Dirt Dawgs!

Here’s a picture from last Saturday. Me (left), Kyle (middle), Tim (right)

Early last week I got to thinking about races, since I had yet to register for a single one in 2011. I was looking online for a 10k or something similar to whet my running appetite. I stumbled across something close to home, cheap, and coming up soon: The Dirt Dawg 8 Miler. Located in Dayton, only $9, and Saturday was only four days away. The catch: it’s a trail run.

Let’s go over my trail running experience. In 8^th and 9^th grades I ran track. ONE TIME during track practice, I did a training run on the cross country course. Oh, and I also ran laps around the driving range a few times on the high school golf team (punishment for being caught throwing clubs). That’s all I’ve got.

Immediately I want to do this race, but I’m reluctant to cut my trail running teeth on an 8 mile course, all by myself. I start to wonder who I can drag into this and Kyle comes to mind. Kyle is a friend I grew up with. We played on the same junior pro basketball team (the Bulls), the same little league team (the A’s), and the same babe ruth team (Red). When we got older I transitioned to golf and tennis. Kyle became a cross country runner. Kyle lives in the Cincinnati area now and we’d recently reconnected and run a little 5k together. I knew Kyle was my best bet to getting a partner for the Dirt Dawg 8 Miler.

An email and a phone call later and we were committed. With no time to train, I realized this would be a unique experience. I’d have no time goal, because I’d have nothing to compare this race to. I would just go out and try to not break an ankle. For only $9, I’d be able to just enjoy the race and see how much I liked trail running. I was more excited than I’ve ever been for a race.

We decided to meet up at the race, and Kyle invited his friend/coworker Tim.

Here’s the description of the race (blue), with my comments inserted (black):

Out and back with 1.24 mile lolly-pop turnaround.  Total distance is:  8.26 Miles (felt like at least 12)

The first mile has 2 sharp hills (‘sharp’ sounds like steep but short… not accurate, these hills were steep and long) with a quick descent brings you to a mile worth of flat meadow running (by the way, quick descent means you’re probably slipping half the way, and possibly falling). Miles 2 and 3 are a roller coaster (indeed) though old growth forest that include: slippery bridge crossings (nearly fell on each bridge because they were at 90-degree turns and I never slowed down enough, hand rails saved me numerous times), stream jumps (fun), rooty footing (the rooty footing was a killer the entire race for some one who’s always run on the road; exhausting), and off camber fun.

Hope your nice and warm for the first large creek crossing that begins the lolly-pop. It could be low, knee-high, frozen or a combo of both, just expect to get wet! (2" to 4" deep) (Not as bad as I expected, there were rocks to cross on, icy and slippery rocks, but taking it slow I kept dry). The first section of the loop contains some meadow running (to warm those wet feet!) and technical single track (being a trail newbie, I didn’t realize how narrow ‘single track’ is; at some points I was being brushed by twigs on both sides) with a few tree jumps (jumping over logs during a run makes you feel like a real athlete, loved it) and crossing the same creek another mile upstream (the second crossing was a little more difficult, the rocks were loose and some were under an inch or two of water so one foot did get wet, but still not as bad as expected). A quick climb (not quick, I tried to take it quick to catch back up to Kyle and Tim, that about killed me) and a smooth decent brings you to the end of the loop... and only 3.51 miles to the finish.

A perfect January trail run! (a couple inches of snow, 22 degrees, there is no such thing as a perfect January trail run in Ohio)

Kyle doesn’t compete much any more; he claims to just run four milers with his wife. And he’s got a nerve problem in one foot. But he’s got a very strong base. I found that out when we ran the 5k together and he ran off without me on the last mile. Tim is a cyclist who also has a very strong running base. I am not like these guys. If I don’t train for a distance I can’t rely on a base because up until a year and a half ago, I couldn’t run a mile in less than 11 minutes.

