Rest and relax, that is the goal for today.
We are going to stay close in camp, see as much as the Half Marathon course as possible (to get a heads up) and this evening Jason, Cathy and I will be running in the Yellowstone 5K. We are going to an IMAX movie about Yellowstone and will spend the rest of the day “shopping” the town. Jason has been excited for days about the race, this will be his second 5K!
Jason picked up his race number, shirt and water pouch for tonight’s race. The gentleman who gave him the number challenged him! He is ready to rock-n-roll!!
After picking up our numbers at the start line, we went for a walk in downtown West Yellowstone. We came upon a marmot and stood within a few feet of it for a few minutes before continuing on. He seemed to be pretty calm but was ready to dive into his hole in the ground at any time.
Here is the running group, we all completed the run with Jason leading the way. This is Jason’s second 5K, and the first at 6,500 feet!
Jason was getting anxious in the crowd.
Here are a couple of shots of the entire group. Jason managed to shift to the left at the start to give Smokie the Bear a high five!
Ah, the results of the pain . . . We ran for over a mile on rocks and I was worried that one of us would trip but we made it in without injury. Once we crossed he finish line we were eaten alive by mosquitos. Jason was given a pretty good ovation for sprinting the last quarter-mile or so to the finish. The crowd loved him.
Now, early to bed as I have the half marathon tomorrow. We have to be at the start line by 6:15 and the temperatures are expected to fall into the 30s at night during the next few days but we expect it to warm up to the 40s by gun time. Maybe it will keep the mosquitos at bay for a while! Elevation will vary between 6,500 and 7,000+ feet.
I did receive these last-minute notes from the Race Director for tomorrow’s Yellowstone Half Marathon:
“MOSQUITOS! Guys, the mosquitos here are no joke. We will have some bug spray at the start line and at aid stations, but not an infinite supply (which it feels like we need). The race start will be a little chilly in the morning.
WEATHER: The weather looks great, the bison are plentiful, Yellowstone is calling, conditions are perfect. Except for the mosquitos. Good heavens the mosquitoes.
COURSE CONDITIONS: This is a challenging course! The trails have uneven ground, rocky terrain, hills, etc. Be sure to watch your footing. We were out there marking the course today, and aside from the rocks and the mosquitoes there are also a few muddy spots and puddles we want you to have a heads up on. Mile 5-7 is a very tough uphill. Then at mile 8-9 has a fast downhill with a lot of rocks. The scenery is beautiful, but be sure to watch your footing. We see a lot of skinned knees at the finish”.
I am not expecting to set any records, just aiming to finish, uninjured.
Race Day!
The participant count was over 2,000! We arrived at 6:15 with a temperature hovering at 36 degrees. We enjoyed that because the cold kept the mosquitos at bay for most of the run.
We are lining up in the starting chutes for the National Anthem (sung by an acapella group, excellent rendition btw).
After a run through town we entered the forest via the Two Top Loop at mile 3.
There were Forest Service Rangers with binoculars and spotting scopes set up here looking for bears, as it is prime habitat near the Madison River. On the return, there was chatter on their radios about a bear that had to be sprayed to get him/her off of the trail.
After crossing the river we started a multi-mile climb then went through some up and downs, approaching the river a few times. The water was crystal clear and had some pools that were very deep. It was surprising that there were no fishermen there, probably due to the inaccessibility.
Running somewhere near the river . . around the 11 mile mark. I was getting pretty tired and dusty by now!
Jason joined me at the finish.
After the race we met three Navajo who we ran with the day before. They ran the 5K in full regalia but changed into running attire for the longer distance. They are fairly new to running but the gentleman on my left has run Monument Valley.
Post 5K update: Jason got his tattoo today, just like Grandpa. There is not a lot of room on those tiny legs though!
Travelling with the Schinglers 