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Doonst runs Mono Cliffs 3rd time, 3rd race of Aug on the 9th

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:19 pm
by Doonst
Anybody tired of my race reports yet? Click away, because I have a real big one coming Next Saturday. Today I'll try to be brief.

This morning was 5 Peaks Mono Cliffs Enduro trail race, 11.2 K. Last 2 years I did it in 59.xx. Today's weather looked good, clouded over and not too hot. S.O. was supposed to run it but she fell rather ill last night. She had 4 students running their first real trail race coming, so now I had 4 students running their first trail race. Mostly just 5 minutes of fashion advice.
It is a tough course, not super-technical just unrelenting. It is a good mix, of hills, rocks, flats, and winding single-track. First half went okay, just hard: you know when you check for the distance before 4 K you must be running hard. Thinned out halfway when the sport (6.2 K) course people turned off, and I hit my stride a bit. Early in the second half I took a wrong turn, that cost me maybe 20-30 seconds. Then back up the escarpment, walking the steeps this time. On top it was windy sandy trail and the speed picked up. It had started raining about 15 minutes in, around 3 K mark. Now it was getting a little slippery. Also the tree branches, heavy with water, would droop down to face level. Mostly I just crashed through them, but then there was one with a fallen limb behind it. I hit it with my forehead, stopped me dead, backwards even. I just picked myself up and kept going, with 2 K to go I was really glad I could continue okay. One guy did get past me here. I knew from my watch that I would be 59:xx plus or minus; if I wanted to beat my previous times I would have to do it now. Struggled a bit with the wacky switchback cliff descent, I usually ace it better than today. Big finish back on the final section, came in at 58:47. I was very glad to see that, nice to know I'm still getting faster, if only slightly. Of course its hard to compare year to year; today it got slippery but last year it was 32 degrees at the finish.
The kids did great, 3 out of 4 ended up on the podium. Big shout to Ish, 8th overall and fastest youth. 45:30, that is fast. I'm just glad nobody got hurt, there were cliffs and rocks and stuff.
I placed 6 out of 23 in my age group. 72/226 overall in the enduro. Even after changing clothes, we were shivering waiting for the awards to be given out. I did win a door prize, a bag of stuff ,mostly 1 Kilo of Kicking Horse coffee.My biggest regret for today is that it was too miserable to go cheer at Dirty Girls Ultra, it rained solid all the way home with the heat on.
My neck still hurts a bit from the tree limb collision.
Next week is the Iroquoia Trail Test, 32 K on the Bruce Trail, mucho hoopla!

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:33 pm
by Sandra
Congratulations on a great race and time especially with those wet and slippery conditions! I enjoyed it much better this year than in the heat last year! (It's too bad I didn't get to say "Hi")

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:36 pm
by casual-runner
Congratulations. Great job :clap:

I wanted to register for this one but it was sold out. I went for 30K hills run instead.

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:43 pm
by Robbie-T
Nice run Doonst, Solid results. I should make it up there some year.
Big shout out to Ish wow!! A guy that runs sub 4 pace for LSD is going to be fast. He really has no choice. Its a curse.

Bring on the Hoopla!

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:46 pm
by HCcD
Has anyone ever told you that you race too much, Sheldon ... :lol: :wink:

Congratulations, on another great race ... and, with incredible consistency, I might add ;-)

Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 10:26 pm
by scrumhalfgirl
congrats on a solid race! now rest up for next week!

Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:17 am
by Ed Fizz
Another great one for the books! :D

Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:45 am
by dgrant
Man, doing that switchback downhill when it's getting slippery would be hazardous enough, let alone with a bonked head.

Factoring in the time lost to the wrong turn, this is way better than last year!

Please don't give those youngsters fashion advice. The children are our future.

Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:14 am
by Smitty
Well done, you trail guys are impressive. This old body barely survives flat roads. Happy trails next week.

Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:23 am
by Stephan
Very nice!!!! Well done Sheldon!!