Rockledge Rumble DNF

Lining up for the 7 a.m. start.

I've always said that the only way for me to stay motivated to run consistently is to have a run on the calendar for which I am training.  I will add to that: I need a run on the calendar AND a specific training plan to get me going every day.

I registered for the Rockledge Rumble 50K and had some spurts of decently consistent training, but never made a training calendar and didn't train as consistently as I needed to.  I knew I wasn't in 50K shape, and e-mailed the race director to request placement in a shorter distance (they had a 15K and 30K).  She wrote back saying all distances are full, and that I couldn't change.  I debated just showing up and getting my race t-shirt, but decided to give it a shot and see if I could get in under the 8:30 time limit.

The good news is that this was a perfect day for running.  Cool and cloudy most of the morning, it was shorts and short sleeves weather (for running).  It did warm up a bit later, and the sun came out, but it was still comfortable.  And, of course, the trails on the north short of Lake Grapevine are terrific to run on.

I considered walking the first 10 miles to conserve energy, but decided I would just take it slow.  I started at the back of the pack, and stayed there.  For the first 10 miles or so I kept a pretty steady 14 minute pace, just what I needed to finish by the cutoff, with a little time to spare.  The next 7-8 miles, I slowed 2-3 minutes per mile, walking some, but still within time for the cutoff.  But after 20 miles, I tried to run but just couldn't get my body to cooperate.  I thought after I got to the last aid station I could find a new reserve of energy and pick up the pace for the last 5 miles back to the start.  Alas, when the aid station came in sight, they were packing up, and informed me that I had missed the cutoff by 5 minutes.  DNF for me.

I hate that I didn't push myself to pick up the pace, but I did enjoy my time on the trail.  If I can't be at Floyd Casey Stadium cheering for the Bears (They played on Thursday night this week.), running--or walking--at Lake Grapevine is a great alternative.

Next race, I'll make a training calendar!

These races could not happen without a ton of race volunteers.
These ladies would disagree with my statement that today was a great shorts and short sleeves day!

More terrific aid station volunteers.  Thanks for being there!

The trails and the trees and the views of the lake make this trail system and this race worth showing up for.  So close to the city, but so easy to feel all alone in the woods.

Me with R.D. Cindy Melder, who told me not to be a sissy and man up for my 50K.  OK, she didn't exactly say it like that.  But she deserves a boatload of thanks and good wishes for doing such a great job for the second year in a row, organizing D/FW's premier trail race.  Thanks Cindy!

Whispering Pines Race Report

Last weekend, Endurance Buzz Adventures hosted another great trail race at Tyler State Park.  I have never run there before, and haven't spent much time in East Texas.  A couple hours from home, it felt like traveling to another region, with the tall piney woods that seem so different from Fort Worth's trees.  Tyler State Park is a beautiful park, and the trails are hilly but very runnable.

In a rare moment of realistic expectations, I actually registered for the 20 mile race rather than the 50K.  I felt like I had enough of a base built up that I could do relatively well in the 20M, but knew 50K would be a stretch.  I was right.  The warm, humid day slowed me down.  I took it pretty easy most of the day, then really slowed the last couple of miles.  I was exceedingly glad that I did not have another loop to run!  I ended up finishing in 4:55:27, good for 31st out of 40 overall, 20/22 male. 

This was a hot, sweaty, steamy race for me.  My clothes quickly became completely soaked with sweat, but I managed to stay well hydrated.  I have eaten my last Sport Beans.  Every time I ate some during this race, I got nauseous.  Thankfully, the aid stations were well-supplied.  Dave Hanenburg continues his streak of awesome races with Whispering Pines.  This was my fourth EBA race, and every one is better than the one before.  Thanks, Dave!

The bonus for the weekend is that the whole family came out to camp!  The boys each brought a friend, and they played like crazy men all weekend.  After the race, we went canoeing and swimming, then back to camp.  Thankfully, they weren't too disappointed when I declined to go on a trail run with them in the afternoon.  We would love a return trip to Tyler S.P., although I think all of us would like to go back when it's a bit cooler.

My friend Brittany ran in her first trail race, and took 2nd place in the 10 mile!

WWKD?

