Doonst revists the Rattlesnake

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Doonst
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Doonst revists the Rattlesnake

Postby Doonst » Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:40 pm

No rest for the wicked! While most people in the daily thread were sleeping in, I visited an old friend, the 5 Peaks Rattlesnake Point enduro trail race, 12.7 K. This was my third year in a a row, its a rocky hilly technical favorite. Having had some mixed results in races this year, I was really hoping for a strong race to measure up to last year's time,
Nice enough when I got up, it rained on the way to the race. Not the first time this week, humidity might be a problem, and with it slippery rocks and roots. 5 Peaks put on a good race, this year over 700 people. That's a lot for one little trail, last year they went to a wave start, roughly 100 every minute. I was in the 4th wave. The sun broke through 3 minutes before the start. :x
There's always a few who line up way in front of where they should, but it wasn't too bad. All sorted out in the first 2 K. My first split was 4:44, exactly the same as last year. Heading down a long hill into the canyon around the 3 K mark, I passed at least 10 people, feeling good. Going along the canyon floor for a couple of K, I tried to pace myself on the easy going. Going up the rock scramble to the main escarpment, I didn't gain or lose a spot. Along the cliff edge at the top, the rocks were very slippery. I had to walk sections that I know I ran last year, definitely lost some time. This course is an ankle-buster, and I did not need that. Around the Crawford Lake groomed trails I picked up a couple of spots from people starting to struggle in the humidity. Back down into Nassagaweya Canyon was a slight breather, but now is the biggest hill. 70 or 80 Metres in less than a Kilometre. First theres a section you walk, then you can run as it angles sideways, then walk again. Its all about how much you do of each, and what price you pay. Did I mention that it was humid? I did get up it faster than I did last year, but I paid a price. In last year's report I speak glowingly of how good I felt here for the last 4 k, and how many I passed. Not so much this year, I was bagged. I felt I was slogging along for a while, then I noticed that no-one had passed me, and I was slowly gaining on 2 guys in front of me. I guess it was hot and tough for everybody. I was mostly racing my last year's time though, and I did lose speed for 3 K compared to '07. I wasn't too optimistic through here but I kept on trucking. As ironboy recently said, even when I'm not feeling the love I am consistent. Last bit seemed to take forever but I picked it up just a bit. Crossed the line in 1:10:49. That is 8 seconds faster than last year. And I had such good excuses lined up too. I was very glad to see that, I mean a full minute would have been great but I knew halfway through that wasn't happening. Even moved up 2 spots from last year, in a larger crowd. 98 out of 369, 7 out of 28 in my age group. I find 5 Peaks races to be a relatively tough crowd placement wise.
After I had a massage, yum, and watched the awards, then snuck off home right at noon. Yeah, I'm up to being as fast as I was last year!
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Postby jgore » Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:50 pm

Well done, Sheldon. Excellent result for someone who claims to have been "slogging".

Too warm for the lizard tights, but I trust you wore something appropriate for the "Rattlesnake".

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Postby Marg » Sat Jul 12, 2008 2:07 pm

Well done buddy, well done!
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Postby Nicholas » Sat Jul 12, 2008 2:58 pm

Looking good, young man.....
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Congratulations

Postby clocker » Sat Jul 12, 2008 3:07 pm

Well done! You paint a vivid picture of intensity. :)
Ian

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Postby Lightning » Sat Jul 12, 2008 3:51 pm

Wow! Congratulations on your improvement over last year. I could barely walk my dog around the block today...never mind race in this humidity.

