North Face Endurance Challenge

What a total mud fest!  We got hammered with rain in the days leading up to the North Face Endurance Challenge so I knew that my first trail race was going to be a bit messy.  Little did I know it was going to be muddier than the Run Amuck race I ran a few years ago.  It was crazy!  People were falling all over the place because it was so slippery.  I loved, loved, loved it though!  SO much fun!  It is just so different from anything I've ever done.  It is so challenging in a completely different way than a road half marathon.  The first thing I need to get better at is keeping my eye off my watch.  Mile splits in trail running are quite a bit slower then what I'm used to.  The course is so much more challenging for one and the majority of the race was single track, meaning passing was difficult.  We averaged 11:30s most of the time.  I finished in 2:33 compared to my road PR of 1:46 just to give you an idea.  I think if we hadn't gotten so much rain, we may have been able to go a bit faster but I'm sure it still would have been quite the challenge to pick up the pace much more.  There were several parts where all runners didn't have much of a choice other than to walk.  Regardless, I just loved it.  I felt so exhilarated after the race.  I was telling my husband all the details at about 100 miles per hour....he just stood there and laughed at me.  When we were close to the finish, my running partner said, "My trail running career is officially over!" but all I could think about was, "When can I register for the next one??"

After the race, we were waiting around for the kids race to start.  I registered my boys for Dean Karnazes' Karno Kids 1k.  There were races on Saturday too and on that day, he was actually there doing a meet and greet which would have been pretty cool (I'm a big dorky fan of his and have both of his books).  Anyway, as we were standing there waiting, he actually walks right by me.  As in, brushes my shoulder, walks by!  I was already all jacked up from the race but this just put me over the edge.  I started jumping up and down like a 3-year-old, grabbing my husband's arm saying, "He's here!  He's here!  He's heeerrrrreeee!!"  My kids were laughing at me and my husband just shook his head. 

Karno got up there and gave a really funny speech which all the kids loved then started them off.  After the race, my oldest said that he ran by Karno who called out, "Way to go! You are doing great!" to which my son responds, "Thanks! My mom is a big fan!"  Oh boy, that's a little embarrassing.  We hung out a bit longer, my husband and kids talking about their run, me stalking watching Dean.  My oldest says, "Why don't you go get a picture?"  Of course I said no, not many people were approaching him and besides, I do my best stalking watching from afar.  Well, finally Carter convinced me to do it and I'm really glad he did.  He could not have been a nicer person.  Chatted with us for several minutes.  In fact, at one point he said, "So Carter tells me you are a big fan." (not in an arrogant way, more of a teasing way....it was pretty funny actually).  I really don't remember what I said to that; my words were coming out like the teacher in the Peanuts.  But I got a fantastic photo and that's the part I'll remember!!

All in all, a really great day.  I'm so glad I did the run.  I was pretty nervous in the weeks leading up to it because with my father's illness, I hadn't done a run longer than 8 miles in I have no idea when.  Then I forced myself to take the week off of classes and running (did do one trial run) leading up to the race because of this hip/glute/hammy issue.  I'm glad I didn't back out.  Really glad.  Yes the pain is still an issue but I feel like it was worth it for such a fun, totally different and crazy challenging day!