The Background
I was having a good summer. After being hired by UHD as an assistant professor, I was in a good state of mind. I watched a lot of classic basketball, including every NBA year-end video from 1980 to 1999.
Training began, as I started waking up with the sun and running nearly every morning. These were longer runs than years past, 6 to 8 miles on a regular day. After discovering the Cypresswood Trails near my house, I did three days of 14, 14, and 16-mile run/hikes. I did not complete a 20-mile training run though. After dieting, I hit my racing weight of 160.
The Race
I left about 1pm and drove to Muleshoe, arriving with plenty of time.
I ran most of the first loop, before running out of steam, paying the price for skipping the 20-mile training run. A bit scared of crashing, I moved conservatively, throwing in short runs after that but mostly hiking.
Calculating my hiking pace of 19 to 20-minute miles, I was looking at either side of 11 hours. I had to push it to move even that fast hiking. The trails are challenging, but I sure have slowed down!
Then I felt a sharp pain in the arch of my right foot. At first I thought there was something in my shoe (I was wearing very old Hokas with holes in them to save money). It wasn't constant, just when I stepped on rock in just the right way, maybe feeling it a few times during the course of the race.
I did try to keep running at times, but with my torn Hokas, I got a lot of rocks in my shoes and had to stop to clean them out, which may have negated the time effects from running.
On the final loop, I thought I could get in under 11 hours. But then the foot pain hit me again, and I figured it was not worth risking an injury to run a couple miles. I finished in 11:03.
Like last year, it was a good thing I pushed it a bit, because I finished an hour from the cutoff.
Reflections
My foot was only slightly sore on Monday, which is a positive sign. I need to go easy for a bit.
The first race of the season always lets me know where I am. I did have more fitness thanks more running, but at my age, if I want to have a sub-10 hour Muleshoe I will need to do a 20-mile training run. The Cypresswood Trails are bike trails with a bit of up and down, so next year I may do a 20 miler there.
I also need to work on my hiking. After the Trailway Marathon, my focus will be Cactus Rose 100, which will be mostly hiking. In my training runs, when I started hiking, I did not push it hard. The hiking pace will be more important than the running at Cactus.
There was a sign at Muleshoe: "Someday you will not be able to do this, but that is not today." I've slowed down...it's a reality. But I can still finish Muleshoe, and that is a good thing. As long as I can hike I can finish this race, so I could do it for many years to come.
I've finished Muleshoe 60k 6 times...most finishes for any race.
Well, the season has started, so what are some goals?
- Finish a 100 miler at Cactus Rose
- 500-mile fleece at Cactus Rose
- 500-mile fleece at Bandera
- Tejas 300 with either a 100k or 100 miler at Rocky Raccoon
- Beat my marathon time last year of 4:47
