Race to the Top of Vermont

This race will go down as one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time. Similar to ordering extra spicy Mexican food or getting married. Where upon soon there after it becomes obvious that it may not have been the best choice. I did however end up with new T-shirt, a healthy respect for my lungs, and no court time which is more than I can say for the marriage. What ever way you look at it 4.3 miles of running up something like 2500 vertical feet is hard.

When I got to the Midway Lodge where we picked up our registration materials and looked up, I saw this.


Notice the top is masked in clouds? That will become a theme as we go a long here. I also thought me and my bright ideas.

I really had no idea what to expect. Having run mostly marathons over the last few years, I had not a clue how my body would react to this. My legs were actually OK. (I may feel different about that tomorrow) My lungs, however, were killing me and my heart rate was crazy high. There were some sections I actually walked (and I never walk a race) just to get my heart rate back down. I finished in 60 minutes flat. It is about where I guessed I would be based on looking at the finish times for people last year. As I neared the top the fog was thick and the wind picked up. I was starting to get cold even while running. I passed a woman wearing a winter hat and I wanted to snatch it off her head. My ears were starting to hurt.

The top was so disappointing as it was enclosed in fog. You run all the way up and you couldn't even see anything.

I snapped a photo of me (lovely no?) just to prove I was there.

It was really chilly and windy up there. I had sent up warm clothes via the shuttle. I layered up and started to head back down. I reached a place a little below the summit and snapped this picture down to the parking lot where my car was. See the red Subaru down there? Way down there?

You were suppose to either walk/run down or grab a ride with someone. Since I was by myself I really wasn't sure about randomly asking people for a ride. On the way down though I walked past someone who said, "Hi Angela." It turned out to be our school psychologist and her husband. They offered me a ride with them and I gladly accepted.

It was a unique experience to run the race. I don't know if it something I would do again. It is too soon after to tell. It was interesting running a race with mountain bikers. I don't know who had it harder. I actually passed quite a few bikers on the way up. One guy was pulling his baby daughter in a trailer. When I passed him I looked in the trailer and the baby was asleep! That was the way to go up.