Canyon Meadow 30k: Because it was time to Level Up!

I had some very important business to take care of Friday evening at 4pm just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Since we planned to stay in San Francisco that night, I looked into registration for the Coastal Trail Runs Canyon Meadow run Saturday morning, a race company I hadn't previously run with. Immediately and halfheartedly I clicked my way through the links to check out the half marathon distance course map and elevation profile. The last couple of races I've signed up for, I'd toyed with the idea of graduating from the 21k to the 30k distance, but it never took. This time, it was time.

What I didn't know is that 4 inches of rain would fall in the area before race day.

Looking at this profile, I could see only one point that could be my demise: right at the half marathon point when I'd have to head out for another loop and repeat the initial 500 foot climb in a half mile. The rest of the course was completely runnable. As long as I could get through that climb a second time, at the point of continuing to run after having run the longest I usually run on trails, I could get though that final 5 mile loop.

There was a lot of rain leading up to Saturday. A LOT. Luckily, race morning, there were only cloudy skies and fog rolling through the hills with the temperature around 48 degrees.

At the start listening to instructions and course conditions: first half, water on the course, second half, some more water. 

I heard some people at the start talking about the first climb. I figured I'd try to run half of it and then save my legs. About 30 yards was all I could manage because not only was it extremely steep, it was covered in shoe sucking mud. Everyone was reduced to a hike, with every step sliding you back half the distance. Within ten minutes of the start, the mud got me. One step where my foot didn't stay where I planted it and I landed on my left knee and caught myself with my left hand. It completely surprised me, though. I didn't know how I was all of a sudden on the ground. I jumped up. Someone asked if I was ok, which I appreciated, I said yes thanks, and we all trudged on uphill.

A few steps later, my wrist started throbbing, so I decided to look down at my knee. Nothing was swollen or broken or bleeding, but stuck to my knee, with mud, I discovered a tuft of green grass sticking out from either side. It looked like a mustache. I found that hilarious.

Once we got to the top of the first climb, we were greeted with some rolling muddy fire roads. I relaxed into the trudging along, weaving back and forth to find the driest ground as well as looking ahead at how others were handling the footing. All of a sudden we were at the first aid station. I didn't linger long having just had a gu and salt tab, so I drank a little and took off with 6.4 miles to the next aid. 

There were a number of downed trees throughout the course. Some were the jump over kind, some were go around, this one, was the crawl under kind.

This was the view, wisps of fog touching the trees. 

I ran the rolling hills feeling really fantastic. I stayed ahead of the bonk with my salt and nutrition. Something really weird started to happen...I started catching up to and passing people. All of a sudden I turned a corner and saw an aid station. That was 6.4 miles? Really? I can't think of any other trail race I've run where I thought the aid station came too soon. I took another salt tab, had an orange slice and took off knowing it was only a few miles back to the start before heading out for the final loop. 

then I almost ate it...again.

My foot didn't pick up as much as I wanted it too, and I felt the toes on my right foot hit against something, probably a tree root. The next thing I know I'm looking at both of my hands out in front of me. It took all of about 1 second for me to think "why am I looking at both of my hands out in front of me? Wait, why aren't either of my feet touching the ground right now...OH SHIT" Somehow I got my feet underneath me before I fell, avoiding a belly flop face plant into the mud. 

I hit a paved path and knew the start/finish area was coming close, except I'd be running around the finish line to head out for five more miles...and that half mile climb again. 

The second time on that climb was worse than the first because not only were my legs more tired, the mud was worse. 

My shoes were gaining weight with each step, and almost coming off. 

I probably spent at least twice as much time going up as I did the first time, but once I got to the rolling hills again I was able to run on through the mud. A couple of the smaller steep hills got me hiking again before seeing the turn off for the yellow loop. Fantastic, I thought, this will be mostly downhill! 

Downhill is right, but I was going slower some parts than the uphills because the mud was so slippery and I didn't want to land on my tailbone. 

Eventually, I turned again onto the paved path knowing I was coming into the finish. 

Someone called out, 30k, are you finishing? I said yes and then cowbells and cheers erupted from these people at the finish, and a good job, Lia. 

I finished strong with my legs hurting knowing the only thing holding me back from running an ultra is more miles on these legs. That's it. Just strength and stamina. 

I finished my first 30k in 3:51. During this 30k I also had a 21k PR. 

A little bit of blood and a whole lot of mud. 

Thank you, Coastal Trail Runs, for a fantastic race. The weather was perfect, the mud was amazing, your volunteers were exceptional, and I love that at the start, you sent us off with "HAVE FUN OUT THERE".