Wild Canyon Run 25K Trail Run!
Wild Canyon Ultra 25k Trail Run in west Texas on April 21, 2018. My friend and I ran the 25K trail run in 3:22, average pace was around 13:17, elevation gain was 1,462 feet. What an adventure. We ran through the Caprock Canyon in Texas. The weather was around 60 degrees, it rained on and off, a little lighting and thunderstorms, and a few drops of hail. This was a race I will not forget. The elevation started around 2600 feet, we ran at that elevation for around an 1 hour and 10 minutes, then the climbing started. Next we climbed from 2600 feet to 3200 feet then back down. Below is the elevation for the race. We ran on dirt, mud, rocks, and grass!
Before the race I didn’t really know what to except, I hadn’t been training for an endurance run but I had been lifting consistently and 20-30 minutes of stairmaster 4-6 times a week, and I was nervous. My girlfriend suggested to eat like I was running a marathon and if I fall roll. What? If I fall, roll? Eat like I am running a marathon? What have I gotten myself into! We ended up not falling and I ate once during the course. That was a successful first 25k trail run for me!
The course was a cup less race which means you carry your own cup/hydration pack. I love my Ultimate Direction Hydration Pack, it holds 70 ounces of water, plenty of room for food, my phone, and even my rain jacket when I wasn’t wearing it. It fit well and didn’t rub or cause any issues. You can find it here.
Eating during a race is something I don’t usually do during half marathon road races. Since it did take us over 3 hours to complete the course I ate once during the race. My friend was training for her 50k so she was practicing eating. I don’t like the normal running “goo” because of the ingredients and tried to use healthier options. I ate the fruit packages from Peter Rabbit which you can find here. They worked perfect.
During the run it started storming which made it muddy. The race took longer than a normal road race, mindset shift was important. Enjoying the run, taking in the scenery, and doing the best I could rather than worrying about time. One part during the race we were climbing up a rock with our hands. We walked during the race for minutes at a time and ate. Mile 13 after the mud, climbing, and grassy trails we picked up the pace and I wasn’t sure I was going go finish the race. Keep going, almost done, don’t stop now was going through my mind over and over.
Running can be a mental challenge as much as a physical challenge. We often want to give up and walk or quit. Pushing through mentally in a road race can be put applied to life. We may be going through tough times at work, in a relationship, in finding a relationship, financially, or physically. We don’t see the end in sight and we want to give up. Find a short phrase you can say to yourself and remind yourself often.
