Finger Lakes 50s: 25K
July 6, 2013
So even though my second stab at the Finger Lakes 50s 25K was SLOWER than my first, I still had an awesome time. Most importantly, my mom came with me to beautiful upstate NY to camp out IN A TENT for her very first time! There was no Thermarest, no camp-stove. There was a privy, though. She didn't really appreciate that part...but lived to tell the story. We camped out with a view of the campfire and within earshot of the cowbells that would be clanging at 5AM the next morning.Mom and I at the start of the race--I convinced her to go camping for her first time EVER! |
Big smile BEFOREhand... |
The Motley Crew! |
I didn't have to try to not overdo it, since overdoing it is not in my body's physical lexicon/muscle-memory. At this point I was the penultimate runner, and though intellectually I was okay with it, emotionally I wasn't okay with it. In the end, you're still last. But at least you finished. I was thinking this the whole way, along with enjoying the course.
One of many beautiful single-track sections of the trail |
The lushness of the Finger Lakes National Forest is astounding as it weaves in and out of cow pastures and cool forest |
My new friend, the Twizzler. |
From then on you continue making a huge loop through the forest, entering cow pastures with pleas on the gates to CLOSE THEM lest you wish to be chased by herds of cows through the woods. Sounds eerily like a slasher movie.
Let's talk about the copious amounts of sole-sucking mud that slowed most people down except for the few annoying prancers who seem to glide over anything in their minimal shoes....shoot. There was so much mud in fact, that I seriously considering pretending I was in a spa, plopping down right in the middle of the trail and taking a mud bath. But wait, I did take a mud bath, albeit unintended. Several mud baths.
This mud was pretty dry |
On my left knee is probably the insect that basically tried to eat my entire leg. |
I was grateful for the mud-cleaning. |
The dappled sunlight is breathtaking |
I looked left and could see for miles |
I can't get enough green. They should bottle this. |
This literally went on forever, I think. |
And then mom took lots of pics that unfortunately were just tooooooo unflattering, So I'll leave it at this one! (But thanks mommy!)
Exhausted and feelin' wonderful |
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