[at-l] Shut-In Trail Race Report

[monadnockdee@juno.com]

Way back in January I decided I wanted to run the Shut-In Ridge Trail Run
which is 17.8 mile trail race in North Carolina. I told this friend of
mine (who lives in Indiana) about the race and have kept him up to date
on my training. The race was last Saturday and on Sunday I sent an email
to my friend (and a few others) with my race report. Well, this
particular friend thinks you all would be interested in reading it too,
and he apparently has been taking NAGGING lessons from my mom, so here it
is to read or delete as you wish. =) 

My apologies to POG and Gutsy...delete now, you have already read 
this =).

Short Version: 17.8 miles, over 3000 ft elevation gain, temps in the
upper 60s to low 70s. Somewhere around 180-185 runners. Dee Boucher
finishes 168th at 5:04. More than a dozen DNF.

Much Longer Version:  This was by far the hardest race I have ever
attempted. In fact, I can say it is the hardest thing I have done in my
38 years of existence, which includes running Mt. Washington 3 times, 1
marathon, giving birth to 2 children, and dealing with my ex-husband for
the last 15 years!!!

The heat was a surprise and a disappointment for November in NC. I was
hoping for a much cooler day. I changed bandannas 3 times, all soaked
with sweat (yuck!). I had been battling a sinus infection all week and
fortunately it let up enough that the pressure headache was gone, but I
still filled 3 more bandannas with nose yuck--(eeewwwww, sorry)!!

I felt good and cruised along pretty well for the first half of the race.
From about mile 8 to 11 you climb steadily then steeply to 4000ft, then
drop down to about 3500ft in less than a mile. At this point my calves
decided to cramp up on me. I was able to stop and stretch them out but
was passed by 3 runners while doing it. Grrrr.   Louis was waiting for me
at all the support stops, so at the next one I stretched the calves out
some more and had a Luna bar with some Gatorade. 2 more runners passed by
me. Grrrr again. 

Most all of this trail in on a ridge and one wrong step to the left or
right, depending on which side of the parkway you are on, will drop you
off the trail and you will end in a heap at the bottom of the gap. The
last half of the race has very tricky footing with lots of rocks, roots,
and PUDs. For about 4 miles the trail is on the top of a stone wall which
lets you practice your rock hopping while running. This time of year all
the rocks and roots are covered with fallen leaves of course, just to
liven things up =). I alternated running/turbo walking as much as I
could. I now no longer trusted my legs to not cramp up. 

I knew that I had to be at a certain point by 4 hours or would possibly
not be allowed to finish. In the 2 miles before that spot, as the 4 hour
mark approached, I wasted much energy worrying that they were not going
to let me continue. They let me pass (phew!) but I had 2 more miles to
the finish--1 1/2 miles of climbing from 4000ft up to over 5000ft and
then 1/2 mile drop back to 5000. 

For some reason I was nauseous in miles 14-16 so did not take any more
Gatorade, Power Gel, or bars which I think was a big mistake. I did take
water so I stayed hydrated, but I had no fuel left for the machine for
the last climb. It took me about 50 minutes to go the last 2 miles and my
leg cramps moved from my calves to somewhere in my right quad. I couldn't
tell what muscle was cramping so I didn't know which way to stretch. All
I knew was it HURT and I wanted to be done-NOW! I managed to get it
worked out and slogged my way to the top.

At the top I got a burst of finisher's energy and started the last run
down to the end. This drop was a "danger down". Too steep to really run,
but the finish line is just a few minutes away so you HAVE to run, but
you have just climbed 1000ft so you are too tired to run!!! Well, my left
foot landed on a stick or rock hiding under the leaves and rolled out
from under me. I crashed big time and landed on granite. I did my best
"Power Ranger" roll-out to avoid breaking any body part, but along the
left side of my body and my upper back I am now sporting lovely shades of
black and blue. I contemplated just curling up in a ball at that point
like a hedgehog and rolling to the finish, but decided against it =). I
picked myself up, brushed off the dirt and leaves, and continued to run
to the finish line. Finished at 5:04 and had absolutely nothing left to
give.   


So, will I do it again next year you ask??? 


Probably. 

Sloetoe, you can go haunt somebody else's mailbox now O.K.?? =)))

Dee
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