Blog Post

Or as one runner on today's course named it...the "Ouch-ita Trail"!  30is runners toed the start line at the unoffical Ouachita Switchback Trail Race.  I think it will be official next year and the years to come.  Check out the race page at ouachitaswitchbacks.blogspot.com. Tommy Brennan is an awesome race director.  Today was more bitter than sweet for me.  It has been about 3 months since I've been out there. She is a tough, rugged, but beautiful trail stretching neary 200 miles from Oklahoma through Arkansas in the Ouachita Mountains. My goal today was to keep it comfortable and just enjoy the trail run. Ahhh, this young grasshopper fell into the trap of expectations.  Back to the race.  I was not intending to race. That was not today's agenda. The first 4 miles were easy rolling hills...laiden with her notorious rocks, roots, creek crossings and thorns.  It felt fun and relatively easy those first 4 miles, although I could feel myself pushing the upper limit of "comfortable" early on.  I came into the first aid station behind the front pack of boys. I was happy with my spot (because this was were I EXPECTED to be).  The next 2+ miles were a steady up up up. Over boulder field, severaly large downed trees and more and more rocks and roots. I wasn't feeling as comfortable.  So what choice did I make?  Relax, slow down, let the trail come to me, enjoy the beauty around me?  Well of course not!  And Ouachita Mountain's response?  "Tisk tisk little girl, you know better than to fight me!"  Like a stubbonr 3 year old I charged forward, getting more and more tired, slowing down, looking at my watch.."shit, is that all my heart rate is?  Is that all my pace is?"  Of course I didn't realize my 3 year old mentality at the time. I attributed slowing down to "just trying to keep it comfortable", I wasn't "trying" anything other than to move faster and feel better moving faster.  At about mile 5-6 a nice little break from the up...a number of switchbacks down into a saddle section before going up again. I regained a little steam, then up the next set of switchbacks. 32 of them to be precise.  Oh did I get pissed off.  Last time I was out there I was able to run (albeit slow!) up all of those switchbacks.  Today I hiked darn near every one.  I got really aggrevated. Fists clenched, head down, charging up those switchbacks...and Ouachita's response?  Tisk Tisk young lady.  I'm disappointed you refuse to enjoy what I have here for you. You brought company and you are acting like a big baby". Like a 3 year old I charged on.  Of course I told myself I was not running becuase I was supposed to be taking it easy, but really I was not running because I couldn't. I got to the top of the switchbacks, the turnaround and sat on a rock and ate my pb sandwich...perfect opportunity to chillax and rethink my attitude and reset myself.  Did I make the right choice?  NOPE!  I still believed I was NOT succumbing to my own expectations, that I WAS taking it easy and letting the trail come to me, keeping it comfortable, yadda, yadda, yadda. The whole while the Ouachita trail saying, "you still have much to learn, let me teach you". I was in no mood to be taught anything at that point.  My stomach revolted against the pb sandwich for the next mile and a half and my dual chamber hydration pack wasn't working right.  The water bladder tube was not working, so only electrolyte drink for 14 miles.  Did I stop to fix it so I could have water?  NOPE!  And Ouachita Mt said, "tisk tisk".  By the time I got to the 14 mile aid station I was sooo thirsty for water.  Fixed my pack and guzzled water the next 3.5 miles to the finish. Still so much to learn.  Disappointed that I succumbed to my own expectations, that I was unwilling to accept where I was at and embrace it and form it into a positive experience.  I know how to do the latter, I've done it before, and it is an amazing experience.  Learn and grow.  Learn and grow.