full mOOn 25k

It may not seem like it but I actually still am running.......just not any great distances right now. I'm ranging in the 23-29 miles per week but the longest I've done lately since the middle of May (the 14th to be precise, approx 12 miles) has just been under 7 miles. So what does one do when their truck has to go into the shop (again) for a prolonged period and a friend asks if you want to do a 25k despite being woefully undertrained for the the distance? Well, after asking what the cost is (free, donation only) and if I can catch a ride (yes), why then there is only one possible answer--of course!!!!!!!!!!!!

Being silly pre-race. Belted up, light on cap and funny bump under shirt was my 2nd light clipped to my jogbra 

The problems with that answer? Besides the undertrained bit, haha.......we're going through a hotter than usual summer and I'm trying to adjust to a birth control pill that is tri-phase and the first 1.5 weeks of the cycle makes me horribly nauseated, to the point where I'm actually throwing up once or twice and guess what phase I'm in right now........yes, I'm contacting the NP to see about going off these.

Our not so motley crew :-)

So back to the full mOOn 25k, a fair number of our running club was there and I got to catch up with other friends whom I haven't gotten to see in far too long.  I do miss racing and getting to hang out but it's just not in my budget right now for the race fees and cost of gas to get to them.  A lot of giggling, catching up, hugging and asking each other how crazy/stupid were we for showing up at an event where the starting temp was well over 90f and we were going to be running in the dark on forest service roads where there are entirely too many snakes and the occasional mountain lion sighting (5 people reported seeing one last night by the way).

The early starters getting the pre-race chat

Although the plan was for our group to stick together I knew in the first mile that I wasn't going to be able to hang on to them. Shoot, I knew it was gonna be something for me to even make it to the 25k turnaround point, lol.  Heat, humidity, nausea, and the nothing but uphill (which lasted over 4 miles) killed me and I bid Andrea, Brenda and Robert adieu just before the 2 mile point along with telling them I hoped they didn't have to wait too long for me at the finish. Thus began the run/walk and constant leapfrogging of other people doing the same for the next 13 miles. Maria, one of our newer running club members caught me and stayed with me for a while but I even had to shoo her on forward.  She was having too good of a race to be waiting around on me, lol. However she did wait around on me at the 7.5 mile turnaround at the water and food stop and a HUGE thanks to her again for filling my water bottle with ice while I was waiting in line.

The great thing about trail races is that nearly everyone talks so in between the long solitary hikes some good convos were had.  Don't ask me about what though because it's all a haze now.  I do remember being told that I was a very fast walker, all I could think was I NEEDED a walker at that point, lol.  Chatted to a couple of 50k entrants that decided to fall back to the 25k distance, found out later that quite a few decided to opt for the shorter distance due to the heat.  I know that I was sorely tempted to have my first ever DNF more than once last night :-/.  Screaming quads, a very cranky right foot, and the freaking never-ending nausea was near to doing me in.  Too stubborn and stupid by far though to give in, just kept moving forward walking, running when my stomach would allow.

Elevation map of the 25k

A finish line was eventually found along with the 2 best ever cups of ice cold gatorade I've ever had in my life followed by a quick dip in Lake Sylvia to wash the salt off--quick of course is very questionable....and now the boring, nitty-gritty stats per my garmin

Distance: 15.02 miles

Moving Time: 3:10:11

Elapsed Time: 3:16:34

Average Pace: 12:52 min/mile

Fastest pace: 7:47 min/mile (where the heck did that come from?)

Total Elevation Gain: 1,609 feet

Other interesting things of note, lots of snakes were seen (by others) and there was a mountain lion sighting by 5 of the runners.  I was still down almost 4 pounds this morning despite having taken in more fluid than I ever have during an event (excepting cycling centuries) and so much water I'm wearing a constant path in the floor to the downstairs bathroom (stairs hurt for some reason today, lol).

Sandwiched by one (of several!!!) of my favorite couples