Race Report: Defiance 30K

This morning I ran the Pt. Defiance 30K.  I was amped for the run - last year I won the race and got the course record.  This year I was amping myself up for another great run ... I didn't quite hit the bar I set which is a bummer, though.  All in, the race was great and I can't wait to do it next year.  I ran a little over 30K (20.5mi) in the rain on single track dirt trails with hands down the best views.  Ever.  At one point there was a double pronged bridge that looked like a white version of the Golden Gate bridge - I admit, I got a little sidetracked in my nostalgia.

The race was two loops up stairs, then through the hills, along a cliff, then down a trail that runners needed to use a rope for to climb down.  I ran the first loop in 1:27 but wound up WAY slowing down for the second loop which I did in 1:36.

So what was different?  Last year I drank water before the run - this year only coffee.  Last year the morning of the race I got an email that a big proposal I wrote for work was approved and getting funding.  This year I had no new proposals on the table.  Last year it wasn't raining, this year it was.  Last year I did trail races all summer, this year I did road races.  Last weekend I did a 13 mile run which left me a little worse for the wear.  Last year I was running the race because I had to skip the New York Marathon - this year I was running the race to train for the New York Marathon.  This year I ran out of water at mile 10 and then fell pretty hard at mile 18.

All the excuses aside, I think what was different, though, is this year I was running to finish and didn't have the mental push.

Regardless, I loved the race.  I love being part of a trail running community.  I love the feeling of my muscles being completely fatigued after a good long hard run.  And I'll do it again.