Today was the annual Creemore Vertical Challenge 25/50 km races. This is a small race (200 cap total for both races) which starts and finishes in the race director's backyard. My goal for this race was twofold...rectify the disaster that was Sulphur Springs, and more importantly, exact revenge on my pal Andrew, who beat me at Sulphur.
We would be running the 25 km.30 mins before the race, I met up with Doonst and Robbie-T. Doonst I've raced a few times...Robbie, this was the first time I met this RM legend. I've gotta be frank....Robbie comes across as somewhat larger than life in this forum, and I honestly expected a really brash guy. I couldn't have been more wrong. Really well grounded guy in person despite his seemingly 'ceiling-less' talent. I then got to meet WestGreyRunner. This man exudes positive energy...and there will be more on this later.
Shortly after 8 am, the sound of a shotgun rings out, and we're off. A short stretch of dirt road, and we're into the bush for some really slow single-file action. it kinda felt like I was in line at Timmies.
My bad for starting so far back. But it allowed for some entertaining trash talk between myself and Andrew, which had runners around us laughing.We come out onto the road at about 3 km, and Andrew tells me to go on without him. He was a little under the weather, and the heat, though not at its peak yet, may have been getting to him. I stuck with him until about 5 km, and then started to drift away. Then, the hills began.
It wasn't too bad at this point. It went uphill, flat, uphill, flat...kind of like really big stairs, if that makes sense. But as the race progressed, the hills got bigger.
The race left the road, I won't guess at which km, and headed into some nicely shaded woods. Fun flat single-track through here. I really enjoyed this section. But as always, what goes up, must come down. I may have the next section out of sequence (Robbie, Doonst?). Back onto the road for a plummeting hill. WOW!!! Despite some tired legs roughly 10 km in, I hit 3:34/km while on this hill. Long fast downhills like this can really pound you, but rather than checking up, I just leaned forward and hoped for the best. I survived the plummet, but as predicted, my quads took and absolute beating, which would linger for the rest of the race.
As before, but inverse, what goes down, must come up. The return trip up the escarpment was on rocky trail, and nobody around me was running. The trip up this hill involved a brief encounter with The Viking, who I passed at the top. Of course a seasoned guy like that, it didn't take him long to pass me back.
Once again, back onto the road, believing that after that last killer hill, we must be at the top of the escarpment. Not quite. A bit more climbing to do, and then at flat section for about 2 km.
During this flat section, roughly 20 km in, WestGreyRuner came up on me as I was finishing up with water-belt technical difficulties. He immediately recognized me and asked how I was doing. I turned, and what do I see but that tell-tale smile. He isn't posing in his pics, folks....I think he runs with that smile all the time. His attitude infused me with a little energy at a time when I thought gastro issues were going to jump up and bite me. Thanks WGR!!
From this point, it was virtually all downhill. I was hoping for a fast finish, but it wasn't to be had. Some field running, and then into the bush for 2 rope assist sections. That was dodgy but fun. From there, another field, and then a suspension bridge, and a very bouncy one at that. You almost had to time your footstrikes to the bounce, which I did very poorly, and no doubt looked like a duck running across a bridge.
50 metres past the bridge, and the race is done. I didn't look at the clock, and stopped my Garmin WAY late, so I'll guess 2:43ish. Andrew came in around 2:48....so revenge exacted!! 
Post race....a dip in a very cold river on the RD's property....cold, but blissful. The legs took such a beating, the cold water may save me this time tomorrow from excessive DOMS. Not sure how Doonst did, but Robbie tore it up for 4th overall....dude is SICK fast!!
Race highlights:
Handmade clay medal at the finish
Creemore Springs Beer at the finish
No dehydration issues like at Sulphur (2 lbs lost vice 10ish last time)
Simply AWESOME race.
Race lowlights:
Losing a nip tape, with the resultant blood streak down a white shirt.
Overall, great race experience, top 3 in my books. I will absolutely be back.
Good times!
so it wasn't a trophy shallonge I guess?
