Cactus
Rose 50 mile trail run highlights
Race
started before the rain came.
Seeing
Rosie!
Running
with Orlando.
The
rain came, without Lightning.
Listening
to the wind howl through the hills.
Climbing
ice cream hill with Rick Smith and Chris Russell.
Helping
a runner who thought she was lost.
Again
helping her and seeing her smile.
Playing
Rabbit to Orlando on his first 50 miler.
Orlando
and I leap frogging with two other runners.
Rebecca
recognizing me and reintroducing herself.
Seeing
Edward running in the rain wearing sunglasses.
Crossing
paths with Jazzy and Jean and getting two BIG HUGS!
Reaching
the half way point and getting out of the rain.
Seeing
familiar happy faces. Sheila surprised that I was smiling.
Joe
P. pointing to me and smiling.
Getting
into a dry shirt.
Rani
feeding me.
Eating
half of a turkey subway sandwich!
Heading
back out with Orlando on the second 25 mile loop.
Sheila
coming up behind me running the second loop of the relay and pausing
to give me a motivational hug.
Seeing
Rosie coming down Cairns!
Chatting
with Bear on Boyles.
Running
with Rebecca descending Boyles.
Two
pretty girls crossing my path saying Hi and one of them asking,
What's that on your leg? As I looked in shock, she laughed, smiled,
and said, Just kidding!
HA!
I love it, I said.
Climbing
Mount FUJI saying to Orlando, This is the last Fuji Climb.
Rebecca
(not far behind) saying, Thanks for rubbing it in. She was doing the
hundred and would see Fuji again. Twice.
Arriving
at Crossroads being greeted by Rani, Jeanie, and JOHN! The Rockhopper
Grand Puba!
Listening
to Jeanie tell about how John restored order to Rockhopper Central
after Rain and wind had toppled a Canopy and runners gear was rain
soaked.
Rani
ensuring I ate!
Heading
back out for the last 15 miles following Orlando.
More
Rain and Orlando saying, This is like when we were Kids running
through puddles in the rain.
Orlando
and I pausing at a stream to wash off the mud caked on our legs.
Seeing
Julie at Crossroads and sharing Hugs!
Orlando's
wife Elda meeting us at crossroads. Mile 45. She had so much food I
couldn't decide what to eat! So I ate a little of everything.
Seeing
Edgar in the field just before nightfall.
Running
into Jean as she descended Lucky, with Kelli Newlon pacing her! More Hugs! Hugs
are good medicine!
Recognizing Eliot In the dark as he came up on us running the third leg for his relay
team. We shared a manly hug!
Orlando
saying we had 8 minutes to reach our goal of breaking 15 hours with
less than a mile to go and as we hit the thick, sloppy,
quagmire. The shoe sucking mud leading to the finish.
Laughing
together as we made our way trying to run on the grassy edge.
Reaching
the chute to the finish, Orlando said, We have a little over 2 minutes.
Sprinting
in together crossing the finish at 14:58 and change with Elda greeting us there.
Greeted
by Ben, Chris, and Rachel at the tent.
My
old friend Gabe Ayson, a friend from Austin who was a big influence
on me with regards to Trail running so many years ago, and who I had
been thinking about recently, coming up behind me to say Hello.
Enjoying
post run food and beverages with Orlando, Elda, and Tom.
It
was a good run.
