KristenRuns

Xterra Black Mountain Trail 16K

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Location:

New York,NY,USA

Member Since:

Nov 19, 2013

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

5K PR = 18:47 (Winter 2014)

10K PR = 39:24 (Fall 2012)

13.1 PR = 1:31:24 (Spring 2014)

Short-Term Running Goals:

1:30 Half Marathon

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Stay injury free.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Swimming Lifetime Miles: 43450.00
Race: Xterra Black Mountain Trail 16K (9.942 Miles) 01:17:07, Place overall: 46, Place in age division: 4
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.0010.000.000.0010.00

I threw this trail race into my schedule at the last minute. Sounded like more fun than a long run!!

My strategy in trail races has generally been to run fast at the beginning to get ahead of slower runners before the trail narrows. Then when I can, I run fast – on flat, comfortable downhill, and non-technical surfaces.  I “recover” on uphills, steep downhills, and technical terrain (rocky, slippery, narrow, or otherwise scary). 

Looking at the elevation profile of the route and talking to runners before the race, I decided to employ the usual strategy, and it would be very important to start out fast because the trail narrowed quickly to single track for quite a long ways. Then I planned to run the early and middle miles as fast as the course permitted. I wasn’t planning on saving much for the late miles because the hills were so steep for so long. It wouldn’t matter how tired I was – those hills would bring the pain either way.

So I lined up near the front and got off to a very fast start. This first mile of the race was the best mile I’ve ever run. I got a good position before the trail narrowed to single track. It was downhill and rocky, but there was no slowing down given the train of runners behind me. I concentrated on foot placement, freaked out about my ankle a little bit (sprained about a year ago, finally healed about 6 months ago), and kept up with the runner in front of me so that no one tried to pass me. It was awesome!
 
In the second mile I realized that I was going to run much slower than I anticipated. Although the general trend of the first half of the course is downhill, there were a ton of steep up and downs not depicted in the race website's elevation profile – and I felt them for the first time in the second mile. Miles 2 and 3 were just under 7:00.
 
Miles 4 and 5 had a lot of rollers, but I kept a good pace. Both were just under 7:30.
 
Mile 6 was 9:44, which is explained by (1) water station (walked and stood to drink - never done that before!); (2) lots of very steep downhills where I had to apply the brakes, and (3) walking up a hill that was too steep to run. As I was hiking up it, my hand were almost hitting the ground it was such a steep slope! Legs were JELLO at the end of this mile. I couldn’t take downhills as fast after this because I lost control and stability on the big downhills in this mile.
 
Mile 7 had a creek crossing, which was a first for me. I stopped, and said, “Oh $h!t,” while the guys running around me just blasted right through . . . It had about 18 inches of water in it! It took me 3 or 4 steps to get across it. My shoes were so heavy after that! Decent mile at 7:30ish.
 
Mile 8 marked the start of the massive hill until the end of the race (9.66 miles by my watch). Mile 8 started at 250 feet, and we climbed to 720 feet by the end. Really really really steep from mile 9 to the end. I walked for a second time. The finish line was perched at the very top of this hill. I have never seen so many people walking in the last paces before the finish line. What a tough finish!

Splits (elevation loss (-) and elevation gain (+) in feet)

1 – 6:36 (-247/+5)

2 – 6:56 (-171/+81)

3 – 6:55 (-115)

4 – 7:27 (-65/+85)

5 – 7:25 (-133/+147)

6 – 9:44 (-136/+194)

7 – 7:29 (-187/+32)                                                                

8 – 8:13 (+65)

9 – 10:02 (+263)

9.66 (16k) – 7:54 (10:30 pace) (+184)

 

TOTALS: 1:17:07 (8:03 pace) (-1059/+1055) – 4th female and 46th of 326 overall.

PureGrit Trail Miles: 10.00
Comments
From Burt on Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 12:12:55 from 184.101.194.1

Wow. Great splits. And you came in 46th? Must've been some good competition.

From KristenRuns on Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 23:58:39 from 198.228.200.154

Yeah, you're right. I am kinda surprised at my overall place. I did get passed a lot in the late miles. Just couldn't get up those hills! But this is a series where runners compete for points to go to championships. So it must bring out the all the good trail runners around here! Overall a good effort for a race I sort of did on a whim!

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