I recently read a book called Get Off Your A-- and Run!  The author said that to motivate herself, she got a picture of a shapely, fit actress in bikini and put it on her mirror.  Each day, she would stand naked in front of the mirror repeating, "You fat b--ch! You fat b--ch!" while looking from herself to the beautiful woman in the picture.

I think that sounds rather crude and self-deprecating, but in principle I thought it might be a decent idea.  Then I saw the race pictures from last weekend's Possum Kingdom trail run and decided nobody shaped like that can be a good trail runner.

I figured Kelly might not be too thrilled about my putting pictures of gorgeous girls in bikinis on the bathroom mirror, so I found a picture of one of the greats, Dean Karnazes, the ultramarathon man.  I have put it on my mirror, along with a picture of myself at Possum Kingdom looking rather big around the middle.  I don't stand naked before the pictures chanting "You fat slob" or anything like that, but it's a good reminder to me.

Karnazes, sometimes known as Karno, has inspired me with his long runs, great running spirit, and desire to get even the most slothful among us moving.  I figure I could do worse that to make a habit of asking, "What would Karno do?"  So, would Karnazes get a 44 oz. Dr Pepper every time he stops for gas?  (And even sometimes when he doesn't need gas?)  Would he drink Dr Pepper at all?  Would Karnazes load up on sweets just because you can fill a whole box for a dollar on Fridays at the work cafeteria?  Would Karnazes skip a run just because he's feeling tired and lazy?  Would Karno walk those last few miles of the trail run or push himself to finish strong?

I'm no Dean Karnazes, but that guy's older than I am, and still runs competitively in ultras and trail races.  We'll see if asking WWKD? will help me get into better shape and start looking and feeling like an ultrarunner!

Race Day at Possum Kingdom

Today marked another first for Dave Hanenburg and Endurance Buzz Adventures.  Over the last year and a half, Dave has rolled out several new trail races in North Texas to the benefit of all who love trail running.  Today's race was held at Possum Kingdom Lake Hike and Bike trail, maintained by the Brazos River Authority.

Nice views all around. (mannphoto.com photo)

For those of us who have run at Dave's races, it came as no surprise that the race was well-organized and the course was well-marked. (Dave's warning at the pre-race briefing turned out not to be necessary.  The signs and streamers were plentiful and direction was clear.)  The aid stations were well-stocked and the volunteers friendly.  And the course--well, this is the kind of course that reminds me why I love trail running.  Varied terrain, lots of shade, cool rock formations, and tremendous views of the lake and surrounding area.  I enjoyed the sustained climbs, something I don't get much of on my usual D/FW trail runs.  To climb for a couple of miles and then be rewarded with a great view at the top makes the climb not seem so hard.

I originally signed up for the 55K, but common sense and my pathetic run last week at Cedar Hill convinced me that I was in better shape for the 20K.  I decided to take it easy, and figured a 12 minute pace would be plenty fast enough.  After the first climb, I fell in behind a pair of ladies running together and decided to keep pace with them.  It was sort of awkward; I kept wondering if they would think I was stalking them.  They were running at a conversational pace for them, but it was more a race pace for me.  I learned all about their kids, their restaurant preferences, where they like to shop. . . . I'm sure they were pleased when, after 3-4 miles, I passed them up.

Nice rocks. (Endurance Buzz photo)

But their pace was perfect for me, and I ended up running pretty even splits, overall.  I am always pleased when I still have something left in the second half of a race!  (Although today, I think I could have sped up the last couple miles and knocked a few minutes off my time.)  I don't know the final times, but I know I was way behind the first finishers, and there were at least a few people behind me.  Unofficially, I finished in 2:24:45, right at a 12 minute average pace.

I hope to make it back to these trails, for a run, a hike with the family, and for Dave's race next year.  Maybe I'll make a day of it and try for more distance next time!

Nice Place to Run: Cedar Hill State Park

GWB, not at Cedar Hill.

After last week's failed attempt to run at Cedar Hill State Park, I decided to return to check out these trails.  I have heard first-hand accounts of other runners meeting George W. Bush out here.  Apparently this is a favorite mountain biking trail for him.

