10 Reasons why I shouldn’t run the 41m Highlands Sky Trail Race ever again:

• I don’t do well in the summer heat and humidity….
• I don’t like rocky trails…
• I don’t like muddy, rocky trails…
• I don’t like rocky, muddy, rocky trails…
• I always lose my lunch as I approach Aid Station #6…
• I always cramp up really bad as soon as I hit the Road Across the Sky Section…
• I always lose at least 3 toenails due to those rocky trails (4 this year!)…
• No micro brew to found at any of the aid stations…could open up a brand new award category…
• That stinging nettle gets you no matter how far back in the pack you are…
• 400 miles is a bit far to drive for a 40 mile trail race, though both take about the same time now (must be that slower damn car)…

11 Reasons why I’ll be back to run the 41m Highlands Sky Trail Race next year:

• The scenery is spectacular…
• The course is challenging and completing it leaves you with one helluva sense of accomplishment…
• The volunteers are the greatest…
• Love that feeling as you cross that finish line with Dan snapping your humble picture…
• Micro brew pre-race and post-race (thanks beer guys)…
• The butt slide is back and muddy as ever…
• Competition and camaraderie of fellow trail runners you run with throughout the journey that day…
• A pitcher of IPA at the Purple Fiddle Saturday night listening to some awesome music and all is well in the world once again…
• Great breakfast at Flying Pigs for the ride home…
• Backwater Falls
• Nobody puts on a better race than Dan and crew….thanks Dan and his merry band of volunteers…

here’s my two cents:

“I finished!”  That’s my sentiment as I sit to write this race report on Thursday.  It’s amazing that a few short days ago I was traipsing the wilderness known as Dolly Sods.  For some it may seem a rather simple, yet profound statement, “I finished.”  For me, it meant three years of watching and waiting to run again.  Between back pain that haunted me for months and 2 c-sections, I didn’t know if I would set foot on the Highland Sky course again.  With many prayers and the Lord looking over me, I began my comeback after my second child, Sarah, was born.  I still struggled with back pain after my first baby, Daniel.  I just didn’t know if I would be able to see what I had previously seen for the four years that I ran Highland Sky.  I could vaguely remember how beautiful everything was but to actually be in the moment made this year even better.

Don’t let me knock being an aid station worker.  I truly enjoyed that experience as well, giving back to the run, that has made my life better and richer than before.   Did I mention that my first year of Highland Sky, I met my amazing husband?  The first year of the run, he was volunteering, as was I.  Fast forward 9 years and I was back to run my 5th Highlands after training with my two young children.  They had many a training run (and naps) in our double stroller complete with their fruit and cracker snacks and juice cups.

So that leads me into the actual race report.   I loved the beauty of the mountain laurels growing.  Seeing the mist as I approached Roaring Plains Trail.  Following the markers out to the road.  Seeing the vast stretching of the road across the sky.  Being lead into the meadows past Aid Station #6 to be greeted by the large rocks that peer down over the Valley.  Somehow this year those rocks didn’t seem so big.  Maybe I was better trained than I thought?  I hit the Butt Slide section with gusto and slammed Freeland Road.  That last little section between the church and the Resort still didn’t seem short though.  I heard the voice of my friends, Adam and Bradley, telling me to keep running.  It was another incredible moment in my life to top the hill at the very end and run into the finish with the voices of my many friends calling out for me as I crossed the finish.

Thanks Dan and all the volunteers for another incredible year.  I will be back.   I hope not as long as last time!
Jennifer

Dan was explicit in his Highland Sky details that ” no pets will be allowed on the course”. But, it seemed that someone had a “horse in this race”. Actually, it was a pony, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a pet, or service animal, for any of my fellow trail runners. Just after the first aid station, an ecstatic , recently liberated, (I think) colt joined the lead pack on the trail. Being a natural pack animal, the comraderie in that single file procession of trail lemmings looked like the perfect ticket out of Laneville. A few runners, probably from our nearby urban areas, looked a little nervous as the pony seemed intent on holding pace and feasting on the treats at AS #2. A runner, who I will just call “Laura”, turned to me and asked, ” is that your pony?”. I could only respond, “no, but I am missing a chicken”. As I grew up with equine, and knowing my horse women wife was in the field, I did feel it was my duty to take action. This trail was big enough for multiple species, but the switch backs were just ahead- I just need to snag that lunge line and end pony’s escapade. ( I’m pretty sure his owner was a little concerned as well ). I maneuvered over the lunge line and grabbed it on my first attempt. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice the runner between me and “my friend Flicka”, and inflicted an unintentional rope wedgie , so I quickly loosened the lunge line and freed that front runner. After reining in the unregistered beast and tying him off on a tree, I rejoined my friends on the trail. I really didn’t think much about my actions , but I did notice that later in the day runners referred to me as ” My Little Pony” , “Star Bright”, and “Misty of Dolly Sods”. Anyway, the drama subsided and the day was spectacular. I’ll be back next year for the 10th as a grand master ( what’s with these fluffy old guy divisions ?) Does that mean I have to play chess with Dan? Giddy up!

