When the temperature nears triple digits during a race, things get tough. When the temperature at the START of a race is over 100, you are setting yourself up for trouble. Such is the life of a trail runner in South Texas during the summer. This past Saturday I ran one of the Cap’n Karl’s Night Series races, this one being held at Pedernales State Park in Johnson City, TX. I have run the 60K version of this race the past 2 years (did 50 miler there last year), so I am fairly familiar with the trails there. There is nothing too technical or unrunnable, which sounds nice but actually makes for a tough race. Since I was still recovering from TRT 100, I opted for the 30K race this year. On the positive side, the race would only consist of 1 loop, which I like. Sure, it would be hot and dark, and I would feel the need to run more of the course at a faster rate than I normally would, but it would be fun. Joe P always puts on a great race, and a bunch of my friends would be running with me.
After spending much of the day indoors, trying to hydrate and stay out of the sun, we drove to Pedernales in the afternoon where we met up with friends and killed time before the race started. The 60K runners would start at 7PM, followed by the 30K race at 7:15, and finally the 10K at 7:30. I watched as many of my friends toed the line for the 60K, and then I waited my turn to run. I carried 2 handheld bottles of HEED, which I had loaded with ice only minutes before the start. In addition, I would be using a new Nathan waist pack that would hold another bottle filled with water. With aid stations every 4-5 miles, I didn’t need 3 bottles, but I wanted to test things out for Wasatch. Having my Ultimate Direction pack on my shoulders really caused some discomfort after awhile at Tahoe, so I’m playing around with a couple waist packs in the hopes of finding something I like.
My plan was to run conservatively at first, and then see what I had left in the last 8-10 miles. I stuck to this strategy for the most part, blowing through the first aid station without stopping (since I had 3 bottles) and running much of the first section. Aside from the brutal heat, I noticed that my ice had melted in my bottles of HEED within 15 minutes. Anyone who drinks HEED can attest to the fact that it tastes very different when it is warm than it does ice cold. As I drank from my bottles a mere 30 minutes into the race, my stomach let me know that I still detest the taste of warm HEED. Still, my legs felt good, so I pushed on despite an unsettling feeling in my stomach.
I pulled into the Pipeline aid station (mile 8.5) and filled my bottles with ice cold water, much of which end up getting dumped on my head. We ran down a road to a trail, where we turned onto single track and headed into the woods. It was getting dark enough to switch on my headlamp, meaning it would become difficult (for me) to run too fast since I would be dealing with the usual tunnel vision from the light. On the bright side, the sun was down and there was a slight breeze. Heck, it might have cooled down to 95 degrees. Darn chilly!!! 3.5 miles around Wolf Mountain (the fact that it is called a mountain still makes me laugh) and we were back up at the Pipeline aid station. Somewhere during this section the combination of heat, warm HEED, and a tightly cinched waist pack sent my stomach over the edge. I only threw up once, but it was a good one J
I filled my bottles again at Pipeline, talked to my friend Mike S, and headed out for the final 6+ miles of the race. My legs felt really good, but my body was not in the mood to run very fast, so I alternated hiking as quickly as I could (good practice for Wasatch) and jogging in places. The last 10K of the race was fairly uneventful, and I finished in 3:29, 17 minutes quicker than my 30K split from last year’s race. Overall I was pleased with my effort, given the fact that I haven’t run anything longer than 8-10 miles in the Texas heat since May. My legs felt good, and I was happy with how the waist pack felt. Most of all, it was nice to be done by 11, much better than my 7AM finish last year in the 50 miler. Getting home while it is still dark is always nice. Everyone in our group did well, highlighted by Larry running a scorching 7:23, good enough for 2nd old guy. I'll be chasing Larry all around the Wasatch Mountains in a few weeks. Should be fun.
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