Oh What a Night! Blackout Night 27km Trail Race

Having returned home from San Diego late Monday night, we had a few days off work to chill out and do some relaxing at home. I had a deep tissue massage with the amazing Mackenzie on Tuesday which helped to alleviate some of the post marathon soreness and I was really happy to have managed a couple of easy runs to aid recovery, which saw me heading up Union Peak at the Sonoran Preserve close to home. It was a hot but beautifully sunny day, and despite the heat and the steep climb, I really enjoyed being back on the trails having been mainly road focused for the past few weeks.

Fun running on Union Peak :-)

By Friday, we had all our camping gear packed ready to head north for a couple of nights camping in Flagstaff. Crazy as it seems, I was racing again on Friday evening, this time the 27km Blackout Trail Race on the forest trails at Fort Tuthill County Park and with volunteering to help out with the Big Pine Trail Races early on Saturday morning, we had decided to stay over on the campground and enjoy the cooler and fresher air that comes with being at over 7,000 feet. I had also planned to hike Humphreys Peak with Wilson on the Saturday – at over 12,500 feet, Mt Humphreys is the highest point in Arizona and I was looking forward to the 9 mile round trip to the summit with my favourite boy.

Unfortunately, although the original plan had been to stay for two nights, we would have to return home Saturday evening – a tent located amongst the pines isn’t a place to take a cat, so we had left Khayman back home where we knew he would be safe and well for the next 24 hours having left him before when we’ve been unable to take him somewhere with us.

We arrived in Flagstaff around 4pm and having put the tent up and made camp, we went to make a cup of tea when we realized we had left home without the camping cooker and the utensils so we spent the next hour or so driving around Flagstaff trying to find a camping cooker. My race was due to start at 7pm and I still had to get myself ready, so after an hour with no success (no way were we going to pay premium prices for a stove and utensils from REI!!) we headed back to camp on the basis that Andy would try again whilst I was racing and hopefully our canned beef stew and canned vegetables would still be good to go for tea when I finished my race later in the evening.

My favourite things - camping amongst the pines :-)

The camping area was pretty much right next to the start and finish area of the race so we had a casual wander off and just enjoyed the atmosphere whilst waiting to start. There were 3 races on the Friday – a 27km which I would be doing, a 13km and finally the 6km. Each of the races would take runners through the pine forests and with a couple of climbs and elevations of 7,000 feet, it was certainly going to be somewhat different from the other Aravaipa night races I have done. I was excited to be doing this race but I was also a little concerned – it was only 5 days since I had ran the marathon and whilst I was feeling ok, I wasn’t sure if I was recovered enough to do myself justice in a 27km trail race. I wasn’t really concerned about who else would be racing – this was about me competing against myself and seeing how I got on – and with 25 entries for the 27k (the other distances had far more entrants), it wasn’t going to be as competitive as some of the other Aravaipa events but I was still determined to put in the effort and attempt to have a decent run.

My awesome support crew :-)

With there being such a small field for the race, I found that I was leading the pack for the first half mile or so with some of the guys reluctant to go ahead. I was surprisingly running a decent pace – my legs felt better than expected but then we had only just started – there was still another 16 miles of running ahead of me, and I was more concerned about any ladies that might actually be close behind. The nature of the course meant that there were sections where we could see who was behind us and I was relieved to see there weren't any ladies in striking distance just yet.

The course consisted of two loops through the pines, all of it perfectly runnable. I was surprised how good my legs felt on the flats and downhills, but on the inclines, I definitely felt the after effects of the marathon in my legs and my pace slowed which allowed some of the men to overtake me. It was still daylight on the first loop and the forest trails looked beautiful as the setting sun filtered through the trees. It was a nice change to see the trails lined with pine needles although there were still some sections that were a little rocky and would need more care when darkness set in within the next hour or so.

The first climb came quickly and although it wasn’t particularly steep, it was quite rocky and I immediately started to feel a little of the post marathon fatigue lingering in my legs. I had no intention of walking but I did slow a little and made steady progress up the hill. A few of the guys had by now passed me, but as the trail flattened out and we meandered through the pine forests with the setting sun enveloping us in its golden light , my pace dramatically improved and I found myself speeding up.

