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My
Holiday at the
Lake
Here
are some highlights from my weekend at
Holiday
Lake
. This was my first run at
Holiday
Lake
and my first ultra. Definitely one for the books!
Things
I Would Have Done Differently
- Ditched
my Camelbak – my tubing froze up and I jogged about 12 miles with 2
liters of useless performance drink before dumping the bladder.
- Gone
to the restroom much earlier than 3 minutes before the start –
sometimes you just have to wait on nature to call.
- Smiled
more – it was much more fun now that I look back at the race.
Things
I Would Not Change
- Super
aid stations with encouraging, helpful people and a wide variety of
food (I even bumped into a former high school friend that I had not
seen in over 10 years who happened to be working at one of the
stations – Reid Lanham)
- Great
course – the difference in scenery was such a welcome sight for
someone used to running road marathons
- Although
it was unbelievably cold, the start time was perfect – I felt like I
could still enjoy the day after I finished (even though I had a 3 ½
hour drive back to
Chesapeake
,
VA
)
- The
start of the course – I distinctly remember smiling and thinking to
myself how much I enjoyed the run around the lake at the beginning –
the end was a different story (I finished with only 8 minutes to
spare)
- Many
will think I’m nuts, but I enjoyed the challenge of the water – it
was daunting at first to think of tramping through the icy cold water,
but once I was through the creeks and my feet were beginning to thaw
out, it was more like a rite of passage
This
was such a great memory for me. I’m already preparing for the 50 miler
later this year. This race gave me the confidence to be able to conquer
50k and beyond. What a great race to start running ultras with. Thanks for
the opportunity.
Bill
Ventura –
Chesapeake
,
VA
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