Peachbud 10k

Race: 32^nd Peach Bud 10k
When: June 26, 2012
Result: 37:02 (course PB 37:12, 2011)

A local tradition, the Peach Bud race has been around for over thirty years and deserves better than this year’s production. It is clear deceased race director Jerry Friesen has left a huge void. Yet we are fortunate that Race Kit Event Service have climbed aboard to run the race series in his name, aiming to keep up the standards Jerry would have insisted. In most cases those standards were equaled, just not the awards.

The Peach Bud 10k is advertised as the jewel of the Instride’s Subaru Race Series. It continues to draw some of the better road racers from around the GTA and Niagara Region. Hopefully this will continue. It is always good knowing you have to work hard and well for your result. It just counts more when it is fully earned.

As my running pal John (Johnny Jogger) Tranter and I lined up at the start, I recognized some familiar faces: Nelson Ndereva, Jose Fuentes, Kevin Smith, Lucy Njeri and Josiane Abuongo. Those men I had no hope of keeping up with; however the women are often my company on the course. I expected Nelson and Kevin would have a go for top master, leaving Jose to top my age group. Looks like best I could hope for was second age category (45-49) again. With age category prizing going three deep in five year increments, I could expect a trip to the prize table provided I turned in an honest effort.

Off we went, and I let Nelson, Jose and Kevin fade ahead. I learned from last year to expect some tough stretches (4k to 8k in particular) and I was not going to burn my legs out in the early stages like I did last year. As a result the first two kms felt easy like I wasn’t even breathing. Soon I had caught up to Josiane at the first climb up from the lake. The hard work was beginning and I shared a few words of encouragement. We passed the 4k mark in 14:15, well on track for my goal of 36:00. However, things were about to unravel all too comfortably.

The push to 5k brought further climbing up to downtown Grimsby, done in a lousy 3:50 split. Although I had kept pace with others, I had not pushed hard enough. I was feeling too good. This officially spelled the end of my planned 36:00 goal time.

From 5k on the pace just felt too comfortable and on this day I was not in the mood for sacrifice. I passed 8k with plans to be sub-29, but not too surprised to be just under 30:00. I pushed the last two downhill km’s a bit harder but still not feeling any great urgency. I will not be scoring performance bests with this mental approach, and earned a just result for the effort. While it was a course record for me by about 10 seconds, the weather this year was so much better and so should have been my time.

The high points were the race course; well organized and marshaled, with water stations every 2k. The race kit included some oddities; an ice scraper/mitt combo? The after race food was also great; pulled pork, pasta, hot dogs and fries. Fries? Yes, in his 30 odd years of racing, this was a first for John Tranter. Fries at a race!

Also, a hidden luxury at the venue (a hockey arena) was change rooms and showers. Next time, remember to bring a towel and soap. Old men seem to smell bad after a hard race and Johnny partook of the facilities, attending the awards fresh as a daisy. Myself unshowered I had to keep a safe distance, rather, people were keeping safe distance from me.

There were some kinks with the results, and I don’t know if Sportstats or the race registration is at the root of the problem. At least two women showed up in the 10k results with 35 minute times (giving them first and second overall!), the problem was they were in the 5k race. Also the chap ahead of me was billed as female. Clearly he was not as I had chased him into the finish chute. If the awards were handed out with these results in hand, then there would be some angry women in the room.

As usual, for the umpteenth time, Johnny collected his first for age prize. This time in the 60-64 age group with a time that also beat everyone in the 50-54 and 55-59 ages too. Will he ever slow down? Hard to believe he was disappointed with his time, but he was. John now owns 3 of the 5 top 10k times this year for 60-69 men in Ontario (check out Road Race Rankings).

The awards took a step backward from Jerry’s days. Just to be sure, I reread the details from Instride’s website which indicated awards would be presented to top 3 overall, top master, and top three each age category. Yet second and third age category finishers did not receive a thing. The first age category this year won a Tim’s gift pack, the same thing I won last year when I placed second age. The awards organizer said our gold finisher medal was our prize. I understood her tone clearly – she was pulling one off on us. Last year, age category winners received a lovely Subaru Series age medal in addition to the finisher’s medal. These age medals have also vanished from the awards ceremony.

These are small races. Three deep age categories every five years may be a bit much to expect for prizing. However, if you advertise such, it is best to deliver. Something. Even a hat is great. No one likes to feel ripped off. Aside from race fees, I also burned a ½ day vacation, wasted hours on the 401 to get there (and even more getting back), and spent again on gas and the needful – wine to appease my wife. Let’s not forget the countless hours training to remain competitive in our age category. Receiving an award, as promised, would have made it all worthwhile.

I will be thinking carefully about traveling out to the Niagara region for another Subaru race, especially if the Peach Bud was supposed to be the “jewel” of the series. In September, I will have a choice to make between Subaru’s Run for the Grapes in St. Catharine’s and the Ajax Half. The latter now gets my vote. Time to support my own local races.