The first loop went by quickly with no mishaps and other than having to walk a small incline after the remote aid station, I was feeling happy and relatively relaxed  as I came in to the start/finish area ready to start on my second and final loop.

By now, it had gone dark and I’d had to switch on my headtorch to see where I was going. The full moon provided some light as it shone through the trees and cast shadows on the trail ahead of me, but it wasn't quite enough for me to see properly.

As I ran back out on to the course and followed the forest road along the edge of the campground, there was a chap just ahead of me. I wasn’t paying much attention to him and was just focused on running my own race and wanting to know how mu h of a lead I had. The second placed lady passed us going in the opposite direction – she hadn’t yet started her second lap so I guessed that she must have been around about 5 minutes or so behind me. Now that it was dark and knowing I would likely slow on the final lap not only due to lack of light but also because my legs were starting to feel it, 5 minutes was a little too close for comfort for me and it made me attempt a little surge of pace to increase my lead.

It was then that the chap just ahead started to eff and blind and I realised that we had missed the turn back up the hill and along the x trail. We turned around and were now running blindly in the dark, frantically looking for course markers. Admittedly the first section of the course didn’t seem that obvious even in the evening light an hour or so ago, but now it seemed nigh on impossible to get ourselves back on track. We ran/jogged/walked back the way we thought we had come, wasting a good couple of minutes trying to locate the markers. We spotted the light of another runner through the trees so proceeded to follow them which thankfully brought us back onto the correct route back up the trail.

I was a little pissed off at this point. I was tired, my legs were tired and hurting, the second placed lady was now likely only 2 minutes behind, and I had to run up a sodding hill that was quite rocky but not exactly steep and my legs were winging and protesting on the climb. The chap who had gone the wrong way with me was also doing my head in – it wasn’t his fault, but I was feeling irritable and annoyed and his constant random shouts and noise were driving me nuts. I really needed to get past him but our pace was too similar and I hadn’t got it in my legs to run any harder up that climb.

Even when the trail flattened out he was still closeby along with another chap and although he would start walking, as soon as I tried to pass he would start running again and I selfishly wanted him to bugger off! I just needed my own space both physically and mentally so reluctantly and grudgingly, I picked up the pace to pass men and without looking back, forced myself to keep it going until I hit the next climb shortly after the aid station where I would allow myself a little walking rest. By then, I was hoping that the gap would be wide enough so as not to be bothered by unwanted company. Geez, I was grumpy!

The next mile or two whizzed by and I kept thinking that somebody was right on my tail but it was actually the full moon peeking through the trees as I ran along. It was a beautiful clear night and the moon looked amazing against a gorgeous midnight blue night sky. Despite the fatigue that was now definitely setting in, I was starting to enjoy myself again.

The climb after the aùid station wasn’t that bad the second time around – sure my legs were tired, but knowing that there was another lady likely not too far behind, it motivated me to put in a bit of effort up the hill. I caught a few of the 13km runners in the last couple of miles which now meant that I didn’t know whether the lights following me were theirs or if they belonged to a lady that was racing the 27km - I told myself it was the latter , just to keep me going.

The last mile and a half of the race was relatively flat and even though it was well marked, I was again having trouble spotting the course markings. The trail signposts were reflecting in the beam of my headlamp and a couple of times I almost took the wrong trail, but then I saw a couple more runners ahead which helped, and I knuckled down and started to gain on them.

I remembered there being just another tiny climb through this section of the course before it headed back to the campground and into the finish, and as I started that climb, I overtook another chap who was running in the 27km. I opened a good couple of hundred yards over him, and seeing the campground lights ahead and hearing the loud speakers at the finish line, I picked up the pace again.

The trail then started to climb and became quite rocky – I didn’t remember this at the end of the last loop – but I carried on regardless. I looked behind me a couple of times but nobody seemed to be following me, and then the next thing I know, I crashed face first down onto the rocks, cutting my right knee and badly bruising both legs and arms. It was one of those falls that really knocks you for six – I felt dizzy from the fall even though I hadn’t actually hit my head, I was covered in dust and dirt, and it felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I sat there on the ground for a minute or so, swearing like a trooper and trying to shake off the feeling of nausea that had swept over me. I finally got up and tried to run up the trail, but my right knee was exceptionally sore and I started to walk. I turned again to see if anybody was following but still there were no lights and I figured that somebody should have caught me by now. It was then that it dawned on me – I had once again taken a wrong turn and started out on the loop again by mistake. I was now not only angry at my clumsiness at taking a tumble, but also about missing the course markings – what the hell is wrong with me?

