Wild Moose Chase Trail Run

On September 24, I ran a 10K called the Wild Moose Chase Trail Run.  The race took place in the Mt. Spokane State Park and started at the Selkirk Lodge (a cross-country skiing lodge, which had running toilets! - a luxury for most races).

The race was fun, and the course was pretty difficult.... hmmm, what else can I say?... 

I suppose I don't have a whole lot to say about the race because the primary feeling that I had after the race was that I shouldn't have run it in the first place.  My nose is still giving me trouble, and because of it, I am not in the kind of shape that I could be.  I knew I wouldn't PR and the race cost $40, but I couldn't help myself and signed up the morning of the event "just because," I suppose.

I hiked and walked the uphills and ran the downhills, and tried to ignore my nose and focus on the beauty surrounding me.  (It really is a beautiful area.) 

 And at about an hour in, I came upon another runner that I ended up befriending.  His name was Branden, and he said he was in first place for the first two miles.  He was 16 years old, and apparently wasn't very well-practiced at pacing himself.

We chatted about girls and wrestling and cars for around two miles. :)  I encouraged him on the uphills - "We're almost to the top, Branden!" - and before either of us knew it, we were at the 6-mile marker.

We decided to run it in, and he came in a couple of seconds ahead of me.  I finished in 1:29:13.

I didn't go home with a jar of honey - the prize awarded to the top finishers in each event - but I did go home with a race bib to put in my scrapbook. 

<3