Event: Seaton Soaker Trail Race 2015
Date: May 9 2015
http://www.seatontrailrace.com/
This is my second official outing of the season and there was no better way than to spend it enjoying this run. The weather was threatening to be the warmest yet of the year but I arrived to a comfortable 9 degrees and loads of parking thanks at the adjacent high school parking lot. Registration was inside the high school, with the main activities located outside on the running track. There was a simple swag bag containing a nice tech T and some literature. Volunteers were well organized, knowledgeable and friendly.
This race is also part of the OUS series and consisted of 15/25/50k distances. This is advertised as being the closest to the city and they are right, it’s just on the north side of Pickering. There was a very casual feel to this race, the organizers had things well in hand, they kept things on time and simple. The start times were early in the day which I was thankful for due to the forecasted high of 29 which would be a factor for the longer distance runners.
The run starts out on the track and takes you down into a valley which is part of the Seaton Hiking Trail network. A short run along a road leads you out onto single/dual trails, with beautiful views of the creek along the way. The trails have some challenging terrain, mixed sand and hard pack surfaces. There are a few climbs along the way as you travel up and down into the valley. The aid stations were well positioned, with the best selection of fuels and snacks I’ve seen for a run of this size. The trails are used as an out and back, so you have to remain vigilant for oncoming runners in single track areas, but everyone I encountered were patient and made sure to give a heads up.
I’ve run more than a few different trail series, but it must be said that the people this day were some the most encouraging group that I had come across.. No matter the distance you were doing, many runners offered a quick smile or an encouraging word as they went. I paced a group of women that were being coached while on their first trail run. They were quite jovial and enjoying the race day, stopping a few times to snap a picture or two as they went.
The river crossing was well marked and observed by the local fireman this day, they had a rope strung across for those less daring than others. I was surprised at the depth/speed of the water, it was knee high and made for some fun moving across the rocks beneath the surface of the water. It spanned maybe 25-30 feet and was a welcome dip at this point in the run. You have not run a true trail run till you’ve done so with wet shoes at some point.
The run came to an end at the running track, with a nice reception had by being presented with a medal/flower as you crossed the finish. There was a bounty of different snacks/drinks to be had for those wishing to replenish calories, I enjoyed some chocolate milk and pizza while watching walking around.
This is a must do run for anyone near the GTA wishing to experience a well organized, challenging trail run. This is an up and coming event which I thoroughly enjoyed and predict grow with time, well done Seaton Soaker.
Cheers
