It was a beautiful late November day in Birdsboro, PA, with temperatures hovering just above freezing, rain with the threat of snow, and a nice piercing icy breeze. Further south the Team Z bike ride was canceled for the day, and that was really my first sign that I was in for a treat with the weather. If I wasn't getting picked up at 9:00 a.m., I may have stayed home. However, how often do you really get to go out into the woods and just savagely tromp through mud and scale hills? Not too often in Washington, D.C. I am afraid. So really, it was a day not to be missed. And even with the much less than ideal weather, it was really quite fun. Fun, if you definition of fun might be giving birth or getting hit by a car.
The trails were technical rocky root covered single track. As if that isn't challenge enough, they were also covered in wet leaves. And it was pretty much 98% up or down long hills, some of which were very steep. And did I mention that this was a 15k? 9.6 miles or so? And 33 degrees and raining? It almost sounds like someone was trying to figure out the easiest way to kill 350 people at one time, doesn't it? But luckily, no one was taken away in the ambulance this time.
It was cold, so at the start people took off fast but I did not get caught up in the rush. Instead I waited until we soon turned into the woods and went up hill for maybe a mile, and then people started quickly dropping off. People continued to drop off every time we turned back up hill again. By the first water stop I was told I was in 4th place for the women. I did not quite believe them until two more people told me as well. Along the way girl #5 caught up to me. Since she did not look older than me I figured she was surely in my 16-29 age group. I let her pass me but kept her easily in my sight. Long dramatic story short the race ended in a sprint, initiated by me with about half a mile to go, between, me, girl #5, and 2 guys. I am sure I could have waited a bit longer to pick it up, but looking back, I enjoyed making those 3 really hurt to the finish for what was likely and unnecessarily long amount of time. One of the guys beat me in our all our all out zone 8 run to the end, but he was sure struggling to do so, and I beat out girl #5 by 3 seconds (she was in my age group, well worth the effort for a turkey trophy).
So I came in 4th overall, with 2nd in my age group. I guess sometimes it really is worth it to brave the weather. My time was 1:24:14, or about 8:45 per mile. Which is actually better than I would have expected based on the conditions. It was also almost 5 minutes faster than 2 years ago. However, I guess I lucked out on the competition two years ago because I got second then too.
My friend Diane decided that 15k wasn't long enough so midway through the race she made a wrong turn and added about 1.5 miles. By the time she returned her clothes weighed about an extra 10 pounds from the rain. The race director said she could claim "the idiot award."
The race was great, but I think that the highlight of the day was scarfing pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, and homefries (all covered in syrup and/or ketchup) afterwards in the warmth of the Exton Diner. I can't imagine what the people in the restaurant thought had happened to us before we got there, but I am sure it was far more pleasant than the truth.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
2008 Dark and Dirty: If you can't see it, it wont hurt when you fall on it
I arrived at the 2008 Dark and Dirty nighttime trail run with my two new friends Diane and Paul, who I had literally just met when they came to pick me up earlier that evening. My dad hooked us up because Diane had gone "all the way to California to run a race in a tutu," so to him it seemed logical that she would like to run a race in the dark through the woods, because they both seemed fairly silly to him. Anyway, he was right, and she thought it was a great idea.
As we picked up our numbers and shirts we also picked up some free glow sticks. Lacking enough connectors to make my four glow sticks wearable as bracelets or necklaces, I stuck two into my headband as antennas and two around my writs. I was so ready for darkness. Spectators loved my antennas. However most people called them "horns" or "rabbit ears." I thought that it was very clear that they were antennas. Oh well.
At the start, everyone had headlamps. I think I may have been the only one going old school and using just a flashlight that I bought at Home Depot. It turns out that the headlamps turned into "bug-in-your-face magnets," I did not have that problem (or any others) with the hand held flashlight.
After a delayed start (as usual) we were off. I heard a girl next to me say "I wonder if it will be hilly?" oh, it was hard not to laugh. I assured her that it would be. About a quarter of a mile after the start the whole blob of people headed into the woods for a scramble up the first hill. Without much time for the group to spread out, the trail is a bit congested at first and everyone is scrambling up the hill like we are being chased by bears. I am quite afraid of bears, and it was dark, but I was pretty sure none were present so I took my time and didn't get worked up in the scramble.
Further up the hill I heard many people asking "when does this hill end?" I wanted to tell them never, but instead I just thought to myself that maybe they should not have been knocking people out of their way at the bottom of the hill to get up as quickly as possible. I cruised right up the long hill, passing many on the way. In the dark you can't see the top of the hill. But on most hills in Ron Horn's races, you can't see the top anyway since most of the time you are so far away from it. So that did not seem to bother me.
