My Baby Is Turning Ten

My baby is growing up. The Clinton Lake 30-Mile Trail Race will happen again tomorrow and it'll be the 10th year of this trail ultra. Ten years old! Crazy. It's not easy to start a new race. Lots of planning, tons of approvals, and an amazing number of details to get right. And you have to pray that others will find the race worthy. No race continues without racers. If runners find it pleasing, they'll be back in subsequent years. If not, it's over.

It's awesome to see the Clinton Lake ultra reach its 10th year anniversary. While I will always be the race's "father," it has grown into its own entity and taken on the character of the later race directors that have fostered its development. I'm happy that Mike and Bob took over after me, and now Don and Ellen continue the tradition. Not sure why it takes two race directors to replace me each time, but I'll consider that a compliment! They've kept my baby alive, helped it grow, and given it a positive reputation and character it deserves. Thanks.

Tomorrow I'll volunteer at the race. In the middle of volunteering, I'll run one 10-mile loop of the race course--hopefully chatting with the runners. Do they find it fun? Challenging? Well-organized? I'll remember my first year of race directing here. The finishers, the winners, the DNFs. Good times. Then back to volunetering, race clean-up, and the post-race party. Should be a good day. Happy birthday Clinton Lake! You are now a mature 10-year old. May you see many more happy years.