The Falling Waters Trail is a "rails to trails" route stretching 10.5 miles from Concord to Jackson. I ran it out-and-back for a total of 21 miles in 2:16:18 to snag the speed record. The "Fastest Known Time" was previously held by Josh Sanders, a good guy and accomplished mountain runner for Salomon.
I usually seek out hilly, technical trails, but this one was flat and fast. It was a good litmus test before I begin training for my first road marathon this Fall. I began to feel the lactic acid buildup around mile 17, but I held it together enough to stay relatively close to my goal pace.
I ran this "unsupported," carrying 18oz of water (with Tailwind) and 2 gels, which seemed to be perfect. I was originally only going to take 10oz, but given the 94% humidity I called a last minute audible and I'm glad I did.
There were a few times today that I really wished I had a pack to run with so it would be easier to turn my brain off and slip into autopilot, but I suppose that's just one of the challenges of unsupported speed records.
The sun was at my back for the second half of this run, which was very beneficial because it allowed me to see my shadow. As I began to tire I could immediately see when my form started to break down (like my elbows flaring out a bit) and make the necessary adjustments.
It looks like some local 5Ks are taking place next week, so hopefully I'll have the opportunity to race again soon!
FKT Website (Falling Waters Trail)
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