I took the downhills easy and the uphills hard, passing people on every uphill. Most people would say that is a silly waste of energy, but I'm not the best on the downhills. On the smooth sections of road I ran as fast as I could. Everything was a little bit of a different strategy than if I could see better. Actually everyone seemed to have a different strategy. Everyone ran in groups when possible and no one wanted to be the lead of the group. People would let you catch up and even pass because it was much easier to follow that to lead. Usually my experience with passing people is that a guy sees that a girl is about to pass and starts running harder. Tonight, these guys had no problem letting me guide them through the darkness. However, a few times I got stuck between groups, and learned that I am not very good at navigating in the dark. I didn't get lost, but it was a little slower when I was on my own.
In the meantime, Paul had no idea that he was in the lead. He was trading on and off with another guy for the lead for mot of the race, until two other guys came out of nowhere to take the lead. Paul ended up taking fourth place overall. The guy who won beat out Mr. Second Place by only a few seconds because apparently he knew his way through the boulder field at the end better. The week before Paul had actually beaten Mr. First Place in a 50k.
Unlike Diane and I, Paul spent most of the race running alone. He kept talking about all the eyes he saw in the woods looking back at him. I did not see any eyes. I think by the time I was coming by the animals were like "what the hell is this? I am out of here!" I however liked noticing the long trail of lights through the woods. Everyone's lights made Christmas light like trails through the woods ahead and behind of me. Looking ahead, I could see just lights bouncing and snaking up the hills to come.
The race ended at a beer garden, with some very tasty German beers. We hung out for awards, and I ended up taking third in my age group, winning a very cool ceramic skull thing. Paul got 3rd in his age group and fourth overall, and Diane just missed getting an award by one place. She was fourth in her age group. However she already ran a race that morning and won a bobble head, but I was really hoping that she would score two awards in one day.
As we picked up our numbers and shirts we also picked up some free glow sticks. Lacking enough connectors to make my four glow sticks wearable as bracelets or necklaces, I stuck two into my headband as antennas and two around my writs. I was so ready for darkness. Spectators loved my antennas. However most people called them "horns" or "rabbit ears." I thought that it was very clear that they were antennas. Oh well.
At the start, everyone had headlamps. I think I may have been the only one going old school and using just a flashlight that I bought at Home Depot. It turns out that the headlamps turned into "bug-in-your-face magnets," I did not have that problem (or any others) with the hand held flashlight.
After a delayed start (as usual) we were off. I heard a girl next to me say "I wonder if it will be hilly?" oh, it was hard not to laugh. I assured her that it would be. About a quarter of a mile after the start the whole blob of people headed into the woods for a scramble up the first hill. Without much time for the group to spread out, the trail is a bit congested at first and everyone is scrambling up the hill like we are being chased by bears. I am quite afraid of bears, and it was dark, but I was pretty sure none were present so I took my time and didn't get worked up in the scramble.
Further up the hill I heard many people asking "when does this hill end?" I wanted to tell them never, but instead I just thought to myself that maybe they should not have been knocking people out of their way at the bottom of the hill to get up as quickly as possible. I cruised right up the long hill, passing many on the way. In the dark you can't see the top of the hill. But on most hills in Ron Horn's races, you can't see the top anyway since most of the time you are so far away from it. So that did not seem to bother me.
I took the downhills easy and the uphills hard, passing people on every uphill. Most people would say that is a silly waste of energy, but I'm not the best on the downhills. On the smooth sections of road I ran as fast as I could. Everything was a little bit of a different strategy than if I could see better. Actually everyone seemed to have a different strategy. Everyone ran in groups when possible and no one wanted to be the lead of the group. People would let you catch up and even pass because it was much easier to follow that to lead. Usually my experience with passing people is that a guy sees that a girl is about to pass and starts running harder. Tonight, these guys had no problem letting me guide them through the darkness. However, a few times I got stuck between groups, and learned that I am not very good at navigating in the dark. I didn't get lost, but it was a little slower when I was on my own.
In the meantime, Paul had no idea that he was in the lead. He was trading on and off with another guy for the lead for mot of the race, until two other guys came out of nowhere to take the lead. Paul ended up taking fourth place overall. The guy who won beat out Mr. Second Place by only a few seconds because apparently he knew his way through the boulder field at the end better. The week before Paul had actually beaten Mr. First Place in a 50k.
Unlike Diane and I, Paul spent most of the race running alone. He kept talking about all the eyes he saw in the woods looking back at him. I did not see any eyes. I think by the time I was coming by the animals were like "what the hell is this? I am out of here!" I however liked noticing the long trail of lights through the woods. Everyone's lights made Christmas light like trails through the woods ahead and behind of me. Looking ahead, I could see just lights bouncing and snaking up the hills to come.
The race ended at a beer garden, with some very tasty German beers. We hung out for awards, and I ended up taking third in my age group, winning a very cool ceramic skull thing. Paul got 3rd in his age group and fourth overall, and Diane just missed getting an award by one place. She was fourth in her age group. However she already ran a race that morning and won a bobble head, but I was really hoping that she would score two awards in one day.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
2008 Mt. Penn Mudfest: "More fun than a paper cut on the tip of your tongue"
March can be a wonderful time of year in Pennsylvania. Spring is just beginning, flowers are starting to bloom, you wash your car, clean your bike, buy new sneakers, and then…it snows.
