Bare Bottom Run
By Dana Stetson
Every now and then, a new race comes along and is produced so well, and with so much zest, that it becomes more than another race. It becomes a festival. Jane Johnson’s Bare Bottom 5k held at Porter Sink on Lake Jackson last Saturday instantly became the Lake Jackson run, walk, and bike festival.
The huge crowd it attracted 300+ runners and was incredibly varied in its make-up and purpose. Some were there to race, some were there to hike, and some were there to learn. There were geologists there to explain the dry lake event and there were people there just to see the empty lake. George Palmer’s Joints in Motion marathon training team was present to conduct a workout. Oh, yeah, there were also a ton of your everyday runners ready to try the 5k.
The best part about the runners was that you knew these were the tough guys. The P.R. primadonnas were all at home in bed. The race course was known to be a slow one. The surface was primarily churned-up sugar sand mixed with fresh mud, courtesy of the recent rain. The course was well marked with flags and information signs.
Aside from the unique desert vista, you also had an interesting array of stuff just lying on the ground. I saw at least 30 dead eels, 10 old or interesting coke/beer bottles, an unlimited collection of things people use as anchors and some stuff I never figured out exactly what it was.
After the race was completed and the last dry-bed adventurers had staggered in, there was an award ceremony featuring some beautiful limestone trophies which I’m sure will be treasured, along with the memory of a great event, for a long time. One interesting observation of the day, Jane Johnson as a race director, still probably ran more distance than anyone else out there! Good job!