Rockin' K 2012

Rockin' K 2012 is now history and I completed the 50 mile trail run there for the 3rd year in a row and 4th time in the past 5 years. The race is one of my top favorite trail ultras (top three being Flatrock, Heartland and Rockin' K; Freestate is also a favorite). I ran the marathon loop feeling great most of the way and surged into the turnaround feeling kind of worn out but I've felt so much worse at that point before, I really had nothing to worry about. I'm thankful for my friend and running partner, Andy Bowman, who came to pace me again this year, for the third year in a row, for the last 24 miles. The second loop was ugly but I survived it. I really don't have much more to say about it. It was slow, it was ugly, I slowly stumbled through it and eventually I was sprinting to the finish!

I've chronicled every detail of the course before, section by section. The remains the same just about every year. The weather in 2012 was by far the best of the 5 years I've run it - the most reasonable temperature with the most reasonable wind though the gusts were still pretty brutal much of the day.

A friend of mine asked me on Sunday morning why it took me so long to finish the 50 miles race (like 12 hours and 34 minutes)? He said didn't you finish a road 50 miler in like under 9 hours? He is right. It's just so different. Then my friend asked me if maybe I just wasn't trained up well enough or maybe I was just not tough enough. Then I punched him.
Phil and Stacy Sheridan have become world class race directors and they announced that this will be their last year leading this race. It will be so sad to see this change but look forward to returning to Rockin' K nevertheless. Links to Rockin' K 2011 and prior years.