Not updated this for a few days... well, I am on holiday.
Didn't manage to fit in another run whilst in New Jersey as I paid a visit to K's mum and dad who insisted on stuffing me with Polish sausage, cheese, cabbage and other treats, including homemade something or other (tasted like a cross between a very sweet dessert wine, German Kirsch and tequila). Anyway it was moonshine of the most lethal variety, which when added to the three different wines on offer, put paid to any running plans I had for the rest of that day. Plus I then had to go back to Kristy and Alex's and eat steak. Christ, eaten more in the last five days than in the whole of the last month it seems.
Friday was spent travelling from New York to Austin. K met me at the airport sporting a full beard, long hair and a slightly-too-feminine hairclip (the result of what seems to be another totally arbitrary 'decision' along the lines of last Christmas's 'I've given up alcohol' adventure - but this time it's 'I'm not getting my haircut till I've run a marathon')
Anyway, the day before this, he'd sadistically (but with good intentions, I'm sure) emailed me the following information:
Toughest Race in Texas: Not For the Timid
The self-titled Toughest Race in Texas might be a little hyperbolic, but there's no question that this race on Saturday is over the top. The Toughest Race in Texas isn't for the timid. Starting Saturday morning at 8 a.m., there will actually be three races (10-K, 5-K and one mile) utilizing the same insanely difficult course.
Make no mistake about it, this course is a killer. It is entirely off road through scrub brush on narrow, single-track trails that is rocky, slippery and a supreme challenge.
All three races start and finish on the St. Stephen's soccer fields which is the only flat part of the course. From there, the single track trail climbs and plunges past cactus and other obstacles. You must stay on the trail or face bush whacking through rough, rocky terrain.Without describing the overly-protracted thought process I went through, I changed to the 5k after reading this. I knew, deep down, that I was not ready for it. I'd been secretly fretting about the race for the past week or so, knowing that my preparations for the 10k had not been suitable for this kind of terrain. If it had been a road-race, I would've been fully comfortable with it, but reading this description gave me the fear. As much as I tell myself I don't care about coming last, I do really, and I knew this would be my fate if I'd remained in the 10k field (and the finishing times tell me I was pretty much right about that - I think the slowest time was about 1hr 20).
Once I made the decision to go with the 5k I felt so much better about things. When we got up (at 5am) on the morning of the race I was apprehensive, but excited. Not scared. We picked up Krzys's friend Sean (the nicest man in the world?) on our way, who was also doing the 10k, his first ever race.
The 10k-ers set off first. All I could see of the course from the starting point was a flattish trail heading into some woods. I had no idea, really, what lay beyond. After three minutes, the 5k began and we set off. Once we reached the entrance into the forested area, the trail became single-track and impassable. I thought I may have to walk at some point, but wasn't expecting it this early in, nor for the section to last so long. There were at least two or three minutes of walking here. Some people behind me were getting really impatient, but there was nothing to be done. It eventually opened out and we could run once more, only for it to narrow again about five minutes later. This was a rocky, twisty, gradually climbing section, with loose boulders and many tree stumps. I was frustrated to be walking again, but when the man directly in front of me tripped over an exposed tree root and fell flat on his face, I was pleased. (To be walking, I mean).
After about half a mile, and till about 2.5 miles, I was able to run the whole time. I had a few people behind and in front, but had enough space to just concentrate on trying to pick up my pace and watch where I was treading. I was also trying to take in the scenery as much as I could. The trail was gorgeous. I've decided I love running through the woods. The morning sun was so bright, filtering in and out of the trees. At one point the trail opened right out and there was a spectacular view of the flat valley plain below, with incredibly flash and enormous houses nestling in the hills beyond. One in particular took my fancy, a huge glass modernist block, its windows reflecting the sunlight like a huge wall of mirrors. The last half mile of the race involved another pain-in-the-arse congested, uphill, narrow climb. I wasn't overly bothered, but I was within earshot of the finishing line and I could hear the announcer calling '32 mins' and I wanted to finish in below 40, so I was anxious to get on. Once at the top, I picked up the pace as fast as I could, thinking that I would soon be facing a gradual descent back to the playing field, but the track unexpectedly turned back on itself and suddenly I was back in the forest again. Damn. There was one last steep climb ahead and I forced myself to run the whole way to the top, passing a large group of walkers. The most frustrating part, though, was the downhill descent which seemed to go on forever. It was impossible to run. It was entirely made up of loose scree and large boulders. Everyone was walking. I saw two people take a tumble when they tried to go faster and one girl at the bottom was nursing oozing bloody cuts to both knees.
Eventually I was on the flat grass again and about 800m from the finish I suppose. I suddenly felt really tired and sapped of all energy. The ground was quite spongy and I found it really hard to go faster. When I finally got within sight of the finish line I saw that the clock said 40:05 - bollocks. Managed to find a tiny bit of energy for the last spurt and went over the line in 40:33, followed, literally about 10 seconds later, by Krzys, finishing the 10k. I said he would still beat me in double the distance, and he almost did. He's amazing. He came 18th in the 10k. Ha, on the first list of results they had forgotten to swap me over to the 5k, and I was listed as coming 13th in the 10k. I should've taken a picture of that.
Oh did I also forget to mention that he ran the entire race in a pair of lilac bunny ears and a pink bandana? I'm not quite sure what he's trying to tell the world, but he did look very cute.
Sean finished in around an hour and five or something. He's decided to run the half-marathon next February which is what I think I'm going to do too.
Had sore legs yesterday but they feel fine today. Went to the gym this morning and joined in one of K's personal training sessions. Standing on a wobbly jelly thing and lifting weights. It was hard. I always put off doing core/balance training stuff at the gym because I am so appallingly bad at it. When I get back I am going to rectify this. I'm fed up with having such a terrible sense of balance and a weak, constantly aching back. We also did a yoga class today which was quite humbling. Christ. I was useless. Still, I could do the lying on the floor bit at the end ok.
What else. Yesterday we played tennis. That was good. The last time I played tennis was at Downlands in 1983. I somehow managed to play a set and win 6-1, but to be fair that was entirely due to Sean's slightly erratic serving rather than any skill on my part. Now all that's left is to play K at table-tennis. He - unfathomably - is unable to bring himself to admit that I once beat him. Men are so crap like that.
