I had really planned on taking this run easy and using it as a long training run, but I wanted to finish under 90 minutes. So when it started, I really had to talk to myself and remind myself to go slow.. I got into a comfortable pace and was doing well until I had the bright idea to jump across a creek to the other bank. It was not graceful at all and felt like I jammed my right ankle when I landed. The ankle only bothered me for a little while and I soon got over it. We hit the 3 mile mark of the trail and my GPS said 24 minutes and I knew I was going way to fast, this was not my plan, so I went with it and decided I would run whatever pace I was comfortable with. Not alot happened throughout the race, around mile 4, the dude behind me bit it pretty hard, but was okay.
My Garmin display had somehow been changed so in the section that I normally have total distance was changed to total calories, so that really through me off. I thought the satellites were having trouble connecting through the trees, so I pretty much kept my eyes on the path ahead of me.
At about mile 7, my left groin started flaring up abit and was painful on the uphills and downhill, I was fine on the flat parts of the course, so I ran when I could and walk when I had too.
Only issuse I had was that the drink stations were setup at miles 2 and 7, which seemed like odd places for me. I do not need water at mile 2 and by mile 7 it was too late. At 7, I did take an E-gel and wash it down with some water. I actually stopped in order to do this, wish I hadn't, because I would have been under my time goal of 1:30 if I'd kept moving!

Bring hydration and better nutrition before the race. I ate nothing in the morning.

walked around, stretched as best I could and drank Gatorade.


the hills and the mud! I am not that great a trail runner, so more experience on the trails would definately help!


I really did like this race the following day! I know I will be back!