So I ran up a mountain and then down and then I hurt.

That is the easiest, quickest way to describe my Wurtsboro 30k adventure. There is not an easy to quick way to describe the first 3.5 to four miles of this race. You sort of have to experience it to really grasp it.

I have done plenty of trail races with steep climbs and races with long and steady ascents but I can’t recall anything like this one. This first section of the course was about a 940 to 960 steady uphill climb. This averaged out to a five percent grade. Put that in your treadmill for four miles and you might get an idea of what it is like.

I knew the numbers ahead of time but I didn’t let it psych me out. My goal was simply to make it through this part of the course and see what time I could make up when we finally got to downhill. And that is what I did. I felt really great. I survived the first 10k and enjoyed the second 10k. I was even able to enjoy some of the scenery during the second 10k.

I ran a tough 30k and all I got was this knit beanie. I am wearing it every where I go!

Then things started to hurt and it wasn’t my quads. Those started hurting on Sunday. What did start to hurt was the tendonitis on the top of my left foot and then my Popliteus tendon behind my right knee started to hurt. The tendonitis on my foot has been an ongoing thing for a while but has never hurt when I run. But right at 12 miles it said something along the lines of, “Woman, you are crazy and we need to stop this now.” It got the other tendon to agree. I honestly think that was the most difficult 10k I have ever completed. There was more walking than running and all that awesome time I made up on the downhill was slowly and painfully slipping away.

While I was disappointed and still feel that I could have done better, I am finally beginning to settle into a good sense of accomplishment with this distance. This was my first time racing this distance with only a few timed 18 mile runs under my belt. This was an extremely challenging course not for the faint of heart. Then of course, the tendonitis stuff. So yes, I was slower than my two previous timed 18 mile runs but this was a 30k (18.6). I also ran this after a very good but hilly half marathon the week before.

I’m due for a nice flat course!

Thankfully, that is what I’m getting this weekend at the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race in DC. My initial plan for this was to go for a PR. But…see everything above about a mountain.

My legs were probably more sore after this event than they ever have been after any of my marathons. I gave myself an extra rest day and am doing two days of deep water running so that I can get a good workout completed but on the low-impact side of things. I’m hoping to go for an easy run tomorrow.

I have no idea if a PR is still in the works for Sunday and I’m going to try really hard not to beat myself up if it doesn’t happen. I’m going to try and enjoy the fact that it is a flat course and that it will be warmer. I’ll be going with my best buddy and running not only with Doreen (if her foot behaves) and a bunch of my other buddies from my running club.

But yeah, I still want to PR.