20 Valley 21k

Race: 20 Valley 21k
Date: July 17, 2011
Location: Charles Daley Park, Lincoln (almost St. Catherines)
Result: 1:23:56, 5th overall, top male master (PB2010: 1:18:26)

Subaru Niagara Race Series: http://www.instride.ca

I am sure I am not the only person who feels it just might be better some days to pull the covers over our heads on race morning and forget about it. Our health sometimes hangs in the balance when our sleep is stretched too thinly. This is certainly how I felt at 5:30 am this morning, as I counted backward from 30 with my eyes closed to see if sleep would find me again. Alas I reached zero and stepped out of bed.

My health was certainly on my mind. My seasonal allergy shot went horribly wrong on Friday afternoon. I packed it in on my doctor’s floor, likely had a mild seizure, woke up and puked into his waste basket, strapped into a Gurney for the 911 ambulance ride, then had to spend the rest of the evening in the ER waiting for just about everything. The biggest amusement was my heart rate monitor which frequently pinged out numbers in the mid 40’s. The paramedic waiting with me got so annoyed he turned it off.

I toed the line with some worry and decided this would be a tempo test for my marathon in four weeks. So it would be 4 min/k for as long as possible, forget about having a go at my PB. The temperature at the start was already 27 C and climbing. After a short and very easy warm-up I was in full sweat. Aye Karumba it was hot!

Heat aside, the course was not so easy, about equal with Angus Glen in difficulty. I counted at least 8 down/up ravine climbs, some of them as steep as any of the hills I train on (quad burners). The course took us through a vineyard (twice). On this day the tractor path was dry, soft and dusty and uneven. Trail runners would have no complaints, but this was an energy burner for pure pavement runners like myself. If this race sees rain in future years, that tractor path will be a muckfest. A saving grace is the race finished next to the beach. Many runners plunked themselves in the lake soon after finishing. Yours truly enjoyed this wonderful relief.

The story of the race was the battle between women Aselefech Ayene and Amanda McLeod, who ran about 100 m ahead of me for most of the race. From my vantage point, I watched a nasty brawl unfold right from the gun. Ayene would burn McLeod on a climb, then McLeod would work back the difference and lead again. Back and forth this went, too many times to count, hammer and tongs right to the finish! Ayene had a 37 minute 10k in the books from the previous evening and nothing much in her stomache – her legs betrayed her just metres from the line. I wish I had turned around to witness the drama for myself. And Ayene no doubt wishes she had taken a better breakfast.

On the course this was a race of curiosity for me. Was I in contention for top master? What was the age of that guy ahead of me? A turn back near the mid-point sorted out matters: Terrence Attema led, followed by Shingy Badza, Fred Karanja and who I thought was Nelson Ndereva (masters age) in fourth. I was fifth and trading places with Rich Johnston (Barrie Running Free) who was under 40. That order would not change from 10k to the finish. But there was no chance of catching 4th, and no chance of top master for me and so we set sights on the lead women. No one else was in view anyway. From 10k on Rich and I whittled away at their lead, and by 15k we had them.

Roles reversed, and the women grabbed onto us. They didn’t lose their grip until 20k when we kicked a final 3:45k that gave us the 15 seconds that separated us at the line. It was great running with that pack. Without their company to keep the pace honest, I sincerely doubt all those 4 minute k’s would have fallen for me.

The final surprise of the day was that it wasn’t Ndereva in 4th, but Victor Gatundu who was not yet master’s age. That left top master to me, my first such achievement in the Suburu race series and my first cash (not gift cards) of the season! The risk to test my health was worth it, and I thank my nerves I did not go back to sleep this morning.

Post Mortem: It is now Wedesday evening, three days after the race. My quads are still stiff and running downhill still hurts. I suspected the course was tough and now I have further proof. Roadwarrior results have posted with only two negative net times. It is obvious this race is a toughy – PB’s as rare as hen’s teeth. But if it means getting top Roadwarrior points again, then I will surely return. My socks are in the mail!

A final kudo to race director Jerry Friesen! Course difficulty aside, there really is nothing I could think of to improve the actual race experience. Water stations – many. Marshalls – impossible to make a wrong turn. Police at key intersections – perfect. Variety of terrain and scenery – couldn’t ask for better. If you enjoy challenging races, be sure to mark your calendar for next year!