Shoal Creek Living History Wilderness Run Race Report
Since my brother-in-law Andrew did so well at the muddy 2012 Corn Maze run a few weeks ago, I figured it was time for his first true trail race. I knew I was going to be in Kansas City (where he lives) this past weekend so I sent him an email with a link to the Shoal Creek Living History Wilderness Run, and asked “Don’t you want to ruin another pair of shoes?!”
Despite this description though – “This challenging cross-country run/walk in beautiful Hodge Park will have you running through the museums village, up and down hills, over logs, through the woods, crossing creeks and more!” – no shoes were ruined. The trail was dry dry dry. But! It was challenging!
Oops, I get ahead of myself. So, I somehow convinced Andrew to sign us up, despite that process being a huge PITA on the City of Kansas City website and despite him injuring his foot at the 10/20 Kansas City Half Marathon. Thanks, Andrew!
Aww, are you cold, Andrew? Okay, I did think it would be warmer than 36° at the start, but I felt great when the sun came out and rolled my sleeves down.
At first (in my mind) this race was just going to be a fun way to get our weekend started – burn a few calories before the tremendous amount of overeating we do together began. But then I saw in an informational email about the event that the first 175 5-miler finishers got medals (there was a 2-mile event as well). And all of a sudden… I cared about being in the top 175. Ha. So I looked at the finishing times from last year and decided that a 10:00 minute mile average would be really good for me on a trail course… and hoped that that would get me in the top 175. Because I need more cheap-o participation medals for my rack.*
The race description was accurate – it was mostly cross country (a small portion of that being single-track) and some crushed rock paths. In the beginning I was talking to Andrew, saying how this was my first 5-mile race. Then I joked that I had never even run 5 miles before! Another runner overheard me and seemed concerned, saying, “This is a very difficult course for your first 5-miler.” Ha ha ha. I told him not to worry, that I was joking and did a trail ultra this year.
But, it was my first 5-mile race, and Andrew’s first trail race**! We stuck together the entire time, with me running just a few feet ahead of him. We ran up all the hills, jumped over logs and up on to concrete barriers. We walked at the two water stops, and finished in 48:29! We were the 68th and 69th finishers, so we got our participation medals! And I also got first in the women’s 20-29 age group.
Andrew said he really liked the variety of a trail course. I was reminded of that too, when I was out on the course. But I was also reminded of how damn hard trail races are. Ha! I know 10:00 minute miles doesn’t seem very fast, but it took effort for me to keep it below that pace on the varied terrain and with the hills. I wonder how I will do on the trail races I am signed up for in November and December!
A special thanks to our spectators who disappeared in the middle of the race and somehow had McDonald’s Coffee cups when they showed back up. Hmm.
They swore up and down that they got the McDonald’s cup from the race volunteers. Then, later in the day, I downloaded the pictures they took at the race and found this:
As I like to say to Data – “Caught in the Act!” Ha ha ha. Apparently this picture was taken so I could see the sticker in the window of the truck two cars ahead of them… at the place that looks suspiciously like a McDonald’s Drive-Thru.
All joking aside, it was very nice to have Steven and his dad there, and also very nice of them to wait while they announced my 1st place AG award:
I would definitely do this race if I was in town for it again. It was inexpensive (Andrew paid for me, ha!), they had great food at the end (fruit, bagels, soup), in a neat area (history farm and scenic park) and had a friendly atmosphere. And! Yay! Participation Medals!
Have you done any races that randomly had participation medals?
The Girls on the Run 5K I did had them. And other races themed for kids have had them. Hmm… I am seeing a pattern here…
*Obviously, I don’t, but it would be a bummer to be one of the people who ran and didn’t get one.
**And maybe his first 5-mile race too?
Themocracy
So fun! And first in your AG ROCKS!
(and I LOVE that they busted themselves in the McD’s drive thru, haha!)
Looks like another great trail race!! And great job on the Age Group win!!
First in your age group! That’s so exciting!!!
How fun! Congrats to both of you. You killed it!
YAY FOR MEDALS! Congrats on the finisher medal…and coupon (?)! So hilarious about the McDonald’s cup! Loved that.
And no medals for me, except for a colorful one posted on my timeline.
