My second ultra - uh oh

My race report for Farmdale, a 32-mile trail run on October 17, 2009, in East Peoria, Illinois:

The weather was a little cool, but almost perfect for running. The trail was in great shape, and the little stream crossings were just that--little.

This is only my second ultra, so I can only compare it to Howl. Here are a dozen tidbits and lessons learned:

1. I thought it was a more difficult race than Howl, even in spite of that race's heat this year, because of the hills. Not as hilly as Clinton, but hillier than Mingo.

2. Significantly, I did not tilt the slightest bit during the entire race nor afterwards. This can easily be confirmed. I had witnesses! So my nickname may be short-lived....

3. For the first time, I experienced what I've only heard about until then: the agony of "running" downhill on tired knees. Ouch!

4. It was hard to figure out how you were doing in the race when you're spread out and don't have experience running these things. As it turns out, there were only 11 of us women running the 32 miles (more ran the 8-mile race). I was the oldest one! That tells me something, although I'm not sure what.

5. We did four 8-mile loops. The third loop was the worst. Lots of self-doubt swirling in my head. I was lapped during my third loop. At the start/finish, these guys were done, and I still had another loop to go. I was jealous.

6. Before waiting for minutes for a porta-potty that says "Open," check to see if they are indeed occupied.... I didn't have the peeing or bloating issues I had at Howl.

7. Didn't have any blisters the way I did at Howl. My feet were wet for the whole time, though. I wore trail shoes (Vasque Velocity), and I have one frostbitten toe (once you get it, it doesn't take much to get it again).

8, 9, 10. Right after the race, my joints hurt, especially one of my knees. I vowed never to do one of these again. I was walking gingerly. I could feel the bottoms of my feet throb as I lay in bed that night. I was very stiff the next morning, and my knee still hurt. So did some other things, but those were dull, unpleasant sensations that I knew would go away. By the end of the day, though, I started to feel fine. On Monday, I was thinking that I might just do another one of these again....

11. I killed another iPod. The one at Howl died because I kept it in my profusely sweaty pocket. This one died because after the race I threw it into the washing machine with my running clothes. It was in my shorts pocket. I have done this before. :-(

12. I think it was a beautiful course, but I didn't look around much. I didn't want to stumble on a root. I had three spectacular recoveries from what were sure to be awful faceplants. Near the end of the race, I was carefully walking over obstacles that I had previously hopped over.

I won a rock for my efforts. It's actually cool--it's engraved, like a tombstone.

That's about all I can think of. Seems like a long time ago already. I have since signed up for Clinton. Oops.