I will be seeing a lot of these woods on Saturday!
If you haven't seen the Mountain Mist trails before, you may picture them something like the one above--wide and paved. This is NOT what the majority of the course is like though! This trail race is the only trail race I really know (I've done the race 7 times already), but apparently it is tough compared to others. Every year, we get an email with race instructions. The first year I entered, I almost backed out when I read the paragraph I copied below! Now when I get the email, I just chuckle a little as I think of the newbies reading it. I guess this is like life. If you are too scared to do something others tell you that you can't do, you will never do anything! Just get out there and try it and form your own opinions. I know I can conquer this course---and I aim to do it on Saturday!
From email from Race Director Suzanne Taylor:
"You are the one responsible for entering this race, you better be prepared for the course itself. The rocks will have no mercy. I have seen this course rip apart many a "good trail runner." Mountain Mist is trail running in its finest form. No one is ever let down, just shut down, beaten up, broken and left bleeding. You first timers beware, this course may cause you bodily harm. Even though you have entered the race and paid the fee...YOU CAN STILL BACK OUT! No one will laugh at you, just tell them your family still needs you and you want to continue running in the future, they'll understand! Otherwise, "know your limits and then completely ignore them."
Glad I found your blog. I live in a small town and know very few runners simular to myself (moms who push to the limit) I will be excited to read about what you acomplish in 2013 as you had such an breakout fall. After a bad foot inury in 2011 I spend 2012 slowly returning to form and can only hope that 2013 will be my breakout year.
ReplyDeleteMade me smile! I am getting ready for a 50k and some of my trail training runs have felt that way- but they aren't nearly as long!
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