I made my shaky way back down the trail and almost missed the junction again in my haste to get to the finish line. I hobbled down the last bit of single track trail before hitting the forest road back through the campground and ran / limped my way to the finish which was literally just 600m or so away.

Bloody and in pain, and sulking! :-)

I didn’t feel any elation when I finished – I felt so disappointed that I had fallen and taken a wrong turn not once but twice – and felt certain that the lead I held in the ladies race had been lost because of that late race error. I was feeling peed off and just wanted to get to the medical tent to see what damage had been done. It was only when I was sitting there having my wound washed out and Jubilee announced over the speaker that I was the first placed lady in a new course record that I finally started to smile. Thank gawd for that! It sounds awful but I hadn’t even realized that Andy was at the finish line and had followed me into the medical tent – how awful is that?!

Wounds cleaned and bound and my right knee throbbing with pain, I finally found out that I had indeed won the ladies race in 2 hours 36 minutes, taking something like 9 minutes off the old course record. The chap I had passed just half a mile from the end before making my mistake finished 3 minutes ahead of me so I know that I could have ran faster if it weren’t for the error and the fall. But I’m not going to beat myself up about it – I was happy with another victory and a course record, and I really shouldn’t complain.

Still in pain but feeling happier :-)

It was great sleeping in the tent that night. We had the 3 dogs with us and both Wilson and Tillie climbed under the covers to stay warm whilst Brandy kept guard. Apart from the pain in my knee, I slept like a log and at 6am the following morning, I was helping out with race registration for the Big Pine Races which were held the next day. It was great to see so many familiar faces and it was good to be putting something back into the sport I love by volunteering.

3 little munchkins loving the tent - Tillie is just trying to squeeze through :-)

Of course, the knee injury and inability to walk properly put paid to my planned hike up Humphreys Peak with Wilson. I was disappointed as the weather was beautiful, but I  knew that the hike would not be good for the knee and besides, that peak isn’t going anywhere anytime soon – I shall be back in Flagstaff again soon and fully intend to make it to the summit with my furry boy.

Instead, we took the dogs to the dog park in Flagstaff for some off-leash fun and then after lunch, we had a wander around Buffalo Park. The dogs loved it, we loved it, and we had lots of valuable family time together.

Buffalo Park with the munchkins  :-)

The past week has been amazing what with our visit to the beaches of San Diego and then a weekend in the pines in Flagstaff, and no work all week. OK, my knee is out of action right now – it’s still swollen and I am unable to bend it – but I don’t have any big races now until September, and we have more vacation planned in between which will hopefully involve a visit from Andy’s parents.

For now though, I’m relaxing and letting the knee heal and the body recover from a great start to my racing calendar. Mogollon Monster 100 miles is my next focus and I have plenty of time to get strong and fit for that one. There are a couple of training runs planned up on the Mogollon Rim over the next couple of months and I am sure to take advantage of them and the company so I can familiarize myself with the course. With trips with the family planned and trail running with friends, this summer in Arizona is panning out to be lots of fun.

Happy trails my friends, and happy running :-)

This Girl did Good for a Trail Runner! The Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon

Just a mere 7 weeks ago, I made the decision to run another marathon, this time in San Diego. The decision came just a week after running an 88km trail race and almost 18 months after my last road marathon where I had vowed never to do another one again. My interest in road running had waned since moving overseas back in 2012 and I find it extremely boring and arduous work trying to stay focused and running hard on pavement for much more than an hour these days. And yet I also saw the benefits of running another marathon - it meant I had to work on my speed and leg turnover, work on my speed endurance, something that my body just wasn't used to anymore with being an ultra-runner and trail running convert for so long.

Moving from trail to road and preparing for a marathon in just 7 weeks wasn't easy. I knew the distance wouldn't be a problem, but I had no idea how I would cope with a faster pace. I also wasn't used to pounding out the miles on road these days and my hips, glutes and feet had been having a few moans and groans leading up to the marathon but thankfully they didn't develop into running injuries. Add to that catching laryngitis and a bad cold just 2 weeks before the race and I really had no idea how my old body would fair over 26 miles.

