Sat. morning dawned cool and foggy and by race time it was a perfect spring day. I know spring isn't until March 20th. Sometimes mother nature grants us favors. I thought staying at the Battlefield Inn would allow me to sleep in until near race time. However my dogs decided otherwise. I was out at Midnight walking them and again at 4 a.m.

The race itself takes place within the  Military park except the last half mi. that takes you back to the Battlefield Inn. The course is the most challenging 10k in the state and some say the south. At no point along the course does the runner run on level ground. right after the 1st mi. mark we began an assent that nearly gave me a nose bleed. By 1.3 mi. I crested the hill and my thighs felt the burn. This was followed by a rapid assent that pounded my legs up my back bone. Ok let's just say the course is similar to running a rollercoaster track. By mile five I didn't care what my time was. All I wonted to do was get the pain over with. At about mile 5.4 they add to your pain and aggravation by having the walkers that are doing the 5K walk merge with the runners. They are just as happy as if they are bright, walking along at a conversational pace while I'm trying to suck in enough oxygen to get me to the finish line. I finished in 47:19. and I was 88th place overall according to the little  card. None of that really mattered because I did meet my goals which were set for me by my Hattiesburg friend Ruthie Kimmel years ago, and that was not to throw up and not to walk during the race.

Pre race goodies were Long sleeved shirt, socks, and a duffel bag. Post race were fruit, soft drinks, Beer, Hot dogs and why I'll never know but popcorn. The band "Chill" always plays  and the trophies are little cannons on wood platforms. See the results in the Ms. Track Club's web site. © Bob Clark