Ben, Joshua, Elijah and I ran in the Pine Valley 15 mile race this morning! Elijah and I were scheduled to run 20 for our training, and we figured this was a good way to get the miles in with built-in support! So we ran 1.5 miles to warm up, then did the race. There were aid stations every two miles, and were supposed to have pretzels and animal crackers along the route, with a GU station at mile 7.5. I guess I wasn't paying attention, because I didn't notice the food, but when I got to the halfway point, there was no GU! By that time, I had already run 9 miles with no food. The course was honestly the hardest course I have ever run - steep inclines and declines on gravelly dirt road. As we climbed up the huge hill after the halfway point, I started to feel pretty spent. On our way back, I realized that there WAS food at the other aid stations, but I had run 11.5 before I actually got any in me. I think it cost me a few minutes of time because I was feeling so weak and dizzy. Anyway, when I finally got some sugar in my system, I felt a little better and was able to complete the race at a semi-decent pace, but my legs were hammered by the constant hills. Elijah and I did another mile afterwards, and then I decided to call it a day. I figure that 17.5 miles of steep hills and gravel roads are as good a training run as 20 miles of semi-hilly pavement. :D I felt tired, but was able to go straight to my final two performances of "Annie get your gun" and stay up until past midnight to strike the set. Elijah and I ended up taking first in our divisions, and Ben and Joshua took second in theirs. I came in fourth overall - I'll post the official times and placements when the website updates them. I feel pretty good about the race - I know I could have done a little better if I had had food earlier on, but so it goes. First place! I never thought I'd see the day....maybe I AM a fast runner, after all... :D | 