This IS endurance related as I am always
looking for ways to stay fit for the sake of my horses back :) The grunting
noises I hear everytime I mount get old. The horses don't like it
either.
I ran the "toughest trail run in Florida" half
marathon yesterday. It was down in Alafia State park on the mountain bike
trails. I thought I had done it before.
I was wrong.
It started off with climbing thousands of
feet up and then sliding strait down slick clay embankments with only a
hope and a prayer that you landed on your feet. This went on for over an hour
and it was only the first 3 miles. We crawled under palm trees and jumped roots
that were knee high. I wondered why the race director didn't insist on
helmets?
There were a few bridges to cross. The wood was
slippery and they were barely staying afloat with ropes attached to weeds. Below
was alligator infested waters covered with green slime camouflage. I saw the
slide marks of running shoes and finger-nails running over the edges. I couldn't
tell what was shaking more. My legs or the bridge. As I looked down I saw fat,
happy reptiles swimming off to nap with pieces of spandex stuck between their
teeth.
Finally, after hours of running, climbing, crawling
and praying to be done I saw the finish line. But, as they say, "there is no
finish line" and there was a sign pointing back into hell for eight tenths of a
mile, more. I didn't know I could fill that much time with so many cuss words.
Who came up with that stupid motto anyway?
I was lucky to come in with only the laces of my
shoes spread across the tops of my bloody and bruised feet. The rocks had won
and taken my shoes as trophies. My socks never had a chance.
As I ran under the clock I noticed it had
stopped. The batteries had died. So what, I was a little
slow. They were tearing down the finish line so they could get the search
parties started. I should have known when we started the race and I saw the
search helicopters and diving teams readying for action this would be no
ordinary run.
I beat the trail yesterday. Today, I am just beat.
Lisa Salas, The Odd farm
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to
embellish stories about any activity in which I was gullible enough to
participate in.