Picture credit: havingfuninthetexassun.com

The trails are well maintained by DORBA, and perfectly suited for mountain biking.  That is mostly a plus for trail runners.  The surfaces are generally smooth, with a few rocks and roots to keep you alert, but not too many.  There are a few climbs and drops that keep things interesting on a bike.  For runners, there is nothing that gets very technical.  Unlike other popular mountain biking trails I've run on, like Lake Grapvine's north shore or Cameron Park in Waco, and on the neighboring this trail never had me pulling up with my hands or jumping down stair-like rocks.

At some points in the trail, the mountain bike nature of the trail got to me.  At some of the winding portions, the trail banks, which is great going downhill on a bike, but not as much fun running.  I felt like someone driving the family minivan on the curves at Texas Motor Speeday; when the race cars take the curve at 180, they stay right up there, but when a minivan tries, topped out at 65, it runs the danger of flipping or slipping to its doom.  Also, some portions of the trail are in a deep vee, which, again, is probably perfect for 2 inch bike tires, but puts the runner in a position between carefully lining up his feet in single-file, or running along the edges.

Picture credit: cedarhillstatepark.org

Sorry, that sounds like I'm whining.  I don't mean to.  All in all, I really like this trail.  Almost all single track, all runnable, views of the lake, thick woods, meadows, easy to get to.  It's a great place.  This should definitely top your list if you're looking for a spot for a long training run to get in some good miles without too much technical trail.  There are 3 loops, posted as 3, 8, and 12 miles (my Garmin said 11.17, but I suspect there was some tree interference).  And when you visit, tell the nice dude at the ranger station I said hi!

Memo to the dude at Cedar Hill S.P.

Hey, I'm really glad you're there.  I love the state parks, and love the commitment that state parks employees like you have for keeping these strongholds of nature and recreation up and running for regular city people like me. 

Last night when I stopped in to visit Cedar Hill State Park, you were very friendly and efficient in renewing my state park pass.  Then when I told you this was my first visit to CHSP, and asked directions to the trail head for the DORBA trails, you gave clear, efficient directions. 

Image stolen from DallasHiker.com

So I drove the 2 1/2 miles or so to the trail head, only to discover that the trails were closed!  Couldn't you have told me that when I told you I was there for the trails?  Maybe you could have mentioned that the trails were closed when I asked directions to the trail head? 

It's not that big a deal.  I drove over to Cedar Ridge, thinking I might still get a run in.  But Cedar Ridge closes at 8:30, so I would only have had time to run for 20-25 minutes.  So I went to Chipotle instead.

I'll go back to Cedar Ridge sometime.  It looks lovely, with views of Joe Pool Lake, the hills, and of course the DORBA trails.  Now that my state park pass is renewed, I'll definitely pay you a visit. And maybe next time I'll call the automated line, (972) 291-3900, for trail conditions first!

See you then!

Water bottle etiquette on the trail

The other day when I was running at Cedar Ridge Preserve, my hands got really cold, so I left my water bottle, which was full of ice and water, next to the trail.  I figured I would circle back to my car to get my gloves, then on my next loop on the trail I'd pick up my bottle.

With my hands warmer, and with a pretty good thirst worked up an hour or so later, I came back to that section of trail.  My bottle had disappeared.  Did I forget where I had left it?  Did some other thirsty runner pick it up?  Did the trail patrol throw it in the trash?  I didn't figure there was any way I had missed it, so detoured by the visitor center near the parking area and found it perched on the donation box.

The bottle and I were happily reunited, but it made me wonder about bottle etiquette.

Litter. Throw it away.

If I find a personal item like car keys or a wallet by the side of the trail, I think the best thing to do would be to take it back to the trail head.  Surely someone wouldn't leave something like that out on the trail intentionally.

Not litter.  Leave it there.

If I see an empty, disposable water bottle by the trail, especially if it's empty, picking it up and tossing it in a trash or recycling bin would be the reasonable choice.

But a nearly full, non-disposable bottle, with ice still in it, in a hand-held carrier?  I would not think someone dropped it and didn't notice.  I would not think that someone tossed it as trash.  The only reasonable explanation would seem to be that someone left it there intending to come back for it.  I detest trail litter as much as the next guy, but when something is clearly not litter, I leave it alone.

