With the age-graded start, typically the older and the very younger (kids) get the 'head start', so KH and RS left before me, then me, then MH and BS. I had 20 minutes to wait from the start of the very first racer until my group went. They called my group to the staging area, then the line, then GO!

The first section is a paved downhill for about a quarter mile or so before it turns into a regular dirt trail downhill. I think I took this a little faster than I had in past years. I had a secret hope/desire to beat my time from last year, and I figured why not kick off the race by getting some 'free' speed on a downhill. Before a turn, a young woman passed me. The trail was marked to go left but she went straight. "Turn!" I yelled. She didn't respond. "If you are racing, turn!" I yelled again. Some guys behind me yelled at her as well, and finally she stopped, came back and made the turn. As I ran through the woods, each successive pack of other age groups eventually caught and passed me. If the trail wasn't quite wide enough for me to simply hug the side, I'd move off the trail (after looking to make sure no poison ivy was present) and let folks pass. I know my place in the pecking order, no need to hold the speedsters up.

There are some (OK, IMO a lot) of decent, steeper hills in the first half of the race and as much as I would've loved to run or at least 'run' up them, I wasn't able to. I'd run a little, then walk because of not being able to get enough breath and also because I didn't want to aggravate my ongoing ankle issues by stepping wrong going uphill. Uphills are often where it protests the most and I didn't want to throw my race in the can this early by doing something foolish to my ankle. I stopped very briefly at the mile 2 water stop to catch my breath - drank half, dumped the other half on my upper chest then kept going.

This strategy, although slow, worked. Eventually between miles 2-3 I caught my first person, yay! KH knows her and pointed her out to me before the race, so I gave her some encouragement as I passed. At mile 3 and the rock climb thingie I greatly dislike, I caught up to two other ladies but I just wasn't ready to pass them. I told them I hate the rock climb because I'm afraid I'll fall to my death. One of them replied, "That would be the easy way out!" and we had a good laugh. After a bit I did pass the one, she passed me back, I passed her back and stayed ahead. We picked our way over logs, through rock gardens and around trees, waving our arms now and again for balance. A few minutes later I caught her buddy. I think I passed a few more folks here and in the waning sections of the race which made me feel better, albeit a bit selfishly, knowing that I wouldn't be last.

The run was feeling pretty good. My ankle was cooperating, as was my hammy which I had strained this winter. I felt like I was in a good zone, maybe even THE zone. I was enjoying the beautiful forest, the nice temps, the ability to be outside exercising, enjoying nature. There are so many folks that would love to even walk this far, let alone run, and I kept this in mind to be appreciative of the abilities I have. Slow or not, I can do what I want to do and be active.

Looking at my watch I saw I was nearing mile 4 and another water stop, so I pulled a PowerBar gel out of my pocket and ate it. A few other nice people passed me and I passed an older lady. At the water stop I grabbed a cup of water and kept moving, I was feeling good and I thought it looked like my time was looking good for a new PR. I picked my way down a packed dirt/jutting rock/jutting root path. I passed the 5 mile marker; cool, a little over a mile to go.

The trail turned onto Oak Trail, according to a cute little wooden trail marker. Oak Trail was a slight downhill with loose dirt, loose fist and under sized rocks. I still felt like I was in a groove, so I kept up the pace. What happened next is a bit of a mystery. I was grooving down the trail when all of a sudden I realized I was falling forward. Why? I dunno. Maybe I stumbled. Maybe I didn't pick my feet up high enough. Maybe a ghost or wood spirit pushed me. Maybe I tripped. Perhaps I lost focus. Maybe Fate was playing a cruel trick on me. Pick an option, any option, but regardless of the option you chose, I was earthbound with no time to consciously react, although I'm thinking I possibly subconsciously reacted because it almost seemed I leaned back a little to keep from falling on my hands/face; who knows, it was probably dumb luck. I fell on my lower legs, hard and painful. OUCH! Well, that wasn’t exactly the word I yelled. That one may or may not have started with an ‘F’. I possibly did a little sideways roll because I discovered later my elbow was bruised but not cut. My hands were for all intents and purposes unhurt. My legs, however... I proceeded to do the Peter Griffin for a while (Peter Griffin hurts his knee for those not in the know). Seriously, I sat there for a while doing just that! I did a quick assessment of my wounds = a cut right shin looked pretty deep and bad, bleeding very freely. I saw some white whether it was fat or bone I didn't know. Left leg was in relatively better shape but more abrasions and also bleeding decently from a laceration near my knee. Some guy who already finished and was hanging out near the next turn heard me yell (although people in downtown Reading probably heard me, too, LOL) and came up to check on me and eventually helped me stand up. As he was helping me, other racers caught up to me and passed me (grr! I passed them earlier!) and asked if I was OK. I told him I thought I’d be OK and started walking carefully, blood already soaked into my right sock and shoe, both legs dirty and bloody. In a little bit I tried running and it really hurt so I walked a little again. I looked at my watch and the time/distance and thought I might still have a chance at beating last year’s time so I started running again.

