Blackstrap Hell Trail Race

When we arrived at the little parking lot that led to the powerlines near the Falmouth Land Trust for the 1st Blackstrap Hell Trail Race, Floyd noted that our feet would get wet before we even got to the starting line. And he was right - there was an stream flowing across the access road. Wet feet and we hadn't even started racing! That pretty much sums up the conditions. Lots of stream crossings, some of them quite deep, lots of mud and slippery clay, one area of hoisting myself up big slabs of rock on the powerlines, wet leaves, obscured rocks and roots. Things were a bit treacherous out there, but it was really perfect crazy trail runner conditions :-)

Jeff had set up the race so that it was a staggered start with the slowest runner (based on previous Bradbury and Pineland Farm Trails race) starting first. The theory was that everyone would finish at approximately the same time, and really, it worked pretty well! Anyway, I wasn't the first to go off but I was near the front. And we were pretty spread out, so I was alone in the woods. Somewhere, I went off course. Jeff and Ian had marked the course quite well with arrows and orange flags, so I can only blame myself! I can only assume that in my attempt to not kill myself on one of the downhills, I missed a turn. Yup, I am silly. So, I did not finish the full course. However, that aside, Jeff (with Ian's help) put together a great trail race - thanks guys! - and I hope it continues in the future so that I can get back out on the course and actually complete the whole thing :-)

We all met up after at Jeff's house for a potluck lunch and post-race beers. Thanks to his wife Cacky for letting us invade their home. The whole Trail Monster crew is a fun bunch, and we had fun eating and chatting and laughing away. A good way to spend a Sunday!