The course was hilly, but fun. The hills were not so steep as to be killer, but still very challenging. The trail was covered with leaves hiding roots and walnuts.

The race was advertised as a 15k, but in reality was 10.2 miles. This screwed up my pacing as at the mile 8 marker, I started to open up more. At this point I ended up tripping over a root and going down head first, smashing my knee into a rock. Had to walk a good quarter mile until it calmed down enough for me to start running and spent the next half mile well under pace. For the rest of the race, I had to take hills slower.

1. Not race in shoes with over 500 miles on them. My calves and arces are complaining the day after and I have small blisters on the balls of my feet from the way my foot struck the uneven surface of the trail.

2. Practice running hills and trails.

3. Not race a trail run three weeks before a key half marathon.

1. Injury at mile 8

2. Lack of speed work

3. Lack of technical skill on trails


Race was well organized but very small. Aid station was supposed to be set up at mile 6, but was really at mile 8. For being a small race, it was fairly well run though.