Race report from Germany by Petra
My first run in native Gefilden (Germany) was a cross country race in Soest. The run covered 4.1 miles (6.6 km) including 210 feet of elevation (for a Wanderer, of course, a ‘Klacks’). Due to snow and a period of rain, the area was soggy and muddy.
The excact distance of the course was verified just before the race and some parts of the course were patched to avoid accidents. Everything went well. The age-spread was remarkable; participants between the ages of 2 and 79 were represented.
I finished with a time of 36 minutes, in 5th place overall. In the picture at the bottom, you can see my swimming association (Beckumer Schwimmverein) team mate and I on the podium. Our muddy shoes and trousers are an indication of our effort, the podium placement an indication of our achievement.
One week later, on World Women’s Day, a 10 km was on the schedule. Due to the hard workouts and training with the Wanderers leading up to the race, I placed in the top 10! As a reward for our individual accomplishments, each runner received a rose. This is now in a vase and stands on the dining table.
Next weekend I will bring my Wanderers singlet and Jim’s running socks (see picture) to a Cross-Country race in the snow-covered Sauerland.
