JFK 50 mile

Yesterday was the 50th running of the JFK 50 mile race.  I laced up my shoes and went to the starting line in Boonsboro for the seventh time, going for my fifth finish.  It was a great day for the race, and I made it in 11:39.  That's slower than I had hoped for, but pretty consistent with my previous attempts. I've been faster and slower over different parts of the course each year, but I guess it all averages out over the day.

I had a minor foot problem early on the course.  Right at the top of the switchbacks dropping off the ridge down on to the canal I kicked a rock, hard, with my big left toe.  Not too long after that I decided it was going to be fine.  Sometime in the next hour though I was thinking there was something wrong with my shoe, that maybe I had a hole in the sole that was keeping my sock wet.  Then I noticed that my shoe was getting a little red. I thought that can't be good.

there is not supposed to be any red

I thought I might have torn my toenail, but since it was feeling ok to run, I didn't see any use in stopping to look.  The sock sticking to the bottom of my foot was causing a blister though (I hardly ever get blisters on my feet) but all in all it wasn't really a problem.  After the run of course I got to clean it up.  Surprisingly, the toenail is ok but it seems I kicked the rock hard enough to cut the the front of my toe.

Trail running gear lesson learned:  I thought the Trance II's I've been wearing on the roads would make me 'faster' on the tow path, but my Cascadia trail shoes might have saved my toe.