Big Baz Winter Trail Series / 15K

Would you think that I was crazy if I told you I ran another trail race this weekend – less than a week after Calico?  I don’t know what got into me, but I did.  Yup, I ran the 15k of Big Baz’s Winter Trail Series.  And I’d do it again!

I had no expectations.  I knew it was going to be tough, shortish, but with big climbs.  Amazingly I felt strong.  I kept a good pace, so much so in fact, that the garmin didn’t tell me to speed up for a long time.  I had lots of fun.  For most of it, that is. 

Waiting for race to start

The day was gorgeous.  And the 15k course even more gorgeous.  It was a good 95% single track.  And it had plenty of shade – I’ll never complain about shade : )  Plenty of rocks, all sizes littered portions of the trail as well.  So those beginning downhills were quite tricky.  Rain erosion made other parts just as tricky by splitting the single track right down the middle with a deep gulley.

The beauty in this course

The climb back up begins

Not hurting too badly yet

SO!  I was nearly finished with this race, and oh, so tired.  I tripped twice, and my legs cramped up momentarily.  And then on the climb up, I came to a short downhill on that single track right alongside a cliff.  The cliff was lined with what looked like thorny brush, from what I recall.  It was shady, and quite lovely, and I wanted this race to END.  Suddenly, I tripped again.  But this time, I went down.  And for some reason, I didn’t do my usual hit and roll to the side – perhaps it was that cliff that changed my fall style.  Perhaps it was the leg cramping that occurred at impact.  I remember my left knee making impact, and my right hand too.  But I mostly remember my face smashing into the ground and my chin hitting a rock.  Well, I jumped up, I mean jumped up, mainly because I didn’t want the girl behind a ways to  catch me and also because I didn’t want that cramp to travel to other parts.  I looked down at the rock that I hit my chin on, thought about carrying it in for a souvenir then said forget that!  Then before taken off on a slow trot, I started to dust the dirt off.  I was covered head to toe.  Suddenly I thought No, let the dirt be, I want to come in all dirty.  I didn’t know what my face looked like, and I kinda wished that I had a mirror.  I could feel that there was no blood, but if I looked scratched and bruised in the face, then I wanted the head-to-toe dirt to match : )

Fortunately, though the left side of my face slightly aches, the only visible damage is a red eye and an ugly blackish-purplish bump on my chin.  Several hours later as I write this blog however, I can feel the impact all over.  Not in bruises or cuts (though I did notice a cut on my pinkie finger and a tiny rock embedded in another), but in just an overall kind of jolt injury.  If you know what I mean.  It was like my brain shook and all my limbs and torso stopped momentum in an instant (kinda like a car wreck : (

I crossed the finish line smiling, and before everyone went home, even before several others crossed some time later.  I stayed a bit to see the winners take their awards and I laughed at (with) Big Baz as he entertained the crowds.  Then I was off back home.

Miles logged this morning:  9.56

Elevation Profile: +1,644 / –1,654