Fall Backyard Burn Trail Running Series Race #1 - 5 Mile - Run5 Mile


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Triangle, Virginia
United States
EX2 Adventures
50F / 10C
Sunny
 		Total Time = 57m 31s
Overall Rank = 188/224
Age Group = 30-39
Age Group Rank = 35/46
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 5:45. Took care of the pups and ate an orange, an egg, and oatmeal. Couldn't drink a ton of water, but took a bottle with me and worked on it along the way. Arrived right at 7:30, so I got a decent parking spot and checked in - no lines & very well organized. Used the portapotie and then went back to the car to stay warm for 40 min. or so. Headed back out at 8:25 - that water went right through me! Thank goodness there weren't really any lines at the portapoties at that point. Had on shorts and my long sleeve Half-max shirt and I was pretty cold.
Event warmup:

Decided to jog around for 10 minutes or so, just so I would be more comfortable waiting for the start. Just went around the picnic area and up the road. Dumped some crap out of my shoe and walked back up the steep hill. Hadn't planned to warm-up much, but in hind sight, I think it was a good idea. I think my HR settled a bit and I felt better at the start. I'll plan on that for the future.
Run
  • 57m 31s
  • 5.2 miles
  • 11m 04s  min/mile
Comments:

I felt great on this run. What a gorgeous day! And what a gorgeous course! I checked my watch a few times to keep an eye on HR, but mainly paced myself off of my breathing and how I felt. I found a good, familiar, rhythm and adjusted my pace up and down hill so that I stayed in that breathing rhythm. I was able to roll a bit on some of the down hill stretches on the fire road and that felt really good. There were a few spots that seemed a little slippery and a few places where a fall could have been really bad (river bank, and all)! Given my history of wipeouts on the trail, I opted to walk several times just to be on the safe side. The pack thinned out so much that after about the three mile mark, and after I walked a few stretches, there was no one in sight in front of me. I was grateful for the clear trail markings! Really glad I signed up for these. Very fun! (BTW - felt weird to finish a race and feel like I still had so much left in the tank. I'll look forward to doing them again when I can really train and push!)
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. I think my pacing plan kept me right about where I needed to be. The terrain was a great challenge, but I think my effort was just about right for now. If I were in top form, I think I could have podiumed, but today, just happy with a strong and consistent effort.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around. Drank a bunch of water and got a banana, a granola bar, and a small bagel with nutella. Changed into dry clothes. Did some stretching and stuck around for the give-aways at the awards ceremony.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

: )

Event comments:

For a small race, this group really does it right! They've been at it for a while and it shows. They were very well organized with pre-race communications, packet pickup, parking, and portajohns. There were tons of volunteers and plenty of aid stations. The trail was really well marked. There were a LOT of good give-aways at the end including three iPods, gift certificates for a bike shop, and cash. Can't wait to do more!




Last updated: 2011-10-16 12:00 AM
Running
00:57:31 | 05.2 miles | 11m 04s  min/mile
Age Group: 35/46
Overall: 188/224
Performance: Good
HR monitor says avg HR 161 and max HR 244, but looks a little wacky in the first 20 minutes. Wondering if I need a new strap. I feel like avg HR was probably more like in the 148-152 range.
Course: Started with a short out and back on a paved road and then across an open space before heading in on the trail head. It felt like there was about a mile and a half of up hill in the first half, which was great when we got to the mile and a half down hill part. The first part of the trail was a little tricky with roots and leaves. Some people were more conservative than others, so the line thinned out. Then we got to a fire road which was AWESOME - wide, flatish, and beautiful fall scenery. After the midpoint, the 5 milers and the 10 milers split. We headed along a river bank. It was SO beautiful, but at times, the trail was very narrow with a STEEP dropoff to the river on the left. I picked my way through there pretty carefully and walked the down hills. There were also some pretty prominent tree roots that required careful footwork. After the river, we started up a LONG, and STEEP climb to the finish. That was when I remembered that we had actually gone down a pretty steep hill at the beginning of the trail. I guess it didn't make as much of an impression on me headed in that direction. It was KILLER at the end. I was feelin' for people who were really pushin' the last mile and hit that hill above threshold. By the time I got to the river, the crowd was so thinned out, that there was nobody in front of me. Thank goodness the trail was really well marked!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5