The Dirty Hurty is a half marathon all dirt trail race in Ivins, which is just outside of St George, Utah.
When my alarm went off at 5:30 on March 10th, I groaned, shut it off and went back to sleep. Race day had finally arrived and I wasn’t quite ready. I’m not a morning person on the best of occasions and I had slept poorly the night before. I just wasn’t feeling like cranking out 13 miles of trail running.
I decided to blow off the race. When I signed up two months ago I had planned on being slim and sleek and in awesome shape. Like Rocky at the top of the stairs with the music playing and the camera panning around his super toned bod with outstretched arms raised in the champion position. I wasn’t quite there. Not even close, actually. Besides, my bed was feeling reeeeeeeeeeally comfy. But at 6 a.m. (the time I had planned on leaving my house) I woke up and decided to go and get the tee-shirt anyway. It was only a twenty-five minute drive from my house to the race start. I put on my workout clothes,-just in case-filled my water bottle and was out the door in 10 minutes.
After collecting my shirt and bag, I took a good look at the other competitors. Oops. Someone forgot to send me the memo. I was surrounded by young athletes. I felt as though I had accidentally gone to the fitness model competition instead of a “fun” race and I definitely didn’t belong there. Plus, it seemed like everyone was there with someone else. Someone who was equally athletic and beautiful. Feeling lonely, old and fat, I made my way to my car with my new shirt and wondered how fast I could get back home to bed. Before I could make my getaway the practical side of me kicked in.
Practical side: You’re already up and here and in possession of a cool Dirty Hurty shirt- just do the darn thing!
Lazy side: But I want to go home and go back to bed.
PS: You won’t be able to go to sleep so you might as well do it.
LS: But I’m too slow to be here.
PS: You don’t have to win (as if!) Just finish it and call it a challenging workout with water support.
LS: But I don’t wannnnnnnnnna!
PS: Quit being a baby and just do it!
LS: No!
PS: Yes!
LS: Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!
PS: You can eat whatever you want for lunch and not feel guilty about it.
LS: I can?
PS: Including desert.
LS: Okay (Once in blue moon I find it advantageous to be a sugar junkie.)
And off I went to board the bus to the starting line. While on the bus I met three delightful ladies who invited me to join their little running party. Chris, Donna and Dawneen from Odgen. I’m so glad I did. We had a lot in common and were in similar life stages. I got to know them while we jogged and hiked a half marathon. We stopped to take pictures and to refuel at the support stops. We swapped stories about mommyhood and trying to get into shape. We laughed more than most people do while racing.
Toward the end there was a shallow river crossing. I was ahead because I’m like a lab around water and couldn’t wait to jump in the river. (It was only ankle deep but still fun to get in.) When I looked back Donna was in the middle of a strange gymnastic move. While descending the rocky slope to the river, she lost her footing and somehow ended up in a very contorted (yet graceful) position involving splits and an upside down torso with shoulders wedged between two boulders. I didn’t realize she had slipped so when I looked back to see her in said position I couldn’t figure out if she was in an intense stretching position or just showing off. (A retired cheerleader having a flashback to the good old days, perhaps?) She was a little shaken, but fine, and we had a good laugh. She finished like a trooper. We made it back to the park in 3 hours and 7 minutes. Next year we’re doing it in two and a half!
Between Donna’s half time show, the beautiful scenery, the awesome volunteers and the wonderful new friends I made, that was the most enjoyable 13 miles I’ve ever covered. (Except the last three miles which somehow felt much, MUCH worse than the first 10.) The race shirt was great too.
I really enjoyed getting to know these remarkable ladies who all had impressive life stories of raising families, loosing 100 pounds, running marathons and preparing for more. Equally impressive was the way they recognized a sister who was feeling a little lost at the back of the bus and swooped in with kindness. I am so grateful. And to think, I almost slept through it all!
The first section-making our way to the Barrel Roll trailhead.
The view from the top of the Barrel Roll
