Mockingbird FatAss Snowshoe Run

This morning was the 6th annual Mockingbird Lane Fat Ass at Val and Rick and Linda's. I missed a few of them due to work, but did make it over there last year and it was a great time. Of course, Last year involved a whole lot of sunshine, warmth and a big, slushy stream crossing. This year was bright and sunny too, but conditions couldn't have been more different. It was -7 at the start and the stream crossing? You didn't even realize it was there, it was covered with so much snow! But on the other hand, it was another great day for a long run with friends!

I drove over with John, Laurie and Tom, enjoying catching up with them in the car, and then chatting with others as we all put off to the very last minute going outside and suiting up in our snowshoes. Yes, snowshoes were pretty much mandatory. There were a few who went without, but based on the slipping, sliding, postholing tracks I saw, I'm not sure they were the wisest ;)

The "loop" was more like an out-and-back Y. There was a bit of lovely singletrack through the woods at the beginning, then out on a soft section through the field to connect up to the snowmobile track, then back across the street for another out and back on more snowmobile trail. Conditions were pretty decent, and the first loop went by a little too quickly. It took a few miles for my hands and feet to warm up but after that I remained fairly comfortable for the rest of the run. The first loop was spent leapfrogging and talking with Joe, Laurie, Bob, Tom and John. We got back to the house in a little under an hour. I ran in to remove my buff and change into lighter gloves, and when I got back out, Emma was suited up to run, so we headed out together. It was great to run with her, and we had a good time chatting away and continued a good pace, spending a bit of time running with Blaine and others along the way. 

Although I had a few gels in the first two laps, by the end of lap #2, I was feeling hungry so I had a few cookies and some coke and ran in to go to the bathroom before heading out again. The group had gotten pretty strung out along the course at this point, and many people had moved from running to relaxing inside and eating and chatting away the afternoon. That was pretty tempting, I must say, but I knew I really needed to get in another lap so off we went. I was starting to feel the effects of 10 solid miles on snowshoes, and definitely slowed down on this lap. Thankfully Emma was there to push me along! I am sure I would have been walking otherwise!!

I finished up with 16.2 miles in a moving time of 3:30, definitely a snowshoe distance PR! And let me tell you, I was whooped  :) I went right inside to get something to eat, and sat for a while and caught up with Amy, which was great - it has been too long! Ryan and Sam arrived a while later, and then it was so long relaxation, as Sam and I got suited up to go across the street for some sledding while Ryan got in a loop of his own. Sam and I did a number of repeats up the big snowmobile trail hill on the other side of King Road, and Sam had a blast sledding down. The final run was a race between Sam on the sled and Ryan on his snowshoes. Ha! Then it was back inside to sit by the fire and talk and eat with the small group who remained. Many thanks to Linda, Val and Rick for opening their homes to us and giving us an excuse to all get together to run and hang out. We had a great time - what a fun day!

Here are a few photos, blatantly taken from Facebook ;)

Beautiful blue sky and lovely snowmobile trail

Running off into the distance

Emma and I enjoying the wooded singletrack