RCSP Loop

Today I had planned on making a trip to Seward PA which is the location of the finish line of the Laurel Highland Trail Race. I was going to do a run of about 16 miles - eight out and eight back, just to get a feel of the trail and to see what I could expect come June. I had everything packed last night and was ready to go this morning. The only thing was it was raining this morning and it was a cool 37 degrees. I would have hated to drive an hour and a half only to find out it was pouring rain. I'm committed to training but I'm not crazy.

I decided instead to drive up to to my old standby - the 20 mile loop at Raccoon Creek State Park. After driving up there and parking by the lake it was still raining. I told myself that I would skip running today and make up for it tomorrow when I would run to and from work. I pulled up to the T - intersection and stopped. If I made left I would be pussing out and go home. I decided to make a right to the trail head of the Heritage Trail. I got out of the car and started running figuring on just doing a couple of miles to see how things worked out. After I started running the rain let up just a little. I then started to sweat some so took off one of the two long sleeve shirts I was wearing. My plan then was to run to Highway 18 and if it was raining hard then I would cut the run to a 10 mile loop. If the weather started to corroborate I would continue on the loop and do a 20 mile training run.

As I crossed Highway 18 I knew that I was going to do the 20 mile loop. I really wanted to do the loop because this year I had not done one due to my injury and this could be the last chance for this year.

It turned out to be a good decision. There was just a sprinkle of rain and the weather was cool enough to be good running weather but not cold enough to be uncomfortable. The trail was damp and in some places really muddy. It was so muddy going down one hill that I almost wiped out. I have run many miles on trails and have yet to take a fall. This was the closest that I have come. I was going down a pretty steep hill and I ran into some mud which was hidden under the leaves. I was going pretty fast but every time I tried to break I would slide, so I just had to move my feet that much faster. The end result was that faster I would go, the more I would slide and the more I would slide, the faster I had to go. Things were pretty hairy for awhile.

I ended up doing the 19.5 miles in 4:01:39. I felt pretty good until the last couple of miles then it felt kinda rough. I had a Cliff Bar at the halfway mark and then a Chocolate Gul at the 15 mile mark.