My First Trail Run {a.k.a., death by horse trail}

This morning, I ran in the Dirty Spokes 10K trail run at a local state park.

10K... 6.2 miles... not something that was new to me.

6.2 miles on the trails -- very new.

A friend from high school told me about it on Facebook. I thought, "Suuure. I can do this. I'm a runner. I'm an athlete." I had never done a trail race... only road races.

We "talked" on Facebook. Along with two former students who were also running and also a friend from work. We talked about the email we got describing the last mile... steep uphill on the horse trails. Yikes!

You know in the old westerns where you see the horses going up and down steep mountains? That was us today. It was a killer!

(This picture doesn't do the steep hills justice. 
The way down was just as steep and scary, too!)

I learned some lessons today, too.

1. The air is warmer on the trails. I thought it would be cooler since it was in the shade, so I wore pants, SmartWool socks, a tank top, and two long-sleeve shirts. My friends, Kim and Jennifer, were wearing t-shirts and shorts! I felt like Matthew Modine in the movie Vision Quest (remember, that was the one Madonna was in?) Haha!

I wasn't the only one dressed like a wrestler trying to cut weight. I did see a guy wearing a toboggan. Wonder if he made it?

2. Races are about racing yourself (unless you're an Olympic athlete, which I clearly am not) and not others. While on the trails, it's pretty much a single track, which means single file line. As I was passed or saw others ahead of me on the switchbacks, I would get upset because I wasn't nearer to the front of the line. Around mile 3, it became clear that the race is about me vs. my mind. It was about finishing. About moving my body. About getting stronger.

Source: brantaringdale.com via Carissa on Pinterest

3. I've been in my comfort zone too long. As I ran walked barely made it up those hills, I realized that I was being pushed harder than I had been in a LONG time. Maybe since college. My training is better than average, but I realized that I can give more. That means that it's not enough.

Source: motivationintohabit.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

4. Pushing through fear is the only way to beat it. I woke up in the middle of the night and plugged in my iPod. I stayed awake from 3:30 to 5:30 (anyone see the last two episodes Grey's Anatomy? They were good!) Fear was knocking at my door. This morning, I was battling my mind out there. For the first 3 miles or so, everything felt out of rhythm. My breathing was too fast, I felt anxious, my steps heavy. My mind wanted me to quit. Right before mile 4, it fell into place. I was more relaxed and confident, my stride felt good, and my breathing was calm. It was because I had made up my mind to win - to finish the race and not give in to negative thoughts.

Source: Uploaded by user via Larry on Pinterest

5. It's so important to have friends who will see you through the hard stuff. It was great to know that I would be seeing friends out there and who would be there at the finish. I knew four people who ran the 10K, and of those four, 3 of them won medals. I'm keeping pretty good company! :)

Source: iamlala.com via AngelBC^2 on Pinterest

I looked like my grandma as I pushed the buggy around in the grocery store today. {And, I got no DIY projects done today. Booo.} I'll be sore tomorrow, but not sorry!

Thanks, Kim, Jennifer, Mike, Kinsley, Beth, and Tiff!

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