Renee and I went down to Dauset Trails near Jackson,GA for the weekend. We were doing the 6-hour trail run as Team Herbal Gerbils. The name was inspired by her shop and the fact that we would be repeating a 6-mile loop. She is trying to get me to become an endurance trail runner and is convinced that I am built for it though I don't share her enthusiasm. Stayed at a lousy Days Inn in Jackson and got a few hours sleep the night before the race. I was hot and itchy all night. They had a terrible carb-laden "breakfast." I wolfed down a bagel and a muffin and some OJ.
Arrived at the trails around 8:30 and set up our EZ-up. Threw down the yoga mat for between-lap stretching, laid out all our nutrition and fluids, and we were set to go for race start at 10:00 . Renee commented that she wished she had signed up for Solo category. I took the first lap and was really conservative. I had been wanting to practice a new strategy of starting out slow and finishing strong but this was the wrong strategy for this race because of the rest lap. After about 52 minutes, I finished my lap then rested for an hour while Renee did her lap. I wish I had gone full bore on that 1st lap. I stretched out some and tried to stay loose. Re-hydrated and did a gel. I had never done a team running race before so the format was strange. I'm used to non-stop running so the resting was strange. I was worried about getting tight or cramping up but that never happened thankfully. I attribute that to stretching and maintaining good nutrition and supplementation.
Lap 2 was more aggressive and I came in about 3 minutes faster. The course was relatively flat and easy except for a fairly rigorous climbing section from mile 3 to 4. There were only a few sections with rocks and roots. Nothing too technical. This was a fast course. Another hour's rest with more stretching and refueling. Took off for my 3rd lap and my right knee was starting to lock up. My IT bands had been bothering me the past 2 weeks ever since an 18-mile run at Kennesaw Mountain. I was also dealing with patellar tendinitis in my knees. I felt good and thought that I could put in one more lap. I wasn't sure if Renee would want me to do the final lap but was hoping that she wouldn't. I was starting to wear down but endorphins kicked in and I developed a smile that lasted most through my lap. That was surreal! That was odd but I think it was my way of just trying to ignore the pain. My feet were really starting to get sore too but no blisters I'm happy to report.
I finished Lap 3 and there she was, waiting on me again. What a trooper! I had found out later that Renee had been running 2 to 3 minutes faster than her normal pace. She was exhausted but headed out anyway. She said "I don't know if I'll make the cutoff." She had an hour and some change to finish the lap before 4pm. I gave her an encouraging slap on the back. I was still cooling down when Chris Randall suggested that I run with Renee on her last lap. I said "Why didn't I think of that?" I joined up with Renee at about the 2 mile mark and we finished out the remaining 3 miles. She was grateful to say the least.
Even though we didn't get 6 laps in and came in last place, this was still a satisfying race and unique for me to get to run with Renee. I think I would do one in this format again with the alternating laps. No complaints with nutrition (3 gels, bonk bar, 3 perpetuem scoops, 2 coconut waters) and rest. I wish my knees and legs had been fresher. I was probably 70% going in to this race. Mental note: do not do power yoga 2 days before a race. My hammies had steel rods !
Race results in PDF format: http://www.mountaingoatadventures.com/forms/DausetTrails6Hour2013Results.pdf
Trail Run - 17.08 miles in 2:33 hr with approximate 1 hour rests between laps
Pacing Run with Renee - 3.34 miles
Lap 1 - 5.71 miles in 51:57 - pace 9:09
Lap 2 - 5.71 miles in 49:25 - pace 8:39
Lap 3 - 5.66 miles in 52:34
Lap 4 (pacing Renee) - 3.34 miles in 55 approx. min
Arrived at the trails around 8:30 and set up our EZ-up. Threw down the yoga mat for between-lap stretching, laid out all our nutrition and fluids, and we were set to go for race start at 10:00 . Renee commented that she wished she had signed up for Solo category. I took the first lap and was really conservative. I had been wanting to practice a new strategy of starting out slow and finishing strong but this was the wrong strategy for this race because of the rest lap. After about 52 minutes, I finished my lap then rested for an hour while Renee did her lap. I wish I had gone full bore on that 1st lap. I stretched out some and tried to stay loose. Re-hydrated and did a gel. I had never done a team running race before so the format was strange. I'm used to non-stop running so the resting was strange. I was worried about getting tight or cramping up but that never happened thankfully. I attribute that to stretching and maintaining good nutrition and supplementation.
Lap 2 was more aggressive and I came in about 3 minutes faster. The course was relatively flat and easy except for a fairly rigorous climbing section from mile 3 to 4. There were only a few sections with rocks and roots. Nothing too technical. This was a fast course. Another hour's rest with more stretching and refueling. Took off for my 3rd lap and my right knee was starting to lock up. My IT bands had been bothering me the past 2 weeks ever since an 18-mile run at Kennesaw Mountain. I was also dealing with patellar tendinitis in my knees. I felt good and thought that I could put in one more lap. I wasn't sure if Renee would want me to do the final lap but was hoping that she wouldn't. I was starting to wear down but endorphins kicked in and I developed a smile that lasted most through my lap. That was surreal! That was odd but I think it was my way of just trying to ignore the pain. My feet were really starting to get sore too but no blisters I'm happy to report.
I finished Lap 3 and there she was, waiting on me again. What a trooper! I had found out later that Renee had been running 2 to 3 minutes faster than her normal pace. She was exhausted but headed out anyway. She said "I don't know if I'll make the cutoff." She had an hour and some change to finish the lap before 4pm. I gave her an encouraging slap on the back. I was still cooling down when Chris Randall suggested that I run with Renee on her last lap. I said "Why didn't I think of that?" I joined up with Renee at about the 2 mile mark and we finished out the remaining 3 miles. She was grateful to say the least.
Even though we didn't get 6 laps in and came in last place, this was still a satisfying race and unique for me to get to run with Renee. I think I would do one in this format again with the alternating laps. No complaints with nutrition (3 gels, bonk bar, 3 perpetuem scoops, 2 coconut waters) and rest. I wish my knees and legs had been fresher. I was probably 70% going in to this race. Mental note: do not do power yoga 2 days before a race. My hammies had steel rods !
Race results in PDF format: http://www.mountaingoatadventures.com/forms/DausetTrails6Hour2013Results.pdf
Trail Run - 17.08 miles in 2:33 hr with approximate 1 hour rests between laps
Pacing Run with Renee - 3.34 miles
Lap 1 - 5.71 miles in 51:57 - pace 9:09
Lap 2 - 5.71 miles in 49:25 - pace 8:39
Lap 3 - 5.66 miles in 52:34
Lap 4 (pacing Renee) - 3.34 miles in 55 approx. min