Sunday, January 4, 2009

5 Peaks Buntzen Lake Enduro Sept 13, 2008

Almost a year to the day after my first trail run ever, I returned to Buntzen Lake to run the enduro course for the 2008 offering.  I was happy to meet up with pace bunny and her beau at this race too.  Together, we covered all three courses:  pace bunny did the sport, I did the enduro and beau did the half marathon - which was actually 25 km!

Clara accompanied me to this event and set up on arrival with her thermos of tea, a good book and a variety of snacks for us after I completed the race.  Unlike last year, there was no toilet paper crisis in the washrooms so the pre-race bio break was not nearly as dramatic.

The sport and enduro races start at the same time, so pace bunny and I started together.  Once out of the picnic area start line we headed up the Energy trail.  This was my first lesson in what a year of trail racing can do for a person.  Last year, I was confident I was going to finish my race right then and there as I was sure that this uphill was only a taste of what was to come and it was doing me in barely 5 minutes into the race.  This year, however, I hoofed up the trail and switchbacks with nary a problem.  It was hardly a piece of cake, but the flat bit at the top just felt like a relief and not a full blown godsend!

Pace bunny and I soon parted ways as I veered off and UP onto the enduro course section.  I am very happy that I chose not to do this route last year, as I would never have done a trail race again.  Though there are beautiful viewpoints to be had along this route, I got the distinct sense that I was on the Grouse Grind on a large part of this trail.  The inclines and switchbacks were intense.  There was a group of about 5 other racers, both men and women, with whom I kept trading places on leading through this section.  As one of us got winded, the others would pass and this exchange kept up for several kilometres.

Because of the terrain and my unfamiliarity with the trail, there were several times when I was running with no one in sight in front of me when I lost track of the marked course.  Except for my infamous misreading of the enduro/sport split at the first Golden Ears race, I was pretty good at keep track of the little orange 5s that indicate the trail, mostly due to the diligence and care of the volunteers that place these markers.  Because of the rocky and hilly terrain though, I found it hard to spot every one of the markers at some places, so I made a few detours which, though intellectually satisfying, likely did nothing to help my progress and earned my a few extra lower body twists then I would have liked.

Then came the down bit.  If you have been reading any of my other posts, you know that down for me is a bit of a problem.  Well this was the hellmouth of downs.  Steep steps , sharp rocks and pointy roots were all just waiting for the right moment to pierce my bottom bits.  It's at times like these that I recall the scene in Shaun Of The Dead when Timothy Dalton's character has his lower jaw impaled by a miniature church steeple.  That image alone makes me want to step very gingerly down this part of the trail.  I was paced by elflike racers who were gleefully bounding down this bit like quasi mountain goats.  I need to get comfy with doing that, but I think that movie has ruined me for life.

As I was hoofing along a relatively flat bit I came across a person who was a course marshall, complete with radio and first aid kit.  He asked me if I had come across a women with an injured knee.  I told him I had not and that if I had I would have been still there with her until someone had come to help!  He thanked me and went on his way looking for the injured person.  I hope they found her!

Eventually, I got to the lovely flat bit of the course.  Well not flat exactly.  The finishing kilometres of the trail follow the eastern shore of Buntzen Lake, which is a beautifully rolling path with lots of wee wooden bridges and gentle twists and turns.  Though I was looking forward to this part, my quads were not!

Apparently, I had asked a bit too much of my legs on the ascent of the trail, so by the time I got to the fun bits which otherwise should have been filled with frolicking and merriment, I was burnt out.  I ran the last bits of the trail as best as I could but spaghetti quads are not the optimal equipment for this type of terrain.  Oh well, it had turned into a beautiful day weatherwise and the scenery was quite beautiful, so I enjoyed the remaining part of the course for what it was worth and crossed the finish line, again, not last.

I spent the next half hour stretching and soaking my legs in the cool waters of Buntzen Lake.  For my last trail race of the year, it was a good event and despite my blown body parts, I had a good time.

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