I managed to do some things in this race that I've never done before. First off, it was my first official trail marathon, and I ran it below my range of aerobic capacity. I also came up close and personal with the course more so than I've ever done in a race. I felt strong physically through the entire race, however, my encounters with exposed jagged rocks and tree roots forcefully put me in my place. My clumbsiness and apparent lack of coordination shined through in miles 8, 10, and 12 (and many close calls throughout the course). Fortunately, the only thing I injured was my pride. Every time I felt I had a handle on my running, good old mother nature was there to let me know who's boss! So, after my 3rd experience of outstretched arms like superman (but with much less the glory!) I decided that this was not a race for me, and just to finish unscathed was my goal. This ended up being the slowest marathon I've run of my last 22. I plan on running a few more marathons & halfs in the very near future, so injuries are not an option!
I'm sure I'll look back on this experience and laugh, but for the moment; I am working on a waning frustration of my performance. It was indeed a beautiful course, and an opportunity for me to expand my running experiences. Maybe I'll choose to do some more trail races in the future as I gain control of my awkward footing! | 