There are some crazy people out there.
Gorillas, bridesmaid dresses, Smurfs and painted bodies — all at one place.
Oh my?
Oh my is right.
On Saturday, along with three other people, I took part in my first Living History Farms Race held on the grounds at Living History Farms in Clive. I’d been asked to do it for about the past three years, but each year I turned down various people because I thought it was crazy to run seven miles in late November.
Well, I’m obviously crazy enough now.
Running through nine creeks, sliding on slippery dirt paths, shimmying up ropes on hills and maneuvering around 7,500 people — it's just a crazy sight to see, let alone run in.
Part of the fun running in the race Saturday was people watching — you just have no clue what some crazy people are going to wear for costumes.
The hardest thing about running the seven mile race is actually running the race. With the amounts of people and tight paths, it produces a lot of pack running. Throw in creeks and muddy downhills, and you wonder how there isn’t more human bowling going on during the race.
It’s plainly a fun race.
I never thought I would like a race like this — I’ve always run traditional 5Ks, 10Ks or even a half-marathon. These kind of races just never used to appeal to me.
But they do now.
You’re just not going to get a blistering time, unless you’re up front. We started in the middle of the pack and probably stayed in the middle of the pack for the entire race.
Sean McVeigh of Newton was the top area finisher with a time of 47 minutes, 42 seconds after finishing 113th in the entire field. Robyn Friedman of Lambs Grove was the top female finisher with a time of 49:30, which was good enough for third overall by the female group and best in her age division.
There were a total of 6,670 runners who completed the race (see area results below). I came in with 1:15.11 for my time, which coming in with a bruised leg and twisted ankle, I can’t complain.
Even coming out with injuries, it’s definitely a race I want to do again.
I don’t care if I’m a little gimpy right now. I don’t care that I woke up at 5 a.m. because I was nervous and needed to eat. I really wouldn’t have cared if it was snowing, either.
I really am crazy enough to do these kinds of races.
Living History Farms Race
Saturday
Men’s Results
113. Sean McVeigh, Newton, 47:42; 308. Matt Scotton, Newton, 53:57; 496. Dennis Cooling, Kellogg, 58:38; 732. Nathan Poage, Collins, 1:13.00; 819. Randy Wadle, Newton, 1:04.25; 893. Mike Bird, Newton, 1:05.39; 1014. Jim Matthews, Baxter, 1:07.34; 1123. Trevor Meers, Mingo, 1:09.33; 1171. Andy Smith, Colfax, 1:10.17; 1276. Jordon Overton, Maxwell, 1:12.02; 1351. Tracy Cross, Newton, 1:13.15; 1369. Kris Kregs, Maxwell, 1:13.29; 1393. John McConeghey, Newton, 1:13.44; 1490. Ben Frotscher, Newton, 1:15.11; 1604. Nathan Unsworth, Newton, 1:17.01; 1619. John Deutsch, Newton, 1:17.14; 1670. Cory Kunze, Mingo, 1:18.02; 1687. Aaron Peter, 1:18.25; 1692. Quinn Hanson-Pollock, Mingo, 1:18.27; 1696. Dakota Springer, Prairie City, 1:18.30; 1902. Brendan Lamont, Newton, 1:22.04; 2038. Derek Morrison, Collins, 1:25.05; 2039. Thomas Howell, Baxter, 1:25.07; 2106. Marlin Keller, Newton, 1:26.41; 2183. Bradley Stalzer, Newton, 1:27.51; 2305. Steve Hostetter, Colfax, 1:30.36; 2546. Michael Brown, Maxwell, 1:35.51; 2704. Aaron Monroe, Newton, 1:40.23; 2730. Wes Breckenridge, Newton, 1:41.07; 2731. Jeff Burnett, Newton, 1:41.07; 2749. Nathan Roberts, Newton, 1:41.29; 2800. Joe Kolpin, Ira, 1:42.23; 2913. Ken Miller, Maxwell, 1:45.34; 3116. Logan Gilman, Monroe, 1:51.39; 3018. Mike Head, Monroe, 1:48.57; 3043. Shane Ort, Prairie City, 1:49.49; 3137. Darin Zahn, Colfax, 1:52.44; 3181. Chad Nicoli, Newton, 1:54.56; 3196. Calvin Miller, Colfax, 1:55.44; 3283. John Keitges, Prairie City, 1:59.36.
Women’s Results
3. Robyn Friedman, Lambs Grove, 49:30; 203. Jane Wickman, Kellogg, 1:06.57; 335. Beverly Williams, Prairie City, 1:11.46; 389. Rachel Tomas, Newton, 1:13.36; 596. Jacque Kuecker, Prairie City, 1:19.12; 838. Jessica Christopher, Newton, 1:24.44; 1273. Mindy Six, Newton, 1:33.45; 1342. Katelyn Findlay, Collins, 1:34.48; 1355. Phyllis Peter, Prairie City, 1:34.53; 1410. Shannon Henkenius, Monroe, 1:35.33; 1496. Katie Bauer, Newton, 1:37.35; 1497. Emily Allen, Newton, 1:37.35; 1531. Mindy Benson, Newton, 1:38.12; 1532. Shawna Stevenson, Kellogg, 1:38.12; 1569. Deanne Herr, Newton, 1:38.53; 1597. Jennifer Herr, Newton, 1:39.34; 1598. Kati Herr, Newton, 1:39.34; 11622. Malinda Hostetter, Colfax, 1:39.50; 623. Londa Schnell, Sully, 1:39.53; 1653. Rachel Monroe, Newton, 1:40.23; 1667. Mariah Doland, Newton, 1:40.44; 1685. Josena Wadle, Newton, 1:41.07; 1687. Jane Burnett, Newton, 1:41.08; 1690. Tara Roberts, Newton, 1:41.08; 1817. Darci Fuller, Newton, 1:43.24; 1963. Kalie Briggs, Maxwell, 1:45.34; 2147. Belen Kappelmann, Monroe, 1:49.05; 2261. Tami Cross, Colfax, 1:51.20; 2291. Shirley Gilman, Monroe, 1:51.55; 2497. Teri Meers, Mingo, 1:57.19; 2595. Alisa Buchli, Newton, 1:58.52; 2635. Julie Liebe, Prairie City, 1:59.26; 2642. Cami Seals, Newton, 1:59.30; 2647. Millie Keitges, Prairie City, 1:59.36; 2689. Anne Wasson, Colfax, 2:00.45; 2690. Elizabeth Pyle, Baxter, 2:00.45; 2722. Dawn Atwood, Colfax, 2:01.25; 2826. Betzy Clayton, Newton, 2:05.11; 2866. Lori McNew, Newton, 2:05.59; 2951. Chelsey McNew, Newton, 2:10.14; 2952. Leslie McNew, Newton, 2:10.15; 2961. Jessica Gumm, Monroe, 2:10.23; 2975. Shelly Moore, Newton, 2:10.49; 2978. Natasha Lee, Maxwell, 2:10.55; 3032. Halie Doland, Newton, 2:12.43; 3039. Michelle Doland, Newton, 2:12.56; 3041. Amy Hansen, Newton, 2:12.56; 3089. Debra Blair, Newton, 2:15.11; 3090. Jaime Blair, Newton, 2:15.11; 3092. Paula Thompson, Newton, 2:15.15.