Valencia 10k, March 23, 2024

Lucky 7th overall & a bronze division win got me all sorts of grateful & hyped after #valencia10k @valenciatrail gave me my favorite & most challenging 10k I’ve taken on so far

Forecasts warned of rain, & the team @ @newglobal said game day was a go, rain or shine

The heads-up was warranted, as the sun played no part on some of the hardest miles I’ve put down anywhere.

The overflow of the creek at the entrance set the tone for the event, & I really appreciated the truck shuttling runners to the starting line, the ride reminding me a bit of Charon's ferry across the River Styx.

Of course, what's hell to many is heaven to me & everyone else who counts down & loves the surprise variables that come w/ the trail adventures that make us better problem-solvers & tougher humans.

I came prepared w/ @yaktrax, but even then I might as well have been wearing skis on some sections, as this race saw the 1st time I've done bear-crawls outside of a HIIT workout, what with the super steep angles that went up & down all over the place.

How slippery was it, tho? 

The ’24 #valencia10k saw me fall I don’t know how many times from mud & sustained rain that kept conditions like butter on oil, like snot on ice, like banana peels on freshly-waxed bowling lanes.

The rope ladders positioned throughout the race were very much appreciated, but the 2-mile home stretch was easily the hardest, & was where I rolled my left ankle w/ an audible pop like I haven’t heard in years .

The sound & sensation was scary, but thanks to @chaski & @coachzandy I’m @ a level that let me power into the completion, appreciate you, @zandy!

I’m healing up well, & I’m tremendously grateful to my friend @terry & the team @ @newglobal Justin Nucum & Hardkour Performance, & @dontquit for the support & A-1 quality they always bring, but remarkably so on a very tough day

Huge kudos & gratitude to all my fellow runners who brought amazing energy to go-time, including all the @3p homies @robert @glo & the 1st place female @sasha, who kept me on pace & redirected me when I started down the half marathon course, thanks & kudos again, champ!

Stay up & adaptable & finish March strong, everybody!