X-Dog Events has proven repeatedly that they know how to do a great trail race. The Dirty Dash was no exception. With only a small fraction of the course occurring on pavement, there were all sorts of adventures to be had on the trails adjacent to Hagg Lake. I doubt that the course was a true 8K, but given my finishing time, it was definitely pretty close. When it comes to race like that, the time and exact distance are irrelevant as the true challenge is finishing and having a great time.
And we are off! photo courtesy of Queena Buckman
Last weekend’s weather was truly a sampling of all that you could expect on a spring day, aside from hail. It was a given that the trails would be wet, seeing as they never truly dry out in the winter and spring. With plentiful cones and flagging marking the course, it would be tough to miss a turn, unless you fell victim to the slick mud that made up most of the trails. Some of the turns were hard to take at speed as it seems the foot would travel a few inches in any given direction after it landed.
I had recently picked up a pair of the Adidas Boston shoes, and knew that not only was I loathe to take those purple beauties into the muddy chaos but their traction abilities were definitely not up to the challenge. It was time to bring out the Skoras, which are amazing off-road, but not the best in slick conditions. I had discovered this last year at the Hagg Lake 25K and it definitely came into play at today’s race. I used the pavement and drier sections to accelerate and build a lead, as I slid through the slick spots and even fell twice on the trails.
Photo courtesy of Becky Odem
The desire to start easy and relax after the previous day’s 5K lasted all of about six seconds. My competitive drive kicked in as a pack of about 8 men pulled out in front. By the time we crossed the parking lot and climbed to the road, I had taken the lead. I held that lead until the second time I fell, going headfirst down the trail. By the time I gained my feet, the man in second had caught me and I was behind him for a bit before I could pass. From then on, it was a tricky task of finding the balance between speed and traction. I knew I was faster than the guy behind me, but was forced to take the turns much slower. It came down to the final stretch, as he made the last turn tighter than me and ended up in front. We both pushed it all the way to the line and he got me by a stride or two. It was a great duel.
photo courtesy of Jeremy Nofziger
I can think of nothing negative to say about this event, and definitely hope to attend next year. It was everything a true cross-country race should be, and put together very well. There were a lot of friendly people in attendance and they were polite enough to make the close quarters on the trails a breeze. The one lesson I learned is to definitely have some more aggressive shoes next time.
