Training Log Archive: Wyatt

Event: The 35th annual Billygoat Run
 

Aiming for 3rd at best. Thinking that was quite optimistic at times, seeing lots of cadets around, and an Ian-cadet pack out front. Early on, when I noticed both Will & Zhyk (the 2 I expected @ 1st/2nd in some order) catching back up to me at 5, I was quite pleased to still be in contact that far into the race. Then, after hanging on for dear life as we started the trail run to 8, I was surprised as I didn't brak down after deciding I should pass Zhyk to keep in contact with Will on the long trail run... Seeing Ian & cadets across the pond (and not knowing he'd skipped), I was happy to at least be in good company the chase pack - which my right-of-lake route to 8 allowed to regroup (as Will's 100m lead disappeared). Will's crazy reverse exit from 9 smelled of a long-around-skip pack-exit (it was) so then it was me, Zhyk and cadets chasing Ian & cadets, which we just caught at 10 (me with a low route), but then I drank, and had to pull them back in - which didn't work at all, until Ian cut off the trail too early, and then Zhyk & I caught back up to the cadets as they hesitated approaching 11, and I took advantage of their spread out pattern to have confidence that some eyes would find the control. All together to 12, then I broke high to 13 (worked), but the cadets ran me down as we exited toward 14. But then continued to aggressively, passing me as we all traversed too much w/o investing in the climb up front - which I corrected first while the cadets very slowly traversed ahead. Cresting the hill I took off and I hear that worked to pull completely out of sight of the cadets & Zyhk at that point, on the way to 14 (which I found much less confusing than most), and then winning 15 (around right in the slot) still out of sight. It was on the climb to 14, I think, that I unfolded the map and decided that skipping 22 was better than 17. At 16 I hesitated a bit on the way in, and drank water, which allowed Zhyk & now just 1 cadet (Jacob Grant, I think) to catch up. Zhyk outran me to 17, but then didn't skip out to the little trail fast enough to 18, which I did and hammered away on - apparently again losing sight distance on Zhyk - and he lost another 20 sec or so coming in too high to 18 - I saw him on the way out. Hard around right to 19, then hammer to 20, past my kids (on White) cheering me on, then the finish field, where I heard something about being 3rd, or 4th, with a possible chance of catching one person, but a sense that 1st was out of reach. But they didn't know I hadn't skipped, so I decided to hammer anyway, just in case. Caught cadet Jacob Grant @ 20, and we ran together toward 21, with him pulling me in as I almost veered right. And then the skip. Blind red-lining 'up-hill' +rough-compass only navigation needed to 23 (looking to my right for a possible rival coming in from 22), and then 24, plowing right through the green just-in-case someone ahead had gone around, and flying down the chute.

Heard something about "1st", which I assumed was first of some group of folks that had come through the spectator run across, and I was looking around for Ian, or Will or Sergei, or someone else resting in the finish field, when out of the woods pops Will. Wow. And then Sergei. Wow. Wait, am I 1st overall? Omg!

A combination of good luck, fairly good navigation (after the bad route to #1) a physically strong day, and just enough issues by Will & Sergei (& Jacob) - and wow, I earned a goat.

Billygoat - Splits