Warlick Y Trick or Trail 5k Race

 Last week, I headed to Gastonia for the Warlick YMCA Trick or Trail 5k race. This was a race that I last visited about 4 or 5 years ago. Since my schedule allowed for it, and I wanted venture out for some racing on other trails. I was in for this race. 

Things have changed since I was last at this Y. They moved the starting line and the packet pickup. They didn't make it easy to find either given the race started at 8 am. Many of us were arriving around 7 AM so in the dark, and we had no idea where to go. No one was there to direct us. 

But of course, once one runner figured it out, the rest of us quickly followed. 

I broke out my head lamp for my warm up miles. I had a rough idea of the coarse from before. Sadly, this didn't do me much good. At the start, I learned that we would be running it backward. At least, we were running it backwards from my last time. Apparently, they had changed the direction to run for the trail a few years ago. 

Lots of runners came dressed as their favorite Halloween characters. 

The start got delayed about 15 minutes since runners were still finding their way from the parking lot to the registration area. 

I was warm enough but I was starting to get a little cold. After all, it was about 35 degrees and a nice little breeze, and the sun had yet to appear over the trees. 

Finally, we all got lined up, and we were off. 

We ran across the "dam" and along a trail before entering the woods. The young guy was sprinting out about 20 to 30 yards ahead of me.

Once we entered the woods, his lead stayed about the same. We weaved our way back and forth through the numerous switchbacks. By numerous, I mean a lot of them. I am hard on the gas, I am hard on the brakes, I make a hairpin turn, and back on the gas. It is sort of like running suicide sprints. They definitely made the most of the 1/4 mile by 1/2 mile area. 

As we were making the last couple of turns, I lost sight of the leader. I just assumed that he was pulling away. 

I came out of the woods, and I headed down the hill to the finish. I was in 2nd place or at least I thought, and I figured that I would just cruise to the finish line. 

When I am just all but on top of the finish line, the guy that was leading comes flashing by me. I had no idea. I assumed that he was had already finished. 

So I still finished 2nd in 22:59. 

That's how it has been for me this year. I seem to come up just a little short. 

Anyway, I had a good time racing there. 

Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner