Ten Bimblers, but no tub. And who do you think they they be?
El Toro, Catamount, Spuds, Snobody, Silent Runner, Chipper, Hillary, Booman, Allstate, and me.Come to think of it, I did not see any soap at Soapstone either. IGGY was there, but she stayed (mostly) dry and totally mud-free. She “directed” us all, and did some hiking (hitch?) as well 🙂 We certainly could have used both tubs and soap, as the race was declared “Leathermanesque” by no less loquacious a Bimbler than Silent Runner himself!
I was clearly in the Bimble, and overall minority at this race, being a first-timer. As near I can tell, this must be a “love it or leave it” kind of race, since everybody there has done it before, but the race still doesn’t fill up. Makes no sense, but apparently the first timers who come, run, and are left shocked just quietly skulk away, never to return. I believe this was the 27th year for the race, very impressive. I believe more than one Bimbler told me they had done the race 5 times or more.
The legendary uphill totally deserves the reputation it owns. Steep, long, slippery, ALMOST walkable without use of hands. NEVER runnable. Oh, and maybe a helmet should be required, as I saw several LARGE rocks on the verge of tumbling down onto unsuspecting participants. After The Hill, Soapstone Mountain (complete with an observation tower), came the hills, lesser, but lasting the rest of the race.
I found the combination of speed (the race is only 14 miles) and rocks, roots, and mud to be very mentally demanding. No need for an iPod in this race…you have to totally concentrate on where to put your feet, the entire time. Fortunately, the fog, rain, and mist precluded any desires to enjoy the view. I found the running much easier when I could watch the footfalls of the runner in front of me. When I finally got to an extended stretch where nobody was visible in front, I was so focused on my foot placement that I ran off course. And kept going. A long time. And took a several other runners with me. A long way. I eventually let that pit in my stomach turn me around and go back, while my (by then) fanatic and unnamed disciples insisted that the One True Way lay directly ahead. I think a few are still out there…
Once back on track, I got to re-pass many runners I had passed several miles back. With 5K to go, I was ready to be done and went as fast as the terrain would allow me. Close to the end, there is a lengthy road stretch, first paved then dirt, on which this reformed road runner was able to make good time. I dared to think I could pass another runner within sight of the finish line, and he made a fool of me! Do trail runners REALLY practice 100m sprints?
IGGY was there to cheer and photograph, and El Toro was already well into the post-race feast. It seemed like no time at all before all the Bimblers were in. We were cold, wet, and very muddy, but all had good races, and I did not hear any reports of severe injury (Booman, how are you feeling?)
A good race, and a great bunch of Bimblers. To unearth a battle cry from the past, slightly revised… where’s Nadia?
Hi Forrest,
Congratulations on your finish time!
it might be a case for one-and-done for me. Omg! the course is sadistic – what other point can the 33% grade hill be making? Or the run through the ice-cold stream? I took a spill somewhere at mid race- a full length sprawl, much like an ill-advised head-first slide into second base. I picked up a lot mud but no injury.
The race produced the magic chemicals I needed and it drove away the weeklong blues I experienced. At 20 bucks it was a cheap fix. BTW, The race is 1.8 k shorter than the advertised 24 k.
S
Nice report, Forrest! I agree, it’s a great, tough race, though not quite as horrific (just normally horrific [?]) when that endless rocky creekbed is not a gushing minefield. Great to see everyone and congrats to all on making it through a hard run!
Congrats Forrest (and all Bimblers) –
Great report. I agree with you – my best Soapstone happened when I did the exact same thing you did – watch the footfalls of the racer in front of me. Unfortunately she was a bit too fast for me to stay with the whole way. I imagine there was some nice slipping and sliding going on and some amazing mud yesterday!
That race is notorious for going off course!! I think Scoobie ran some unbelievable amount of miles last year when she and a group of runners took a wrong turn.
Good for you for having some ‘push’ at the end – That pavement part always felt ‘never ending’ and nearly killed me!
Great job to everyone on a fun but crazy course! Looking forward to Iggy’s pics!
SG
Nice reporting Forrest. If I remember correctly you said before the start of the race that you had plans to “run more”. Of course I thought you were planning to run more after the race, but I see now how it can be wise to run further doing the race:
Top Ten reasons to add miles to a race course:
10. Scoobie did it last year!
9. More trails multiplied by more mudd (squared) = more fun!
8. It’s efficient to training for longer races.
7. It’s fun to see how many people follow you off course and then tell them you have no idea where you are.
6. Side trail….if ya know what I mean!
5. Experimenting with new performance “supplements”
4. To freak out the tired, often-hallucinating runners you already passed once!
3. It’s a Bimblers’ duty!
2. To look for all the things you ever lost in the woods.
and the #1 reason to add miles to a race course is:
1. To tell El Toro that he actually missed a turn!
I love the top 10 list!!!
Sno’ – VERY nice list! And as a matter of fact, Forrest himself perpetrated #4 against ME in this very race!
Hah! Catamount, you deserved #4… I was SOOOO into a groove of “don’t worry, be happy” shortly before my (mis)adventure only to be roused from my reverie by YOU flying past me and my pleasant day dreams 🙂
but far more remarkable, Snobody, is that El Toro did NOT get lost! I hate it when he knows there is good food at the finish 🙂
But seriously…. I will be recruiting Bimblers for a further trail running exploration of the Shenipsit Trail, including the possibility of an end-to-end run.
Forrest, I must admit that I was deliberately having some great fun that I knew could not ultimately last!! 🙂
Thanks for the report Forest, sounds it was a great day to play in the rain for a couple of hours. Awesome top 10 list Snobody! Congrats to all!
Forrest– Ouch! 😉 One of my feet was still at Bear (last weekend) , the other foot was in St. Lucia (next weekend), and my body somehow ended up on East Rock (perhaps Booman can make sense of this riddle?) Sounds like I missed a great muddlicious time! 🙂 Congrats to all. I remember loving Soapstone last year (I will be back!), but strangely I have absolutely no memory of that hill.
Sno- you are brilliant!
Nadia,
The spatial answer to your riddle is that you were wearing 1000-league boots-superwoman! I have no answer for the temporal aspects of the riddle.
see here for the less useful “seven league boots”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven-league_boots
S