RD, Petey raffles more Fluorescent Shwag and Sour Patch Kids
Today marked the 20th birthday of the Merrimack River Trail Race! The conditions were absolutely incredible—little wind, sun, cool (t-shirt weather), and nearly dry trails. Some great folks spent time laying lots of new boardwalk material to help with erosion, as well.
This morning I was going to go and pick up my t-shirt, which is awesome this year, and then go for a few miles as not part of the race (even though I pre-registered). Then I saw Richard who encouraged me to run and walk it! Okay, Okay twist my arm. I don’t like signing up for things and not doing them and I was afraid I wasn’t ready for the distance. I’ve run a total of 7.2 miles in the last two weeks…and before that, a snowshoe half in early March. I needed to take it slowly… it’s a no-brainer.
Starting out in the rear, I took it out with walking often and averaging about 12 minutes per mile. I felt great. It was wonderful to be outside along the water. With lots of alone time along the trail, I thought about how tree bands reveal information about a given year’s weather and the effects of environment on its health. I pictured my last year (of limited running and more health cruddiness) as separate but connected bands —a thin dark band of blight cushioned with a porous and strengthened ring of positive spirit and an expanding circle of hope.
Not winded (really, I was taking it perhaps, too, comfortably) I made it out to the turn around in 1:04. Feeling fine, decided I would try to break 2 hours total. I wasn’t sure how I’d hold up with no mileage in the logbook but mind over matter. I got slopping a bit foggy footed and one near fall really shook me up a few moments as I thought I might’ve hurt my calf catching myself (Jury is out.) I had one good down- to-earth fall around the large bridge at the Deer Jump. Miraculously, I sort of rolled out of it unscathed. Go Pixie Powers.
So with many walk breaks on the way out, I took the return more seriously with power-hiking the inclines and lots of steady running on the descents and flats. I only wore a watch (no GPS) so the mile markers allowed me to calculate my pace in the last four miles. With four miles remaining I hoped to hang on and run as evenly as possible. Miles 6 through 9 were dead on even and then the last mile I whittled the pace down to finish in 1:57:33.
The stats are in: Out for five miles in 64 minutes (12:48 pace/mile) and back five miles to finish line in 53:33 (10:42 pace/mile). Cool!
The stats are in: Out for five miles in 64 minutes (12:48 pace/mile) and back five miles to finish line in 53:33 (10:42 pace/mile). Cool!
Trail Runners can be a surprisingly
orderly and well-behaved group. ;)
orderly and well-behaved group. ;)
Not too shabby for no training. It was a delight to see so many trail-running friends. I am reminded of what a great community trail runners create.
TARC, here I come.
3 comments:
Pixie, you are a ROCKSTAR!!! I don't think I could have run that in 1:58! Pixie Powers, indeed!
congrats on beating 2 hours and a good report.
Good job, Emily...I'll bet that all that did was invigorate you into running some more! ;-) Have fun at DRB, I will miss that one this year having run it 11 times!
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