Hey folks! I'm the crazy one who drove all the way to Damascus to meet everyone but was a bit too shy to actually run with ya. Well, I think it's time for me to jump in and run with you all at Garden Mountain on the 28th. It will be my first time on the trails but I'm not a stranger to the Burkes Garden area. Here's my recap of the 2007 Burkes Garden Half-Marathon. I thought sharing it would be a good way to introduce myself a bit more and hopefully give you a chuckle or two. See ya on the 28th!
It Was Bound to Happen
By now, you folks know my general theme . . .
I'm a slow runner, my goal is to finish, my hope is that I'm not last, I run the race, there's always at least one person that I'm able to beat, the good guy always wins, the Princess marries the Prince, blah, blah blah.
Well, as the title suggests, the fairy tale has crashed and burned . . . I came in last!
It happened on June 9th at the Varmint Half Marathon in Burkes Garden, Virginia. I have read that Burkes Garden was Vanderbilt's first choice as the site to build his home. But, after not being able to negotiate a deal with the landowners he moved on to his second choice of Asheville. Burkes Garden is the highest valley in Virginia, is part of the Appalachian Trail and needless to say, it is absolutely gorgeous.
There are two events at the Varmint; a 5K and a half marathon. Both races start at the same time with the 5K folks turning around about 1.5 miles out. I must have been in last place from the very beginning and just didn't realize it because of all the 5K activity swirling around me. At the two mile marker, a very pleasant volunteer said the words that popped my fairy tale bubble. As she handed me a cup of water she said, "Are you the last runner, dear?" What? The last runner? At that moment I sensed how eerily quiet it was around me. I completely stopped and turned around. No one else was in site. I looked at her and replied, "Well, I guess I am."
The next few miles were a steady climb up a ridge. Before this race, my strategy for hills had been to turn around and run the other way. But that was not an option for this day. As I was huff'n and puff'n with the sweat pouring off of me, I finally dropped my head and began praying out loud (one of the benefits of being last . . . no one around to think you're crazy) requesting some heavenly assistance to finish the race. Within a few minutes, a big farm truck pulled up beside me. It was the race volunteer with the job of picking up the mile markers. He slowed down and told me that he would be staying close by for the rest of the race and if I needed anything at all just to let him know. Wow, how nice! I introduced myself and asked him his name. He said, "Nice to meet you Donna. I'm Deacon." I don't know if many of you have a Baptist background or not, but as Deacon drove off I dropped my head and said (out loud, again) "Real funny, Lord. Real funny."
At mile ten I had a glimmer of hope. During the entire race a couple of women were running together about a quarter of a mile ahead of me. Sometimes when I would top a hill I could see them down the road. At mile ten I topped a hill and saw the two women passing someone walking. Wahoo, someone to pass! The excitement was short lived, she quit somewhere around mile eleven. For all I know she could have been a local resident just out for a morning walk. Oh well.
At the twelve mile marker there was a crowd of volunteers and a police officer. The volunteers were all cheering for me, telling me I was doing great, that I was just about there. I smiled at them and said "Yep, I can almost see the finish line." The police officer was leaning up against his car. He stood up and smiled at me and said, "Well, let's go find it." So, for the last mile I had a police escort. I'm here to tell you that having a police car on your heels puts a bit of spring back in your step. My eight year old son, Reese, ran the last half mile or so with me. He looked back at the police car and said, "Momma, are you trying to out run the law?" I love running with him. Laughing and joking around is the perfect way to finish a race, whether you're in last place or not.
My final time was 2:42, not the slowest in Varmint history, but the slowest that particular day. Instead of being referred to as "last place", I think I prefer the title of "Final Finisher".
By now, you folks know my general theme . . .
I'm a slow runner, my goal is to finish, my hope is that I'm not last, I run the race, there's always at least one person that I'm able to beat, the good guy always wins, the Princess marries the Prince, blah, blah blah.
Well, as the title suggests, the fairy tale has crashed and burned . . . I came in last!
It happened on June 9th at the Varmint Half Marathon in Burkes Garden, Virginia. I have read that Burkes Garden was Vanderbilt's first choice as the site to build his home. But, after not being able to negotiate a deal with the landowners he moved on to his second choice of Asheville. Burkes Garden is the highest valley in Virginia, is part of the Appalachian Trail and needless to say, it is absolutely gorgeous.
There are two events at the Varmint; a 5K and a half marathon. Both races start at the same time with the 5K folks turning around about 1.5 miles out. I must have been in last place from the very beginning and just didn't realize it because of all the 5K activity swirling around me. At the two mile marker, a very pleasant volunteer said the words that popped my fairy tale bubble. As she handed me a cup of water she said, "Are you the last runner, dear?" What? The last runner? At that moment I sensed how eerily quiet it was around me. I completely stopped and turned around. No one else was in site. I looked at her and replied, "Well, I guess I am."
The next few miles were a steady climb up a ridge. Before this race, my strategy for hills had been to turn around and run the other way. But that was not an option for this day. As I was huff'n and puff'n with the sweat pouring off of me, I finally dropped my head and began praying out loud (one of the benefits of being last . . . no one around to think you're crazy) requesting some heavenly assistance to finish the race. Within a few minutes, a big farm truck pulled up beside me. It was the race volunteer with the job of picking up the mile markers. He slowed down and told me that he would be staying close by for the rest of the race and if I needed anything at all just to let him know. Wow, how nice! I introduced myself and asked him his name. He said, "Nice to meet you Donna. I'm Deacon." I don't know if many of you have a Baptist background or not, but as Deacon drove off I dropped my head and said (out loud, again) "Real funny, Lord. Real funny."
At mile ten I had a glimmer of hope. During the entire race a couple of women were running together about a quarter of a mile ahead of me. Sometimes when I would top a hill I could see them down the road. At mile ten I topped a hill and saw the two women passing someone walking. Wahoo, someone to pass! The excitement was short lived, she quit somewhere around mile eleven. For all I know she could have been a local resident just out for a morning walk. Oh well.
At the twelve mile marker there was a crowd of volunteers and a police officer. The volunteers were all cheering for me, telling me I was doing great, that I was just about there. I smiled at them and said "Yep, I can almost see the finish line." The police officer was leaning up against his car. He stood up and smiled at me and said, "Well, let's go find it." So, for the last mile I had a police escort. I'm here to tell you that having a police car on your heels puts a bit of spring back in your step. My eight year old son, Reese, ran the last half mile or so with me. He looked back at the police car and said, "Momma, are you trying to out run the law?" I love running with him. Laughing and joking around is the perfect way to finish a race, whether you're in last place or not.
My final time was 2:42, not the slowest in Varmint history, but the slowest that particular day. Instead of being referred to as "last place", I think I prefer the title of "Final Finisher".
See you soon,
Donna
1 comments:
Enjoyed the report Donna.
Look forward to seeing you on Garden Mt. 6/28
jjj
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