GAC Fat Ass 40k

Ok, this is one of those weeks where work leaves me with little time or energy to run, or even write about running. So my report from the GAC Fat Ass 50k, of which I ran 40k, will likely be forever unfinished...

As we were walking back to our cars after the run I said: "I really didn't expect to feel this bad."

I knew going into this that running 4 laps wasn't going to be easy and completing 5 was pretty much out of the question (no training to run the full 50k), but I wasn't prepared for how abusive the trails were going to be at Bradley Palmer State Park. Who would have thought that running so slowly could cause so much pain. Don't get me wrong, I certainly enjoyed myself, and it's not like I was hobbling away with an injury, but I finished with a thorough aching from head to toe.


And it was cold too. Not unpleasantly cold, just cold enough to form icicles on peoples faces.

I was sort of hoping that a new arrangement of facial hair would make me feel bad-ass enough to push beyond the limits of my lack of training, but after 4 hours of running through the ice and snow I was done for the day.

The 10k loop with a few good hills

Lap 1: 1:01:35
Lap 2: 59:40
Lap 3: 59:57
Lap 4: 1:00:00

Completing the first lap together

Nice to be running trails together again

sn0m8n finds the Pringles

A beautiful day for a long run

Even on the 4th time around the trail didn't get any easier to run on

Stephen, sn0m8n, gIANt, Buttercup, Fezzik, Sparkplug, Mindy, Gnarls, J-Rock

Thanks to the rest of the Trail Monster crew for great company on another adventure.

time: 4:13:16 (4:01:12 moving)
distance: 24.8 miles
pace: 10:12 (9:40 moving)

weather: 15-23 degrees, sunny and calm

conditions: snow covered trails, crispy on top, soft in the middle, some ice

gear: Inov-8 Roclite 315 with screws, wool socks, gaiters, tights, 2x thermal tops, t-shirt, thin gloves, buff, sunglasses (gloves and knit hat for first lap)

Despite how bad my feet looked after the run they actually felt fine. The messed up toenails are from previous outings.