NETTers find business as usual at the Oxford Dam Trail Race

Three NETT runners made it out to the Oxford Dam Trail Race on Saturday with good results. Here's the report from Dima Feinhaus:

"The Oxford Dam Trail Race certainly lived up to its reputation again this year as people were massively getting lost yet again. To assure success of the race, the RD made sure to use three different colors to mark the course and changed the course yet again this year. There were plenty of volunteers first two miles, but then ... not quite as many.

At one of the turns I saw NETT's own John Kinnee running across the field in the opposite direction. I was impressed and surprised that someone could be so far ahead. Indeed John was just speeding up back to the trail after taking a short detour. About a mile later as we were running under powerlines (mostly up, on loose rock) yours truly followed four runners (including John) up the steep hill against my best judgment. That was the biggest and steepest hill of the race and Ben Nephew called it the bonus hill. He made the same mistake but proceeded to win the race.

But it wasn't the end of the story for Young John. He missed the final turn to the finish and had to run an extra 200 yards at the end too but still managed to finish 6th overall--not bad. I finished 7th right behind him (2nd master).

On the women's side Karen Ringheiser finished 2nd female without a single scratch, great progress for a pretty technical race. The woman who pushed her last year chickened out and diddn't show up this year after several death threats from the NETT hit squad. Always trying to fit in, Karen missed the last turn too just like John but still managed to get back to the finish without losing any spots in the women's race. Running the race this time included a few muddy puddles and an "over the knees" river crossing--- I dunked myself into the water as a pleasant way to cool down.

Overall the race attracted more than 100 people, 50% growth over last year. Wow!