2014 S-No-W Fun Run Recap

Hard to believe I'm already writing my first race recap of 2014!  Back when the Wurst Running Club Ever was formed this summer, Erin mentioned a race that would be right up our alley: the S-No-W Fun Run up in Lake Geneva.  That's right, Wisconsin in January.  Just about everyone I've talked to about this race lately has thought it was a little crazy to want to run 5 miles outside in this weather, but when we were originally talking about this race, it was probably 80 or 90 degrees and crazy humid here in Chicago.  So basically, weather that I hate running in.  So what's not to love about the idea of running out in the cold, with pretty, snow-covered scenery?  On top of that, the race comes with its own after-party which includes shots at the finish line, free-flowing Wisconsin beer, brats, hamburgers, and a pretty serious dance contest. So I was sold on this idea pretty much immediately.  As was the rest of the WRCE, so we had our first-ever club road trip!

With Rachel, Erin, Kelly & Mo

The race takes place at the Grand Geneva, a ridiculously huge resort...I guess I'd call it a compound?  Seriously, this place probably has its own zip code.  Anyway, the race started at 2:30pm (so no crazy early wake-up needed!), so Mo and I arrived at the lodge at around 1:30.  Bib pick-up was pretty quick and easy, as was getting our wristbands for the after-party.  We soon bumped into Rachel and eventually Kelly and Erin, and basically hung around chatting until it was time to make the long trek from the ballroom to the race start line.

Toads S-No-Wy

So remember when I said this resort is huge?  I think it took us like 10 minutes just to walk through the lodge toward the race start. So call that a warm-up.  Mo started up front with some other friends of hers, and the rest of us headed toward the back to line up.  We bumped into Maggie and Pete while we were waiting, so the whole gang was there.

WRCE, assemble!

After making plans to meet up by the creepy Santa statue outside of the ballroom should we get separated, we were off!  The 6 of us started together, but soon it was just me and Rachel.  I told Rachel she could go on without me, after all, I did have a brand new race playlist that Bob put together for me, so I could entertain myself.  But since no one actually cared about race times, she stuck with me.  And once conditions got pretty difficult about a mile and a half in, I was really glad to not be running by myself.

When Erin was telling me about this race over the summer, she mentioned that there's one really steep hill at the end.  And there definitely is, but I didn't think to ask if the rest of the course was flat.  It wasn't (though Rachel points out that this wasn't that hilly if you don't live somewhere super flat like Chicago).  Hills would have been a fun challenge in and of themselves, but the entire course was covered with snow and slush, which is something I wasn't expecting.  I mean the resort knew there was a race, surely they could clear at least some of the course, right?  No, wrong.  But good news, the roads were clear as we were leaving the compound this morning.  Sigh.  One thing that is annoying is how many of my race recaps have statements along the lines of "My time could have been better if not for [insert difficult race day condition here]."  But I'm not going to say that here.  Going into the race, I knew my time wouldn't be good.  Even before I found out about the snow, slush and the hills.  Or without knowing how absolutely awful it would be to have snow blowing right in my face for a good mile or so of the run.  Or how frozen my legs would feel by the last mile. This was a fun run with way more emphasis on hanging out with my Wurst friends ever at the after-party, so I really, honestly had no time goals or expectations at all.

So here's what I'll say about the run itself:  It was really fun to run with Rachel!  Although we chat via our blogs occasionally, we really didn't get to know each other very well until this run, so that was awesome. Running in the snow was fun, until it wasn't, but I now have a snowy, hilly race under my belt and I can add Wisconsin to the growing list of states I've run in (the count is now at 9!).  And knowing how hard I had to work to put in 5 miles on aforementioned snowy, hilly trail makes me feel good about being able to run a decent 8k back here in Chicago in the spring.

But enough about that pesky running business.  The race after-party was a ton of fun!  We ate, we drank, we danced, hot-tubbed, swam, played Cards Against Humanity and had all kinds of shenanigans.  Thankfully a lot of that went undocumented, but a really fantastic time was had by all.  Here's a few shots that are blog-appropriate.  Kind of.

Pete and his harem of sausage-loving ladies

Beer, beer, beer, beautiful beer

I wish I could share Pete's signature dance move (the new WRCE secret handshake - oh noes, I've said too much!). This will have to do instead.

Erin, the Sausage Dancing Queen