The Living History Farms Off-Road Race is one of the most unique events in the region.  Its blend of a no-frills feel with a course of indeterminate length over widely ranging terrain (everything from farm roads to corn fields to knee deep creek crossings to treacherous leaf covered trails) and throw in a hearty post-race spread with solid competition in a format of straight up racing and you have the elements for a great race.  This doesn’t even mention the unpredictable weather and the costumed masses.  There are a few feelings that I have come to associate with the 7ish miles in Clive, Iowa (ahh yes, a list.  The low hanging fruit of blogs all over the Web):

• dry socks after you get done
• hot shower when you can find it
• beef stew as soon as you can get to the tents
• satisfaction of earning crockery awards
• running with a bunch of your good friends

That last one has been new for me in recent years.  Not sure how long I have been racing LHF.  Seems my first was in ’06, maybe ’05.  While I have had a number years as a solo racer, my best memories are synced on racing with a team.

Having missed my opportunity to run in college, any race that offers a team aspect intrigues me. Team Nebraska for a few years and then the most recent editions with LRC-Racing.  But each time we come around to signing up, it has been a struggle to find people to do it.  Andrew and I have scrapped together the necessary three or four and we have done well.  A number of top 4 open teams, even as we get older.

But this year was a great year for our team.  The seven guys you see up top.  Another nine on the masters side.  A top 10 placer.  Numerous age group awards.  Seven more in the top 25.  Probably the best part was the overall team win for both open and masters.  I cannot tell you how much fun it is to race for, and with, a team.  It brings so much more to the racing than you get lacing up as an individual.  With fond memories of high school cross country and the current ethic I try to instill in the teams I work with these days, the accountability and pressure of a team score adds an element to the race.  Pushing for something bigger than yourself is an incredible source of motivation.  Part of me understands the boost that people who run for charities get.  It just doesn’t happen that often for me.  What makes it better is that each one of those guys are people I have spent dawn patrols miles next to, or travelled to other races, or are just simply good people I enjoy spending time with.  They are what I think of when I think of “team”.

Once you leave college, it seems, the world of the runner is back to one based on the individual.  On rare occasions, I get glimpses of that college life that could have been for me.  Lincoln Running Company Racing and Living History Farms have provided me with at least this one day each year to get just a little taste.  I wish more races would include a team type scoring, but for now I get to circle the Saturday before Thanksgiving as a chance to race like I was young again.