Quickie version: Bottlenecks! Humidity! Burn hazel! Men in pink! Wet shorts, shoes and socks!

Regular version: We lined up on the grass down near the creek, tried to hear what the announcer was saying (with very limited success) and waited for the start. Chatted with another first timer. While we were standing there, this cute little older lady with casually dressy shorts and a button down top was talking to me a little, and she said, "I hope I don't get my shoes wet today". Knowing that it rained most of the day and night before and hearing rumors of a creek crossing, I doubted that would happen, but I politely said, "Good luck! I'm not sure you'll be able to do that today". Eventually after more barely audible comments about how to follow the course, we were off with the very loud blast from what looked like a shotgun but was probably modified to shoot blanks.

The air felt very thick and humid from all the rain and heat and breathing was a little tough. We started out heading over grass, up a few smallish hills and finally toward the woods and then screech, standstill. Since we were going from say, a one-lane road sized trail down to narrow singletrack, a bottleneck quickly formed with people waiting to enter the trail. Even once we got on the trail the 'traffic jam' continued at a walking pace with occasional slow jog spots. After a bit, things got moving again, just in time to go through the burn hazel. I shouted out a warning to the women behind me. Evil, evil plant, but less evil than my nemesis poison ivy, which was around, too, but not as bad or as close as the burn hazel. It was about mid-thigh high and was lining the very narrow trail (maybe 18" wide) and falling out into it, so I lifted my arms and tried my best to avoid the stinging plants and did OK but didn't come out unscathed. After a bit I could feel the burning and stinging on my lower legs and a spot above my knee where I brushed against the burn hazel.

Eventually the trail opened up, or at least was devoid of burn hazel and running was easier. So far, mostly the trail had tacky mud, not too bad considering the precipitation in the previous 24 hours. We were coming up on the 2nd (I think) water stop and it was being run by a guy with a shaved in a bright pink evening gown and another guy dressed in bright pink short shorts, pink knee socks and a bright green shirt! I laughed but didn't take any water as I had a quick sip at the last stop.

Oh, and what's this going on just a few hundred feet away? Why it's the rumored creek crossing with a handful of spectators, including some of the folks I knew from the tri club! Slow going here again as we awaited our turn to enter the cold, hip high (on me and I'm tall), moving water under the covered bridge. They had a guy stationed in the water to help anyone who fell and to keep people going the right way. My tri friends were urging me to do a belly flop entry and I joked about it being a duathon, run/swim/run if I did. But no belly flop nor swimming for me, just waded carefully across, feeling the rocky bottom with my feet so I didn't fall.

Up onto terra firma on the other side. This portion of the run was mainly flat but what time was gained by actually being able to keep a faster pace was limited by the thick, deep, slick mud and deep, long puddles. It was wetter here because we were at creek level, and the ground was level without anywhere to runoff in the saturated ground. At first I tried to run around the edges of the big puddles, but the mud was so much thicker and slicker there that I eventually found that running through the puddles was safer and easier and besides, I was already soaked from the waist down what was a little more mud and water! Passed a surprising amount of folks here.

Oh look, we looped around and it's time to cross the stream again! The cold water felt good both times and helped take away some of the stinging from the burn hazel. This time going past the men in pink, I took water from the pink evening gown guy. Hey, it's not every day you can be served by a guy in a dress! My first-timer friend had been either nearby or with me so far for the race, but as we started back up the hill, she started to fall back and found another new 'friend'. I eventually caught up to two girls, one of which I had observed at the beginning. She had what looked like new, white running shoes and new-looking white Swiftwick socks. Knowing there would be mud, I picked my older trail shoes over my brand new ones and also socks that I knew could withstand water and mud and not chafe or show stains easily. Anyway, the three of us stayed together through the burn hazel and the hilly part where the bottlenecking occurred earlier. At one point, the younger looking of the two decided she was going to run kamikaze down a steep switchback. The other girl and I hung back, me because I didn't want to destroy my knees or fall and the other girl didn't trust going that fast downhill in the mud, either. Next thing you know, down she went (younger girl). "And she's down" I reported to the other girl. "Are you OK?" I asked of our fallen commrade. "Yeah", she replied, but stayed down for a bit. As we made our way to her, she got up and began walking. I visually and verbally checked on her well-being again and after she again said she was OK (and I didn't see any blood or bone, just lots of mud, LOL) I passed her.

Eventually she caught back up to us and we all ran together again, chatting a little. As we exited the woods and headed onto the grass (course was basically a lollipop, we were on the 'stem') toward the finish they took off, but I didn't quite trust my lungs with the thick air. My asthma mess from my last race was very fresh in my mind, so I kept plugging at a probably slower than necessary pace. Almost at the end, just climb up one last hill!! Whew, made it! Hit the button on my Garmin and tore off my tag for the time keeper. Congratulated my two new friends and my original friend, fun race!

Hmm, maybe start toward the front a little more to try to avoid the bottlenecking? Tough call, because the string of backed up runners was pretty long.

Grabbed some Gatorade, water and orange slices, then got my iced tea from my car. Orange slices = good!!

Once I got home I washed my legs thoroughly with Tecnu to avoid poison and negate some of the stinging of the burn hazel. It didn't do anything for the burn hazel, but I didn't get any poison! :)


Humidity and bottlenecking.


The race benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster, and the kids and mentors worked the water stands (except for the one with the men in pink), so it was really cool to see them be a part of the event. They were very enthusiastic cheer-ers, too! :)