Frozen Toe 10k

Date: January 7, 2012.  
Location: Along the Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail in Roanoke, VA. The start and finish is at New Hope Christian Church
Event: 10k (actually 6.15 mile) trail run
Presented by: Mountain Junkies, LLC
Event Website: HERE
Other race reports on this event: Cardioholics Anonymous, Running because I can, Doug Falls


Yet another fine event courtesy of the Mountain Junkies.

Up and coming Mountain Junkies. Josie, Bentley and Sutton
Photo courtesy of the Mountain Junkies

We met at the New Hope Christian Church on a Saturday morning that was much warmer than the previous 2 years. I ran this event last year and there was a couple inches of snow on the ground. This year, unseasonably warm, but welcomed.

Courtesy of Brandie Bailey

Courtesy of Brandie Bailey

Despite the fact that my favorite Race Directors were told that they could not maintain the trail prior to the race (something about it being on national park property, I think) it was still in very nice shape for the race.

The absolute coolest thing about this event, was the excitement that it brought. The vibe there was such like it had been a long time since many of us had seen one another. Of course it was October since the last Mountain Junkies event. Some of us have run together in one form of another since then, but it was sure nice to all be together again and with many new faces as well. This event's registration was full at 300!

Pre-race
The days leading up to the race. All I could think of is how fast could I really run this loop? The Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail (CRL) is as "home court" as it gets for me. I've run this trail more than any other in my whole life, but I know many others can say the same thing. I prefer to access it from the parking area just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near the Roanoke Campground. The trail does loop around the campground.

So many time I set out to run the CRL fast, and come in at 52 mins. Another day, I'm sure I broke 50, but no, 52 mins. Another day I thought I'd take it easy... sure enough 52 mins. Is it a magical place? Some would wonder.

Not long ago, I ran it in 50 mins. It was an attempt at running it fast. Of course the weather was much cooler than previous times I attempted to run CRL fast.

I am surveying my friends and seeing who will run it at which planned speed. Some I knew I couldn't hang with, and others I thought I may be able to. I think I choose wisely.

At the starting line
I think I choose wisely because I stuck with Doug Falls for the first 2 or 2.5 miles. Which wasn't easy to do for most of it. but once we got the main hill for the course, I figured if I was still with him at that time, that it would be at this point that I would pass him, and it was. I really enjoy running with Doug. He is faster than me on average, but I'm learning that I'm faster than him on hills. We run well together. We push one another. That is the way running friends should be. I always look forward to running with Doug.
Phil on the other hand... I mentioned at the start something about keeping up with him at the very beginning, until we got to the trail. HA! He was gone from the start!

Courtesy of Brandie Bailey - pretty awesome pic of the race start

Course
The course is along the Chestnut Ridge Loop Trail. one of my favorite places to run in town. It is so close to the hospital and downtown, you can be there in minutes. This trail makes you feel like you are deep in the woods, but then you realize you are on the outskirts of a campground and a neighborhood here and there. You cal feel like you are far away, but you never really are. The loop crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2 locations. For the race we went under the parkway at a cross road as the National Park Service didn't want runners crossing the parkway at a race.  The elevation profile for the course is below, courtesy of the Mountain Junkies, LLC whose website I STOLE the image from.

Elevation gain and loss is right at 800 ft. The biggest most noticeable climb is from mile 3 to 3.5. The final downhill is a nice ending. nothing too horrible on this course as long as you are used to running hills. If all you are used to is flat roads, then this event will prove to be a tough one... but if you are really up for a steep Mountain Junkies race. Check out the Mill Mountain Mayhem. There is no question why it is the lowest attendance of any of their events. It is quite intimidating. I have a race report on it from 2011 HERE. Interested parties will have to wait until April to run it.

So... how did the race go?

I really felt settled in to a pace after the hill climb at mile 3.5, in fact my plan was to push it harder than normal until before the hill... settle down a bit to save some juice for the hill. Run the hill slow and steady as I normally do, and then after recovering from the hill try to settle into a flowing pace, but something consistent with those around me.