We will get you a medal. Oh yes, we will 🙂
oh wow!! First in age group! That’s absolutely fantastic, congrats!
I’ve never run in anything remotely trail like, I would imagine it’d be pretty challenging for me!
Thank you! I do find trails really challenging. But fun! 🙂
Congrats on the AG win!! I wish there were more trail races near me. Or, I wish I didn’t sign up for so many road races so far in advance that when I want to add a trail race to my schedule, I don’t because I’ve already spent so much money on races. I am signed up for a trail half marathon next August but I hope I’m able to do a shorter trail race before then.
Thanks! Do you follow Muddy Monk on Facebook? They are settting up a series of trail races by ORD. Still too far away?
Congrats on your race and your AG win! I just did an 8k trail race (though it was a little short according to my Garmin) and it was SO TOUGH! I have done it three years now and this year was my worst finishing time but there were more people so getting up the steep, narrow hill out of the woods took extra time this year. No medal but we all got wine glasses at the finish. Oh, and I was 37 out of 87 in my AG. Looking at the results, I was in the largest AG. Who knew?!
I got a participation medal at my first 10k. It’s actually really cool.
Thanks! That is the thing about single-track! It gets backed up!
Congrats on the Age Division Win! 🙂 I did my first trail run yesterday and it was hard. I am slowly warming up to it.
Congrats on your first trail run!
This race sounds like so much fun and congrats on the age group win!
I like when shorter races give out medals or pint glasses to the finishers and it’s cool that the race gave them out to the top 175 finishers. Definitely incentive to run faster!
Sounds like a really fun race! And what do you think distinguishes a participation medal for a “random” race and any other race? Distance?
I don’t know why races sometimes decide to hand them out! I guess if the budget allows? 🙂
Congrats on first place!!! Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun!!!
Thanks 🙂
So you know how you said people think Steven and his brother look alike? I totally thought that was Steven in the medal picture with you! It’s not, is it? Or is it? 🙂
I ran a 5k that was part of the Indianapolis 500 Marathon a couple years ago, and I got a participation medal for that. And I’ll get another one when I do the IL marathon relay in the spring. Yay medals!
Ha ha ha! Too funny! That is his brother, in the running clothes. Steven has the brown jacket and pants on 🙂
I love when they have medals for 5Ks!!! 🙂 And I wonder when they do relays if relayers get the same medal as the full marathoners.
Congrats on the age group WIN!! 🙂 Andrew looks absolutely THRILLED to be standing with you, in the cold, at the start of the race. 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Ha ha ha. We were surprised how cold it was 🙂
Congratulations on your age group medal! This looks like a very fun (and cold?) race. 10 min/mile pace looks so fast to me on total flat asphalt these days, so on a trail it’s lightning fast. I think that I’ve forever missed my chance to place at the 20-29 age group and 30-35 is so competitive. I think I will wait for the 60-69 age group, I might have a chance then 🙂
30-35 is crazy competitive. I better make the best of my next 1.5 years!!!
Woo congratulations on the first place finish! Medals are always good 🙂 Many races have a 20-24 and 25-29 age division, and I’m so nervous to enter the second one next year because it’s soo competitive!
Thank you!
I don’t think 25-29 is as bad as 30-34!!! (From what I have heard)
YAY for first in your AG and also meeting the qualifying standard of 175 or less- by WAY LESS!! I really want to do a trail race… next year cuz im not running in the ice and snow and mud… Next year.. Youve inspired me to get off the pavement and run through the woods.. Looks like a load of fun! 🙂
Thank you!!!! Aww, come on… do the Schiller Chiller! A bunch of bloggers are!!!!!!!!
Nice job on the trail race. I am looking foward to mine in 8 days time. I might volunteer at the Schiller Chiller depending on work schedule.
Nearest I’ve had to random medals is the Lululemon 5k awarding prizes to those that finished at a certain places in the race and I think of the 300 runners 15 got something (then a big raffle). No one knew they were going to do that but they had some awesome sponsor prizes, mostly running, spa and yoga related. I didn’t win but someone gave me her prize when she decide the yoga studio was too far away, it just happens to be a mile from my home and the studio I did a beginners yoga course at with my wife.