Topanga Canyon Trail Race Report

a few months back i got this idea that i wanted to do an ultra.  so i googled what was demographically feasible and then quickly realized that most, if not all, ultras were trail runs.   a trail run was a "road" i'd never traveled.  it was uncharted territory for me and once again doubt set in.  i found an initiation race in topanga canyon, a 10k.  i knew topanga canyon from my old commuting days to woodland hills and  if anything the scenery would prove to be worth the 6.2 miles. at a minimum it was thanksgiving day so i could negate any binging i was going to do later in the day.   

i couldn't convince anyone to participate in my recent decision so i woke up solo on thanksgiving morning ready to hit the trails, alone, a little unprepared and if we are being honest, scared as hell.    the doubt and emotion i had the prior night was something that i had yet to experience.  typically i doubt myself before each race but this doubt was different, this was new, i didn't have experience running trails and like a rookie i showed up in my road ready saconys.   lesson learned on the downhills, buy trail shoes. 

my old coach showed up on his mountain bike to guide me through and as i stepped off the shuttle up the canyon he was the first person i saw, instant relief.  ariel typically makes me very nervous because his expectations of how i should perform are much greater than what i think i'm actually capable of.  but he also has never been incorrect in my times and performance standards.  he instructed me to head up the trail for 10 minutes to get my heart rate up, he followed me up the trail, issuing my always needed accountability.  i turned back at his direction and went down to stretch and get ready to conquer the start of a 3 mile uphill climb.   

at the start i positioned myself mid pack, no ipod (also new), eyed my competition who i might be able to pass, who i should pace with and we were off.  the first three miles were a straight climb up  and i felt stronger with every stride.  the view just kept getting better with each motion.  i started slow in the pack and held back when i wanted to dart ahead.  "slow and steady, slow and steady"  ariel was on the course waiting yelling encouragement and then riding ahead again to meet me a few miles down.  i felt amazing and it sounds strange but i always race better on hills.  i fell in love with everything about this race and i knew it from the moment my feet hit the dirt.  there was nothing flat about this course but "what comes up must also come down"  and i opened up and made up anytime i lost on the uphill climb.  as i picked people off,  i knew i was in contention to place but i wasn't 100% sure so i pushed it out and watched the mile markers to make sure i wasn't going to run out of power.  and then it happened we entered single file switchbacks which made me feel more like i was in the mountains of colorado then los angeles, california.  i navigated the rocks, bumps and trees with my no fear attitude and prayed that i didn't fall and end up in a cast again.  in those last few miles i was lost in myself, truly i was one with the race.    the last hundred yards dumps you out into a fire road and i saw one person in front of me, i sprinted, he picked up his pace and i gunned it, passing him seconds before the finish line.  

i did it.  i finished my first trail run and fell in love again with racing.   

i never used to stick around for awards for a couple reasons, the main one being because i was never anywhere near that kind of recognition.  i also never stuck around because its never really been my style.  then i got home that night and looked at the times.  i placed 2nd in my AG!  and in the top 15 females.    

 i think God has finally given me my calling, in trail running.  i haven't fallen for anything in  a long time mostly from fear but on thanksgiving day i fell. and i fell hard, for trail running. i love it.  

so God willing bring on the ultra.  

i'm ready.