A few weeks ago, I ran in the UGTBGrindn Trail Run at Harris Lake. For those that don't know their geography, Harris Lake is in the Holly Springs area which is basically a nearby suburb of Raleigh. Holly Springs is 'Cary-lite'.
As part of my preparations to be ready for my first half-marathon in April (Raleigh Rock & Roll), I wanted to schedule a few races of increasing distances that would allow me to track and trend if I was on-track to meet my April objective. Since I started training since Christmas, I had expectations that I should be able to run 5 miles without stopping by the time race-day arrives. This race would be the perfect test and also be my first trail race.
My training leading up to the race was a mixed bag. I found out quite early in my training that I was dealing with knee pain. After spending much time Googling and trying to self-diagnose my problem, I came to the conclusion that I was dealing with Runner's Knee. What a great time to get that! Sensing the need to try and rest to get my knee back to where I wanted it, I stopped running altogether for a couple weeks before resuming. When I realized I was still dealing with the discomfort, I just accepted that I'd have to deal with it. I would never make my April goal if I kept taking time off to rest and recover.
Race morning was in the 30's. After enjoying some milder temps earlier in the week, we were treated to Ol' Man Winter. I threw on a red, long-sleeved athletic shirt that came with a wearable hoodie and some basketball shorts. At some point I will actually invest in running shorts - whether it happens before my first half-marathon is another story.
Registration was just before the race start so I ambled on over a little early, got my participant shirt. That was it from a swag perspective. Having a long-sleeve shirt was nice, but the material seemed to be your standard cotton stuff that I wouldn't enjoy wearing on an actual run.
Off and running, I coasted in the back because I know I'm slow. I then spent most of the race finding someone ahead of me that had a decent race pace that I could keep up with, at least until they slowed down too much further into the run and I just decided to strike out on my own. There was a water station shortly after the first mile and then nothing after that. Since it was only five miles, I could handle going the entire race without water but if I did need something to drink, somewhere between miles 3 and 4 would have been ideal.
I finished shy of an hour. I know that the typical mile for a trail race is slower than being on the road, but it's really deceptive because I don't feel like I'm going any slower. Switchbacks and everything else didn't seem to bother me. I definitely enjoyed the prospect of not moving in a straight line. Running over roots and watching my footing was a bit of a game for me and it kept me alert of my surroundings.
My app did say I went 5.2 miles instead of 5, but considering the coverage in a park out away from civilization, I won't consider it gospel. Fortunately I had no need to stop at any point during the race, which left me pleasantly surprised. Before the race, I probably didn't break 3 miles in any of my training sessions. And even though it wasn't even forty degrees at the start of the race, I felt more than comfortable by the time it was over.
At the end of the race, there were bananas, oranges, and cup-a-ramen cups to go with hot chocolate and water. I realized that cup-a-ramen tastes so much better than the typical bagged ramen. No credit to the peas, carrots and corn that might be in there though. All in the noodle!
My knee throbbed for a few days after the race but it wasn't as long as I dreaded it might take. Since I was running on dirt instead of concrete or asphalt, the ground was a lot more forgiving on my joints. I know with all future long runs that I may need to cram in an extra recovery day for the knee. At some point, with some extra core work and stretching, I can last long enough before I go on a brief hiatus and really get my knee right.
For my first trail run, it was a fun experience. Sure enough, the next run is also a trail run and I hope to do at least a couple here and there every year. The quest for my first half remains on schedule!
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