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Taylor Mountain 5 Mile - Run


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Issaquah, Washington
United States
75F / 24C
Sunny
Total Time = 43m 10s
Overall Rank = 8/83
Age Group = women
Age Group Rank = 1/50
Pre-race routine:

Beer! Went to Tap Station and got a few flights to taste
Event warmup:

Got to the venue early, AGAIN! Go me! The race start was moved back 15 minutes so I had even MORE time.

I ran a few miles easy and then did some strides. Everything felt sluggish. I watched the start of the half marathon and then went to do some dynamic drills...as I began I started to yawn! More like static drills. I just had no zap, no pop.

I tried not to psyche myself out but it's pretty bad when drills inspire yawning.
Run
  • 43m 10s
  • 5 miles
  • 08m 38s  min/mile
Comments:

More often than not I find myself using each race to constantly evaluate how I felt, how I executed, what my fitness level is and what I can do better next time. While I am competitive, my placing and time is often secondary or more fallout from the former. I can have a great race, personally, but come in 3th 4th 5th DFL whatever. Today was kind of the opposite. I did not have "it" today physically. I am not too hung up on it because I think it was mostly due to summiting mount Adams last week as well as just overall training fatigue from all the mountain running I have been doing. So, oddly this race has me kind of wanting to go back and give it more of a physical effort that I think I am capable of.


The RD told us the portion leading up to the creek crossing was tight single track and that we had better start out in the correct spot as passing would be nearly impossible.

I let a few of the younger guys line up in front of me but took position as first woman. I pulled from some learnings from my last race http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid... and again implemented the "run scared" approach.

As I was standing there I was already sweating like a pig. It was hot and not even 10 am! I went ahead and took my shirt off as I didn't want to shed it and have to go back up the mountain to retrieve it after the race.

They did the countdown and we were off!

We were immediately twisting our way through the single track. It was very rocky and rooty so despite the fast pace you had to be very careful of your footing. The sun was also very bright so the contrasting shadows made the trail hard to read.

I think everyone was trying to justify their positioning and the pace was very fast. A pack of about 10 of us seemed to separate quite a bit from the rest of the racers.

Before I knew it we were already as the creek crossing. I didn't even have time to think, I just went straight in and didn't slow at all. It was about knee deep. As we came out of the water I stepped aside and let one of the younger guys pass me before ascending the hill.

While the elevation gain for this mountain was less than some of the other (about 1,000') it all happened at once. I went to work but tried to hold a conservative yet steady pace up the hill.

I was suffering. I did NOT have that usual pop and strength. I was really, really hot and sweating like crazy. We were hardly a mile in and I thought I was going to blow up. I dialed the pace back a bit and just picked my way through the roots and the rocks, up the hill. I tried not to look too far ahead (as the mountain seemed endless) I just kept thinking that once I made it to the top it would be all downhill. And tried to use that as motivation.

Lucky for me that I think that speedy first mile or so paired with my gift for running up hill put some serious distance between me and the second place woman. I never saw her once. As the person in second place, if you don't see the person in first it is pretty hard to get the motivation to chase them down. I think had she been able to see me, and see how I was suffering I would have been an easy target.

As I got to the crest of the hill the trail opened up to double track and I was able to overtake some of the younger guys who had gone out a little too hard. I relaxed a bit and let myself recover as the course gently went downhill. We passed the aid station and I didn't stop. I was worried I might not be able to start again!

I slowly reeled in another guy and we traded on and off. I was very thankful to have someone to push me. We descended a very steep downhill on tough, rocky terrain. I put some distance between us and then solidified my placing on the uphill.

Then, unfortunately, my shoe came untied. I weighed the pros and cons of stopping but with about half the race still to go, a lot of which was technical downhill, I decided to stop. The guy was able to pass me.

I looked over my shoulder while trying and saw no one. I was really happy with the work I did early on and the fact I just didn't think I had the energy to fight off someone coming up on me.

Shortly, we entered back into the woods and made the technical descent.

I was oddly feeling really defeated. Here is where I would have loved to use my fitness to fly over the terrain but I was really just doing survival running. I was having a hard time recovering and felt exhausted. It was all I had to keep putting one foot in front of the other and not face planting. I had a side stitch and was having a hard time breathing. Everything was hurting. This felt like a 50-miler not a 5-miler.

I reeled in another young man just as we hit the valley floor. I accelerated as much as I could and shot out of the woods and to the finish.

I ended up finishing 4:28 ahead of the next female and beat the female course record by 2+ minutes. I am having a hard time gauging what this means for me and how my fitness actually translated (ie if it was as bad as it felt.) Who showed up and who has shown up in the past could very well be soft. I see Joe who runs for my club and has won Mountain Runner of the year multiple times did the course in 32:39 so a little over 10 minutes fast than me. I still am having a hard time interpreting that data.

