I decided kind of last-minute to run this marathon. Since I'm not in peak shape at all, I figured I'd just run it at a steady pace. The sun was shining high in the cloudless sky. I was maintaining steady, concentrated breathing while staring at the ground. It was grassy, soft yet hard-packed, and kind of uneven. The grass was medium-long and straight, but it had been flattened out against the hard packed surface because it had been trampled on by so many before me.

Then the grassy surfaced ended and I came to a drop off and several very large trees. The diameter was such that I could bear hug the tree and my fingers just barely touched. Obviously, this was some sort of marathon adventure course. I clung to the tree, and could not see the ground below me. The marathon continued far below, several hundred feet downward. But I could not see the ground. I clung. There were no branches on this tree, and the trunk was white and smooth.

The trees were dotted with slightly protruding, orange spray painted clumps. I gathered that I was supposed to shimmy down the tree by using these clumps. I clung to the tree and was overcome with paralyzing fear. I couldn't see the ground below me at all, it must have been several hundred feet below. It was really quiet.

I glanced over and saw a few other competitors climbing up these huge trees and onto the grassy flat surface. They seemed to be running the course in the opposite direction, or maybe they had completed a loop of the course and were doubling back. They gave me disgusted looks, as though they couldn't believe I was afraid to maneuver hundreds of feet down the tree to the course below.

I felt so overcome with fear. I couldn't move as I clung to the tree and looked down below.

Then I woke up this morning at 4:30AM, wide awake.