2018 Naked Nick 25K

How Will I Do on Hills?

I hadn't planned to run any more races this year after Crooked Road 24, but I was unsure of my fitness for several of the races I was considering for next year and needed an assessment of my fitness, particularly my ability to run hills. This race was near enough that I could drive up the morning of the race and it was also inexpensive: no shirt, no bling, hence "naked". An added bonus was that it is at Blue Marsh Lake where Blues Cruise 50K is also run, so I could get an indication of whether I could possibly beat the cutoff time there.

We had rain leading up to race day with the possibility of more during the race, so trail conditions and mud were definitely on my mind. This is how the website describes the trails: "These trails are not very rocky or difficult but are true single track trails that require some attention. These trails are great for beginners and the speedy runners alike. The rolling elevation of the trails will keep everybody occupied. The course is not flat or supereasy but is doable for most with proper training." There was more asphalt and gravel roads than I expected as we moved between sections of the trail, but that turned out to be a huge relief from the mud.

With both the 25K and 50K starting at the same time it was crowded with at least 293 runners heading a short distance down a grassy incline to converge on a single track trail. I should have paid more attention to the start so I would know what to expect at the finish, but I was more concerned with staying on my feet and not slipping on wet grass. We slowed to a walk as we entered the single track, but not for the reason I expected. As I approached the congestion point, I could see ahead that runners were starting to run again but didn't understand why the slowdown until I reached that area. We were confronted with a path wide morass of mud and water. Someone had put down a narrow plank to try to bridge the mud, but to no avail. There simply wasn't any way around it. So I'm not even a third of a mile into the race and my shoes are cold, wet, and muddy.

There's not really a lot to say about the rest of the race. I periodically had to maneuver through mud and climb hills that sometimes brought me down to a 40:00 per mile pace by the time I reached the crest. At least on the downhills and flat I could could make up a little time, but never what I lost on the climbs. I did have one surprise as I looked up a side road and saw a gentleman with a rifle or shotgun cradled in his arm. I hadn't realized it was still hunting season and there was hunting in the area. He stopped at the next aid station while I was still there and had a nice chat with the volunteers asking about the race. At this point I also realized that the course was going to be longer than the advertised 25K. I had just finished the loop of the lollipop course and knew I had over 6 miles on the return, which would put the total mileage around 16.5, not 15.5. The final reading on my Garmin when I finished was 16.7 miles. I've seen readings from other runners that were even longer. When I reached the final aid station they confirmed the course was long, but at least the end was in sight and there weren't any more big climbs. That didn't mean there weren't more climbs, and the last one was simply cruel. After I navigated that last, and first, mud hole and came off the single track with the finish line in sight, it struck me hard that the grassy slope at the beginning was a lot longer and steeper than I realized. Some spectators said they hadn't seen anyone run up the slope in the last hour and a half, so I ended up walking to the finish.

I was so glad to finish and have the race be over, then surprised when I was handed a second place award for my age group, that I neglected to note the time or stop my watch until I was halfway across the pavilion walking toward the food. Checking the online results my time was 4:37:15 and I estimate it took me about 30 seconds at the beginning to reach the starting line (no chip timing in keeping with trying to keep the entry fee down). Hot soup, hot dogs, Coke, baked ziti, lots to choose from for post race refreshments. The soup was what really hit the spot.

For all the mud and hills I enjoyed the race, but unless I get a lot better on the hills, I'll never beat the cutoff for Blues Cruise 50K and will need to opt for the shorter distances for the Naked Bavarian and Naked Prussian races. This will have an influence on my 2019 race choices as well. Unfortunately the result was ambiguous enough that it will take some more training on hills, including Mt Misery as well as Mt Joy, to make any decisions.