Shot in the Dark 10k

 On Friday night I ventured out to the Whitewater Center for their Shot in the Dark 10k. With darkness coming earlier and earlier, and with the time change, the Shot in the Dark race even with dispersed start would still go off well after the sun had long set.

I wasn’t too worried. I had topped off my head lamps with fresh batteries. This has become check list item when I am racing at night. Least, I find myself in the middle of the race in pitch black darkness. Nope, this is something that is not going to happen on my watch.

Jenny announced the course would open in 5 minutes.

We were starting from the pavilion. Two other runners started with me. We go to the bottom of the hill, and I heard one of them say “where do we go now”. All I could think was; you guys are in for a long night.

They seemed to settle in on my heels. I didn’t really mind. I actually prefer to be in front. This allows me to scope out the trail better.

We descended down on to the South Main trail. By the time, we were a mile in to the race, I could no longer hear their footsteps or see their headlamps dancing from behind me. Running at night is definitely different from running when that big bright flashlight in the sky is casting down. 

The WWC guys stepped up their game this year. They put out lights on along the course. There was not a high amount of lights but I am giving it time. They will figure it out. Hopefully, next year, they arrange the lights in a cool pattern. This would give me a reason to run a little slower and gaze upon them a little longer.

Coming back to the finish, I found myself running into groups of runners just going out. It is not often that runners find themselves going head to head. Most race directors avoid these types of scenario. However, it is a sign of the times that we live these days.

After the race, many runners were checking their Garmins and asking if the course was short. Given that many were running times that they could barely match on the road, I am not surprised. Yes, the course was short by about a mile. When they shifted the start to the pavilion from the pump house, they pretty much dropped a mile from the race. Still, we all ran a distance if not “the” distance. Besides, 2020 has been the year where nothing is what it seems. Personally, I am just happy for the opportunity to race.

If you have not ran night trail race, I encourage you to do so. A trail that you have run 10, 20, 100 times will look totally different with only the light of your head lamp to shine the way.

 

The Cool Down Runner