Burn #2 (aka Revenge of the Bear Bell)

This morning was race #2 of the EX2 Backyard Burn Series at Wakefield Regional Park. The race website describes the course as "fast with mostly flat even terrain and only a few stream crossings. Competitors will run over cinder trails, under power lines, and along single-track." I had run parts of this course during the previously described ill-fated MLK Day 5K. Given that this was EX2, I was hoping for a far better experience. We stopped for a bathroom break at a McDonald's before getting to the course (yes, we were super early even though it was spring forward). I saw a cute sign and adopted it as my mantra for the day. It was really cold when we checked in and got our bibs...like 28 degrees. I was starting to question the weather forecast of mid-40s by race start. I hung out in the car browsing Trail Runner and trying to stay warm. I finally got out with about 30 minutes until race time and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had warmed up. Suddenly, I spotted Bear Bell Man!! (JD snapped a stealth photo for me.)

Jim did his usual spiel, and we were off.

Courtesy of Swim Bike Run Photography (JD is in the foreground, and you can spot me in the leprechaun shirt in the back)

 We had a 1 mile prologue on pavement and gravel to string out the field. I got a little overexcited and ran this section in 8:30. I did not need to be doing that a week before my marathon since this was just supposed to be an easy taper run. I reigned myself in and settled in around 9:30 for the second mile. I let myself get irritated by the twisty single track and didn't enjoy the next few miles. Bear Bell was about .25 miles ahead of me, and I was hearing that damn bell at every twist and turn in the track. I was also getting really hot by the time we came through the first loop. I came through 5.5 miles at around 57 minutes so my time was irritating me too. I tossed my gloves near one of the race volunteers, pulled myself out of my irritation and started to really enjoy the run. Coming into the second loop, I caught a large pack of women who all looked to be somewhere in my age group. I kept telling myself to just hold onto this pack for as long as possible and hope that I had some kick to take some of them down at the end. We were running in a line of about 10 runners for 2.5 miles when gradually a few women dropped off. I was then left with a pack of 5 runners of which I was in the back. I started to pick them off one by one passing strategically and hoping that I could hold them off. My big break came at the water stop with 1 mile left to go. The remaining 3 women stopped for water, and I ran through the stop. I had one more small hill with switchbacks to navigate, and I knew I was home free. At this point, I realized that I was gaining on Bear Bell so I decided to try to take him down again this week. We hit some open field cinder track that was pretty straight, and I started pushing the pace until I finally passed him.

Courtesy of Swim Bike Run Photography...I'm a speedy little leprechaun, and you can see Bear Bell in the background.

 At that point I could see the soccer field and knew that the finish chute was straight ahead. I didn't bother to look at my watch, but I was really hoping to be near 1:40. As I was coming to the chute another runner yelled to me that I could break 1:40 if I pushed it so I gave one final sprint and crossed the line at 1:39:21. I was elated as this was my first distance trail run where I have averaged under 10 minute miles. I probably could have run harder given that the trail was mostly flat and not very technical, but I was trying to run smart and not burn myself up before next week. I was even happier because my goal last week had been to finish before Jim started the awards. My goal this week was to finish before all of the breakfast burritos were gone. I got my breakfast burrito! So only 9 easy miles and 5 days now separate me from B&A Trail Marathon. I'm in a good place mentally and feeling strong and confident that I can at least get under 5 hours if not the 4:30 goal that I really want. (no, we didn't play on the playground before the race)

Burn #1 (Where We Meet Bear Bell)

Photo by Swim Bike Run Photography

Last week JD and I ran the first 10 mile race in the EX2 Spring Backyard Burn Series at Hemlock Overlook. The race website notes that "This challenging race course consists mostly of hiking trails (including the Bull Run Occoquan Trail), old dirt roads, and open fields. Competitors will run over rocks and roots, cross a few streams, and up some hills." What they don't tell you is that you are going to spend a lot of time hiking. I would estimate that a good 1/3 of the loop is not runnable unless you are a mountain goat.

Sure, that's really runnable! (Swim Bike Run Photography)

 I had run this course last fall as the last race of the series. Since I am in marathon training, I was hoping to improve my time on the course so I was eager to get going. It was really cold on race morning...high 20s with a decent wind. Hemlock is nice because there is a large warm lodge with indoor bathrooms where you can check in and hang out before the race. I want to give a huge props up to Jim Harman for creating a women's t-shirt specifically for this race series. It is sized for women, and was a different color than the men's t-shirt so a really nice premium and doubly nice to have something specifically for women in the trail racing circuit. While I was waiting I noticed the word perseverance on the ceiling of the lodge. It stuck in my head and became useful later on during the race. We did our usual pre-race brief and casual start including stringing the field out on some pavement running. Once you hit the trail at Hemlock, you are really into the thick of it. This is definitely the most technical trail in the series and probably some of the most technical trail in the NoVa area. By about mile 2, you are into bouldering along a rushing stream which was not pleasant with the wind whipping past you. The first 5 mile loop on the trail was not too messy because the trail was still frozen.

