run-a-muck

There are runners and then there are runners. Today Pink & I were runners. We drove 2 hours to get to this race of all races, which consisted of a 12 mile course run on trails. Let me say that again, trails. I love trail running. Love it.

Did I mention that it had rained a lot the day before?

So we splashed through 12 miles of creeks and MUD. Oh, my word, was there mud. It was so wonderful I almost cried. It was humid. The red bud trees were blooming. We were yelling. Cute boys were checked out. Dogs were petted. Sweat was pouring. I was in heaven.

Except that after an hour and a half, my legs felt like lead weights. If Pink had not been there, I most certainly would have walked. It was bascially just the two of us romping through the woods, everyone else was so far ahead... er, I mean behind.

Until we conveniently caught up with them at the 5 mile water station.

We were told before the race, 'the course is so well marked, there is no way anyone will get lost.' Yeah, right.

Apparently, Pink & I cut off about 5 minutes of the well-marked course. We soon found ourselves ahead of Adam, a friend of Pink's we had actually seen at 6:30 am at the Sheetz gas station & then laughed when we saw him again 2 hours later at the race. Adam passed us, again, and we were on our way to victory!

At one point we saw a turtle along the trail. I wanted to take him home with me, talk about low maintence pet! I was all over that. But the thought I running for another hour plus with a reptile squished in my hand was not very appealing, to me or to the turtle.

Finally, we had slipped and slid our way up the last mountain. (Did I mention that there are mountains in WV? I miss the flat mother land!) Down (being the key word) the muddy path and into the finish shoot, we claimed the championship trophy!!

Until we told the officials that we sort of missed part of their well-marked course.

When all was said and done, Pink & I had an amazing race. We were spent and filthy, but it was worth every squishy step. For over 2 hours we fought our way up and down the muddy trails of WV. When race results were in, our times weren't too bad. Awards were passed out & Pink & I got an honorable mention. Right next to our names on the race results the following was mentioned: Lost Way.