Ancient Oaks 2011

Start/Finish line

Ancient Oaks was fantastic!  The course through the Enchanted Forest was beautiful and challenging.  Many of the participants were legends in the ultra world and were happy and willing to talk to me.  The front runners were a pleasure to watch.  Because this course is a loop, the front runners passed me over and over again and they didn't wear shirts.  Thanks guys!  My running was really great considering I have not trained much since August.  I completed more than 50 miles with only one stretch of about 1 mile where I felt icky.  There was no crying.  I loved every minute I was out there.  Next year, I'd like to come back and complete the race.  A big thank you to Mike Melton who put the race on and to Stu Gleman who started the race years ago! 

I felt really good the majority of the time.  My new tact with my HC is to take my normal morning dose, supplement with salt through out the day and take HC when I started feeling like I needed it.  I think for 50+ miles, I ended up taking about 70 mg of HC.  No extra florinef, just the usual .05.

Running 16 laps at Ancient Oaks has me charged up for the 2012 running season.  More on that eventually!

4 minutes until start time.  Everyone was as far away from the start line as I've ever seen.

 

Video of the start.  It's kind of funny.

The only hill on the course.  Slightly steeper than in looks.  The bridge crossed the Addison Canal.

Looking down into the Addison Canal

I think you can click on the picture to make it bigger, if you want to read the sign.

So much sand!

The parking lot where we crewed ourselves out of our own cars.

Tiara and a boa, I might not have skills but I have flair!  At night, I wore battery powered lights.