Run > Race

The North Face Endurance Challenge (Washington DC) 2012. Record attendance or about 750 runners. Came 12th overall, 6/136 in my age category (Male 26-35) and 12th out of 319 men.
Billed as a half marathon although 13.61 on GPS. First trail race.
Exactly the same course as last year. Out and back course, single track run. Good fun course, pretty twisty with the occasional log to negotiate. On the return had to squeeze past other runners still running out. This year due to rain in the days leading upto the race , the course was a lot muddier than last year. This made the going tough due to the sticky mud, also there were many patches of boggy mud, you either had to go around or though, plus a few more water streams. It was not so bad on the way out as there was no one coming the other eway, but on the return it made the going a little trickier - I slipped around quite a few times.
The course still had the steep vertical climb about Mile 3, and the same hill on the return (approx mile 10). Hill was tough, although managed to run the entire hill this year. The hill was a bit slippier than last year. The river crossing at about mile 6 was pretty much the same, step bank to shallow bank on the out leg (shallow to steep on the return).. Sock selection was better this year.

Despite being slower than last year (1:46:52), I felt I was running better.

Wore my Inov8 trail shoes this year, which I think helped alot - would have been much slicker on normal shoes! Did not get blisters on the day this time, I was worried that blisters picked up around St Mary's lake would be a problem, but apart from a littles soreness now issue.

Had three energy gels - one between approx mile 2 and the hill at 3, 1 after the hill and towards the river crossing and the third I picked up at the rest stop about Mile 11 (after the hill). I ate small amounts of the gel spread over about a mile or so. Seem to work ok.

Amie, Ryan, Lea and Andy did the half, Martin and Amanda did the 10km. All did well, Amie however broke her ankle at about mile 6 and had to be carrie dout of the course and went to hospital! Andy did pretty well coming in 60th (22/136 Male 26-35), Ryan came 85th (28/136 Male 26-35) and Lea came 152nd (15/120 Female 26-35).

Imported from TCX file

Split Summary
===
1) 1m - 6:38(6:38/m)
2) 1m - 6:42(6:42/m)
3) 1m - 7:11(7:11/m)
4) 1m - 8:52(8:52/m)
5) 1m - 7:50(7:50/m)
6) 1m - 7:33(7:33/m)
7) 1m - 7:58(7:58/m)
8) 1m - 8:24(8:24/m)
9) 1m - 8:22(8:22/m)
10) 1m - 10:03(10:03/m)
11) 1m - 8:34(8:34/m)
12) 1m - 8:03(8:03/m)
13) 1m - 7:28(7:28/m)

Pace Zone Summary
===
5:40-5:59/mile: 2.6%
6:00-6:19/mile: 4.8%
6:20-6:39/mile: 7.5%
6:40-6:59/mile: 8.5%
7:00-7:19/mile: 9.6%
7:20-7:39/mile: 9.9%
7:40-7:59/mile: 9.2%
8:00-8:19/mile: 7.2%
8:20-8:39/mile: 5.8%
8:40-8:59/mile: 4.3%
9:00-9:19/mile: 3.6%
9:20-9:39/mile: 3.5%
9:40-9:59/mile: 3.2%