This particular race was one I was looking forward to SO much! My running tribe of besties had signed up for the Triple Crown an event hosted by Mad Moose events and held in Moab. We had done one of their races the year before and were so impressed with their race event that this made total sense. We did the first in the trio in November of 2019 - a 50 miler - Dead Horse Ultra. Our first 50 miler! It was beautiful, the aid stations were awesome, the volunteers stellar, it was perfect!
We went back in January to do Arches Ultra. This time was just the 50k. It was a awful. Not because of anything the race directors had control over, it was just mucky, muddy, slushy and cold. The last 5 miles were a death march for me but I kept telling myself that it would be worth it because once I was done, I would only have one more race in March (when it would be warmer) and I'd have that Triple Crown!
We went back in January to do Arches Ultra. This time was just the 50k. It was a awful. Not because of anything the race directors had control over, it was just mucky, muddy, slushy and cold. The last 5 miles were a death march for me but I kept telling myself that it would be worth it because once I was done, I would only have one more race in March (when it would be warmer) and I'd have that Triple Crown!
Early Februrary, I booked our hotel rooms and I was excited for March, Moab and running in the red dirt. Bam. Accident. Broken foot. Covid. Sadly, the race directors had to cancel the race and Moab literally closed. If you did not live there, you could not go there. That was very disheartening since Mad Moose offered their runners to run it virtually, they could even do the race route, they just couldn't support it nor endorse it. We had still planned on going down, I'd just hang out in the hotel, while they ran. Nope. Moab essentially shut their doors.
So doing the race virtually
was still an option and my friends planned a day to go out to Antelope Island
and get the 31 miles done. I was having the most horrific and long, drawn
out pity party you could think of. I couldn't even walk let alone
run. I had a knee scooter and would for the next foreseeable
future. I felt so crushed. On a whim, I reached out the race
directors and told them my situation. I had paid for the Triple Crown and
really, really wanted a way to earn it. I proposed getting the 50k done
on my knee scooter. I wouldn't be able to do it all in one day, but would
that be an acceptable deal?
They were SO kind! I could get as little as 10 miles in a certain time frame and I would qualify. So off I went! I wasn't just going to do 10 miles by the deadline, but I was going to get the whole 31 miles. Every day I went out on my knee scooter. Sometimes with my little Maggie along, sometimes with Splenda Daddy, but mostly by myself. I would do as many miles in a a single outing as my knee could take. I forced myself up hills, and then fought the challenge to keep control going back down. I have to say, doing in on the knee scooter was harder than if I could have just run it out on my own two legs.
I emailed the RD's to let them know I was done. I also inquired about buying more sticker since when my car was totaled, I lost all the cool stickers I had on the windows. I offered to buy them and they directed to their on-line store, I just hadn't taken the time to do it. Today, my happy mail arrived!! Not just the swag for the Triple Crown, but stickers too!
I can't thank Justin and Denise enough for being so gracious to me. They truly do know how to put on a race event. They've become my favorite for the trail races that I love! Mad Moose events is stellar and I can't say enough good about them!
This Covid crap is really putting the sting into the racing community. Not just the disappointment of the runners when events have to be canceled, but the race directors and event planners as well. They lose thousands of dollars when races have to be canceled. Sure big ones like Boston can reschedule, but for local events it's impossible. My heart goes out to them. They are a business just like others. and they are getting hit just like the rest. The problem is, I don't think there is stimulus money or small business loans for them. They have to eat it and pray that this ends soon and that next season is successful.
One thing I do know is that with gyms being closed and people in self isolation, I've seen a lot of new folks getting into running. That has to bode well right?
And I'll be back. I don't know when, but I will. And I'll be back with a vengeance.
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