Running in the Mountains

Since the last time I slowed down enough to type something, I have run in the Outer Banks (awesome, and frankly, I think they need more half marathons for me to run down there), been robbed and had to leave my race at the start line due to said robbery (this NOT being so awesome), run in Tennessee (where I am still convinced they mixed up Whiskey and Wine) and run in West Virginia.

 Outer Banks

Over the Bridge in the Outer Banks-loved it!

I learned I love running in the Outer Banks, cold, warm or other and I do NOT like running in West Virginia. It seems great on paper, but not so much in reality. I also learned that we now live in a neighborhood where we need an alarm-total suckage.

Richmond start in the rain.

A week after I ran in the Outer Banks I was suppose to run in Richmond, VA. This race I was doing myself. I was looking forward to it and the awesome swag that supposedly waited at the finish line for me. The night before I even had time to catch up with an old friend. Things were looking good and then I got to the start line. There was no one to keep me company, which was OK because it being downtown Richmond, and me being there early, I could wander and look at historic land marks. Of course, it started raining, then pouring, and then my husband called. We had been robbed while I was sleeping in the hotel and he had duty. (No one was home at the time-thank goodness.) While the dog appeared to have tried to eat the robbers (good dog!), they still got away with the TV and my kindle. What?! My kindle?!...oh, and the TV is gone too? While my husband and I went back and forth about me coming home, it started to pour hard enough I was worried about my phone. Running wet was no big deal, but no music for the run? No acceptable. I was upset, he was upset, and it was pouring, so I went home, bib and all. I will have to regroup and try again next year. We talked to the cops, of course, but even after the house was dusted for prints, there was nothing. Here it is January and still nothing. I hope they blew out their backs carrying the darn TV.

Despite this, it was the holidays, my family was safe and there was another race to be had in Tennessee in some small town where the Titanic lives across the street from the Hatfield and McCoy's. Dinner was sold out, so instead my BRF and I headed over to the Titanic to find out if we would live or die. We both survived, hand a nice pasta dinner and after a good nights sleep, we lined up to run. I have to say, staying the host hotel, at the start line is the way to go. You just roll out of bed and BAM, you run. No shuttles and crazy parking.  No crack of dawn alarm. Cookies on a chilly course, not such a great idea, but the Santa Hats and shirts were cute. While it was no Outer Banks, I quite enjoyed the race, hills and all. Yes, the secret is out. While they aren't easy, I like hills. I don't know why, maybe that's the part of my brain that's broken. They make you work hard to get up them, and then there is all that fun of running down them. You just let go and gravity will take over. AWESOME! At this point, I am sure you all realize I am crazy anyway.

 Santa Shuffle in Tennessee

To make sure we knew we were running a half marathon, they put up a sign with the mileage.

 

Then there was Christmas! Yeah Christmas! Then off to West Virginia. There are many great drivers out there. My husband is one, as is my BRF.  However, crazy as I am, I DO NOT make a good passenger, especially when its close to freezing, raining, on mountains that drop off the side, and there are deer that I swear, were stalking us, waiting for their moment to jump in front of the car. I did not like it Sam I Am. It made my tummy hurt. I also don't like running at 2pm. Who does that?! apparently folks in West Virginia. To help thin out the already small group of competition, they wanted to make sure you were off your game, didn't know how to fuel and ran at that point in the day when everyone needs a nap anyway. They failed to realize I wasn't competition in the first place! Of the less then 300 that ran, only about 15 took longer then 2:30:00 to run it and a hand full of those had signed up as race walkers. Maybe they handed out time modulators to the walkers when they told them that fast field was walker friendly. However, thank you walkers, you made sure I wasn't last.

They were also the friendliest group of people at a race I have ever seen. Or least, when you look like death warmed over they are. Of course, I didn't realize that until my BRF asked if I was OK. Apparently, death didn't just warm over, it came and stomped on my face and they were telling me good job, keep it up because they were afraid I would collapse and die on them! But still, they care enough to try. I didn't mind the snow and I didn't mind the cold. While I have lived in the warm South for over 10 years, after coming from Maine, those things still don't bother me all that much. I did keep wondering why I was having a hard time breathing. I had taken a hit of my inhaler before the race, it should have been fine, oh wait, that's right, we were in the mountains in a high altitude. Insert head smack! Another reason not to like this race. There was also a tunnel. A dark troll tunnel. I am slightly claustrophobic. Normally, this will only get bad when there are too many people too close to me. This is my dance space, stay the heck out of it and all that. In a tunnel, a dark tunnel that echoes and you can't see where everyone is...its just not cool. In theory it seemed really neat as there is the history of the trail being an old rail road bed and the tunnel being part of it. Once I was in the tunnel, not so much. I followed the edge and didn't dare to pass anyone.

Before I even hit the finish line I was ready to be home. I really did NOT want to be there anymore. I didn't feel good, I was exhausted, and feeling more then a little whiny. I wasn't even sure my dinner was going to stay down when we stopped. NO MORE RUNNING IN WV! It was pretty, the company couldn't be beat, and the box is now checked. The deer didn't kill us and I made new running friends, so its not all bad. BUT NO MORE RUNNING IN WV! Just in case it wasn't understood...NO MORE RUNNING IN WV! Just to make sure I got that point home, there was a chemical leak last night and now 300,000 plus are without water. No even a shower. It's bad. If that doesn't say no more running in WV, I don't know what does. I really hope those people are OK, it is a truly awful situation that can use everyone's help- but, NO MORE RUNNING IN WV!

 The river we ran next to. Don't fall in!

 Prickets Fort next to where we started.

Next up is Myrtle Beach in February. This I can handle. I will drive, it's on the beach and there are cool animals at the beginning. It is almost a relief after West Virginia. Then...drum roll please...my first full marathon, the Shamrock. Here's to hoping I don't keel over at the 20 mile marker.