In just over two weeks, I will be running the Aravaipa Running 50K Coldwater Rumble Trail Race in Goodyear, AZ (outside Phoenix).  There are also 100M, 50M, 20M, 20K, and 4M races, but I figured I would play it conservative and stick to the 50K distance.  I’m looking forward to a chance to run in a new environment and landscape, but am also a bit nervous about how my body will adapt.  With our winter in full swing, I have adapted to the cold weather we’ve been experiencing up here.  Instead of being concerned about slipping on ice and staying warm, I’ll need to be focused on avoiding rocks and staying hydrated.

This race is an add-on to a family vacation and very early in my season, so I won’t be overly focused on performance.  Instead I am (like always) going to focus on taking advantage of the opportunity to race in the desert and enjoying the great organization that Aravaipa has a reputation for.  I’ll definitely be documenting the experience for a full race report on runbikerace.com.

Anybody have any tips for me?  Have you jumped from one climate to another for a race before?  Anything I need to know (or buy!) that is unique to running in this sandy, rocky terrain?