TALES FROM THE TRAIL (AND SOMETIMES THE ROAD TOO)

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Harding Hustle – A Volunteer’s Report

I woke at 3 AM and am so tired as I write this blog entry.  So, I’ll try & make this brief.  Today, I volunteered for the Harding Hustle, an out-and-back up Harding Truck Trail (approx. 30k) trail race.  I caught the shuttle (school bus) at 4:40 AM and helped with the pre-race things, bibs, late registrants etc.  Saw some people I knew.  And met some people I only “knew” by their blogs.  One of the volunteers was Catra (Dirt Diva).  I also met for the first time, bloggers Billy (L.A. Runner), Glenn (Running Fat Guy – who wasn’t by the way, fat) and Greg (I Run, Therefore . . . I’m Thirsty) (Wait, I met Greg at Twin Peaks briefly).

Harding Hustle Shuttle

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Volunteers:  Andy, Catra and wife of runner (sorry, can’t remember everyone’s names : (

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Runners:  Unknown, Dave, Morgan

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Race Director, Jessica Deline gives race directions

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They’re Off!

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And then it was quiet. Really quiet.   I got a massage while waiting for the first numbers to start coming in over the radio.  It was a chilly morning.  I walked a bit up Harding Truck Trail to catch a bit it in photos.  After the numbers rolled on in from the turnaround, we knew about when the front runners would start coming in.  So, I took another little walk up Harding Truck Trail for a look.  There was not a runner in sight.  About to give up and turn around, I saw a flash of red coming around the corner.  There he was, the first place runner, flying down truck trail.  He was amazing. 

After that the runners began dwindling in, and I wished I could have watched every single one of them cross the finish line – it was that exciting.  I called out times for the volunteer recording them.  I handed out medals. But I had to climb on the first bus back (about 9:45) and get home.

So dead-dog-tired (and I didn’t even run!), I walked in through the front door, said, “Good morning, I love you,” and then me and my husband said “good-night,” at the exact same time.  My youngest boy roared with laughter at that as I walked straight to my room, crawled beneath the covers and tried to sleep.  I got about an hour of sleep in.  And now I must sign off, because I can barely even think.

Fun, fun day though. 

Harding Truck Trail

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Flowers Along the Trail

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On my little walk along Harding during the quiet time

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First Place (I believe, just a little over 2 hours!!)

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Finisher Medals

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More Runners Cross the Finish Line

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Resting Up (notice massage tables in background, they fill up by the time I leave)

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9 comments:

  1. Great to finally meet you Lauren. Sorry if I was a bit out of it at the start (late) and finish (exhausted). Volunteers make it all possible and I think I speak for all the runners out there when I say: thanks!!

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  2. As always kudos to the volunteers!

    ...and a free massage; score!

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  3. Great meeting you Lauren! Thanks soooo much for helping. I know that as runners - we often don't give our thanks as often as we should. All I know is that without folks like you, these things wouldn't happen.

    I am sooooo sore today I can barely move.....

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  4. Always a pleasure to see out at the trail races Lauren. I wish I could put out half of the cool blog you do. Keep blogging kid and I'll see you on the trails!!! :)

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  5. Great Meeting you too Billy. No need to be sorry. It was great seeing all you guys finish the race. I wish I could have stayed til the end.

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  6. The massage was a great score Stuart. I even got a bit of exercise in walking up and down the hill -- I was so excited to see who was going to come down that mountain first.

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  7. Congrats again Glenn (& to everyone else). It was great meeting you too. Maybe next year I'll run the Hustle (still that trail in particular scares me -- I don't think there's anything at Aliso that can prepare me : )

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  8. Thanks Hank. You are so nice to say that. It was great seeing you too -- and meeting your son. Hope to see you out on the trail again soon. The next one for me is Bulldog 50k (but I'm not volunteering, I'm "running" it -- yikes). Maybe I'll see you there!

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  9. That is a free month. I may just join you the Bulldog 50k. Count me in for now. :)

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