McNotAgain 30 Miler Tomorrow

I'll be running the McNotAgain 30 mile trail run tomorrow in Pekin, IL.  No race web site to link to--this event is young, small, and informal.  I ran the inaugural race last year and it was fun and low-key.  It's basically a fall version of the long-standing McNaughton Park races that are held at the same Pekin park each spring...which have now changed their name to Potawatomi Trail Runs for 2011.  I'm quite familiar with that darn 10-mile trail loop with creek crossings and mud pits.  We haven't had much rain lately so I'm hoping for fairly dry trails and low stream crossings.  The weather looks good too--morning lows in the 30s with partly sunny skies and a high in the mid-60s.  What a great day for trail running!

I'm in better shape for this 30 miler than I was for the Farmdale race just 3 weeks ago.  I haven't been running well, but I've been running.  Consistent 5 mile runs over the last 3 weeks should have gotten me back to a good base of fitness.  I'm not exactly planning on blazing a new course record tomorrow...I am planning on running 30 miles and feeling good afterward.  Last year I ran the race in a time of 6:22 and finished in 10th place out of 31 finishers (10-mile splits: 2:06, 2:07, 2:09).  That sure seems slow.  I hope to break 6:00 this year.

I have no races on the schedule for the rest of 2010.  I was thinking about a local 5K road race in November and an 8K trail race in December...I'll wait until race day to make those commitments.  It feels good not having any planned races after this weekend.  Once that registration fee is paid, there is subtle pressure to train and perform.  I just want to run.  Run fast, run easy, run long, run short.  Just run.  One of these days, weeks, or months, I'll actually be in good shape and THEN sign up for a race.  Train then race...what a concept!