~62 mi @ ~18 min/mi

Thank you, Dr Mary!

Dedication

Adventure? "I'm in!" What else could a dear friend say? In Mary's case, "Yes, and I'll crew for you!" How could anyone turn down such an awesome gift?

Prelude

Roadkill's latest ultramarathon begins with a text-chat:

            "What do you want for your birthday, Mary?"
            "For you to come visit me again!"

And with that begins a search for trail runs, marathons, ultras, or other "cover for action" to motivate a journey to New Hampshire. The Vermont 100 adventure of July was so much fun together, even with a DNF (Did Not Finish) at mile 30. "Fail. Fail again. Fail better."? — sounds like a plan!

Yes, and Mary crewed for Roadkill there too!

Fugue

The Ghost Train Trail Race on 20-21 October 2018 is within an hour's drive of Andy & Mary's new home in New Hampshire. It's an out-and-back along a rail-trail, inexpensive, and all entry fees go toward the noble cause of trail conservation. The event's spirit is ultra-low-key. Officially, one cannot DNF ("Did Not Finish") — since the Race Director says that whenever you decide to stop, that's your event distance! What's not to like?

"Repulse Monkey, Return to Mountain" — a Taiji pose at mile 15 — photo by Mary.

Snag, as there always is: the Ghost Train ultra is full, and Roadkill joins the Waitlist with ~150 people ahead of him. Odds seem ultra-long against getting in. Hmmmmm ... maybe next year?

Surprise: a week before the event a message —"Congratulations - you have been selected ..." — arrives from the race organizers! Apparently the Waitlist was populated by ghosts?

Scramble: Coordinate with Mary, who instantly volunteers to crew and support, pick up and drop off, host and drive. Confirm with DW/Paulette and the office that nothing fatal will happen during a brief absence. Check train and airline schedules. Make reservations. Pack suitcase full of running gear.

Spirit: As soon as we arrive at the starting line, Mary and Roadkill know that the Ghost Train will be fun. Take Darryl Hamel's outfit ... please!

The Ghost Train course passes by a big rock. Two kids sit on top of it, blowing a wooden train-whistle. Congenitally hyperoptimistic-hypomanic Roadkill begins to sing, with thanks to Yusuf Islam aka "Cat Stevens":

Now I've been happy lately
Thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be
Something good has begun
Oh, I've been smiling lately
Dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be
Someday it's going to come
'Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a Peace Train
Oh, Peace Train take this country
Come take me home again ...

Yes, and so many other wonderful Ghost Train memories!
  * "Orange is transformative!" and "Orange you glad you came?"
  * Joke:
      Son says, "Dad, are we pyromaniacs?"
      Dad replies, "Yes, we are, Son!"
  * New friends Tiffany Fischer and Astrid Hoyt and so many more ...
  * Oreos and Cheetos
  * Sharing naughty jokes in the woods
  * Ghosts marking the course turns
  * Pumpkins carved in diverse patterns, with scented candles
  * Big yellow "K "at the 100 kilometer turn around marker
  * Runner, 7 weeks pregnant, names her baby "Blueberry" for its size!

Roadkill suggests to the RD that next year's Ghost Train theme song should be the classic Beastie Boys piece, slightly modified to read "No Sleep till Brookline!"</td></tr></table>

Split Data

Envoi

Thank you, Dr Mary!

_{(trackfile + trackfile) - ^z - 2018-11-07}