First Race of 2012: Mountain Junkies Frozen Toe 10k

In an attempt to adequately measure and adjust my training I plan to, as soon as time allows, write a post race or event recap. I think it's best to write down all the events and emotions as quickly as possible before the mind begins to transform them into something else.

When compiling my 2012 race calendar Mountain Junkies RNUTs (Roanoke Non Ultra Trail series) was top of the list. Last year I was most looking forward to this series, and had already run the first race of the series, when I got pregnant. I did end up running the series in its entirety but I didn't do as well as I had originally hoped, obviously running slower and more cautiously with a baby on board. This year I plan on using the series to help me return to my pre-pregnancy level of fitness and to help me build a solid base on which to eventually train for longer endurance races and series such as the LUS which I hope to tackle all or part of in 2013.

So early December I registered for what I considered my first real race since having baby Brodie in November. As soon as I hit confirm I felt the nervousness start to set in. It's amazing how tormenting a race on the calendar can be for me, it surprising that I race at all. However, it's also amazing how motivating a race on the calendar can be for me, so I continue to do it. I didn't change my training any but I did practically beg my husband to let me come back out with him and 'the boys' to run Wild Wednesday trail runs on Candler's Mountain. I stopped running trails at 34 weeks pregnant and knew I needed to get back out there to find my trail legs before I ran a race on trails. He hesitatingly agreed for me to come one cold and rainy Wednesday in December. I hoped they would take it a little easy due to the temps and rain, I knew I would have to run at or near race pace to keep up. It was a great run. I loved the rain and being back out there with the guys running on my favorite training grounds. I haven't had to run quite race pace to keep up every Wednesday since but it has been great quality training to go out there each week and run with strong trail runners. Seeing as these are headlamp runs due to Winter's short days I always pick my legs up a little easier as I fear being left out there in the dark. So for four weeks I got in Wild Wednesday trail runs of about six miles each week. Definitely not as much time on the trails as I would have hoped but enough to make me feel a little more equipped for the distance and terrain of my first race of the season.

I ran an easy hill workout the day before the race. I say hill workout because our neighborhood is a four mile run of constant ups and downs. I ran it as easy as I could, knowing a run the day before wouldn't hurt me unless I hurt myself. Friday evening I made a list of all the things I thought I would need and checked the weather for the following morning. I laid out my clothes like an excited pupil before their inaugural day of school and forced myself to hit the sack at 10 p.m. promptly.

Brodie did have me up at 2 and 5 a.m. but I felt like I got decent sleep when I woke up the next morning. We were a little late getting out of the house with the four kids in tow and we did stop for coffee and donuts on the way but we still made it to New Hope Christian Church with about a half hour before the start time. I quickly checked in and pinned my race number on my shirt and hit the trail for a slow but steady warm-up mile before the race briefing.

I usually have a set of goals for any given event. There is the goal I set out for myself that I make public, this is the more attainable goal that I am confident I can reach if I do well. Then I usually have a second goal that is usually kept private that I believe if I give it my all I may be able to reach. Last year I was in pretty decent shape when I ran the Frozen Toe 10k. I started out fast but feeling good when I completely fell apart shortly after the halfway point. I mean I quit, started walking, gave up. It was not a high point for me and I regret how quickly I shut down. Fortunately after a few minutes walk break I picked up my weary legs and finished in 53:03. This year my goals were simple, to not shut down at all. I vowed to take walk breaks if need be, or slow my pace down, but to not give in to negativity or quit. Tell yourself you can do this and do it, was my mantra. My goal was to run it in an overall average pace of between 8:45-9:45. I wanted to definitely do it in less than an hour. My more private goal was to hit 54 minutes.

I was reminded during the race briefing that I needed to go out fast while all of the racers would be on open road so as not to get stuck behind people running slower than my anticipated pace when the crowd bottle-necked onto single track trail. I hate going out fast, it's just not me, I need to warm-up even if I've already warmed-up, but I just followed the crowd. The first couple of miles I felt good. I didn't really remember this part of the course from last year, probably because last year it was covered in snow with snow still falling. This year there was no snow in sight. I was keeping my pace just under 9 at this point and thought I would just pick it up the further I went as I warmed up even more. I was happy when I reached the aid station almost halfway in and I was still under a 9 minute pace. I stopped, gulped some Gatorade at the aid station and was back on trail before I lost any positioning. This I remembered was where I fell apart last year. I'm happy to say that this year this section of trail didn't overwhelm me as it did last year. I am not necessarily any tougher this year, in fact, I'd probably say the opposite but I was prepared enough having run the loop last year to know that a quick hike or a slower pace might just be unavoidable at my current level of fitness. I was able to run all but one steep switchback where I followed the majority and hiked. At this point my pace had dropped to over 9 minutes which the day before had been just fine in my head but in race mode I was becoming disappointed. I gave it everything I had but still had to hike once or twice for a count of 30 but was able to bring my overall pace back down. The last mile was the toughest and I was thankful to have my ipod with me, I skipped over a few songs to find an upbeat one to help bring me in to the finish. Then it wasn't long until I heard the cheering and sounds of the approaching finish. I pushed even harder with the finish clock in sight and finished in 54:26.

Overall, I loved the course, it was a beautiful rolling trail which is my favorite and in better shape I think I could easily run the course in its entirety. I am content with my finishing time but not as pleased as I thought I would be, perhaps because there were several times on the course when I wanted to speed up and my body just couldn't keep up with the demand. It's only the first race in the series and I knew going into the series that I would be using this series of races to return to and then hopefully surpass where I was comfortably a year ago. I just have to keep reminding myself this fact. I know, as others have pointed out, that I had a baby two months ago. I guess I'm just not sure what to expect from myself, which is why racing is so vital to me. I need it to analyze where I'm at, how far I've come and where I might be headed.

As always, the event as a whole was terrific. A thorough race briefing had me fully prepared and remembering things from last year that I'd forgotten. There was also wonderful post-race food, especially the coveted pumpkin bread and fellowship with other Mountain Junkies. The whole family came along to support me and I loved hearing their cheering voices as I crossed the finish line and later watching them 'race' back and forth in the grass while we waited for race results.

Next up, the Arctic 5k a brand new trail race debuting at the end of the month on the trails of Candler's Mountain.

alexis