4:40 AM: Stop at Tim Horton's 1\10 mile away from start of Dirty 30. Need to use restroom to rid what I think has to be the last of what my body is capable of ridding.
4:55 AM: Listening to Renee rip air out of her buttocks while waiting for the start.
5:00 AM: Ordered to starting line and "introduced" to the TMB's.....wishing I was back in Tim Horton's restroom.
5:10 AM: Start..running in darkness on muddy trails cluelessly heading to the river.
5:20 AM: Meet Kyle (last year's dirty 30 winner) running back to MoJo's with an 8 inch bleeding gash on his leg....huh.
5:22 AM: Instructed to descend down steep, wooded bank to riverside and continue running. Riverside entailed only muck and brush...not to mention slip, sliding down bank into river. Should I put on my floaties??? Thanks for fellow competitor, Jessica, at this point for reminding me every 5 minutes how great of an experience this was.
6ish AM: First torture station. I struggled so bad, my group had to do extra time at this station til I got it right.
6ish-7:25 AM: More riverside trudging then dry land. Hear a drill sargeant in the distance. I'm thinking, "wonder who is training out here?" Then smarts kicked in....."#@!*"
7:25 AM: Second torture station...ouch.
7:40-8ish AM: Run UP Fort road to Nordic Heritage Center. Why enter NHC through the access road when we can just run up the steep downhill hill ski mountain...bastards! Meet Kate at the top who informs me there is Gatorade for us at NHC parking lot.
8ish-9ish AM: Arrive at NHC for Hell Hour and no Gatorade! Challenged and defeated most, if not all, muscles in my body. 9ish-10:40 AM: Run on....arrive at MoJo's not for finish but another torture station.
11AM: Run on...Main street Presque Isle where my vanity sets in. I have to run at a decent pace just in case anyone I know sees me (regardless that I look like the Swamp Thing and am ready to physically collapse).
11:15 AM: Ralph, "See the path off the railroad tracks that goes down to the river? Follow it and swim across. I'll meet you on the other side." Thankfully, Susan was swimming across as well from the opposite direction. Was great moral support except for the fact she had been crying because she missed her grandfather who passed away over 2 decades ago...huh.
11:40 AM: Back at MoJo's to be told I have to do the same loop I just did but in reverse...bastards!
12ish PM: Finishing 2nd loop and told by Kyle to run hard up hill to MoJo's. I want to cry because I feel I can't and am fearing what is coming next. I decide the better choice is to run up the hill. Then Kyle says, "You don't want to be seen walking across the finish line!"
8 PM: September 25, 2011. Registration for 2012 AD30 opens. Will I register...Hell yeah!!
Michelle Roy
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