When I entered the race, I put my anticipated time as 3 hours 10 minutes. Being honest with myself, I felt capable of running anything between 3.05 and 3.10 if I had a good day but I really didn't want to go into the race putting pressure on myself. This wasn't about posting a fast time - it was about teaching my body to run faster again which in turn would aid me with the trail races I had planned over the coming months.

The race was on the Sunday, so we travelled to San Diego on the Friday - a 6-hour drive from Phoenix to the coast. Having never travelled across the very south of Arizona, it was interesting to see how barren and flat it was down there compared to the Phoenix area. As we passed close to the Mexican border, there were real sand dunes just like those I have seen in the Sahara Desert, and I desperately wanted to get out there and have a wander but the heat was far too intense and it wouldn’t have been a sensible thing to do.

Real desert with sand dunes :-)

As we got to San Diego, it became hillier and the dried-out landscape started to become greener with lots more colour. Things also cooled off and we had gone from 35+ degrees whilst travelling across the deserts to around 20 degrees as we came into the city. It felt amazing even with the renowned San Diego coastal fog, and we excitedly opened the windows on the truck for the dogs to breath in some of the fresh air rather than being cooked up with the air con blowing.

We were staying at the Blue Heron Cottages in Ocean Beach and I must say that it was a bloody excellent choice. The original Dog Beach was just a 5-minute drive away and there were enough bars and restaurants in the vicinity to keep us entertained if we wanted to venture out. Ocean Beach definitely had that California feel to it, and we loved it! The cottages were amazing and very pet friendly - up to 4 pets could stay there for just $25 per visit which was perfect considering we had Wilson, Brandy, Tillie and Khayman with us. The back yards of the cottages were entirely fenced in with a communal area for all guests to share, and dogs were able to roam free and mingle with each other. They even provided dog toys to keep them entertained and our 3 pups spent ages out there playing and frolicking with each other. 

Perfect for dogs and cats - back yard at Blue Heron Cottages, Ocean Beach
Can highly recommend them :-)

We spent Friday afternoon at the beach with the dogs and they had so much fun splashing around in the sea and jumping in the waves. Even Tillie wouldn't come out of the water and considering it was her first visit to the coast, we were so happy to see her looking confident and having so much fun. I also managed a short 5km run along the coastal path and the beach and it felt amazing to be breathing in the cool, fresh sea air as the waves crashed against the rocks below.

The real original "Dog Beach" - packed with lots of furry friends :-)

A couple of friends from Phoenix were also running the marathon, so on Saturday morning I met with up with Mario and Cary and we all headed to race registration together. It was great to see them and chat about the race and running in general - with 30,000 runners expected to take part, it was unlikely that I would see them the next day so I was glad to be able to spend a little time with them and wish them a successful race.

At the Expo with Cary and Mario :-)

Saturday afternoon saw us spending more time on the beach but with an early start expected Sunday morning for the race, I had to be in bed early to make sure I was rested ready for the race. That night however, there was yet another terrorist attack in the UK and I found myself watching the news until later than expected, feeling extremely sad that this is the world in which we live these days. It made me think about the race - 30,000 people gathered together, raising money for charity and having good times with friends and family - something that these terrorists resent - but I felt extremely reassured to hear about the increased police presence, the K-9 units that would be patrolling the streets for the duration of the race, and the increased security in general.

Back to the beach with Tillie, Wilson and Brandy :-)

I awoke at 4.15am on Sunday morning and after a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea, we were ready to hit the road. The race started at 6.15 but with all the road closures, Andy needed to drop me off for the shuttle to the start before he got stuck downtown. He wasn't coming to the start with me - there was no parking and with having the dogs with us, it really wasn't practical - so after the hugs and good luck wishes, I headed to the start at Balboa Park whilst Andy headed back to the cottage with the animals in tow.

Downtown San Diego just before heading to the start - 5am and smiling :-)

It was a lovely, overcast and cool morning and conditions were ideal for running. I was feeling optimistic and hopeful of a good run, and I still felt capable of running around 3.10 if everything went to plan. I dropped my bag at the baggage trucks and then headed to the start. I was in coral number 2 and I was a little concerned that I would be too far back but it was perfect. I didn't get dragged along too fast at the start, but then I didn't have anybody in front of me that was holding me up and as they released our coral a minute or so after the first, I was soon getting into my stride and heading out on the course.

