Land Between the Lakes Race Report

(one normal ankle, one super sized.)

the short version:  

I twisted the holly hell out of my ankle at mile 13, then at mile 30 I couldn't take the pain any longer so I DNFed

Longer version:

Land Between the lakes is a 23k marathon, 60k, and 50 mile trail run held in Grand Rivers Kentucky.  The course starts out for 1.7 miles on road then goes into and 11.3 mile trail loop, that loop is run between 1-4 time depending on the distance, then you finish back on the road.  It's a really pretty course with great views of Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.  The trails have a decent amount of roots, and some hills, but as far as trail runs go the elevation change is on the lower side.

I left for Grand Rivers, KY on Friday around noon, just as the snow was really starting to fall in cincinnati.  The drive wasn't too bad, the highways were mostly clear it took about an hour longer than normal.  I was staying with a group Buffalo from Illinois, not actual Buffalo (although that would have been pretty cool) that's just the name of there running group.

The plan for the run was for Marla and I to run the 50 miler together.  She wanted a tune up run for McNaughton and this is the only way I would ever be able to keep up with her in a race.  The race started out well enough.  It didn't snow during the race, and with around 200 runners (200 less than what was expected, because of the weather.) the snow on the trails was packed down pretty well.  We didn't really have a goal time but the pace we set from the beginning would have put us at about 9:45 for the 50.  the single track on the first loop was pretty crowded and we had to fight through some deep snow whenever we needed to pass, but the first loop went by without any problems.

Less then a mile into the second loop is when I twisted my ankle.  It hurt like hell when I did it and I thought it would swell, but I know the best thing to do to keep the swelling away for as long as possible is the keep moving on it, so I vocalized a few obscenities and continued running.  It hurt from then on, but I was still able to run somewhat normally on it until mile 25.  At that point I started limping pretty bad and Marla couldn't handle my snails pace any longer, so she ran ahead and my run slowly transformed into a shuffle then into a walk then into something that can hardly even be classified as movement.  I picked up a stick to help me walk, it had a "V" at the end so I put it under my armpit like a crutch, that last about 5 minutes before it snapped.  I then convinced myself that if I found to large sticks that were strong enough to support my body weight, I could use them as crutches and at least finish the 60k.  But I couldn't find any sticks that would work, it wasn't a very well thought out plan in the first place.  After about an hour of shuffling 2 miles, I started getting lapped by the winners of the 50 miler, including Ellen who won the women's race.  She even offered to stop and give me an advil.  I'm glad I declined because she ended up finish in some thing like 7:59:40, I would have felt like a loser if she missed sub 8 hours because she stopped to give me an advil.  So I covered about 2.5 miles in 1.5 hours, a blistering pace of 36 min/mile, and finally reached the next aid station, mile 30, where I got a ride back to the start/finish line.

Just another injury to add to the list.  The race was fun while it lasted.  The sprained ankle is no big deal, it'll heal after a few days, but I would have liked to get in a 50 mile training run before McNaughton.  My knee didn't hurt too bad during the race, although I could feet it, it didn't really slow me down, but it definitely hurts know that I'm done.

I will be leaving in an hour for LBL.  It's snowing pretty good right now, hopefully I'll get there before the real snow hits.  Supposed to be 6 inches or so down there, which should make the run pretty interesting.  Not sure how my knee is going to feel.  My test run last night didn't go so well, but it feels pretty good now    :\

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory or defeat." T. Roosevelt

With the use of ice, rest, peanut butter banana honey sandwiches, and fruit smoothies, the pain in my knee has reduced substantially. I haven't run on it since Monday morning and will probably only do a short test run on Friday just to make sure it's ok for the 50 miler this weekend.

5.5 miles, road, 8:33 pace

I started feeling a sharp pain in my right knee as I finish my first 5 mile loop this morning.  It hurts to walk or run.  I don't think it's that serious, I hope it will be gone when I wake up tomorrow, and I can make up those extra 11 miles I was supposed to run today.

5.5 miles, trails

My legs felt pretty good today.  I didn't have the spring in my step that I had yesterday but I wasn't sore, just a little tired.  I wanted to do back to back long runs, but I just felt really lazy today and didn't feel like it.  It was such a nice day outside, 60 degrees and sunny, I just felt like sitting around in the sun.

31 miles, MUDDY trails, 6:59

I got to Mt. Airy at 8 this morning, but the trails were to icy to run in regular shoes.  I screwed my shoes for the run at Mo last weekend, but they all fell out durning the run, so I don't have much confidence in my shoe screwing abilities.  I decided to stop by the Running Spot and pick up a pair of YakTrax, but the store didn't open until 10... Eventually I got back to Mt. Airy at 11 to start my run, of course by now it had warmed up and most of the snow had melted so I didn't really need the YakTrax.  The YakTrax worked pretty well on the icy patches and hard packed snow, but I had trouble with them sliding around on my shoes, I only wore them the first five miles.  the warmer it got, the muddier and harder to run it was.  The last 8 miles I was sliding all over the place.  Parts of the trail were more like a creek, with water streaming down.  I felt really good throughout the run, my quads started to fatigue towards the end but I ran pretty even throughout, although my times slowed by about a minute per loop because of the mud.  This was done on the Stone Steps 50k course.  I have run the race the past 2 years, and run the 5.3 mile loop often in training.  This was the first time I was able to navigate the 3.3 mile loop solo without getting lost.  It took me a little extra time the first loop, trying to find the trail in certain spots.  7 hours on the feet and 31 miles of mud and hills in the books.  A nice slow training run for McNaughton.

Loop 1 (5.3 miles) 1:09:36

Loop 2 (3.3 miles) 47:53

Loop 3 (5.3 miles) 1:10:50

Loop 4 (3.3 miles) 43:18

Loop 5 (5.3 miles) 1:11:19

Loop 6 (3.3 miles) 44:48

Loop 7 (5.3 miles) 1:12:09