Am I right or am I wrong?  What do you think?

Cross Country Action

Elliot had another cross country meet today. He was quite disappointed in his performance but I could tell he gave it his all. He told me that he had never run so hard in his life, and that as he sprinted to the finish he could hardly feel his legs. My hope is that his hard work and tremendous race-day efforts will eventually pay off with some ribbons or medals. Whether or not it does, I hope he will be permanently infected with the sheer joy of the run. 

Elliot is fourth from the right.
Next meet I'll bring an actual camera instead of just my iphone.
And I'll try to get a picture where he's not behind a branch.

And here's a video of his finish:

Now I've gone and done it.

I finally got around to registering for a race!  In the 4 1/2 years or so that I've been running, I've said all along that having a race on the calendar is often the only thing that gets me out the door to run, at least with any consistency.  So now I have a target race: The Isle du Bois 50K on December 8.  This is the race I ran last December 6 days after having run White Rock.  It's only 6 weeks out, which doesn't give me a lot of time, but I figure I can get some good miles in, with a couple of long runs, and maybe run a decent race.

Last year I ran that race on tired legs and finished in 7:17.  Earlier this year I ran another 50K without much training and finished in 7:41.  A few weeks before White Rock last year, I ran Rockledge Rumble in 6:50.  Granted, IDB is actually 54K, so it's hard to compare with other races.  Maybe on fresher legs, I can beat last year's 7:17.  Break 7 hours?  Maybe.

So now it's out there for all the world to know.  Or at least the three of you who will read this post.  I'm officially in training mode, now!  Isle du Bois, here I come!

I hate trail litter

I almost said I hate trail litterers, but I don't.  By the grace of God, I love my fellow man.

GU packs and the like on the trail irritate me, but I'm willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.  I understand that even a conscientious runner, who pockets his empties, might inadvertently leave one behind if it works its way out of his pocket as he runs.  It can happen.

Beer cans and cups on the trail make me angry.  When you pick up your 24 pack of Busch at the Chevron, why not pick up a trash bag, too?  Is it really that hard to put your beer cans in a trash bag and haul them out at the end of your little redneck soiree?

But the attitude behind this hypothetical conversation really boils my blood:

Turd face: Hey, I got me this couple a bags a trash, and my curb-side trash can is full.  Trash pick up ain't for 3 more days.  I dunno what I'm goin' ta do.
Butt wipe: Don't worry, throw it in the back a mah truck an' we'll haul it off.
Turd face: Where we goin' ta haul it to?
Butt wipe: Thar's some trails right over there behind our neighborhood.  We kin jes drive up the trail a ways, then toss all this trash out tha truck.
Turd face: Thanks, pal, yer a genius!

I wish I had a way to track these bozos down.  My preferred punishment would be a hefty fine, preferably payable as a donation to a trail conservation group, then several Saturdays of community service cleaning up the trails, to be served on days of major NASCAR races.  I will permit them to TiVo the race, but I'll be sure and tell them who won before they get home.

Random picture of trash.  Not my trails, but could be.

Sunset Run at Tandy Hills

The following is an actual conversation (although it may be remembered differently by other parties involved).  It took place yesterday evening after the conclusion of Chloe's Person-Centered Planning meeting.

Me: Is Cathy keeping the kids tonight?
Kelly: Yes.  What are you going to do?
Me: I don't know.  What are your plans?
Kelly: Jennifer and I are going to dinner.
Me: You and Jennifer?
Kelly: Yeah. . . .
Me: . . . .
Kelly: Why don't you go for a run?

So, excluded from dinner, I did decide to go for a run.  I hadn't run at Tandy Hills for a while.  I hadn't run at all for a while.  I was reminded of a few things.

1. When you've been running an average of 0 miles a day for a few weeks or months, you can't just pick up where you left off.
2. Even when you're hopelessly out of shape, it can be fun to pound out some miles on the trail.
3. If you go for a "sunset run" the implication is that at some point, it's going to get dark.  That's fine when you're running in the neighborhood, with plentiful street lights and other ambient light.  But in a park like Tandy Hills, where some trails are narrow, rocky, rutted, and/or tree covered, running in the dark is potentially hazardous.  Thankfully, I came home unscathed.
4. Tandy Hills isn't very big, but it's easy to get turned around in, especially in the dark.  I was never lost: there's the downtown skyline the west, the tall transmission towers to the east, and I-30 to the south, so you can't really get lost.  But sometimes I still don't know where I'm going there.

