"The Snake Run" Recap

"The Snake Run" 2018

Logging-in to scribe words about things is hard. It seems so easy to read page after page, or scroll minute after minute, but to take time to actually scribe some things down, that doesn't seem to get done. But I'm back to trying to make blogging a focus in 2018 because it makes me feel good to get some words on paper. 

After the cancellation of RunLOVIT in February I met some Tulsa peeps who told me about this little race they have called "The Snake Run" and it did not disappoint. Matt and I decided to go down and check out some Oklahoma trails and get a good solid run in. The best thing about timed events is that there is no worry about a DNF or not finishing or any of that junk. Its just about finding your comfortable spot and seeing how many miles you can get in. Most the time these timed events are on tracks so finding a trail one was what sealed the deal for me. That and I also had some of my camping gear left down in Tulsa to pick up, but that's another story in itself. 

So we set out on Saturday afternoon driving the 6 hours down to Tulsa. Before the hotel and before the Taco Bueno (more to come on that) we stopped out at the Lhotse 3,6,12,24 hour timed event that was going on just north of town. Camille Herron was there chasing the world record for 24 hours. We just missed her, but we got to see a few other runners we knew and met a rad travel loving dude named Jimmy from Texas that we got to run with on Sunday. Dude takes some of the best travel photos I've ever seen, go find him on IG. @Explore_the_Southwest. 

Taco Bueno was on the way back to the hotel. We condluded that Taco Bueno is for those days when you think Taco Bell is just too damn fancy and expensive. but as the sang goes "When in Rome", so when in Tulsa, or "Tweeker Town" as the gal at the front counter referred to it, we partook and then headed back to the hotel for sleep.

Race Morning:

I'm going to mention how many times I peed because its crazy. I peed when I woke up, I peed when Matt and I did a little shake out run, I peed just before the start when I ran off into the woods. this will be continued later....

Ok so it was a 9:00 am start, which gave us plenty of time to get to the race start and get ourselves psyched up for the 6 hours ahead. It was a 3.75 mile loop and then a .5 mile loop for the last 1/2 an hour to cap it off. No one seemed to want to go out in front at the beginning so the 2 dudes from Nebraska, without much of a sense of direction, that are mostly just screwing around led the crew into the woods. Luckily some smart dudes from Tulsa passed us right away and we could follow them and not have to feel like we were being held responsible for the whole line of people's running fate. Here is a break down of how each loop went to the best I can remember.

Loop 1

Ran mostly with Matt on this this loop. had to stop to pee and they try to catch him later.

Loop 2

Ran some more with Matt - stopped to pee again, had to catch him again.

Loop 3

Ran with Peter, this Tulsa guy, Matt and stopped to pee for my last time until loop 10.

Loop 4

This loop I was still having fun. Playing this playllist the rest of the day: Ultra2018. Matt caught me towards the end of it and I told him we were going to crush loop 5.

Loop 5 

Matt crushed looped 5 and I just tried to keep up with him. I needed that pull as I wouldn't of rolled it off so quick w/out that.

Loop 6 - I think I was pulling Matt on this one, I was about .5 mile in front of him as we both just kept putting in work.

Loop 7 - I was starting to count what number loop I was at. Thinking, OK get to 10. 

Loop 8  - was slowing down here and ready to get to the point where I only had 2 loops left., shoving kit kats in from the A.S

Loop 9 - Broke my "run 6 hours without walking" thing on this loop took a little walk break here. 

Loop 10 - popping salt tabs and grinding it out to the finish area here. peed for the last time today. well until the car ride home.

Got there in time for a couple small loops and finished at 5:55 and  38.5 miles.

After 2017 being somewhat of a struggle for me this was a great day. I've committed to training about half as many miles this year and twice as much strength training as last year. I like the "fit" that that has me at right now. I don't feel over-trained and I'm very excited for my upcoming races this year. 

I drank mostly water with a few drinks of gatorade here and there. Ate 2 gu's, vanilla wafers, pretzels, kit kats. took 4 electrolyte pills. 2 at loop 8 and 2 on loop 10. 

Finish area was such a good time, I drank root beer and tried to put down a veggie burger but my stomach wasn't quite up for food yet. We chatted with so many great people from the area, too many to mention. They totally made us feel like home down here though. I cant wait to go back again, hopefully next year. Such a fun race!

Happy trails,

Jeff

Strava Activity:
https://www.strava.com/activities/1460071648#kudos