In Your Face Steeplechase

It's pretty much impossible to pass on an organized race in its inaugural year when it's less than a mile's walk from your home.  That's pretty much how I ended up doing the Crim's "In Your Face Steeplechase."

The race was on the old Pierce Park golf course, which is usually overgrown, but they cut paths in the long weeds for us to run in.

This is usually how the course looks

The run itself was three one mile loops with hay bails to jump, people heckling you, spectators spraying water and giving out donuts, volunteers handing out pizza, and many other shenanigans.

With the grass still being semi-thick and the ground being so squishy, with the heat, it was actually a pretty tough run for the short distance.  However, it's always easier to run with a friend, especially if they're kinda hot (no, not Jason...)

I was talking about my hot friend the Jalapeño!
Yep, somebody handed these out.

Post race food and drink

Instead of shirts, we got this sweet trucker hat.

In the end, the race wasn't that spectacular, but I can see it growing into a really cool tradition.  If they can get more spectators, and a few more racers, it can be a pretty good party.  In the end I was just happy to have done it, because I was on a former golf course, running to benefit Mott athletics on the birthday of my cousin Zach (June 26th), who was a Mott golfer.  So it was a nice unintended tribute to him.  I'm sure he'd probably think running is stupid, though, and would have wondered why I wasted such a nice golfing day.  Even so, it made me think of him.