Last year I ran the marathon. This year I opted for the 40 miler. I had my heart set on the 100k, but knowing that I was running the Oklahoma City Marathon tomorrow, logistically I just couldn't pull both off (5 hour drive and a 6:30 a.m. Sunday start in OKC). So I wanted to make the best of the 40 miler.
I love this course. For a trail course, this is very flat (not too flat, just right). But what the course doesn't offer in elevation change, it does offer in mud. Yes, mud. For the past two years, we have been blessed with heavy rain in the few days before the event. Which means mud. Mud is fun. (Picture is of my legs after scraping as much mud as I could off).
The 40 miler was two 20+ mile laps. The first lap went very well. The first 3 miles or so have some gradual up-and-downs, and are a lot of fun. We then cross over to what seems to be another set of trails, which are fairly flat, but do have a good amount of mud. These couple get a little boring (especially some rocky miles on the shoreline). After the first aid station at mile 5, we had a few more miles of fairly flat and smooth trails, with good mud. A couple more miles with some very winding climbing. The the 10 mile aid station. At this point, you start heading back. Some heavier climbing for 5 miles, and it seems like you never reach the next manned aid station (which is at mile 16 or so). Once you hit that mark, the last 4 miles fly. They seem quite flat (except for a couple of winding hills closer to the end). Lap one in 3:21.
I took a longer break (6 minutes or so), then headed back out for lap 2.
The second lap went even better. While I did slow down a bit (a little due to fatigue, hunger and heat, but more out of caution), I felt very good. A few times I forgot exactly where I was on the course (which is the upside and the downside of a good trail race) and though an aid station was coming up long before it did. But the time still flew. Once I hit the 30 mile mark, I knew it was in the bag. 5 more miles of slightly cautious running, and 5 more at the end with aggression. The last 5 were an absolute blast. I really picked it up (ok, my pace was still slower, but I ran with real aggression), and had a really great time.
Total time was 6:59:59 (according to my watch) and 6:59:45 according to the official clock. I was very excited to be done. 9th place out of 48 starters. Not a bad day.
As expected, I hopped in the car, head to the showers, and then head straight down to Oklahoma City. Tomorrow, I get to try this again.
My 17th run of at least 26.2 miles this year, and my longest run of the year.
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