(The above image shamelessly lifted from the Durango Texas blog.  I hope he doesn't mind. . . .)

Trail running beats road running: more evidence

My fellow lovers of trail running will not be surprised at all by this article's conclusion. But sometimes it's nice when what you know to be true is confirmed by science.

Auslan Cramb writes in The Telegraph:

Researchers found that anything from a stroll in the park to a run through woodland can have a positive effect on people suffering from depression and anxiety.  The study also showed that the positive effect on people's mental health was 50 per cent more than they might expect from going to the gym.  The researchers at Glasgow University looked at natural and non-natural environments for physical activity, including walking, running and cycling, and found that being around trees and grass lowered brain stress levels. 

The study, led by Prof Richard Mitchell, polled nearly 2000 physically active people in the 2008 Scottish Health Survey.  Only activities carried out in a natural environment outdoors were found to be associated with a lower risk of poor mental health.  Prof Mitchell said he was "surprised" by the scale of the results, adding: "There was around a 50 per cent improvement in people’s mental health if they were physically active in the natural environment, compared to those who weren't.  These aren't serious mental health issues, more struggles in general life, things like mild depression, not being able to sleep, high stress levels or just feelings of not being able to cope." 

Sansom Park trail

"It seems that woodland and forest seem to have the biggest effect on helping to lower mental health problems.  That makes sense with what we thought we knew. That is, the brain likes to be in the natural environment and it reacts to being there by turning down our stress response.  Being in areas that have lots of trees and grassy areas help to calm us down, and obviously a forest has this."

"I wasn't surprised by the findings that exercise in natural environments is good for your mental health, but I was surprised by just how much better it is for your mental health to exercise in a green place like a forest, than in other places like the gym.  The message to doctors, planners and policy makers is that these places need protecting and promoting." 

He added that taking a decision to exercise in a natural environment once a week could be enough to gain some benefit, and any additional use could have a bigger effect.  The study revealed that local streets were most commonly used for physical activity, followed by the home or garden.  Previous experimental studies have shown that exercise in natural environments has a positive effect on "biomarkers", which indicate general health, and on an individual's view of his or her levels of stress or fatigue.  Around 50 per cent of the sampled group exercised in a natural environment at least once in the previous month. 

Thanks, Mr. Cramb!  Off to the trails. . . .

Original link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9344129/Jogging-in-forest-twice-as-good-as-trip-to-gym-for-mental-health.html

Hells Hills Race Report

Total mileage run this year through Friday: 93.05 miles
Longest run in 2012 through Friday: 10 miles
Not exactly a formula for success for a 50K.  I knew I would need to take it slow today, so I did.  Maybe a little slower than I thought I would, but I still felt good at the end.

Mark is the family 50K champion.  Perhaps my protruding gut and his fit physique have something to do with that. . . .

The day started with a 4:30 wake-up at the Skeeter's farm house (Thanks, Stuart, for the hospitality!).  We drove from Round Top to Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville in plenty of time for a 6 a.m. start.  We got our race packets, greeted some familiar faces, and got ready to roll.  The moon was full, and lots of runners had headlamps, so Mark and I started out without lights.  Joe counted down and gave us the signal to head down the trail for a long day.

My plan was to stay with Mark as long as I could, hoping that would be the first loop of the two-loop 50K course.  After a couple of miles, it became clear that I wouldn't be able to, so I let him slip away into the distance.  Shortly after, I caught up with Fred.  He's 62, and we finished close to one another at Rockledge Rumble, so I thought I'd run with him.  He took off and I didn't see him again on the trail.  He's a strong runner!  So I plugged away on my own through the first loop.  I knew Mark was way ahead of me, and I knew Joe is very generous about letting 50K runners drop and claim a 25K finish.  But I decided I might as well head out for another loop.

