crash & burn - Golden Leaf Trail Half Marathon race report

Prologue

There's a saying in cross country mtn bike racing - "you won't win a race on the descent..."  Basically, it's stresses the necessity of climbing to win a mtn bike race - descending well is important - but climbing is most crucial.  If you can't climb well - you won't win.

After this past Saturday's Golden Leaf Half Marathon - I believe this holds true for trail racing. Good uphill running ability outweighs good downhill running skills.

And just to be clear - there was no winning going on in my case - it's just an observation from the middle of the pack.

This was to be my first trail half.  The race promoter claims 980 of gain and 1713 loss - but all the Garmin tracks I've looked at (and I've seen several) avg ~1500ft elevation gain and ~2300ft elevation loss.  And everyone knows the first 1.5 miles is no joke.  A whopping 900 ft of gain with the avg of ~11%.  that is some sustained climbing.   

The Plan

After carefully stalking every piece of information on this race from the internet - I came up with this plan.

Time Goal - The race promoter says add ~30 minutes to your road half marathon.  My half PR is 1:57 - so I was hoping for a finishing time in the mid-2:20s - and yes a I would be happy with a 2:29:59.

Results goal - I wanted to finish top 10 in my AG.  I scoped out the 50+ers in waves 1 & 2 and knew it would be a very strong field.  Looking at previous years results I knew this year's top finishers would be much stronger than in previous years.  But, even with the strong field ( i was so stoked to see so many great runners in my division)  I believed a top 10 in AG would be a realistic goal. 

I  "practiced" the first 1.5 miles by going to a nearby trail that has a section that is close to 1.5 miles and has ~900 elevation gain. The first practice my minute mile pace was a whopping 18 minutes.   Yes - it took my 18 minutes to go 1 mile!   The second time I practiced - i improved to a 16 min range, but that was tough.   I was very concerned that the first 1.5 miles of the course would totally derail my goals.

I decided that I would "run" or "speed walk" the first section with a HR of 163. 167-173 is my typical race HR. I would have my garmin set to only show HR and not any pace.  I figured ignorance would be bliss.  If I focused on HR I would be going hard, but not hard enough to blow myself up early in the race.

I was hoping miles 1 and 2 would be in the 13 minute mile range.  After that it was anyone's guess.  I would try to make as much time up on the downhills and push my HR up to my race HR and keep it there for the remainder of the race. 

cool race swag - a tech shirt that actually fits(!) and smartwool socks.  :)

Reality

Race weather promised to be perfect.  A motley assortment of my friends (4 of us total) were running this race.   Anne - this would be her 2nd time.  Steve and Brenda from Phoenix, AZ - it would be their 1st time.   

us girls talking game plan

ready to start

We were very fortunate that Tom(Anne's boyfriend) was driving us to the start so we could keep warm before the race and have him take our jackets back.  This was a big help as we didn't have to be cold waiting around for the bus.

me, Steve, Brenda, Anne

We were all in different waves - Steve in Wave 1, I was in wave 3, Brenda in wave 5, and Anne in wave 6.

the starting hill was steep - picture doesn't do it justice

yep - a few famous people(Lance Armstrong) in the crowd (or maybe I should say "infamous")

and a few people clowning around

My wave went off right on time at 8:40.   I focused on running conservatively and ended up alternating between jogging and speed walking.  I noticed that even tho my perceived effort was at race pace, my HR was not.  I could barely get it to 160.  After several minutes of trying to get my HR up - I gave up on that and just went by PE.

all smiles

hey!  this wave is for bib numbers up to 500 - what are these ladies in the 7xx doing here - esp when congestion is a big problem on this course.

After what seemed like forever - my garmin buzzed my that a mile had gone by - I looked and saw my lap was a disappointing 15:44.  yikes!   I tried to forget about it and kept pushing.  Finally at 1.6 miles we reached Aid #1 and the first downhill started.  It was only .5 a mile, but I wanted to make the most of it.   So I took off and started picking off people.

*(Big thanks to Brenda for taking pictures while racing!)

first downhill

The trail leveled out a bit and as I started to cross a small bridge - I was looking ahead for the next group of people to pick off and then BAM!  I bit it HARD and slid Superman style across the bridge.  I was glad I didn't fall into the creek!  but...ughh...that 'effing hurt. 

