Got to Keep the Loonies on the Path

Interesting day out at the motocross park today as I spent my morning volunteering at the Loop. It it the only time pedestrians are allowed out on these trails, and this race makes the most of it. Unfortunately, I'm still not ready to race. But I made the most of the opportunity to spend the day with other runners and help out my friends. And I got to make a loop of the course cleaning up the signs and markers.

I was questioning my sanity when the alarm went off at 3:30 this morning. Still, I managed to get ready and make it to the race site by 5. First task of the day was parking attendant. Nothing too interesting there except the woman who drove through and wanted to question me about what was going on, did we have permits, and why didn't we notify the home owner's association.

After everyone was parked and both the 30K runners and the 10K runners were off on the trail, I found myself back in the parking lot directing a different kind of traffic. It was a task I had initially underestimated. Near the end of the race course, runners drop down a hill, cross the parking lot, and hit the final, short section of trail to the finish. Part of the problem was that you could actually see the finish from where you crossed the parking lot. And the other problem was that the old course used to drop you down a hill and little further up and turn you right directly into the finish line. So I'm cheering the runners on as they cross the lot, telling them to go straight across, encouraging them, then yelling at them not to turn right. It became such a repeated pattern that I eventually adjusted my position and directions enough to stop most of the problem. There were a couple willing to argue with me about it, but once you looked, the signs and flags were very clear. Two hours in the sun yelling for and at the runners left me dehydrated, hoarse, and sunburned.

I wrapped up the day sweeping the course picking up signs and markers. It was a great way to get to run some of the wonderful trails without having to push myself racing. It was an easy pace with lots of stops to gather ribbon and signs.

In a few weeks the last race in the series will happen. I'm considering actually racing this one. It will depend on how things go with training, but I feel I could handle a trail 10K pretty well if not fast.