AZ Xterra 15 Miller Trail Run - The Meat Tenderizer
There's something to the chill of the desert before the rising of the
sun. A mystical coldness that bites, but yet fills the lungs with
inspiration and relief.
I stand on the crest of Hill Top Trail to ceremoniously observe the rising of the entity that will bring forth our warmth for the day. The star that I will curse later as my body looses fluids from a combination of exertion I request of it causing my temperature to rise from within and the solar radiation from this star attempting to bake my flesh outside in.
But here I stand attempting to prepare myself mentally for the 15 mile challenge ahead. In the distance the call comes over the loudspeaker. It is almost time. 10 minutes before the AZ Xterra 15 mile Trail Run is to begin.
I descend and make my way to the corral where I find a familiar face I had never physically seen. It is a fellow YouTuber, Mike. And if you haven't peeped or subscribed to my YouTube channel @egsleeve, then check it, watch some videos, and subscribe (yes, shameless plug).
Now back to the narrative, in the corner of my eye I notice inspirational AZ Runner Connie, who has miraculously completed 30+ marathons in a very short span of time. I'm overwhelmed and not prepared as the countdown begin, I hurriedly smile for a couple of photo ops and hit the start on the Garmin. It's time to do what I came to do. Get my long run in.
The AZ Xterra Train Run at McDowell Mountain is a unique adventure that takes runners deep into the park, beginning along the reasonably sedate Pemberton Trail (comparitively speaking) for the first 3 miles. Before long, runners find themselves in some very rocky terrain along the Dixie Mine Trail as runners begin the majority of the 1200+' elevation climb over the next 3-4 miles.
Now as the trail has it's way with your
gluts, calves, hamstrings, and lungs, you're presented with a desert
vista postcards are made of. Distant mountains abound and the view goes
for miles. Don't get too caught up in the view, along Dixie Mine Trail
you also find yourself in a cactus grove while traversing a jagged
singe track trail. Fvck around and find yourself a victim of random
cactus run by stabbing if not careful.
The Dixie Mine section has a out and back portion that is among the steepest parts of the course. And of course the turn around is at the top of a slight hill after a crazy decent. It's here where I ran into Instagram follower @worklittleplayalot! It is as if they wanted to destroy any and every fiber in your legs before you began the last half 7.5 miles as you turn left onto Coachwhip Trail.
Coachwhip was a somewhat welcomed downward elevation after the 7 miles of accent up to Dixie. But remember you've been at it and that celestial body we worshiped earlier is now high above the horizon dedicated with bringing forth warmth to the desert with a vengeance.
So things are very interesting around this time. Not to mention, if the shoe selection was not decided with comfort in mind, but speed, your feet may be at the point of well tenderized ready for seasoning.
But I digress. The vistas as we descend back to the valley floor were breath taking. I only hope the video I secured is representative of the experience.
Coachwhip Trail soon falls far enough to
the valley floor to where the ground is not attempting to poke holes
through yours shoes and you have the comfort of hard packed dirt
underfoot. This is such a comfort after the miles of pounding and I
felt I could picked the pace back up. Maybe it was the vast amount of
caffiene I pumped into my body?
Regardless, around mile 11 we were dumped back onto Pemberton Trail heading back to the finish. A welcome bit of knowledge to this now weary soul. Around mile 13, my mind was just tired. Legs were beat. Feet were just plain tired from all the hopscotch running from earlier. When Trucker Hat girl call out and puts her hands on my shoulder as she passed exclaiming, "You can't slow down now, I've been chasing and pacing you for the longest! Keep going!"
I quickly retort, "I'll chase you for a while." And I did. I stayed on her six for the majority of the return trip. Calling on every fiber of will from within to keep pace, at one point pulling ahead, until she saw the finish and turned on the jets!
"OH HELL!" I exclaimed internally as all the runners around me suddenly filled with renewed energy as we crossed the street took off as we crested the final small hill that gave us full view of the finish. I dug deep and pushed forward too. Shyt if we gonna do this and finish strong, then damned let us all die together for this final 2/10s of a mile.
So I turned on the jets. Emptied all the tanks! I went at it hard! Maybe too hard... as I ended up being
slightly dehydrated post race.
The
AZ Xterra Race was well attended with aid stations properly space to
provide adequate hydration, if used (stupid me). There were sponsors
on-site. We had the opportunity to test out gear, during the race. I
tested the Suunto Ambit2 R. Nice watch. However, I'm not ready to give
up on my Garmin Fenix 3.
