The Matt Yeo Memorial Aggies cross-country race up in Martinez was one of the only XC races I ran last year. Going into it last weekend, I felt excited that I knew what I was getting myself into (for once this season!), but I also knew that the course’s very, very, veeeeeeeery flat profile could easily lend the race to a level of discomfort that I haven’t really had this season.

In other words: flat running (in theory) means fast racing. And we all know that fast racing — while absolutely exhilarating — can be *quite* uncomfortable, particularly if you haven’t done much of it lately. 

In the absence of CIM training this season, I’ve been running pretty much all of my training runs at really comfortable GA or recovery paces. The only exceptions are the almost-weekly XC races, wherein I try to dial it up as much as I can on the (typically hilly) courses. Each week, I’ve been running on hilly trails more in the past few months than I have in a very long time, so while my endurance is definitely refined, I’m in the dark about any speed in my legs. Racing at Martinez, thanks to the aforementioned super flat nature of the course, would shine a light for me on what’s going on with the stems and hopefully give me a good idea of my fitness right now … in theory, anyway.

Everything about this year’s XC race was virtually the same as it was last year — same type of weather, same racing order, same fielding-two-full-teams aspect — and just like last year, I came into the race with a week’s worth of stroller running under my belt since my preschooler was on fall break. (Read: my already pretty slow-going running has been even slower the past week, thanks to pushing 90+ pounds of kid and stroller!). As the gun went off, my nerves were nowhere to be seen, and the only thought looping on repeat was something along the lines of just show up and work hard. 

The 4.2 mile, 2 loop-course was just how I remembered it, but the most significant difference from my ‘18 to ‘19 race was in how I felt in the thick of it. By the end of my first loop last year, it was abundantly clear that I had gone out waaaaaaaaay too fast and was going to “run-of-shame” it in to the finish line with hopefully some semblance of my ego in tact. This year, I made a conscious effort to get off the line more comfortably than in ‘18, and I knew that patience would be my best friend. Never once did I look at my watch while I was racing — even when it beeped at each mile marker, I ignored it — and I try my damnest to stay in it and to keep picking off women ahead of me. Lisa and Anica were far ahead, but Janet and Heather were within close range. All of us sporting Wolfpack neon made the visuals fantastically easy. 

As is always the case, it seemed like the wind had picked up significantly during the race from how it was during the warm-up miles. For a good portion of the first part of the race, I was working with other runners in a pack, each of us taking turns leading and tucking in. One of the very last things Coach Lisa told us on the starting line was to go for a negative split on this course. While I never looked at my watch throughout the race, I stayed as mentally dialed-in as possible, negotiating and renegotiating my pace and effort and wondering if I had enough left to pick it up over the second half. I didn’t remember my piss-poor pacing at last year’s race until I just re-read my recap moments ago, so I can’t help but wonder if something deep in my psyche told me to not race again like an idiot.  

Somewhere in the final 1.5, I began to slowly close the gap between Janet, Heather, and me, and I picked off another 3 or 4 women that were between us. It made for a really fun finish, with Janet, Heather, and me finishing in succession (and with only 19 seconds between us). I’m forever working on that strong finishing kick, and this time I got down to a 5:15 pace and over the last two minutes of the race, I threw down as much as I could. It was work, to be sure, but it was so, so fun.

Even with the super flat and super fast course that is Martinez, runners still have the fun challenges to navigate, like a grass starting and finishing area, a couple bridges, a couple sand spots, a scribbly course, and variable terrain throughout. I mean, it is XC, after all. Regardless, if you are looking to get your feet wet in XC but aren’t super comfortable with hills yet, this course is an excellent foray into this fun world. (Mark your calendars for next year!) 

I learned much later that I paced myself in a way that was night and day better than last year’s race, and even though ‘19 was a little less than one minute slower than ‘18, I’m calling ‘19 a huge win. This is one of those times in running and racing where we can pick our outlook; I could be sad or embarrassed or whatever that I ran a little more slowly than I did in ‘18, or I could be elated that I ran as evenly and as well-for-me as I did in the absence of any real fast running or speedwork for several months. I will happily select the latter, and it’s the latter that’s getting me hyped about marathon training in ‘20. I was (and remain) so, so happy with how I ran at Martinez, and it makes me smile when I think about how I felt during the race. It was one of *those* types of mornings, gang.    

We (incredibly) only have one more meet this weekend before the PA regional championship in mid-November, so as usual, local friends, here’s my blanket invitation for everyone to come play XC this week at Excelsior’s meet in Daly City. Hope to see your smiling faces there.