Crazy Desert in San Angelo is a very fast trail course. The local running club (San Angelo Road
Lizards) do a good job with the event.
The weekend between Cross Timbers and Crazy Desert I started
having IT Band issues with the left leg at the end of a long mileage
weekend. I finished the training run and
the left leg was in poor condition. The
week before Crazy Desert I drastically cut back on the weekly mileage in an
effort to rest the leg. Crazy Desert 50K
was the test.
I started out great!
At the half way point (about mile 16) I was running in first and was on
my way to setting a new course record. I
was running comfortably with no issues whatsoever. I had about a 1.5 mile lead on number 2 and 2
miles on number 3. At mile 20 I checked
by pace and was pleased to see I was still easily hitting 8 minute miles.
At mile 22 things dropped to good. The temperature was in the low-80’s range and
the 20-25 mph wind was relentless. An occasional
twinge along the IT Band had begun. I
was still running well, albeit a little slower.
At mile 24 things dropped to bad. I began having difficulty sustaining any run
pace (even my old man shuffle) for more than a few minutes. The IT Band pain was soaring. I unsuccessfully tried mixing up the run/walk
stride to compensate for the IT Band.
This only succeeded in wearing a half-dollar sized blister on the left
foot and aggravating a very old and sometimes cranky groin injury.
By mile 26 bad had become horrible. I knew I would not complete the race. I was unable to walk more than 50-100 yards
without having to stop and attempt to rub down the left leg. What I really needed was a little “Massage By
ErinJ” Still in first, when I reached mile 27 I sat
down, called for the SAG wagon, ordered a beer and popped two painkillers.
I might have been able to walk out the final 4 miles. It would have taken about 2 hours and I very
likely would have trashed the leg and potentially initiated damage to other
body parts. I’ve run with severe pain
before. Somehow the body just knows when
you can run in pain and when you are supposed to cease and desist all
activity. This was a cease and desist
day. In the end I worked in a solid long
trail run and I’m still able to continue training for VT100. Even though I know dropping out is the right
call, every part of me is disappointed with a DNF while leading the race.
There’s always next year – right?
