Painfully Fun Race Report

The Seek the Peak race/fundraiser was an enjoyable race in a masochistic way. The Weather was perfect, a little cool to start but the body warmed up quickly as you found yourself winding through the trails along Capillano River, a beautiful trail and a first for me. I always find myself starting out to fast and hard, usually paying for a faster pace in the last KM's and was hoping to avoid that in this race. As it was a funny start, everyone standing around chatting and the announcer standing on the back of a truck 100 feet from the start line blowing a horn and yelling GO! GO! GO!, and finally we were off as everyone finally clued in to what was happening. As the trail was rolling up and down and finally a continuous upstream you pop out of the trail system at Cleveland Dam park and onto the long arduous run up Capillano Rd Hill to the start of the Grind. I felt OK at this point even though I'm still working on my uphill running, (keep the legs moving)is what I tell myself, better at running downhills. I tried pushing myself up the grind but didn't feel the greatest and still trying to take in fluids and gels to wake my legs up.... at the 3/4 mark my legs finally felt ok, thinking the uphill is over with at this point, so I thought/hoped, was I mistaken. At the top of the grind I found myself running along the fire road up to the top of the ski run, steeper and looser than expected, as guys and gals were blowing by me going downhill to the finish line, wishing I was in there shoes heading down hill instead of up. As I was trying to find the energy in my legs to make to the top, which I had no idea of it's location, it just seemed never ending. Finally turning the corner I could see the end of the hill. Running up the last little incline, happy to be done with the climbing and hoping to catch some of the cautious descenders as I let my legs do the running, a few sketchy sections with the loose rock and the very steep incline making it a difficult decent, trying to keep it together. Saying hello to the bears as I pass knowing that I am nearing the finish line I'm in good spirits, through the line and straight to the Powerade, water, fruit, candy stations to refuel as I was borderline muscle cramping. Happy with my overall time and meeting my wife in the chalet after her 2 time grind climb as she was waiting for me to finish. It was cold at the top, no sun and the clouds were low in the mountains, grabbing a quick coffee from Salt Spring Coffee after stuffing my face with all the other free food and beverages, one of my favorite parts of racing, and off to catch the next tram down before we cathc frostbite.

Thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors for a great race.

And obviously for a great cause for Breast Cancer Awareness.

See you next year