17 December 2012

Jingle Bell Hell ... official recap of the 5th running!




The official, in-person running of Jingle Bell Hell 2012 happened on Saturday, December 15 starting at approximately 8:30 a.m. 


It was not raining. But it was cold...


Knowing that I was not likely to endure the same solo-running hell as last year (because this year I had confirmed entrants!), I had prepped for my own personal hell with soup...3 quarts of vegetable soup. You see, I've been dealing with regularity issues. My doctor assured me that this mass ingestion of soup would remedy my sluggishness. By this point, I welcomed any movement. If it needed to happen 3 miles out on the trail, so be it. Since nothing happened before I left the house, I brought tissues.


I picked up donuts on the way to the race. I was very optimistic regarding the potential turnout and got a dozen. They looked and smelled really good. I was wishing gluten was part of my diet...but it's not. So I just looked and smelled.

Halfway to the start, I was texted... "On my way!" by one person. Followed by "We're here!" from another. Yay! At least three people were going to join me! Three OFFICIAL people...and who knew how many innocent bystanders I could coerce into joining us?

I was greeted in the parking lot by...

RUNNERS!!!!
me (craayyyzeeee excited), SF Road Warrior, Jen, and Gypsy Runner

Runners wearing holiday sox!

Jen let me know that she was unable to run. She was feeling sick. I mentioned my personal situation and how awesomely hellish our togetherness could be, that I had a whole packet of tissues we could share, and told her we could go slow. She still didn't like the sound of this special brand of hell.  She and her man drove away :(

...but not too sick for donuts ;-)

The Road Warrior and I stood around for a few minutes. I knew we had another runner on the way. And I knew that getting her lazy ass out of bed before 10 on a weekend was her idea of hell...so we cut her some punctuality slack.

Finally, RoseRunner showed up, ate a donut and we were ready to get the show on the road...

Less than a tenth of a mile into it, I had to pee. And that is where my laughing started. I had a ginormous soup baby sitting on my bladder. I pretty much peed the whole time we were running. Don't be grossed out...have pity. It was funny not gross.

SERPENTINE!!!!

We ran slowly. RoseRunner's hell...slow and early. But slow was necessary because of my hell. Do you know what it's like to run with 3 quarts of f*cking vegetable soup in your gut? It is hell. The Road Warrior's hell had something to do with an injured foot and a strict directive from God her doctor to not run for several weeks to allow it to heal. She and I turned around at the 2.5 mark to stave off the hell of a painful foot while RoseRunner continued on. 

This was our secret ploy.

We assured RR that we would run slowly...that she would FOR SURE finish first. She had her eye on the awesome perpetual trophy and all the accompanying glory...and she wanted first pick of the Little Debbies.

Not only were we able to beat her back to the parking lot, but we even had the time to have an awards ceremony...Road Warrior won, and she chose the Little Debbie powdered donuts.


And got her name inscribed in ballpoint pen on masking tape on the bottom of the trophy
...for time immemorial!!!!!

Realizing that we had excess donuts, we walked around the parking lot offering them to strangers. Some people were kind of skeeved by this. Random sweaty women offering you donuts in a parking lot? Why is that weird?

After finding homes for three donuts, we headed back to the finish area, handed out some more donuts to fancy dog-walking ladies, and then...

Heeeeere she comes!!!!

Sorry, RR...you are the big loser today...
no trophy for you...
not this time.
And...

you get the reject waxy chocolate-y coating donuts.

Ha ha.

...and there she goes!!!!

I don't think she liked being taunted :(

Just kidding. She was a really good sport about it.

Right about this time, we saw two muddy guys emerge from a muddy trail. They looked hungry.

Hey! Donuts? I hollered.

They laughed. Then one of them saw the pretty pink box and stopped.

For real? he asked.

I ran over with the opened box. Take my donuts, pleeeeeeease.

He joyously selected the chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles while smilingly announcing, We still have another 5 miles to go!

His buddy looked kind of incredulous, declined a donut of his own, probably thinking, Yeah, dude... how do you think that choco-grease-bomb is going to be feeling in a few minutes?

When us three JBH2012 participants reconvened in the parking lot, it was decided that this is THE event to choose as your mid-December race.

Yes, this photo was staged.

Here's what makes this event a winner:

  • You can't beat the company ;-) 
  • It's FREE. 
  • It comes with FREE DONUTS. 
  • And cute little coca-cola bottles with festive pictures of Santa on them. 
  • Or kombucha, if you're so inclined.
  • As well as Mother's Circus Animals. If the Race Director keeps those cookies in the fueling mix, I'll bet we see Janae next year. 
  • the trophy...name inscribed forEVER. Lasting fame. Part of a legend. Can't beat that ;-)

Maybe next year I'll make some shirts.

