Hidden Peak Hustle

I love to run, obviously. I would change almost anything in my schedule around to go. Running trails are my therapy. However, I have very strong feelings against races. Why? I'm a cheapskate. I just feel there is something fundamentally wrong with paying to go running. Also, most races are run on pavement. I can't pay to run on the road.  I've been very vocal about this view, so you may find it surprising to hear that in early September I participated in my first ever 10k race.

First of all, it was a trail race set in the beautiful mountains of Snowbird. Secondly, my friend Hilary found a Groupon for it. Win-win.

Hilary Lesh and Andrea Morganegg, two of my favorite running pals

unplanned matching outfits.

Altra loving girls. These shoes seriously rock.

I should mention that while we had all been running regularly, we did not find it necessary to train for this particular race. I didn't think the altitude difference would be that big of a deal. Turns out going from 4,000-ish feet to 8,000-ish feet really changes things!

 It was brutal in the beginning. Steep inclines, coughing like mad in the thin air, and trying to keep up with the group took a toll, but the middle was absolutely gorgeous.We hit our stride at about mile two. It was a lovely time clear until mile four when we all thought we should be done and the nice person at the drink station told us we were just over halfway. What? Then the inclines began again. Who plans a race with hills at the beginning AND the end? Oh well, at least it was pretty!

We all finished within minutes of each other. Over all not a bad first race. They even had really cute T-shirts for us, not just the big old boxy man T-shirts I was expecting. We were greeted with applause, water and stroop wafels at the finish line. Best. Cookies. Ever. Would I do it again? Maybe next year, if stroop wafels are still involved.

At the end.

A moose we saw next to the parking lot as we left.