2019 Icebox 480
Lined up for the 7th Icebox 480 on Nov 2, 2019,
my 3rd time running this event in River Falls, WI. After getting
37mi back in 2015, and 40 last year, this year my plan was to run four of the
7-mile loops and be done.Getting my 40th marathon or longer finish
was my only goal.
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| Pre-race |
At the start, it was 33° (and stayed there the whole day,
with some flurries for while later on) and once the faster runners started off,
there was a lull with people kind of looking around to see who else would go –
so I did. It worked out perfectly, as it soon thinned out after only half a
mile!
Loop 1 was somewhat eventful. Ran ‘near’ people for the loop,
and followed 3 people off-course. I knew pretty quickly it didn’t look
familiar. It was well before the aid station, around 3 miles in? (south-east
area of the course/trails), and we seemed to follow the path to the left, with
a corn field on our right.We ran around the corn field, then there was a trail
arrow (like the others we’d seen, just no red flags at all while we ran)
directing us back into the woods. There we saw red flags, coming up from the
right, and continuing on to our left, so we kept on going, back on the real
trail. At that point, I really didn’t know time-wide when the AS would appear,
but came up on it after about 47mins total. I bypassed it (no chips or cookies,
and didn’t want skittles). Went thru the downhills and finished lap 1 in 1:13
(within a minute of last year’s loop 1).
Grabbed some snacks (swiss cake rolls!! Chips and a cookie)
and headed back out. Didn’t take any more than minute. Spent most of the next 3
laps running solo. I’d see people every now and then through the trees, but
never ran with anyone.
Trails were in good shape, but there were a few slick spots.
The fall leaves were nice, and got some cool pictures of the trail winding
through all the yellow. Lap 2 was the correct trail, and there was an over-abundance
of markers at one section (near the tower) that we either had not gotten to that
point yet, or was added during lap 1. It was definitely more familiar.
Ran well during lap 2, and started loop 3 after 1:10 (2:24
total). I did take ~4 minutes to fill my bladder with Gatorade, take a
pit-stop, use my roller on my thighs, and grab some snacks (more Swiss cake
rolls – by far my favorite AS food of the day!).
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| Lovely colors |
Lap 3 – walked more, legs felt a little heavier. Was nice
knowing I was only running 4 loops and was more than half-way done. Came in
after Loop 3 and spent ~3mins with some more rolling and more snacks. Got back
out on the trail after 1:23 (3:48 total).
Last loop, I actually felt a little better. No pains at all,
so that was good. Stomach was actually growling at me for food – which doesn’t
happen often. Took my GU, and then later on, the Aid station finally had some
chips, so that held me until the finish.
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| Lap finish-chute |
Came across the line with a 1:28 loop (within 2secs of my 4th
loop last year) and stopped after 5:15 (about a minute faster than last year).
Thanked the Race Director, got some food (coke, some
Excellent grilled cheese, chips, and of course, more Swiss cake rolls!). Have 105
miles in my 3 years running this race, and can see myself coming back here
every year. Saw a few younger boys running, and not one young girl. In fact, if
my 10 yr old daughter had completed one lap, she would have been first in her
age group (20 and under). Maybe next year I can get her out there!
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| Finished with 28 miles |
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| Start/Finish Aid Station! (SO GOOD!!) |
Post-race: Some minor hips soreness the next day and a walk
to the library, but was back to normal the following day!
Thanks to some volunteers - have some other photos:
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| initial conga line-but spaced out quickly! |
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| Always fun! (but being Very careful!) |
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| Out on Loop 3 |
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| Loop 4 |
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