Who is this crazy woman? 



33 comments:

  1. you crack me. you failed to tell me you peed yourself half the time. reminds me of stories in the van and the fear of giving birth. :) glad yall had fun! and thx for organizing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had to leave some of the story a surprise!

      Delete
  2. lol! Sounds like a lot of fun! And my 3 of my favorite bloggers - you, SF Road Warrior and Roserunner!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awwww...thanks! How awesome to be counted among your faves! Next year you need to come up :)

      Delete
  3. CURSE!! And to learn that SFRW took the powdered donuts....I'll be back next year with a vengeance!

    In serious news:

    that was the best run EVER. Kombucha and circus animals and donuts are the ultimate way to finish a run. BTW, adding that loop we usually do on at the end was a mistake....very very muddy. I walked and slid most of it. Mmmm donuts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a feeling that loop would not be pretty. Those guys looked pretty dirty and defeated when I offered them donuts. Vengeance! ARRRRRGHHHH!!!!

      Delete
  4. OK, I can't believe I'm going to ask this....but did the vegetable soup....work????

    That looks very fun. I did a solo 45 minutes while you ladies were eating donuts, but there was nothing particularly special about it. Not heaven, but not hell either.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loved that you had company this year. Glad the fueling was a hit (even for the strangers). Congrats to all who participated! LMAO "Soup baby"!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have a great hellish story to tell about my JBH "race".

    I'm not sure yours qualifies...it looks fun...well, except for peeing the whole way, something I'm not sure people without a few kids would understand but I sadly do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, I know...mine was too fun to really be hell...unless you count the 40 pounds of soup sloshing and glogging in my belly. I am so sorry about your hip. You know I know hips :( Hope it gets well soon!

      Delete
  7. Do please note that these are the only circumstances under which I will *ever* beat the magnificent RoseRunner at any distance. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the waxy chocolate donuts. Any leftovers can be sent to me!! :) This post had me laughing the whole way through, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Girl, you could have won some of your very own! All you have to do is submit to the indignity of doing a JBH recap...and the world is your waxy chocolate donut :)

      Delete
  9. I'll also add that I never tire of seeing anyone wear Stanford gear =)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Looks fun, I mean hellish :-).

    I ran JBH Sunday and enjoyed the virtual donut you sent :-).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dude...where's your write-up? Last year you were the lone guy...this year I think Patrick is the lone guy. I think he was hoping to go head to head with you.

      Delete
  11. HOW DID I MISS OUT ON THIS!! Free, donuts, free and donuts?!?! I WILL be there next year no matter what. Um... I need to see you soon! I wish sweaty women offered me donuts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I will come visit you...I will bring donuts...I might be sweaty ;-)

      Delete
  12. Looks like fun, although I was wondering what you were thinking with all the soup...hope it worked...LOL.

    Now that I see what your "cold" was...I don't feel too bad about complaining about my cold...haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMG...the soup...my doctor said "Soup!" I said, "You're kidding, right?" She said, "SOUP!!!!"

      Ummmm....okay?

      It didn't work :(

      Delete
  13. Next year I'm hauling my ass out to join you guys! I can't wait for the hell!

    My Jingle Bell Hell run was on Friday when I endured a bloody nose for a half hour on a run. Not just a drip here and there - oh no! Full blot clots and constant drainage. That was special!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Get out here! I will have tissues in case your nose bleeds again!

      Delete
  14. Ohh my gosh. I love this!! I was cracking up this whole report. This is such a great tradition you have!

    ReplyDelete
  15. T-shirts next year? Maybe that will get my tush up there. Third year lucky!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ah, so sad that I didn't run this, but I think it was for the best. It would've been *beyond* hellish for me. It was so great to finally meet you!! Definitely count the Gypsy Runner and me in for next year's JBH! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. It looks like you guys had fun; sorry I missed the "real" race! I ran my virtual race on Saturday and had fun, although running in general has been hellish lately!

    ReplyDelete
  18. hahahaha this was the greatest recap ever!!!!! wish I had heard about it sooner. I NEED to meet you. I feel like I'm you in a few years ;)

    I love that the people took the donuts. I bet that one guy regretted his decision to pass ;)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I can't believe people turned down donuts. I mean... you were sweaty, but I'm pretty sure you looked like runners who had too many donuts, NOT psychos trying to poison local park-goers.

    Oh well.
    Their loss!

    I thoroughly enjoyed the race recap. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. What's Going down i'm new to this, I stumbled uρon this I
    have fοund It positively helpful and it haѕ aiԁed me out loads.
    Ӏ'm hoping to give a contribution & assist other users like its aided me. Good job.

    my webpage: utility truck

    ReplyDelete

we *heart* comments!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...