Rattlesnake Five Peaks

Rattlesnake Point

Five Peaks Trail Running Series

4.5km trail race

Rattlesnakce Conservation Area, Milton

July 12, 2008

www.5peaks.com

 Coming Back

I hadn’t run the entire week before this race as I was away at camp. Normally I run five times a week, so I was a bit worried about how my legs would respond to the time off. Although I had run the course with my coach this was my first time racing it. The course is the shortest of the Five peaks sport races, but it’s second half includes the most technical section of trail in the series. I got a nice warm up in by rabbitng for the kids challenge again.

 The Start

I went out in wave two. There was a very high number of racers at this race, so I knew the pace would start fast. The course starts fairly flat along a wide section of trail. Being the third race of the series I kept my eye on some of the competition.  By the 1km mark I was in tenth. My body felt great, but my lungs were having trouble keeping up. I planned to start steadilly then pick it up on the way back on the technical rocky section. By the turn around I was still in tenth.

 Turn Around

From 2.2km to the finish is some of the best trail. The trail parallels a cliff popular with rock climbers. Along the edge of the excarpment there are huge rocks and roots. The turn around started with a really great technical climb which trew my heart rate up and left me panting for air. I caught up to two runners ahead of me up the hill and was stuck behind them for a while. We got to the second aid station and this was my chance. They began to turn the wrong way then I passed them and they followed. I went for a short sprint away from them to not let them draft off of me. In and through the technical I was alone , but every once in a while I could see a runner infront of me.

The Finish

Up one final hill of double track I looked over my shoulder for a racer no one was there. I pushed it, but couldn’t catch two racers ahead of me. They had to much distance on me. They finished about 10 seconds before me. I finished 8th overall, 3rd for under 19 and 1rst in my age category. I felt I raced well for not running the week before. I just want to do better next time.