Before we started the race here is what the RD said about the course: "The first mile is flat of each loop, after that I included every hill that I could find" - he wasn't joking!

We all started out running about a 9 minute mile on the flat trail, then the first hill came - I had already worked out my strategy to walk the steep ones, run the flats and downhills. The first loop went about like I expected. They had rest stops at about 3 mile, 7 mile and the turn around. I had only carried my water bottle, which the 4 mile length was a little long for just 24 ozs. I had my camelbak in my truck which I debated on picking up to start the 2nd loop. In hind sight, that is what I should have done.

Loop 2 started out just as good as the first, but about 1 mile into it, I felt a cramp in my left calf. OH great, I have covered just over 11 miles, now I have to manage cramps for the next 20. I continued my nutrition: 1 LavaSalt every 30 minutes, 1 PowerGel every 45 minutes, drain my bottle between the rest stops and down 3 cups of water and 1 cup of Gatorade at the rest stop, I added 1 cup of coke on the last loop. Over the 7 hours, I consumed 214 oz of liquid (30 oz hour average), but this still wasn't enough to stop the cramps and dehydration. I had to walk some of loop 2, but I still did more running then walking.

Loop 3 was very tough. I walked the majority of it, jogged lightly on the flat parts between hills. I was able to manage the cramps, but at this point, I was exhausted, but never thought about quiting. I had originally thought this race would take me 6-6/12 hours to finish but at no point was I concerned about my time. The only concern I had was I figured my family was waiting for me and my wife was having to deal with the 3 kids standing around, but there is a playground that maybe is keeping them occupied.

On the last loop I was only passed by 3 people - and looped 2 people that where on their 2 loop. I heard rumors at the rest stops that a lot of people dropped out, so that didn't make me feel so bad about walking.

The finish did come, I got through the race without injury or falling. I hung around and visited for a couple of hours, ate a fajita and a bowl of rice, Dr. Pepper and a 7-up. I got home, ate quite a bit of trail mix, drank some water. I checked my weight, and has lost 6 pounds. I started the day at 189 down to 183 10 hours later.

I'm really sore the next day, but my knees are good. I haven't gained the weight back, still at 184 this morning.



Wear my camelbak to drink more - on a trail run it really doesn't slow me down, I would have finished better and stronger if I had wore it.

Walked around, changed clothes and got something to eat.


Not drinking enough.


Good race - this was a very low key race and probably not for everyone. In total it had only about 60 runners between the two events. This is the first year and Tim Neckar the race director wanted to start out small - work the kinks out and start advertising a little next year. The trails can support probably 200 runners at least.