My friend's husband, MH, always comes back to her and then me to run us in to the finish and it wasn't too long before I saw him waiting for me on the trail. He asked how I was doing and I said OK but I fell. He said, "That doesn't look too good". "Yeah, I think the right one needs some attention" as we ran the last stretch of trail before the hill scramble, carefully making our way along the stream, through wet areas, mud, crossing a few bouncy plank bridges before getting to the hill scramble. Ugh, the hill scramble; always a challenge even when one isn't bleeding and injured! KH, RS and BS were all standing at the top cheering me up as MH coaxed and cheered as he blazed the path in front of me. This is not an official trail but rather a very rough spot they bring the race up through every year to the finish. I finally clamored over the top and started running once I hit the flat. MH was on my heels, directing me straight to the ambulance after we crossed the line. I tried to stop for water. "I'll bring you water, just go!" MH said. Ok, Ok. I looked at my watch and saw I beat my time from last year by around 4 minutes!!! YEAH!!!

I explained to the ambulance guys what happened, one did paperwork while the other started cleaning some of the dirt and junk out of the wounds. I was chipper and doing fine. I know I get a little weird with my own blood, so I tried not to look at what the guy cleaning it was doing, yet it was hard not to look. Sure enough, after some time I started feeling like I was going to pass out. I told them so and they wanted me to lay down, discussed an IV, discussed going to a hospital...no, no, no, I'd be fine, just let me put my head between my legs, it's because of looking at my wounds too much. They didn't seem to believe me. I put my head between my knees and they kept hounding me with questions (please, please, just give me a minute or two! I shouted in my mind) which I'd eventually answer, all the while wishing they'd just let me be. Of course now we have new paperwork. BP gets taken and retaken because they think it's too low even though I tell them it's usually low, pulse gets taken. That's high. I have to fill out refusal of treatment or transport or something paperwork. Poor MH has to sign as a witness of refusal. They ask me if my lips are always blue. Only when I'm cold, I respond. Are you cold? they ask. No. More insistance to go to a hospital. More refusal from me because I know the majority of the problem was simply vagal response. Warnings by the ambulance guys that I should really be treated as they didn’t seem to trust me telling them the near blackout was just from looking at my wounds too much. Finally they let me go with promises by me and MH to call 911 if I got worse. Promises to go to Urgent Care. Broken promises to let MH drive.

We went back to the finish area where the raffles were going on - hey, we can't miss the chance at Southwest Airline tickets or door prizes! Plus I promised the ambulance guys I'd eat something, so I had a piece of watermelon, 4 fresh strawberries and a blue freeze pop. Sadly we didn't win any prizes. :(

Drove MH home, went to my house for a shower, then my husband drove me to Urgent Care for 4 stitches, a tetanus shot and a script for antibiotics. Thankfully they weren't busy and we were in and out quickly. Hey, scars tell stories, and that one will have a heck of a good one behind it!

Here is where I think I fell, note the flat line at one point. The earlier low points are probably where I'd pull off the trail to let others pass. Elevation chart is below it.



Not fall.

Hangin' out at the ambulance.


Falling, and the usual asthma-related breathing issues. Oh, and maybe those pesky extra pounds I'm carrying...


I really enjoy doing this race because of its unique format and lovely location. It's on the smaller side (gets capped at 300 which they didn't reach this year) and it's a nice time to catch up with my friends.