Race report: lessons learned from an afternoon run

The Bridle Trails 10 mile was awesome and inspiring!  This trail race was cool in that it was a mix of ultra runners and "the rest of us."

Here's a look at my shoes post-race (and this is after kicking off the mud!)

Ultra runners are definitely a different breed - and something in me keeps wanting to do an ultra.  You can tell the difference between the two groups because the ultraletes (get it?  ultra athletes?  hehe) are usually talking together in abbreviated sentences about sex and poop and not necessarily in that order.  I guess when you run 26.2+ consecutive miles, you're open to talk about anything.  They're also the prepared runners with water packs and food stuffed in every pocket and clothed in layers with headlamps topping everything off.  I am constantly in awe of ultra runners. 

The race started just after 3pm in 30 degree cold.  The forecast had snow, but we were lucky in that the sun was actually out - I can't say it was shining, so much, as the sun in Seattle seems to always be to the side somewhere when it makes an appearance.

Some lessons learned:

• Sushi is not good pre-race food for an afternoon event - I had sushi for lunch and at about mile 3 it wanted to come up.  I felt like it was literally swimming back up ... gross.
• Layers that can tie!  It was cold cold cold, but after a few miles I was warm and ready to shed layers.  The ability to tie stuff around my waist was huge.
• Petes before a race, not so good.  Other coffees, required.  I won't go further than that.

Some highlights:

• Mud.  That about sums up the entire race actually - it was 3-4 inches of mud for the duration.
• Festive.  One of the runners got there earlier in the day and set up Christmas lights on a battery pack at mile 4/8 (it was a double loop) - what an awesome way to know you're close to the finish.  Another runner hung glow sticks on some of the trees along the course.
• Good people.  Every trail race I've run in Seattle I have met great people.