DWD- Green Swamp 50 Mi Race Report

After only meeting Bernie once at Hallucination last Sept. and then another time in Indy, I somehow let him convince me to hop in a van with him, his wife, and this other couple (all of whom I've never met) and drag me 14+ hours away to FL in a three day period to run the last DWD race that I haven't scoped out yet: the DWD- Green Swamp race. Thank the Lord I am back home alive and they did not abduct me or make me too crazy. I know I am naive sometimes....that's all I'll say.

So anyway, we left Thursday afternoon and made it to FL Friday morning. We stopped at a Yuengling (huh?) brewery, walked around, ate some blizzards, then went to bed early.







The race started early Saturday morning in the dark and I've learned my lesson that I will always carry a good headlamp with me during runs. Mine was low on battery and very dim but I tried to manage. Nope, I had to pee around mile 3 and when I started back at it, everyone had left and I could barely get around...I was tripping and worrying about getting lost this early on. I somehow carefully made it back to the start/finish aid station at mile 5 and caught up with a faster group who had gotten turned around. I didn't know where Bernie was at that point.

To my surprise, the course was flat the entire way and a lot of it was on either a soft sandy path or on some kind of horse trail path. So, the footing was kinda hard because your feet were sinking in every other step and were getting twisted around in different foot prints all the time. I immediately felt blisters forming on the sides of my arch and stuff. Anyway, prior to the race I hadn't really been running. It was too bad because I could have really gotten a good, fast run out there.

So, I met back up with Bernie at mile 15 and then shortly afterwards I could tell my legs were pretty tired. I took my first salt and meds and I got my 2nd wind. At mile 25 you hit the start/finish aid station again, repeat the same last 20 miles, then repeat the first five. I didn't know how I'd repeat those miles but thankfully we met up with Bryan, whom I briefly met at last year's DWD- Devil's Lake race in WI. Bryan told us about the little 8:2 exercise where you continuously run 8 minutes, walk 2, and repeat. You save energy, run better when you're running, and there ya go. It worked beautifully. We finished the last 25 miles doing that and it was amazing how we kept up our pace. Ole Germany girl was running the whole time while we did our 8:2 and we kept passing her; amazing.


Here's a short video from the race:



That's about it. I enjoyed being out in the sun and getting miles in in Feb. but don't know if I'd do that particular race again...course was kind of boring; similiar to Hallucination. The good thing was us three finished together in 10th, 11th, and 12th place out of apx. 50 runners and I got 2nd woman. I'll get that Krystal another time! :)

Ahhh---Mohican Again!!

Well crap- I just went out on a limb and registered for the 100 mile Mohican again. Scary! I guess that means I won't be attempting Kettle Moraine's 100 miler this year on June 4th. Oh well, I wasn't a huge fan of that course anyway.

So I know I had tons of blister problems during Mohican '09 but I think I can come into this race prepared now and finish it out! I will change my shoes and socks OFTEN (I think I only changed them once in '09), even though it'll make my time even slower, and I already know the course and made it up to 80 miles, and I already have a 100 under my belt...

The difference this year will be that I won't be going with a pacer and that means I might be in the scary dark by myself, which would suck because I'd be thinking of ghosts the whole time and also I would be more likely to get lost. Oh well, I guess. I hope the determination to finish this one is enough to keep me going.

It's scary signing up for a race four months in advance but at least they offer 1/2 refunds up thru May. Here we come, MI!

Spain and Running Slacking

I made it back from my short trip in Spain last Thursday and had a pretty good time. I didn't make it out for any runs but I kept to my bet and did random exercises in the hotel room. Hope no one saw me. Here are some pics from my trip:

La Plaza Mayor:



Flamenco dancing:



Random bar:



Yummy paella:

So anyway, once again I'm writing to say that I didn't meet my 2011 goals in January. I keep forgetting that I made those, dangit. I'm still hopeful.

And nope, due to the traveling, ice storm, and overall laziness I haven't run in a couple of weeks and I have DWD-Green Swamp 50 miles coming up in a week. Ouch. At least I think it'll be a fun race so that will make up for lack of endurance.