Highlights of my Seventh Highlands Sky 40 on June 18, 2011

1. Having confidence at the start line for a strong race, not just a mere finish.

2. Seeing my friends running and helping at the race. It’s always about the people.

3. Noticing kazillions of Mountain Laurels along the tough and beautiful course.

4. Enduring a blow to my right side (rib area) early in the race, and being able to continue with plan B. Good thing that I didn’t fall harder!

5. Running most of the road-across-the-sky—making it seem a lot shorter than earlier years.

6. Finishing. I now have four finishes and three DNFs—more finishes than not!

Special thanks to Beth Weisenborn who immediately after witnessing my fall, uttered the words, “tough broad.” Encouragers need to be encouraged as well. I don’t know you well at all, yet you had just the right words for me at the most critical time. I was also moved to read Joanne Fenninger’s report, briefly hear Marty Lindemann’s experience, and witness Diane Taylor racing toward the finish line! What a day!

It was a typical beginning, runners lined up for the port-o-johns, loosening up, catching up with friends, Dan calling names of runners not yet checked-in.  However, shortly after starting off, we heard an unexpected noise and low and behold galloping down the road was a loose pony, his tether rope snaked out behind him, who had decided to break free and join the race.  Now I used to ride Thoroughbred race horses for a living and this fella certainly was not one but I guess some of us are just born to run and when the compulsion overtakes us we cannot deny the calling.  I am a first time Highlands Skyer so I had read the course descriptions and looked at all the maps and concluded that one should probably manage their energy expenditure in the initial stages of the run with the hope of picking-up a stronger pace in the latter half and having a solid finish. With that in mind, it seems that my climbing technique astounded the runner behind me as he remarked, “I’ve never seen anyone so methodical, almost mechanical”.  One of my drill sergeants had made a similar remark to me several years ago as he had us carrying furniture up and down stairs. Go Army!  We made our way along the trail and as I ran through a section that was almost like a medieval forest I have to admit, I was having a great time.  Some people do not seem to comprehend what pure joy it is to run and look at you as if you hail from another galaxy when you say that three letter word and if you continue on it seems that they are ready to fit you for one of those white coats with funny sleeves.  Aliens are amongst us.  Then we hit a rocky section where you had to have really quick feet and we were almost chuckling but making good time. Unfortunately it was about here that my foot slipped on one large flat rock, I fell forward and whacked my head on another rock bruising my chin and cutting my brow. Surprising – as hard as my head is you would think I would have busted the rock. The runner behind me stopped, took a look and said I’d need stitches and asked if I was dizzy or anything. I assured him that I was perfectly alright and that he should continue on – no need for me to ruin another’s race just because I bonked my fool head.  I always carry a handkerchief and pressed that to my cranium to prevent blood running down my face and in my eyes – head wounds always bleed a lot no matter how minor and if you walk in with a lot of blood on you people tend to become upset.  We were only about half a mile from the aid station and it seems the warning had been sounded as I was immediately directed to the EMTs.  I had simply hoped to be handed a band-aid.  As the medic started to explain to me that I required stitches and should have that done within six hours, I was distressed and asked him, “Are you telling me that I have to drop out?” – Only ten miles in and a dnf, unbelievable, can’t be!  However, he told me it was my choice, advising that I should have it sewn up sooner rather than later to avoid infection and scarring.  I already have a similar scar over my left eye (plus many others) this would merely give me a matching set. Those of us with slight OCD tendencies seem to prefer symmetry anyway. So they taped the cut together and made me a headband of gauze – looking absolutely ridiculous.  I spent at least ten minutes at that aid station but I was still running.  I felt pretty good into aid station three but my neck hurt and I was feeling a little like passing out going into four – not that I was going to admit that.  I took two ibuprofen kept going and felt better although walking more than expected and not making as good time as I had hoped.  Knocked down a notch or two but not out.  I had rinsed my bloody handkerchief out in a stream but you could still smell the blood on it.  I had it tucked in my waist band and images of the Anthony Hopkins/Alec Baldwin movie “The Edge” with the man-eating grizzly came to mind. (clips at- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdVa7p_jicE). I saw the EMTs again at aid station six; the bandage had not even bled through.  I believe the race photographer was actually taking snaps of me with that idiotic thing around my head.  Any way we continued through the “exciting boulder hopping” section and on to the finish.  Somewhere along the way, I had torn off a huge portion of the toe section of my left shoe – though God only knows when, where and how, I managed that. A doctor looked at my head concurring that I should get stitches and providing directions to the facility in Elkins but told me it was fine to take a shower first.  A blessing for which the personnel and patrons at the outpatient facility are surely thankful as I was exceptionally dirty, sweaty, smelly. I still truly believed that it was just a scrape and a band-aid would do just fine, however when I got a look at it myself the cut was longer and wider than anticipated and so off to Elkins I went.  I took me five hours and was past nine when I returned, certain that all had long since turned-in.   I planned to go out for an easy run Sunday morning before heading home but the rain changed my mind.  So I left WV with a few stitches, antibiotics, a tetanus shot, some bruises on my face and scrapes on my knee. I finished and enjoyed the day – not bad overall.  Happy trails.