By Weber Way to Wellness Reperter
It was an out and back 1.55 mile course (10:46 out and 11:04 back for 21:50). She was shooting for low 10’s at the half-way mark, but with the many bumps and thick sand, she knew it would take longer. The challenging terrain and extra strength and balance required draws Alicia to events on sand, dirt, and off-terrain. The races do not focus so much on the time, but rather the fitness required to go as fast possible on the courses. The thicker the sand, the longer the ground contact time, and the double the effort for a workout = greater the challenge and more health benefits. Due to the soft surface, your legs feel really great when you are done. Soft surface running is the healthy choice for running, which brings you closer to nature.
The Clermont Clay Trail Race drew a total of 658 competitors (242 in the 5k and 416 in the 15k). This is tremendous participation, which is greater than in many road races. Many other runners agree that soft surface running is the way to go for longevity as a runner and athlete. The races bring awareness to clay trails and raise funds to restore and build more clay trails in the area.
Alicia’s 113th Victory on Clermont Clay Trail
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is Alicia’s 11th competition for 2016 and her final race of the season. She competed in 4 sports. She competed in one world championship (23rd in world), two world qualifiers (both first place), one national championship (2nd place), regional championships (1st and 2nd place), and four local Florida events. She competed in cross country running, beach running, paddle boarding, and indoor rowing this year. She also took up learning the new sport of footgolf, but she has not competed yet.
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