So this is the second year that I've run this race. It was a different experience this year for a variety of reasons including: (1) it was pouring down rain, (2) I had my dog with me, and (3) I was much more prepared and have done a TON of training this past year.

So my updated pros/cons and general thoughts:

PROs:
- As always, the folks at NRC are kind and super responsive and I enjoy chatting with them before/after the races.
- The shirt design was fun (as always) and the shirts are some of the only race shirts that I ever wear!
- As with last year, Bowie is a place I rarely drive to for a run so it's fun to have an excuse to run the trails there.
- The rain on the morning of the race turned the trails into a muddy, water-sodden mess but to me that's a pro. I love stomping through the mud and the muck! That's part of the fun, right? But it's a con too (see below).
- The trails are well marked and the course is easy to follow. Plenty of flags up and people at the one possibly confusing intersection at mile 5.

CONs:
- This is in no way the fault of the organizers (let me say that first!) but man, the people who tend to run the NRC trail races are sometimes pretty aggressive runners. Maybe all trail runners/racers in TN are, I don't know (I haven't experienced this to be the case in GA!), but the staying right on your heels and then not allowing you to pass definitely gets old. I've experienced that at just about every one of the 6-mile series runs, no matter whether I start in the middle with similarly paced runners or in the back because I have a pet with me.
- Again, no fault of the organizers, but the rain made the trails a mess. Ankle deep water in many spots and deep slippery pudding-like mud in other spots (especially in the fields near the power lines). To me, this is just part of it, but for others it meant tip-toeing back and forth across the trail and trying to walk very carefully to avoid all mud and water... I was like JUST GO! It was frustrating to have long stretches of trail where people were zig-zagging and stopping right in front of you to avoid a puddle.
- There were no race photos this year. :( On a course where it's hard to have spectators (who can be your personal paparazzi, lol) any photos are much appreciated. But none this year.
- There wasn't much (was there any??) food available after the race. For upwards of $30 registration fee a participant I'd have appreciated some bananas at least.