About six weeks ago I came across a friend’s Facebook post for the Xterra Trail Run Series in Castle Rock. Since I am supposed to be training for the Air Force Marathon in September, I signed both myself and my husband, Andy, up for the longest distance available, which was the 20K event. It is a trail run, which ultimately led me to sign up since I increasingly prefer the trails as I creep up in both age and recovery time over the years. Plus, I’d never run in that area before, so I was excited to try something new.

As race day approached, I had really fallen off my training plan and in fact, had recently adopted a no-watch, no-GPS running rule to decrease my stress and try to find the simple enjoyment of running that I hadn’t felt in quite some time. My new resolve seemed to working so far,  so although I knew the course would be difficult for my undertrained legs, I was looking forward to the challenge and planned to just enjoy the beauty of the course and the camaraderie of the event.

When we arrived, the start area was incredibly understated with just a couple of tables set up in a gravel lot near a line of port-o-potties with a  handful of folks passing out our race bibs, along with swag bags loaded with PowerBar products and a cotton t-shirt that I knew I probably would never wear. Still, I was there for the course and it looked absolutely amazing from the start as it winded up the hill on a beautiful single track ribbon. The park was absolutely gorgeous and well maintained and the weather was shaping up nicely so I was eager to get started on my journey.

Due to apparent noise ordinances, there was no public address system allowed before 9am so the race director strained a bit to herd all the runners into a close circle and went over race directions. Luckily, there weren’t a lot of runners so this worked just fine and we were able to get the directions we needed. The 10K course would be one counterclockwise loop, the 20K would simply be TWO 10K loops and the 5K runners would start about 10-15 minutes after the 10K/20K start. The 10K/20K course was well marked with blue flags on the right side of the trail and the 5K was marked similarly with bright pink. Andy lined up towards the front of the pack with the faster runners, as usual, and I promptly headed to the back of the pack, as usual, and was determined to have a fun, no pressure kind of race where I just resolve to do my best to reach the finish line happy and healthy. No watch. No GPS. No heart rate monitor and absolutely no Strava, RunKeeper or any other tracking device.

The race started without issue and I soon found myself in a familiar cattle line up the single track hill, alternately walking and jogging where I could, at the whim of the runners ahead of me. It was reminiscent of the Pikes Peak Ascent, which I’ve said twice now that I will never do again (only gone back on that statement once). When you are slow like me, either two things happen in the single track cattle line: 1) The person in front of you is going too slow but there is no room to get around without being rude, falling off the trail, or pushing them out of the way OR 2) The person behind you is breathing down your neck and you can’t seem to find a good place to get out of THEIR way and you end up pushing yourself a bit more than you should and pay for the action later. Both options have always caused me plenty of stress on the trail so I was really hoping things would spread out a bit more so I could have my space and just enjoy the run. I found that many runners were wearing headphones which made it even more frustrating later when I finally had a little room to pass but the runners couldn’t hear my “On your left” and I ended up elbowing a few people even with my best efforts to alert and avoid them.

There was also one gentlemen, who at the quarter mile mark into the race was already breathing exceptionally loud and forced, much like an Olympic sprinter. It was a bit unnerving to me since I don’t run with music and prefer to take in the quiet whenever I can. I was especially disturbed when he began to add in loud, forceful grunts in about five minute intervals, almost like he was not only sprinting, but also going for a record on the bench press at the same time. I kept speeding up a bit in order to put some distance between us, but since he was unfortunately so loud and seemingly trying to pace off me, it would be another two miles before I achieved success and then began to relax for the second half of the first loop.

The first half of the 10K loop turned out to be incredibly hilly and with so much climbing, I found myself speed walking a good portion, but still able to pick up the pace on the short downhills without too much problem. I was especially pleased that my knee was still cooperating after a recent injury two months before where I strained the knee and angrily had to keep off of it for a couple of weeks.  I finally settled into a somewhat open trail pocket without Heavy Breather Guy and linked up with two other cool ladies, where we alternated the lead and trail positions for the remainder of the first loop. In chatting along the trail, I figured out both of them were running the 10K, so I wouldn’t have any more company for the second lap of my race. That bummed me out a little, but I was also looking forward to having the course all to myself for the last half of the race. There is nothing more peaceful than a remote section of trail all to yourself. Without my watch or GPS, it really was just about the journey and I was really looking forward to the next loop, even though I already knew how daunting a task that would be.

