I'll give a quick summary of 2 of those events.
Cowtown 50k
My first race of the year was a return to the roads around Fort Worth for the Cowtown 50k. This marked the 40th year of this fantastic event and in all areas it exceeded my expectations. The organization was first-rate, the crowds were plentiful and supportive and the weather was ideal.
The plan for this race was to try to maintain relatively even splits and finish in around 4 hours, which (for the most part) I was able to do. The race follows the same course as the Cowtown Marathon, traversing many of the picturesque neighborhoods and major landmarks of the city. It's a great course - though much hillier than I expected - and I was pleased to remain steady for most of it. I felt that, this being a road race, I needed to try to run the whole thing; a strategy that has a number of pitfalls for someone with my mediocre skill level. 31 miles is a long way to run.
The "ultra" marathon course (in my opinion, the organizers are a little over the top in hammering home the "ultra" moniker for a 50k road race) diverts from the marathon course at around mile 25, and a 5-mile out and back stretch along the Trinity River follows. 5 miles may not seem like much, but after what preceded it, this stretch of trail seemed to go on forever. There was an oasis at the turnaround (~mile 28) that was set up as an actual trail ultra aid station - which was very cool and a welcome break from my mental fatigue. Temperatures were rising and my pace slowed considerably at the finish but I managed to grind out a 4:20 finish.
Grasslands 50
A couple weeks after Cowtown, I ventured north of the Metroplex to Decatur for my 3rd shot at the Grasslands 50. Once again, we were blessed with fantastic weather, excellent race support and organization, and good trail conditions.
Like Cowtown, my intent was to remain relatively consistent and steady. My goal was to finish in around 9 hours. With another race coming up the following week, I needed to leave a little in the tank and not completely blow myself up. I succeeded in the first count, but not so much in the second.
The morning got off to a fantastic start. I was thrilled to have my family up at this race volunteering in various capacities, and seeing them at the start line and at various points throughout the day kept my spirits high. The cool morning air was brisk and refreshing. It was a joy to run in the dark of the early morning hours and to see the natural world come alive. I spent most of the morning running alone, paying close attention to the course markers and just staying relaxed. I was making great time; in fact, when I made it to mile 25 in 4 hours, I was concerned that I was pushing too hard.
I intentionally slowed my pace over the back half of the race, taking several walk breaks and enjoying some conversation at the aid stations. This probably went against the whole ethos of a "race", but I had plenty of time banked and did not intend to push any harder. When it was all said and done, I jogged in to the finish area in 8:57, right where I had hoped to be at the start.
Unfortunately I was pretty wiped out at the finish, and it took a few days to feel somewhat recovered. I was pleased that nothing was injured or broken, and now had a week to rest and get ready for the next one.
The 3rd race deserves a post all its own.....
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