We agreed to run it together and have fun. Out of the gate Kyle jumps off the side of the trail and starts passing people. Tim and I weave our way through the pack and try to keep an eye on him. I guess by ‘running together’ Kyle means ‘keep up with me’. Tim and I hang a few yards behind Kyle for the first mile and talk a little bit. He’s done a couple half marathons like me (only faster) but lately hasn’t been running more than four miles or so (like Kyle). For the first mile or two we both complain about how difficult the trail is and we wonder why Kyle is setting such a hard pace to keep up with.

In the first meadow section we try to engage Kyle, thinking that maybe he’ll slow down if we get him involved in our conversation. I bring up some old stories from our childhood and get short responses. Tim tries to talk about work, with less luck. We don’t manage to slow him down but we do catch up to him. I hang with the pace for a little while then I start to drop back as they both speed up.

They were about 15 yards in front of me when we hit a series of STEEP descents and I fell on my rear. ‘Steep’ doesn’t do it justice… all the hills were steep. These hills were nearly walls. With the inch or two of snow we received the night before, they were beyond slippery. There were actually wooden handrails at these sections, but even with both hands holding the rails you slide down these hills (unless you’re one of those fancy trail runners with the chains on your shoes). My shoulder was sore the next day, of all things. I’m guessing I hurt it during my fall.

Kyle and Tim gradually distance themselves from me, and I notice that Tim is starting to inch away from Kyle. When we get back to the meadow I decide to gradually cut the distance between us. Tim is about 10 yards in front of Kyle; Kyle is about 30 yards in front of me. Over the next mile or so I cut the 30 yards down to about three. Kyle looks back for me and I think he lets off the gas enough to let me close in the last few steps. I tell him that I’m on the verge of death. He asks if I want to try to catch Tim. I tell him I want no part of it. He says we’ll compose ourselves on the last bit of meadow running and then make a go at it.

About a mile from the finish he asks how I’m doing and I tell him I’m happy to keep the pace we’re on. We’ve picked off a few people here and there, and I can’t remember being passed since the very beginning of the race. I’m not worried about all those freaks that left me in their dust… I’m just happy to still be holding a solid pace. He says he’s breathing hard and is content with the pace. Tim is almost out of sight now.

During the last couple miles we picked off a couple older guys. One guy surprisingly hangs on about 20 yards behind us for a while. The final climb was brutal. I wanted to stop and walk so bad; everything hurt. I could tell that guy was trying to gain on us. Kyle and I stayed together, followed the markings and saw the finish line. With about a tenth of a mile to go the older guy was making a move. I told Kyle, who said he hadn’t noticed, and he agreed that we should start our final kick to make sure this guy didn’t have a chance. There's nothing I hate more than being passed on the final leg.

We crossed in 1:17:58 (Kyle) and 1:17:59 (me). Tim finished 30 seconds ahead. That’s about 9:30/mile… which sounds slow, but on that course, in those conditions, I’m happy with that time. We finished 57, 59, and 60 out of 143 runners.

It was a really fun finish, following a downhill that allowed me to compose myself. After the finish I asked Tim what happened to running together… after all we had been trying to slow Kyle down for the first couple miles. Why had he then taken off and left us? It turns out Tim is pretty competitive. He felt like Kyle was trying to beat him, so he mustered up the strength to pass him, in hopes Kyle would give up the fight. If I had been up for it, I still think Kyle would have given Tim a run for his money during that last mile or two. Either way it was fun chasing the two of them for eight miles. It made me run harder and racing is infinitely more fun when you've got a partner out there. 

My first trail run was a success. It was an entirely different experience than a road race. The mental and physical challenges were unique. Overcoming those challenges was extremely gratifying. I will return to the Dirt Dawg 8 Miler, and next time I’ll have a goal: 1:10:00.

As everyone stood around a campfire warming up, we found a cooler full of bottled water and pop. I’ve never had pop after a race, but that Dr. Pepper was calling my name. It was awesome. I’d like to request that some one have a cold DP waiting for me at the end of every race. Krispy Kremes are also welcome.