Sue
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.
05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K
08/19/23 Marquette 50 dns 🙄
Glad you weren't the bears dinner!
Sounds like you had a fun time and ran a good race, congratulations!
I've never understood the people that stand there waiting to cross the creek on the rocks and not get wet, and then give you dirty looks when you just bounce right through the water.
Tim
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.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Congrats on a great race, Queen! And nice story about the bear (or ghost).
Endless trails
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.
In their defense we are California and are creeks are usually trickles and easy to jump across so they aren't use to getting wet. They from at you because you are actually splashing them. Lastly I saw two guys fall completely into the water because they slipped on the moss cover rocks they were trying to cross on the stay out of the water.
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.
flashlight and sidewalk
That Earl is a good dog! Congrats on the time and thanks for the report. I jump on rocks if its convenient but there's no way I'd wait in line. Glad to hear you showed 'em how its done!
**Ask me about streaking**
Great job and great story!
That sounds like a fun race. I haven't run without wet feet in the last six months. We have had a wet winter here. I suppose most Californians are really not accustomed to running through water with the drought ya'll have had for the past year or so. Nice run and congratulations.
LB2
Occasional Runner
Nice work!
I heard there were 1000 finishers at Way Too Cool. That's a big race.
Haha nice report. You got me good - I was sure it would end "and then the horse stepped on my foot and I couldn't run the race".
Great work!
3/8 Way Too Cool 50k WNS
4/19 Tehama Wildflowers 50k
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.
Yea the scare the night before had nothing to do with the run....it was just a better story.
Haha nice report. You got me good - I was sure it would end "and then the horse stepped on my foot and I couldn't run the race". Great work!
Ultra Cowboy
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...
WYBMADIITY
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