I'm sure many people ask themselves why I write a blog about almost every single freaking race.... I do it for myself so if I ever run it again I can look back & I like to see where I was at mentally & physically during that period.
Possum Kingdom was where I ran my 1st Ultra just a short year ago. I know very little about running now at times and I knew a whole lot less than. A friend-Nikki convinced me I could run 34 miles last year and I did. Kinda.... I got it done & didn't quit when it got hard. That was the start to a wild & exciting year so I felt it was fitting for me to return and run it again. Originally I was going to run the 52 mile option this year but my coach wanted me to run Sat & Sun as I ramp up for Cruel Jewel 100 so the 56k it was. That was awesome so I got entered. Friday I knocked off work a little early and headed west to spend the weekend at Possum Kingdom Lake with tons of friends. Dave Hanneburg is the race director for this event as well as all the other Endurance Buzz races. If you've never ran one of his races then you are truly missing out on a great time.
After camping with my Team RWB friends I wake up and get ready for the start . Just like last year, I meet Matt Crownover in the bathroom and we chat about different upcoming races. Too funny meeting the same guy at the same place 2 years straight. The race starts at 7 and I immediately hook up with my 1st running mentors Nikki & Marcus. I hadn't ran with them since Jemez last May so it was awesome sharing 3 or 4 miles before I needed to move on. It was a dang uneventful race for me other than seeing almost all the Dallas trail running community at different points during the day. The 1st & 3rd Aid station Teresa & Monica M were manning it among others. Too cool seeing familiar faces. The far aid was Ray, Agustin & Andy doing a great job. 1st loop was 17 miles and I ran the entire loop. 2nd loop I backed off and walked the ups,ran the downs and walk/ran the flats on minimum calories. I viewed it as a training run and knowing I had to run Sunday I held back. It was a awesome loop. Sonia & Laura blew past me but it was great chatting with them. They are great closers and I hope someday to be in their company. At the last aid station Nikki & Marcus caught me and Nicole-winner of the 52 miler came in too. It's pretty awesome sharing trails with people like that. I finished the race in 8:20. I missed shaving 2 hours off my 2014 time by 6 minutes but those 6 minutes I figured I used chatting with great people so all is good.
My takeaways from this race? I watched my friend Lesley battle back from a injury and finish the 52 miler and Blanca rolling a ankle but pressing on and finishing the 56k. I think that we as people can do anything we choose if we put our mind to it. It was great seeing my friend Marcela and others earn the right to call themselves Ultrarunners. Watching Nicole & Shaheen dominate the field makes me want to run faster but watching my friend Dale & Brian struggle but finish the 52 miler makes me want to never quit a race. I think everyone that ran Saturday gave me a little something to take from this race and I appreciate it.
In May 2014 I still wasn't sure where my place was in the running world or why I was even running. I still fought the drinking & was probably running for the wrong reasons. Last year's race changed me and made me a better person and I can't wait to see where I'll be as a person when I toe that line in 2016. Til next time #RunStrong
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