FIRST TRAIL RACE

I have gone offroading. I did my first rail race this past Saturday. It was at Rattlesnake Point, perched on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. This run is part of the 5Peaks running series.

I left fairly early for the race, it was just over an hour away and registration was at 8am. I stopped and picked up a Starbucks coffee on the way.

As an aside from the race report, it was fate that I stopped at the Starbucks I did. when I walked in I seen somebody I knew from high school. I started around the counter and I seen a very good friend that I have only seen a few times since high school. (25 years ago). I sat there and talked for about 1/2 hour. It was a very good start to the day.

After driving to Burlington and heading out of the city limits, it was a very nice country setting. It was a foggy morning which added to the scene. I started heading up the escarpment and it was much steeper than down in Niagara. They used switchbacks to get up the hill.

It was a very nice park in Conservation Halton. They had a very organized registration area and plenty of sponsor tents. I went out and scouted part of the course, did a warm-up jog on part of the trail. The trail was more rocky and had more roots than what I was used to.

At 10:00 the enduro elites left, followed by the sport elites, and then another group every minute. At 10:05 I started. It was quite congested for the first couple of small downhills. They were very rocky and lots of roots, so I had to walk because the crowd slowed so much. I seen a little ways ahead, there was an alternate only a couple of people were taking. I went that way it was a little longer, but I could sprint through that are and move ahead of some of the people who were slowing.

The crowd stated to thin a bit and the trail turned to a little wider and groomed, so I was able to run more freely. As we approaced the turn around there was another slightly bigger downhill. It was rockier and I took it slowly. We went down some more as we headed back. Then the first up hill, I ran and walked this hill. The trail was then at the edge of the escarpment and the running surface was all rock, big flat rock with gaps. I along with pretty much everyone else walked this section. The next hill looked like a natural rick and root staircase, a steep staircase. This was definatley a walking hill.

The next section of trail had quite a few roots, and the worst part about this section was the fact the grading of the trail leaned to the right. to the right of the trail was the escarpment, and it would have been quite the fall if one was to trip a root and go down the hill.. I am afraid of heights, so my running position seen me leaning to the left.

There was a boy running behind me who was about 12 years old. There was one section that was all roots and very little dirt. Unfortunatley this kid wiped out and hit a tree. I stopped and turned around and the boy's mother waved me on, saying she'll take care of him.

We were at the last hill, it was a short tough hill, I power walked it, and hit the flat again and headed for the finish. I know there was less than 1/2km left but I could feel my heart rate was too high so I ease up a little. I emerged from the trees and man the sun was hot. The last corner and I was home in 32:31 for my first 4.5 KM trail race.

I think I am hooked.

PS. Sorry Kim, despite a load of rain the day before, the course was dry, so I finshed the course sweaty, but not muddy.