Swim Bike Run Photography

 I came through the first lap at 57 minutes so I knew that I had a chance to improve on the 1:54 that I ran in December. I felt momentary hatred for the 5 milers who were scarfing down breakfast burritos, but then I got my head back in the game and headed out on loop #2. I tried to run loop #2 more aggressively, but it was getting difficult as the trail was warming up and getting very slippery in places. I had been following some idiot with a bear bell tied to a backpack for most of the first loop. I was praying that he was turning off at the end of 5 miles because the bell was driving me nuts. (Don't ask me why he was carrying a backpack or why he needed a bear bell in a forest that has no reported bear sightings and had 300 runners out on the trails.) Unfortunately, he did not turn off so my goal because to stay with the bell. As we hit the boulder section, bear man stopped because he was having issues with his shoes, and I passed him. Then my goal became don't let bear bell catch me again. I could hear him behind me the entire time, but I kept pushing. I hiked the hills as quickly as I could and then really pushed the pace on the runnable sections. I almost lost it a few times on the barely single trail section in the last mile, but I held on and managed not to fall at all.

Swim Bike Run Photography

I finished in 1:52 so I was thrilled with a 2 minute PR for the course. This put me in 14/24 for 30-39 females and gave me 7 series points. I had just been hoping to get 1 point so I'm thrilled with 7 points. Next up is Burn #2 at Wakefield which promises to be mostly flat, not very technical, and fast.

Backyard Burn #1: Hemlock Overlook - Clifton, VA

Last year, heather and I signed up for the backyard burn series which is composed of 5 10 mile trail runs throughout Northern VA.  Last year, I was nursing an achilles tendonitis thing and never got to run any of the races.  So the first trail 10 miler was at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clinton, VA.  The day of the race was Sunday March 3rd, 2013 - the weather when we woke up was 29F and a tad windy...not exactly great running weather but not that bad either.  So we get up around 5am, I down some water and have two pieces of raisin bread.  Not really enough for a 10 miler as difficult as Hemlock.  So we get there nice and early, pick up our bibs, packet, and BYB t-shirt, then back to the car to warm up!

 Walking down to the rec center at Hemlock, I get a shot of heather:

Finally comes time for the race.   Jim, the race director of the BYB series and EX2 Adventures lays out the course and explains how technical it is around 8:50am, 10 minute before the race.  As far as trail races go, he does an awesome job marking the trails.    So after Jim gives us the rundown of the race, he says, "were starting in 45 seconds"....a little jolting but hey, I guess I am ready...then were off...my first mile was an 8:07 and was pretty good but that is before we even hit the meat of the trail.  As we do the a small loop to string out the runners before you get into the trail (a common strategy for race directors to get people spread out before bunching everyone up), we hit the opening of the first 5 mile loop.  Below is a snapshot of me over the rock farm at hemlock - of course the pic is not to flattering and makes me look like I have a gut or something...

 Below is another action photo:

The wind could actually be felt through the trees which was interesting b/c it must of been worse out in the open.  The course was very hilly and had a nice stretch of just rocks, not little rocks, prehistoric bitches that turned the run into a hike immediately.  Then after the rock farm, you hit a major uphill run...I am thinking shit, this is a real trail with real hills.  I finally get to the 5 mile mark and the 5 milers peel off and I see the clock which was 45 minutes and a few seconds.  I had no idea if I was running to hard or not hard enough...plus I had to piss something fierce...so about 5.5 miles in, I stopped to take a piss....figured there was no way possible  to place...Below you can see the result of two tumbles down the hill but still in one piece...

The second 5 miler went about the same and I ended up with a time of 1:28:42 with a overall place of 46th out of 172.  I finished 18th in the 40-49 age group good enough to get me 3 points for the first run.  Did I run my fastest race, I don't think so but it was the first time I ran it and really had no idea how to run the hills...My next race is next Sunday, the 10th of March at Wakefield Park...not as many hills and less technical...yay but it means the times will be faster.  All in all had a fun time running with heather...she PR'd by 2 minutes from the last time she ran hemlock so that is awesome.  Did 10 miles this morning and will try to get around 35 miles in this week and maybe 40 next week...