The third of five, Solomon 5 Peaks races is over and it was a tough one, the hardest to date, Mt. Seymour Ski Hill was very unforgiving on a beautiful summer morning.
It started out with a long gradual downhill on a section of gravel road then changing to pavement for the first km or so, finally disappearing into a winding single track trail system where I was starting to feel at home, switching back and forth through the single track circling lakes, up and down hills for about 4 km until I start to make my way back to the starting point/parking lot, it was a long climb, wishing that it would end soon as the temperature was starting to rise. Hitting the parking lot and keeping my legs moving, the hills didn't end there, you make your way up a rocky, steep trail, working your way to the top of the Brocton Chair lift, as your lungs are burning and legs pounding, hoping that it would stop, seeming never ending. Pushing through the pain thinking that I have to be hitting the top soon, snow appearing, must be a sign that there's some downhill coming soon. Knowing I always loose ground on the ascent I always try and push the pace on the downhills and this race was no different, surprising people as I blow by them, a fellow racer at the finish questioning how I'm able to go so quickly and make up so much ground, and also wondering what I'm doing carrying an extra kilo of weight in water while I race up and down these hills.
Running through the mud and rocks, catching up to some of the races that started in group one, 1 min ahead, realizing that I am having a good race. I try and push the pace just a little more knowing that the end is near. The last little uphill takes everything that I have, crossing the finish line in 26nd position overall trying not to throw up on the volunteer as he's cutting the timing chip off my shoe.
5 Peaks number 4, Whilster BC, see you in a 4 weeks.
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