Luckily, I was able to shake it off and forgot about the fall for the remainder of the race.  After the race, the carnage was NOT so easily forgettable.(see pix below)

Miles 3 and 4 were rolling with ~150 ft gain and descending.   The uphills seemed really steep and were killing me.  I literally felt like my legs were moving through molasses.   I was never able to get my HR up past 160.  That's very unusual.   I knew at this time that I was having a bad day, but I pushed as hard as I could - walking some of the steeper uphills and blasting down the downhills.

the views while running didn't suck

ahh...thru the woods

several traffic jams along the way

During these miles 5,6,7 - I went back and forth with several people...being passed on the uphills and passing on the downhills.   Mile 5 there was a longer descent and I had hoped to hold off some of the folks that passed me on the uphills, but then mile 6/7 happened with over 400 ft of elevation gain and it was not to be...   One nice lady said (I found out later - her name was Christine) as she passed me on an uphill, "you run so well on the downhills - I'll see you on the next downhill". 

mile 6 marker

one of the many stream crossings

I knew in order to meet my time goal that I would have to complete mile 7 in time of  ~1:25.  I hit mile 7 at 1:34 and knew my goal would more than likely be out of reach, but i didn't give up - I just kept running as hard as possible. 

Miles 8, 9, 10, 11 were mostly downhills and I had so much fun jumping over rocks and roots, cruising through switchbacks, doing heel slides on some of the steep dirt sections.   For some reason, I was especially pleased with myself when I picked off a girl running in white hokas and a multi colored skirt and another girl in a light blue shirt and blue shorts.  (why is it there are some people you just HAVE to pass??)    Looking back at my data - these where my fastest miles where I avg a 9:35 pace. (if only I could have done that the whole race!)  

yes - more of that dang singletrack!

wooHOO!  I LOVE me some downhill

It was around mile 11 where I again caught Christine,the girl that had earlier complemented me on the downhills.   As I ran past her - she said "there you are! go, go, go!".     

Miles 12 - 13.1 were soul suckers.  It flatten out and was rolling and exposed and to top it off the mile markers for 12 & 13 were not in the right spot - so these miles seemed really long.  

oh gawd...are we there yet???

Christine caught up to me again and asked "what's your secret on the downhills?"   I smiled and answered "I'm a mtn biker - not a runner."  Christine said "ahhh...I see - you have no fear".   I laughed "oh no - I have plenty of fear. But I know if you panic and are timid that's when you make mistakes.    And the key is to look ahead at the terrain and stay loose and relaxed.   I think my years of mtn biking really help on the descents".   (I am now laughing as myself - as I'm the one that's all beat up and I'm sure she doesn't have a scratch on her!)

Christine pulled ahead at in the middle of mile 12 and then I was running side-by-side with a handsome young man with long hair and had it in modified pig-tails.   I told him "i like your hair".   He said "I think it's causing a lot of wind drag and slowing me down".   I laughed at that comment.  I saw the sign for mile 13 and was RELIEVED I only had .1 miles left to go - so I upped the pace...but the thing was it was WAY more than .1 miles - I think they had the marker in the wrong place.   I was really suffering, but trying not to let up and then I finally saw the finish line.  Pig-tail guy was right behind and said "you held a nice pace that last bit".   (I see from my splits I was running a whopping ~10 minute mile on flat terrain...not really that speedy...) 

coming up to the finish

crossing the finish line - my pig-tailed guy friend just behind me

I was elated to cross the finish line, but not so elated with my time of 2:36.   The course was totally amazing, beautiful and fun (yes - even those damn rollers and uphills)  Damn!  That was one fun trail run.  My runners high lasted several more hours.

They had results posted fairly quickly and I missed my top 10 target by one place.  I finished 11th out of 32 in AG.   For some reason this makes me laugh.   Super stoked for all the strong 50+ers out there!!!   

So - Golden Leaf Half Marathon - 1,  Cynthia - 0.

Anne finishing strong - yes, that's my hand sticking out ready to high 5 her!!

high 5 with Anne!

Brenda bringing it home

That Brenda - as exuberant as ever!

