My First Trail Race Ever!

I ran the last race of the OC Chili Winter Trail Run series (thank you for the suggestion Lauren!!) today! It was amazing and the people were SUPER nice!! No problems getting in other peoples way until the very end. I really like how they set up the trail because it started uphill and the trail was really wide and open there which allowed for faster people to get by the slower people and then it was down hill the last three miles. The downhill part was pretty narrow but it was fine because everyone I was around just took it at an easy jogging pace and no one was fighting to pass.

I got there pretty early because I didn't know where I was going and I was a little nervous that it would be up a mountain. The park was on rolling hills which was cool because it was easy to get to. I watched the people and hung around for a bit went to the bathroom (which was right there and was flushable Yay!) then it started.

The first mile I felt great! I was really enjoying the scenery and the people I was near were just jogging. I ran the first half of the mile and then hiked a little on the initial way up. Once we started that initial climb - those were the people I was with for almost the entire race. I totally missed the mile one marker. I didn't even think about how far I had gone until I (surprise!) saw the marker for mile two. I was feeling good with jogging most of it until first half of mile two and then there was a super steep hill where I got REALLY hot. I was really going slow in fact I took a mini break in the shade for a minute then kept going.

I jogged/ran all the way down mile 3 and 4. I really enjoyed those miles - 3 because it was nice to finally be able to run my legs (which were all warmed up from the hiking) and 4 because it was shady and nice. Mile 4 was also fun because I was in a sort of "pack" and we were all just moving together and it was really nice to just know that I could keep up with them. I felt really great physically. Being in the pack on a narrow trail also forced me to push myself harder than I do when I run alone because 1) I didn't want to get into anyones way and 2) I didn't want to let the people behind me get in front of me ;).



Mile 4 to 4.85 I had a hard time. I jogged the first half of the last mile but then I actually got a bit sick and had to walk the last half of it. I think I got a little too hot because my eyes were doing weird things. Everything seemed really bright and weird and my head felt a little dizzy. Right after I finished I beelined for home. I was a little bummed to not go to the after scene because it sounded fun but I was worried that I was heat stroked or something - I was fine after chilling out for a bit at home.

So in the end - I completed it in 1 hour and 12 minutes - I finished after a few people I started with but I finished before a few people I started with too. Overall it was a really great experience that I am definitely doing again next year. Only next year I am planning to complete the entire series.