It was a cool, crisp morning as the sun was starting to peek through the trees at Rockburn Park. Phil, Vicki and their awesome team of volunteers were setting up for a beautiful day in the woods with friends.
This race is a favorite of mine. It starts with free coffee from Dunkin’, allows you to frolic through not-so-technical trails, prance through mud for just long enough without losing a shoe (or both), dodge frisbees from disc golfers, offers a fine field for spectators and tailgaters, and has treats to keep you fueled. With its 6 5.18-mile loops and relay option, it is not only an accessible trail race for all skill levels, it gives you the flexibility (and alleviates the pressure) to run as many loops as you’d like. It’s a super fun event for advanced and beginner trail runners!
This year I ran the 50k as part of a training plan for a longer ultra later in the year. My goal was to have a feel-good finish. I had the pleasure of running with one of my favorite partners-on-trail, Lori. She is so lively and lovely to run with and doesn’t mind me chit-chatting away. Our conversations are always free-flowing - from books to nature to travel to the trials and tribulations of kids growing up to creating our own podcast to solving all of the world’s problems.
With each loop the temps got warmer and the mud got muddier. We disrobed a few layers, shuffled through the pavilion for grub and decided the graham crackers were too dry to enjoy while running. We also really enjoyed seeing other runners and spectators - using their positivity to spring us ahead.
With each loop, somehow the hills grew larger. By the end of the second loop, I realized that my hydration pack was leaking. My back wasn’t soaking wet but I knew it would make me a bit chilled if I didn’t take it off. Once I ditched it after the second loop, I felt so much lighter. The third and fourth loops were a bit of a blur. I believe it was one of these loops that we saw our speedy friend, Sam, whiz past us. She looked so strong, cheering us on as she went by. Incredible!
On our final “cool down” loop, we thought the cheer squad that at the halfway point had left, but out of nowhere they appeared!
“THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!” I shouted. They had no idea how wonderful it was to see them each loop.
As we reached the last “muddy mile,” it was almost sad that our day in the woods with friends was winding down. Then on to our last jaunt down “Joanne’s Hill” and then up past the BMX course. As we approached the parking lot, we saw Jennifer and her daughter who came out to cheer and they gave us the burst of energy we needed to bring it home! The crowds had quieted a bit but Lori and I were excited to be able to run out of the woods to cross the finish line for the sixth and final time!
Lori’s mother had brought her sons to be there at the finish line and it was so sweet to witness their pride in seeing their mom accomplish something so fierce! Nakia and Brent were there and had waited for me to finish - how kind?! I gave Faye a big hug as she cheered on the finishing runners. I stayed for a bit longer to cheer on others as they crossed the finish line - some for the first time, some for the -nth time. They all looked so happy and strong!
I am so grateful for this running community who not only shows up to run their own race, but also enjoys seeing others in their glory!
If you’re ever down and out, go volunCHEER at a race; you’ll get all the feels with just the right amount of pressure to sign up for one (or many)!
Thank you, Phil, Vicki, VolunCHEERS, Fellow Runners, Friends, and especially Lori for putting up with me for so many hours!!
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