Running Assault on Mt Hood 2016

The 12th Annual Assault on Mt Hood cross-country race hosted by the Melrose Running Club at the Melrose Fish and Game Club was run December 10th, 2016.

The 3.5 mile Mount Hood Golf Course race attracts runners from Melrose as well as Southern New Hampshire and The GBA.

Each year the race director, Brian Slater, changes the course due to conditions or just to make things interesting.

This year the ground was solid with no ice or snow, so the course was interesting.

I’m mainly a 5K street racer, so the hills and leaf covered trails were a challenge for me. I didn’t see it, but someone said they fell.

Running The Assault on Mt. Hood

It’s hard to write a recap of a race like this. There aren’t any landmarks to reference that anyone would know. I spent a lot of my time with my head down trying not to fall.

All I can say is that I started about a third of the way back in the pack. The first mile or so was mostly on grass or golf cart paths. So I started well.

Then the hills started coming and the leaf littered trails. Like most races, much of it is a blur. I do recall steep rock-strewn hills and someone dressed as Gumby or a giant nutcracker.

On the flats, I ran as hard as I could. On the last two big hills I walked and used my right arm to push off on my right leg. Not sure if it helped.

Out of 384 runners I finished 153rd and 32nd out of 58 in my age group. Instead of whining I’ll just say I did okay all things considered.

Our Men’s Masters team finished 10 out of 10. The other Melrose Men’s Masters team did finish 4th which is quite respectable.

There were a lot of friends marshaling the course and it was great to hear them cheer me on. For the last mile into the finish, I was too exhausted to wave or even smile back.

Apre Assault on Mt Hood

A big part of the Assault on Mt Hood is the after race party. Each runner gets an AOMH pint glass and a cold beer. The Melrose Fish and Game expanded their hall since last year, so there was some welcomed extra space to socialize.

The Fish and Game club cooks a pasta dinner with all the fixings for about 500 people. It’s a great chance to talk to runners you might see once in a while at a race. With a big emphasis on team competition, many running clubs were represented and wearing their colors.

I stayed through most of the awards ceremony which was loud and a little chaotic. I had volunteered for set up and parking duty so my volunteer responsibilities were over.

I headed home with a car full of boxes to recycle and didn’t do much the rest of the day.

RACE RESULTS RACE PHOTOS

Run well my Friends!

Andy