 |
| I don't know who took this picture, but thank you! |
This race was all kind of a blur to me. A hazy, hot, humid as hell blur. I was thinking it probably wasn't a great idea to do another race only two weeks after a 50K. Especially since, when I ran the course backwards last Sunday with Alison, Todd and Prem, I tripped and stubbed my left big toe twice and then twisted my right ankle. I was thinking this race definitely wasn't a good idea at 4:15 this morning, when the emergency alert flood warning startled me awake. (Seriously Government? What is that heart-stopping noise? It's terrifying at any hour, but 4am? Unless the flash flood is in my bed, I can totally wait to hear about it until I get up of my own accord.)
But of course this race is a great idea. It's one of my favorites. Because it's beautiful. The view from Woodcliff alone is enough to make all the stupid hills worth it. And because it's hard. The hard things are the most worth doing, am I right?
I wouldn't say that I felt amazing at any point of this race, but I wouldn't say that I felt terrible at any point either. Mostly I just felt hot and sweaty. I started out in the middle of the pack and pretty much stayed there the whole time. I was running by myself, ticking off little checkpoints in my head. Here is the play by play, as I remember it:
 |
| The famous dumpster. Pic thanks to Stacey! |
Start uphill. Cross some roads. Get to Laura. Get to Woodcliff. Remember to look up and see the view from Woodcliff. Get to the place that I always wish is the church but is a different parking lot. Get to the two-way traffic section and try to have enough breath left to say 'good job' to everyone I see. Get to the church. Refill water. Get up stupid chair hill again. Those smug looking chairs are silently mocking me aren't they? Get to Woodcliff again. Consider if it would be more painful to continue this race or throw myself off the cliff at Woodcliff (just kidding! Someone should put a pool there though, just saying). Get to Laura again. Danielle was also at that aid station on my way back and she helped me put ice in my bra which is one of the best and most sane things you can do when you're running through an inferno of a race. Try to remember how many more road crossings I have left to go and fail. Fill up water again. Wow, I am drinking a lot. Cross more roads. Epically slow trudge up powerlines hill. Sweet, sweet downhill to the finish. High five from Eric. Stop running. Eat animal crackers. Mostly camels. A man with a video camera asks Jeff and I questions about TrailsRoc. I think I said words, mostly coherently? Sam was smart and ducked away before the camera was turned on. Convinced Todd to climb the tree with me. It's a tradition now. Third Saturday in July: 0spf + tree climbing.
 |
| Thanks to Erica for the tree pic! |
I survived this race again, which means that last year wasn't just a fluke. And by the time next year rolls around, I will have forgotten how slow and hot I felt and I will sign up for these shenanigans again. Note to people who make things: sports bras with ice packs in them. Need.
To TrailsRoc and the wonderful volunteers, photographers, videographers and spectators: All The Thanks! You are the best thing to happen to running since it stopped being just a means to escape predators.
Another sweaty, dirty adventure in the woods with the gang. I am the luckiest.
Now I think it's time to Get Caked.
Lyric of the moment: "Now my life is sweet like cinnamon. Like a fucking dream I'm living in..." ~Lana Del Ray "Radio" (Today was intensely thunderstormy, then morbidly hot and humid. The government woke me up early. An F bomb is called for).
No comments:
Post a Comment