As I pulled out of the start/finish area, I jokingly asked another runner if she was ready to pace me for the second loop.  She laughed, but little did she know I would tag along for half the loop.  Malea is from the Dallas area, and we know many of the same people in NTTR.  Once again, I had to give up trying to keep pace with my elders.  She's a good 10 years older than me, but clearly in great shape.  She hung back for a bit, I think, but I told her to feel free to go on without me, so she did after setting a great pace for 6-7 miles.

Malea heading into the distance. . . .

Shortly after she left, I fell in with Raul, a San Antonio police detective.  We took it easy together, and made each other feel better about walking much of the last 1/4 of the race.  Finally I cruised through the finish chute, where I saw Fred hanging out--he'd clearly been there a while!--and across the finish line where Mark met me, after waiting on me for an hour and seventeen minutes!  Poor guy.  I did warn him, though. . . .

Piney woods along the course.

This was my first time to run at Hells Hills.  It's a Tejas Trails race, so, no surprise, it was hosted flawlessly by Joe and his team of volunteers.  Trail runners in Texas are lucky to have him putting on great races.  The course was terrific, highly runnable, with some ups and downs but not a lot of climbing.  At times it reminded me of Lake Grapevine North Shore, with its short descents and climbs, and at times of Huntsville State Park, where Rocky Raccoon is held, with some long, straight portions and tall pines.  The day did get pretty warm; it was at least in the low 80s by the time I finished.  I was starting to feel overheated and underhydrated.  I considered going shirtless, but after being stuck by a shirtless, flabby runner for an unpleasant portion of a race a couple years ago, I decided that unless and until I was flabless, I would wear a shirt at all times when running.  All told, even though this was my slowest 50K to date, I still felt decent at  the end and had a good time on the course.  Maybe next time I'll actually try to train for it. . . .

The wildflowers were more beautiful than this picture can show.

My 50Ks and Hells Hills

Saturday is Hells Hills and I don't really know what to expect of the race or of myself.  I have run a handful of 50Ks, with finish times ranging from 5:19 (El Scorcho, flat and easy) to 7:35 (Toughest in Texas, hilly, rugged, and, well, toughest).  Based on what I've heard about the Hells Hills course, I'm thinking it will be comparable to the courses at Rockledge Rumble (6:50) or Isle du Bois (7:17).

At Rockledge, I was in pretty good shape, in full training mode for White Rock.  IDB was six days after White Rock, so I was a bit fatigued.  Since IDB, which was mid-December, my training has been sporadic and erratic, and I've put on a few pounds, so I'm certainly not looking for a PR.  I'm thinking I'll take at least 7 hours, but hopefully no longer than 8.

I'm not too concerned about my time or my finish place.  Mostly I'm looking forward to running this trail, which sounds like it's right up my alley.  (From the race web site: "A fair bit of rocks, a collection of rolling creek bed drop-ins and rollouts, a twisty turny riot of single-track trails, with the Wall & the Grind at the end of each loop. Not much for elevation. Mostly single-track through a forest of pines.")  I'm also looking forward to running with my brother, although he might have to leave his fatter, older, slower brother behind. . . .

Grasslands from the other side of the aid station table

Over the last four years, I have run in a couple dozen races, trail and road.  I'm a little embarrassed to admit that today was the first time I have volunteered to work at an aid station in a race.  If you've ever run an organized race, you know how important the aid stations can be.  When you're trudging down the trail, especially late in the race, and you come around a bend or emerge from the woods to see the aid station, it's a welcome relief.  Today's runners expressed their appreciation repeatedly for our aid station, an oasis in their journey through the LBJ National Grassland.

Elliot was quick to lend a hand wherever needed.

I somehow convinced Elliot, my 12-year-old son, to get up and leave the house at 5 so we could drive an hour to the middle of nowhere to serve water and pb&js to hungry trail runners.  He was a great sport, up and showered before I was even out of bed.  He stayed engaged with the runners, actively helping out throughout the day, jumping up to fill water bottles, slice oranges, and offer words of encouragement.  I'm sure he could have thought of other things he'd like to have done on a Saturday, but he said he had a good time.

