Mud Pies and Froggy Tales: Barefoot at the Rhody Run 2010

Alright I admit it. I raced a day after a nasty hangover and a night out. Granted I had all of Saturday and Saturday night to recover. It is like doing a race on Saturday then a race on Sunday. Nonetheless, I am very happy I ran in the Rhody run. It is really a fun race! At 12K, or 7.5 miles, it is relatively short. I figured that despite my late night fun in Seattle, it is surely short enough not to matter. I was right.

The course is on paved residential streets in Port Townsend. Many families line the streets offering water, champagne, sprinklers, and other things. Water sprinklers. I had to dodge a few as it was a nice cool morning and I was wearing my barefooting shoes. I don't like to get my barefooting shoes wet. Although they dry fast, I can feel the moisture between my toes, yuck!

My Vibam fivefinger shoes were a big hit on the run. People just couldn't help but ask:

if I like them,
tell me that they like them,
that they are cool,
how often I have run in them?
how they feel?

At one point near the end of the race, I thought, AHHH, stop, I am trying to breathe, I can't answer your questions.

Despite my breathing difficulty, I enjoyed telling people about the shoes.

Yes, I like them, in fact I love them.
Thanks.
Yes, they are cool, thanks.
I have run in them for about 2.5 months, from 1 hour runs to 3 hour runs.
They feel like you are a kid again. They feel great!

The Rhody run course is fast despite several uphill sections. The Rhody run hills really don't compare to trail running hills, so I refuse to complain. The race starts and ends at Fort Worden State Park. The scenery is lovely and the people are friendly. Port Townsend brewery gave every willing runner a free beer post race. How's that for recovery?