“What i like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld
It was a total last minute plan to register for Move It Fitnesses "THIRTEEN ghosts.
I drove out with Lacey and Erin at a respectable 7am from Holly to Leonard where Addison Oaks sits.
What: Half marathon
When: Halloween
Where: Addison Oaks trails
This was the first inaugural race for THIRTEEN ghosts.
The PLAN: HAVE FUN! I am still beat up from Bear Lake, therefore I decided to dress up as a breast cancer survivor, shocking right?! I wore an obnoxiously large black tutu, my favorite boobie teeshirt and pink ribbon compression socks.
About 80 of us took off at 9am. I hung back with Lacey and Erin who had plans to walk and have fun. I walked the first 3/4 of a mile with them for a photo opt then I headed out all pumped up on adrenaline and good vibes.
It was a incredible morning, blue skies, temperatures around 40' and a gentle breeze that went silent in the woods.
But as lovely as that all sounds the trail was all together a different face on the coin.
THE COURSE:
When I headed out on my own I pushed ahead in a steady rhythm. I didn't punch it into a race pace because my body is not recovered and I don't want to end up in the hurt locker.
I gradually picked up my pace with extreme caution. I wanted a pace I could enjoy my surroundings, a pace I could enjoy the other runners, a pace I was confident I could carry to the finish line. I wasn't competing, I was just embracing.
The hills, the ankle biters, the roots, the tattered trail required my full attention. It didn't take long for me to catch up to the other runners.
I made sure I encouraged every runner I passed. The course was very challenging, I was able to catch my grounding on some back roads that I welcomed with open arms.
As I settled in, I turned my music on and found a pep in my step.
I got a bit too comfortable and found myself on the trail with no flags and at a fork in the road.
I could get lost in my backyard. The funny part was I saw the Grim Reaper under the bridge where I was supposed to turn. I was so hyped I yelled at him, " MATT!! HI MATT!!" Matt B shook his bell even louder, the louder he shook it the louder I screamed as I kept running in the WRONG direction. Matt was trying to get my attention and I thought he was just excited like me!
I just laughed as I cut across the field to tuck in with Deanna. She was just so distracting in her super cute one piece sugar skull costume.
That was at mile 9. It literally went UP HILL from there, we snaked around the camp ground and headed back into the trail. WOWZA, it was gnarly back on the trail.
Back on the trail, I found a good pattern as I rearranged my pace and my cadence. The hills were so steep and grounded with heavy roots. I counted down my miles as I continued to climb through the forest, this course was NO JOKE!
And all joking aside, I literally missed another turn and had to get yelled at again to get back on the trail! I laughed again at my airhead self as I curved myself back towards the finish line.
I finished in 2H 13MIN.
12th overall.
5th female.
I was beyond happy with this considering, I walked almost the first mile, got lost twice, and I goofed around out there!
Geneva, the race director, created another incredible running event. The Halloween decorations were awesome to every detail. Every mile she had a ghost as a mile marker. The aid stations had volunteers all dressed up with even the food themed!
Not quite finished.
Even though I had already ran my race I wasn't finished yet. I wanted to go back on the course to find Lacey and Erin. I had calculated I should see them right around 2 miles back. Going backwards meant I had to do all the treacherous part of the trail again.
I did a whole lot of walking to find them and to confuse all the runners going backwards. But can I just say it was a joyous moment when I did find them!
Kodak Moments: Collision
Most of us like adventures. I was speaking to a friend of mine, Debbie and she shared a story about her father in law. He challenged himself and went on a vacation with a bus full of seniors. He had the courage to try and do something he had never done and surprised himself and had a good time. But when he was asked when he would do it again he replied, "Never...."
"But why dad? You had fun." Debbie asked.
He responded with "I had no one to share it with."
Truth be told as I adventured through the woods, in the good parts, the hard parts, the beautiful parts, even with all the runners around me I was still alone. The areas I felt awe, the scenery that left me breathless, overcome with wonder and joy I also felt pain. Because these magnificent sceneries in our life, the marvel and beauty of great adventures are often expressed best with others.
When we are experiencing these Kodak moments we have a shadow of grief knowing we can not hold onto the beauty and significance we are both seeing and encountering.
Whether it was my exuberant joy or my deep suffering I just didn't want to experience it alone. Not that I wanted others to suffer with me but that I wanted to share it! I photo, even a description would not grasp the emotion the same.
I wanted in my sore, exhausted, tortured body to find my friends to share my Kodak moment and to have them share theirs.
To me it was worth 4 more miles of torture to be able to share my adventure with my friends.
Adventures are intimate. This is why so many love not just running but racing, it is an adventure that we can share with intimacy with one another.
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| Tina, Sean, Joe, Erin, Lacey, Cristine, Shirley& Valerie |
Life is short. Find your adventures. Do them solo, do them with others or do them looking to be with others but keep seeking them.
Are you living or are you waiting to live?
"Here lies another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands, and the great world around me and with tomorrow begins another, why am I allowed two? G.K. Chesterton
Anita~
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