One of the things I love about the bigger races I have done in both America and Canada is the fact that they play their national anthems prior to the start and every time I've heard "The Star Spangled Banner" or "Oh Canada", I have felt extremely emotional and patriotic to the country I've lived in at the time. I never experienced that in the UK - the London Marathon and the Great North are both televised and are a huge part of the UK running scene, and yet I cannot recall them having ever played the British National Anthem which I find a little sad. Sunday morning in San Diego was no exception and as the national anthem of the USA was sung live, I once again shed a tear of emotion as I watched and listened to the people around me singing along before a rousing cheer at the end. It was amazing!

The San Diego Marathon course is definitely not flat and the first few miles are consist of some rolling hills. I was trying to stick to around 7.15 minute miles but I felt relaxed and comfortable and found that I was knocking out closer to 7 minute miles. I decided to just go with it to see how long I could hold that pace - even if I slowed towards the end, so long as I ran a sub 3.15 I knew that I would be very happy.

I wasn’t really paying too much attention to mile markers or mile splits but was trying to concentrate on finding a rhythm that I could maintain. I was also making sure to enjoy the course and the race itself. The course wasn’t the most scenic and it reminded me somewhat of other city marathons I’ve done in London, Calgary and Edmonton - but the energy out on the course in San Diego was simply amazing. There seemed to be endless cheerleaders out on the course dancing and singing away on what seemed to be every street corner, and there was plenty of live music to keep you entertained if you needed it. There was also a stretch at around about 8 miles where the street was lined on both sides of the road with photos and memories of soldiers that had died in active service, stretching for a good mile or more down the road followed by locals lining the street and waving the American flag for a further mile or so. The “Wear Blue: Run to Remember” team were behind this which I later learned is a national nonprofit running community that honours the service and sacrifice of the American military, bringing together military and civilian communities and creating a living memorial for all those that have fallen in service. I  always feel emotional when I see things like this, and it seemed apt that I happened to be wearing my blue Aravaipa Racing Team shirt as I passed through.

I passed the half way mark in 1.33 and was happy with how things were going - although I knew I would undoubtedly tire as the race progressed, I was still confident that I would run around 3.10 to 3.15 based on how I was feeling. I wasn’t too bothered about where I was in the ladies’ race – I knew I wasn’t going to win or even make the top 3, but a top 10 placing would make me very happy. At one point, I was informed that I was 17^th lady – I was still on track for a 3.10 finish at that point and it highlighted the quality of the field if I was “only” 17^th despite running that kind of pace.

We hit the Mission Bay area and did a lovely little stretch alongside the shoreline and through the park and it was a couple of miles after that where the real climbing started.

By now, my glutes were started to tighten a little which was affecting my lower back - I really need to build strength work back in to my training as it did hinder me a little when I tried to stride out and pick up the pace - something to work on over the next few months.

I passed through 20 miles in 2.25 and was once again surprised but very happy with the split but as the road started to gradually climb, I knew that my pace would likely slow from here onwards. I’d been informed by my good friend Mario the previous day that there was a good climb of over a mile but I hadn’t yet encountered that climb. At 22 miles, the road got slightly steeper but then we turned off and headed down to the freeway which led me to believe that that was the climb that Mario had mentioned. How wrong could I be! The next 2 miles climbed up the freeway – it was steep, it was long, and just when you thought you were at the top, there was a bend in the road and it continued to climb. 

My pace had slowed at this point and I ended up doing a combination of running and walking up the hill along with everybody else. We only had about 4 miles to go to the finish and I tried to stay focused, but I did find myself swearing a little when I saw the road again curved and went up even though it seemed like I’d already been climbing for about 10 minutes!

I knew that the finish was downhill but what I didn’t know was how much of the finish was downhill – was it a mile, was it 2 miles?

