First Day Of Winter Fat Ass 50K

 Been having a hard time keeping motivated to do my long runs so thats why I tend to sign up for events that are fairly close to home or have a double weekend away to get two long run ins on the weekends. I decided why not host a free Fat Ass Event on the first day of winter out at our local park that is a fairly easy course but would be 16 loops for a 50K, that way being a fat ass with no support etc they would pass by the shelter house for anything they needed every 1.95 miles. I decided to make finisher and DNF medals out of wood for fun, made cookies, white chocolate dipped pretzels, PBJ, goldfish crackers, reg pretzels, brought water and gatorade and asked the others to bring stuff to share as well. We had an awesome buffet!!!

We had 24 folks that signed up for the event and many of these had only run one 5K prior but were planning to come out to meet new friends and run what they could. This is another reason I did the DNF medal just for fun and for those to have something to remember the event with.  The weather was calling for 80% rain friday and 100% Saturday so I knew it was going to be a muddy mess, I also assume A LOT of those that registered would more then likely not show due to the rain.  My friend David Wingard came in from South Caroline and he was planning to do 54 miles, I met David out at the Center of the Nations series and his plans for June are to attempt and break the World Record for the fastest hike of the Appalachian Trail! You can follow him and donate to his cause the Lazarex Cancer Foundation at rundavidrun.org He headed over Saturday am at 5 to get several loops in before the event started at 8am.  My running husbands Shawn and Alex also stayed at my house and they headed out for coffee and a few supplies and I headed out to the park. Yes it was pouring the rain, the streets were nice and flooded so I knew we were in for a treat! Only 12 showed up...I had folks from Ashland KY, Ona WV, Greenville SC, Columbus Ohio, South Shore Ky and some local runners as well. I gave directions for those without garmins for keeping track of loops and the watch was started at 8am. It was pouring the rain!! puddles then mud puddles that became almost lakes but boy it was fun!! After about a half hour the rain did stop but it was just dreary, I changed to a dryer shirt but after a couple loops there came the rain again. It would come and go throughout the day but actually another lucky weekend, It didnt pour the entire time and I would guess out of the 8 hours there was a combined total of 2 in the rain rain but there was no getting away from the huge mud puddles.
It because fun to just run right thru them, it cleaned the shoes off at least for a few moments and the cold water actually felt really good on your feet. I did change shoes a total of 3 times! I had brought mostly old shoes and one pair of fairly new trails Im still trying to get adjusted to. Early afternoon the fog came in and at times it was so thick it was kinda creepy but cool in the same way.  For the most part my body felt good, my right hamstring and groin that has been bothering me on and off since before Umstead kept acting up and not sure if it was from the slipping on the mud and using the muscles different or just the same ole same ole pains that have been coming on for most runs, sometimes I dont feel it but I think its due to the knee or the foot hurting worse so that pain goes away.  I always tell people when they are running and complain about something hurting, just wait something else will hurt worse and that pain will go away.
Throughout the day a couple others came out and did a couple laps and even at the end of the day my dad came out!! He did one lap but wasnt sure of the course so missed a little to cut it short in some places but added on by accident in other places so prolly still was about 1.95 miles each loop, I had one more loop left and he was walking back to the shelter house after knocking some of the mud off his shoes (um yeah they were old dress shoes not running shoes!!) This man walks like a speed demon too so I told him I had one more loop to go did he wanna come with me and he said sure but I dont wanna slow you down, I said I guarantee you that wont happen. His walk is about the pace of my slow jog!! A couple times he had me a nervous wreck cause the mud is soooo slippery I thought he would fall!! Instead he jokes and says this is really good for your balance too! I love my Dad! He walked that 1.95 miles with me in less then 30 miles, yes in the slippery mud and he went around some puddles that he could cause by then they were starting to drain...i acutally slow jogged beside him just to keep up! We ended the day with 5 finishers....Sarah Jarvis from Ona WV, David Wingard from Greenville SC, myself, Shawn Johnson from Columbus Ohio and Alex Fox from Columbus Ohio. It really was a super fun day!

This is what my legs looked like when I got home to shower! I actually clogged my drain.