From Great, to Good, to Bad, to Horrible

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?