The E Streeters headed way north of the border this weekend to participate in the 21st Annual Covered Bridges Half Marathon through Woodstock, Pomfret, and Queechee, Vermont!
Arguably, one of the most scenic courses with breathtaking vistas that you can ever run!
Here's the running team, complete with all of our supporters, including Brady, trying desperately to hide behind my legs and avoid the cameras!
Apparently Woodstock is known as Shire Town, and for those Lord of the Rings fan among us - and who isn't - it was an opportunity for us to take in some of the LOTR sights while running through the Shire.
Case in point:
We started the weekend with a plentiful pasta dinner at a ski lodge named, appropriately enough, Suicide Six (which also was the locale for the race start). Here's our version of the Suicide Six, with photographs taken by my beautiful daughter, Heather.
Sadly, as we found out, the area was rocked by Hurricane Irene last year, so that's where food and other donations to the race went to help. In all, we saw at least three signifiicant bridges that were washed away by the rains and floods, not to mention a number of houses that were devastated as well. In fact, at least two of the covered bridges we were supposed to be running across were half gone and under reconstruction!
The two houses above were to the left and right of the house we stayed at in Plymouth, which was thankfully spared the devastation. It's amazing how, if you're not seeing the results of these kind of acts of nature first-hand, you forget how devastating the outcomes really were.
The Fellowship of Cook
Now I know many of you may be concerned that the weekend didn't include at least one feedbag to help keep our malnourished son fed. Well, worry no more. Andrew ate handsomely.
Race morning, the four fools ready for the starting gun, posing, appropriately, before the Suicide Six sign
Tommy and Sean made an early break. Tommy's Wilmington elbows were thankfully nowhere to be found this race day. Someone must have yelled "you shall not pass."
Jackie, Heather, Andrew, Ann, and Brady provided much-need and mucher-appreciated support along the course. Heather did yeoman's work snapping runnings pics early on, near downtown Woodstock. By the time we got to Woodstock.... Never mind, wrong Woodstock.
Don't ask how she did it, just give Jill the award for the best on-course wardrobe change. Here, she tosses some of her garments to the incredible support team
One after another, crossing over the Ottauquechee River, which winds through Woodstock.
Normally, I hate these auto-shots, but it was the only way I could figure out to capture the covered bridge we ran across Chalk the bad photo up to the bad angle. Right.
A good part of the race wound alongside the Ottauquechee River, which means WindingWaters. Inspirational and unforgettable.
Andrew jumped in for a leg of the run to snag some pics and pose for some great shots of his own
Jill was rocking the victory swagger after an outstanding finishing time The Horn of Gondor bellows behind her.
Her hubby was waiting nearby with a victory smooch. I wasn't quick enough to catch it on camera. By the way, Sean's time was phenomenal, hearkening back to his sub-four Boston Marathon days. Truly, the Return of the King.
Jack with her Two Towers
Post-race, medals all around for the four half-marathoners
Before we departed the Green Mountain State, we took two minutes for pics at the Queechee Gorge. Simply gorge-eous. Pay no attention to the giant finger in the frame.
See you all there in 2013!
2 comments:
What great pictures; I love Quechee & Woodstock! Next time I want to join you guys!
It appears that you went "There and Back Again". Awesome place for a race. I haven't been to Vermont in years but those pictures sure made me want to go back (minus the half-marathon of course).
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