MedVed Madness Trail Race

Run: 15 miles in 2:05:43 min. @ 8:00 a.m.
Weather: Cloudy, 51°F, 76% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 5 mph; feels like 50°F.
Pace: 8:24 min./mi
Course(s): The course consists of three very distinct loops, established by three members of the MedVed store: Leg #1--Dan's Magellan's Nightmare (Dan Andrus)(, Leg #2--Greg's Running With the Devil (Greg Crego), Leg #3--Mort's Muddy Mayhem (Mort Nace). Maps of all three are available here.
Official Results: Available here from PCR TIming.

This picture (from the race website) is from last year's edition of the race,
but it gives an excellent sense of some of the more technical elements of
this particular trail race.
Pre-Run Observations: Had I not registered and paid for this morning's run, I might not be going... my guess hope is that when I return in four hours to complete this post I will have something to write like "I'm so glad I went!" This is what usually happens.

My trepidation today is due to my knees still aching and a little bit of fear given the course maps (see above) I have had the brains to check (only after singing up). This i s most definitely not a PR race, and I am approaching it as a course (like many of this trail runs) whose completion equates to "victory."

In preparation, I've packed some towels, some H20, gels packs, and my favorite old(er) trail shoes--which although worn, may still a little "magic" in them that I can yet squeeze out...

Post-Race Reflections: "I'm so glad I went!" (I told you I'd write that!) The course, while challenging and muddy, as promised, seemed relatively manageable, that is except fr a re-donk-ulous incline about 500m from the finish.

Though I (Surprise!) did wander briefly off trail, it was early on in the first loop and I was fortunate enough to be called back onto the path before getting too far off. Once again (as was the case last year) a few runners made the huger error of thinking that I knew were I was going and followed be down the wrong way. In the end , we recovered and I ended up following a very courteous pair of runners, both of who I kept within visual distance so that I did not need to rely on my (terrible) orienteering abilities.

I was very surprised that my awareness of the distance was such that the time went by quickly and the fifteen miles (though by no means easy) did not seem as outrageous a distance as it might once have. Of course, I ran 26.2 last weekend, so by comparison it is shorter... but, trust me when I say that these fifteen were easily as difficult of the 26 I ran last weekend on a relatively flat and fast course.

In the end, and excellent well-marked run (I would likely wander off trail even with breadcrumbs directly in front of me) including some very technical elements (pond run, anyone?) with a very festive and supportive vibe... I really am glad I went.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!