85F+1:12=Carnage

Amherst, MASSACHUSETTS--It's been a while since I had my rear end handed to me like the 7 Sisters Trail Race handed it to me today.  Just a complete arse whoppin.  About the only saving grace was spending the day (uh, sharing the agony) with teammates.  aR had a strong showing with six athletes including Ri, Ryan, Steve W., Rich, Geoff, and myself.  The light rain and overcast skies pre-race should have been an omen.  The clouds definitely burned off with temperatures soaring into the mid 80's.  Not having run this race before I was completely at a loss as to a race plan (probably another omen).  Steve and others had filled me in on the course but no measure of words could have prepared me for the killer climbs that lay ahead.  The start was exactly as described...10 feet of running before the entire line of runners began immediately walking uphill.  Rich stayed close and we picked our way up the first climb.  I was feeling very strong for the first 6 miles to the turnaround arriving at the end point around 1:12.  I had lost Rich and passed Wolfe somewhere between 4 and 6.  As I was leaving the turnaround aid station Steve was rolling in and hollered that he was coming after me.  Shortly before the 8 mile mark, while negotiating a steep rocky ascent, my quads began to seize.  I knew right away that it was going to be a long 4 miles to the finish.  I picked up my hydration and Endurolyte rate but with very little success.  While I could shuffle along on some of the flats none of the ups or downs were runnable for me.  It wasn't long before Wolfe caught and passed me.  He encouraged me to tag along but the conductor had already punched my ticket on the pain train.  I refilled at each of the water stops on the way back and even stopped to pee.  Looking at my watch as I summited the final climb, with only a treacherous basalt scree descent to the finish, the watch told the entire story.  I crossed the finish line in 2:49:12.  I was over :30 slower on the way back.  When I finished and sat down both of my quads went into a hyperspasm from hell and I laid on the ground for 20 minutes with my legs straight until the cramps abated.  Although I think my nutrition was adequate, I think my pacing was way too fast.  I should have hit the 1/2 way mark closer to 1:15ish.  As I write the results are not posted, but Geoff was around the Top 10, Ryan the Top 25, and Ri just outside of that.  Wolfe finished 4 minutes ahead of me (1:00 if you subtract the time I took to pee).  In the only real trail mishap of the day, Rich took a 'Graham' on a descent within the final 3 miles and suffered a deep laceration on his forearm.  After he fell he was so spooked that he walked the rest of the way.  Roughly 4 weeks until Pineland Farms and I need to find my mojo again.

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