MuddySneaker 20k Trail Run

"How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!"~John Muir

Run: Aproximately 13 miles run withand an addtioanl 4 miles; officially my very first DNF (Did Not Finsih)!
Scheduled Key Run Workout #3: 20 miles @ mile pace + 15 seconds
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 65°F, 39% Humidity, Wind: N @ 7 mph; feels like 64°F.
Course: "The MuddySneaker is a trail run in the High Tor wilderness area in the finger lakes region of New York State. It has some of the most rapid elevation loss and gain of any trail run in the region." (Courtesy Roads Are Poison
Pace: Who knows!

Pre-Run Ruminations: When I first ran the MuddySneaker 20k wa-a-ay back in 2006 (placing 50 out of 149 in 1:59:38), I was something of a recreational running newbie and though I had "run" on the cross-country team in high school, I quickly realized I had never really run on a truly technical cross-country course. That this course definitely is. As stated on the website for this race, this is most assuredly not the type of course on which one sets out to run a PR, but one for those who "want to test yourself against nature and your own will to finish..."

My goal for this morning is to better my previous finish time (by using a run-walk-run strategy with uphills--an idea that seemed ludicrous to me two years ago, but one that I now buy into 110%), avoid getting injured in anticipation of next month's marathon, enjoy the view and what has been forecast as absolutely bee-yoo-ti-ful weather (80°F!).

Relative to my training, I am scheduled for a 20-miler this weekend, but am hoping that what is absent in mileage will be gained in course difficulty. If I have any ability to do so, I may try to log a short(er) easy run tomorrow(Sunday) and gain the balance of miles, but if I feel any chance that this would mean "overdoing it," I'll hold off until the next training week... this is me trying to play it smart!

Post-Race Reflections: Most. Challenging. Run. Ever.

Lost on the trail at about mile 7.5, I found myself on a completely different mountain about 7 miles away from the start/finish. If not for the fact that a lady I was running with had seen me walking the roads searching for the way home,. I might still be out there. There is lots to tell about this, and it was, despite being a little scary, a wonderful adventure. Also, I was officially a DNF... HUZZAH!

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!