Steve looking good

Post race thoughts - the good, bad and ugly

The Good

• Overall, when I think back at this race - I feel happy.  It was a rocking good time - I had a BLAST running the course.  Beautiful course, great race promotion and wonderful hanging out with my friends. Never a dull moment with Brenda around.  Plus, I can't say enough on how I liked the course - true trail running for sure. I'm definitely coming back next year.
• The downhills - I won't say I'm a great descender, but I am more than competent.   I'd love to even get better, but considering my lack of experience - I'm generally very happy with my descending skills.
• Falling HARD at the beginning of the race didn't rattle me - I was able push the descents with confidence.
• Fueling again seems to be spot on.  Never feeling close to any kind of bonk.  I think 400 calories of Roctane is exactly what I need.  
• No GI issues (knock on wood)  In all 5 of my half marathons this year - I've never had any GI issues, I'd say my fueling is working.
• The competition is becoming stronger.  In 2011 - I would have finished 5th in AG, in 2010 - I would have finished 8th in AG - so my 11th in AG this year shows a strong field and  I LIKE it.  Very inspiring!
• I got to hang out with my pal, Tom.   In 2006 - 2009ish - we did a TON of mtn biking together, but of late have had different paths...it was good to see him with such a great girlfriend (Anne) and to catch up.

The Bad

• I was definitely disappointed in my time of 2:36 - a FAR cry from the time I was hoping to hit.
• One of my biggest limiters was my poor uphill running.   The climbs on this course are critical pieces and as I said at the beginning of this post (is anyone still reading??) - climbing is most cruical.  
• I'm not sure what the deal was in regards of not being able to push at race pace.  My HR average was a sedate 156.  In comparison - the Steamboat Half (which had 800ft of gain and 1,000ft elevation lost) my HR avg was 164.  I've experienced this before and it's usually from not being fully recovered and/or overtrained.  However; I had been sleeping well and felt I was recovered.  I also felt I was acclimated to the altitude - I had spent several days this month at the Breck apt and that sits at 10,500ft...so I'm not sure what the deal was...my body just couldn't seem to produce and sustain any type of race pace.
• I'm chalking my performance up to a "bad day" and moving on.   

The Ugly

• my fall early in the race left it's mark.  

a bruised left index finger that looks like a sausage and bruised right palm

bruised and swollen knuckles on right hand.  Looks like i've been in a bar fight

skinned up knees

Party time in Aspen!

Anne and I had behaved the night before by foregoing drinks and desert at dinner.  But tonight - all bets were off  - it was party time.   of course for us  old people - that means we start at 6:30 and end at 9. ;)   

Dinner was to be at Cache Cache - supposedly a 'hot spot' in Aspen.    All 5 of us hit the bar for dinner, drinks and desert.   The food was amazing and the bartenders poured very generous pours of wine.   And of course - desert was to die for....we all shared creme Brûlée,  chocolate cake and peach cobbler. The bartenders were awesome and even tho it was obvious that we  weren't rich locals (as we pulled out the calculators to figure out our portion of the bill) they treated us with good cheer. 

the crew - me, Tom, Brenda, Anne and Steve

cool and fun bartenders

We talked and laughed for 2.5 hours...as time went on the bar area went from empty  to jam packed.  

it was definitely interesting people watching.   A lot of the guys looked like the CEO of Restoration Hardware - good looking at first glance, but then upon closer inspection they have a weird , not natural look.(kinda creepy)   Looks like the older gentlemen in Aspen have a lot of cosmetic work (I'm guessing botox and wrinkle fillers) done.   

The women were also really weird looking.   All puffed up with fake boobs, exploded looking lips and faces frozen by botox.   It was hard not to stare.   I'm sure in their younger, more natural looking years they were knock outs and maybe if I was in their shoes - I'd try to do anything to preserve my beauty.   Luckily for me I've never been a "knock out"  and I'm too lazy to even dye my gray hair - so I just have to look older...but I can live with that.   I've EARNED my gray hair, wrinkles and scarred up knees.

We were back in the hotel room by 9:30 and I was ready for bed.   So much for being a party animal, eh? 

*photo credits: Tom Keller and Brenda O.