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FLRC Newsletter - August 2004 |
| And Still More Mount Washington: FLRC Conquers the Mountain Together | |
Sometimes running is not about who finishes first or last, but rather about how you play the game. Sometimes running with a team of good friends is just as fulfilling as winning, if not more. And that's how we played the game on June 19, 2004, at the 44th annual Mt. Washington Road Race. We started as a team, from the car pool to New Hampshire, and finished as a team, right down to the ride back home.
We started our "race to the clouds" in a downpour of rain. Soon after starting the climb that would seemingly go on forever, I left my husband behind before spotting another one of my teammates. I soon caught up to Lorrie Tily and we pretty much leapfrogged to the finish. The ascent was really hard work; I'm so sure I walked more than I ran. Having long legs was of definite benefit for me as I could take bigger steps and cover more ground walking. "Running" required mere baby steps for me.
Just after mile-5 I think the altitude hit me a little as I felt like my head was swimming. Through the clouds I was sure I could see God. I thought, "maybe I'm dead." Guess not, my legs were still moving and my lungs heaving. Sleet and wind soon brought me back to reality. And there was Lorrie—still. It was like we were really a team, pulling each other up the hill. The views were amazing and seeing the streamline of people above and below was spectacular. But I have to say that the best part of the race was at the finish. Going up that last 33% grade to the finish was Frank Rusby bundled up capturing us on film. And crossing the finish line behind my teammate was awesome. Lorrie and I hugged; me still dazed from the efforts of 1 hour, 45 minutes of hard work. After meeting up with Jim Houck at the top, our first team member to finish, we warmed up with hot chocolate, courtesy of Don Tily. It wasn't long before finding Joe and Karen. I so wanted to wait on top for the rest of our team, but hypothermia was becoming a reality and Joe and I headed back to the truck. But on our way there was the rest of our team heading to the finish. We all made it.
This was by far the hardest 7.6 miles that I have ever run. But I hope to do it again next year with the FLRC team. Our accomplishments meant so much more to me than any single victory. We supported and encouraged each other; hopefully more people will be a part of this with us next year. Believe me, it's an experience you will treasure. Thank you to Don Tily and Frank Rusby for being the chauffeurs—we couldn't have done it without you. And BIG thanks to the team: Joe, Lorrie, Karen, Phyllis, Diane, Sally, Jim, Linda, and Fred. You guys are awesome. Next year we will see our moose!
Postscript: When your team is traveling in separate vehicles it is most important to travel with 2-way radios. Why? Sometimes you need to phone a friend for help on a crossword puzzle (e.g., when you need to know the first word in Citizen Kane, phone Diane Sherrer, who somehow knew it was Rosebud. She also added a piece of trivia—What was Rosebud? Answer: A sled. Thanks, Diane.). Can you imagine more fun than this?
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