My last two long runs were replaced by 18 holes of golf. I had been fighting a cold that waxes and wanes since the middle of August. Coincidence that this was about the same time that training for 50 K, running 50 K and then two short but very hard trail races all seemed to catch up to me. But a good elliptical workout on Thursday and a 2.5 K shake out run where I had to apply the brakes as the legs felt so good had me thinking positive vibes. The snow was melting on the course high up in the mountains and so maybe had to deal with some mud and muck but feeling good. I went to go for a early bib pick up so that I did not have to wake up at the break of stupid to get my bib on race day and then wait around an hour or so before my race in the crowded day lodge. What should have been 10 minutes there, 10 minutes back with accidents, construction and everything else, close to an hour. My stomach was not good and so I continued to eat as that seemed to help. My wife was not able to get a ride so I am picking her up at 10:30 when I should be in bed. Her stomach is worse and so I play nurse until close to midnight. And I had checked and it was going to be one of the biggest fields of the year at a course real runners will enter and shorter races as part of their training so expectations really started to crumble.
Woke up and felt good. Had some breakfast and was ready to go but the stomach started to give a warning. I was fine for most of the trip and then the warnings got louder. Fortunately, I knew of a building with a little used washroom and disaster was diverted. My chest felt a little congested and the legs heavy but a good warm up had my still optimistic. The course went uphill or some rollers for around 2 K and then about 2-3 K of single track down and finally 2-3 K of flat and climbs back to the finish line. My thought was I had started with a conservative pace and held that until a sprint near the end. It had worked twice but my fear was if I was not well placed at the 2 K mark, I might get caught behind herd.
The first K was darn hard and had not run or hiked at elevation for years and so catching my breath proved to be a bit of a challenged. I slowed the pace down and was able to at least maintain a nice jog. With the cold, I was a little over dressed and that caught up to me on the downhill. There was snow and mud and rocks and roots and my glasses fogged up. I was lumbering down and applying the brakes on sections that had I been able to see and it was dry, where I could make some time. With my size and weight, down hills are simply a matter of letting gravity work. But this time, when gravity was working, a nice snow bank or slippery section would see me slam on the brakes. Visions of a race many years ago when a guy my size did not and slipped and suffered a compounded fracture meant I was probably more cautious then I needed to be. I was getting passed by a few people on the steepest and most technical part but then for about a kilometer, I was able to maintain my position.
A few others who tried the suicide pace were starting to fade and my breathing was very labored and my legs were starting to become unresponsive. This was at around the 5 K mark. Then the hills started and I was forced to walk more and more. I was looking to see if I could see my competitors and force me to push harder but the logical and rational part of my brain told me it was stupid to push too hard and even if I wanted to, I would only be able to keep up for a few hundred meters before I really started to suffer. The points leader in the 60-69 year old category, a machine like runner whose legs looked like pistons passed me and I was bound and determined to keep up with him.
Oxygen deprived and looking for my normal kick, the Race Director added one more nasty hill and I was done. I continued to run as hard as I could but I was not generating any speed. I was oxygen deprived and could only see shapes behind me and so the only thought in my head going down the home stretch was what if it was someone in your age group and you lost because you could not push yourself to your limit for a couple hundred meters. I dug deep, pushed hard, took one step over the timing mat and was satisfied with the knowledge that I may not have run a smart race but I had literally left everything on the course. I sat on this wooden stand that had been used to check to see if runners had bear spray and they were very apologetic when they forced me off because of the other finishers.
I am tired, I am sore, my throat scratchy and coughing up phelgm but because of ego and vanity, I HAD to stick around. Although not running the half marathon was somewhat motivated by what I had been through and how I was feeling, I would be lying if I did not say part of the reason for running the Sport course was I think I could finish top 3 and compete for the age series title and the half marathon that turned out to be 22 K would have been a very hard training run with what I thought was not chance of getting a shinny object.
I was finished at 10:30 am, waited and then had a free 10 minute massage, went to my car and changed clothing, got a coffee and then waited until around noon until the age group medal presentations for the race. I finished 3rd and so I knew that meant I would be in the top 3 for the series or so I thought. I had a lot of time to think about racing and running so hard that I thought a lung might burst and how it was not so much fun this time. And worse, doing it to win a shinny object meant sitting around for hours. The sun was out and surrounded by stunning scenery was not a bad thing but I found out during the wait that had I run the half as a training run and about a minute slower per kilometer then I did during the race, I would have finished in 3rd as well. Same shinny object but the later would have meant a super training run and given the conditions and distance, an accomplishment on its own. The saving grace is that the guy who beat me today also won the age group series title and he is a great guy. We exchanged emails as he has never run a half marathon and with my new approach to long runs, someone to talk to during the same.
Since I have been running the 5 Peaks series, the one part where they have always fallen down in my experience is the series title. In 2007, they added a half marathon and made an official announcement that the points from that race would apply the series. The changed that to it would not and then back again. The problem is the timer did not know the final decision and so I got screwed out of a age group series title which was more frustrating because I had to wait around over 3 hours to find that out. The next year was 3 - 4 hours of waiting to confirm I won the title next year and I got a really cool prize for that - a caricature of me. Had not done the series for years but it had not improved. 4 hours of waiting and last year, the winners got discounts on the races for the following years. In any event over 3 hours of waiting and I have congratulated the series winner when I hear my name, something how was not in the top 4 and the guy who should have finished 4th. I explain that my new friend was the series winner and I was second. The timer said it was a best of 4 despite what was on the website and I good thing that was not an issue as I have no problem had that been the case but to wait 2 hours to find out they got it wrong would have pissed me off. It was a gong show and they knew me from previous races and so I finally said, give first place to Craig, I will take second as I would have finished so we can go home.
Although I am not pleased with the disorganization, it was a very big wake up call for me that do that once or twice for ego and vanity and that is acceptable but to waste half a day to get a gift certificate for discounted races, I have to give my head a shake. Races are an nice and pleasant illusion that adds spice to running and more me, ensure that I do the proper runs and enough of them. This was fine when I was a runner who golfed but as my priorities have shifted and I am a golfer who runs, shinny objects should not be a reason to either race or even stick around post race. One of the most fun and interesting races I have ever done was the first 5 Peaks race this year. I had no speed work, no idea about the course or how I compared to my peers. I ran because I wanted to see what sort of running shape I was in and on a trail system I had always meant to do. So when I did well and won my medal, that was pure icing. The second race this year had many positives but a stuck around longer then I should have and it was not as much fun as I how just meeting my own expectations. And this race, under trained, a little sick and yet there was an expectation to run and place well in both this race and the series. Had I done the half marathon, by the time I would have finished and cooled down and changed after getting my refreshments, it would have been a 30 minute wait and I could have then left. Ego is 3 + hour wait, had I put the ego aside 30 minutes.
I do enjoy racing and so for next year, do one off races and I am definitely going to do that half marathon in Canmore. I have done it once and even though I finished 4th in my age group, it is actually one of my prouder accomplishments as it was a true test of both mental and physical strength. So in conclusion, I probably won and learned more then just the medal and second place finish in my age group for the series title.
5 Peaks Canmore
Re: 5 Peaks Canmore
Great report!! Congratulations!
Re: 5 Peaks Canmore
Ken B wrote:Great report!! Congratulations!
Thanks
Feeling better about the experience as I did lean a lot. I believe this series of races combined with the 50 K race has provided me with a different and healthier perspective about racing.
Re: 5 Peaks Canmore
great race report. Canmore has a lot of tough running areas.
If you have to ask me why I Run, You probably wouldn't understand!
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