Sunday November8th 2009,Dundas On.
Salomon Raid the Hammer 25k Adventure/Trail Race
Okay,the website name says it all!Don’t get lost indeed.Having participated in this event last year,I knew the prospect of getting lost was a distinct possibility but here I was again in Dundas,On to navigate,with ample help from my 2 team-mates,the 25 kilometres from an unknown starting point in Hamilton,back to Dundas.
Shortly after 9am we arrive at a field behind the Rosedale Arena and at 9:20am off we went.Our goal was to navigate each control point,not get lost and have fun,so we set off at an easy pace.CP’s 1,2,3 & 4 were easy to find. CP 4 was a 3 parter were the team split up to find A,B and C individually.CP 5 was a straight run due north and CP 6 was the same distance ahead in the same heading.So far so good.
Now things were going to get a little more interesting.CP 6 consisted of 8 check points,half of which were on the Bruce Trail and you were permitted to once again split up and pick each individually.These check points proved to be a little harder to find than the previous ones,but again we found them all in reasonably good time.After CP 7,things got lots tougher.Firstly there was a massive stair climb up the escarpment and back onto the Trail.A short section along a major road and then back onto the Trail for a climb.CP’s 8,9,10 &11 were found and the 1st of 2 aid stations was a welcome sight.Here at CP 11 we completed a 3 check point relay,regrouped and on we went.12,13 & 14 were easy enough to find but our pace was slowing due to the rolling terrain.CP 15 proved to be the toughest so far to find,but we were treated to the sight of several white-tailed deer grazing close-by and they would prove to be the first of several more we would come across.But the weirdest part of the day was just ahead!As we made our way from CP 15 to “Walk the Line” ie:follow a marked trail on the map,we encountered an older male gentleman making a clearing at the edge of the forest,completely NUDE ! Yeah,that’s right nude! Oh well,to each their own.I desperately wanted to ask him “why?” but decided against venturing too close.
CP 16 proved to be our undoing.We had refueled at the 2nd aid station and were suitably energized,but after nearly 30 minutes searching for it we collectively felt the proverbial wind leave our sails.Several other teams were left befuddled searching for 16 also,so we weren’t alone in our quest.CP 17 was over some gnarly terrain and a river crossing and 18 seemed farther away than it appeared to be.It was enroute to this check-point that we made a grievous error.We didn’t realize that our main map reader Ed had stopped to take a reading with his compass,which was becoming increasingly more important as the race progressed,and he had not noted which direction Zeljko and myself had continued in!Twenty or so minutes later we were re-united and lesson learned!CP 19 was a long slow haul but thankfully the final 2 control points and the last run back to the high school were pretty much straightforward.
What a day!Over 6 hours on the course,all control points accounted for,minor cuts and scrapes,one bloody nose,several cramps,soaking wet feet, but smiles all round!We had no intentions to go fast,we accomplished that,but to have fun and enjoy the day.Mission accomplished!
Cheers to all the volunteers and organizers and fellow racers for a great day.
