Lead-in
The first race of 2018 in the books, and oh what a race. Chilly Cheeks 2018 is the kind of race that will challenge everything about you. From the sheer uphill start to the constant hills to technical terrain. Chilly cheeks does not disappoint. From the start, I knew I was coming into today undertrained and not prepared. I knew what was in store and injury prevented me from being ready. But as long as I can run I will register and run this race.
My Race
The race start begins with Ron Horn talking about how you are going to lost and ways to avoid it. Of course, there is a dirty joke sprinkled in there as well. But the temperature today cut the comments short. The whistle blew and we were off. Running down Hill rd. I could see the front runners turning the corner and bombing down the trail towards the ominous first bushwhacking uphill. My time was next. The plan was to just get up that hill then reassess. To take my time and stay steady. One foot in front of the other was my rallying cry today.
The Picture to the right shows my mindset after that first hill. The plan shifted to walking the uphills and making up time on the downhills. I still believe this was the right course of action. Even though my time screamed otherwise. A mile and a half into the race and whoo hoo downhills were feeling good until, oops while avoiding another runner I’m on my ass. First fall of the year in the books. Now past the halfway point mentally I was not doing well.
What do you think about when struggling
I kept telling myself that running in my Altra Lone Peaks may have been a bad idea. In retrospect, if I had just changed my mindset to a positive thought my overall experience would have been so much different. Enter the hills, weather, my sore butt (from the fall). It all adds to that negative mindset. As my watch buzzed in the 5-mile mark I reined in my thoughts. I knew there was a significant downhill ahead, my mindset shifted. That’s all it takes to change the negative attitude and identify why you race. It’s not just about your time, it’s about the triumph of dealing with your demons. Working through problems, adversity, and arriving at the other end better for it. 9 min miles are nowhere near what I was shooting for but after that race, I’m proud of getting through it.
The Finish Chilly Cheeks 2018
The final major hill is, in my opinion, the worst. The first hill is a reality check, at the top of it, you know what your info throughout the race. The ups and downs and of course the 1500 feet of climb over 6.5 miles are all crazy stats but I hold true to the last hill being the worst. Trying to catch up to the runner in front of me (Julia Stone) and hearing the footsteps behind (David Josephson) put an urgency in every step. There it is the finish line! I did it. The first race of 2018 is done.
Experience
The race is put on by the great people at Pretzel City Sports. Ron and Helene put so many personal touches on this race. What makes each race special is the passion they show for every aspect of racing culture. Some of my favorite moments of a Pretzel City race harken back to old school racing culture. Booze on the course, the suck, and the old school efficient finish. Oh and the dirty jokes along the course. Thank you Pretzel City Sports. They do more races check out the link to see the other great foot races they put on.
Personally I faced a hard race, adverse weather conditions, and injuries that prevented me from reaching my goal of a PR. However, it’s not all about that its more than about me. The event wins and the stories will continue. We will look back at future events and say remember the time Gary was trying to catch up to Julia..? Good times.
Chasing Trail
My little trail group came in Hot. I am so proud of the people who came out to our normal 8:30 weekly run and then to the Race today. To watch Chasing Trail grow and succeed is an amazing experience and I thank each and every person that comes out to support and to run.