The Hurricane Trails River Run is a 4-mile race mostly on a trail.  It’s only $17.50 and you get a tech running top.  It’s not an easy course either.  This was my second year running it and I was looking forward to beating my previous time. Which I did!  The race starts promptly at 7:04 as this is a fourth of July run put on by the Dansie’s.  This is the third year running and it’s a small local race with about 60 runners.

It starts at Stout Park, we run around the park and down the street to the trail-head.  It’s a fast downhill single track trail that you definitely need to watch for the rocks, ruts, sand and stink bugs.  Then it kind of flattens out at the bottom and you can see the Virgin River.  THEN at 2.5 miles we start to head back up.  My calves were really tight and I was breathing so hard.  I was wishing I warmed up a little.  I think I did a couple lunges and that’s it.  I’m usually early to races, but because I’m so close, I waited until the last-minute to get there.  I got my number and we headed to the start.

Back to the race… In the beginning I was running next to Lyle, Hurricane’s own IRONMAN.  I had music and he didn’t, I didn’t like that he could hear me breathing that first mile.  And I was breathing hard as I didn’t warm up and we were running a 7:45ish pace.  Then we hit the dirt and he was ahead of me.  There were four of us in a little pack running down the steep single track.  The two guys, Lyle and son pulled ahead and I was stuck behind a girl for a while. I didn’t like that being so close it was hard to see the trail that I was about to step on.  I was also slowed down a little as I like to run fast downhill.  I eventually said excuse me and passed her, (for a while anyway). Then I passed Lyle and son when it flattened out and then I was by myself.  THEN we start climbing the hill.  I ran for a while, then it meanders up- and I actually had my first stop because I didn’t know if I was supposed to go left or slight right.  I continued to the right and saw someone ahead so I felt better.  Then it gets steeper.  I started taking my walk breaks.  A couple of guys and a girl passed me.  Then I decided to take a couple of pics since I was walking anyway.

I looked at my watch and saw only 1-mile left.  Easy right?? Then the girl I passed earlier passed me back as she walked way less than I did and then two more girls passed me and I said “what the hell?” as I didn’t even see these girls before. So I tried harder and passed them back.  Then felt pressure of all these people behind me and no one was close in front of me.  I could see the two girls that passed me, but they kept running strong as I took a walk break.  And fortunately, the group behind me took walk breaks too.

I finally made it to the finish in 35:47.  Last year I finished in 39:04.  My goal was to finish in 35 min, so that qualifies. Second goal was to not walk, failed.  Third goal was to beat Aimee. HaHa.  She finished in 30:50.  I was 4th girl overall of 27. 3rd girl in 30-39 class of 16. But since they bumped up 1-3 to the overalls I got 1st in my age.  Woohoo!!  I got a really cool Ultra Aspire water bottle and a certificate that says 1st place.

A 17-year-old guy got the overall in 23:41!  And some people walked it and Marilyn, a 75-year-old finished in 1:20, five minutes faster than last year.   I’m impressed she did this tough course at all!  Yeah for Marilyn and to everyone who got up early to put in some miles.  See my last photo.

They had a raffle and gave away a ton of prizes; gift certificates to the Running Center, Run Cute headbands by Liz, Ultra Aspire water bottles, Phazes Fitness gift certificates and more.

There was chocolate milk, donuts, oranges, bananas, bagels and cream cheese, water and a sports drink.  I had a great time and can’t wait to beat my time next year. My family came and watched me finish.  The kids had fun on the playground with all the other kids.  Afterwards, I took them to the trail-head and we walked down a little ways and showed them the Virgin River.  Evan wanted to see the stink bugs. Lol. It was already hot, Connor had to be carried back and we went home.  What a great morning.

Thanks for reading.
Only 103 days until the St George Marathon!

You can see where I took a lot of walk breaks.

Connor having fun at the park.

Preza ran some of the course too.

And here’s the last pic I leave you with.