Returning to the Origins

An episode of the The Stubborn Tortoise podcast, hosted by Donna Pazdera, titled "Returning to the Origins" was published on April 12, 2021 and runs 26 minutes.

April 12, 2021 ·26m · The Stubborn Tortoise

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Summary

I returned to the Rio Grande Valley this past weekend to reconnect with friends and the place where my trail-running career began. The reason: the Mesquite Fire trail race. It was among the first "live" running events since Texas reopened after the pandemic closed the state. I met up with a lot of friends and reacquainted myself with the sea-level, hard-packed trails. I got most of the "full experience" out there. You'll have to listen to find out. The pollen made my eyes and nose run and the humidity ensured I was a sodden mess after 2 miles. I had planned to race the course as a measure of where I was pace-wise with previous attempts. I changed my mind when I caught up to my trail BFF, Louisa. She's the one who broke her ankle last year at Bandera. It has been more than a year since I've seen her. This was her first race since then. I decided that it would be a better idea to accompany her and catch up instead of racing (I use that term loosely). So, we finished the remainder of the first 7.5-mile loop, together and pretty much hiked the remaining 7.5. In the end, I was sunburnt and dehydrated but was glad I stayed with my friend. I can run by myself any time. Photo: Me and Louisa after we finished. credit: Julio Montalvo

Episode Description

I met up with a lot of friends and reacquainted myself with the sea-level, hard-packed trails. I got most of the "full experience" out there. You'll have to listen to find out.

The pollen made my eyes and nose run and the humidity ensured I was a sodden mess after 2 miles. I had planned to race the course as a measure of where I was pace-wise with previous attempts. I changed my mind when I caught up to my trail BFF, Louisa. She's the one who broke her ankle last year at Bandera. It has been more than a year since I've seen her. This was her first race since then. I decided that it would be a better idea to accompany her and catch up instead of racing (I use that term loosely). So, we finished the remainder of the first 7.5-mile loop, together and pretty much hiked the remaining 7.5. In the end, I was sunburnt and dehydrated but was glad I stayed with my friend. I can run by myself any time.

Photo: Me and Louisa after we finished. credit: Julio Montalvo