It is so awesome to be back into the community! I miss racing atmosphere so much, I miss helping out folks more than racing itself, to hug, to chat, to kick them out, to hand-feed and serve drinks, to make sure they are coherent, to be happy with them, disappointed with them, fight the Sheriff for "no IV fluids", laugh, worry, talk more, kick more butts...
I got it all, and Larry's finish to boot, in one night. Which started with a blown tire a mere 5 miles before the race's headquarters, and Larry, who is normally not known for his patience with new sudden changes and developments, kept his cool, and changed the tire in 7 minutes flat (npi). I was amazed, at both skills (being unfazed and changing tire fast), so were the boys.
An hour and half of heavy-duty socializing and "ah" and "oh" of what we both look like (it's been a long time since we attended, beginning of April), the runners of 30k and 60k were sent off. I stayed a few more minutes, stopped at the park entrance to let Stephen skate (my boy has his mama's stubbornness, when the surface of the road didn't allow him to perform most tricks and I was ready to go, he swore and said he ain't going nowhere till he gets it done!), and then dashed to the fist AS at 5M - barely in time to see Larry come through, 10 minutes ahead of expected time. After that I took our kids to Dripping Springs for some dinner (they deserve a treatment when they are bound to get sucked into this weird crap their parents love), and dashed back - to start/finish for a 30k and a mid-point of a 60k. And the carnage started piling up...
It was 104F at the start (7 pm, mind you), and the humidity high, and lots of road runners trying for trails...not carrying water...not taking salts...not consuming calories...and puking, getting lightheaded, dizzy, puking again, pale, shaking...Troy had to be pulled off the course (he was running a race, but he is a PA) to help me deal with so many, and with the sheriff who never saw people being in this state (and us being calm). But, by the time we left at 2 am, nobody died, and everyone was able to hold liquids and even food down, and walk by themselves. The race was still going on when we left (cut off at 7 am).
Enjoy some pictures I took.
I got it all, and Larry's finish to boot, in one night. Which started with a blown tire a mere 5 miles before the race's headquarters, and Larry, who is normally not known for his patience with new sudden changes and developments, kept his cool, and changed the tire in 7 minutes flat (npi). I was amazed, at both skills (being unfazed and changing tire fast), so were the boys.
An hour and half of heavy-duty socializing and "ah" and "oh" of what we both look like (it's been a long time since we attended, beginning of April), the runners of 30k and 60k were sent off. I stayed a few more minutes, stopped at the park entrance to let Stephen skate (my boy has his mama's stubbornness, when the surface of the road didn't allow him to perform most tricks and I was ready to go, he swore and said he ain't going nowhere till he gets it done!), and then dashed to the fist AS at 5M - barely in time to see Larry come through, 10 minutes ahead of expected time. After that I took our kids to Dripping Springs for some dinner (they deserve a treatment when they are bound to get sucked into this weird crap their parents love), and dashed back - to start/finish for a 30k and a mid-point of a 60k. And the carnage started piling up...
It was 104F at the start (7 pm, mind you), and the humidity high, and lots of road runners trying for trails...not carrying water...not taking salts...not consuming calories...and puking, getting lightheaded, dizzy, puking again, pale, shaking...Troy had to be pulled off the course (he was running a race, but he is a PA) to help me deal with so many, and with the sheriff who never saw people being in this state (and us being calm). But, by the time we left at 2 am, nobody died, and everyone was able to hold liquids and even food down, and walk by themselves. The race was still going on when we left (cut off at 7 am).
I got 3 hrs of sleep and went to a local trailhead to lead a Sunday group run. My eyes were not opened as we began, but as minutes passed by, I got light in my step, bouncing up and down, and all I could think about "there is nowhere I rather be". It was a beautiful (yet humid) morning.
Another week of solid mileage - 69 - last one for a while now. Boss is back (no morning running to work), massage clients are all back from wherever they were (no post-work runs), Stephen is home (gotta spend time with my child during his precious years), house chores (apparently, Russian women are known as emancipated yet never liberated...bingo!). Then there is that thing of a presentation at work, and I also was invited into a professional relationship with a group ASHA. Some day I'll work on my business website...
Another week of solid mileage - 69 - last one for a while now. Boss is back (no morning running to work), massage clients are all back from wherever they were (no post-work runs), Stephen is home (gotta spend time with my child during his precious years), house chores (apparently, Russian women are known as emancipated yet never liberated...bingo!). Then there is that thing of a presentation at work, and I also was invited into a professional relationship with a group ASHA. Some day I'll work on my business website...
Enjoy some pictures I took.
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Joe P, the RD, with Debbie, best finishing hugger (yes, better than myself) at the check-in |
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| My sexy husband getting ready to race! |
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| Doise (HCTR VP), Sahnnon (HCTR MD), Mike (HCTR dude) and Kuss (Tejas Trails coach). |
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| From top left to right and down in rows: Crash (The Cook) and Joe P. Claude (runs a 100M a month) Steve Moore (HCTR Pres and always top runner) John Sharpie (another newly worked-on body) Jacob (improved finish by taking my fueling advice) Thomas Orf (runs this summer just for kicks, yeah, right)Ready, start, go! Kid on the right - the Winner Diana Heynen, alwasy helping (or running) The Kids, patient and good, make me happy |
5 comments:
Yikes, I do not want to be the one in charge when there is so much runner carnage. Kind of scary! But we need people to do it, so nice work lady. also, yes, it is great to have people who are calm about it. Great job to both you and Larry!
I don't know how you take that heat! I guess you're used to it now. Sounds like fun and I'm glad no one died. :-) Nice work helping out!
That sounds really hot. Glad no one died! Danni
DDamn, your man's looking lean!
Olga-I am so relieved that no one died! Runner casualities sure look different from the volunteer's point of view! Sounds like a fun evening, even for the kids!
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