Race Pictures http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=576150&id=793870117&l=6c7093fba5
I've had this race in my sights all year, this year would be the last year it was held in Guelph, next year it will be hosted out West and who knows when it will be local enough for me to have a chance to run again. So I wanted one more time to experience this highly competitive race, tough course and awesome event! I did run it 2 years ago.
Life had been happening hard and heavy for the few weeks leading up to this race and it was hard to really focus on it, everything possible had been going on, real BIG scary, stuff, most everything has worked it self out for the best. Except for one thing, everyone in my family has been sick for the last few weeks, I had been able to stay free until the week of this race when I start hacking. It hadn't effected my running too much but it did impact my sleep, energy and motivation.
Anyway, I knew nothing was going to stop me from enjoying this race so that other stuff didn't matter at the race. The weather coming up to the race looked perfect, mostly dry and cold, that would make excellent running conditions. However there was cold, wind and snow in the forecast and this time the weather man was bang on! It snowed a bit the night before, then before the race and during, it was almost like blizzard conditions (see race pictures).
Woke up early went skating with the boys at their hockey practice, then busted out to Guelph, got there with loads of time to spare. Got my race kit, the race bib# this year were our names, so cool! Now I'm even more excited.
The course is 4 x a 2k loop = 8k, I went and ran the course as a warm up, I'm running beside this guy and we chat a bit about the course and weather, he asks where I am from and I say "local, Erin". Then I ask him, "Victoria, BC", oh man, I start getting more excited, I'm definitely feeling the caliber of runners that I know show up for a National event, I'm not worthy.
I get my spikes on, make my way to the start area, almost 200 runners, in team shirts, with named bibs on, warming up in the snow! Wow!
A couple minutes before the race is suppose to start, everyone makes their way to the line, now we are on the top of an open hill, the wind is blowing and it is snowing hard. I think they delayed the start for a good 5 minutes just to make us grumpy old men even grumpier! Seriously snow was piling up on top of everyones shoulders and heads.
Eventually we get started, my strategy was to start off a bit comfortable for the first lap at least so I wouldn't blow up early and could maybe pick it up for the last lap. With that many people I got held up at the first corner and got a few elbows, that's all part of the XC race. Eventually after about 1k I found a good spot and ran as hard as possible. Each loop contains a good climb before the start of the next lap, and for the finishing area you climb a large steep hill and then attempt to kick 100m or so to the finish line while dragging your lung behind you. I remember having no kick, but looking at the race video, not many others did either.
The race was over pretty quick, all I remember is pushing, trying to go faster and trying to get more air in my body from anywhere.
My final time was 30:22, I was hoping for under 30:00 but wasn't sure that was possible on this course for me, but without the nasty weather I could have done it.
That time got me 55/192 overall, and 17/26 in my 40-44 age group!!
The winner was in my age group and 8 of the top 10 were too, but I guess we are the young ones out there
So much fun, I can't wait until next year to get my spikes back on and run XC again. But all this is a warm up for the main event the "Egg Nog Jog" Dec 12, where I attempt to go sub 40:00 for the first time through the hilly 10.8 course that I have raced 6x before. Hopefully I have kicked this cold by then.
splits
3:41, 3:53, 3:42, 3:53, 3:41, 3:58, 3:42, 3:52
results
http://www.guelphrunning.ca/page.php?content=AGSIResults
race video
http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&year=2010&pg=1&event_id=4870&video_id=34435&folder_id=2409&offset=5#video
Well done, nice run and the experience must have been a great one too. Wish I could do the ENJ, but I'm on the road... 
Look at that race weather! love it!
