A report to a friend on my Dirty Dash experience

Hi Arabelle,

I have been following your trip updates and all the big things happening in India that make our news, that I have minimized my little race, even though you said in the past that you wanted to hear about it.  Now that you asked again, I will tell you.

You probably saw my updates of my training over the last few months, so were pretty much up to date until the day of the race.  It was one of the few sunny and very warm days we had so far this year, and I had been wishing that it would be cloudy and cool.  There were suppose to be 7 members on our team, and I only knew one of them; only 3 others showed up for the run.

Dave and Team Cpt. Doreen.  otice how clean I am.

My friend Bridget was coming to the race with her husband and three kids and hadn't arrived when I got there.  Thank goodness for cell phones, I was able to call the team captain and meet her.  The race started and the first thing we did was run up a 20 foot mound of loose dirt and then run down the other side, a few hundred meters further on we came to the first of about 6 walls we had to climb over.  My friend slipped as she was climbing over the wall and she hit the upright of the wall with her neck and got  a bruise or her neck, we call it a hickie or monkey bite here in the states, something young people give each other when they are "making out" or necking. (do you know these terms?)

I get down and dirty

The next obstacles were piles of old tires we had to climb over.  Then came pipes that were placed across a ditch and the first set we climbed over like hurdles, at the second set we were told to go under the first 4 and then roll through a deep puddle of muddy water, the three girls said no way and just climbed over the pipes and walked through the water.  I said, I'm her to experience the race so I did the obstacle as instructed and got soaked and muddy.

Then we ran for a few kilometers before we had to walk some balance beams, which I did so well I got a compliment from the person that was managing that obstacle.  We then had to climb some more "A" frame walls, these were like two ladders - climb up one and then down the other.

I will interrupt the story of the race course and remind you that my one goal was not to be the reason our team came in last.  I wasn't.  I was the oldest member of the team by 7 years and the least experienced runner as I had never run a race before.  I was not the slowest, but I did decide to keep the slowest runner company because I felt sorry for her because her friends left her behind for most of the race.

Our next obstacle was crawling through pipes and then more of those "A" frame walls.  We caught up to our team at the last obstacle because there was a line.  It was the big water slide you see behind me in the picture.  Once again the women decided not to get dirty and ran down the slide. me - well I ran and dove head first on the slide and was laughing so much that when I got to the bottom of the slide, I went into a big puddle of water and ended up getting some in my nose and mouth.  yech!  I lost my bib number when I hit the water, but didn't realize it until the end of the race. 

Almost to the finish line and there was a mud pit - mud and water about 2/3 of a meter deep.  I ran through that and as I was catching up with my teammates, I stepped on a rock and twisted my foot.  I went tumbling to the ground and the only thought that went through my head was, "Dang, I bounce good!"  Bridget told one of the people that we walk with on the ferry that I "fall and bounce very gracefully."

I wore an ankle brace for about 10 days but am o.k. now.

The race was FUN!  I really enjoyed it.  I was surprised when we were finished because it didn't seem like we had run 6 miles.  10K.  Our time was exactly 1 hr.

I am now training to run a 1/2 marathon in September and if I'm satisfied with my results, I will train to enter a full marathon in December in Las Vegas.  After that I think I will keep my running to dirt trails as it will be easier on my knees.

How are you doing?  I keep seeing little sentences saying that you are having work related Skype meetings.  I am assuming that means you have a job waiting for you?  Is it in France?  What is it and when will you be returning home?

You are still an inspiration to me and I love following your travels - you are one of those inspirational stories that people read and wish they had enough trust in life and the universe to do what you do.  you are a special spirit.

Take care, happy travels and wonderful experiences