The Tartan Terrible is a goofy, cross-country, almost-steeplechase 4-mile race held in 3M’s Tartan Park. I love it and run it every year. It includes mowed grass, paved trail, gravel road, rough trail, steep little hills, and even calf-deep water. Runners are advised in advance to wear old shoes. It’s always on a warm Wednesday evening, and this year the temperature was 72, perfect for spectators and good enough for runners, all of whom enjoyed peanuts and cold watermelon afterward.
The course is not measured, but is probably about 4.3 miles. This year I needed 43:03 to finish, a half minute more than last year, but last year I hadn’t first run 18 miles earlier that same day. Ten-minute miles, it’s a good enough pace and I had an enjoyable run.
Now, though, it’s the next morning and I’m feeling a little bit of a groin pull on the right side. I sure hope that’s all it is. Anyway I’m already up to 33 miles this week, so no more running until Saturday, longer if the groin pull doesn’t go away.
Yours truly cruising toward the finish:
I stopped doing that race 20 years ago, when they "fixed" it. Some guy would always blaze into the lead and then have to stop and wait for someone who knew the course to say which way to go. Then they started letting kids under 4 feet tall run around the water - it just wasn't the same.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean - my sweeties don't do it anymore because they fell off the back of the pack and then got lost.
ReplyDeleteBut this year the course was well marked, with signs and lots of red paint on the grass.
What they DIDN'T have was lots of runners. Smaller than usual turnout I think.
Well that is a race that I have never heard of. It sounds like a hoot! Congrats on your great finish. I will have to keep that race in mind for next year. It sounds like it would be fun to do or to spectate.
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