2013 Run With the Beavers 10 Mile Trail Race

7/13/13 - 10 Miles (Trails/Dirt Roads) - Bib #13 (thought that was notable...), 37th place, official time 1:43:44.

Left the house early and made the drive to Chepachet, RI, for the second annual installment of this race, put on by Bob Jackman and A Better Pace (http://www.better-pace.com/).  I have to say I was really looking forward to this race, and although my nerves acted up a bit on the drive, I was good to go by the time I pulled into the lot.  Temperature was comfortable, a bit humid but nothing like what we'd had the last couple weeks, and what we're getting this week, so we dodged a bullet there.

Ran into Team "HammBoj" almost immediately, Rhody Seth, Paul G., Bob B., and a few other familiar faces from other races.  Checked in, grabbed a tech shirt (sweet!) and did a short warmup of about 1/2 mile and was besieged by deerflies almost immediately.  Great...back to the car to douse myself in insect repellent - I didn't have a problem with them after that for the entire race, thankfully!

Runners get lined up for last-minute instructions, and we're off.  With runners doing 5 and 10 mile races starting together, I focused on doing my own thing, and not getting sucked into competing with the people doing the shorter distance.  10 seconds after the race started, a guy right in front of me rolled his ankle, went down in a heap, and tried to continue, but I don't think he did.  Sucks.  I'd scoped out the course route mapped on Strava last year by Jonny, and I knew roughly what to expect - a gradual uphill for the first couple of miles, and one good hill about a mile from the start/finish, then repeat.  I loved the single-track out there:  narrow and rocky, and just like what I'm used to. (Quick soapbox moment:  If you're running a trail race on single-track, and the volume on your headphones is cranked so high you can't hear the guy behind you politely trying to pass you, then perhaps you shouldn't be running trail races?  Rant over.)

I'd opted not to run with a water bottle, as there were water stops every 2.5 miles.  Worked out fine.  Ran the last two miles or so with Gary, owner of "Big Gary's Discount Liquor," who was obviously in pain and pretty sure he'd broken his big toe.  Dude was hardcore, we ran together and crossed the finish line at the same time.  Loop 2 was cool, I knew exactly where I was, and maintained a decent pace until I got to that last hill, a little over a mile from the finish...

So a great day, awesome job by all the volunteers, and a well run race.  Thanks!!!  The shirt/treats/awards/raffle prizes were icing on the cake.  Definitely a race to consider, and a worthy second race in the proposed "Triple Crown of Rhode Island" trail races that was proposed a few months ago (Big River 1/2, Run With the Beavers, Li'l Rhody Runaround)!

Race start/middle/finish...

"HammBoj", your winning team!  With beer!

Filthy!  Nothing better :)