Robbie-T @ Sunnybrook Cross Country 8k
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:48 am
This race is part of the Ontario Masters Series it is a tough race course, a race that some regulars are happy when it is over, but come back every year for the abuse.
XC is a fun sport, I love the competition it is very stiff, and I enjoy the challenge and getting my butt kicked. This year there were 2 men over 80 and 6 men 70-79!! very inspirational.
It is two 4k loops,
1st km slightly down hill easy to get a good start, but has a about a 15-20ft mud hole to run through you can't go around it.
2nd km is more like a trail course, a very steep down hill maybe 100m, then after a bit it climbs back up the same distance, going up the top 1/3 of the hill is very thick mud that you can't hardly run through, most everyone walks through it. That hill is almost impossible to run up when it is dry. Last year guys were walking up it dry.
3rd km is try to recover from the hill, and then start a gentle climb
4th km is ~500m of incline that seems to never end then some small ups and downs through thick long grass and leafs to the finish.
After the first loop you really just want to stop, because it is enough of a workout. But you can't and you know you have to run that damn hill one more time.
For this race I tried to stick with my friend James Earl this year, he's 50 but don't let that fool you, he was 29:56 last year I was 31:13 last year. I think I'm a bit faster now so I was hoping I could stick with him this year. Right from the start he was in front of me, and by the end of the first loop he was getting further and further away probably 200-300m. I felt good that I was that close though. Coming up the hill the second time everyone was walking the top half, I pushed it here and pop up just behind them but I was gassed. I had to recover fast and hold close to him for a chance to catch up. In the final km, I over took him in the final 600m going up the long incline. By then I was done from trying to catch him, and I knew me passing him would be just enough for him to pick it up, he is a great, experienced runner. He did and I could not go with him that time to the finish.
He finished 31:04 over a minute slower for him, and as it turns out looking at the results most fast guys were about a min or more slower this year too over last year, probably mostly due to the very muddy hill
I finished 31:11 in 29th spot, last year I was 44th position.
So even though I was only slightly faster, I did run a much stronger race compared to the other runners.
This is a tough XC course, only that one km is fast the rest you are always struggling to recover.
The XC Provincial championships are in 2 weeks in New Market, a 5k course, I'm going to stay away from the candy until then
and give it a hard go there, that will set me in good shape for the Egg Nog Jog in mid December. I want a solid PB at the Egg Nog Jog.
pictures http://robbie-t.kicks-ass.org/2009-11-Sunnybrook%208k%20XC/
XC is a fun sport, I love the competition it is very stiff, and I enjoy the challenge and getting my butt kicked. This year there were 2 men over 80 and 6 men 70-79!! very inspirational.
It is two 4k loops,
1st km slightly down hill easy to get a good start, but has a about a 15-20ft mud hole to run through you can't go around it.
2nd km is more like a trail course, a very steep down hill maybe 100m, then after a bit it climbs back up the same distance, going up the top 1/3 of the hill is very thick mud that you can't hardly run through, most everyone walks through it. That hill is almost impossible to run up when it is dry. Last year guys were walking up it dry.
3rd km is try to recover from the hill, and then start a gentle climb
4th km is ~500m of incline that seems to never end then some small ups and downs through thick long grass and leafs to the finish.
After the first loop you really just want to stop, because it is enough of a workout. But you can't and you know you have to run that damn hill one more time.
For this race I tried to stick with my friend James Earl this year, he's 50 but don't let that fool you, he was 29:56 last year I was 31:13 last year. I think I'm a bit faster now so I was hoping I could stick with him this year. Right from the start he was in front of me, and by the end of the first loop he was getting further and further away probably 200-300m. I felt good that I was that close though. Coming up the hill the second time everyone was walking the top half, I pushed it here and pop up just behind them but I was gassed. I had to recover fast and hold close to him for a chance to catch up. In the final km, I over took him in the final 600m going up the long incline. By then I was done from trying to catch him, and I knew me passing him would be just enough for him to pick it up, he is a great, experienced runner. He did and I could not go with him that time to the finish.
He finished 31:04 over a minute slower for him, and as it turns out looking at the results most fast guys were about a min or more slower this year too over last year, probably mostly due to the very muddy hill
I finished 31:11 in 29th spot, last year I was 44th position.
So even though I was only slightly faster, I did run a much stronger race compared to the other runners.
This is a tough XC course, only that one km is fast the rest you are always struggling to recover.
The XC Provincial championships are in 2 weeks in New Market, a 5k course, I'm going to stay away from the candy until then
and give it a hard go there, that will set me in good shape for the Egg Nog Jog in mid December. I want a solid PB at the Egg Nog Jog.pictures http://robbie-t.kicks-ass.org/2009-11-Sunnybrook%208k%20XC/
