X-terra Magnolia Hills 21k

Sometimes becoming a better runner means getting out of your comfort zone. I would consider myself the "outdoor" type. Those who know me know that I not only know my way around setting up camp but love hitting the hiking trails. However, since moving to Texas and mainly due to the humidity, I have not really done either in nearly 10 years. I miss it. It has come time for me to do what I love. This weekend I combined my wanting to be a better runner with my love of nature and hit the trails for the X-terra Magnolia Hills 21k. I was a bit anxious about it since we are heading into mid-July and that crazy summer heat and humidity is seriously settling in. The forecast for the day. hot with a chance of it getting hotter with an even bigger chance of if you are out there too long you might burst into flames. No, I am dead serious. Starting line temps looked to be 78 with 80% humidity and add to that close to 3 hours worth of running, my finish line temp forecast looks to be near 90 and once you factor in the humidity the "feels like" temp should easily be anywhere from 95-100 and then add that 20 degree spike for a person running temp and yes I could very well burst into flames out on the trails.

I am calling him "The Omen"

I get there so early I am the second runner there. I go to check out the site and it's nothing but up hill from the parking spots. The view from the start area across the lake was really beautiful as the sun rose. I got a good reminder as I came back to my car to gear up that I am a visitor in nature as I nearly stepped on a Copperhead snake that was taking up residency under my driver side door.
The event was so low key that even when the director was yelling thru his megaphone you could not hear him. Us runners gathered down by the lake for the late 8 am start and wait. At 8 am they started the announcements and by 8:10 we started the race. The course is 2 large loops and one smaller loop around a lake.

Magnolia Ranch lake at dawn

The 21k is to follow the blue markers and arrows thru what is a off road bike trail. BIKE TRAIL. Runners should always take notice when a race is run what is primarily a bike trail. The trail in most parts was about a person width wide, bikes will typically run down the center of the trail and after extended use they wear a groove that creates a "V" in the center of the trail. For runner this means the our foot strike on either side of this groove is at a slant, this is very hard on a runners ankles and after repeated miles can make your foot feel like it is going to snap off. As was the case with these trails. The saving grace being that after a few miles the trail opened up for a good distance to allow your ankles to stretch back to normal before having to take another beating. The trail had been listed as being "fast" and on some of the down hill there was nothing to do other than speed down it but of course you had to climb in order to get to that point and where as in the switch backs it wasn't much of an issue on the straight uphill portions in the sand it was a bit more difficult. Luckily all but the last two miles where mostly under the cover of the trees so it was warm but it wasn't blazing until you got towards the finish.

Finishline Balloon

For their part the RD's did a great job of marking the trail. The aid stations were no more than 2 miles apart and well stocked and manned. Well, that is until the middle of my second loop, those manning the stations had left, which would only be an issue if someone had gotten injured, there would be no one there to radio for help. With these trails not being for the inexperienced I feel that is a little irresponsible. In fact they let bikes out on the trail before the back of the pack had a chance to finish and one lady got injured trying to not get run over resulting in a DNF for her. The third thing for the back of the pack that sucked is that at the finish there wasn't anything left. The coolers were empty of everything but gateraid, only food left was stale bagels and orange slices and the raffles had all been done. Just another reminder to always carry a stocked cooler and have your own food at the end of any race.

Bib and tech shirt 

So how did I do? Miserably. I hated everything about the last 3rd of the race. The heat didn't allow me to "race" the course. By the time I finished I had pulled a ligament in my ankle. The course was a lot more technical than I had planned for and a lot more uphill than it been lead on to be. It would have been nice if Race Revolutions had put up an elevation chart for the course. I had in mind a 2:45-3 hour finish and actually finished in 3:35. I guess that isn't really that bad considering the amount of up hill walking I ended up doing and the few minutes I spent answering the age old question "Does a runner shit in the woods?" to which I also learned another use for a "chill tie".

Up next - nothing! No not really, marathon training. So far so good with that. The Cypress Fit winter 2 group kicked off while I was at Magnolia Hills so I will pick up with them for 3 miles next weekend. So far this month I have logged 43 miles. This week training consists of 3 easy run of 20-30 minutes and a long run of 3 miles. Just the kind of break my body needs to recover. Up coming races, nothing until the beginning of August and the Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer 5k and then right before school starts the Kingwood 10k. Both of which I have done before and have loved.