2018 BRR

Jiang Shu

Meant to do a simple post but stopped by 2000 characters limit. 2000?! Really?!

2018 BRR, 9/7-9/8

Pics are below. Pic 1-3, my 3 legs; Pic 4-9, me @ leg 01, FHL @ leg 02, WC (our captain) @ leg 15, YW @ leg 04, CT @ leg 29, and Alex also @ leg 29 😝

Summary:
Leg 01, 9/7, 6:56 AM, 3.96 mi, 6:34 pace, Elevation Gain 70 ft., Elevation Loss 1074 ft. (almost all downhill)
Leg 13, 9/7, 5:12 PM, 9.21 mi, 8:50 pace, Elevation Gain 1075 ft., Elevation Loss 804 ft. (rolling hills and steep descend once near Blowing Rock)
Leg 25, 9/8, 3:26 AM, 4.24 mi, 8:12 pace, Elevation Gain 551 ft., Elevation Loss 576 ft. (again some rolling hills)

Key moments:
* Before leg 01, quite nervous, no mood for taking pics nor have pics taken, not sure how this pain on the side of lower left leg would react in the race. This was after cutting miles first time in 10 weeks of base building prior to AM and 10 weeks in AM. That LR at Hilton Head should have been 14, but I did 10. Then skipped a 11 mi tempo in this BRR week. Then, Zen Speed (Biao’s) runner #1 pointed at our shoes, saying we have the same shoes...

* Leg 01, being told by numerous people, WC/Frank/XJ/CT, how they did at this leg, basically 滚下来, how they broke their 5K records at this downhill run. The sun was coming up on my left; a van parked at an opening / some runners were there taking pics; the rest was a blur, but I knew I have been followed, closely, duh, and I could hear their steps, the pounding. I looked back at one point, didn’t see that team Biao’s runner but a guy, quite close, I ran harder after that. The pain was there but didn’t bother me that much. Game on. That guy stopped by to shake hands afterwards; I also chatted Biao’s runner #1… Competition brings out the best of us.

* Leg 06, exchanging with van 2 and waiting for Alex. ZFL aka the goat, started his first ever BRR run with a battle cry.

* Meadowbrooks Inn, a quick nap by the pool on a yoga mat, not completely sure I was asleep or not, but shut-eyes helped. It was so hot, the pool house was like a steam room without steam. Showered before the nap, then showered again after.

* EZ 12, watching YY running up that hill, his first ever BRR run, then that much ridiculed hug. Let me repeat, that pic was taken at the end of a 10 min hug.

* Leg 13, the infamous Blue Ridge Parkway leg, passed 2 guys shortly after, ending up passing total 9 people in this leg; felt long when looking at this leg on Google Street View; felt even longer running it; Frank said there was a high vantage point then all downhill after that. WHAT HIGH VANTAGE POINT?! Every time I felt that was THE POINT, there was yet another hill around the corner… Right lower leg felt tight after a few miles; not happy about my pace, which was far from the model… Passed 2 more guys after getting off Blue Ridge Parkway, then the steep descends. Traffic light turned green just in time, passed 3 more guys in town. I knew exactly where I was going, passing Meadowbrooks Inn front parking lot, running up to yet another hill and crossing another traffic light, that ramp down to the pool at EZ 13 was just ahead. That was when I had the cramp at the right lower leg. I just bent and pushed this numb leg down awkwardly and forced myself moving forward. First time having cramp in a race, although did have one after 2017 BBT half…

* EZ 15, waiting for WC with a guy in the dark. He had a headlamp and I didn’t. We chatted quite some and I shot many people to test my flash settings. 😊

* EZ 17, CT and her unhappy stomach.

* EZ 18, Alex and her fall.

* EZ 24, laid out the sleep bag as fast as I could, then woke up / found the sleeping bag was all wet in dew. There were two group of people talking nearby at 2 AM. I wanted to kill them.

* Leg 25, first time ever in the race, a guy passed me, so I escaladed to pace 7:40 on that hill. He finally “learned” his place and fell back and disappeared after a few more hills.

* EZ 28, waiting for YW, I ran this leg in 2015; they added .5 miles on this already strenuous leg.

* EZ 29, such a scenery leg for CT; WC and I planned the shoot.

* EZ 30, déjà vu from 2014… Alex finished strong. Checked out a sleeping beauty in the mothership of wolves.

* Leg 31, goat watching.

* Asheville, shower at Y, lunch at Red Ginger, strolling some streets, taking pics for team Biao (officially known as Zen Speed), again such a strong pack, 5 ladies, 3 guys 1 van 0 dedicated driver nonstop 30:50; they rock!!! Calling Frank see if he can get YY to wear a hat… YY had a glorious finish at 3 PM. Wolves arrived at 3:30 PM.

P.S. Many thanks to WH – Our veteran driver! And FHL, my nemesis, always with his signature smile, was the only one who beat and met the model for all 3 legs. I failed on all 3. 😄

Leg 01, 9/7, 6:56 AM, 3.96 mi, 6:34 pace, Elevation Gain 70 ft., Elevation Loss 1074 ft. (almost all downhill)

Leg 13, 9/7, 5:12 PM, 9.21 mi, 8:50 pace, Elevation Gain 1075 ft., Elevation Loss 804 ft. (rolling hills and steep descend once near Blowing Rock)

Leg 25, 9/8, 3:26 AM, 4.24 mi, 8:12 pace, Elevation Gain 551 ft., Elevation Loss 576 ft. (again some rolling hills)

me @ leg 01

FHL @ leg 02

WC (our captain) @ leg 15

YW @ leg 04

CT @ leg 29

Alex also @ leg 29 😝