I'm yet to complete an ultra, but i've done a few 25k trail races that had 50k participants.
Anyways, I'm in the south and my first race was in torrential downpour. I woke up that morning expecting the RD to email and cancel but that didn't happen. Everyone was at the starting line laughing and not paying any mind to the fact we were all soaking wet. They had mentioned that parts of the trail had flooded but there was no flowing water so it would be save to traverse. 3.5 miles into the race we came to a ditch that was flooded. Luckily there was a bridge that crossed it... but the bridge was underwater. Knowing there was a 8 foot drop on each side I was sure to feel with my feet, trying to stay on the bridge on my way across.
At 7 miles we came to the next ditch except this one didn't have a bridge. We could see the trail markings so we knew where the trail picked up across the water. I waded it out... to my knees....to my hips.... to my chest. My feet were off the ground. We are now swimming across.
My first trail race and I had to swim for about 20 yards. I didn't expect that AT ALL. But it was the most fun I'd had and I knew I was hooked at that point.
2 months later and I'm driving to my next race in the pouring rain. It happened again! Minus the swimming this time.
Honestly I loved running in the rain and it gave me a new appreciation of what I'm capable of. A little weather doesn't stop me now.
Anyways, I'm in the south and my first race was in torrential downpour. I woke up that morning expecting the RD to email and cancel but that didn't happen. Everyone was at the starting line laughing and not paying any mind to the fact we were all soaking wet. They had mentioned that parts of the trail had flooded but there was no flowing water so it would be save to traverse. 3.5 miles into the race we came to a ditch that was flooded. Luckily there was a bridge that crossed it... but the bridge was underwater. Knowing there was a 8 foot drop on each side I was sure to feel with my feet, trying to stay on the bridge on my way across.
At 7 miles we came to the next ditch except this one didn't have a bridge. We could see the trail markings so we knew where the trail picked up across the water. I waded it out... to my knees....to my hips.... to my chest. My feet were off the ground. We are now swimming across.
My first trail race and I had to swim for about 20 yards. I didn't expect that AT ALL. But it was the most fun I'd had and I knew I was hooked at that point.
2 months later and I'm driving to my next race in the pouring rain. It happened again! Minus the swimming this time.
Honestly I loved running in the rain and it gave me a new appreciation of what I'm capable of. A little weather doesn't stop me now.