Unlike many race events, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to wear, so I created two flat runners. The race was on a Saturday morning so after getting my gear ready, I was off to bed for an early wake up and drive up to Black Mountain.
Race day packet pick-up was easy. Once I had my bib and felt ready, I headed over to the start line to say hi to some friends and visit before the race started. After a few race announcements and the sweetest rendition of the National Anthem, we were off and running. The race also had a 25K which started 30 minutes later so it was fun to be cheered by a large group of runners as we started.
The first half mile or so was in a park as we made our way towards Black Mountain. Then the uphill began. The beginning didn’t feel too bad and we were fortunate to have cloud cover. Cloud cover that didn’t last and once the sun was out, you could definitely feel it. I’m not sure what the actual air temperature was but it felt hot—I don’t think I’ve ever sweated so much in a race. After that, I lost focus on the actual course. I know that it was hard—it’s a technical trail, with single track section and some wider trails. Even though they say “what goes up, must come down,” I felt like I was climbing for most of the race.
If you’ve read my other race recaps, you know that I’m a mental runner and this race was no different. I knew that I wasn’t going to quit, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Right as I was feeling extremely discouraged, I encountered Maria and Lise. They were going at a similar pace and I was grateful for the company. We met at around mile seven and stayed together through the rest of the race. We had some good conversations about running and helped push each other through when it got hard. Crossing the finish line with these two runners was the best feeling.
During the entire race, I kept thinking to myself that this would be a “one and done” race event for me. But now that I’ve had time to think about it, I’ll definitely be back next year. The race itself is well organized from the pre-race communications to race day instructions. The aid stations were well placed and well stocked—who doesn’t love an Otter Pop at mile 27?! The volunteers were the best and took care of everything we needed.
The swag was pretty cool—we got a tank, a Buff, a sticker and our medal is from Elevation Culture. The other runners out there were amazing, from cheering everyone on to helping runners when they fell. As hard as the race was, I still had a great experience and I want to go back next year to have an even better experience.
Have you ever changed your mind about a race after you’ve had time to think about it?
Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1
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