No Pain, No Gain

In the month of October I ran at least 10 to 15 miles per week. I only ran up to a 5k distance.

Yesterday I ran my first 15k trial hill country race. The race was 1.5 hours away from my cousins' house. We left at 6 am to get there about an hour or so before the race started. After getting my race bib I went to brave to potter potties to find that I could not get to them before 8.

I didn't go to the bathroom and went to wait 15 minutes past 8 to start the race. The first 5k portion of the race my toes were numb. I did not feel them at all and the first mile I clocked in right over 9 minutes.

The temperature started out about 39 degrees and ended at about 44 degrees. No wind and no clouds. Sunny skies made it feel a bit warmer.

Through out the course I kept staying with a pack, which I hate being in. I had to stay with them since it was my pace I wanted and then I let them pull out ahead of me. I wanted to be alone.

During the course we pass horse pastures. A donkey and horses were being chased by this long hair huge goat. We went through a chicken farm and all through this beautiful antique looking community. The colors of the leaves and the leaves all over the trail made it fall feeling and great.

My goal for this race was between 1:30:00 to 2:00:00. The best I could do if I had time to train (I didn't) is 90 minutes and the longest I would take even if I got hurt would be 120 minutes.

I finished the race at 1:53:59 and today I can barely walk. My pace was faster on the 15k trail race than the 13.1 road race.