Medoc Trail Marathon – the awesomeness continues

I love technology, and anyone who knows me will know that I can be a bit of a geek -- so, this sentence is just to let you know that this post is being written at 35,000' somewhere between Las Vegas and Orlando as I return home from a work trip. How cool is that?

Anyway, the Medoc Trail Marathon

This is another race where the participants are put first. I like that. It is also another race that has the feel of a family reunion.

How much fun is it running through the woods for a few hours with friends? A lot!

The run is three laps, pretty much all single track, lots of rocks and roots to skip over, some nice climbs and plenty of schwag. Including a long sleeve tech shirt, a finisher’s hat, a medal so heavy it could be used as a weapon, socks, jelly beans. I know, I know, it shouldn’t be about “stuff”, it should be about the experience blah blah. But “stuff” does contribute to the experience, no?

As well as a few normal faces, fellow Mangumites/Raleigh area runners, fellow Hampton 24 hr Team Awesome member, Alanna came back to NC from NJ for the second time in just a few weeks to hang out and run with the Carolina Crew. That’s pretty cool – it’s a long way to travel for a race. In return, I have promised tht I will run at least one race in NJ this coming year)

For the second week in a row, I was treated to absolutely glorious weather (I had spent the previous few days at the beach fishing, if only the weather had been half as nice). Just a perfect day for a trail run. Alanna and I ran the whole race together, joined later by Lauren, and I don’t think any of us really had set sights on any particular goal, certainly there was no talk of finish times etc., it just became about enjoying the day. It was another day where I regretted failing to sneak in a beer or two for afterwards. I fell once, rolled my ankle once, and stopped myself from falling another time (which is probably more painful than actually falling). We did meet up with one lady who took a pretty nasty fall and had a cut on her nose – I suspect (and hope) that it was one of those injuries that look much worse than it actually is though. Alanna tripped up a couple of times too, the second time practically in sight of the finish line.

I actually kept clean for 26.19 miles -- it was a nice touch of the race directors to position a mud puddle right ahead of the finish line. Oh, how we laughed.

Finish time was 5:35 or so. That’ll do. This will never be a race about times… well, it is about good times, not finish times.

All smiles. A gentle stroll through the woods with friends -- Jimbo, Alanna  and Lauren (Photo, I think Charles took it - not sure whether it was with Alanna's or Lauren's camera though)

The finishing kick! (Photo by Todd, Alanna's husband)

Congrats to the Rocky Mount Endurance Club, especially my buddy “peg-Leg-Frank” (http://hurryslowlybuthurry.blogspot.com/), they put on a great run and should be very proud of the event they have created, a very special thanks to the volunteers and congrats to everyone who finished. (Laura's awesomeness continued -- first female second week running. http://lasrunningandramblings.blogspot.com/)