On the first lap. Photo by Takao Suzuki
The Redmond Watershed is my home trail, I run there more than any other location since it is so close to the house. Because of this I try to do all the events I can at the Watershed and used it for my first trail marathon a few years back. By the time the Northwest Trail Runs Spring Fun Run rolled around I hadn’t quite built up enough mileage for a full marathon so I signed up for the half but figured if I was feeling great I could always continue lapping and do the full, it had to be easier than all the hills at Ft. Ebey.
The day looked perfect in the early morning when I got up, the skies had cleared and the forecast was for mostly sunny with a very light chance of showers. The spring event at the Watershed is notoriously cold and wet but today was going to be the exception. I had my usual pre-race pinole/chia waffle for breakfast then packed up my vest and a drop bag in case I decided to continue after finishing 13 miles. I decided to wear my Inov-8 TrailRocs again since it would be muddy and wet from the rain yesterday but the trails are so easy I didn’t feel the need for the added protection of the Hokas. I used Injini compression socks on and CWX 3/4 length tights for the legs and a Mountain Hardwear long sleeve top under the vest.
Registration. Photo by Takao Suzuki
I had volunteered for setup and registration before the event and arrived at 7:15 to find setup was mostly done. There was a wave of registration for the early start marathoners followed by the usual crowds for the regular start when the shuttles dropped off runners. Interestingly the marathon had the largest registration, followed by the half, the 10-mile and finally the 5-mile. With about 15 minutes to go before the start I took off to tear off my fleece, changed shoes, got on my vest and chugged a Vega Pre-Workout Energizer.
I started near the front of the pack with some fast marathoners and half marathoners so I wouldn’t get caught in the pack and have to try to pass a lot. When we go to the first out and back a mile in I checked my pace and was going at 7:40, much faster than I usually run. I was feeling good though so I stayed with the small group around me and got the aid station at three miles still going under an 8:00 pace. I was still moving fast when I hit the last 1.5 mile stretch and the hills, these did slow me down some but not much. I hit the turn-around for the first lap at around 0:55, a very fast time for me. This was decision time – I could either slow way the heck down and try to do 3 more laps for the marathon or I could keep up this pace and try to do a sub-2 hour half. I opted for the fast half, ate a Vega Endurance Gel and drank some Electrolyte Hydrator and kept rolling.
The second lap was going by as fast as the first. I hit the aid station in 1:28 and knew I could make it back to the finish in under 2:00, there was only the hills to deal with. I hit the Trillium Trail at 1:38 and had enough time but still didn’t want to walk the hills. I drank some water, got my breathing regulated and just needed focus to get up the hills. So, I started chanting the Heart Sutra mantra with my breathing. Out loud. I’m sure I got a few looks as I passed other runners on the hills.
“Ga-te, ga-te, para ga-te, para sam ga-te, Bodhi Svaha!”
Over and over for the last 1.5 miles. No eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind. No color, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch. No hills, no sore quads, no tired feet. No trail, no runner. Just step, breath, chant, step, breath, chant…
“Ga-te, ga-te, para ga-te, para sam ga-te, Bodhi Svaha!”
The finish appeared. I crossed it, or did it cross me, in 1:54:40 and felt great – Bodhi Svaha!. I let Eric know that I was done and not continuing, feeling very good about my time and my decision. I ate a few of the pinole bars I was carrying and drank a bottle of Recovery Accelerator to cool off and rehydrate all the way. It wasn’t until I got home that I found this was a new personal best for a trail half marathon – I beat my old best at Ft. Steilacoom by 3 full minutes! Finished 14/57 overall and right in the middle at 4/7 for the M50-59 category, about where I usually finish. This was even a good time compared to my road times, I’d only had one road half faster, the Seattle Half, than this since 2008. This is my second PB so far this year, I had also run my best 5-mile time at the Winter Running Festival in January.
Next up – the Rock Creek Ramble in Eastern Washington. I’m planning on doing the 50k since it is a very flat course though I know I can cut to a 30k if needed. Since this was my second half in the Half Marathon Trail Series I’ll probably do the half at Rattlesnake Mountain to get in three of the four events in the series since I do plan on running the full marathon at the next Watershed event in August. I’m currently sitting at 6/69 in the series standings.