“ It may rain on race day” I have so learned how much I hate that phrase. Well it did. ALOT. We can plan a lot of things in our lives then at times we just need to surrender and let nature takes her course. And she did.

 

Yesterday I did my first ever ultra trail running race. 50K. Now for those who know me I am not someone who enjoys trails. So to do an ultra and that too in trails was a big step for me. I had actually planned for a greater distance race but life had other plans for me.

 

I had done a tremendous amount of running over the last several months and from an endurance, stamina and fitness standpoint I was ready. But not for the weather.

 

The morning started at 3 am getting out of bed with having had precious little sleep the night before, tossing and turning and checking the clock to make sure I had not missed my 3 alarms that I had set. 4 am out the door to the race. The Chesterfield Gorge Trail race. It had poured throughout the night, and kept pouring for most of my part of the race. I was already pretty wet at the start line, and it only got worse for me.

 

I was running through streams, over flooded waterfalls and mud. And this was not just any old mud. It was the slippery kind that I almost fell in over a dozen times, and many runners face planted in them in front of me. It was cold wet, and by some ancient curse, I seemed to be discover all the deceiving spots of ground that turned into 6 inches of deep muddy waterholes. Needless to say that my pace turned into walk. My average half marathon time is 2 hours, I was now clocking 4 hours +. My momentum was slowing me down with the enormity of puddles I was going through. Even though my body was feeling fine, I was not prepared for the crappy weather.

 

It turned cold and 9 hours and 45 minutes later I called it. At least I got a 50 K out of it, sure. And made lots of friendships along the way. Met alma maters from medical school, met people who knew my close friends and the list went on. I knew the mental tough spots and prepared for them. But I knew that I would not have completed my bigger distance goal in the time left at the rate I was going in the conditions in front of me.

 

I had to be authentic and realistic. I had ceased to have fun, which if you are not doing anything for fun even if it is a job, then stop it. I was badly chafing in all the wrong places. So at 32 miles I decided to regroup and rethink my training plans which would probably incorporate more trail running, and more bad weather running so I become immune to weather. I have run and biked on rainy race days, and even run in a lightning storm, but the mud, my new nemesis.

 

I Did not realize how soaked I could become despite rain coat till yesterday. Even changing clothes or socks or even shoes did not matter, there were still more puddles that were awaiting my return. Maybe trail running and ultras are not for me. That could be my authentic truth. But till I come to that realization wholeheartedly and deep within my bones, I am compelled to meet the challenges head on and experience it and all the insights, contemplations and shifts that it brings.

 

Will share some of these insights from this last race soon. Time to process it all, heal the body and mind, integrate and share.

 

…………….

 

I love you