Training Log Archive: wilberto

Parent teacher interviews at the school, so wore my running gear & headlight and did a loop in the valley after. Gorgeous night.

The boy is trying hockey this year and my spinning bike had been co-opted as a hockey gear drying rack. I realized I needed to claim it back or lose it forever. Went down and cleared it off and gave my legs a spin watching the strangely impressive Raptors.

Event: Salomon Raid the Hammer
 

Decided I wanted another race before the snow and wanted to try RtH again after enjoying it last year. Chatting with a friend Glenn who has gotten into triathlons in the past couple years, so I suggested he might like orienteering. For his first race, I suggested the Half Raid. Enlisted always good to go Jasper as our third and Lather.Rinse.Repeat. was set.
Course looked pretty good, although more running than I like (as always...), especially the trackwork right off the start. Decide Glenn will go first, then me, then Jasper, who is fittest and needs less recovery. Cut NW on the sidestreet to pick up the paved trail down into the valley but realized the better choice was straight down the steep to the bridge. We move well along N side of valley and down to 2. Am inspired running with Martin Rydlo and his 10 yr old daughter. Maybe time for my boy to join me. Find a comfortable pace and through 3 and up the small valley to 4. Here we cross paths with junior girls team "It's OK 2 B Fast" for the first time of many on the day. After the steep climb up to the plateau, Jasper casually asks what kind of car Glenn drives. Eventually, we realize he's asking because he found a set of keys halfway up the steep hill and gave them to the photographer at the top. Yes, the zipper on Glenn's pack is open and yes, his keys are missing. Talk about beginner's luck!
Into the real nav section of the course. Elected to loop around the top trails and attack 5. Not great features to follow, but bearing off a junction and hit it, same time as the girls. Down to 6 (now with a junior boys team around), but our bearing is a little better and we spike it. Over to 7 in the rain, then 8 and back along the ridge trail. The (OFSSA x country champion) girls quickly pass us old guys (again) on the trail, but we stay close and down to 10 and back up and over to 11 aid station. We're feeling good, so no aid stop and we pass them back again. Up to the S ridge and over to 12, where they run by us again. This was fun as it got me in race mode, so I'm pushing our team to stay focussed and keep pace. Back down to the bottom and I make a better choice to beat them up onto the plateau for 13. Climb up to the top and on the straight trails and they pass us yet again. Knowing the end is near, so pushing hard. I can tell Glenn is running out of gas so I take his pack and we give him Jasper's tow to help. We almost get the wrong bridge at 14, but someone gave us a helpful tip. Back on trail to the finish and It's OK 2 B Fast has run ahead of us once again. I had done a little google maps recon pre race and figured a residential street not marked on map was a better route. They continued ahead and we cut left down the street. Back over to the school and we run strong into the finish. Beat the girls by 2:35. Impressive to see top Full Raid teams coming in.
Shocked and amazed to find we are 5th overall in the Half Raid. Have to explain to the rookie that it doesn't always go this well :) Have to see if we can get him up to a full raid.
Thanks to Pathectic and GHO for a fun, well run event. Good to see lots familiar faces and a great day out.

C • Congrats! 2