30th Annual Nipmuck Trail Marathon

I had a couple of ambitious goals in mind for this year's race, as it was my first marathon ever last year at 6 hours 15 minutes.  I was shooting for 5:15 this year, or an hour faster, with a crazy target of 5:00 or better.  Mother Nature then proceeded to lay the smackdown on my targets, with a steady rain Saturday night into Sunday morning.  I got up at 5, everything already packed, and was out the door at 6.  It poured all the way to the race site, and I was getting really antsy about the weather.

Got to the race site, and met up with Seth and Jonny, and got my gear ready.  Stowed my drop bag along the trail under a branch, and lined up with the other lunatics.  When the race started, I was middle of the pack, and with any single-track trail race, it's tough passing anyone, so I just enjoyed the fact that the rain had let up, and got through most of the first 12 mile out/back with a pretty good time, and just after I crossed over to the second out/back, the sky opened up.  Like torrential.  This course has almost 2500' of elevation gain and it's technical, so it's no bargain on a bright sunny day, let alone this.  Total mudbath, and very slick with all the freshly fallen leaves.  I don't know how many people ended up dropping, but I can honestly say I considered it.  For a while, too.  A couple of dejected looking dudes passed me on their way to withdraw from the race, and it looked so easy...drop out, nice warm car, home early...but I kept fighting it off.  After my DNF at 20 miles at the TARC 50K, I needed to finish this.  It was raining, muddy, slippery and I was freezing, and I kept going.  Pretty damn happy about that, the conditions out there were as difficult as could be, and I was able to keep my head in the game.

Ran for a time with several different people, but finished the last 4 miles with this cool dude named Etienne, and we kept each other going.  No idea yet where I'd place, but I didn't care, because I beat the voices in my head, so to speak.  I shaved 30 minutes off last year's time, coming in 90th at 5:45 out of 136 finishers (188 registered), and in challenging weather/conditions.  Stoked!  Results here:

http://www.shenipsitstriders.org/RaceResults/Nipmuck/2013.pdf

Huge kudos to the many volunteers who braved the elements at the start/finish, and all the aid stations along the course.  You smiles and encouragement made it easier to get to the finish line!

I'm also blown away by the WTAC showing in New England this weekend.  Our team placed very high at Nipmuck, the Smuttynose Marathon, and the Ocean's Road 10K!  Great job, everyone!!!

Huddled under the tent for pre-race briefing...

I really needed one of those umbrella hats for the race...

Lining up, and checking laces!

Your #2 and #3 runners!  Jonny Miles and Rhody Seth!

Last, but not least, as I was about to leave, the RD's shouted "Hey!  Don't forget your finisher's award!"  The Shenipsit Striders had cut sections of log, painted a blue blaze on them to represent the blue-blazed trail system, of which Nipmuck is one, and attached a commemorative sign to denote the 30th running of the race.  Awesome, and heavy!!!

The award, and my filthy shoes...great day!