Bravo, Doonst!
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Postby casual-runner » Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:15 pm

Congratulations! Slow but steady improvements year after year :clap:
It was tough day for running today. I was up early also (I left home at 3:30 a.m for Gravenhurst Triathlon, biking in the rain, hail and lightening, burnt badly by the sun during the run).
Last edited by casual-runner on Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby horselady » Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:31 pm

Congratulations! Quite a warm and sticky day to have an 8 sec improvement!!
Well done! :D
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Postby drghfx » Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:18 pm

Great job Sheldon, especially in the energy sapping humidity!
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Postby Sandra » Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:34 pm

What a great time! I ran that race today too (didn't see you though) and damn it was hard!
Congratulations on your time and great report btw.
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Postby purdy65 » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:08 pm

Doonst,

Your consistency is amazing!

Congrats.

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Postby HCcD » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:09 pm

Way-da-Go, in Moving Up the ladder, Sheldon :P
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Postby Dr. S » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:31 pm

8 seconds is 8 seconds!! Congrats on getting out of bed this morning lol
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Postby cgraham » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:50 pm

Nice job in swampy conditions. Congrats
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Postby Doonst » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:52 pm

Checking a sample of other people's results on Sportstats that had also done it last year, 80% were slower this year. (8-2, by 1 to 4 minutes around my pace.) I'll take that as a sign that conditions really were tougher and slower today.
The other thing I noticed is that easily 3/4 of the people have done it multiple times, it gets huge repeat business.

Justme, "damn it was hard" could be my report if I had to keep it to 4 words.
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Postby drghfx » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:56 pm

Doonst wrote:Checking a sample of other people's results on Sportstats that had also done it last year, 80% were slower this year. (8-2, by 1 to 4 minutes around my pace.) I'll take that as a sign that conditions really were tougher and slower today.
The other thing I noticed is that easily 3/4 of the people have done it multiple times, it gets huge repeat business.

Justme, "damn it was hard" could be my report if I had to keep it to 4 words.


So it doesn't look like giving blood 10 days or so ago had much impact. What are your thoughts?
"A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers but borrowed from his children." - John James Audubon

"The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Postby dgrant » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:59 pm

Attaboy! Sorry you didn't get to use any of the excuses. :wink:

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Postby Doonst » Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:06 pm

drghfx wrote:
Doonst wrote:Checking a sample of other people's results on Sportstats that had also done it last year, 80% were slower this year. (8-2, by 1 to 4 minutes around my pace.) I'll take that as a sign that conditions really were tougher and slower today.
The other thing I noticed is that easily 3/4 of the people have done it multiple times, it gets huge repeat business.

Justme, "damn it was hard" could be my report if I had to keep it to 4 words.


So it doesn't look like giving blood 10 days or so ago had much impact. What are your thoughts?


I haven't even thought of that for a week! Another excuse! Really I can't say that I think it had any influence, compared to the humidity etc.

ETA: it seems that was 16 days ago.
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Congratulations

Postby SALTY-DOG » Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:00 pm

Considering the tough environmental conditions, 8 seconds faster is indicative of a much greater level of fitness. Imagine if the temp was 20 and there was no humidity? You'd probably be 80 seconds faster or more! Great job.
Just to give you an idea of how popular the race has become, in the first season in 2000 there were 55 racers, This year there were over 700 registered with 640 at the start line! This was the biggest 5Peaks race ever across Canada. Glad you enjoyed the 'Snake. We have big plans for Rattlesnake in 2009. See you on the trails.
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Postby Robbie-T » Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:36 pm

Nice run Doonster, I can't imagine that many people on that trail. Wow.

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Postby Strider » Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:49 am

Rockin' race D-man. You did really well. I am thinking I like the non-popularity of trail running around here. Damn that is a lot of people. Wave starts for a trail race - insane
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Postby trixiee » Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:55 am

Nice, Doonst, very nice! :D
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Postby mlazenby » Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:23 am

Way to take it to the trail big guy!
Hola!

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Postby Jo-Jo » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:27 am

Just another reminder to me why I'm still your loyal fan :D :wink:
Great job Sheldon!
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Postby AlfiefromPickering » Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:35 am

Going back to your roots Sheldon at the ankle-buster trail races. Congratulations!
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