NJ Trail Series Race 2: 5 miles

SO I went into this race thinking that I would smash my previous time. Boy, was I in for a shocker. The race organizer described this race as "mostly trails, nice flat pathways, and I expect fast times." What the race details failed to include was the fact that THEY DON'T CLEAR THE SNOW ON THE TRAILS!! Here I am, jumping up and down like a school boy waiting for GameStop to open, not having a care in the world aside from the frigid cold (it was 7 degrees), and then the race begins.

It starts off on a flat path that was ankle to knee deep in snow. At first I thought that this was the worst of it. WHO WAS I KIDDING?!

The entire race was mostly UPHILL, ON THE SIDE OF CLIFFS, IN BARELY TRODDEN SNOW! The only trail you have to follow are the footsteps in front of you, guided by orange fluorescent spray paint artfully displayed on trees and snow. The pathways were a little over a foot and half wide, meandering, and slippery (with loose rocks, logs, sticks, etc hidden.. nice little things to scare you into a sprained ankle).

MY SNEAKERS BARELY HAD TRACTION. I was thanking my mom for putting me in ballet classes as a child, because balance was the only way I didn't fall down the cliff. I had to use the trees for support. I even tried to pick up a makeshift hiking staff, but was always fooled with way too many tree roots. I soon gave up that idea, and focused on NOT FALLING throughout the entire race.

I finished in 1 hour, and I am damned proud of it.