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