Doonst takes the Vulture Bait 2010
Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:26 am
The race, Vulture Bait 25 K, the venue, Fanshawe Reservoir Conservation Area, London ON. The fastest and final event in OUSer's Ontario Trail Series. "The Trail Series is a 9-race series consisting of events of length 25 km to 32 km." There is also a 50 K distance, the final in the Ultra Series. This would be my 6th Trail Series race of the year (and 1 ultra), and the 4th time I've done Vulture Bait. It had been just 6 days since my last race, plus I had twisted my ankle on Wednesday at volleyball.
It was a perfect morning for running. Sunny and cool, I wore shorts, gloves, and a long sleeve shirt. The course was just a little muddy, but nothing to talk about. Pretty colours of leaves on the trees and the ground. It is a fast course, but each third is increasingly difficult. So once again I went out too fast. I knew I did last year, and tried to minimize it, but there I was running 4:45 splits as late as the 8th K. Look ma I can run fast! In the second third it is more single track and I chilled out a bit, still having fun. Other runners started to trickle past me here though, at least I recognized many as being in the 50 K. My fast start probably only cost me a little time; more in misery. Probably 10-12 people passed me in the second half compared to the 3 or 4 that I passed. Ugh, what a rookie move. I just kept trudging along in the last third, and soon enough it was over. In the end I did beat my last year's time by 1:46, but of course I had done the same thing then. Final time 2:19:09, and it did show as being longer than ever. I noticed one small change in the course from last year, around the 7 K mark, that I thought might shorten it, but the Garmin map shows some extra bits this year between 16 and 17. I reported 25.4 this year, 25.3 last year, up from 24.5 previous years. I'm sure they have their reasons for changing the course but it makes it hard to compare year to year.
On a more positive note I was able to hold on to second place in the series standings for males 50+. As I said I did 6 races, they count your best 5. For this I was awarded a plaque and a hat. Good attendance has its rewards!
As always the post run meal was above average: pasta, chicken, and caeser salad for me, as well as a desert table. I got to catch up with Ken the Tortoise as I waited for the awards. He was there to cheer on his local running partners, for an estimated 8 hours! What a guy, good luck in North Carolina Ken.
My right knee was a little stiff after the race, and by Saturday night was quite painful and puffy. Sunday I wore a knee brace, and with just some light yard work that day it seemed to fade. I was a little worried because it was in a new spot, but I think it will be okay. Still I am feeling a bit worse for wear, so am having second (or third) thoughts about doing another major race this year. I had been debating between Horror Hill 6 hour and the Hamilton full marathon, but... Maybe not, I'll ask myself again in about a week.
It was a perfect morning for running. Sunny and cool, I wore shorts, gloves, and a long sleeve shirt. The course was just a little muddy, but nothing to talk about. Pretty colours of leaves on the trees and the ground. It is a fast course, but each third is increasingly difficult. So once again I went out too fast. I knew I did last year, and tried to minimize it, but there I was running 4:45 splits as late as the 8th K. Look ma I can run fast! In the second third it is more single track and I chilled out a bit, still having fun. Other runners started to trickle past me here though, at least I recognized many as being in the 50 K. My fast start probably only cost me a little time; more in misery. Probably 10-12 people passed me in the second half compared to the 3 or 4 that I passed. Ugh, what a rookie move. I just kept trudging along in the last third, and soon enough it was over. In the end I did beat my last year's time by 1:46, but of course I had done the same thing then. Final time 2:19:09, and it did show as being longer than ever. I noticed one small change in the course from last year, around the 7 K mark, that I thought might shorten it, but the Garmin map shows some extra bits this year between 16 and 17. I reported 25.4 this year, 25.3 last year, up from 24.5 previous years. I'm sure they have their reasons for changing the course but it makes it hard to compare year to year.
On a more positive note I was able to hold on to second place in the series standings for males 50+. As I said I did 6 races, they count your best 5. For this I was awarded a plaque and a hat. Good attendance has its rewards!
As always the post run meal was above average: pasta, chicken, and caeser salad for me, as well as a desert table. I got to catch up with Ken the Tortoise as I waited for the awards. He was there to cheer on his local running partners, for an estimated 8 hours! What a guy, good luck in North Carolina Ken.
My right knee was a little stiff after the race, and by Saturday night was quite painful and puffy. Sunday I wore a knee brace, and with just some light yard work that day it seemed to fade. I was a little worried because it was in a new spot, but I think it will be okay. Still I am feeling a bit worse for wear, so am having second (or third) thoughts about doing another major race this year. I had been debating between Horror Hill 6 hour and the Hamilton full marathon, but... Maybe not, I'll ask myself again in about a week.
