Recover from the Holidays 2016

 

 

Running in Circles at the Huntsville XC Course

 

I knew I'd run Recover from the Holidays (RFH), several times, but I didn't recall exactly how many.  So, I went to UltraSignup and checked it out.  I discovered, a little bit to my dismay, that I had finished this race six times.  That's 60 laps around the three mile loop and 6 times around the one mile loop.  That's enough to make one loopy. 

 

However, I've always found this race: 1.) to be a Hell of a lot of fun. A bunch of my running friends are always there and after the race, we sit around a drink a few beers and talk about our runs over the past year, and what's on tap for the coming year; and 2.) RFH is a great way to get tuned up for the Mountain Mist 50K at the end of January, which is a slightly more technical race on Monte Sano mountain.

 

(Catching up with my friend, Loren Traylor, before the start.)

 

So on the morning of December 31, 2016, Race Director Christy Scott made a few pre-race announcements, and then a little over a hundred runners braved the cold and started the race.  The first lap knocks out the 1 mile part of the 31 mile race, and then the 10 three mile loops start.

 

A nice aspect of this race, is that at the end of every loop, you run by a well stocked aid station, and you also have the opportunity to stage your own aid there as well.  So, there is no need to carry any bottle or food along with you, this makes for a race that allows you to really enjoy the ride, without having to manage food and drink.  I would always take the opportunity to drink my nuun Cherry Limeade; it has a nice little kick of caffeine to keep you going.

 

Because, this is a loop course, you get to see your friends along the way and get in a few shout outs, and insults and words of encouragement -- the whole works.  At one point I see Cary Long coming up the infamous hill on the course as I was descending it.  He usually greats me with a "Sharla", and today I think I got off a "bearded lady" comment.  He looked like he needed a hug, so I gave him one. Thankfully, there was no butt grabbing involved.

 

Now, it is widely known that I have a penchant for taking wrong turns at races, even on loop courses.  So on one loop, I'm topping the hill, moving across a bit of parking lot toward the trail.  At this point, the trail splits.  On the right, runners are coming up a rise headed for the descent; on the left the trail takes you back to the start.  Of course, I took a right and ran headlong into Megan Nobriga and Lindsey "Slim Shady" Hardesty.  Megan said, "Shar, you took a wrong turn.  Are you all right?"  SMH, I turned around and got on the right trail.  I wonder how I'm going to do at the Barkley Fall Classic in October, 2017?

 

 

 

There's not much more to say.  I finished the race in 6:16:43.  Not my best, but not my worst.  I enjoyed a few beers after the race; wished my friends a Happy New Year, headed home with my focus turning to Mountain Mist at the end of January.

 

Many thanks to Christy and Tony Scott for putting on a great race, and to the volunteers and sponsors. There is no better way to end the year than the RFH 50K!