Pick Your Poison - 50km Trail Race- Horse Shoe Valley

 Did the Outrace season opener Pick Your Poison yesterday.  This was my 7th and slowest PYP and hour slower then my 2017 and 2016 result and a few minutes slower then my 2013 results.  I really don't like running in the cold ,  ideally shorts and a tech t from 8C up.   The forecast was for winds,  rain, temps a degree or two above freezing dropping through the day and overcast with a good chance of snow!   I decided to go out in tights with 2 long sleeve Tech Ts ,  a few Ks in I had sweat beading off the forehead so I went down to a single layer up top.     The wind was pretty light when we started and it was either not present or at our backs during the tough climbs and in out face on the easy downhills.   I continued to have sweat beading on the tough parts then I would cool down on the easier bits.   The course is a 12.5 K loop   about 6K of  pretty easy 6:00 stuff.  First long but not monstrous climb is at the 4k-5K mark passing by the first aid station.   Next steep incline is leading to the 2nd aid station at around the 9K mark.   In the last 3K there are two giant climbs the last one being the toughest!   

  I went out at my usual PYP pace more or less following previous years race plans.  I knew it was going to be a rough day after getting through the first loop 5+ minutes slower then the last couple of years.    Finishing the first loop I felt more like I had completed 2 loops .... I knew it was going to be a long day.   Second loop was OK ,  a little slower then the first but that is normal for me on this course.  The snowy bits were pretty slick running on corn snow ,  more like running on ball bearings and there was no way of avoiding it.  Every time you pushed off there was a little slip... .not the most efficient running.    The single track was mainly clear of ice and snow and is some of the best in the series.  Manged to run up the smaller undulations the first few laps but did more waking up on the 4th.   The third lap was getting rather tough and was much slower then the second.   I was just happy to get to the fourth and final lap knowing that every meter I covered I wouldn't have to do it again ... .the mind games were hard at work.   It was a really funny nutrition  day .... only did 3 Gels ,  and some other gummy thing maybe taking in a few hundred calories.   Water was good about 700ml an hour and I maintained the hydration.  Took in Zero electrolytes other then was was in the gels.   Often when I get into the later stages of a 50Ker my heart rate settles in the 140's.  PYP HR dropped to the mid 130s during the 4th lap ... yeah I was going allot slower!  During the big climbs early on the HR spike towards 150's but in the last 2 laps I gingerly walked  my was up the big ones looking at the HR in the 110's...the FitBit had to be wrong!!!!  Heading out on the 4th lap the temp had dropped and the wind had picked up.   I was feeling a bit chilled but  the first few Ks are a constant run so I knew I would heat up and I did.   On the walk to the first AS is got the classic " Brain Freeze" so I whipped out a Buff and made an oval that covered my ears and forehead!   I suspect that the last loop was took close to 2 hours maybe a little more.   I haven't looked at the splits writing this and I will when I look at the official results. 

  I was super glad to be finished and super hungry!    Headed straight for the grub and they were putting it away ... my response was " Are you fucking kidding me"!   I was famished and usually not quite so rude but I was in need of food FAST!    Found someone else on the kitchen that took pity on me and gave me a bean and macaroni salad it was heavenly!

 So it was a tough day at the office but any day I can run 50K is a good day and the tough ones build character making the other races  allot easier to face.  I was unhappy with how I was dressed and it was tough to take being passed by so many more folks  then I passed in the second half of the race.

Clcik on this link to "Relive" the run

Up next Seaton 50Ker in 2 weeks. 

Fitbit data ....

Garmin data ....