XC12K trail race

I completed my first trail race this month! In preparation for my last half marathon in July I had been doing some mid distance runs in the foothills and was really enjoying it.
Previously in my running I haven't been very strong on hills mentally.  My legs slow down and my mind just gets in the way and tells them to stop all together.  This race I was determined to work on my mental game.  I have been working out once a week with a personal trainer doing strength training and that I think really helped.  The workouts my trainer puts me through are TOUGH and I really have to focus on pushing through the pain to complete them.  I felt like I used that same skill while pushing my way to the top of the hills in this race.
The race was a 12K or 8 miles and had about 1,000 feet in elevation gain. Right when I got there I could see that the people who run trail races are a different breed than those who run road races.  Mainly that they all looked in REALLY good shape and seemed to be pretty advanced runners.  Road races on the other hand seem to have more of a mix of all skill levels. We started right on time and began our ascent to the top of the foothills.  The first mile isn't too much of an incline but after the first mile you begin a series of switch backs.  I found myself playing tag with a few girls throughout the run.  They would walk the hills and I would pass them and then they would pass me on the downhills.  I made an effort to concentrate on my breathing and stride while going downhill because I've had a lot of problems with side aches in my running lately and focusing on those two things seems to help.  Although I do feel like I held back a lot because of being worried about getting a side ache.
For being up in the trails the race still had wonderful support.  At each of the aide stations there was a good crowd cheering us on.  I am always worried about getting lost on a course and was even more so because it was on trails but the path was marked very clearly and there were no problems.

The switch backs.  It was cool to see the trail of runners in front of me.

Can't beat the view of downtown Boise.

These two girls were the two that I kept playing tag with.

This was probably at mile 6 and it hurt.

My stats.

My goals were: #1 To finish #2 To not walk #3 Enjoy myself.  All goals were accomplished.  It was nice to have no pressure since I had never raced this distance or this type of run before. I was proud of how I ran during and right after the race.  I was disappointed that I didn't catch those two girls who I kept going back and forth with and that another girl passed me in the last mile. I'm trying to give myself some grace and let it fuel my competitive drive for the next race I do. I ended up finishing 91 out of 110 and 8th of 10 in my age group.  I was a little embarrassed when I saw those results! But again I'm practicing giving myself some slack and realizing I ran hard and this is the first of this type of race for me.   I would definitely run this race again.  I liked trail racing enough that I went home and signed up for another trail race this summer.