25K at Greenland

The last time I raced more than a 5k was December.  That's good, but it meant I wasn't fully prepared for today's 25k.  I had all the nutrition I needed with me (Gu and Sport Beans), I just didn't manage to take them soon enough.  Not that nutrition alone was among my challenges.

I prayed to the rain gods last night and they listened.  I woke up to sun and blue skies - not what I was expecting given the forecast.  But I guess the wind gods were feeling neglected.  It is always windy at Greenland but today was like no other day I have been there. 

STRONG headwind from the south doesn't remotely capture the nature of the wind out there.

The race starts going south - on a relatively flat fire road with a slight incline - at least the view of Pikes Peak was stunning (that is Pikes Peak in the background of my photo).   As we turned uphill the wind continued to batter.  Eventually, though it was at my back and I had some relief.  

I knew that I was doing two loops, but I hadn't looked closely at the map and didn't realize that the turnaround took us back down the lollipop stick.  I thought we looped back at the lollipop stick.  Not the end of the world, but a little bit deflating to be sure.

And of course, when we turned around the WIND was back.  Full force headwind again.  And this time we were going up immediately because we didn't loop all the way back to the beginning of the fire road.  And when we did join the fire road again I was struggling but good. Struggling with my sport beans and the wind.  Just stick to GU - that's my current lesson - it's easier to open, it doesn't stick to the other objects (beans, moons, blocks) in the package and well you don't have to chew it so it goes down easier.  And when I got to the big uphill again I wasn't so sure I wanted to go back up and fight the wind.  Good thing there wasn't a choice.

I always seem to run by myself.  Not sure what that's about...why my pace is so different than everyone else's.  There were many moments on that second loop when I was wishing for my girls - Dani, Beth, Staci, Jillian, Jane and my four legged girl, Sydney.  I thought about Jane and PG running FOUR laps last year.  No thanks, two was enough.  Even if Jane did have PG to draft behind.  No thanks - she's a better woman than I.  

The wind slowed me, but I also didn't really push.  This was a training run more than anything. It's the first time I've run more than 13 since last year's Pikes Peak Marathon and it felt good to know that I could do it.  And at the moment I don't feel too beat up; we'll see what tomorrow brings.  

I am glad to have run two laps at Greenland.  It's a beautiful place and it will prepare me for Steamboat 1/2 and for the Peak.