I enjoyed Amanda Fier’s article about the 1997 Living History Farms Off-Road Race, which I also ran.

However, I was a little distressed to hear of her attempts to keep her socks dry and of her “careful leaps” through the creeks, because these things denied her the true experience of the race.

In order to fully experience the Living History Farms race in all of its shining glory, one must barrel enthusiastically over the strategically placed hay bales and logs, feel the pleasant squish of mud in one’s shoes and exuberantly plunge into all of the freezing creeks.

After this race, a runner must be bedraggled, caked in mud, covered in burrs and totally soaked. Otherwise, the spirit of the race has been lost. If run properly, the Living History Farms race should both exhaust and invigorate its runner — a wonderful contradiction that must be experienced to be fully understood.

I would highly recommend this race to anyone who wishes to get a large adrenaline rush, a great cardiovascular workout and possibly a new pair of shoes afterwards.

See you there in 1998. I’ll be the one making mud angels around the four-mile mark!

Lindsay Carpp

Freshman

Biochemistry