Training Log Archive: wilberto

Busy running around Saturday, so got out for a loop in the failing light. Not moving very fast.

Love the cool mornings.

Event: 2012 Salomon Raid the Hammer
 

Hard to believe, but my first time ever doing Raid The Hammer. Great day out with Amber & 1L. Discussion in the car enroute was "managing expectations" and recognizing that perhaps our team motto should be "we may not be fast, but we're slow". Arrived about 8:15 to realize that perhaps arriving a little earlier might have helped. Oh well - you're supposed to check your maps/plan your strategy on the bus to the start, right? GStix starts us and our swift running pace puts us near the back of the pack. Scramble in to N3, over to N1, then N2 and up along the edge over to N4. Quick peek to admire the stunning view as I don't get out this way often. We get into 1 and split up with Amber doing A, 1L doing C and me doing the easy B. Meant I got a nice break, but IL had a little struggle and took the scenic route to C so maybe we should have switched. Back moving down to A then over to S1 & S2 with no troubles. Heading off the first map, and our team speed, or lack of shows up. For those that shuffle like us, this wasn't our race. Looking at the Winsplits, we do great on the off trail stuff, but the straight ahead road/trail sections and we drop down the ranks. Oh well. Into Brant Hills and we nail 1,2,3, then climb out and across the road. 4-5-6 go great, then we shuffle along the BT and over to map 3. Drop in to A, then up over to B and down to D. Debating leaving C until later, but decided to go quickly up the ridge and back down. Passed a family having snacks as we climbed up on top to Chief and friends at CP1. 1L dropped a layer and Amber chatted with former teammates (she's raced with lots of people). I was feeling good so didn't do much, save for shoe tightening adjustment, refilling bladder and a couple twizzlers. My longsleeve with shortsleeve on top had me comfortable all day. 2-3-4 went well, then down to the edge with 3-4. Back through the thick stuff to 5 and over to 6. Hit 6 a little high, but found it okay. Another team right with us through 7, but I knew we'd say goodbye to them once we were onto the long slog for home. Oh well. I was in powerwalk mode by the end. Saw a younger team a couple times and they passed us for good running down the hill to the falls. The bongoes were fun at 9, although we were ready to finish by that point. Crossed at the lights above the park and saw another team entering the park, so decided we needed to crank up the shuffle yet again so we didn't get passed by some runners.
Great day, well-organized event. Enjoyed the course, although certainly built for better runners than us. I'm a rather quiet racer, so it worked great that Amber & 1L chatted away while I kept my head in the map and forged on ahead. We had good fun and I think we worked well together. Good to see lots of familiar folks enjoying meatballs at the finish.

C • The scenic route 1