Doonst and Friends Have Fun and Games at Rattlesnake Point

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Doonst
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Doonst and Friends Have Fun and Games at Rattlesnake Point

Postby Doonst » Sat Jun 10, 2006 6:58 pm

Today I ran in a "5 Peaks" trail race (12.7 K) at Rattlesnake Point, Milton. It was a 10 AM start, I'm usually done my races by then! Got there at 9:04, and saw a long line of cars waiting to turn in to the Conservation Area. I'm sure there were even more lined up to the south. Took us a half hour to travel the 2 blocks into the site, Grrr. It was cool and windy as we picked up our race kit and chip. Nice day for running.
So they started a half an hour late, whatever. Met up with BJH, dgrant1 and Jane, and Snowrunner. I had come with my training partner, "A". More about her later.
I thought I knew the area from hiking and running with my SO, but it looks different "at speed". The first 3 K went quick; a little crowded at first as people jockeyed for the best line on the trail. 5 min pace through here, including a 4:45! That seems quick on a winding somewhat rocky trail. Then we headed down the escarpment, not too steep, but people were huffing at the bottom! And puffing! Then about 1.4 K along a road allowance trail along the bottom of Nassagewaya Canyon. Up what I thought would be the toughest section, a rock scrabble that everyone walked. It was just as slow going at the top though, rolling bedrock outcrops. Down to a 6:30 average along here. After the lookout, it was nice flat wide gravel trail for a while, what a mix. Past the halfway mark now. Passing near the Crawford Lake buildings, we turned onto a singletrack back towards the canyon edge. Tough to pass through here. Then back down the rock scrabble hill, no passing here either. At the bottom we went on a boardwalk for a minute, then back up the Milton Outlier on a different path than we had come down. Swithbacks up the hill, not a constant grade, but steeper at the top. Walking again. At the top, we soon pass the 9 K marker. Now there were some fast mild downhill sections, with some bedrock around to make it interesting, really quite fun. I felt like I was flying, going around and over things gives a greater impression of speed. Then there would be a 30 foot elevation scramble up a rock hill, then repeat. Near the end it seemed even rockier, narrow winding singletrack. I started to fade the last K, still a blast though. Coming across the last field, I reeled in a young guy, but he picked it up so I chased him in 1 second behind. Just knowing I could have taken him was enough. Yes, I've gotten old. Time: 1:12:08, 5:41 pace. 95th out of 222.

Image

After, talking to Denis and Dave, started to wonder where "A" was, she should have been only a bit behind me. After she was 30 min late, I asked at the first aid booth if anyone was hurt on the course, but they didn't know. Dave (Snowrunner)'s friend's wife was late too, maybe they got lost. Eventually, someone walked up to me and told me that my friend needed a ride to the hospital. She had fallen around the 10 K mark, and hit her head on the dirt (at least not solid rock). She had scraped her leg and arm all up, they had dressed that in gauze on the trail, but her eye was turning black, so they thought she should get checked out. She might have been a bit embarressed. So, I dropped her off at Milton General emerge. She phoned me later and said she was fine, the doctor poking her face was the worst part. Her eye is good and black though, but it could have turned out way worse. She doesn't really run trails that much, this race just fit into her schedule. I think I'm travelling alone to the next trail race.
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Postby ultraslacker » Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:19 pm

That sounds like SO much fun! Trail races are the best. Great job. :)

Sorry to hear about A... hopefully she feels better soon and does more trail races with you!
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Postby MINITEE » Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:46 pm

OMG Sheldon! That's scary :shock: ... why do I want to do the "Toad" again?

Seriously though, she will have quite a story to tell - I was running this trail race at rattlesnake point...

Congrats to you too, sounds like it was a tough course & you ran well, even honing in on the young gun at the end!
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Postby Ken B » Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:22 pm

Congrats Doonst. That is a tough course. Sorry to hear about "A" . I am with her on trail runs. I have almost been convinced to do one when I hear about the occasional fall. I hope will at least run road events with you!

Again-- great run and report. Thanks

Ken

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Postby dgrant » Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:30 pm

Sorry to hear about your friend's tumble. Yep, getting the noggin checked out after a black idea seems like standard procedure these days.

Here's my question: What gets you pumped up for trail races? (that's not sarcasm... a real question from someone who's never done one) Obviously you can't compare your time on one course to another, so how do you set goals? Or is trail running more about enjoying the day?

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Postby Doonst » Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:41 pm

Yeah I saw several people with wrecked ankles at the finish. One guy looked like he had a softball under his skin.
Trail running is just plain fun, just travelling fast with a greater sense of moving over ground. Today at the end, i saw Denis, and the first thing he said was "wasn't that fun, what a great course!" or similar; he was beaming. It makes you a better stronger runner, and we mostly still do road races to measure improvement. Even so, some road races its hot, or windy, etc, even on flat "PB" courses, so you can't judge your time. . You can do it all, and be a better well-rounded runner.
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Postby Robbie-T » Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:03 pm

Great work Doonst, those 5Peaks courses are tough for sure.

Dave, I think part of the challenge of a Trail race like those is being able to run at an even Perceived Effort for the entire distance of a very technical course. There is no way you can set a pace, you totally have to run by feel, if you go to hard you will know it at the end, if you go too easy that's obvious too. That's what gets me up for it. I've been running races by feel more and more now.
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Postby BJH » Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:21 pm

Good report Doonst. "A" looked like she will have quite the shiner. I'm glad to hear she checked out okay.
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Postby jgore » Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:58 pm

Sounds like fun. Glad your friend is going to be okay. I'm also glad to hear you weren't one the people with the mangled ankles.