The weather was gorgeous today, but it did get rather warm toward midday.  Quite a contrast to the sleet and freezing rain during my 2010 DNF (see my post here).  Conditions were much better today, sunny and breezy, getting up into the 80s by the afternoon.  According to the runners, the trails were very runnable, but the mud caking their shoes and legs told the story of some muddy portions.  

We enjoyed hanging out with fellow trail runner, Steve.

From my view at the Red Ant aid station, Paul Smith and the North Texas Trail Runners volunteers did a great job, as usual, putting on this race.  I enjoyed being on the other side of the table for this one, but look forward to getting back on the trail soon!

Nice Place to Run: Eisenhower Park

Today was not an ideal vacation day for me, but it's a ritual many parents have to tolerate: standing in line for hours to ride a roller coaster.  After our ride on Fiesta Texas's Rattler, I asked E if he thought that 3 minute ride was worth waiting in line for 2 hours and 10 minutes.  Without hesitation, he said it was.  Despite the long lines, I think all the kids had fun.

After dinner, I left Kelly and the kids at the hotel watching the Disney Channel (the highlight of any vacation for this cable-free family) and drove over to Eisenhower Park.  A couple miles north of 1604 on NW Military Highway, this San Antonio city park offers a concentrated but satisfying trail running experience.

The south half of the Hillview Trail.  Not too technical, but a steady climb.

I took the Hillview Trail, which loops around the park.  Rocky, wide, and nicely groomed, the south half of the loop is a gradual climb to the observation tower at the top of the park.  The north half is more technical in parts and has more tree cover.  I should have started there; it was pretty dark when I descended, and my night vision was pushed to the limit, so I had to take it slow.  The Hillview Trail loop is about 2 1/2 miles.

There are some other side trails and connecting trails, as well as a paved trail that goes up the middle of the park to the tower.  The paved trail is less than a mile, and definitely wheelchair friendly.  Just be careful on the way down!

Had I arrived a bit earlier, I would have had this view from the top.

You might not want to come here for a long run.  The park only has about 5 miles of trails, and if you're like me, the loops might get monotonous.  But it's a great place for hill repeats and practice on some rocky, technical terrain.  If I lived in San Antonio, this would definitely become a favorite spot to run.

Here's a trail map.
Here's park information.

Hell's Hills, here I come!

I have officially registered for Hell's Hills 50K!  No refunds, no excuses, no turning back now!  I have 5 weeks to recover some of that running passion and log some miles.  These last couple of months, I have felt like my body has been taken over by someone else.  Who was that guy who ran 100 days straight and ran White Rock in 3:33?  It sure doesn't feel like it was me.

Come April 7, I plan to be there in Smithville.  I may be at the back of the pack, the 50 mile runners may be passing me up, but I'll be there.  And the bonus: I'll be running with my brother.  As my son Zippy has pointed out, I'm fatter, older, and slower than Mark, so I don't know if I'll be able to keep up, but at least we can start together, and maybe he'll drive his broken-down big brother home afterwards.

Hells Hills Trail Run 

One Month

ONE MONTH.
That's how long I have gone without running.  I ran with my brother at Dana Peak Park the weekend before Christmas, and since then, not a step until this morning.  I am definitely going to have to readjust to getting up an hour or two earlier. . . .

ONE MONTH.
After this little respite, I now have one month to prepare for Cross Timbers on February 18.  Like last year, I will admit that I'm not up to a 50 miler right now, so I'll be running the marathon again.  A month is certainly not much time to prepare for a trail marathon; I'm counting on having retained a bit of fitness from the end of last year.  Besides, Cross Timbers is a great place for a guy like me to take it slow and easy.

Cross Timbers trail.  Take it slow.

Nice Place to Run: Dana Peak Park

Last weekend, when the whole Mastin clan got together at Meme and Papaw's for a Christmas gathering, my brother and I got up early on Saturday to head over to Dana Peak Park for a couple of hours of trail running.  Only about a 30 minute drive from Salado, Dana Peak Park treated us to some rocky trail running with sunrise views over the lake and some nice climbs up Dana Peak and the hillsides around Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

Up and running before the sun on Christmas break. . . .

We came across these crosses carved out of a stump.