On this lovely first day of spring, and Easter weekend, in Reading, PA, I was standing in 30 degree air with snow pouring down on me with over 800 equally crazy individuals, as well as fellow Team Z-ers Ray and Dave, who were probably more crazy than everyone else because I was easily able to convince them that this would be a “fun” race. We were all waiting for a pig to be launched into the air so we could begin running the rocky, steep, muddy, trails of the Mt. Penn Mudfest.
Finally, 20 minutes after the scheduled start of the race, the pig was launched, and upon its landing we took off for countless surprises around every turn of trail. And Mudfest it was. This race had the usual killer steep long hills and rocky trails that are common for trail runs in the area, but it also had ankle deep mud, four freezing cold creek crossings, and about 100 yards of downed trees that required a good under/over/around strategy to successfully navigate. However, with no time to develop a strategy, you pretty much just fling yourself from tree to tree. For the creeks, you can’t simply hop over these crossing, or skip across on rocks. You splash right through knee deep water, and then climb out the other side on you hands and feet up a muddy bank, grabbing whatever you can to keep from sliding back into the creek: trees, roots, rocks, the feet of the person in front of you, whatever you can get a hold of. I think the creeks are great because when else do you get the chance to ice your potential injuries in the middle of a race? I think this is something more races should include. Plus, running in squishy sneakers adds that special extra something to running.
Ray showed off his trail prowess to everyone behind him by doing flips down the trail. Ask him about it. He also savagely bit the heads off of any and all marshmallow chickens that got in his way, leaving the sugary yellow bodies strewn across the trail to die.
Dave survived the race with everything but two toenails and a little less skin on his legs. No one really needs toenails for running anyway.
I slipped on a tree and later got to do a nice slide down a hill. Sometimes sliding is just easier that running, but sometimes running is just not an option so it is better to just plan a good slide on your heels rather than ending up on your butt.
It was a tough day for spectating as Holly had to walk up small hills to watch the race while holding hot chocolate, AT THE SAME TIME. But despite her hardships and standing the in the cold for hours, she helped us out with a post run feast of twizzlers, peeps, and pretzels: excellent recovery food for both running and cheering from the snack food capital of the world.
We stayed for awards, even though none of us got any. Somehow I was unable to defend my first place age group title from last year. In fact I came no where close. But I think that in 2009 I'll be back to win another piggy bank to keep my 2007 piggy bank award company.
P.S. I managed to snag 3rd in 2009 but the 2009 piggy doesn't hold money.
On this lovely first day of spring, and Easter weekend, in Reading, PA, I was standing in 30 degree air with snow pouring down on me with over 800 equally crazy individuals, as well as fellow Team Z-ers Ray and Dave, who were probably more crazy than everyone else because I was easily able to convince them that this would be a “fun” race. We were all waiting for a pig to be launched into the air so we could begin running the rocky, steep, muddy, trails of the Mt. Penn Mudfest.
Finally, 20 minutes after the scheduled start of the race, the pig was launched, and upon its landing we took off for countless surprises around every turn of trail. And Mudfest it was. This race had the usual killer steep long hills and rocky trails that are common for trail runs in the area, but it also had ankle deep mud, four freezing cold creek crossings, and about 100 yards of downed trees that required a good under/over/around strategy to successfully navigate. However, with no time to develop a strategy, you pretty much just fling yourself from tree to tree. For the creeks, you can’t simply hop over these crossing, or skip across on rocks. You splash right through knee deep water, and then climb out the other side on you hands and feet up a muddy bank, grabbing whatever you can to keep from sliding back into the creek: trees, roots, rocks, the feet of the person in front of you, whatever you can get a hold of. I think the creeks are great because when else do you get the chance to ice your potential injuries in the middle of a race? I think this is something more races should include. Plus, running in squishy sneakers adds that special extra something to running.
Ray showed off his trail prowess to everyone behind him by doing flips down the trail. Ask him about it. He also savagely bit the heads off of any and all marshmallow chickens that got in his way, leaving the sugary yellow bodies strewn across the trail to die.
Dave survived the race with everything but two toenails and a little less skin on his legs. No one really needs toenails for running anyway.
I slipped on a tree and later got to do a nice slide down a hill. Sometimes sliding is just easier that running, but sometimes running is just not an option so it is better to just plan a good slide on your heels rather than ending up on your butt.
It was a tough day for spectating as Holly had to walk up small hills to watch the race while holding hot chocolate, AT THE SAME TIME. But despite her hardships and standing the in the cold for hours, she helped us out with a post run feast of twizzlers, peeps, and pretzels: excellent recovery food for both running and cheering from the snack food capital of the world.
We stayed for awards, even though none of us got any. Somehow I was unable to defend my first place age group title from last year. In fact I came no where close. But I think that in 2009 I'll be back to win another piggy bank to keep my 2007 piggy bank award company.
P.S. I managed to snag 3rd in 2009 but the 2009 piggy doesn't hold money.
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