From owner-ultra@caligari.Dartmouth.EDU Tue Aug 26 13:15:15 1997 From: Nikki Robinson Date: Tue, 26 Aug 97 15:14:46 -0500 To: ius-l@american.edu, ultra@caligari.dartmouth.edu Subject: Mt. Rushmore100: Pre-race, part 2 Paha Sapa: The Spirit of the Place Calms Me? -------------------------------------------------------------------- "You have noticed that the truth comes into this world with two faces. One is sad with suffering, and the other laughs; but it is the same face, laughing or weeping. When people are already in despair, maybe the laughing is better for them; and when they feel too good and are too sure of being safe, maybe the weeping face is better for them to see." (from "Black Elk Speaks" by John Neihardt) -------------------------------------------------------------------- I had received several information sheets from Larry Simonsen, the RD of the Mount Rushmore 100, on the Thursday evening that I had assisted him marking trail. So on Friday, I did something very clever. I xeroxed reduced copies of the aid stations and mileage, the course instructions, and a schematic map of the Centennial trail. These I covered with a clear, sticky-backed plastic (used to cover shelves or books) and tucked them in my pack. Thus I went to the pre-race meeting on Friday with some advanced knowledge of the course and the race logistics. Good thing. The pre-race meeting was at 6pm at the site of the start of the race, Legion Lake, near Custer, South Dakota. There, most runners learned for the first time, that it would be helpful for them to have a crew -- or one would be assigned to them on an ad-hoc basis. It became obvious from the instructions that aid stations would be rather scantily attended and with only the basic aid. There, most runners learned for the first time, that no specific arrangements had been made for transportation back to their cars at the start after the race (or for their cars to be transported to the 50 or 100 mile finish, 50 or 100 miles away). There, most runners learned for the first time, that there would be several little detours from the Centennial trail. All would be marked with ribbon -- crucial turns being marked with several ribbons and/or orange traffic cones. It was fairly loosey-goosey. Those who had been treated previously to highly organized races stocked with well-experienced volunteers to pamper to a runner's every need and whim might have been a wee bit taken back. Those who had few expectations of the obligations of a race director beyond providing a safe and fair venue were probably ready to strap up the shoes and go. Those of us preparing for a maiden voyage sat there in awe at the process. Wow! I have to get weighed, get my blood pressure checked, and wear a medical wrist band. Neat! Look at the people wearing all those cool ultra shirts. Wowzer! Check out the t-shirt I just got -- Mount Rushmore on the front, course profile on the back. Hmmm! That guy is the RD of the Eagle -- lots of experienced folks here, and they are from all over. Whoa! Do I have to pee, or what? Hey! Paha Sapa -- the spirit of the place calms me? -- ah, no, the spirit of the place unsettles me. Nikki Nikki Robinson Chicago, IL nikki@meena.feinberg.nwu.edu