I noticed that very little passing was happening with those around me. I felt that this was a good sign, that I had placed myself well in the starting crowd, and that I ran the first portion of the race at the correct pace, to have settled in to the pace that I did, that there was little to no shuffling going on.

Last year I started out slow, and it was just a mess once on the trail. Passing on single track isn't easy. Fortunately many parts of the trail are wider than single track and allow for passing.

The last portion of the loop flowed nicely. Knowing the terrain I was on, I could easily prepare for what was ahead. I settled in, maybe a little too well.

The last mile or less
I found myself behind the 3rd female overall. I was pretty excited to be that far up in the overall results that there was only 3 ladies running ahead of me. I was reviewing in my head the goals I had for this race. I had no number for the time I wanted to see on the clock. I just knew I wanted to run it harder and stronger than I ever have run on that trail, and by this point in the race, I knew that I had accomplished that. I also wanted to try and place well in my age group. Knowing I would not likely make top three in AG, but I still wanted to run strong.

At this point in the race I had settled in to the thought that my mission was accomplished. I looked ahead on the turns and saw no competition ahead of me. No apparent age group runners in what I would this would be a catchable distance... and so I settled in. I shouldn't have let this happen.

The final stretch
Finding myself behind the 3rd female overall, I was pleased with my performance... until. I had concluded that I wouldn't blatantly pass this lady. I had thoughts that it might be rude to do in the final moments of the race...until. I was happy with how I had run and knew any age group competition was not in reach and so I figured I would take this pace to the finish right behind this lady.... until.

Photo courtesy of the Mountain Junkies

Out of no where she and I were passed. Immediately I thought 2 things "Oh no you don't!" and "He might be in my age group!"I kicked it from there to the finish and even though I passed the girl whom I had committed myself to not passing, the important thing is that I passed the guy that passed me in the final stretch. He didn't end up being in my age group after all.

Immediately after
It hit me that I should have run that last half mile downhill a bit harder and suddenly I began to think of next year. How come after conquering a course stronger than I ever had, I begin thinking of next time. Me and the CRL have an interesting relationship. There is a lot of training left to do there... I'm not done with it. Not at all. I think that is what hit me at that moment. I began to tell myself "Good job, but you can still do better"

I found a couple running friends and had some quick post race conversations. I grabbed a couple of bites to eat... of course chocolate chip pumpkin bread! A Mountain Junkie post-race staple. then off to the car I went as I had an assignment.

Post race assignment
My wonderful Mother-in-Law had been sick all week, but she still agreed to watch the kids for us as we ran this race. So instead of coming to the race with them, she stayed at the comfort of our place and I was to pick them up. The plan was right when I was done running my hear tout, to go home (Across town) pick up 3 kids and return to the race! Sure no problem, right?

Josie and I after the race. Courtesy of Brandie Bailey

It worked out quite perfectly actually. I called to let her know I was on the way. When I arrived the car was loaded with babies and accessories! I jumped from one car to the other and was back on the road. If this was in between stages at a triathlon, my Mother-in-Law would be the best crew EVER!

Returning to the event
In the car I had my 2 children and my nephew. During the time I was gone Lydia and Ruth both finished the race and had time to cool down. Then I show up with the kids. I think it worked out perfectly. I'm thankful that Connie watched them for us and allowed us to have the fun that we did. Conversations, awards and eating. Post race not only included the typical fruit and bagels and drink, but also Salazon salted chocolate, chocolate chip pumpkin bread, Dru's cookies, and WARM apple fritters. Where in the world can you get post race goodies like that?!?!?

 We were of the last to leave and just couldn't get enough of the Mountain Junkie love that was so apparent in the air. Lydia even said to me after the race that she wanted to go run!

What is next?
One week until the Swinging Bridge / Willis River 50k. It will prove to be a cold, wet and challenging run. I'm glad there is a group of us from the Roanoke area going, so I will have familiar faces around me. That is always a plus.

Thank you to Mountain Junkies, LLC and to all the other Mountain Junkies that ran on this day! What fun times are ahead. If you were there and didn't sign up for the RNUTS series, the price went up after today.