Exercising demons

(Immediate post-race. Happy to be finished, too early to say we'll be back)












In my lifetime of racing, I have only one DNF to my credit. It may have been the 'smart' thing to do at the time, but it was bitter. When I first wrote Moose Mountain Marathon on my calendar, it wasn't for a chance at a great marathon time, to qualify for Boston or to win an age division. It was my redemption. This race I was going to finish. Unless I got violently ill, or broke a leg, there was no way I was dropping out of this - there was only one way to the end.

In that regard, it was a huge success.

Okay, enough of the sappy stuff. Here are some other ways this race (M³) is a huge success:

1. Low key attitude. At the start of the race, we line up. Where? well, behind the Race Director, of course, where else? Race Director: "Okay, I suppose we should get started. You're going to run down this road and turn at the orange flag and loop back onto the trail. Okay? GO!"

2. Attention to detail. Larry, our Race Director, runs the pre-race information meeting after packet pickup Friday night and then promptly puts his headlamp on and heads out to the trail to check on the Ultra runners all night. Aid station food (PBJ, Cheese Sandwiches) made by hand by the RD's Wife, who also records splits for runners coming into each Aid station ("I forget, am I supposed to record when they come in to the Aid station or leave? Oh, well, I record both anyway") This means, strictly speaking, I should be able to lookup Mark's transition times while he wolfed down his cheese sandwiches at Britton Peak.

3. Homey touches. Larry, our RD, makes the awards by hand. What other race combines the Race Director's love of running and woodworking? Did I mention the Race Director's wife, Colleen? She spent all afternoon, post race, making hoagies for racers. The race clock was fixed to the Superior Trail 100 Ultra. Standard race clocks aren't intended to run this long. After 20 hours running, they just tacked a handmade "2" in front. Not sure what they were doing after 29:59:59, but I assume someone had an extra "3" to tape over.

4. This course. This is just an amazing course. 26.2 (or 50 - or 100) miles on the Superior Hiking Trail. Even accounting for insane climbs, slippery riverside bolders, countless stubbed toes on the roots - not to mention the stumbles - this was just insanely beautiful. And the solitude. You're pretty sure there's that guy behind, trying to catch you, and that guy ahead must be close - you can hear him on the foot bridge up ahead. But, when you come into the Aid station, you are the only one there and they treat you like a Rock Star.

5. From now on, we'll always be able to say "We are Superior Trail Runners"

Hey, how about this chilly marathon start for a change! Another positive about the course. Mark looks annoyingly laid-back.

High Maintenance Aid Station Runner #1: "I don't want any of those shirts! I want my singlet"

High Maintenance Aid Station Runner #2 (watch the progression):

Unscrewing water bottle...

Get the replacement shoes ready...

Fill me up...

Okay, now which way do I go?

Sheesh! Maybe we needed Lance out there to break open his Gu's and hand them to him?

Post Race:

Was that it? Where's the Race Director? I want a few words with him.