Trail relay

Just a short post, since I have been having pleasant but tiring Thanksgiving travels and am now fairly knackered & need to regroup for school tomorrow. I had a truly beautiful run yesterday at the Northern Central Trail Marathon Two-Person Relay in Maryland.

It was the perfect day for a run; though it was very chilly first thing in the morning, temperatures hit forty or so by mid-morning and it was beautifully clear and still and sunny. There were a couple miles in the middle where my thigh muscles were utterly protesting (and I have slightly made them a promise - a provisional non-binding promise?!? - that I will not ask them again to run a half-marathon, even a flat one at a very easy pace, so soon after a future marathon - I did not even time myself on my watch, it was really just for fun) - but I would not have missed it, it was a delightful day.

Such bucolic and beautiful scenery - I do not have pictures of the course, though I will post another one if I can link somewhere that does justice to the loveliness of the setting (it is rather like the Wissahickon near where I grew up in Philadelphia, only more southern and farm-countryish, very soft and green), but I offer up one of me and Brent and Brent's friend Jim (John, not pictured, is taking the photograph!) in the elementary school near the race start (the second runner on each relay team goes on a bus to the halfway point and takes over from there - it is also an option to do the full marathon):

Thanks to John and family for organization, transportation and general hospitality!