Possum Kingdom Lake, located 100 miles west of Forth Worth, is one of the real gems of the Texas outdoor scene. It's home to some of the best fishing, recreation, and water sports settings you'll find anywhere. Granted, the shine of this magnificent lake is somewhat tarnished these days given the prolonged Texas drought coupled with a devastating wildfire last year that blackened hundreds of acres of trees and surrounding grasslands. Yet given all of this, the lake and the adjacent hills and forests have lost none of their allure. Tree lined roads, miles of nature trails, and the lake itself provide a stunning backdrop for any outdoor adventure. It is in this setting that one will find an annual rite of spring for the Texas trail running community - the Possum Kingdom Trail Races.
The event itself is put on each year by Endurance Buzz Adventures, a North Texas trail running club headed up by David Hannenburg. This was the second EBA event I have participated in and what I will say about David and his team is that his events are very well organized, the trails are clearly marked, aid stations are well-stocked, and you will always be greeted with a smile. The course itself (map here) offers an elongated figure-8 type design that totals approximately 17 miles in length. There are 3 races to choose from - a 20k, 55k, and 52 mile. I ran the 55k, or 2 loops, choosing this distance as it fit very well into my training plan for this weekend. As it turned out this course gave me everything I wanted and then some.
Upon arrival around an hour prior to race start, I took some time to organize my gear, familiarize myself with the start/finish area, set out my cooler and drop bag, and relax as I prepared for the morning out on the trails. I saw a number of familiar faces out there and was happy to be among friends. David gave everyone a quick prerace briefing about the course, how it is marked, and what (if anything) required our close attention. He did a great job of keeping everyone loose and setting the tone for the day. Once the briefing was over it was basically countdown to the race start. I ran through my personal prerace prep - checking water bottles, making sure I had what I needed in my vest, taking a swig or 2 of my pickle juice, and a quick warm up.
The opening stretch of the race presented a gentle climb around one of the many small hills surrounding the start/finish area. Interspersed along the side of the trail were various cactus, mesquite trees, wild grasses, and other thorny shrubs and bushes. I began climbing at a relatively low grade only to have the hill grow steadily steeper as I moved farther along. The terrain on this stretch of the course was primarily sand and soft dirt. Toward the top of the hill the terrain becomes rockier but still not too technical. At the race start with fresh legs this first climb was not that difficult but it certainly had my full attention.
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| Sunrise over the lake at the top of the first hill |
The top of the hill provided one of the first opportunities to look up and really take in the surroundings. This is a beautiful area and for someone who does not get the chance to enjoy the beauty and serenity that being out in nature provides as often as I would like it is a breath of fresh air. As I reached the top of the first hill the sun was making an appearance over the lake and I was grateful to have the chance to witness it. Shortly thereafter the trail began to descend and I was soon charging down the very hill I had climbed just minutes before. A slight turn to the north led away from the start/finish area and onto a long stretch of trail that cut back across the peninsula and into the woods.
Most of this next section of trail (the purple/blue section on the map that parallels Trail Ridge Road) is very rocky; in fact, if one were "planning" to trip and fall, it would be advisable to do so somewhere other than down this stretch. The trail here is littered with rocks of various shapes and sizes - large rocks buried deep in the soil and smaller rocks just waiting to grab a toe should one try to shuffle along. I slowed down as a precautionary measure and took extreme care to remain upright.
I continued to navigate the early sections of the race without much difficulty. I kept my heart rate relatively low and tried to meet a few new people along the way. (Special thanks to Jorge, Paul, and Matt for the fellowship!) As I progressed further along the route I was treated to a variety of landscapes - dirt trails, sand, rocks, roots, climbs, technical descents, long stretches of runnable trail, breathtaking hilltop views - David didn't leave anything out when he put this race together. This course surely gives the runner one of the most varied selections of terrain that Texas trail running has to offer. I had a great time working through the course with all of its various ups and downs.
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| One of the gentler climbs.... |
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| ...and one of the not-so-gentle climbs! |
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| Tough climbs were often rewarded with views like this. |
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| Any race that posts motivational quotes from Star Wars along the route is OK in my book! |
One of the real challenges that the day presented was the sudden appearance of the Texas spring heat. Temperatures had been relatively mild, if not cold, for most of the season so far, so getting hit with temperatures approaching 90 degrees caught me (and I am sure many of the other runners) off guard. When the sun reached its full apex there were stretches of the trail that offered little if any shade. All one could do was press on and make sure that needs were addressed at the aid stations. Having felt the sting of dehydration myself, I was careful to make sure that hydration and electrolytes were my top priority.
I did not feel any pressure to try and catch anyone or post a particular time so I stayed the course and ran my own race. I finished the first loop in 2:37 and set out for loop 2 feeling good. I was able to handle the climb up and around the first major hill without too much trouble and was soon rolling back down again and toward the rocky stretch. I focused on staying relaxed and, of course, hydrating. On this loop I walked more of the longer climbs in an effort to keep my heart rate down and conserve energy in the swelling heat. I began to alternate slow and easy running with the occasional burst or surge. The second loop progressed smoothly and I was enjoying the terrain and the scenery. There were sections of the course that crossed back over itself allowing runners to get some face time with others on the trail. I enjoyed greeting other folks out there as we all moved along at our own respective paces.
Later in loop 2, Matt, a 52 mile runner and my travelling companion off and on for much of the day, suggested that I could get this race in in under 5:30. Given where we were at that moment that time would be difficult but not impossible. I picked up the pace and started doing the math in my head. As I counted down the miles I knew it would be close. I wasn't running all-out but I was certainly moving "with a purpose." The last mile was flat and easily runnable so I gave it what I had. As I rounded the last stretch and headed down the finishing chute I took a quick look at my watch - I had only seconds to run about 100 yards! Sadly my best Usain Bolt impersonation fell short and I missed it by 30 seconds, finishing in 5:30:30. I was greeted by David and his crew at the finish line. It was a fantastic conclusion to a great day on a wonderful trail.
While my day was done, there were still a number of hearty souls who would head back out to brave a third loop. My hats off to everyone who finished their runs (or gave it their best shot), but especially to the 52 mile folks. They are made of tough stuff. The day only grew more difficult as the stifling heat grew more intense. I had the chance to stay around and cheer on friends and offer what encouragement I could. Spending the day at this great event reminded me why I love trail running - while the course was great, make no mistake, it's the people. I was glad to have had the chance to participate and will certainly look forward to making a return trip to PK.
