This event is a Kennekuk (KRR) event and is held in Kennekuk County Park near Danville. I really enjoy the KRR events and try to run all of them.
Saturday morning I got up and did my morning pre-race routine. Had a cup of coffee, made my usual pre-race breakfast (PB&J), filled my water bottle, gathered up all my crap and headed off towards Danville. I usually give myself just enough time to get to a race site, get checked in, and only have to stand around for a few minutes before starting. Today was no different, but I could have used a few extra minutes because my PB&J was sitting a little rough in my stomach. I hoped that this wouldn't require a mad dash off into the woods during the run.
The run started on time (9:00 am) and we were off onto the trail. The course for this run is very nice. There are a couple of short sections that are not under cover, but most of the run is covered by heavy forest - this is one of my favorite run courses in this area. The trail winds through the woods and around Lake Mingo and features numerous bridge crossings and some challenging up and down hill sections.
The effects of all of the recent rain we've had were very evident...the first 300 yards or so were through an open field and the ground was squishy with large puddles of standing water in some spots. My feet were wet in the first minutes of the run. There was thick, sucking mud throughout the course and knee deep water in a few sections.
The first and second halves of the run were great contrasts. Early in the run, I wasn't mentally focused. My stomach was a little upset, my feet were wet and my legs were sore. After the first half, I just settled in, enjoyed the experience, and had a great time slogging through the muck.
I last ran this race in 2006. My time this year was about 8 1/2 minutes slower...likely due to the difficult conditions. When I got home and checked the results, I discovered I had placed 2nd in my age group. Very Surprising.
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