Baaaaah!!

The Nanny Goat Mascot - a yodelling plush toy, an indication that this race was unlike any other 12/24 hour trail race in the country. My partner in crime, Shelli Sexton, a veteran Tevis Cup Rider, and her parents hosted the race over the Memorial Day weekend. The race took place on their twenty plus acre horse ranch in Riverside, CA.



The 1-mile dirt and grass course started and ended in one of the barns. Runners arriving early got their pick of the horse stalls and set up their chairs and tables. Breakfast of coffee, pancakes, donuts, fruit was provided before the 9:00 a.m. start.





The race followed the dirt road along the paddocks, then turned onto a grass path lined with pastures on one side and a rose bush hedge and palm trees on the other. The grass ended where the orange grove began and then onto an asphalt road for less than a quarter mile, and finally back to the dirt bridle path and through the barn where the Nanny Goat Café awaited customers.



Barista Kris served coffee-to-order. Ted and Jean cooked burgers and tri tip. Bottles were refilled. Annie, Shelli and Jeanette baked pizza and made numerous trips to the grocery store to restock supplies. EKP, Lori and RD Steve counted laps. All day and night.




Round and round and round I ran. Actually, I ran 42 laps as part of a 3-person relay team with Shelli and Beiyi (94 laps total - 1st place team). Chris Martinez won the men's 12-hour with 67 laps, "Croc Lady" Lorraine won the women's with 57 laps. Christian Burke won the men's 24-hour with 111 laps, Mary Ntefidou won the women's with 78 laps. My friend Kristen did awesome, completing 43 laps - her first time over 50K! LT ran 101 miles despite taking a "nap" for a few hours (then ran the LA Marathon the following day!) And lsdchris ran 68 miles - his first time over 36 miles! Way to go everyone!

Fun race, great venue. Many thanks to RDs Steve and Annie and the Sexton family for making it a fun weekend.

Now if my eldest son had only managed to not rip off his toenail in the Sexton's swimming pool and require a trip to Urgent Care during the race - I may have ran more laps (or eaten more tri tip, or drank more soy lattes). Oh well, next year....

http://www.oldgoatrunners.com/