VHTRC Women’s Half Marathon, Saturday September 11, 2021 Results
Amazing to be back racing after a long COVID-19 pandemic hiatus. It’s been an insane year-plus-plus. But September 2021 has seen some light at the end of the tunnel. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to send Bjorn off for his first day of preschool, lunchbox in hand. He loves it. Aaron and I can finally get some work done. Plus, this month I graduated from 9 months of therapy for PTSD. I wanted a tassel or some kind of I’m Sane Again! sticker from the APA for all the hard work. But I’ll settle for a functioning brain that doesn’t dissolve every time I have to take one of those mandatory anti-harassment courses at work. And I have my appetite back. Being insatiably hungry these past few weeks is the truest sign that my high-octane self is back after a year of dormancy and trial by fire. Thanks to all the volunteers who made the Women’s Half Marathon possible and the little nugget of banana that kept me upright at mile 10. The moms are not alright, but we’re hanging in there.
The moms are not alright. The WHM field tends to be mom-heavy. All races have smaller fields these days, but the Half usually has 150 runners and this year only had 40. The pandemic has been the tipping point for moms who were just hanging on by a fingernail pre-COVID. RD Tracy Dahl is a superhero. I’m not sure anyone realizes what an ordeal it is to RD a race, let alone during a pandemic, let alone with a three-year old tethered to your leg. Tracy’s attention to detail turns a nice event into a truly great and memorable day. Whether it’s the thoughtful prizes that are genuinely useful for outdoors people (how did she know I needed a lightweight portable camping towel because Aaron is sick of me always stealing his?), or the fun challenges along the course (thank you #36 for giving Bjorn your wings; he loved them), Tracy knows how to run a show.
Jack K is a super-volunteer. Most VHTRC events are ultramarathons where unhurried racers dawdle around aid stations perusing the fares at a leisurely pace. But I run the Women’s Half the way I run a road race. Dawdling in aid stations interrupts flow. Most volunteers are not ready for me and I often don’t get anything to eat or drink at the aid stations. But when I saw Jack ready at the Do Loop with two cups in hand and making direct eye contact I celebrated. Jack’s cup of Gatorade saved my race.
My run-in with a hiker. I’ve run the Women’s Half 7 times and never before has a random hiker guy tried to box me off a bridge when I said “Excuse me, coming by”. When I sidled around him and explained I was running a race he spat I don’t fucking care and still tried to block me on the bridge. This little exchange occurred 5 minutes after I didn’t get my gel at Fountainhead. He was lucky I didn’t push him off, being a hungry, adrenalined marmot. I settled for flashing him the bird and trotting off the bdige. I saw him on the return trip and flashed a big smile “You again!” He had not made it very far.
Bjorn is ready to join VHTRC. After the race, my three-year old son Bjorn wanted to blast down the single track, running his own little course over a bridge and back at least 10 times. Each time he fell on the roots, he dusted off and shrieked “I’m okay!”. Eventually he asked me why he didn’t get to have a race number so I found one and pinned it to his shirt. Next year we should have a kid’s 50 meter dash.
