Run For Their Lives - Run

Prelude- this run supports a local pregnancy help center. My political leanings are conservative and pro life. Given all the things I have read and seen about planned parenthood over the past few months it became my goal to do something to speak up for the unborn in the way that I can. i joined the National LIFE Runners Team and signed up for this race to help raise funds for this center.
We arrived at the state park in a little bit of drizzle, once I got my bag and all there was a little bit of thunder and a steady rain that lasted about 30-40 minutes. Skies remained overcast and it was pretty humid out there. We lined up with the runners in front of the walkers (walkers only had a 1.5 mile fairly easy loop). Quick prayer and we're OFF!
I think I started out too fast and my breathing never settled down. It felt hard the entire time. Hit a hill around mile one that banked hard to the left and was short but steep. Had to walk that puppy. Got moving again.....just keep a reasonable pace and watch where I'm going! The trail was overall pretty wide and a decent surface, but there were some tough ascent/ descent that were made worse being wet and having the roots/ gullies running through them. Shortly after mile 2 there was a water stop manned by a family I knew, grabbed water to drink and to dump. on my head. Followed the markers and eventually had to double back around to the same family from a different angle. More water to drink and dump on my head. I think I walked a little bit almost every mile because of all the hills, my legs weren't having it!!
Had to stop briefly at mile 3, my feet were numb and I loosened the laces which helped.
Finally hit mile 4, turned into a part of the woods that were less well marked and less well marshaled. There were segments here that had single track and a small bridge with large mud puddles. I tried to go to one side of it and didn't know that there was a lip on the surface of the wooden bridge so I nearly went down...Quick save prevented that.
Near mile 5 I saw another friend at a water stop, thanked him for coming out and complained about the hills as I grabbed my water. His wife was at the next water stop which was maybe 3/4 of a mile to the finish.
Passed her and came out on a wooden bridge. My husband and the race photographer were at the far end of that bridge. Once off it I had to bear left to run through the grass past the start/ finish area to take a steep hill up past the pool area. The ladies from my church were manning those areas of the course. Got high fives , hugs and prayers from my friends. Had to walk that hill cause it was CRAZY hard. There was an area of pavement after that hill that I walked through cause I needed to recover my legs some. Got a hug from another friend, then ran down behind the pool and along the fishing pond edge in a single track then wet grass. I predicted close to 1:15 knowing my legs were less than cooperative so I'm pretty stoked that I was right. I may not have the run I had several years ago--but I know what I have in me now and respect what my legs are capable of on a given day.

Run those trails more often. I am going to connect with one of my running club friends who runs there more often. She took second in our AG.

Walked around, stretched a lot, grabbed gatorade and a banana, a granola bar.


old and cranky legs
novice to trail running and did not prepare for the course which is a really dumb mistake since the park is so close to my house


I will keep on doing this race, the course is challenging and the cause is worthwhile to me.