Keffer Cares Boulder Dash 5 Miler

 Saturday, I checked another of my running list bucket items. I ran to the bottom of a quarry and back out as part of the Keffer Cares Boulder Dash 5 Miler. 

Someone was telling me about one of these quarry runs in Columbia, SC a few years ago. This was a type of race that caught my interest. However, time past, and other races became my focus. That is, until Tim told me that he was organizing one here in Charlotte at the quarry just off Beatties Ford Rd. I went home and looked it up. A short time later, I added my name to the list of runners. 

Fast forward to last Saturday, it was chilly, windy morning. After picking up my bib, I headed out to check out the course but they were not letting us run but a short section of it near the finish line. I had make the most of my warmup going back and forth. 

The Martin Marietta crew did a pretty good job of smoothing out the gravel for us to run. Still, it was pretty loose in sections. Once we started, everyone tended to fall in to the tracks of the lead vehicles. I was running way harder than I normally do on the trails. My lungs were feeling. 

We ran about 3/4 of mile before 5k and 5 mile races split. The 5 milers headed in to the pit while 5kers continue around the perimeter. This was the point where I attempted to stride over a ditch. I didn't land well on it. My ankle went down so instead of pushing forward, I pushed downward on my knee. Oh, that hurt. I stumbled and nearly went down. My knee didn't this extra strain. I slowed a bit to shake it off as we continue to descend in to the pit. Several guys past me. My knee was still stinging. 

We made our way to the turn around and headed back out. My knee was starting to feel better, and I went to work taking back some of the spots that I lost on the way down. I caught the last couple of guys as we made the last turn out of the pit. 

The rest of the course was a lot of little roller hills. The road was plenty wide. 

We looped back to finish along the same section that we went out. I cruised under the finish banner in 32:08. 

Overall, I give this race two thumbs up. I enjoyed the race, and the course was interesting. I didn't have much time to really look around going in or coming out of the pit. I will say that this wasn't the steepest hill that I have climbed or the longest. Yes, it was still tough and the climbing hurt but there are sections on the climb out where it levels out. I got a chance to catch my breathe. 

Will I do it again next year? Right now, I would say, yes. 

For awards, everyone got a limestone rocks with their finish position on it. Kind of fitting don't you think. 

For my award, I received the 3rd place overall male. Then, later, I found out that they put the overall winner of the 5 miler in the 5k so I guess that I ended up 4 OA. However, by then, the awards had been distributed so I came home with the wrong award. O'well, it happens. 

 Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner