@Vincent McGee what are you training for???

@Vincent McGee my goodness!!! Yeah!!!! 🤘🤘🤘

Howdy! Welcome!!

Played in the woods a bit, yesterday.

@Vincent McGee it was a fun challenge!! This all came about because one of the ministers at the church we started attending in our new town found out I trail run and wanted to try it. He started pushing the other minister to join us, and a couple months later, here we are. Other than a few training runs on the trail, this as their introduction to trail running - 16.5 miles in the TN mountains, 2400’ of vert, with 1000’ of it coming in the last 4 miles. It was a technical trail that called for good attention and focus, had some great views, and variation between hardwoods, open field, pine flats, rocky ridges, switchbacks, runnable flo…it had it all. Temps started out at 36-ish and got up to around 45, with sunshine all day - really comfortable for running (though the shaded side of the mountain still had ice in places). I started having some weird knee pain/swelling on New Year’s Eve, so had a couple poor training weeks leading up, and I was worried about my fitness. The knee hurt (especially in the beginning before the body got warmed up and in a groove), but the heart and lungs felt solid. Started at the back of the pack, passed two runners around mile 3-4, and then was alone on the trail until first aid station around mile 8. Hit second station around mile 12, and then the trail really started climbing. As we wound back up to the ridge, I was able to keep a steady pace and pass a couple folks. The climb was really tough, but once we hit the top I was able to catch a few more runners before we hit the final 1/4 mile paved stretch back to the finish. I don’t think I hydrated well enough, and didn’t balance electrolytes, so started feeling a little crappy in my legs around mile 14 on. But in the last stretch - no kidding, 50 yards from the finish - my calf and foot just cramped and locked 😬😂 I came to a screeching halt to keep from falling. It felt like an eternity, but was really only about 7-8 seconds, and it let up with a little stretch and we pushed on in. It was a difficult course, but also a very fun and rewarding one. And both ministers finished with smiles on their faces!! One sounds like he may be hooked on trail running, and the other said not a shot of ever doing it again 🤣 This was put on by Bad Beard Events, and they stepped it up with hot homemade gumbo waiting for everyone at the end. It was a good start to races for the year.

Cash singing NIN…I’m dying!!! 🤣🤘

@Vincent McGee i came across your account while you were doing a streak of Alexa roulette, and was fascinated. I kept thinking you’d catch a break on mileage, but she just kept piling it on!! 😂