What a great day to have a race. The conditions for the race at Durham Forest were perfect. It was cool enough in the shade of the woods so that people weren't dropping from the heat. I am sure that the medical tent was still pretty busy after the race, with heat exhaustion and treatment of all the poison ivy that was on course.
My day started off by heading out at 7 after an early breakfast to be up in Uxbridge for 7:30. I had volunteered to help out with Parking Control and I felt bad that I hadn't been able to go up and help mark the course on Friday morning (I was called into work early). I got to the forest in good time and quickly went over instructions for the parking. I then donned the reflective vest and assumed my post on the road. The parking at the Forest filled up quickly and by 9 o'clock the Lafarge parking was starting to fill. By 9:20, that lot was almost full and people started to improvise places to park. By 9:30 I had abandoned my post and headed off to register for the race.
10:10 am: the racers lined up for the Enduro and were off down the shoot for the first 700 m. It was at this point that the 3 to 5 wide field of runners all crammed into a singletrack of trail which was skirted heavily in Poison Ivy. The conga line continued for the next 2 km with only a few incidents of people, who were following too closely, tripping on the many stumps that lined the course. As chance would have it, I was once again chasing/pacing behind Mike B, (the former 5 Peaks director) and just as he finished yelling ahead that we were entering a very stump filled/rooty section of trail, he went down. I am not sure if I stepped on him, I apologize if I did.
As the race went on, the pack thinned out, especially on the two major climbs in the south end of the forest. The wall of pain turned out to be very difficult for many participants, who choose to walk instead of charging up and then dying at the top. The part that I found difficult was not the initial hill but the third or fourth switchback uphill that followed the wall. After getting thru the southern end of the forest, the long descent back down to the lower section was a welcome feeling. One question I have though is: Why can't mountain bikers make a straight trail? Do they have to circle every bush and shrub there is. There were plenty of instances in the race where you could see those ahead of you going the opposite direction but only meters from you. In the end, it was the cheers of the crowd and the music from the great band that was playing, that got me to the finish line.
Low points of the race: Other than the tight winding singletrack that may have been too close to the start line, there weren't any drawbacks from where I was in the race pack. But where my friends started, further towards the back of the pack, problems arose when the Sport class Athletes came crashing through the back portion of the Enduro racers. While the Sports do have a right to be passing, there is no need to be shoving runners out of the way just because you run faster. One of our numbers, Geri S. Who came second in her age no less, was elbowed in the head by someone who came crashing by. Maybe some of these sport keeners should move up to the big run??? I hope that some of them get bad cases of Poison ivy... Or maybe there should have been more course/time management between the two races (ie more stagger between the starts, or a two more distinctive race courses. But it comes down to you can't please everyone all of the time, so cheers!
High points of the race: when I got past the 7 km mark and I knew that the hard part of the race course was over. Also, my shoelaces didn't come loose once during the run (I swear that I have to remember the zip ties or Duct tape for the next race), compared to the three times that the double knots came undone at rattlesnake. And the ultimate part of the race was being able to go back out and cheer everyone else in to the final 400m.-Priceless.
Thanks John K and all the volunteers for all the hard work. You really put on a great race!
1 comment:
Great race report Ken....
I was a Sport racer but know that I definitely did not pass any Enduro racers, but was passed by Enduro racers who were equally rude. What has happened to calling out that there is a runner on the left? I would have gladly stepped aside...okay may be not gladly into poison ivy...but would have done my best to give them passing room!
I too would like to add my thanks to John K and all of the volunteers, you did a great job and it was much appreciated.
All and all like you said Ken it was a wonderful day.
Jo
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