This is what the damn normally looks like:
This is what it looked like during the 'flood':
I copied these pictures from a local newspaper - the links to the articles should be on the pictures for reference and your reading pleasure. That water looks CRAZY high!
Anyway, back to the race report at hand... So I got to the race venue (Fountainhead Park) about an hour before race time, which was good because I ended up with decent parking. I went through packet pick up then hit the restrooms. They gave a nice wicking T-shirt at packet pickup. After I just hung out while more people started showing up and got ready to race. I chatted with a few folks, then I met up briefly with a friend who had told me about the race. I did not see her till the second half of the course when she passed me at a water stop. I caught her a bit later and hung out for a few before I moved ahead. This event had the most casual start I've ever seen. It was small - limited to 240 participants/women. I think they just yelled ready, set, go and we were off. However, not until we had been serenaded by the men of the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club - they sang "Happy Trails to You." It was GREAT! This is one tough half marathon course! I've run parts of it before, but not the entire course. The hills go up so steeply at times I walked them and of course the downhills are tough going, in my opinion. There were lots of rocks and roots to dodge as well. I did not fall but I did trip a few times. The trail was marked with yellow strips of plastic hanging down to let you know you were on the right track. Then there were double yellow strips on the left or right deisgnating a turn. Areas to keep out of were marked with red. It was GREAT. At times I felt like I was all alone, but I know others were out there. I did not get to see any fun wild life, which was too bad. I would have liked to see a chipmunk or two. They are so cute! The aid stations were well stocked with the exception of the last one. By the time I got there they were just about out of stuff. I think the heat had some bearing on this. So, I did pretty well, all in all, for the most part. I took it easy and tried to only walk on the hardest uphills at first. I walked some of the easier ones as the day wore on. My hamstrings got a bit tight in the last few miles, but I managed OK. And I was able to finish strong! It was a really fun race, despite the heat and hills. :-) I would definitely do this event again if it fits in my schedule.
Next stop - the Army 10 Miler. This is after my upcoming awesome trip to Napa Valley, courtesy of my good friend. I will have to write a report on THAT when I return. I do plan to run at least once while I am out there. It would be a waste not to run in a new location.
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Other:
My older son's high school Varsity football team won their game 27-0 on Saturday afternoon. He did not get to play, but that was OK with him. He was totally psyched they won because this team beat them last year. Now the team is 2-2. The two teams they lost to are not in their district, either, so their district stats are 1-0, which is nice.
My younger son ran his second cross country meet of the season AND he got to run with the Varsity B group and he came in first of his teammates in that group plus was faster than two boys in the Varsity A group. I was thrilled for him. This is his first season of cross country as a sophomore. He played foortball last year. He also broke 20 minutes in a 5K on a tough course at 19:56. He has been improving steadily. Way to go!
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