Running In Circles - Fossil Valley 6 Hour Race Report

Cedar Ridge Preserve (or CRP, as it is known locally) is one of the many Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex's urban recreation parks that has found a way into the hearts of area hikers, mountain bikers, and trail enthusiasts. Located in a hilly suburb just south of downtown Dallas, CRP played host to a 3, 6, and 9 hour timed event on a trail loop last weekend that ran from late Saturday night and into the early Sunday morning hours. Having been a little short on trail time in my current training cycle - plus needing to purge myself of the bitter aftertaste of another painful DNF at Pedernales Falls 60k a few weeks ago - I threw my name in the hat for the 6 hour event a few days before the race with the intention of getting a decent training run in. 

The Course

The course itself consisted of a 2.7 mile loop that surprised me in its moderate difficulty and technicality. Most timed events I was familiar with were on relatively flat, even, wide surfaces that offered little elevation change outside of perhaps stepping over a curb or the occasional root. They were the antithesis of technical. Not so here. The first half mile of the loop was flat and easy, but not long after, the trail would narrow and begin a series of rocky descents that required my complete attention. There was no loose debris, but the rocks and roots that protruded from the ground could easily catch the wary runner and lead to a painful crash if care was not taken. After 2 or 3 of these short descents, we crossed a small wooden bridge that would signal the start of the first of 2 moderate climbs in each loop. The first hill wasn't particularly long, but it was steep, and seemed to get steeper as the night wore on. After cresting this hill, the course would roll along through the woods and around a pond along a dusty trail that was not particularly technical or difficult until we reached a second climb - a set of switchbacks and stairs that would lead us out of this small valley. This was a more difficult climb than the first, and again, though not particularly long, it would seem to increase in difficulty with each passing loop. 

Step it up!

After this last climb, the course would flatten out and lead to a wide fire road that brought us back to the start/finish area and the course's only aid station. In the end, each loop offered around 320' in elevation gain - which may not seem like much, but it added up.

My Race (Short Version)

Given that it's July in North Texas, heat and humidity would be factors that would be in play all night. It wasn't exactly stifling but I was completely drenched by the end of my first loop. I felt surprisingly good given the 10 pm starting time (my typical bedtime!) and cruised  though the aid station area on my first couple loops without stopping. But as the night progressed, I grew to appreciate the hospitality of this little outpost and its tireless volunteers. Given the warm conditions, I was careful to make sure I was ingesting enough salt and electrolytes to carry me through the night. I was moving well, and despite the occasional bottleneck in the trail, felt like I was making good time on each loop. I was plugged in to my music (more on that later) and was very relaxed. 

At the starting line!

Leaving the aid station, heading on to the trail...

I had several friends running this event as well but we were separated not long after the start of the race. My family hung out at the start/finish area for the first half of my race which was a definite mental boost for me. After they left, I had many other friends who picked me up and kept me going through the night.

My goal was to finish 10 loops/27 miles.  But as the race went on, it became apparent that I would finish my 10 loops well ahead of the 6 hour cutoff. It was difficult to tell where I stood in the overall standings but I had a feeling I was in a pretty good place and might consider adding a loop just to improve my position a little. Rolling into the start/finish area after 10 loops in around 5 hours ans 22 minutes (it was 3:22 am)  and still feeling good, I decided I would give it one more loop and see how that went. I hurried through the aid station, refilling my water bottle and grabbing a snack. I ran quickly but comfortably, considering that I might actually have 2 loops left in me if I could get back before the cutoff at 4 am. I knocked out #11 in under 30 minutes and left myself room to head out again and try to improve my position in the race.

As it turned out, another loop didn't help me gain any ground on the winner or lose any ground to the field. I did enjoy it though, and after it was all sorted out, I finished the 6 hour event with 12 loops (32.28 miles) in around 6 hours and 29 minutes and in 2nd place overall. I was very pleased with the end result considering I never pushed too hard; in fact, keeping a relaxed mind and body may have actually helped me perform better in the warm, humid environment.

Afterwards I enjoyed the company of some excellent people as we watched the sun rise, feasted on some hot breakfast foods, and consumed a few cold beverages.           

A Few Takeaways

#1. As I just mentioned, I think remaining relaxed throughout the race definitely helped me perform better. I was never certain where I stood in the field as I was passing and being passed by people in the various events taking place on the trail for most of the night. I had also lost touch with my friends whom I had assumed would be near the front, so I had no idea what was going on. I was literally just running my own race. If I can keep this in mind in the future I might not only find more enjoyment from the event, I may even find myself a little higher in the standings. ("Run your own race." I should put that on a t-shirt or something.)

#2. I like to listen to music when I run. I know that's a hot topic amongst runners, particularly trail runners, who generally prefer to run without being plugged in. But it works for me. I find that in measured doses it relaxes my mind and body and pushes me to perform. (Or at least I believe it does. It may be a placebo. But either way.) I jammed during this trail run and I feel like it helped me run harder. So if I am running alone, I'll probably be rocking out. 

#3. I am a very weak climber. Very weak. This is something I need to work on. I struggle mightily on anything remotely vertical. This will be a problem in October. On anything flat or downhill, I can kill it. But climbs? Not so much.

#4. Lastly, I rarely (if ever) drink sodas anymore, but coca-cola is a godsend in the middle of the night. Between the simple sugar and the caffeine it was the nectar of the gods. I would love to sit here and say I am a purist, and that I made it all night on Tailwind and fruit - but the fact is that when I had a stomach issue or was feeling sleepy, Coke helped. It was great. 


So, on to the next one! I have a busy month of training set up for August, including several days of running and hiking in the Wasatch mountains. (FUN!) I may throw in another race between now and Grindstone but the priority now will be on working to improve my climbing ability and alternating increasing mileage in the Texas summer heat with recovery.