Saturday was the annual Flatrock 50K. This year was my 4th edition consecutively. This was my first trail race ever and first ultra ever in September of 07. This remains one of my absolute favorite races. It's also really, really hard!
I ran my best time yet on the course of 6 hours and 40 minutes. I finished the first half in just under 3 hours so the second half I really slowed a lot - though it didn't feel like it. I also bit it hard, triping on, of course, a sharp flat rock. Luckily, I landed in a mostly soft spot and on my water bottle. Except today (Monday), I noticed a nice thigh bruise from the fall.
I have trained really hard this summer, mostly city streets and paved trails in Wichita, for the hundred milers coming up (Heartland and Run for Missions) and I realized yet again at Flatrock that I haven't trained enough for technical trails (I don't think I've run on a trail since Free State!) and I really love running on trails so I want to try to incorporate more of that into my routine, especially this fall and winter.
Flatrock is the best and my favorite 50K. I can't wait to do it again and again every year! Only 6 years more and I will be inducted in the Flatrock Hall of Pain (10 consecutive 50K finishes). Doesn't that sound like fun?
Flatrock 2009 (and in it links to 08 and 07):
http://adammonaghan.blogspot.com/2009/09/flatrock-09.html
