Sturgeon Moon 3-Miler

I arrived at the Rocky River Nature Center about an hour early to ensure I snagged a good parking spot. That gave me plenty of time to grab my bib and hang out in the car to get some computer work done before things got moving. The walkers set off first at 6:00pm, followed by the runners at 6:15pm. I chatted with a few runners in the corral, feeling relaxed and ready for my second race in the Full Moon Trail Race series.

The race kicked off with about a half-mile stretch on the roadway. There were about three runners ahead of me early on, but I consciously avoided the urge to go out too aggressively. I kept a steady pace, keeping my sights set on the lead pack without overdoing the start.

Soon enough, we turned off the road onto the trail. It was a wide dirt path with a few muddy patches to dodge. I passed one of the three lead runners early on and settled in. Just before mile 1, you actually cross the finish line area for a quick sneak preview, cross a bridge, and then encounter the course's main attraction, a 155-step wooden staircase up the cliff.

That staircase was a beast. I alternated between taking the steps one at a time while pumping my arms and grabbing the handrails to skip stairs to keep momentum. By the time I reached the top right behind the second-place runner, I was completely out of breath. But knowing that was the most grueling obstacle of the race was a relief.

After a nice winding flat section along the upper trails, the trail then plummeted into a steep downhill packed with switchbacks. This was my moment to just let go. I went completely into "no brakes" mode, recklessly flying down the descent through the switchbacks and overtaking second place in the process.

Down at the bottom, the trail opened up toward an out-and-back section. Just before the turnaround point, the leader and I crossed paths, exchanging a high five. He later told me he had no idea I was that close behind him. Knowing my energy was starting to dip, I focused simply on holding my position.

Around mile 2, a fast younger runner began closing the gap from behind. He passed me and I struggled to keep up. But I kept him in my sights as we looped off the trail, back onto the initial roadway, and sprinted toward the finish chute.

I crossed the finish line third overall by gun time, but with age-grading factored in, I landed 2nd place. Walking away with a wooden finisher “puck” and an overall podium spot felt fantastic, especially in the middle of a high-mileage training I’ve been doing. It was a fast, fun, and challenging 3-miler, and I’m eager to tackle the full trail series next year.