Javelina Night Run, 25K
Sept 29, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
Javelina Night run was allot of fun! I really enjoy running at night - it is exciting and just a little bit scary! But not too scary. Just enough!
I thought Id pick a conservative pace because I was resting up for St George Marathon the very next weekend. But it is hard to take a conservative pace when your legs have been resting up! My legs wanted to GO!!! We all started off in a pack and I started a little faster than I usually might do, trying to find an open spot in the trail for me. I need my own space out there on the trail. Once I found my own space then I settled into it and got in the zone. Dark came quickly. The first half of the course is the harder part with allot of climbing and rocky technical terrain. After the aid station, its kinda smooth sailing for the last 7 miles.
As I came into the aid station I needed to refill my water bottle, but I tried not to linger at the station for long. I wanted to keep my groove. I knew that my pace was faster than last year and I kinda hoped to beat my time for last year. I came into the aid station with 8.5 miles and a 9:25 pace avg.
The second part of the race was fast and was good, except for I was experiencing waves of gut cramping. I thought the cramps might just be a result of my womenly hormones and the time of the month, but on the way home I realized that the gut cramps were something else - yuck! In the second half of the race I heard the coyotes crying. It makes me a little nervous, but its kinda cool.
I finished with a 9:04 avg., 4th woman. I stuck around for a while and saw some friends finish. I ate some of the finish line offerings. Which seemed fine. But I was starting to feel chilled and my stomach not so great. So I hopped in my car and started for home. On the way home I got pretty sick, and I will spare you the gory details. The next day my husband and daughter got stomach sick, so that settled it in my mind - a flu bug. Not food poisoning. At least it didn't come on full-force until I was on the way home.
It was fun to see friends Sammi and Becky there this year. Mary took an early start so I was thinking out there about her, knowing she'd be finishing about an hour or so into my race.
It was a little warm this year, but was okay. I wore my icy cold towel and that helped.
Great Job Aravaipa! I am so excited for this trail season and Javelina is the perfect kick-off!!!
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