Hagg Lake Trail Run

I participated in my first trail race Saturday morning, a 25K run around Hagg Lake. This race is famous for being incredibly muddy. Temperature on arrival at the lake was 34F, fog just burning off, leaving a clear day.

Goal for the run: have fun. Looking at my pace after the race, I can say mission accomplished.

It was an extremely beautiful morning. We ran through forest, along the lake shore, across a dam overlooking a green valley, through sunny meadows. It was really hard to keep an eye on the muddy footing, the person in front of you, and the view.

Most the course was single track, 12 inches wide. In those sections everyone had to run in single file -- you were just going to go at whatever speed the person in front of you were going.

Aid stations had great food. Running off from each of the two aid stations I had an orange wedge in my mouth, one hand filled with a mix of most of the foods offered: pretzels, trail mix, M&Ms, gummi bears. In the other hand, a GU shot and a cup of 7-up. I love free food.

It hadn't rained in days, so it wasn't the total slog some had feared. However, there was still a good deal of wet and muddy trail, which was fun to run. I only biffed once, but it was a fairly spectacular Superman-style fall.

Thanks to Becky for letting me get her fancy new car dirty.