Race Result

Racer:	Heather Rosso
Race:	Women's Half Marathon Trail Run
Date:	Saturday, September 8, 2007
Location:	, VA
Race Type:	Run - Half Marathon
Age Group:	Female 35 - 39
Time:	3:08:28
Overall Place:	167 / 187
Age Group Place:	43 / 46
Comment:	Leap Frogging through the Woods

Race Report:

Hills are my nemesis. I’m getting much better at them on my bike, but with running, especially when there is hill after hill after hill after hill . . . . on dirt trails covered in roots and rocks, I can quickly lose my happy disposition.

But this is one of my favorite races run with great people, and I was able to keep from getting grumpy as we all cheered each other through the course. Similar to Iron Girl, the WHM is an all women’s race that brings women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities. This was my second time running it—the first time back in 2003, when I finished a sad 3:52:38. Although this year I was about 30 minutes shy of where I wanted to be, I still did much better than my first go-around and came in this year in 3:09:28 (167 of 187 overall, 43 of 46 in my age group).

However, after comparing times this year from 2003, it looks like overall times were faster this year (http://www.vhtrc.org/half/index.htm). This could be because they changed the course. That was my first disappointment. The course used to go through much of the mountain bike course at Fountainhead Regional Park, and now it instead takes you through the horse trails and the Bull Run Trail. I was so looking forward to running the suicide hill that they used to take runners through—a steep, really-really steep downhill that either required a good deal of faith and courage or the willingness to lower yourself—literally and figuratively—to the ground and scoot down on your butt. I tend to have little fear, so enjoyed flying down the hill hoping my feet hit the ground instead of my face or hands.

I headed to the race in the morning with a good bit of nervousness, causing my stomach to do pre-race tossing that didn’t help me keep the peanut butter and honey sandwich down. I managed, but not without checking for places to pull over along the side of the road, just in case. This is the longest running race I’d done (and actually anticipated finishing, so Highlands Sky 40 miler doesn’t count) since before I tore disks in my lower back. Plus, the heat was expected to be nasty—90s and humid. And I knew the course was hilly. It was starting to look like an intimidating day all around, and my stomach was taking the toll.

After some stretching, warming up, and running around the parking lot to get my legs in gear (and to help reduce the jitters), the guys sang us “Happy Trails,” as is the tradition at WHM, and we were off. The first half mile or so is on pavement, and then the rest in the woods. This was a saving grace, because it kept the heat off us to a large degree, although it wasn’t long before I was so soaked, I felt like a human sponge throughout the race.

I had anticipated walking the uphills and walking the few feet at each aid station taking in as much water and Gatorade as I could each time. This time I surprised myself by also drinking some Coke, and it actually tasted really good and agreed with my stomach. That’s a first (I generally hate soda, even outside of races). I knew I could make up lots of time on the downhills and flats, like I usually do on the bike. I have the big advantage of having little fear and being very agile, so even with the roots and rocks and mud, downhills are my strongpoint. This was certainly the case today, and I was passing lots of people on the downhills. But then they would pass me on the uphills. And I would pass them again on the downhills, just to be passed again by them on the uphills. We kept doing this, chatting briefly as we’d pass each other, until I reached the midpoint (well ahead of the cutoff) and had to stop to change from contacts to glasses (a friend was there to help me with this)—my contacts had kept slipping, causing me to lose sight of the roots in front of me, which caused me to snag my toes on a couple of roots and nearly do a face plant. I stayed upright, but jarred my back during one near fall.

Other food—in addition to the fluids, the other two things that got me through were some sports beans I carried in my running shorts pocket and grapes that I picked up at each aid station. I would munch on the grapes one at a time throughout each leg of the race—the sugary squirt of juice was enough several times to give me a brief burst of energy and keep me moving forward.

Once I reached the final aid station, I was surprised to learn I was only a quarter mile from the turn around to head to the finish. The race suddenly seemed to have gone by so fast, and although my thighs and toes were screaming at me by this point from both the up and down hills, I found lots more energy for the last leg and came in strong.

It was nice to return to the WHM, and although the suicide hill was removed, the many, many other hills were great training, and I look forward to doing this race each year the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club can bring it to us.