Wow. Wonderful, loosely organised event, started with a real shotgun. I earned my T shirt. There were perhaps 30 runners for the 5 miler (not measured but it felt about right). Lots of them kids and guys running with their dogs. I finished 8th, I think - in about 33 minutes, behind some 11 year olds and the dog walkers. Cold - several layers over most of me but not the face - really difficult to manage the face without a mask - I used a hoodie with a thin wool balaclava under it and wrap around sunnies (essential or you get snow blind). The Balaclava sends sweaty breath up under the sunnies so fog-out most of the time and if I hoicked the chin bit down, my tongue and nose started to freeze. Interesting. Very hard to run on ice, packed snow and gritty road too.
The Iditarod party is just starting in the house - two days before the first musher is due. There will be about 30 people in the house, sleeping wherever they fall from Monday onwards for about a week. Bedlam - you ain't tryin'. I like Alaska. The cooking plan is just going up on the fridge...
No pics today. We're just south of the best aurora viewing belt - saw it as a faded glow a couple of nights ago.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Mad racers
Today, the celebrations wind up a gear with the Mini Mukluk Marathon - 5k in sub zero temperatures. I'm in it for the T shirt! The problem, I think, will be to avoid freezing my face but not overheating the rest of me. Interesting - cobbling together various bits of arctic Berri gear and running shoes.
The party starts - first planeload of people arriving at the house. Gotta go!
Race photos on picasa https://picasaweb.google.com/alex1whit/GolovinSnowMachineRace#
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