Morning RUN: 4.3 miles in about 40 mins, kinvaras
Evening RUN: 14.5 miles in just over 3hrs, trails
My training plan called for 18 miles, and to safely get to that point I turned Thursday's 6miler into a trainer ride. The morning run was just to add miles and break up the day, but I still wasn't planning on getting to at total of 18. Yet somehow I managed to reach 18.8 miles total.
Surprisingly, I don't feel the after effects of all that running! The SHivering Icy Trail Run was an unsupported half mary out in Lost Valley with a 5pm start time and dismal forecast of dropping temps, rain, and potentially sleet. Yummy.
Part of my prep for that night was to stop by BRR to get my new knuckle lights, only to learn that they are sold out everywhere. I looked at other lights, thought about it, but decided to go ahead with my usual hat bill LED clip light. There's a good reason I'm mentioning this, my little story will revisit the moment I decided against buying other lights...
The first run felt great--warm, fast, and fresh. I wore a long sleeve tech and capris. Not quite shorts weather but almost. As I was heading out the door later for the trail run, I noticed that my clip light didn't come on and stay on. WTF?! So maybe it needs new batteries. I leave a few mins early, but S's is out. Off to W's. They have them so I buy 2. They don't fix the problem. WTF?! I look to see if I can buy a new light...nope. Then suddenly my lights work. Happy and late, I take off for the trail in a cold, heavy rain.
The rain stopped around Chesterfield so the run started cold and dry. My light was still working as I signed in, but it still wasn't very reliable. Joining us from the Club were EK and MK, along with MD who was a former club member. Up the stairs, down the stairs, and off to LV. Darkness settled in fast, and wouldn't you know it, my light failed. Utterly failed. Add to this the fact that the rain started right about now.
By this time, TH and I had hooked up with MD who had an awesome headlamp. I found that when I ran between them I could see well enough to run, but apparently not enough to see the trail markers! We missed a turn early in the run, went up a large hill under the powerline cut-outs and came across a bow-hunter who said he hadn't seen any other runners come this way. Dammit! Back down the hill. By this time, it was fully dark. And my stupid left shoe kept coming untied, just like it did in the rain at Glacial last October. I just never learn!
We back-tracked and found our turn, and it was to my incredible luck that I was still able to see in the full darkness under the trees. As much as I might complain about the rain, it was the rain that provided a reflection of TH and MD's lights off the trail so I could see it.
Amazingly enough, I fell only twice. Once I tripped on a root and rolled (literally) and the second time I went down and mudded up my mittens. Also amazingly, I didn't roll my ankles and get injured. And more: all I ate the entire time was some plantain chips!
The first 6-ish miles had some slow-down due to new trails that were slanted and slick. We were reduced to walking, steady but slow. Every now and then we'd gain good footing but the slow-down was enough to cool me down and set in a nice chill. I was set on solving the mystery question in the cemetery and this kept me distracted. But when we did find it and stopped to look for the needed name (Caroline) the stoppage really set in a chill and my mood started to tank.
I was disoriented in the dark and lost sense of time and distance. Occasionally MD would call out mileage and time, and it only highlighted my disorientation. I joked that he should stop. We had great conversation, TH kinda missed out in the back (she had two lights but they weren't as sharp or bright at MD's so she stepped more carefully) on the chatter and I missed talking to her. But we kept trucking along as the winds picked up, the temps dropped, and the rain more steady.
Once we started moving faster again on good footing, my mood improved. I was still disoriented and eager to finish, but no longer miserable and having mild panics about getting lost or being unable to continue. My mild panics were warranted, given my injury history, and the terribly sad news we learned later that 3 hikers died that same night on another trail due to exposure :( But they were held at bay, I never wanted to stop or quit, but just the same I wanted to be DONE.
Finally we came back up on the road, indicating that we were nearly finished with the loop. Of course, this only exposed us to the wind. By now the chatter was dying off and we had all thoughts on finishing. My mittens were soggy and heavy, they flopped as I ran. For some reason, even with my windbreak jacket and multiple layers, I was terribly cold. My knees were cold, and my wet feet were also unhappy.
I should note here that while all this was happening, I was smiling and enjoying myself. What kind of drug is this anyway?
Once we hit the parking lot, we were cheered in and handed our finisher's decal. But no one really wanted to stop and talk. We bee-lined for the cars!
It took my some time to gain function of my heads and get to where I mentally felt like I could drive. In the dark and rain, I was disoriented and unable to figure it all out. So I just waited and obsessed over whether or not I'd packed all my gear. There was a reason for that--turns out I left my finisher's gear on the ground in the parking lot! I went back for it.
Overall, it was a great effort. I had the camelbak but didn't drink much as my cold wet mittens weren't too good for that. I never got hungry and ate only the plantain chips. Although I had a large meal hours before the start, I still think that at some point I should have gotten hungry?
Once home, I was still cold but at least coherent. No new blisters, just an exacerbation of the one I got on the Chubb last weekend. It's now even more blood-filled... I curled up with DH under a blanket until he kicked me out saying "OK I know you are warm now BECAUSE YOU STINK!!" LOL!!
Huge TY to TH and MD, without you guys this run would have sucked or wouldn't have happened for me at all.
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