I was feeling pretty fatigued due to my lack of training but was at least doing a great job of hydrating with my handheld water bottle where I dutifully filled it at each stop with half Gatorade, half water every time I had the chance. I typically struggle with drinking fluids during a race (unless it’s PBR) and have paid dearly numerous times since I am apparently a very slow, stubborn learner.  It did get pretty hot as the morning progressed, so I paid particular attention as I didn’t want to ruin my so-far enjoyable run with side cramps or seized up calves. I’ve been through several hydration options over the years and decided that I really don’t like wearing the water bottle belts and have had some chafing issues with my running vest that have resulted in its use only if it is really hot out and I intend to complete more than 13 miles. For this race though, I was very happy with my choice of the handheld bottle since it wasn’t too bulky, held just enough to last between aid stations and also allowed me to carry my phone, which was my only connection to Andy if I somehow got lost or injured on the trail.

At the start of the second loop, I forced myself to eat the Honey Stinger chocolate waffle I’d stored in the side pocket of my skirt. Though tasty, I wasn't actually in the mood to eat but I slowly chewed it down probably looking a lot like my kids do trying to finish off the last of their vegetables. I’d only had a couple small bites of cantaloupe in the morning so I knew this action was necessary and I made sure to wash it down with plenty of my Gatorade/water mix. I’ve never been able use any Gu or Gu-like substances as they always remind of the gross clay the dentist uses to make models of your teeth and causes a violent gag reflex every time I’ve tried them. Couple that with the fact that my body can’t seem to handle products with caffeine anymore and it leaves me with very few options for run fueling. Lately, I’ve had great success with the Honey Stinger brand either in the caffeine free gummy form or the waffles, so this time, I went with the waffle, which seemed to work just fine.

The second loop went off fairly peaceful, as expected. I encountered only one other runner, a friendly older gentlemen who smelled very strongly of cologne. I actually thought it was pretty remarkable that he still smelled so good after already running almost seven miles and began to wonder if he didn’t have some Brut packets stuck somewhere in his race belt. We chatted for about a mile when he pulled away, only to be passed again about a mile from the finish due to some unfortunate cramping. I witnessed some small wildlife along the way, along with a group of zip-liners since the race course runs right along the trail of the local attraction sites and platforms. The teenagers at the various aid stations were very friendly and helpful, ringing their cowbells with enthusiasm and cheering for all the runners along the way. I truly enjoyed the last loop even though I was significantly slower and felt my quads and calves burning with each new climb.

Still, I was excited, happy and strong as I cruised into the finish line area, though a bit depressed to see that they had already taken down the finish line arch and turned off the display clock when I arrived. There were only 44 runners in the 20K race and I was number 36, so I felt badly for those behind me who would receive the same lackluster welcome for their hard work. Also, as much as I wanted to lay down in some soft grass, there was only hard gravel surrounding the finish area, so I settled on just huddling on the rocks near the food tent to get some shade and catch my breath. I’ve never been able to partake in the usual finish line buffet since I’m always too nauseous after my runs to consume any of the goodies the race directors provide. I was pleased to see Andy waiting at the finish, along with my fellow PikesPeakSports.us Mighty Marmot teammate, Dave Mulligan, who had also run the 20K that morning and finished with an excellent time almost 45 minutes before me. Having familiar faces at the finish line always makes me smile, so I appreciated them more than they knew.

This was the first race I’ve ever run without any timing or tracking devices and I absolutely loved it. I am so proud of my race not because of the time or pace, but because I was so much more relaxed, finally conquered some of my hydration and fueling woes, and most importantly, finished feeling very happy, healthy and fulfilled. I don’t necessarily need a finish arch and clock to complete my mission.  I’m simply in awe of what my body still allows me to do and plan to keep enjoying my running with this new rule set in mind. I might not qualify to run the Boston Marathon this year, but I’m learning more about myself every day and will keep cherishing those quiet trail runs wherever I can find them. It’s always there that I can find my inner peace. Thanks, Xterra!