MIBM 2010 recap

Another MIBM is in the books again. I always say that this is the hardest race I have ever done and then I sign up and do it again. There is something about running the 3 H race: hills, heat and humidity.

As I drove up to the club house, we passed a few runners that started early. I got there about 30 minutes prior to starting and got my packet. This race is getting bigger every year. When it first started I think it was only about 10 of us in the race. This year we had 50 runners and had to tell about 35 that he was full. WOW it is getting bigger and better every year.

I placed my number on my fuel belt and stretched the old legs trying to get the blood flowing. I had some friends from our Galloway program running with me and Stef was going to help pace me. We run 2:1 ratios and try to hold a 11:26 but with the history of this course, I knew that this was going to be very hard.

So we were off and running. RAIN yes it started to rain and boy did it come down. We had only gone about 1/4 and I was soaked. It felt great cause I knew when it stopped, it was going to be very humid. Luckily it was getting late and the sun was going down so that the humidity was not going to be too bad.

Hills, hills and more hills is the only way to describe the course. Andrew said he took out 3 hills this year and replaced them with 2 BIG hills. He was telling the truth. WHEW it was hard and hilly. We were holding a great pace for the first half of the course with the possible hope that we could finish on pace. Well that did not happen. The second loop was hard. The rain had stopped and I was getting hot and tired. I kept telling myself that every hill I went over I would only have to do it again. Then I would be through.

I think that the last 3 miles was the hardest. Our bodies were starting to cramp up and we were looking at our watches counting down the 1/10ths of a mile. The mileage would not go any faster. It was just dragging by but our pace overall was staying the same. That was good because I thought we were falling way off pace. As we came into the last mile, we knew that we had one last big hill to concour. BOOM there it is and we hit it hard. Over the hill and down to the finish. YES it was over and I was glad. Mandie was there to get our pictures and Stef, The Princess Runner, was there to give me my medal. She told me that since she was not running she could give us our medals. It is always super to see friends that you know at races. Thanks Stef.

For the next 1 1/2 hours, I spent drinking a lot of fluids and trying to snack to get my strength back. Luckily I was not one of the 2 participates that had a DNF. I think they were from FL and not use to the humidity and hills. The last I heard they were ok and would soon recover.

A big thank you to Andrew and Deb for putting on a great race again. There were so many other people to thank like Andrew's wife, Kenny and Stef at the finish line, Mandie taking pictures and see a happy face of Marcus Parker passing out water at one of water stops. Without the numerous other volunteers that I did not mention, this race could not have happened. I hope to have some pictures soon for viewing.