I had been rolling along pretty well with the virtual races. On Monday, I felt strong at the end of Mystery 50k.
Saturday was going to be good weather - one of the last cool days of the year probably - so I decided to run long. Sunday would be Mother's Day so I didn't want to attempt the 100 miler. It would be Brazos Bend 100k.
Brazos is the only race in the virtual series I was not sure I could finish by the cutoff - 16 hours. That's 15 minutes a mile and change. After running sub-7-hour 50ks, I knew if I started with that I could hike 17-minute miles and finish. But there would no wiggle room if I hit a low point.
The Race
Weather was great as I started on the 1.9-mile loops around my neighborhood. I made 10 or 11-minute miles of to mile 16. I slowed to 12-minute miles to 20, then took a short walk break.
I had thought about walking longer but was soon running again, all to way to 50k apart from short breaks at 25 and 27. My 50k time was 6:23, 23 minutes faster than any I had run this season. Great! This put me in excellent position for overall time.
I started hiking at 17-minute miles then hit a major low from 35-40. I sat in the chair in backyard eating, headed out, got woozy and sleepy again, laid down on the side of the road, then headed back to the chair. The second time I drank coffee and ate chicken nuggets and a quesadilla Terri made. Heading out again at 40 after a total of 30 minutes sitting, I finally felt okay again.
At this point, I didn't think I could make it in time. Having also signed up for the Possum's Revenge 69 miler - with a generous cutoff of 23 hours - I could switch over, an advantage of virtual races. But I didn't want to lose the shot at Brazos and I definitely did not want to do 7 more miles tonight.
Then calculating the time I saw there was a shot if I hiked sub-17-minute miles. I started moving and found I could knock these out.
Then towards the end of mile 46 I started to run and found I could. I ran 11-minute miles to 50. That made the difference in the outcome. At first I calculated that 17+ miles would do it, later I realized I was off and had more of a cushion. Had I not run those 4 miles, I would have not made it or been really fighting down to the wire.
When I started hiking a 50, I felt pain in my right shin muscle. Maybe a cramp or I pulled something. It was not severe enough to stop so I kept hiking 15 or 16-minute miles.
By 55, I figured out I had a decent cushion - 20-minute miles would do it - but I kept pushing, partly to not be stressed by coming close to the wire, mainly just wanting to be done. I did 17-minute miles through 59. Mile 60 was 18 minutes as I eased up, knowing it was in the bag. Around 60, night fell. A 17-minute mile and an 18-minute miles and it was done.
I finished in 15:44:59 - fifteen minutes to spare!
Reflections
This was a rewarding race. After the low and the time lost, I had to fight and I made it. It took precision and effort. I got Brazos, the buckle race I wasn't sure I'd get.
I had a strong first 50k, which shows I'm getting fitter. My powerhiking was good.
If I had been going for 100 miles at this pace, at the end I'd be left with 20 hours for 38 miles for Blazing 7s 36-hour cutoff.
The next morning, my shin was sore but not in serious pain. Hopefully I can rest it and recover.
I had been watching The Last Dance, a documentary on Michael Jordan's championship years. It motivated me to watch him execute season after season.
This one was sweet!
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