Doonst loses his way at 5 Peaks Terra Cotta
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 3:40 pm
Forgive me Runningmania for I have run trails. It has been 6 days since my last race report.
5 Peaks race Terra Cotta Enduro race, 11.8 K. A beautiful day, partly sunny and cooler than its been for the last couple months. Its as close to home as it gets for me, 11 K/11 minute drive. We talked about biking there but didn't; SO was volunteering and Tuzo came too. Lots of maniacs as well as local friends in attendance. Its a new race and I actually had the pleasure of showing race director dgrant around the park last year when it was just a potential location.
The race was fun, and a better course than I thought it would be from the description. First K was flat and fast, then we hit the single track. Rooty, curvy, down and up, fun stuff. Then back on wider trails that stayed wide enough for passing. Second half of the course was more uphill, including one where I and those around me walked just a bit. Then past the start line and do it all again. Lap 2 was naturally much less crowded and so the single track was that much more fun. I felt strong second lap and reeled in a few runners. Over all too quick. Fun fun fun, as they say in California. 1:03:11, 5:22 pace. 60th out of 220, 8 out of 24 in my agegroup. Negative split, in a trail race!
There was one incident right off the bat that I just must mention. Part of the fun of trail racing. No I didn't fall, that's the other fun thing about trail racing. Saw a few though. I went off course.
I started in the third wave, listed as for those who run a 10 K in 45-50 minutes. That's me, and about 80 others I'd say. Somehow after about 30 seconds I'm leading the pack. I look down and my average pace is 3:55. Then I come around a corner and there is a "Y" in the trail; I can go straight or bear right onto a boardwalk. I don't have long to think at 3:55 pace with 80 people hot on my heels. There are no flag markers visible down either route. Now I was just doing this race for fun and had no great hopes to win it. My main concern was the angry mob who assumed I might be leading them down the correct path. I figured that if I'm supposed to turn there should be something to indicate that, so I went straight. A ways in and there are still no flags, so I retreat. Back at the Y a crowd gathers and we all shrug in unison. Try the boardwalk, no flags, try even farther down the straight path, still no flags. Finally someone figures it is the boardwalk and I follow the 80 people down the trail. I am determined not to let it ruin my day, although my plan of hitting the narrow section with no crowd to wait for is pretty much out a window. Luckily I am wearing a muted grey hat so no-one will recognize me as the one who led Wave 3 astray. Still it comes up in conversation frequently as I work my way through the crowd for the next hour. I am assured that it wasn't just me, that it really was a tough choice. In my defense here and now, I would direct your attention to this Facebook page for Ontario 5 Peaks. For those of you who are allergic to Facebook, the caption is "Boardwalk at Terra Cotta. We run past it, not across it." I saw this just days ago, I'm not on FB.
Here's my run back and forth.
And 37 seconds later:
Of course the damage was amplified by the crowd now in front of me. Oh well! It really was a fun day and I'm so glad I'm running strong and healthy at this point. Love running trails!
5 Peaks race Terra Cotta Enduro race, 11.8 K. A beautiful day, partly sunny and cooler than its been for the last couple months. Its as close to home as it gets for me, 11 K/11 minute drive. We talked about biking there but didn't; SO was volunteering and Tuzo came too. Lots of maniacs as well as local friends in attendance. Its a new race and I actually had the pleasure of showing race director dgrant around the park last year when it was just a potential location.
The race was fun, and a better course than I thought it would be from the description. First K was flat and fast, then we hit the single track. Rooty, curvy, down and up, fun stuff. Then back on wider trails that stayed wide enough for passing. Second half of the course was more uphill, including one where I and those around me walked just a bit. Then past the start line and do it all again. Lap 2 was naturally much less crowded and so the single track was that much more fun. I felt strong second lap and reeled in a few runners. Over all too quick. Fun fun fun, as they say in California. 1:03:11, 5:22 pace. 60th out of 220, 8 out of 24 in my agegroup. Negative split, in a trail race!
There was one incident right off the bat that I just must mention. Part of the fun of trail racing. No I didn't fall, that's the other fun thing about trail racing. Saw a few though. I went off course.
I started in the third wave, listed as for those who run a 10 K in 45-50 minutes. That's me, and about 80 others I'd say. Somehow after about 30 seconds I'm leading the pack. I look down and my average pace is 3:55. Then I come around a corner and there is a "Y" in the trail; I can go straight or bear right onto a boardwalk. I don't have long to think at 3:55 pace with 80 people hot on my heels. There are no flag markers visible down either route. Now I was just doing this race for fun and had no great hopes to win it. My main concern was the angry mob who assumed I might be leading them down the correct path. I figured that if I'm supposed to turn there should be something to indicate that, so I went straight. A ways in and there are still no flags, so I retreat. Back at the Y a crowd gathers and we all shrug in unison. Try the boardwalk, no flags, try even farther down the straight path, still no flags. Finally someone figures it is the boardwalk and I follow the 80 people down the trail. I am determined not to let it ruin my day, although my plan of hitting the narrow section with no crowd to wait for is pretty much out a window. Luckily I am wearing a muted grey hat so no-one will recognize me as the one who led Wave 3 astray. Still it comes up in conversation frequently as I work my way through the crowd for the next hour. I am assured that it wasn't just me, that it really was a tough choice. In my defense here and now, I would direct your attention to this Facebook page for Ontario 5 Peaks. For those of you who are allergic to Facebook, the caption is "Boardwalk at Terra Cotta. We run past it, not across it." I saw this just days ago, I'm not on FB.
Here's my run back and forth.
And 37 seconds later:
Of course the damage was amplified by the crowd now in front of me. Oh well! It really was a fun day and I'm so glad I'm running strong and healthy at this point. Love running trails!
