The Real Story

***NOTE: Make sure you read "The Thrill of ...Finishing" prior to this post. :) Thanks Linz.

After reading Julia’s entry about the big race, I feel like there needs to be some perspective put into place. Please keep in mind that this is my debut BLOG entry, so go easy on me. I also did not get the creative writing gene that Julia has, fair warning.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Lindsay, I am Julia’s YOUNGER sister who has not had the privilege of carrying, let along delivering any fine spirits into this world, and has tried to pride herself with being physically fit J. I also need to add that our even YOUNGER sister was with us as well, and she will be an intricate part of my side of the story.

When we decided we were going to Vail, I looked it up and suggested that we, as a family, participate in this 10K. I thought it would be a great goal for the family and a bonding experience. As you read, Julia was very enthusiastic about it and started successfully training. Perhaps because of my pride, I wasn’t quite as faithful in the training.

The big day came and well, you read about it. However, I must interject that while Julia was unphased by the fitness of our ‘competitors’, I was not feeling too good about the race from the beginning (a very similar, yet exponentially intensified scenerio will occur at the pearly gates I’m certain). But Kimi and I nervously signed up for the 10K…we’re young and healthy…we can do it!!

About 0.3 miles into the race, we started up this MOUNTAIN!! I really feel the need to explain the scenerio to you a little better. It had been raining all day, we were at about 9500 ft, (Oxygen supply was low), and we were expected to run on a MUDDY MOUNTAIN! Please forgive the extravagance of my metaphor, but I hope it helps illustrate just how unprepared we were (Obviously Kimi and I, but Julia to some degree) for this particular trail run. It is like a 2009 _______________(insert the sports car of your liking, of course I’m a Mustang gal) Driving on a four-wheeling/rock climbing course in Moab!) Words can’t explain how steep, narrow, and muddy this thing was.

We started up it and in no time most people were walking, our spirits were still high. We figured we could endure another 5 or so minutes of this and then it would plateau out and we’d be back in business. Oh no…it took Kimi and I 45 MINUTES to get to the top of the mountain. Attitude still positive, we asked at the first drink station how far we’d gone. The wind was knocked right out of our sails when we had only gone 1.6 MILES!! For the average runner, that is a FIFTEEN MINUTE FEAT!!!

We hung our heads in shame when a quick calculation was done and at our current pace we wouldn’t arrive at home base for another TWO HOURS and FIFTEEN MINUTES!!! Needless to say, we’d met our defeat and only finished the 5K. We did not get our times, we did not get any praise, rather a laugh from our brother who said ‘IT TOOK YOU THAT LONG TO DO a 5K!!’ Yeah, he wasn’t up the mountain, he can’t talk.

My parting words are these: Julia is SUPERWOMAN!! Any of you who were thinking that her time left something to be desired…go to Vail, do the muddy trail run, see how fast you can do it, and then come talk to us. I cannot believe she finished. Yes I’m ashamed I didn’t, but I really feel like the elements were against us on this one. And yes, I’ll attempt another 10K someday to redeem myself, but you’d better believe I’ll be checking out the conditions prior to!!