The lake is LOW, but we saw several people fishing in boats, so I guess the fishing is still OK.

We saw a bunch of deer, especially near the lake.  I thought about trying some persistence hunting.  It was a perfect opportunity.  The deer were on a point; we could have cornered one and . . . well, I didn't know what I would do with it once I caught it.  I didn't really feel like having to explain myself to a game warden.  I'm sure I could have caught one!  Haha.

I wouldn't say these are the greatest trails I've ever run on, but it's definitely a nice place to run.  There's not a lot of shade, so come summertime, you'll be wanting to jump in the lake.  If you're in the area and looking for a place to run, check it out.  I'm sure I'll be back sometime.  Here's a web site with pictures and descriptions of the trails.

Isle du Bois 50K race report

Pacing.  It's all about pacing.  After my highly successful run at White Rock on Sunday, where I ran a negative split, I thought maybe I would have learned my lesson about pacing.  For this 50K, I would hold back for the first couple laps and blaze to the finish on the last lap.  Instead, I ran my usual trail ultra, feeling good at first, gradually getting to the point of wanting to quit the stupid race, then feeling great for having finished.

This was the debut race for Endurance Buzz Adventures, put on by Dave Hanenburg of EnduranceBuzz.com.  I had never run at Isle du Bois and for some odd reason I was picturing a relatively easy course.  It turned out to be similar to the Cross Timbers course at Lake Texoma, although not quite as tough as that.  I would place it at tougher than Lake Grapevine's north shore, where I ran the Rockledge Rumble a few weeks ago.  Slightly more ups and downs, many more technical sections, and way more lose, pointy rocks.  Thankfully I never fell, but one runner I talked to had already fallen 6 times--on lap 1!  And check out this runner's busted lip! (Go to Julie's blog here and scroll to the bottom.)

I started out hanging around the back of the pack.  I thought I might replicate my White Rock strategy--start out in back, so I'm passing and not being passed.  That's probably a dumb strategy.  I passed a few people early, then fell in behind a small group of runners, including a lady named Chris and a guy with a mohawk.  I ran with them for a few miles, but at the aid station, halfway through the loop, I left before them and felt like I picked up the pace a little.  I finished the first loop in 2:00:46, feeling like I could keep that up and beat my Rockledge time (6:50).

Loop 2 started out well.  I was thinking negative splits, passing and not being passed.  I managed to keep a pretty good pace the first half of the loop, but after the aid station I slowed down, feeling like 2 loops would be plenty today.  After White Rock, my soreness and stiffness was gone by midweek, but the latent muscle fatigue began to rear its ugly head right about now.  Chris, who had been in sight most of the second lap, finally passed me shortly before we got back to the start/finish area.  I finished the second lap at 4:13:36.  Not a negative split, but still not so bad; loop 2 was .4 mile longer, after all.

I filled up my hydration pack--no cups at this eco-friendly race!--and got a snack to head out for the third loop.  I knew at this point that a negative split was out of the question, shortly gave up on beating my Rockledge time, and ended up just wishing to finish, to get off this trail and back home.  The field was so spread out by this time that I saw very few other runners.  One way-too-perky-after-having-run-23-miles lady passed me up, looking fresh like she was on her first lap.  A runner named Bill caught up to me with a few miles left and we crossed the line together at 7:17:31.

This is one race where I'm glad I didn't run in my VFFs.  Not knowing the trail at all, I chose to wear my NB MT101s.  There were some really nice sections of dirt, but with the sharp rocks, and with lots and lots of dead leaves masking the lurking obstacles, my feet would have been thoroughly bruised and bloodied by the end of the day if I had worn the Vibrams.

Dave deserves praise for putting on a first-class trail race.  Of course, the weather cooperated beautifully, which helps, but he busted his tail to make the rest of it fall into place.  Everything ran nicely, the support was perfect, and, as best I could tell, everyone had a good time.  I hope IDB becomes a staple of the North Texas race calendar.

Boring post, right?  No pictures.  Check out these other blogs for some great pics of the day.  You might even see a picture of me if you look hard enough!

Julie, who busted her lip.

The Trail Zombie.

And Dave, the RD, will surely post some good pics at EnduranceBuzz.com.