It probably seems really....I don't know, rude and bratty? But I just didn't feel great about the win. I just like finishing feeling like I really ran well but didn't have that. I do hope this is just fallout from everything I have been doing lately.



Post race
Warm down:

I headed over to Tiger Mountain for some more running. I needed to get a little mileage under my belt despite feeling like crap.

I took it nice and slow (like realllllllllllyyyyy slow) and actually quite enjoyed myself. I was so glad to not be racing.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Overall fatigue, Summiting Mount Adams, lots of uphill running.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2015-03-11 12:00 AM
Running
00:43:10 | 05 miles | 08m 38s  min/mile
Age Group: 1/50
Overall: 8/83
Performance: Below average
Course: A big loop. You start out on a flat section along the creek. About a mile in there is a substantial creek crossing (your feet WILL get wet) before going straight up the mountain. Halfway up it levels out for a moment before continuing the climb. There is an aid station at the top (about two miles in) and then winding single track to the finish.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]

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2015-06-22 12:09 PM

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Seattle
Subject: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile


2015-06-22 12:28 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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Master
6595
50001000500252525
Rio Rancho, NM
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Love the picture! Yup, shoes are getting wet with that one. And socks, and maybe shorts!

Sorry you weren't feeling your best. This shows that you can still nail a pretty good time when you are hurting. No telling what you could have done if you'd felt better. Thems the ups and downs of racing.

Congrats on a great finish. I'm glad you enjoyed your post-race run.

2015-06-22 12:32 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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Master
4452
200020001001001001002525
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

You feel how you feel about your race/performance--don't matter if anyone thinks it bratty or otherwise.  Different day, different competition, different weather, different results.  I am sure you will make sense of it all in the coming days and use it to learn and improve, as you always do!  Congrats on being able to push through the race, get the extra training miles in, and being able to drink beer as a warm up!!

2015-06-22 12:36 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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Elite
7783
50002000500100100252525
PEI, Canada
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Those days where you just don't have it are tough, especially when they come out of nowhere and you can't explain it!  

Congrats on the win!

2015-06-22 12:38 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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Pro
6520
50001000500
Bellingham, WA
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Great job and congrats on your race.  To perservere when you are not feeling your best is the mark of a true champion.  Way to go.

 

2015-06-22 12:44 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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812
500100100100
Katy, Texas
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile
Congrats on giving the best you had THAT DAY!!!! And congrats that your bad day effort was good enough to not only smoke 2nd place but also smoke the course record!! You fast...


2015-06-22 2:04 PM
in reply to: rrrunner

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Seattle
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Originally posted by rrrunner

Love the picture! Yup, shoes are getting wet with that one. And socks, and maybe shorts!

Sorry you weren't feeling your best. This shows that you can still nail a pretty good time when you are hurting. No telling what you could have done if you'd felt better. Thems the ups and downs of racing.

Congrats on a great finish. I'm glad you enjoyed your post-race run.

LOL right? Yes to all of the above!. I have to wear tall socks because these shoes rub my heel if I don't but shame shame on me for wearing such an absorptive pair! 

2015-06-22 2:57 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Congrats on being the #1 woman, you speedy gal!  Don't be too worried about having one race without 'pop', it surely will be a one-off.  You've been a very busy chick these past few weeks!  Congrats as well as claiming the course record, that is so cool.  That pic is bad azz, love it! 

2015-06-23 8:20 AM
in reply to: melbo55

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Royal(PITA)
14270
50005000200020001001002525
West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Well done.  Sometimes, when we really feel like "just don't have it" our day comes together in ways we can't explain.  Sounds to me that despite feeling off and "not having it" you raced smart and planned tactics well which paid off in the women's division win.  Over 4 minutes faster than the second place woman is  HUGE amount of time.

Congratulations on racing smart and the division win!

2015-06-23 11:08 AM
in reply to: #5124020

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Master
6834
5000100050010010010025
Englewood, Florida
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Good job, way to push through when it just didn't feel like you had it in you. It was cool to see you opted for the "race from the front" mentality again. Running scared may have been the best thing to do, given the way you were feeling.

Congratulations on your WIN!!!!! Or should I say wins?

2015-06-23 1:26 PM
in reply to: #5124020

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Master
2912
2000500100100100100
...at home in The ATL
Subject: RE: Taylor Mountain 5 Mile

Awesome Job as always, Adrienne! You may have been a little flat like you say - it seems you have been getting quite a bit of "adventure base" as of late - ha-ha. It could have been from going out so quickly like you did and popping a bit, but that is the way I feel all the time in shorter races (you know I am a big fan the fade in anything under 10k) but that is part of it: you go out what feels like too fast to sustain (it is!) but then hang on. That never feels good in my book, but the results show different. Good on you!



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