Running strong or just lucky?

At the right races at the right times.

That’s how I would describe the past month and my racing successes.

Don’t get me wrong, I worked for each one but I know, and the thought goes through my head every race, I need to train better, train more. After all, that was my goal for the year!

My Spring training has not gone as planned, one lame excuse after another but the bottom line is I haven’t been trying as hard as I want IT. I just plain suck at pushing myself and motivation has been lagging. So, while it appears I have been fairly successful, I don’t always feel I deserve it. I know that there are faster and stronger runners out there, lucky for me they haven’t been at the races I have been at.

Earlier in May I ran the Joe English 25k trail “challenge” where you are encouraged to sign up for the race and “find your inner wild”. There were 3 races that weekend that I wanted to do. Joe English was the closest in distance and I had been on some of the trails before so I figured I would give it a shot. How tough could it be…I had been on some of the trails before. I decided to give my Hokas a try so I wore them on some shorter trail runs leading up to the race. During the race I was chatting with fellow Hoka runners about how pleasantly surprised I was with how I was able to maneuver the trails and still feel somewhat light on my feet. The first 7 miles were just as I thought they would be. I was feeling strong and was keeping a good position ahead of another woman I had been playing cat and mouse with. And then, and then BAM! Down I went. I awkwardly landed my left foot and I fell to the ground. Passersby checked in with me I thanked them and shooed them off stating I just needed a moment. It was longer than a moment and for a brief period of time I thought I was going to have to end my race. Eventually I was able to put pressure and hobble on it, then jog, then a modified run. Unfortunately I was passed by a bunch of people when I was down including that one woman

and she was now out of my sights. My goal was to finish the darn race at this point. But then it got *better* with bush wacked trails and stream crossings. Just what you want to face with a swollen and weak foot/ankle. I ended up slipping and falling trying to jump over stream crossing #563. It was graceful and the water was deep. I ended up wounding myself (bloody/banged up knee) and drowned my phone in the process. REALLY! Could it get any BETTER? The next bushwhacked section was rough, down hill in deep dried leaves. Rocks, roots, and no real trail to follow. I was extremely happy and grateful to finally hit the trails again when no sooner did I start to pick up the pace I twisted my right ankle sending a twinge of pain up my leg. REALLY? REALLY! This is not happening. Tears welled in my eyes until I told myself to suck it up. No regrets. No regrets. I finished, it wasn’t pretty. And when I found out I came in fourth woman, I was a little unnerved to say the least. I could have been third if it wasn’t for that darn fall. Ugh. I was happy with fourth and somewhat happy with my 3:01 finish (I was shooting for under 3). Most of all I was happy to have done that well because it was better than I deserved. I did not train like I should have.
Then came the Wapack and Back 21.5 miler. Definitely didn’t train well for that but I had a great race. I did a lot of self talk getting me through my low points and at one point facing the fact that I was on my way to being one of the top female finishers and I wanted to keep it that way. It was a dreary foggy morning but it was still a great day on the trails. I ended up finishing 3^rd overall for the women. I was pushing myself hard after mile 13 to stay ahead of 2 women who I knew had me in their sights. Running as if I was a deer fearing for my life… It paid off and finished under 5 hours and I won a free registration for next year. Oh yes, I will be back. The day after Wapack I spent my recovery hiking an easy trail with Josie up South Pack Monadnock (one of 5 or so mountains I raced on the day before). I enjoyed cheering on my acidotic RACING team mates and other running friends and I set a goal for myself. If both races fall on the same weekend next year, I want to be in shape to run both.

Last weekend was another great racing weekend for me as I challenged myself to a 5k ROAD race. One of two road races I had on my schedule this year. My friend and mentor Carolyn was on the planning board for the race and it was for a great cause-Vets Count. For those two reasons, I did it. Guess what-the fast girls didn’t show up and SHUT UP…I won the race! It was a great feeling and the Ultraspirehydration pack and $100 cash was a nice perk too! I still felt funny because I won with a 22:28 pace which isn’t a fast pace, it wasn’t even my fastest but a win is still a win.

Then there was today. Training was definitely a factor today. As I began the ascend and was passed by two women early on (which made me 3^rd woman for most of the race) I was scolding myself for not training like I should be. I finished 4 minutes behind the 1^st place woman. I also noticed that some of the fast girls that I had seen running the series in the past were not in attendance. I finished 3^rd overall woman and 1^st in my age group at the Wicked Wildcat Wander trail race which is part of the Western NH Trail Running Series. It is a great series and in a couple weeks I will be running the Six in The Stix which was my first ever trail race 3 years ago. My life was changed by that race. My love for the running the trails was sparked by that race. So what is next? My goal this long weekend is to recharge my batteries and get my life organized. Work has been crazy and I am having some emotional ups and downs in conjunction with the work stuff. This has affected my training and my overall home life. So, I am taking this weekend to get my Sh!@t together. Hampshire 100 is only a couple of months away. I have no choice but to get myself together and train more or I wont be running that race. Looking forward to the Dirty Girl Trail Race in Albany NH next Sunday. Should be a fun race!