conestoga trail run

colby asked a month ago if i wanted to do this race with him and i was hesitant, but said yes because i figured if he was doing it - and he doesn't even like to run - then i should be okay. the conestoga trail run can really not be described, only experienced. it is ten EXTREME miles from the pequea campground to the holtwood park.

colby's friend said his time on this race is usually double what it would be for running ten miles on the road. a lot of the time running is nearly impossible as you climb up muddy rocky hills on all fours, or try to navigate the trails without injury. colby and i both agreed that the series of hills leading to the pinnacle overlook was the most difficult. it is a very steep incline that goes on for miles.

we both passed people in the section through tucquan glen. little mountain goats that we have become from navigating those slippery rocks with our family so many times. i kept thinking of things my dad would tell us while hiking about survival that i always laughed at, but it's funny how helpful they were. just simple things that i noticed other people not doing. okay, so colby and i were probably the only ones laying down to drink out of the creeks/springs we passed. clearly we were raised more to live off the land then buy camelbaks and everything else people think they need to survive. i don't mean to sound judgmental though, because if i run it again i might buy a camelbak, i got soo thirsty. also hungry. i focused on steak for a mile i bet.

i so wish there were videos of each of us on this trail run, along with captions of our thoughts. i like to keep myself entertained while running, which means not running the normal way all the time. if you've ever seen the episode of friends where phoebe runs through central park like a goon - that's me. not always, just when i need to mix it up. pretended i was a horse for awhile. prayed in tongues for awhile when i didn't think i was gonna make it up that damn forever hill - you seriously go uphill and then go uphill again, the only downhill is a brief portion after the pinnacle before you get to kelly's run then it's all uphill again.

i think i got a lot of good prayer coverage in. i was claiming the land and it felt good! it's amazing how much people chat on the trail, and three people i was with at one point were talking about the marathons they've done and since i didn't have anything to contribute to that i just said, "i really hope we see some deer!" "did you say you ran this last year?" "no, no i said i hope we see some deer!" "oh ..." she didn't know what to say but it didn't matter because i passed her. ;-)
there were water breaks at miles two and four, and again at the pinnacle, the seventh mile mark.

oh the sweat!

off again! "only three more miles!" they said. encouraging at first, except the reality was they were the rockiest and hardest to know if you were on the right trail. kelly's run is super confusing and i've been lost there while hiking so i was really nervous about staying on the right trail. someone ahead of me sprained their ankle and several people got way off trail and had to scale their way back through brush.

my amazing brother.

finally making my way to the finish, woop!

i got confused at the end, wasn't sure where exactly the finish line was haha.

colby and cindy, post-race. our sweet mom also came to cheer us on.

he will probably not appreciate me posting these pictures of him, but i think they're great! i mean what a renaissance man. he can strength train like a beast AND run a crazy ten mile trail run!? i also love that some lady told him "thanks for taking your shirt off, that really kept me going for awhile!" oh my brother.