Rocky Raccoon

Great run yesterday up at Huntsville State Park, site of the Rocky Raccoon 50K. Ended up in 5th overall, four hours and 22 minutes, a PR for me by almost 25 minutes.

Started very conservatively. Wanted to pick it up a bit here as I was feeling pretty good, but the patience paid off. I was somewhere back towards the middle of the pack at the second aid station, then I decided it was time to start running. I might have run faster than anyone on the course for the next 15 miles. Hit the halfway point in 2:09, also a PR for me. Kept up the pace and moved into fourth place. Hit the second aid station on the last loop, and then reality hit me. Started cramping up pretty bad, one guy passed me, I was starting to think this day was going into the tank quickly. But I hung in there, and even though my pace slowed a bit I was still able to continue running. After about two miles of pain, and after taking some migrane strength excedrin, I got my second wind. Once again picked up the pace and was able to bring it home pretty strong.

Very happy with my time. This was my first time I was able to put together a complete 50K, in races past I had ended up walking a significant portion of the final few miles.

It was pretty funny, there I was about 100 yards from the finish line, slogging towards the end, looking like shit, and I hear someone say "Get your ass moving, wanker!" I look up and there is Choo Choo from the Houston hash, he had done the 25K. He was also one of the few who did the double ballbuster up in Toronto. Luckily I had brought along some St. Arnold's for post race recovery!

Up next: the Rocky Trails marathon on Nov 5, at Inks Lake State Park in Tyler. I'm up to the point now where I can say, "it's only 26 miles, I'll just do that and head out to the hash campout."