Sunday, April 06, 2008

Slog

Looks like a nasty day for running (Cherry Pit Ten Miler in Edgewater, MD) and a good day for hypothermia. 45*F.

PLUS they re-routed the course to include some nice muddy trail and stream crossings since the State Roads Department pulled their permit at the last second. Oh, joy.

I can only hope I finish the ten-miler and all the intelligent runners sleep in and I pick up a few placings in the Championship Series standings.

Yeah, I do this for fun.

Today's goal: finish.


Update: Mission accomplished. Race run, finish line crossed. I sure hope it improves my standings in the Championship Series!

BUT it was probably the suckiest most miserable horrible race I've done, maybe ever. Not because of the management and volunteers, which were as great as usual - but cold cold drenched to-the-bone wet hill hill hill hills that don't stop and then two slogs (1 mile each, out and back, between the two red arrows below) through deep slippery shoe-sucking mud and thorn bushes and two stream crossings. I was soaked head-to-toe with mud to my knees. I finished, that's all that can be said for it, but I was one of the last across the finish line.

On the way there, a guy passing me said, in a massive understatement, "I don't think I'll do this one next year". I replied, "Why? The weather can't possibly be WORSE!" People are going to be talking about this race for a long time.

It was so awful all I could do was laugh. I suppose it's great training for my Muddy Buddy with Holly this coming summer!

Plus Dave and Stuart rode along with me so it was fun to have company on the drive. Unfortunately Dave's knee was acting up so he couldn't run, but I'm sure Stuart did well.

15 comments:

Melissa said...

UGH! That does not look like a fun way to run. I was supposed to do a 5k today and had to bow out due to battling tonsillitis all week. So, look on the bright side, at least you get to be out in all of ... that? LOL Hope you had a great race!

Downhillnut said...

Sounds like my kind of race - no chance of boredom! >:D

Kind of suits the Cherry PIT name.

Looking forward to your RR after you warm up with a hot bath and a hotter beverage...

*jeanne* said...

Lots of runners show up, or not? In the AS series, every race finished can help a LOT, no matter how close to dead last you are. So often the many fast AS gals don't complete the minimum races for placing in the series that there is always a chance for mid-pack runners. But... it IS random. Some years all the fast broads qualify.

It sure does sound miserable. Even without my dumba$$ toe injury, I think this would have been too much for me today.

CONGRATULATIONS for finishing. I hope nobody else in our a/g showed up & YOU GET 1st! :-)

Nancy Toby said...

Ha! My friend Janice got 3rd in our AG, that's all I know about until results are posted... they were all done by the time I got done changing into dry clothes!

So she's still way ahead of me, where she will remain unless I can trip her up somehow... way too fast for me!!

Nancy Toby said...

I think I heard them say at the finish line about 250 finishers this year, which is 60-70 less than last year.

I saw quite a few people turning back on the muddy trail at the beginning and bagging the whole day -- they were the smart ones!!

Fe-lady said...

I bet that hot shower felt wonderful afterwards! Yeah, the things we do for uh,,fun, yeah, that's it!
Congratulations on finishing...No, better yet, congratulations on just getting your butt out the door and to the starting line! I don't think I would have...!

Herself, the GeekGirl said...

Good job seeing it through! That does not look easy. I tried running in the rain once, thinking it would be refreshing, but it was just icky.

rachel said...

It's in the 80's and sunny here. Lots of races going on right now too. Before it gets hot in a couple months. :P

Dawn - Pink Chick Tris said...

lol...I knew Karen would like that one. Sometimes when we think the weather can't be worse, it can be. Good job on doing it anyhow.

Rainmaker said...

It was indeed craptacular out there today. Just blah-crap. Good job pushing through it all though! I looked out at the window shortly after you original post, and decided against going out in the rain to watch (a different race).

But...you're hardcore. Congrats

Nancy Toby said...

Yeah, I was thinking of all the people running Cherry Blossom at the same time that paid a lot more for the privilege! Heh! Whatever works to keep you going... if I hadn't been picking up my training buddies for the race I would indeed have slept in!

Spokane Al said...

Mud and rain and hills - what a nice combination - all that is missing is the blood.

Congratulations on soldiering through a tought race.

Comm's said...

great retort nancy. You are the master of the obvious.

Luckily I haven't had to deal with extremes like that in a awhile. Its going to be 85 today its snowing in the midwest. Crazy

Holly said...

It was GREAT MUDDY BUDDY training! LOL MUD KITTENS RULE! I have to confess Nancy, I had a bike ride planned for Sunday and I stayed in. You are ROCKING this season!

jeanne said...

Gee, that sounds like fun...

hardcore doesn't BEGIN to describe you! I couldn't bear the thought of standing in the drizzle to watch my FRIENDS cross the finish line.

you go girl!