2010 Run With Scissors Trail Marathon

My second time running the Run With Scissors proved to be much more fun than even last year. It was held upon Halloween, you see, and we were encouraged to dress in costume! I had just run as Waldo in Columbus but decided that trails required something a little bit less tame. Something a little more... prehistoric!

But before I get into my run report I need to mention the tragedy that occurred just a couple hours before the scheduled start of the race. A horrible car wreck on Truxell Road claimed the lives of two young men early that morning. A third survived. The way the accident occurred and with all of us runners arriving to the Ledges Shelter that morning it's a wonder no one else was involved. More information about the accident can be found here.

Back to the run. The start was pushed back 1/2 hour to allow extra time for everyone to arrive due to the road being closed from one direction. We started promptly, and darkly, at 5:30. I was familiar with the course and held back, unlike last year where I went out hard at the start. I wasn't racing so I had no need to try to run fast in the dark. I found a few groups to run with as the combined lamp light helped illuminate the ground better.

Upon reaching Pine Hollow and the first aid station, I headed straight to the plumbed restroom to take care of some business I couldn't before the start. With that weight off me (literally) I grabbed some PBJ and headed off down the course. One of the guys in the group I joined up with tripped on a root and went down hard. He was OK and was back up and running in the blink of an eye. Luckily I didn't snag any bad enough to send me down.

It began getting light enough to see by without lamps by the time I was approaching the Covered Bridge aid station. There I stowed my flashlight in my drop bag, grabbed some more PBJ, was handed my pair of scissors, and began the two mile climb up the Reading Run Trail and the Perkins Loop. This is a hard loop to run counter-clockwise, but it's even harder from this direction. I ran by myself for most of the loop, which is fine by me. I was enjoying being out in the early morning with mostly silent woods to accompany me.

The scissors we were given were to cut a page from a book that would be hanging somewhere along the course to prove we had actually run it. Last year the books were positioned in the middle of a water crossing, making us stand in the water while we cut. This year I was beginning to wonder if I might have passed it, when we came upon it at almost the end of the loop. Quickly cutting a page I made my way back to the aid station. This stop would be another quick one. I grabbed my powder Gatorade/Nuun mix from my drop bag, spilled a portion of it before a volunteer offered to do it for me, gobbled down some more PBJ, chugged down a cup of Coke, grabbed some fig newtons and my bottle, and began making my way back toward the finish.

Of course this direction is slightly harder as it is mostly uphill. As I had hit mile 13 right at two hours and thirty minutes, I knew I was on the bubble for finishing at or under five hours. I would need to keep pressing. But after the hills of Perkins my legs were definitely getting tired. I pushed as best I could on the flats, walked the uphills, and took the downhills slow to prevent any nasty falls. I made my way back without incident but took the time to admire the rising sun's light falling through the trees in spots. I was carrying my camera, and had yet to use it, but was content to just enjoy those moments for what they were, moments.

Eventually the seemingly endless climbing stopped and I exited the woods to make my way to the Pine Hollow aid station once more. They had a grand fire burning to stay warm and I recognized more people than during my first visit in the dark that morning. I got some more PBJ and a Mountain Dew, said my hellos and goodbyes, and was off on the final leg of the race. Below is the view of the Sound of Music Hill from the aid station.




That final leg was short and quick. A little too short and quick I think, as my Garmin read the distance as 3 miles shorter than last year, but uneventful. We passed close to where they were still working the accident scene. A crane had been brought in to lift what was left of the vehicle onto the back of a flatbed truck. I was quickly past and began to see runners heading back out on the course to complete the double. Maybe next year I'll attempt the double but not this time. No, for 2010, the single marathon was plenty for this Caveman!

That's right! I ran my Halloween edition of Run With Scissors as a Caveman! Full flowing hairdo and all! I was surprised more folks didn't dress up. It made it much more fun! Some of the other costumes I recall were an escaped prisoner in black and white stripes, Robin Hood, King Arthur and his servant Pansy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a cat, and a strapping young man dressed as Connie Gardner running this year's Badwater! All good stuff!

I made my way inside to grab some Caveman chow provided by Chef Bill and warmed up by the fire. My time was 4:40-ish, which put me in 17th place overall for the single marathon. I was happy to have a much faster time than last year, but kept in mind how short the course was. I'll count it as a marathon, but not as a PR. Now I'll look forward to possibly running the double next year, and for an occaision to bust out Caveman again!