Scaring up some good runs: October

[Tri Girl]

Well my Palo Duro 50K turned out to be a 30K. I was doing well and feeling good until about mile 8 when I moved off the narrow trail to let a fast 50 miler pass me (he was lapping me at that point ) and I slipped and fell HARD (bruised my hip and knee, and got scratched up). He didn't even stop to ask if I was OK. I boo-hooed and walked for about 5 miles and then I just couldn't get in a groove. It hurt to run and walking was hard, too. Plus that course was wicked hard and technical and it was in the 90's when I stopped at mile 19. I knew I didn't have another 12.5 mile loop in me with the rising temps and the prospect of it taking another 4+ hours to do that last lap. I could tell I was getting behind on my hydration, so I stopped. I'm doing a 24 hour race this coming weekend and I didn't want to trash myself (anymore than I already had). So I didn't complete my first 50K. Oh well, I will get more than that this weekend at the 24 hour race.

1st pic is of the sun rising over the canyon walls. The little white dot is a runner's headlamp behind me on the trail. It was pitch black dark for about the first 20 minutes.
2nd pic is one of the prettier areas in the canyon
3rd pic is a smokin' fast 50 miler flying by me. He looked like Phoebe from Friends running all crazy- like.
4th pic is of the bridges there. I had to be careful going over them. The boards were so far apart they'd grab your shoe toe and almost throw you down.