Another Great Day at Black Moshannon

How can you not like baby geese?

After spending most of last week with my head buried in books, notes, and scientific journal publications, I decided I needed to unwind a bit this morning.  Last night as I was browsing through the local running club's page, I noticed that there was a 10k up at Black Moshannon today.  Naturally, I decided it was also a perfect day to dust of the kayak.  Funny, it was the same weekend last year that I dusted it off.

I've found that I've been having some fun again playing around in local 5 and 10k races.  Last weekend I ran a brutal 5k around the base of Mt. Nittany and finished in 6th place.  Even though my ideal race is anything 50 miles and longer, and I still feel that variety is, as they say, the spice of life.  I like to keep things interesting, and to always "mix it up".  Plus I figure a little speed work is always a good idea.  So naturally,

I thought, why not make the morning into my own little triathlon.....

This morning, I headed up to Black Moshannon Park, with the ol' boat on top.  I arrived 2 hours before the race, registered, and then promptly went out on a 10.5 mile trail run around the lake on the Moss-Hanne Trail.  It was a delightfully muddy disaster.  Lots of fun, lots of croaking frogs, lots of spider-webs, lots of laughing.  (So marked event 1 of my so-called triathlon).

Arriving back at my car at 9:45, I had 15 minutes to get ready for the start of the 10k race.  I pinned on my bib, swigged a liter of water, and jogged over to the start just as the announcer was giving last minute instructions.  The race was mostly flat with some rolling hills and I ran fast...but not too fast.  I made sure it hurt a little, but not so much that I wasn't able to keep a smile on.   Of course running almost 11 miles before the race probably slowed me down a tad.  I finished in 11th place, but first in my age group....*gulp*....35-39.   Still not used to saying that.  I was surprised at how much energy I had at the end.  I ended up sprinting past 5 runners in the last few tenths. (and so marked event 2 of my so-called triathlon).

After a nice cool off, I decided it was time to take out the kayak.  I hoisted her into the water and spent about an hour paddling around all the nooks and crannies of the "lake".  I don't know what it is about kayaking on open water, but no matter how crappy I feel, or how stressed out I am, it always brings me a wonderful sense of calm.  Well...at least until the thunder clouds start to roll in.  I had such a relaxing tour out in the boat and when I finally did pull myself back up on land, I turned around and saw a family of geese.  What a great way to end the morning.  Now...it's raining buckets outside and I'm about to go bury my head back in the books, but for now, I am grateful to have had such a fun, energetic, and yet somehow calming morning.

My own little triathlon.