Day 3,642 —4th time! Best Time! —

 Today, I felt pretty good, and I was still thinking about the race, so for the next four days, I am planning to write about each of the laps of the Ozark Foothills 100 (104). The video will be done either today or tomorrow. I mainly just need to add music. 

                                                           Lap 1 0-26

  We were there a little before 5:30 a.m. I decided to dress in long sleeves to start the race. It was 35 degrees outside. When the horn went off, I took off down the path and only two people were in front of me. I ran down the trail and tried not to think about placing at all. I ended up talking to two guys during this lap. The guy who came in second and another guy, Mark, who was competing in the 100k. Both guys were friendly and encouraging, and the miles went by quickly.

          I changed clothes at the first aid station and felt good wearing my new collared running shirt. I was consistently eating snacks that I brought. The Made Good bars and muffins, and I had pickles and pickle juice. The aid stations had some good food they were offering. I was steadily drinking water mixed with different hydration powders. I wasn’t sure of what the aid station had, but I wasn’t interested in trying something new during the race.

          I saw so many deer running around, and I could see some rides from Six Flags on the trail. I ended the first lap in 3rd or 4th place. My strategy was to not think about it too much and just feel out the course. I didn’t want to go too fast. I decided the next lap I would drink more water and slow down.

 

Lap 1

Distance—26 Miles

Race Time—5:04:xx

Pace—11:42

Time of day—11:04 a.m.