2017 Buzzard Day Trail Race - 50K
First race of 2017 turned out to be a 50K! I signed up for the Buzzard Day Trail Race last year before the price went up. At that time, I just completed the first 50K at Buckeye Woods and felt that 50K was not too horrible. I signed up for the 50K because I thought I could always drop to the 25K if necessary.
Then, after coming back from the 3-week vacation, I started a training plan with a hope to train for a 50 mile race in June. I upped my mileages too fast too soon and that's how I got injured. My left ankle started screaming after 13-15 miles. Along with other issues, I had to change my training plan to focus more on triathlon training instead.
The week prior to the race I ran the whole Buzzard course with the Saturday run group for the first time in 2 weeks. My ankle was fine and I felt good after the run. I also ran 4 easy miles on Sunday because I wanted to test if my ankle could tolerate back-to-back runs and it did! (yay)
The week before the race weekend we got a snow storm, hail, and rain all week making the trails wet and muddy. Since I ran the course many times, I was not worried about getting lost but was more worried about the trail condition. I was 80% certain that I would drop back to the 25K. I was undertrained and was not confident if I could finish the 50K.
Picked up the bib on Saturday at Exchange cabin after a morning yoga class in Cleveland. R., the race director, told me I could drop to 25K after the first loop. He did not let me drop right away and insisted that I ran 2 loops (31 miles).
I got to the start line early to get the parking spot. The 100K group already took off (they started at 6am). The 50K started at 8am and the 25K started at 10am. Everyone had until 11pm to finish the race. Talked to other runners and finished the restroom business.
I took it easy and kept the pace consistent throughout the race. Walked up the hills like a good ultra runner does ;) The aid stations were run by Medina County Road Runners club and the volunteers were fabulous. They made sure that you received proper care before you left the aid station. Saw many familiar faces at the aid stations.
The trails were slushy, muddy, and technical due to the snow and rain during the past couple of days. It was beyond shitty and it slowed everyone down. However, I found that this trail condition was good to my ankle as it's not solid. I prefer this to frozen mud any day.
This is me at the first aid station.
After the first loop, I still felt great and could still keep going. So, I decided to run the 2nd loop. R. also came out to make sure that I did not quit and go home. The 2nd loop was even more muddy because it was after the 25K group took off. It was sliding, shoe-sucking kind of trail. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun going through the mud!
The good thing about being a slow runner (and trail running) is that you were left alone most of the time and I was peaceful. No chatting, no complaining, no competing (at one point, I even tried to run away from a group of runners). It's just me competing against myself. I found solitude.
It took me 8 hours and 19 minutes to finish the race. I was proud of myself and glad that I did not quit after the first loop. Have to thank the dark-side folks for believing in me and for pushing me to do the 50K.
This is to show how muddy the trails were.
Not sure what the next big race will be as now my 50 mile plan fell apart. I think 50K is my new favorite distance!
Sydney
Then, after coming back from the 3-week vacation, I started a training plan with a hope to train for a 50 mile race in June. I upped my mileages too fast too soon and that's how I got injured. My left ankle started screaming after 13-15 miles. Along with other issues, I had to change my training plan to focus more on triathlon training instead.
The week prior to the race I ran the whole Buzzard course with the Saturday run group for the first time in 2 weeks. My ankle was fine and I felt good after the run. I also ran 4 easy miles on Sunday because I wanted to test if my ankle could tolerate back-to-back runs and it did! (yay)
The week before the race weekend we got a snow storm, hail, and rain all week making the trails wet and muddy. Since I ran the course many times, I was not worried about getting lost but was more worried about the trail condition. I was 80% certain that I would drop back to the 25K. I was undertrained and was not confident if I could finish the 50K.
Picked up the bib on Saturday at Exchange cabin after a morning yoga class in Cleveland. R., the race director, told me I could drop to 25K after the first loop. He did not let me drop right away and insisted that I ran 2 loops (31 miles).
I got to the start line early to get the parking spot. The 100K group already took off (they started at 6am). The 50K started at 8am and the 25K started at 10am. Everyone had until 11pm to finish the race. Talked to other runners and finished the restroom business.
I took it easy and kept the pace consistent throughout the race. Walked up the hills like a good ultra runner does ;) The aid stations were run by Medina County Road Runners club and the volunteers were fabulous. They made sure that you received proper care before you left the aid station. Saw many familiar faces at the aid stations.
The trails were slushy, muddy, and technical due to the snow and rain during the past couple of days. It was beyond shitty and it slowed everyone down. However, I found that this trail condition was good to my ankle as it's not solid. I prefer this to frozen mud any day.
This is me at the first aid station.
After the first loop, I still felt great and could still keep going. So, I decided to run the 2nd loop. R. also came out to make sure that I did not quit and go home. The 2nd loop was even more muddy because it was after the 25K group took off. It was sliding, shoe-sucking kind of trail. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun going through the mud!
The good thing about being a slow runner (and trail running) is that you were left alone most of the time and I was peaceful. No chatting, no complaining, no competing (at one point, I even tried to run away from a group of runners). It's just me competing against myself. I found solitude.
It took me 8 hours and 19 minutes to finish the race. I was proud of myself and glad that I did not quit after the first loop. Have to thank the dark-side folks for believing in me and for pushing me to do the 50K.
This is to show how muddy the trails were.
Not sure what the next big race will be as now my 50 mile plan fell apart. I think 50K is my new favorite distance!
Sydney
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