Mud n Blood

Just returned from a very entertaining cross country race called the Mud n Blood out at Shevlin Park. Kudos to Muffy Roy and Summit XC for hosting a great event. There were actually five events and with each, the women started 31/2 minutes ahead of the men. The results go by however you cross the finish line. It started with an open event that SuperDave and I both participated in. Next were the Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and finally, Seniors. The course was great with a couple water crossings, a log jump, and a really steep, short climb/scramble. It was fun to run but certainly better to watch all the high schoolers. They really give it everything. I watched dozens of them take an un-intentional crash in Tumalo Creek while pushing it throught the last crossing and to the finish line. A mini amphitheatre formed and filled with parents and students on the West side of the creek to watch the show.

The run had a little nostalgia because this is basically the old Shevlin Scramble course that Tate Metcalf and I started and put on for about 5 years. I was responsible for encouraging others to run it and pretty jazzed to get out there and experience it myself. Tate moved to Sisters and I kept it going for another year before Parks and Rec took it over for a year. After that, Jon Meier gave it a few more years. Now, Muffy and all those volunteers have turned it into something with more life than it ever had. Great to see. The sad news is that Parks and Rec plans to cut all events at Shevlin next year so be sure to speak up if you have an opinion. Cheers-Teague