Another trail race is in the books, the UGLY MUDDER is history!
It started out really good, as the man himself, Bart Yasso was on hand to sign copies of his book, and was the starter of the race.
The weather was a bit of an issue, as it was cold and we had snow showers during the race. It was warmer than the Chilly Cheeks race, but still cool.
There was 10 of us that made the drive up from Hamilton, to Reading, Pa for the event, and it really is an event.
Here is Ron Horn, the man behind the Pretzel City races, at the start giving us a pep talk. He is quite the character, let me tell ya!I wore a different shirt & hat than I had in the previous trail race here, and I made a bad choice.
After about the 1st mile, I felt sick, as if I was overheated. I wore a tech shirt, and I really shouldn't have worn my jacket with it. With it snowing, I wore a hat that covered my entire head, unlike the usual run for the holiday 5k hat, that barely hits the ears.
After about the 1st mile, I felt sick, as if I was overheated. I wore a tech shirt, and I really shouldn't have worn my jacket with it. With it snowing, I wore a hat that covered my entire head, unlike the usual run for the holiday 5k hat, that barely hits the ears.
This race ran a totally different course than the Chilly Cheeks. It was flatter and faster. It still had some major hills, and they kicked your ass, let me tell ya!
This was the 1st race I had run, where I actually felt like I was going to throw up! Not a good feeling to have in the 2nd mile of a 7.25 race. I held it together, but man I don't think I have ever been passed by more runners than I was today. I think the hardest part of today's run, for me was trying to get going after one of the hill climbs. I just didn't have anything in the tank.
I had my camera with me, but the way I felt, there was no way I had the energy to bring it out.
Overall with not feeling the greatest, it was an enjoyable event. 
The Garmin had it at 6.39 miles, but they say it was a 7.25 mile race, so who do you believe?
I finished in 1:10:34, which wasn't bad considering how I felt.
Well, I think that is the last of the trail races for awhile, so it's back to what I enjoy best, road races!
12 comments:
I go with whatever number favours me, so go with the 7.25! Congratulations!
I ran that race today too! I just turned 14 on Monday, and you have to be 16 to enter WITH a parent present and after having them sign several permission slips. I ran the course unofficially (screw their rules) as training for my first tri, which will hopefully be Got the Nerve? in May. It was the toughest course I've ever done! I LOVED IT! You left out the twenty vertical yard, muddy, rocky, slippery cliff at the end ("Mud Mountain") that you have to climb after a steep downhill just before the finish. I blew by eight people on that cliff and finished in 1:33:35. I wished I had had my dad lie about my age to get me in when I heard the last award:
"And, lastly, we had one 17 year old enter the race with parental permission. Give it up for (I forget the name), who finished in 1:41:09!"
I guess I'll do that next year and try for a sub-1:30:00. You also forgot to mention the funny course description:
"Let's talk about how the course is cares for. Very poorly. Now, course markings. These orange circles of plastic with big black arrows on them tell you when you have to turn. If you do not see one of them, do not turn! I got kinda worried about one guy in Half-Wit: 'I got lost.' 'Well, did you follow the arrows?' 'No, I went the other way.' Also, We will have them occasionally when there is a fork in a trail and we want you to go straight. If you do not see one, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't default to straight! Next, we have these orange ribbons. We have these spaced out along the course every 10, 20, 50, 100, 3 miles. If you see a split in the path, one way goes down a path with ribbons, and one goes down a path without them, go down the path with ribbons! If you are running for 4 hours, and you do not see one of these ribbons, you are going the wrong way!"
For more comedy similar to this, check out the registration site at http://www.pretzelcity.com/uglymudder.html and read through the entire page (I like the "LEGALEEZE" section). Anyway, Congrats!
Sounds like fun. Glad you made it through even feeling so crappy.
Nice to have you back to the roads!!
That's a big difference in distance!! Did anyone else have that big of a difference? Sometimes the Garmins get screwy in thick trees, etc so maybe it crapped out for a little??
So, you're getting into the Ron Horn races this winter. They are fun and challenging, aren't they?
That's sound like a lot of fun ! I loved the book "My Life on the Run" by Bart Yasso. Terrific book !
Congrats !!!
Nice report, and great pics. I was beginning to wonder if you were as sick as our friend BeachRunner given the lack of posts this week! Glad to see you are ok, even if you had a tough race and all. Great job!
My Garmin had it @ 6.49 miles, but I've run that silly mountain enough to know the satellites get very confused. Nice job!
wow, sounds fun even though you were feeling bad, but sounds like a great course. i'm not one for a muddy run but way to get out there and get dirty!
Congrats on the race.
I've never had the feeling to toss my cookies, so you must have been doing something intense our there. Awesome job on keeping it all together.
Wow cool to have Yasso there!
Wow you done good!!!
I would love to run a trail race someday!!!! Sounds like a lot of fun AND Bart Yasso was there!!! COOL!!!
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