I was really pleased with my level of physical effort. I feel like I pushed myself precisely the right amount -- I was dead after that race, but I finished pretty strong.

This run was an epic battle with thermoregulation. Winter runs are challenging for me, because I need to start off with a hat and gloves, but I warm up a mile or two into the course. Coupled with my lack of hydration belt, it was really challenging for me to deal with carrying my hat, gloves, and water bottle on course. I ended up putting everything in the hat and carrying it like a tiny satchel, until my water bottle leaked all over me, making me cold and wet :( I also ended up needing to continually take off and put back on various layers. Good thing I have plenty of practice in dressing/undressing on the run!

I would have worn more and thinner layers instead of only wearing two. I feel like now that I have my awesome hydration-belt Christmas present, I won't have so many issues dealing with inanimate objects, so that's a big plus :)

Overall, I think I did a really great job with this race. I missed a few important training runs, which had me a bit flustered, but my fitness level was almost as high as I wanted it to be and I think I ran this race as well as I could have at my current fitness level.

Walked back and forth for a while, staggered into the lodge for post-race refreshments. Gobbled cookies and bananas like an animal, and gulped down water. When I was stretching out, I noticed that my shin was incredibly painful. On the course, I had stepped on the end of a baseball bat sized stick, which levered itself up and popped me a good one at the base of the knee. I went into the ladies' room and examined my leg, and discovered an enormous bruise -- the stick had smacked me so hard that it bruised not only the skin, but the shin bone under the skin. (I STILL have a bruise, and the race has been over for 3 weeks.) I said "Wow, that's going to be an AWESOME bruise!" Another woman burst out laughing and said "That's how you know you're around good women -- 'that's going to be an awesome bruise!'"


I performed the best that I could, given my fitness level. I might have scraped a few extra seconds if I had better gear, or if I hadn't spent so much time on trail taking my clothes off and putting them back on.