 posted Oct-20-2007 07:34 PM
  
Raw Deal Ranch 10k
McLeod, MontanaCourse Description Highlights:
.....Race will begin amidst the colorful trees along the Boulder River
.....Wind through the breathtaking scenery of the Raw Deal Ranch
.....Continue through the ever-quaint downtown McLeod
…..Return to savor the awe-inspiring views of the Boulder River Valley.
.....Proceeds to promote and encourage healthy minds, bodies and spirits in the family and community. Okay, say no more… I’m in. Weather Report
40ish degrees
Serious threat of rain and/or snow
Windy Fashion Disaster Report
Running tights, 2 tech shirts (long and short sleeved), neon yellow running club jacket, hat, mittens, and old Brooks shoes. I looked like a dork but so did everyone else. I was layered about right but did have to tie my jacket – sorry Ribs! The Location
MrC, running pal Jen, and I drove about 100 miles to participate in this 10k race and were sure glad we did. This is the 2nd year for the event and our running friends spoke so highly of the course and the great volunteers that we HAD to try it. McLeod, Montana is famous for the Natural Bridge State Park and the popular local destination, the Road Kill Café. There really isn’t a town … just a few buildings but it is definitely quaint and scenic.  The Race
The course was to be two separate loops mixing in and out with the 5k course. I like out and backs because I can see the leaders that I don’t normally get to. With 2 loops I got to see them twice. Here’s the elevation profile.  Probably only 75 runners participated so it was a small affair and I imagine the weather put off many people who might’ve otherwise attended. I fully expected us to be running in cold rain given the forecast. Luckily the rain and snow held off until the race ended. The running surface was mostly wet dirt roads with some gravel. From the start, I felt like the running was hard and that I didn’t have enough air. Mr C said the same thing which is unusual for him. Not sure if the elevation was an issue for me or if I’ve just lost some fitness due to being such a slacker lately. The course was beautiful and here are a few pictures of the area. These were not taken on the actual course but still very representative of the route.    We wound in and out of the Raw Deal Ranch with all the barns and out buildings and also enjoyed many stretches along the Boulder River that was still ablaze with beautiful fall colors. On both turnarounds, I saw Nikki Kimball of Western States 100 fame. She lives in nearby Bozeman, MT. I figured this little 10k was a walk in the park for her and was surprised that she really looked like she was working HARD on the 2nd turnaround. She ended up taking 1st Female and 2nd OA. Here’s a photo of her accepting her prize. She’s really nice and seems to be supportive of others.  I ended up taking a wrong turn which cost me about .2 of a mile. I wasn’t the only one either -- a few people managed to get off course because of the forks in the road. With very few participants we all got pretty spread out so it was hard to follow the leader. One lady in our club ended up running 7.2 miles per her Garmin. The course also measured long by .5. The officials apologized but no one seemed to mind. I certainly didn’t. The prizes were quite original. The top finishers ended up with small coolers of Montana beef, including filet mignon. Several door prizes of a variety of meat were also randomly awarded. We were hoping the beef didn’t come from the Road Kill Café! Mr C, Jen and I all took 2nd place in our AG and received ribbons. There were only 3 in my 40-49 AG and maybe one or two others but I forgot to double check the board. I beat MrC by about 2 minutes -- it would've been a bit more if I hadn't gotten lost. Jen won a door prize of beef jerky, burger, and garlic dipping oil.  Afterwards, we joined a group of about 20 other friends at the nearby cabin of one of our club members. We enjoyed a warm fire and dined on chili and other yummy stuff before making the drive home. Fun day! Thanks for reading! This beats the heck out of my grumpy Bizz Johnson report, eh?
------------------
choover
[This message has been edited by choover (edited Oct-20-2007).]
IP: Logged |
Congrats on all the 2nds for you, MrC and Jen!
)
