2025 Trailway 50k

The Background

After finishing the Night Moves Marathon the previous weekend, I ran one 5-mile run the Thursday before the Trailway 50k.  The past two years, Trailway was the last training race before Arkansas Traveller 100.  

I wrote on my Goggins Accountability Mirror post-it note: "Run half of the Trailway 50k, then run some sections."

The Race

It was cool at the start, but I knew it would get hot later.

I ran 11-minute pace for the first 4 miles.  I felt good, so I naturally sped up to 10-minute miles.  There were a few very slight hills, but my legs felt strong on them. All the stairs I had been doing may have paid off. That is good to remember, because sometimes I only do stairs in preparation for steep courses like Bandera.  

By mile 10, I dopped back to 11-minute pace, but I still felt good.  I finished the first loop at 15ish miles, meeting my goal of running half of the race.  

Since I felt strong, I made a goal of running to 20 miles.  Too many times, I had gone into a 100-miler without a 20-mile training run where I ran the whole thing.  At this point, I had run every step, apart from a second where I ate a cookie. On mile 19, I did start to falter (probably Goggin's mental governor telling me I was near my goal) and I hiked up a couple of the climbs.  But then I ran it to 20 miles.

I hiked miles 21 through 23 at 15-minute pace, with an aid station bumping mile 22 up to a 17 -minute mile.  It took me a bit to recover from the 20-mile run, I probably could have hiked the trails at 14-minute pace were I fresh.  

As I headed toward the final turnaround, I looked to see if there was anyone I could try to chase down ahead of me, but I did not see anyone.  One lady ran past me, and I knew by her pace I could not catch her.

At the final turnaround.

But then on the way back, two runners caught up with me.  One guy wearing a green shirt said, "Good work!" and was about to pass me.  Many times, I would have just let them go by.  But I started running and put some distance between us.  Switching back to hiking, I pushed the pace.  Miles 26 and 27 were at 14-minute pace. At some point, they were going to catch me again and I ran again.  From, that point, I hiked as fast as I could, looking over my shoulder from time to time.  But I never saw them behind me.

I did falter a bit because I saw I could get in under 6:30, but did not have it in me to run the last mile.  I ran a few steps as I approached the finish line.

I finished in 6:31, 11th out of 29 finishers (top 37%) and 32 starters (top 34%).  The two guys behind me finished in 6:35, then another couple of folks finished in 6:39.  So if I hadn't pushed it, I would have been in the bottom half of the field.

Reflections

I am proud that I fought not to get passed.  I have improved my performance from 7:38 in 2023 and 6:47 in 2024

This was my 2nd fastest 50k, behind 2013 Texas Trails Endurance Run at 5:04.

Thanks to God, Terri, James, Paloma, all my family, friends, Chris, Tejas Trails, and the volunteers for the support!