Nitro Trail Half-Marathon Report

Coming off my personal best 58:26 10k 2 weeks ago, I was shooting to come close to my previous half-best of 2:17:01 set in Feb on a completely flat course.  My only previous trail experience was the January mudfest.

The Nitro Trail was held in Point Pinole Regional Park, which is the former home of where gunpowder and dynamite was manufactured in the early 1900's through the 60s.  Hence the term "Nitro" :)  I would be repping with my Post-Op PRs shirt for this race. 

The course was 2 10ks loops, plus a .7 mile "warmup" lap to start.  The weather was in the low 60s to start, so it was great weather.  Race started right at 8:25 am and I settled into a nice groove trying to keep pace with my unknowing pace partners (a couple in front of me).  After the warm up was complete, it was trail time and it wasn't too bad for the first 2 miles, then came the first hill, probably the steepest, but thankfully shortest of them.  I conquered it with ease and knew that I'd feel differently the 2nd time around.

After Mile 4, there a 1/4 mile ascent to the crest of a second hill, but accompanied by a nice recovery downhill.  I was picking out this one runner in front of me in a bright yellow shirt.  She got away from me a few times, but I kept my pace enough that I never lost her completely.  There were several inclines that weren't too awful the first time around, but again, I'd feel differently soon enough.

I completed the first 10k + .7 in about 1:10, which shocked me.  I was only a bit off my 10k pace.  I started the loop again and came to that steep hill and yep, it was harder.  I opted to save myself and walk up.  The second hill I took out again with running.  By the time I got to the Mile 9 aid station, I had caught the yellow shirt and passed her.  By this time, I couldn't get a new target right away and started to feel fatigue as the temp was quickly rising.  Luckily there were a lot of shaded areas on the course, but the sun exposed parts sapped my energy pretty quickly.

I hit the last aid station at Mile 11.5 at the 2 hr mark. I knew i had to shot break 2:15 then, but my tank was near empty.  I still had about 1.2 miles to go and then I was to acquire a new target, 2 runners that were walking up an incline ahead.  I put them in my sights and passed them at Mile 13.  From there, i burned whatever I had left and then some to cross the finish line at 2:14:32.  Cutting a good 2.5 minutes off my previous time and on a trail course.

This was a good course for those w/o a lot of trail experience, it provided challenge, but also wasn't too vicious with hills.  I was shocked at my time because I have never trained or sustained that pace for that amount of time.  Races just bring out the best in me I guess.

I'm doing my first official 5k on June 17th, then its on to the SF Marathon on July 25th.

Am thinking that I could possibly break 2:10 at the San Jose RNR in Oct, we shall see

Brian
~350

awesome!  and the PR's keep rolling in, congrats!  seems like everybody is kicking ass lately....

Hey Brian, sounds like a great run and I love your descriptions. I never thought about a pace setter before, what a great idea. So what's the RNR in San Jose in Oct? After the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon, I'd like to set my sights on something else to keep me going.
Jan

Jan

Its the San Jose Rock N Roll Half-Marathon.  October 3rd.  Great fun, great crowd, flat course.  Perfect to try to get that next PR.

Brian
~350

 What's "PR"?.  Sounds like fun.  I'll check into it.

PR = Personal Record

Congrats Brian.

Awesome job!

Way to go Brian! Enjoyed reading your report.  Good luck on your 5K!

Kickin butt n takin names! I love it!!!!

Awesome job Brian!! 

I love it "Races just bring out the best in me I guess"...classic!!