Author: nealgorman

Not sure about you guys but the MMT dust has largely settled around the ol’ Gorman household and Gaby is all in a tizzy about the next adventure, the Old Dominion 100 on June 4^th.  That’s actually only 50% true because I’m the one pumped up for Old Dominion, not Gaby.  She isn’t even running in the race.  As a matter of fact, the whole thing is 0% true because we don’t have MMT dust in our house either. 

So, let’s start over…  Speaking of over, MMT is over.  Moving on we have Old Dominion.  As I wrote, it takes place on June 4^th.  In Virginia.  In Woodstock, Virginia.  Two weeks from four days from now.  I pen this post as an assembly to WUS troops.  Gather your Gus.  Fill your water bottles.  Load your salt pills.  Air-dry your Crimson T.  And Bodyglide your thighs.    Back to the mountains, we ride!

Or, well, at least I do.  And Keith.  And Sean.  Any maybe another WUS with really big sideburns who likes to take pictures but I’m not going to say who it is.

Who else has considered chasing after the silver buckle that is the Country’s second oldest 100 mile cross country run?  If you like silver, like me, then you’ll like the Old Dominion.  The buckle is the best on the market.  Go git one!  At your computer, log on to W-W-W DOT olddominonrun DOT O-R-G and register today!

I admire Jack Andrish’s honest compendium of a valiant effort at Saturday’s Massanutten Mountain Trail 100.  We all obviously run these long, silly, impossibly hard races for very personal reasons.  Not coincidentally, among us, these “reasons” are often similar; revealing how much we human beings, men and women, young and old, actually have in common deep down.  I tend to think any reason one chooses to practice religion, be a vegetarian, abstain from alcohol, etc., etc. is generally a good one.  Same with these races.  Any reason to run is a good reason.  And be the result of one’s most recent race a victory or a defeat, the challenge is always greater the next time.  And a challenge is what we’re all after.

Running down the paved road section to the Visitors Center aid station, at mile 77.1 of MMT, on Saturday had me excited because I knew I would soon see my WUS friends.  With no real time to chit chat I was back on the trail and climbing Short Mountain.  It was hard work and slow.  The “80s” are a nice place to be in a 100 miler because the reality of actually finishing the race takes hold.  Fortunately, after a difficult grunt up Bird Knob, the 80s welcomes runners with a section of ridgeline trail that is particularly rewarding thanks to the Valley vista off to the right hand side.  These cycles of work-reward, work-reward are only one of my reasons to run these long, silly, impossibly hard races.  Jack, hope to see you next year at MMT.  Martha, same to you- running with a bib, that is.

I was witness to the great debate towards the end of dinner, after the Beer Mile, at Cactus Cantina: who beat who?  Martha or Joe?  A $100 wager was agreed upon. 

Then, by happenstance, I see this photo taken by RunningTwig:

Is Martha finished with the race at this point?  She does not reach for a beer implying she has in fact finished, though I could be wrong.  If Martha is in fact finished at this point then who is that still running behind her?  Mr. Clapper.  That’s who.  Could this be all the evidence that we need?  Or is video still necessary?  Bobby?

Beer in the cooler.

Runners at the line.  Spongy.

Cross Fit drinks fast.  Wins.