Coal and Coke Male Self Supports FKT
Went out for another crack and both the Out And Back plus the One Way FKTs.
This time I did it self supported stashing some supplies along the trail. It was decently hot today high 60s but was also humid. The humidity took it out of me for sure. My legs were tired but I was last all Easter morning which was today. Needed a good run to see where my fitness is at so I landed on the Coal and Coke trail again. Wanted to run at a half to full marathon pace to see if could maintain and knock some time down. Was 50/50 if I could the way I felt. May have been the caffine I had on the way that really let me maintain. Started out way to fast. Though it put my ahead time wise it took its tool on my body. Really struggle on the way out to maintain a 6:20 pace I needed. That generally faster then I run a 10k at. So it was hard. Managed to do it though.
There was a bunch of family types on the trail and at the turn around one family was actually hiding easter eggs for their kid at the turn around trailhead. Didn’t take any water consumption on the way out but at the turn around I did take some small gulps of electrolytes and splashed some water on my face. It helped, then I was off again. I did pour water on my hat and tried to wet my body before i started the run, my way of keeping cooler early. On way back needed to do a 6:40 pace so just slightly less fast way back but it becomes harder way back as legs get more tired and more incline way back, but there isn’t much total gain only 284 feet according to my data today. Just steady casual incline. Didn’t try to slow down cause seconds mattered.
There was one tree down about .4 into run which had jump over both ways. Wasn’t bad because it wasn’t super big but big enough where you did have to jump to get over it. There was a family at the tree as I came upon it go over it. Luckily they stepped off as I came upon it and let me go by without hesitation.
Did get lucky at each intersection. There is I think 4 each way. There was no traffic to slow me down. So super lucky that all 8 I go free pass across.
Didn’t take pictures till end and turn because I couldn’t waste the time today. Wasn’t sure how body was going to hold up and if I stopped to take any pictures my legs would have locked up I could tell.
About .3 left in the run I did pee along the trail. Couldn’t hold it any longer. There is also n bathrooms at the trailhead I start at. The far end there is I think and I do know there is two at the other trailheads but not at the end where I parked. So did lose some time. I got both done. Not sure how much if any more time I could knock off. I believe i did best I could today, maybe on slightly cooler day. But ehh, maybe. Did get blisters on back of both achellies which sucks.