Thursday night I was walking my dog down the private road behind our house.  At the end is a field with an old horse and some woods.  So I walked up to Red (the old horse) and gave him a handful of pellets for a treat.  He's owner is also old and shows up every morning to feed him, so he's lonely and food is his life.  I was back on the road and Earl was sniffing along the road.  I had my iphone and was rocking some country music on the speakers, not earphones when I heard "thum thumditty thum"  at first I thought deer were running across the field, but then I flet like it was coming right at me.  Earl stopped smelling wiped around and growled while I let out a scream, turned around and started running.  The thumditty thump, stopped.  As I was running I turned down the ipone and final got the flash light on...and nothing.  My heart was racing...bear or ghost?  I think it was a bear cruising down the road and he wasn't aware of us until Earl growled and I screamed.....anyways back to the race report...

Weather was perfect.  I started running with a group of girls from home but our goal times were all different.  The first 1.? is on a road so we all hung together.  I lost them after the first creek crossing where people were lined up to cross on the rocks and avoid the water.  It had rained the whole week before so I knew water and mud was planned for the day and passed at least 30 people right there.  The next 8 miles are rolling hills.    At first we had a couple of jam ups as we waited to space out.  I think they added about 300 people to the race from last year.  After a few of these the conga got moving and we cruised at a good pace, running up and down the hills...crossing mud and water.

Starting singing in my head.."Got a cold beer with your name on it!"  Couldn't get it out of there.

Around mile 17 I thought about how I really like running 20 miles and maybe that's what I should do in the future. From 16 to 20 ish you are doing a lot of climbing.  Around 20 I just got charge and starting cruising passing many.  It was a crowded race you were never alone but not too crowded to irate you.  Just having a rally good time and started dreaming of hitting 5:30....then 5:45...but did come in at 5:55. My last 6 miles were very fun trying to get there under 6.   I could add more details but the jest of it was a super fun run, feeling awesome, and getting a good time.

Came home and took Earl for a walk with my ipone playing country music....stopped and gave Red a handful of food....nothing.

Nice time, Queen.  Sounds like you had a good day.  I hate conga lines!

Pretty creepy not knowing what was out on the road with you.  While I was reading, I thought you were going to say Red broke loose and was following you home.

Nice job, Queen. Add another WTC finish to the resume!

I don't understand those creek crossing hold-ups either, I can understand it

during a hike, but not in a trail race.

 While I was reading, I thought you were going to say Red broke loose and was following you home.

I never thought of Red...but maybe the ghost of Chief who lived there before. 

Great job and great story!

Nice work!

I heard there were 1000 finishers at Way Too Cool. That's a big race.

I think they added about 300 people this year.  Crowded at the beginning but not so bad after 10 miles.

Nice work!

 

I heard there were 1000 finishers at Way Too Cool. That's a big race.

QON, you finished at about the same time as a buddy of mine, Brian.  (Shaved head,  Muscular, Hawaiian looking dude) Recovering from a badly sprained ankle.  I'll look for your race picture...