Blue Crab Bolt 10K

Note the title, "10K" - HA!  This course was about 6.5 miles long.  That is, 6.5 of the hardest trails I have ever run [err... shuffled] in my life!

I woke up and scarfed down some Belvita breakfast cookies and an iced tea while driving out to Seneca Creek Park in Maryland.  I got there and noticed not very many cars ... that's a bad sign considering my consistent goal of not being last.  I don't care if I am technically last to cross the finish line, but dread the day that I'm the only one out on the course and everyone has already packed up to head home.  There was a distinct possibility of this.  I walked through the wet grass to check in, went back to my car and saw Jessie, so walked through the wet grass with her to check in.  Bathroom break, meet up with Marcie, Lori and Shannon, put on some bug spray that we got from a nice woman, another bathroom break and more walking through the wet grass before it was time to start this little adventure.

I ran the first mile which was mostly on pavement, and stopped at the first water stop.  I was gonna walk a bit but the first trail section was mostly downhill, so why not keep on running.  At the bottom of the hill, I let myself walk a bit as we meandered along the side of the river or lake (I wasn't really paying attention).  This isn't so bad, I'm thinking ... uh, I should've waited on that thought cause the next thing you know, I turn a corner and there's a magnificent hill that reminds me of exactly why I don't mountain bike.  OK, got up the hill, meandered a little more and then what do you know, another super duper hill that was difficult to even walk up!  These were not the only 2 hills.  I hoped the trail would loop back to the parking area as I would've quit and taken the DNF.  It didn't.

I'm trudging along, knowing that I'm slow as heck and not caring, running when I can and walking any sign of an incline ... when BAM.  I jam my bad foot into a log or rock or something and there is all of a sudden a shooting pain going up my leg.  Awesome.  I was pretty much done running at this point.  I would try to force myself to run from time to time but really only got 20-30 feet before the pain was too much.  I went down another steep hill to the side of the lake and I could hear the announcer and music at the finish line.  Great, almost done ... wait ... where is that music coming from?  THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS FREAKING LAKE?!!!  I glanced at the water and seriously considered diving in and swimming across.  FCUK!!

Just keep going.  That's what I told myself, just keep going.  Little by little, I made my way around the lake and checking my garmin.  0.7 miles left ... 0.6 ... 0.4 ... 0.2 ... 0.1 ... uh, were the heck is the finish line???  For a 10K, I should be done ... 6.3 ... 6.4 ... 6.5 and I am FINALLY running through the finisher chute, high-fiving Jessie, Shannon and Lori and freaking glad to be done with this thing.  Grabbed some gatorade and nibbled on a few things (skipped the breakfast burritos ... D'oh!) and went with Lori to get her leg washed off from her fall. 

I was so tired, I literally sat down in the shower when I got home!  I took a quick nap and then went out for margaritas for Jessie's birthday.  This was one hell of a trail run.  If I do this again next year, I will be more prepared with what is in store for me.