I seem to be having issues loading the videos - boo. Oh well. They were just little documentaries for me to entertain myself since I went to the race buddy-less.


Sign: Ambulance by the finish line. Good or bad? You decide.




More documenting to make the day fun and lower expectations.

I mentioned bowel movements in the previous vid, & thought this bathroom sign was quite appropriate. :)



Pre-race jitters. Chatting, stretching, jumping, medical crew on stand-by, laughing (nervously), some awaiting the free beer at mile 1, others trying not to think about the self-inflicted pain to come.


Pre-race.





With PennDOT wanting to charge extra for using their roads, the race director decided to have a 'Crossfire start' where the participants start at one of two places and then have to cross each others paths to scurry on up a hill and begin the race. It was great! I just yelled. (The subtle expletive is not me but still funny). Unfortunately I accidentally pre-maturely stopped the video. I meant for it to go longer and get a clip of the 3 inches of mud on the hill and the guy beside me happily declaring, "This is f***ing crazy!" while race volunteers are directing "up the hill! up the hill!" So classic, and so on par.


Fellow "Dingers" (what the race director named the participants) careening straight down a slightly steep embankment. Understatement. See the race volunteers standing on the road waaay down below?


Only for the trail to go right back up. Walking was an option I did lower myself to. Sigh. (more like GASP for air)


I may have done more walking than I had hoped, but there was also mudding, stream crossings, pricker picking, slush, ice (witnessed a few good wipe outs & called one guy 'Safe!'), and yes, mud. I personally missed the snow cover from last year. My descents received recognition from other racers but I wasn't able to make quite as many downhill passes as the year of the snow.
I heard one 'Dinger say pre-race gazing up into the mountain race course, "It is so beautifully warm out. It is going to be a swamp out there." True.


Wet from the head first slide finish, muddy, slightly dissatisfied, tired but happy the pain was over. Mission: Accomplished.

Another Dinger quote, "This wasn't a race. It was an experience." Hmm. Yes. But I also use that description to cover up the fact that the mountain kicked my bum!


Nappy bear suit. Unexpected outcome in hand. Kodak moment.

There were about 350 pre-registered racers. At the time I left for home only 285 timing chips had come in. The race director's wife told me at most events they have to send a search party out to find people! Gah!

All's well that ends well because its not how well you start, its how you finish. In this case, I'm just glad I finished!