XTERRA Maui Trail run

The morning after barely scraping into the XTERRA Hall of Fame, the Cave trio did the XTERRA Trail run, in Kapalua, Maui.#PrincessHotstuff & Zena the 5k and I the 10k. Judging by Zena’s chewed and scrunched number, we realized she also loves race numbers. (I collected about the last 20 years of mine) And we dont want to brag or pressure, but I’m pretty sure she smashed the under 6 month age group.

It was Halloween, so there were lots of costumes (and a hotly contested costume contest) in the trail run.

Gannbatte Japan!

Photo credits by Jesse Peters

The Smurf couple looked great, but the blue Smurf ran into some overheating troubles at the finish.

Wearing shorts, shoes and shades on the start line, I was concerned about looking like I’m here to race. (see, he can’t retire!) So I first had a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for breakfast, then dug through the XTERRA wig box and found a nice pink wig. Suddenly nobody recognized me.

When wearing a costume at a running race, the general rule of thumb  is: Start flat box and lead the race for the 1st 500m – even if it kills you! (As many Elvis impersonators can attest)  That way, everyone gets to admire your costume.

Fueled by an ice cream sugar rush and relative anonymity of a pink wig & shades, I did just that when the cannon boomed.

So I won the 500m, but when I was supposed to throttle back and start jogging, I couldnt believe how awesome my legs felt! 3 weeks into retirement makes for an excellent taper, and, after years of dragging ass up that hill at the tail end of a triathlon, I couldnt believe how easy it felt with a fresh, cool body. And yes, I am a sucker for a race…

But as the race progressed, real runners passed me, I got hot, I walked up the steepest parts (like all the other years) and suddenly I remembered one of the reasons why I retired:  Dragging a Clydesdale sized carcass up a volcano in tropical heat, pushing through indescribable pain, trying to squeeze the very last drop of life out of yourself – just as you reach the finish line – eventually gets old. (After about 29 years of racing.)

So I took my finger off the “Detonate” button, and enjoyed the scenery and just the act of running. Like I will the 29+ years to come.

My Altra Superior 2.0 trail racers were so fast, the photographer barely kept up with them.

To me, “retired” does not mean sitting on the couch – it means doing the sport I love for nothing but pleasure.

Finished without feeling like I need to go to hospital (in 3rd) & recorded the run on my Suunto Ambit Run. Link to Movescount here:

The future of the sport- the Keiki (kids) race was a hit. Looking at them makes me realize I did sprint off the start line like a kid. Full circle?