Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

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Doonst
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Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby Doonst » Mon May 03, 2010 9:50 pm

So it rained at Pick Your Poison trail race! Somebody should have warned me. The course for my 25 K race was 2 loops. Other distances of 12.5 K and 50 K all started together. It was a little busy at the start but just for a bit. The sun had come out just as we lined up to begin. It quickly clouded over, but stayed warm for the first loop. The course was very mixed: raw, fresh singletrack that was very hilly and winding, and faster sections of tractor roads made of sand or cedar chips. Splits went from 5 minutes to 8 minutes and back again. Some of the singletrack was downright miserable, other sections were huge fun. Also grass sections across or down the ski hills, and forest tracts too.

I was feeling okay but it seemed steady more than fast. By the end of the first loop I was soaked in sweat.This was probably my low point physically, starting to fade. Second loop, it started raining solid. It had sprinkled a bit up until now, just enough to make it humid. Soon the heavy rain cooled me off and I picked it up again. On the faster stuff I thought maybe I would be faster than the first loop, but the Garmin says just a touch slower. Then the rain took its toll on the course, especially the goofy new singletrack. Much of it was off-camber, going across a hill, and it was slick mucky going. Much slower on these sections, up to 90 seconds per K. Also here, I followed 2 guys off course for 400-450 metres, and the same again to backtrack. Cost us at least 5 minutes. So my second loop took 15 minutes more than the first, 1:14 and 1:29. At least my energy was good until the end, and I passed two guys on the final descent in a 3 minute kick. Official time was 2:43:46, good for 33 place out of 71 runners. Those 5 minutes didn't help me there, but I know we weren't the only ones who wandered a bit. I was drenched at the end, but at least I didn't actually go down in the mud as so many did. Lots of friendly faces before and after. There was a meal served indoors, even though the power was out from the thunderstorm. Swag was a jar of honey, a water bottle, and "Pick Your Poison" defeet socks.

That now shows as my slowest 25 K ever, even going back 5 years. Also have to wonder if the course wasn't short, as most Garmins showed. It doesn't matter to me if I ran a tough 25 K or 23 K, but if I had to explain why my first 50 K might have really been 45 or 46, I might be disappointed. Still, that's trail racing. All in all, a fun, challenging unique day on the trails.

Spur at 16 K is the off course bit.
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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby ultraslacker » Mon May 03, 2010 9:55 pm

Doonst wrote:if I had to explain why my first 50 K might have really been 45 or 46, I might be disappointed. Still, that's trail racing. All in all, a fun, challenging unique day on the trails.


yeah I think it's the nature of the beast... it's hard to be super accurate on crazy trails! :)

That was an excellent time, though, even if it wasn't your best time; it sounds like a hard course with bad weather!
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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby QuickChick » Tue May 04, 2010 6:05 am

It would've been really hard to do that in the rain- it would absolutely make a difference to your time. How many trail races have you done in the rain- maybe you can start setting "in the rain" pbs. 8) That must've been a fast field if you were 33 out of 71, too.
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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby blank » Tue May 04, 2010 6:40 am

Nice running Sheldon! It sounds and looks like quite the challenging course, especially in the rain. But, I bet it was a lot of fun.
I hope they found everyone that wandered off. :wink:

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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby दिवंगत » Tue May 04, 2010 8:01 am

Tought day but you got it done! You trail runners are a bunch of crazies.... :lol:

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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby Robinandamelia » Tue May 04, 2010 8:17 am

Congrats, especially under the difficult circumstances!!

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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby b_squared » Tue May 04, 2010 8:51 am

Seems like you had a victory just not going down in the mud!
Let's hope for better conditions at Sulphur.

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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby West Grey Runner » Tue May 04, 2010 8:54 am

Great report Doonst.

The course was short! I figured it was an 11.25K loop…I was quiet Ok with that, the OUS folks were making up for Seaton.

Finish times in a trail are really doing mean much. A better way to gauge yourself is where you placed in regards to the others. I just ran my two slowest 50Ks ever yet I am extremely pleased with my results.

Hope to see you in Mount Forest Saturday.

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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby Robbie-T » Tue May 04, 2010 9:25 am

ok trail running in the rain is just fun, lucky you, and great run!
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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby ratherBrunning » Tue May 04, 2010 12:07 pm

I enjoyed the report! Nice job out there!!
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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby Ken B » Tue May 04, 2010 2:48 pm

Nice report, Sheldon! It sounds like a tricky course and then throw in the rain! It appears that you coped really well

Congrats on yet another good 25 km trail race!!

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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby AirForceRunner » Wed May 05, 2010 12:04 am

RAIN!?! Whoda thunk it?
Sorry, but you knew that was coming. :lol:
Still kicking myself for missing this, but your description of that off-camber messy stuff....probably best I did.
Nice work Doonst. Seeya at Sulphur.
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Re: Doonst Picks a half-dose of Poison

Postby mcshame » Wed May 05, 2010 4:30 am

Sounds like messy fun, well done. I'll have to try a trail race one day.


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