Race Day

This is Joy and I just before the start of the Deseret Rats Trail Running Festival Race on the Kokopelli Trail, near Fruita, CO (note my tummy, very full of pancakes and alfredo pasta).  I can't find any pictures that do the trail justice!  It was like the Grand Canyon, but in CO, breathtaking and beautiful!!! 

I started the race super strong!  I started to slow down at the halfway point, shouldn't have stopped, but I needed to refill my camelback, after that I got slower and slower.  After the mile 19 aid station my knee (never had a knee problem in my life before, and I've run a marathon, and most days for the past 10 years) kept locking up and would only release after I walked it out.  From the medical professionals I've talked to it seems to be just a type of post-baby tendonitis, runners-knee, which would make sense because my wrists are like a crippled ladies due to similar causes!  Anyway the last 6 miles took me longer than even a normal hike of 6 miles takes me and I was trying my hardest to run them too.  So my time, like number time was terrible, and after an old lady and a plump lady passed me, I started to cry like a baby.  Then I pictured this face

Hudson during the race

and finished!!!