I didn't race (registered... but still building/recovering after my cardiac arrest/heart attack in Feb)... but I did still get out there to cheer everyone on. While I was there for the athletes... the true is I received far more energy, encouragement, and joy from everyone out there racing then I could have given back. So thank you for letting me get surrounded by the sport that I love... I needed that:).

Weather may not have been perfect... but compared to the forecast of "get your ark ready"... I'd say it actually turned out pretty good.:). As other said, the previous weekend would have been perfect and the Black Diamond half/long course race typically ran a week or two earlier and we usually had amazing weather on race day.

We set up a little Team Zoot energy zone out on the run course at the intersection where the trails come together so we had a pretty good view of people as they ran through mile 2, 10 and 11. My observations:

• For the most part, everyone was having a lot of fun out there on the run. Lots of smiles.
• I didn't really see a single person who was struggling, cramping, or that normal "my body is done", even late in the race. One older guy tossed out his back and was running hunched over, but even he had a smile and wasn't going to give up. The cool weather was a HUGE blessing for all the 1st timers and those finishing late in the day. I am so used to seeing all the walking zombies and people dropping left and right as the afternoon sun starts to zap the BOP'ers. (last race I spectated at was Honu in June... so quite the contrast!)
• All 13 miles of the run course are very challenging to get out and spectate on, so there weren't many people out there. We rode our bikes out on the road then scaled a very steep wooded hillside to get to the trail/course because we wanted to avoid riding our bikes on the trail people were racing on. If I had to do it again, we would just carefully ride on the trail, but obviously that doesn't scale if a ton of people wanted to do it. Bike course is also difficult to get out on if you are in transition. I have raced most sections of the course in various local races and I love racing out there.
• The heavy rain held off.... till the very tail end of the race. Just as I packed up and headed out from our little spot on the trail the skies opened up.... I was a soggy mess after my 5 mile ride back to my car. Can't imagine what it looked like back at transition :-O.
• Huge congrats to everyone who raced out there on Sunday!

Here is a photo of my teammate Boyce and I out on the run course... as you can see, not a ton of people around, and this was sort of the hot corner. Run was 98% on these hard packed trails in the forest. The one true "hill" on the run course is just behind us (it is where you climb back up to the other trail for the last 2 miles back to the park.

---

______________________________________________
Team Zoot