2015 Mohican Mudfest 100

Mohican 100 was chosen because it was a WS qualifier, close to home, good venue for the kids, and a new race for me. Training went fine, although maybe the taper wasn't quite enough. I seem to peak in training and then not have quite as much left as I would like for race day.

My friend, Joe, and I would do the 100. Shauna, Megan, and David would run the 50 mile option. Connie and her family still decided to come to support and have fun even though Connie would not run due to a fractured bone in her foot.

The race began in a drizzle at 5 am. The rain gradually increased to a steady downpour for a short 13 hours!!!!! The loop course became muddy, shoe sucking muddy and often over ankle deep, and hard to traverse. Hills turned into slippery slides.

I was worried that the kids, Jason, and Connie's family would not be able to do the scheduled ziplining as I ran in the drenching rain. However, they were having a great time ziplining in the rain as I would learn at the half way point.

We also ran through a terrible tragedy as a search and rescue was working to recover a teenager who had drowned the night before. I could not help but feel ill from heartbreak for this child's family much of the rest of my run. Any time goals were thrown out the window on the third loop. Joe got sick in the middle of the night. Several people were falling and dropping. Jason paced on the last loop and exhibited his usual patience with the trudgery.
But, in the end, we all finished. 42% finish rate. 3 toenails sacrificed. WS qualified. Cool buckle. Oh my!
Thanks to Jason, my girls, awesome friends, and the Mohican volunteers and RD for a race that I will never forget!

My 54 mile smiling crew!

Recovery Hike!

Ropes course on tired legs!!!