Charlie Horse Trail 1/2 Marathon

So a few weeks ago, I decided that I was going to man up and do a 1/2 trail marathon for the first time.  It was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, so I would have an extra day to recover.  However, with the week that I had with the passing of my father, I didn't get to run at all.  Usually not recommended to run a 1/2 marathon after not running an entire week.  Whatever, I tell myself.  I'm going to do it.

I let my buddy Chris Felix know about the run a few days prior.  He had just done a 1/2 the weekend before, so I wasn't expecting him to say yes....but sure enough, he does.  Awesome!!! 

We get to the registration center.  Once we register, we actually have to get onto some school buses that will drop us off at the starting line, and then we will run back here.

This was the starting area.  100 yards into the race, we had to cross this!

Runners had two options
1.)  Run in the water
2.)  Go across on the cable wires
(I chose #1)

I like to think in this picture that my guns look huge....the only problem is, so do my man-boobs!

Nuff said!

And we are off. 

so I start in the back, just to stay out of the way of the real experienced runners.  Half a mile into the race, there is a big back up cause of a downed tree.  I waited in line about 6 or 7 minutes

some spectators on horses cheering us on

this hill was a bitch

Second aid station.  This was at the 1/2 way point of the race.  Really nice volunteers

I had about 6 of these gatorades....as well as some pretzels, chips, and oreos (pretty much wiping out any calories I had already burned)

They were nice enough to take a pic of me.  I stopped for about 5 minutes

3rd aid station at the 9 and 1/2 mile mark.  They had beer, which was very nice ( I just had one)

OK, so we got about a mile and a 1/2 to go.  This is what I had in store for me

267 finishers.....I got 261st place.  Totally caked out in mud from knee to toe

I am very proud of this picture I took, because it is all about priorities.  There were 2 pretty girls holding this pitcher of beer.  However, the pitcher was a beautiful sight.

post race grub.....beer, soda, fries. 

My facebook post after I got home from the race:
"My good buddy Chris Felix ran a 1/2 marathon last weekend. I informed him of a 1/2 I was running this weekend in Morgantown. I expressed to him a few days ago, that I would love some company for the car ride if he felt like doing it. He agreed and we went to Morgantown for the Charlie Horse TRAIL 1/2 marathon. After 11 miles (out of 13) running through woods, a few feet of water, lots of mud, and lots of bugs, I thanked him for coming. This was his reaction!"

In all seriousness, I was very glad he came.  He finished an hour before me.

This was the cotton tee shirt.  I actually didn't get this, cause I opted for the yellow tech tee, that wasn't nearly as cool looking as this shirt.