Flashbacks on El Scorcho

2 years ago, I ran El Scorcho as my very first 25K... 6 months pregnant... in hot Texas summer heat... at midnight in July... wearing a headlamp... oh, and a tutu!

I am so blessed for the friendship over many years of Elizabeth, who was also the ultimate reason the race director to let me do the race. Elizabeth ran every step with me to keep an eye on my health, with the race director checking in on us every loop. I don't blame him - he doesn't get a lot of pregnant round bellies at this race.

This race was actually what flipped the switch to "Yes, I'm ready. I want to run a marathon" although I shoved the thought down and denied it for a few more months.

My dear friend Elizabeth who has run El Scorcho every single year - this year will make 6 times!

Enjoy the 2010 El Scorcho race report, especially if you are preparing to run it for the first time. Nice part of my level of detail is you can really get a sense of what it feels like to be there.

Are you blinded by the white preggo belly?
Yeah, modesty goes out the window when you are hot.

Skip forward a year and in 2011, I ran it just a couple weeks before my first marathon at the San Francisco Marathon. And that year, the heat got to me. It was not a good race for me physically, I threw up on the course, and it mentally freaked me out since it was really my last long run before my marathon. Although I can say that the San Francisco Marathon temperatures in the 50s never felt better after experiencing El Scorcho right before!

So my 2011 El Scorcho race report is an interesting contrast to 2010. Enjoy, it's like watching a trainwreck happen. ;-)

Trying to strike a pose as I was already melting pre-race. 

This year, no El Scorcho for me. :-( Steve is working longer hours this month and next to finish up their video game, Borderlands 2, which hits shelves September 18. Since I'll already be gone for the San Francisco Marathon in 2 weeks, I couldn't take the time to do this race as well, since getting to Fort Worth + pre-race nap + pre-race social time + race + drive back home + recovery/sleep = basically the whole weekend.

But I have a lot of friends running on Saturday night, so I'll be thinking of all of them. Don't think I'm not running this weekend though - I have a 14 miler scheduled for Saturday AM on the Big Cedar trails, and then another 14 miler (so nice I do it twice!) Sunday AM at Northshore trail!

Oh, and big news: I just unveiled the art for the finisher medals and Challenge Plate for New Years Double today. I hope everyone likes it - I'm so excited! Biggest ones I've made yet (5 1/2 inch round Challenge Plate)!