Finally, as I summited the hill, I saw the 24-mile marker – thank goodness! This meant that it must be 2 miles downhill to the finish – yay! Except my legs were buggered from the climbing and running a faster pace than I’m used to these days, and with the tight glutes, I couldn’t take advantage of the downhill as much as I would have like. I was hoping to do some sub 7’s heading into the finish to recoup some lost time from the climb but I found myself struggling to pick up the pace despite a decent downhill gradient – gosh, I even walked a few steps before realizing how ridiculous it was to be walking downhill!

My sub 3.10 had already slipped away unless I suddenly started to run 6 minute miles, but there was still a chance that I could go sub 3.15 if I could just get the flaming legs moving a bit more quickly. I overtook a few people and tried to keep pushing, counting down the miles as I went – 1.9 to go, 1.8 to go, 1.7 to go – and then finally there was less than a mile to go. My watch was approaching 3.08 – could I do it?

We merged with the half marathon runners in the final mile, us on one side of the road and them on the other, and the crowds were amazing! I could hear the speakers at the finish line but I still couldn’t see it and then bloody hell – there was another small hill of about 100 metres to contend with -what the …..??!! I pushed up the hill as best as I could before turning left into Waterfront Park and there ahead of me, about 600 metres away, was the finish line. I glanced at my watch again – 2 minutes to do 600m and go sub 3.15 – I pumped my arms, tried to stride out and move my legs but it felt like I was running through sludge. The crowds were urging us all on to the finish, I was pushing as best as I could and finally, finally I crossed the line – my official time 3.15.15.

I am not going to worry about 15 seconds – there are so many places where I could have saved a few seconds - if I hadn’t stopped to go the loo at 3 miles, if I hadn’t have walked through that aid station, if I hadn’t walked around that cone, if this, if that – it really wouldn’t make any difference to my result and I was very happy. I also hit my goal of a top 10 place – I finished 9^th female, 2^nd in my age group and 107^th overall out of a few thousand runners. I’d be pretty selfish if I was disappointed with that result!

Post Race Party Zone in Waterfront Park, San Diego

Andy was unable to see me finish with having the dogs with us but we met up about an hour later and headed to Denny’s to get some greasy food to refuel before heading back to the beach again with the dogs. It was a pretty awesome day and I really felt extremely content when heading to bed that night.

More dog park and doggy beach fun :-)

It's now Monday afternoon and I’m typing this as we are heading home having had another amazing day. We spent another hour at the dog beach in Mission Bay this morning before heading to La Jolla to see the wild seals on the coast and have a little walk along the cliffs. We stopped off in Palm Springs and spent a little time there at yet another dog park to make sure the pups were fed and watered, and as I type, we have just crossed the state line and are back in Arizona after a wonderful weekend in California. Looking back, I can say for certain that I would consider the San Diego Marathon again despite being more of a trail runner at heart these days.

Coastal Walk in La Jolla

Wilson and Tillie chilling out in a hot and sunny Palm Springs

Wild seals in La Jolla

As ever, I have my husband Andy to thank for agreeing to going on another mini road trip with the dogs and cat in tow, and for putting up with me harping on about running and racing and pacing and heart rate etc etc etc for goodness knows how many years now! He may not have been able to make it to the start and finish line with me this time, but he still made me feel relaxed, he still had belief in me, and I felt much better knowing that the furries would be taken care of whilst I raced.

I also have to say a huge thank you to Adam Livingston who has been coaching me since last October. I am feeling the fittest I have done for a while right now and it’s thanks to the program that Adam has put together for me in recent weeks. When I think of the races that I have already done this year, I feel like my training has been spot on in helping me to recover but also in preparing me for the next. I had niggles that thankfully went away because my training plan didn’t have me overdoing things, and my pace increased enough for me to run a 3.15 marathon which I didn’t think I was capable of anymore – who knows, if I trained properly for 6 months instead of just the 6 weeks, and if I cut out the trail running, I may have even got close to 3 hours! Vegas in November anybody....?

But my passion isn’t on the roads, it is on the trails although that doesn’t mean I’m reluctant to venture back to my running roots occasionally - training for something different has helped to refresh my mind and body and I am glad I did the marathon - but I am looking forward to getting back on the trails over the coming weeks, starting with the Blackout Trail Race this Friday night in Flagstaff. Yep, I’m racing again on Friday and I’m once again feeling just a teeny weeny bit excited 😊

Been there, done it, got the t-shirt :-)