“There were spots where the only thing that looked like a trail were little ribbons tied to the trees to show you the way,” said Huff. “We ran along a little ridge that was nothing more than a goat trail that went on for what seemed like forever.”
The ground itself seemed to be against the runners.
“The first half mile was all in mud,” said Booker. “When you came to a creek you had to ford the creek.”
“There were trees down in the path it seemed like every few feet and you just had to go over them,” laughed Huff. “The mud was probably ankle deep and it kept trying to suck your shoes off.”
So was there any point the two began to question their sanity?
“Oh, just the first half mile – and every half mile after that,” said Booker. “Our only goal was to complete it. I really didn’t care if I won.”
“There was more than once I wondered what I was doing out there,” said Huff. “It was fun to have it done, it certainly wasn’t any fun while we were doing it.”
Huff, a lawyer for the firm Jones and Huff, and Booker, Marshall County Plan Director, are both over 50 years old and began running as a means of staying in shape. Huff says he didn’t run his first marathon until he was 55. Booker has now run the Boston Marathon seven times and says it is his favorite race.
Huff has run in “ultra” races several times before. In particular the “Huntington Ultra Frigid” that is held in Huntington, Indiana between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
“The HUF course isn’t nearly as tough as this one,” said Huff. “I might feel differently about the course if I ran it in a foot of new snow, but it isn’t nearly as hilly.”
The Gnawbone course isn’t ranking in either runner’s favorites, but both are happy to have done it.
“I really think we both had a great time,” said Huff adding with a laugh. “But the race itself wasn’t part of it.”
“I’m not sure I’d do it again,” admitted Booker. “Of course you say that now and as time goes on it never seems like it was so bad – so who knows?”
For the record, the two finished fourth and fifth in their age division for the race.
You can see more about the Gnawbone Dances with Dirt event at http://dwdgnawbone.com