Odyssey Trail 40-Miler

This race is a 13.1 mile three loop course that runs through Douthat State Park in Covington, VA. An absolutely gorgeous run through the Shenandoah foothills. The first three miles are straight up the side of a mountain. Our elevation gain was 2400 feet and pretty much you had to walk. Coming down the backside was where you made up for lost time. It basically amounted to a controlled fall.

I made it through the first lap no problem. The second lap, I made it back up the mountain and had started down. About halfway down I lost my footing and rolled 10-15 ft, destroying my legs. I smoked my left knee and the muscles in both legs instantly seized up. I got up and kept pushing, but by the time I finished the second loop I was toasted. I DNF'd at 26.2 miles and headed for home with bloody knees and bruised pride.

It's never fun DNF'ing, but at least I'm not doing it just because I don't like running. After wasting my lower-half, I knew I could keep pushing. The risk was that I begin the IOC in less than two weeks. This race wasn't worth it.

Run hard.