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Postby dgrant1 » Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:05 pm

Yeah, it's just like both Sheldon and Rob said - it makes you a stronger runner, it's great for balance and leg strengthening, it helps you with your focus and concentration (one mental lapse and you're down...), and it develops your sense of 'feel' and perceived effort in pacing. As for goals, you can set your race goals according to your relative placing either overall or in your age category, or you can compare with your previous race times on the same course.

And yep, I had a blast again -- despite getting a minor ankle sprain at about the 10.5k mark, and having to kind of 'tip-toe' in to the finish... We left pretty soon after the race, to get home and find some ice... I had a 1:10:07, 82nd out of 222 overall. Jane loved it too - she did the sport course, and finished in 30:30.

Sorry to hear about "A", Sheldon, I know you were concerned. I had two guys who were running immediately in front of me at different points in the race go down hard (no, I didn't trip them!!). Luckily, both were okay, with only a few scapes and some hurt pride...
Next up:

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Postby Ed Fizz » Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:14 am

Great run!!! :D I hope yuor friend feels better this morning. Now, if you keep on saying how much fun trail running is, I'll feel obligated to try one out. :?

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Postby Jo-Jo » Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:19 am

Great report...it really gave me a feel of what it is like to race on a trail. Sorry to hear that A had a little mishap.

In theory I would like to try trail races but my very poor depth perception makes me think it's not a great idea for me :oops:
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Postby runjanerun » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:55 pm

Wow, that sounds like a lot harder trail race than I've ever done! Don't worry, Tracy, Dave (Snowrunner) sent me a few photos and the Toad is NOTHING like the SNAKE! :lol: Dave said he sprained his ankles three times yesterday.

You really have to experience trail running in order to explain what it is that is appealing. Just being out there, it is so much more beautiful than fighting the traffic and people on the roads. Not to mention the pollution on the highways! Incidentally, I have been running for eight years. I've fallen on my face twice on the roads and only once on the trails. I've come close to some good wipe outs on the trails but managed to recover.

I agree too about comparing races. You can't compare trail races, but you can't compare road races either. Even the same road race -- it can be super hot one year, it can be cool the next. You can be running into gale force winds which can slow you down. The same race is never the same IMO.
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Postby mlazenby » Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:43 pm

Very nice race repot Sheldon. Thanks. Make another notch.
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Postby Size5 » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:02 pm

Nicely Done Sheldon!

Notice how Jim mentioned that "it sounds like fun"?

*high-five*

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Postby ChrisL » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:41 pm

Great report Sheldon.

Great race. Congratulations
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Postby Doonst » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:47 pm

Size5 wrote:Nicely Done Sheldon!

Notice how Jim mentioned that "it sounds like fun"?

*high-five*

S5


I think we got him. With all this talk of face-plants, twisted ankles, etc, how could he resist?
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Postby SNOWRUNNER » Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:02 pm

Hey Doonst, glad "A" is safe and sound and on the mend, my friend Brians wife Deb said that she gave the race marshal heck, cuz he was pulling up the markers when not all the runners were in yet...wht??, i asked her if she saw "A" and she said yes but lost her a while back, glad she`s ok, other than banged up, i did ok, twisted 3 ankles a bit, the right one twice, left once, not all the way over though.Still did a 1:07:46, and ran 5:21`s, past alot of the younger runners, that felt good...hehehe, so i came in 68th of 222, i would do the snake again, its tougher than anything around here for sure.Gonna see if i can get Jane out here next year, she would love the scenery and she takes awesome pic`s of everywhere she goes.She`s a blast to run with.So job well done to all who run...David. :D :D :D
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Postby QuickChick » Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:40 pm

That pace is really impressive for such a tough course! Great job.
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Postby runjanerun » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:38 pm

As long as they don't mind me taking two hours to complete it, I might be interested! I am NOT going to be killing myself and rolling three of my ankles! :wink: If I can talk Cathy into going, she and I can snap photos of each other along the way (add another half hour onto that two hours!).
Jane

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Postby Marvin Martian » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:08 pm

Quite the run there Doonst. Sorry your friend got hurt... makes me want to get on the wobble board and work on balance.

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Postby SusanD » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:11 pm

Fantastic run (and report) Sheldon! Sorry to hear about A, but glad all will be okay.

Your details, graphs - report in general - made me crazy... I'm so itching to get back at it (post injury) especially on the trails!!! Sounds terrific! Great job, man! :)
Done: Full 2, 30k 2, 25k 1, Half 11, 13k 2, 10k 2, 8k 1, 5k 20 ...
Hmmm... this needs an update!

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Postby pts » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:25 am

Great work Sheldon. :D

Too bad about "A", hope her spirits have recovered, and that she tries trails again.
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Postby TurtleLuc » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:28 am

Nice run and report Sheldon.
Trail running certainly takes a lot of concentration. Glad to hear your friend wasn't too seriously injured and is on the mend.
Thanks for sharing your detailed report. Well done. Keep it up.
Regards,
Turtle Luc :)
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Postby Stephan » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:36 am

Great report Sheldon, that sounds like so much fun!!!! Hope your pal "A", managed after.

Well done!!


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