been there, done that, got the t-shirt!

It was a dark and stormy night...

No really, it was. Which explains the conditions for today's race: La Luz.

We were a little worried that it might not actually come off, but it did, and the race started as usual at 7a.m. Conditions were marvelous at start - cool and wet. Perfect running for in August in the desert.

But, I get ahead of myself. Those of you out there wondering why people say you should never get new shoes just before a race can now also add my words to the pile of dissenting voices. I committed the cardinal sin and bought a new pair on Friday. I did this mainly because I had this worryingly large (and growing) blister on my left foot, and thought the shoes were to blame. I did run 4 miles with the new hooves on Friday, they felt good. I wore them all day Saturday to "imprint" them. I put my orthotics in them, which I think means I was better off than I could have been. They felt OK, they felt better than my last pair (which were on their last miles), so I went with it.

The start was uneventful. I really did run my own race here, I did not hurry. I put in a personal best for the road (even with a potty break) and continued on to the trail feeling good.

Did I mention we've been getting record rains over here? Yeah, we made up for the drought conditions all year in the past month. That means that for the first time in years, there was actual running water on the racecourse: I had to cross a running stream at mile 4. This was totally unexpected for everyone, wet feet were unavoidable.

At mile 5 we were running in the clouds. It was really quite a special thing - I've never had that experience. I was still pushing a PR, but by this time my left IT band started in. Left - not the usual right. Of course, it didn't dawn on me until an hour ago that MAYBE it was the shoes...

Mile 6 onward was completely new territory for me - I've never been that high on the course before - and my IT band was screaming.

The race started here.

This was without a doubt the most difficult part of the course as well - over a mile of rockslide (un-runnable trail through loose boulders.

Garmin lost me at around mile 7. I kept going backwards, according to the satellites. It tells me I am at mile 6.5, then 6.4, then 6.7, then back to 6.6. My IT band is causing me to limp.

Miles 8 and 9 were pure survival, but I was bent on making my time so I started passing people again...I'm favoring my left leg and doing a lot of running with my right at this point.

Did I mention the stairs? Bloody stairs, followed by an 18% grade for the last mile-ish.

I crossed the finish line at 2:39 and change, and promptly loss use of my legs. This was 9 minutes slower than I wanted, but I'm still happy because

a) I pushed a PR all the way through the parts of the course I know
b) EVERYONE on the course was at least 5 minutes slower than last year
c) I did the best I was capable of at the time and I know it.

Dood - I can't believe I actually did it!

OW!