Hit The Trail

On a warm summer morning in mid-July, we headed off to Seneca Creek State Park for a 10K race.  Different from our normal routine, this time Trisha was running and Joe was kid-watching.  We started the morning with lots of grumping, whining and our traditional pre-race shot.

Then the kids played, swung, and ate ground particles (see video) while I readied for the race.

A few race facts:

1.  Name:  Blue Crab Bolt 10K

2.  It was a small race with just a few hundred competitors. 

3.  It was a trail run.  I had no idea what this meant prior to the race.

4.  Mid-week they emailed to let us know that they had extended the length of the run and it was now a 10.8K run.  Can they do this?  If I wasn't intimidated enough before, this just about did me in.  I could barely run the required 6 miles, now I was being required to run even further to complete the race.

5. It was hilly.  The race advertised "challenging hills."  This is not a good sign.  Usually races advertise "rolling hills" meaning steep, terrible hills.  What does it mean when they advertise "challenging hills?"

Despite being intimidated, I hopped in line and began the race.  That's me at the very, very back waving.

While I ran the kids played some more and Joe took pictures of the racing map.

After a long, arduous journey on wooded hiking trails (no pavement or gravel) with rocks and sticks and tree roots, climbing up hills so steep I could only walk, falling three times, following a gurney and two paramedics headed toward another competitor who had not fared well in the race, and meeting a lovely girl from Tennessee who got me through the last mile of the race, I happily crossed the finish line.

Xandra came out to finish the last bit with me and so did Theia.  Actually, Theia started crying because we were leaving her behind, so I picked her up and carried her across the finish line while holding Xandra's hand.  A fitting end to a tough race.

I was very proud to have finished this difficult race and I was dirty from head to toe from all of my falls.

I also couldn't walk for two days because my muscles were so sore.  All in all not bad for a pregnant lady 8 weeks along.  I can say it'll be awhile before I hit the trail again.