1st Trail Run Ever!

Last Sunday, March 1, I decided it would be great fun to go running on a mountain covered in snow.  Yep, the weather weenie was going stir crazy and decided it would be great fun to go try something new.  After all, what's life like without a little spontaneity?  

The race started at 1 pm.  I made this crazy decision at noon.  Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa owns the run so I knew I could probably get in with such a last minute notice (we showed up to the race at 12:30)! Plus with the weather being so dang cold and ALL the snow, I also knew that several runners would not show up.  

I grabbed my old retired Adidas Boost  because I just couldn't imagine getting my current runners all dirty/cold/wet.  I also grabbed my snow boots so I could walk around afterwards.  

We parked and I jumped out, only to discover that no tread on my shoes would not be good for the snow!  So, I quickly put my Superfeet Carbon in my snow boots (yes, my snow boots) and got myself  and Perfect Pacter registered to run!  

Trail Madness is a great name for this race - on this particular snow covered day!  

We decided we would run the 8k.  In Snow Boots.  I keep pointing out that I was running in Snow Boots because sometimes, we know better and yet....we don't listen to ourselves or to the multiple running specialty experts we work with.  TRAIL SHOES PEOPLE!!  

At the water stop (the turn around for the 4k) I realized I was in deep trouble as my ankles were chafing, a little bloody and in a lot of pain.  After all I had on my favorite Feeture Merino Wool shorty socks!  Note:  one should wear taller socks when wearing snow boots.  Perfect Pacer offered the option of diverting to the 4k finish.  Really???  

We kept plugging along.  It wasn't all horrific.  I kind of liked it.  A lot. You do things on a trail run that you normally don't do in other races.  Like stop at frozen ponds and take pictures.

And we actually got GOOD race photos for once by the official race photographer! 

This is what we did after the race: 

We tried to warm up with K and A as K cooked burgers for the couple of hundred brave, crazy folks!  

And it was really all worth it.  Because I placed 3rd in my age group.  I won't mention how many people were in my age group because that is irrelevant. 

Next time you have a chance to do something different, something spontaneous and totally  out of your comfort zone, you should.  Especially if it is Trail Madness!