congratulations!!  Road Kill - heh, heh, heh . . . .

"throw caution to the wind and just run as fast as my lungs would allow"

 

 Now that's a plan! 

 

Sounds like a great race.  Sweet PR and 4th AG!

omedetou.  is this part of the series you run? 

no particular reason but any more coming up?

Great race & report along with a excellent finish pic!

 

I might have too put that race on my retirement bucket list