Race Report: Bridle Trails

Every year Bridle Trails is one of my favorite trail races in the Seattle area.  This year was no different - but this year the race turned into an all out mud run!  Bridle Trails starts at 3pm which is pretty late for a race, especially considering it gets dark here about 4:30 or 5pm.  The day of the race I decided to drop from the 10mi down to the 5mi - a week of both boys being sick and me trying to fight off whatever they had + rain + wind didn't make a compelling case for 10mi. 

Where the race started, there were a handful of tents popped up filled with runners huddled near space warmers trying to fend off the cold.  Because it was SO windy, the race was almost called off - in fact, the park ranger "left it up to the race director" as to if he wanted to continue or not.  Imagine carrying that burden!  We waited out the wind, and then the race started at 3:20pm with all waves starting together. 

The race started by going directly through a deep puddle and continued through puddles the entire way.  The pack spread out after about the first mile which was nice - the solace of running  through swampy trees and forest felt terrific.  The course wove through the trees and then popped out next to a little barn which was covered in Christmas lights - awesome. 

I placed 10th overall (out of 70) and 2nd woman with a pace of 7:21 per mile.  All in, good times!