Or, Reflections from Saturday's Booty Rumble Slug Run...
from race winner Dave "The Viper" Groff....
"I've heard it all before. The pre-race briefing where the RD warns you about all the hazards of ultrarunning and the dangerous flora and fauna that may be encountered on the course. Delaware Striped Pit Vipers? Yeah, right. Extremely agressive? Sure, okay. Only lost 3 runners to them over the years? Okay, okay (those estimates are always high anyways). Lets go already.
Being my first run with the slugs I was a bit skeptical about the over-dramatic briefing but let me assure you Delaware Striped Pit Vipers are real! Oh woe to the Unbelievers!
About half way through the second lap a DSPV in search of a snack launched itself from a tree and landed squarely on John's shoulders. He was wearing the thing like a boa and screaming like a little girl until he saw me coming up the trail so he grabbed the beast by the tail and flung it to the ground and did his best impression of a war dance. The serpent came at us with fire in it's eyes and it's fangs dripping venom. Now instead of just a snack he'd have a nice meal.
Now it's a well known fact (apparently not known by yours truly though until after the horrific encounter) that DSPVs are attracted to unsuspecting ultrarunners wearing white. Damn my luck!
But it's also a well known fact (but again not by yours truly) that DSPVs are mortally afraid of tie-dye. As I reached for a twig in a futile effort to defend myself from certain doom the hideous creature caught a glimpse of my ever-present trusty tie-dyed bandana on my right wrist. Immediately the beast wilted, all fight gone, and took off in the other direction like it had grown a set of legs (not slow Slug legs though, more like roadrunner legs). We were saved!
Every runner has their superstitions - mine is my trusty worn bandana. DSPV repellant, emergency shelter, fine cloth napkin or snot rag, tourniquet or doo rag, I never run an ultra distance without it."
Dave (insert slug name here) Groff
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