This running event consists of an approximately 5 mile loop that you can repeat as many times as you want and are given 8 hours. I have been sick for the last week so wasn't sure I should even try it. But I decided I would at least do one loop. Most people did try to run it. I knew the way I was feeling, running would not be a good idea. The course was totally snow-covered with many very uneven icy places, as well as a significant portion off main trails through snow that was at times up to my knees. Rather than try it in running shoes, I just stayed in my warm snow boots and wore my micro spikes. I also used my snowshoe poles. There were a number of places where I wished that I had also worn my snowshoes! About halfway through the first loop I managed to miss a tiny pink piece of flagging indicating a turn away from the wide trail I had been following. When I reached the Knik River I didn't see more flagging indicating my next turn. At that point I knew I had missed a turn. I backtracked about half a mile and found the narrow, one footprint wide trail through deep snow that was marked with the flagging. The course got tougher at that point. But it wasn't horrible, just very tiring due to the deeper snow. My hands got too warm so I took off my gloves and hooked them on to my water pack. I guess I didn't do a good job of that because later when my hands got cold again, I found they were gone. I started to go back, then decided it wasn't worth it. A couple of fast runners told me they had seen them and would pick them up on their next loop if they were still there. Someone passed me near the end of the loop who was carrying my gloves. I was so happy to see them! Since I was feeling pretty bad and coughing and sneezing, I stopped once back to the start. So only one loop completed but it was a 6 mile loop due to my poor avigation skills. I'll try it again next year and hope I'm feeling better. As soon as I left, it started to snow.
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| Trail was rough here |
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