You have to be vigilant and pay attention to flags and ribbons hanging from trees, without which you will become quickly lost. This is not a zone out and enjoy run, this is a pay attention to your surroundings and try to plan the best way to cross this obstacle run.
We had difficulties like not finding a fifth team member and then another member with an injured ankle. However we were determined to try and complete what we could of the race.
The morning started with just Claudia and I at the start not sure when our team mates would be able to make it to the race.
This is when the plans of who ran what leg went right out the window. "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. " So very true in this case, Claudia and I decided to take turns running the legs as best we could until others were able to make it out. I was taking the first Lap and though I was back of the pack I was far from last. I even had a couple runners stay with me who had missed a turn off until they spotted me in the woods. It was a nice morning 4.5 mile romp and I was feeling really good at the end. Claudia took the second loop and with still no sign of the others. My plan continued to be that Claudia and I would take turns until we were tired of running and just enjoy what we could of the race. Luckily Michelle made it out in time to run the 3rd leg. But by the 4th leg, which I ran, we were the back of the pack and the sweeper was waiting for us to go out.
I kept ahead of the sweeper but did not see any other runners on the course until a guy who had accidentally run the wrong loop caught up with me. He and I hung together a bit and helped each other cross a mud pit then he took off at a faster pace and I had the course to myself until I started running into runners on another leg coming toward me. Most of them thought I was one of the Ultra runners and cheered me on with "Good Job!" and "Way to go Ultra" I took the accolades and cheerfully returned their encouragement. Coming into the finish of my second leg the place was nearly deserted and when Claudia started the 5th leg I could tell we were very behind.
However I was still feeling pretty good, and we were cheerfully determined to try to get through the whole course so Michelle and I headed to the next legs.
Technically we weren't supposed to start cheating until the 7th but after waiting 40 min with Claudia was still out on the 5th I decided to start the 6th leg before she came in. It was a good thing I did because halfway through the leg I ran into the sweeper removing the blue flags marking my leg. He was very surprised to see me still on the course, offered to lead me to the entrance to the swamp portion, which he assured me was still marked, and also suggested we skip a couple legs and maybe I should be taking the shortcut rather than go through the swamp.
All very logical and probably good advice at this point. After all the swamp portion is dangerous. Going out there by myself with no other runners around to see if I get hurt and need help is probably a bit stupid if not suicidal. But this is where my stubborn "I will do this and I will get through the toughest course" kicks in.
The swamp portion is called "This Sucks" and it truly did. It was awful with so much water to cross that after awhile I thought I was on the wrong leg and took out a very soggy course description to make sure I was following the correct colored flag and wasn't on the "River Styx" leg. Seriously I stepped into what I thought was a puddle and was up to my neck in water. I was crossing not just mud pits but rivers running through the swamp. That's when I found my friend Frank. Frank was a very muddy but sturdy stick that I used to test how deep the mud went, how deep the water was, whether a branch I was stepping onto was stable...you get the picture. It reminded me of the Red Sauce commercial..."Frank, I put that stick on everything"
It was slow going but I was playing it safe and grinning every time I made it past an obstacle. In the end I got through with only a few scratches. Pulling myself up the ditch onto the road from the swamp I was reluctant to leave Frank behind and started running with him. I passed a couple hikers who wouldn't look me in the eye and realized what I must have looked like. With no other runners around me this wild muddy woman dragging herself out of the swamp with a large branch..I must have been grinning like crazy because I made it through! It's no wonder they looked away and hurried past me!
I finished my third leg and by that point Victoria had joined us and gone out on a leg, Michelle was still out on the 8th leg having skipped the 7th. But we were so far behind the rest of the teams that flags were being taken down and we were worried about being alone and getting lost. We skipped several legs and Claudia decided to run the final "Glory" leg. Bringing our team home. The rest of us layered up from the chill and waited to run her in at the end.
It was a rough day and each of us faced challenges both in getting to the race and the race itself.
I am so proud of our effort to get through our various challenges.
Standing together in the end...Way To Go Team Crash!!
