Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Standing On Molly's Nipple

"I wasn’t a truly genuine trail ultrarunner until March 7, 1992 at the Wild Oak 50 near Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was a rainy day and simultaneously, while I was piddling on the run, chewing on an energy bar and washing it down with Mountain Dew, my nose was dripping and I farted. That was the ultimate defining moment in my trail running career, if not my entire life." - Bob Boeder

A few days ago I mentioned that I had an adventurous 20 miler. So here's the story. Anyone who has driven through our city on their way to Zion National Park has seen Molly's Nipple. I don't know who Molly is, but it's not hard to understand how this mountain got it's name:


I had never run to the top of Molly's Nipple before so I figured that would be a good destination for my 20 miler. (It's not nearly as daunting coming from the back side. I followed these directions.) The dirt road is easy to navigate until the last few miles where it gets more rocky and technical.

But the view from the top is breathtaking. This is Hurricane, Utah where I call home:


The Nipple overlooks the Hurricane airport and it was cool to see airplanes flying below me:


I spent a few minutes eating a Snickers bar and enjoying the scenery before heading back.


I had been running for a few miles back toward my car when I ran directly over THIS!


I instantly had the involuntary response of screaming like a girl. I wasn't as scared when I turned around to see it wasn't a rattlesnake. It was about three and a half feet long and stretched across the trail. He stayed there patiently while I took a bunch of pictures.

After my close encounter with a rattlesnake a few weeks ago and now this, I'm starting to feel like The Snake Whisperer.


I finished the 20 miles averaging 11:35 minutes per mile and was amazed how good I felt during the whole run. It was 85 degrees outside and I kept thinking "How in the world am I feeling this good?" Going slower pays dividends. Every mile I run on dirt makes me dislike running on the road even more. This was such a fun run.

After running 20 miles in the heat there are a series of requirements you must foll0w:
1) Get in your car.
2) Drive to the nearest gas station. Do not pass go. Just get there.
3) Walk inside and buy an ice cold Coke.
4) Disregard the people who can't seem to take their eyes off your dirty, sweat-crusted face. They will think to themselves "Gosh, that guy looks like he just got back from 'Nam!"

20 comments:

  1. That's a terrific picture of the snake with his tongue out and forked. Very cool! I'm glad it wasn't after you! Good job on your run. Your hometown looks like a cool place to live. Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can't get over your photos, these are incredible! And I would love to run in that area someday, how gorgeous is your home town?!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh man--I HATE snakes!! Those are some great photos though! I love Hurricane. It's so gorgeous there!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Have you read through any of Michael Arnstein's race recaps? He is such an inspiration... recently he just posted about the leadville 100 miler he did http://www.thefruitarian.com/index.php/2011/10/leadville-100-mile-ultra-marathon-2011-4th-place-in-1756/ You should check him out when you have some time!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I ran right over a rattle snake last week -- it was on an old highway in Kanab. I thought he was dead but when I came back he was gone. Nope, not dead. Scared the crap out of me too. I recently read a blog of some dude that said "rattlesnakes in southern utah are not common." um... no. we see them all the time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awww I heart snakes, although I've seen a rattler so maybe I'm biased. I wish things were that pretty here. I do enjoy our trees, but really I'll trade that for the lack of freezing cold and blizzards...I can visit. I can't wait for you to accomplish your 100 miler, I'm so excited!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow I cannot believe you got that close to the snake. Please tell me you were using zoom? Awesome, awesome, awesome pictures!

    Good job on the run. It is seriously amazing how much we forget to care what people think once we start running. ha ha. The cashier at walkers thinks I'm nuts when I stop in with my headlamp and cross gaurd vest. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hurricane??? Seriously??? My grandparents have lived there forever and I used to go there every Summer to help out in their Souvenir/moccasin/turquoise jewelry store. Sadly, it's gone and so are they. But I still have other family that lives there and I have many fond memories of spending time in Hurricane/Laverkin. I had no clue that's where you were doing all this running until you said Molly's nipple and you didn't even have to say the town because I knew :) That's so cool!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wowza - your hometown is so picturesque! And i would replace the ice cold Coke with an ice cold Coke SLURPEE :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. haha!!! what an incredible run! wow! and that would totally be my first stop after a run like that...i may even need about 3 cokes! love that quote too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think I've told you that I just love your photos....but those snake ones....ewwww...I could do without them. :)

    Chances are all those people who see you are thinking what a BA you are!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm resisting the urge to make so many nipple jokes right now.

    Hurricane is gorgeous! Did I tell you my in-laws are moving to St. George at the beginning of the year? I can't wait to run on some red rock. You are totally an ultrarunner! I'm so impressed. It's interesting how different we are as runners, but we can still find things in common- like the need to down extraordinary amounts of junk food after a hard run. Way to feel good after running in 80 degree heat! I'm pretty sure I'm going to DIE in Vegas. 45 degrees has made me soft.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I saw a snake about 10" long on my run last weekend and I promise you I screamed like 10 girls. If I saw that 3' monster, I'd probably have fainted. Then got bit. Then die in the hospital. Though I love your scenery, I do not love your snakes!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm also not sure who Molly is but she must be famous because my parents are from Salina and there's a Molly's nipple there also. My dad and I use to ride our motorcycles to the top. I should run it now.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I LOVE me a Coke after a hard run or race. Another good one for you, Cory!

    ReplyDelete
  16. That is a GIANT snake! Holy moly...

    Did you run all the way up, or do you do more of a walk/run when you're climbing? Interested to hear how a seasoned ultra-runner treats mountains and hills :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the view from the nipple! I think an ice cold ANYTHING would have been divine!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I would have screamed too, and there is NO WAY I would have stopped to take pictures! I am not that good at identifying types of snakes to know what is going to kill me and what isn't. Yikes!

    ReplyDelete
  19. You have some amazing photos on your blog, wow!!

    ReplyDelete