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Re: [RC] Missed the Hallelujah ride - steelsidedown

Lucie and crew once again put on an excellent ride! Awesome organization, planning, trail markings, food, and oodles of safety folks on trail -- a recipe for a perfect weekend for all! The southern hospitality was out of this world -- there were SMILING faces and congrats from the volunteers at 3:23am when we finished! What a crew!

SC has not received any rain in the last month, the trails are usually a bit dusty, but WOW it was dusty. We found a happy niche about 20 mins behind the last of the front runners (LOL, about 20 of them!) where their dust had settled and we could easily see the trail and breathe. Tee hee, we quickly realized when we got too fast, or someone ahead slowed up -- the dust returned!

Unbelievably, their were 4-5 natural water sources on the longer loop, with COLD running water -- exactly what we needed! Lucie's crew put water out (and refilled many, many, times I'm sure) in the middle of the short loop for us. All we had to think about was staying awake and keeping up the pace!

<whine alert> OK, 50s are easy, I've done it a zillion times, no worries, no biggie -- right? So what is it about 2am that makes your body think 50 is an impossible feat? Oh and your mind goes to playing tricks about that point too.... That loose sand in the middle of nowhere looked like a comfy place to nap! (oh, get real, have you ever laid down in the sand at the beach?) I finished totally exhausted, hoping I'd survive the mediocre walk back to the trailer, but in as good a shape as I always am, no skin missing, no soreness, really nothing to complain about. That is so weird! Was I the only one? Anyone have any ideas on how to combat this?

Of course, the spryness of my evil little pony just further insulted me! In the end, it truly was his completion, he drug my too-exhausted-to-argue-with-his-pace self about 20 miles. (Yes, he is still receiving a much deserved alfalfa and apple buffet!)

Whining aside, its absolutely awesome to ride at night! Quiet, calm, peaceful, cool air, and no blazing sun. I rode most of the time with my headlamp on, bats were buzzing me for a easy meal. Deer sleeping on or beside the trail were sighted often. And whatever that creature was that got into the stream with us ... well lets just hope it really was a deer. (at 2am you lie to yourself just a tad ;-) It really is magical, something everyone *must* do!

Huge THANKS to the volunteers and vets ... I know there were more riders behind us ... and those poor folks were up many more hours ... I don't know how they did it!  And thanks again Lucie, for another exceptional endurance experience!

See ya next year!

Jen (impromptu pre-ride Farrier)

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Lewis
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:25 PM
Subject: [RC] Missed the Hallelujah ride

Saw some of you folks who attended the ride heading home down Hwy 521 toward Sumter this morning while driving back from the track.  Wasn't able to attend to race this weekend due to studies for an exam coming up (for my job) and my own fitness test (military)... riding messes with my ability to run, so I'm having to stay on my feet and out of the saddle till after my test in early June.  Gotta continue to carry the torch as my squadron's fastest runner.  :-)
 
Hoping to make GERA next month if I can.
 
How was the ride?
 
 
Mike Lewis
Admin, www.usendurance.net

Replies
[RC] Missed the Hallelujah ride, Mike Lewis