Activities abound for runners post race. There was even a cook preparing eggs for runners for that post race protein that we so desperately needed to repair shredded muscle fibers from that crazy a$$ climb on the first leg of the 15 miler.
The route ain't no joke. My body did NOT like what I did to it today. However the thing about trail running is the people you meet along the trail as you're all in this masochist pit and proud of it.
I stand on the crest of Hill Top Trail to ceremoniously observe the rising of the entity that will bring forth our warmth for the day. The star that I will curse later as my body looses fluids from a combination of exertion I request of it causing my temperature to rise from within and the solar radiation from this star attempting to bake my flesh outside in.
But here I stand attempting to prepare myself mentally for the 15 mile challenge ahead. In the distance the call comes over the loudspeaker. It is almost time. 10 minutes before the AZ Xterra 15 mile Trail Run is to begin.
I descend and make my way to the corral where I find a familiar face I had never physically seen. It is a fellow YouTuber, Mike. And if you haven't peeped or subscribed to my YouTube channel @egsleeve, then check it, watch some videos, and subscribe (yes, shameless plug).
Now back to the narrative, in the corner of my eye I notice inspirational AZ Runner Connie, who has miraculously completed 30+ marathons in a very short span of time. I'm overwhelmed and not prepared as the countdown begin, I hurriedly smile for a couple of photo ops and hit the start on the Garmin. It's time to do what I came to do. Get my long run in.
The AZ Xterra Train Run at McDowell Mountain is a unique adventure that takes runners deep into the park, beginning along the reasonably sedate Pemberton Trail (comparitively speaking) for the first 3 miles. Before long, runners find themselves in some very rocky terrain along the Dixie Mine Trail as runners begin the majority of the 1200+' elevation climb over the next 3-4 miles.
Now as the trail has it's way with your
gluts, calves, hamstrings, and lungs, you're presented with a desert
vista postcards are made of. Distant mountains abound and the view goes
for miles. Don't get too caught up in the view, along Dixie Mine Trail
you also find yourself in a cactus grove while traversing a jagged
singe track trail. Fvck around and find yourself a victim of random
cactus run by stabbing if not careful.The Dixie Mine section has a out and back portion that is among the steepest parts of the course. And of course the turn around is at the top of a slight hill after a crazy decent. It's here where I ran into Instagram follower @worklittleplayalot! It is as if they wanted to destroy any and every fiber in your legs before you began the last half 7.5 miles as you turn left onto Coachwhip Trail.
Coachwhip was a somewhat welcomed downward elevation after the 7 miles of accent up to Dixie. But remember you've been at it and that celestial body we worshiped earlier is now high above the horizon dedicated with bringing forth warmth to the desert with a vengeance.
So things are very interesting around this time. Not to mention, if the shoe selection was not decided with comfort in mind, but speed, your feet may be at the point of well tenderized ready for seasoning.
But I digress. The vistas as we descend back to the valley floor were breath taking. I only hope the video I secured is representative of the experience.
Regardless, around mile 11 we were dumped back onto Pemberton Trail heading back to the finish. A welcome bit of knowledge to this now weary soul. Around mile 13, my mind was just tired. Legs were beat. Feet were just plain tired from all the hopscotch running from earlier. When Trucker Hat girl call out and puts her hands on my shoulder as she passed exclaiming, "You can't slow down now, I've been chasing and pacing you for the longest! Keep going!"
I quickly retort, "I'll chase you for a while." And I did. I stayed on her six for the majority of the return trip. Calling on every fiber of will from within to keep pace, at one point pulling ahead, until she saw the finish and turned on the jets!
"OH HELL!" I exclaimed internally as all the runners around me suddenly filled with renewed energy as we crossed the street took off as we crested the final small hill that gave us full view of the finish. I dug deep and pushed forward too. Shyt if we gonna do this and finish strong, then damned let us all die together for this final 2/10s of a mile.
So I turned on the jets. Emptied all the tanks! I went at it hard! Maybe too hard... as I ended up being
slightly dehydrated post race.
Activities abound for runners post race. There was even a cook preparing eggs for runners for that post race protein that we so desperately needed to repair shredded muscle fibers from that crazy a$$ climb on the first leg of the 15 miler.
The route ain't no joke. My body did NOT like what I did to it today. However the thing about trail running is the people you meet along the trail as you're all in this masochist pit and proud of it.
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