Destination Dagobah: The Muddy Monster

Ok so today was the Muddy Monster 5K Cross Country Race. Bill won his age group last year in the same race which was then called the 'Devil Dash' and it was on a different course. Bill has been looking forward to this race for a year because there is a team component that adds together the score of 3 runners signed up on the same team. Bill has dreams of winning not only his age group but the team competition. He enlisted Jeremy and Brian, our running friends, to come and be on our team. They sported matching Vineyard Running Club shirts. It was a Halloween race so I decided to get in the spirit and wear a costume (a regrettable mistake). I decided because it was slightly cold that I would wear this orange convict jumpsuit that I had left over from my Young Life program days.

Here is Bill and I pre race. By the time the race came around, it had warmed up so I lost the hat and the long sleeve shirt under the jumpsuit. (important information for later)

Here are the boys in their matching VRC shirts- logo courtesy of our talented graphic design friend, Jordan.

Don't they look handsome. By race time they lost their hats as well

Ok so it was time for the race. I have been running slower than usual due to half pint and due to a crazy work/travel schedule I have not gotten out for a run more than once a week. I knew it would just be a nice jog for me. The day was sunny, the course was hilly and slick from rain/mud/dew so as I started I knew I wouldn't be winning anything. About 1/2 mile into it, I started getting really hot. The jumpsuit weighs like 5 lbs and is made out of really heavy fabric. What the heck was I thinking? Right after running my slowest mile in over a year, I had to stop to try to get cooler. I rolled up the legs and tried to tie the top around my waist but it was so huge and with so much fabric that it didn't work. I ended up stopping like 50 ft later and just taking the whole thing off; luckily I had appropriate clothes on underneath. I had to move my number and I think the whole ordeal took about 3 minutes. Then back on the course I went. I didn't know what to do with the 5 lbs of orange heavy fabric jumpsuit I was carrying. I should have just left it on the course but I didn't know if you could do that so I carried it the rest of the way. I am already tired and huffing and puffing because half pint is taking all the oxygen I breath in first but now I'm carrying this ridiculous costume. I was so pissed at myself. Bill was waiting for me near the finish and I finally got to drop my burden. I ran that last 200 meters really fast. It was a terrible race. I had to cry afterward. But I, at least, beat the 'freaks' dressed up like ketchup and mustard. That is my only claim to fame. I outran the condiments. Pregnancy has really taken a toll on my running and it makes me kind of mad. I keep telling myself come May 1st half pint can sleep in the jog stroller as I get back in the game. While I was suffering and running freakin' 10 minute + miles, the boys were celebrating at the finish.

They finished 15th, 16th and 17th (Jeremy, Brian and Bill). Brian wiped out on the slippery bridge and got muddy but not seriously hurt which was good. Bill got first in his age group, 40-44. Brian got first in his age group, 30-34 and Jeremy got second in his age group, 25-29. Jeremy ran a marathon last weekend so it is amazing to any of us that he turned in such a great time.

When you got your award, you had to stand up on the hay bales to get your picture taken.
Here's Jeremy

And Brian

And finally Bill

When the team awards were announced, the Vineyard Running Club was sure that it would get top 3. 3rd place a group of teenage cross country girls, 2nd place some team called team tutu wearing tutus and 1st place a team of young cross country high school boys. Seems odd right? No VRC. Fishy as how no girls beat Jeremy, Brian or Bill. They talked with the race director afterward who didn't even have their team listed in Top 10 though he remembers signing them us as a team. He apologized for the oversight and will send them their trophies... official results are up and our boys beat team tutu who got second place by over 3 minutes. I was hoping to finish this blog with a shot of the boys post race with their trophies but alas that is not meant to be. It was, however, a glorious first day at the races for the Vineyard Running Club.

The boys and their award bags.