Running With Lori: Bear Lake Monster

On Saturday, Sept 1st, Jim and I volunteered at the Bear Lake Monster Half, 10k, & 5k. This would be my first time volunteering at an aid station. I was really looking forward to being on the other side.

We were supposed to be to the starting area by 8:00 to pick up our assignment. The last email that I received stated that I would be at aid station #1 (which was also the last aid station) and 2 other people would be at the start/finish line. I was thinking to myself, "Just me at aid station #1?" The email stated that they figured that 1 person could handle this station. "Have they ever ran a race? Duh, you need more than 1 person at an aid station!" So I talked my sweet hubby into helping me out with this.

Our view from the start!

The night before the race, it rained. I mean cat and jammer kid kind of rain! I wondered if I would be sporting the "green GLAD" look! We left our home about 6:50 a.m. and drove through Logan Canyon in the RAIN! I wondered if the rain would tempt some of the participants to not show up.

We arrived at Harbor Village, and checked in to get our assignment. The event staff had already dropped off the water, powerade, and table at our station. We just needed to go set up. I grabbed 200 cups, our volunteer t-shirts, a box of GU, and then we headed out to find our aid station. My friend Tawnya was assigned to this station too! I am glad that the event directors realized that we needed more than 1 or 2 people out there.

We arrived and started mixing up the powerade. We were told to have at least 40 cups filled at all times. We tried, and tried to open up the table. OMH, you would think we were table disabled! Took up forever to figure it out!

me & Susette (RA buddy)

The half marathoners were the first to arrive. I knew a few people that were running this. Jill, Isela, Adriane, Josh, and Tansy were all doing the half. Charlotte was doing the 10k. It was fun to see them, and be there to support them. To my surprise, here comes a blonde and it was my new friend Susette! She is a member of a facebook group that I belong to, Runner's Anonymous. I met her for the first time at the TOU Half. It was an unexpected joy to see her again!

Jill & Lori

Charlotte

The 10k people were next. I did not know that Charlotte was running this until she ran past us. Then the 5k people came through.

Sometime between the 10k and 5k people, this Dad and his daughter came through. He was wearing a button up shirt, dress shorts, black socks, and kind of a nicer dress shoe! What is he thinking! Tawnya, Jim, and I all figured that maybe he was doing the 10k, but probably the 5k. Well guess what? He did the HALF!! And when he came through our station the last time, he still had a smile on his face. He was super thirsty though! He and his daughter were not the last! After these two passed us, we called to see if they were the last on the course and we were told no. There was one more runner out there. She had injured her knee out on the course and was walking back. She wanted to finish. We were instructed that we could just set some water and powerade up for her and leave the station, but Tawnya and I are runners, and we were not about to leave one of our own out there to come into an unmanned aid station!

We waited. And waited. And waited. A man walked passed us, going the wrong way. We figured he was just out for a walk. Then about 15 minutes later, we see this man's had through the trees. It was her husband. He had gone out to find his wife and walk her in! What a sweetheart! When she arrived at our station, we chatted for a few minutes, and she thanked us with a big smile on her face, for staying until she got to the last aid station.

Isela took 2nd place in the female division. This was a tough course. Many a runner came through and said, "What the Hell was I thinking?" It was mostly a trail run. Up, Up, and more Up. As a runner, when I come into an aid station, I get what I need and quickly get on my way. Today, 90% of these athletes stopped and drank their drinks, filled up their water bottles, just took a breather and caught their breath.