The drive to Scandia, KS (a 3.5 hr trip for me) was uneventful except for the rain storms I drove through on the way there. The upside to driving through storms was that it cooled off by about 20 degrees in a bout 5 miles. Since it had been 100+ degrees all day I had no hard feelings about the drop in temperature. I got to the highschool a bit earlier than I thought I would and went inside to get my packet. Once I had my packet and had checked out the race map (which was hand drawn BTW) the race people informed me that I could use the highschools showers after my race. I think my face said everything for me as I was transported back to a time of mandatory after gym showers....ummm...no thank you....No Thank You EVER AGAIN.
I went back out to wait for Mish who I knew from text messaging was about an hour behind me. I ate a Pb&J since I hadn't eaten dinner yet and talked to a gal doing the 100k. She was there on the 100k from Michigan. She was training for Leadville. THE LEADVILLE 100. I think I geeked out a little. In the meantime a guy pulled in with a trailhawks (my local trail runner group) sticker on his truck, so I talked to him a bit about who all was coming out for the run. He informed me that our "fearless leader" Gary would be joining us that night as well, he was doing the 50K. YAY! Two people I know and get to watch come in on a race distance I would love to do someday.
After Mish arrived we talked about who was doing what and when we (her husband Rick and I) would meet her. We stared at the handdrawn map a bit more and tried to decide the best way to meet her at the halfway point. We were told that a lot of the roads were too muddy to drive on thanks to the recent rain so we would have to drive the course to get there.
We went back outside, chatted, took some pics, and sat around waiting for the start. At some point people started heading around to the other side of the school so we followed. SURPRISE! The rest of the field of runners was there. I was shocked as I didn't think there'd been that many people in and out of the school while we were standing there. Anyway, they shot off a firework and the race was off...faster than I'd like as usual, but the first part was all downhill. I was in the back and wasn't really running with anybody so I tried to slow up a bit and run my own race...especially since I'm STILL babying the ankle I twisted back in November and my longest run before this 10k was a 4 miler that was mainly walked.
So down the hill, around the corner, and right back up a hill...I'm cursing already at whoever laid out the course. Up the hill trying not to walk, but knowing I probably should. About half way up I slow to a walk. The next couple of miles consisted of rolling hills on wet mostly sand roads, so I ran down the hills and walked all the ups. At one point under a trestle bridge I noticed that I could see my breath, but thought I was seeing things (There's no way I could be seeing my breathe in 80ish degree weather right?) I hit the aide station and headed straight through as there were a couple of girls in front of me that I wanted to pass since we'd been leapfrogging for the last 2ish miles. At the turnaround for the 10k I gave the gatekeeper my number and managed to pass the gals and keep going. The middle section for me was just kind of blah. Not feeling bad, but tired (it was midnight afterall), and just kind of I want to be done. Back to the aide station filled my waterbottle and took off before the gals following me made it in. Back to the trestle bridge I realized I was actually seeing my breath...so bizarre. Managed to stay ahead of the gals all the way back to the turn up into the school. That last hill into the parking lot of the school was far too steep and I walked it while they ran it. I managed a weak "great job" ladies as they passed and ran the flat section around the school and across the finish line with them.
Time: 1.28...something. 10 min slower than my road 10k time. Not awful considering my lack of running and training prior to this race.
Overall it was a great time (the 3hr drive home on next to no sleep...not so much). Not a great race on my part but I'm glad I went and I'm really glad I helped to crew Mish in her 50k. I now know what I need to do to crew her for her 50 miler, and it will be so much fun.
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