Seek the Peak V3.0

Seek the Peak V3.0

A couple of weeks ago, I faced a bit of a delimma. 

My training goals and my race goals clashed on the last weekend of February and in order to get in the time I needed on my Saturday run, it looked like I may have had to miss out on a unique opportunity to run in the World Snowshoe Classic which also doubled as the National Championships. 

The race was open to anyone, and I thought it would be neat to partake in such an event during the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver.  Pondering my options on a walk into work one sunny morning, my plan came to me as I spied Grouse mountain in the horizon as I paced through the West End. 

Last summer I had used the run from my apartment in English Bay in a couple of variations in order to get in some longer runs with a decent elevation gain and on remembering these runs my plan for Seek the Peak v3.0 was born.

My intention, to run to the top of Grouse Mountain, race in the Snowshoe Championships and then run home. 

 This is how it all went down…

Packed

While I had been planning this in my head for a little over a week, I actually left all the strategic planning to the last minute and only figured out the race start time on Friday night before the race.  From previous runs I have figured it would probably take me around 2 hours to get up to the top and with a 12pm race start, I figured that a 9am departure would be plenty.  I packed my winter running gear in my pack, strapped on my snowshoes and rain jacket, filled a bottle a set off at an easy pace. 

The run thought the park, over the bridge and up the Cap Pacific trail was simple enough, I never thought I would be rushed for time so just took it at a relaxed pace, stopped to fuel every 45 minutes or so and wasn’t too panicked when I go to the registration a bit behind schedule.  The process of registration actually took a bit longer than I expected (I hate filling out forms and waiting in lines) and by the time I had my race number and a handful of sharkies, I was a bit behind where I wanted to be and actually contemplated taking the gondola up to ensure I made the start line.

The start line is up there somewhere ...

Quickly I reminded myself that this run wasn’t so much about the race, but more of the expedition of getting myself to the start line on my own two feet.  I stuffed my race number in my pocket and took off along the Baden Powell, in search of the BCMC, which was my original plan.  However being pressed for time, I decided to hit up the grind for my ascent to the start line at the top of Grouse. 

Now the only thing I can remember about the grind is the thought that kept running through my head … “this is probably not your brightest idea..”  it was all I could repeat to myself step after step.  I was feeling a bit rushed, and I know my HR was maxing out as I honestly thought I might just miss the start of the race at 12pm.  So I put my head down, uttered my misery mantra over and over in my head, and blasted to the top.  I made it up by 11.30am, plenty of time to refuel, find friends, put on my pants and get to the start line.

World class athletes ... and me

By the time all the athletes had gathered in the starting shoot, national champs in the front and recreational runners tucked in behind I was actually feeling quite rested and ready to get going again.  If anything I had probably had a little too much rest as I was itching to get going as the RD Marc Campbell went over the course explaining the route. 

With the race underway, I spent the first few hundred meters running with friends Ray and Matt, but quickly backed off their pace as we entered the first single track loop, happy to work a little less and try to enjoy the run without the lung burn of racing hard right from the start.  The first loop put us back thought the starting shoot and then off for the climb up Dam Mountain. 

The initial climb is very gradual, on a wide open track and I just put my head down, and dug in for this climb before the track narrowed to single and began to wind thought the mountains, climbing steadily all the way up to Dam.  I started to hurt through this climb and was reduced to a hike, remanence of my hike up grouse still very present in my heavy legs. 

woooot!

The peak of Dam was rewarding, and I paused at the top momentarily to appreciate the climb and to try and ease the cramps that had hit my quads before I was game to use them on the flowing steep descents that followed.  Once I was ready to get going, I was able to stride it out down some of the rolling sections all the way out to Thunder bird ridge.  After a bit more climbing and a few tumbles on the way down, I got to the turn around point really ready to get over the finish line.

I was getting tired, and my footing was unsure and that in turn made for some unpleasant tumbles in the rolling fresh single track.  It wasn’t long before I was pretty wet, and resorting to sliding down some of the steeper descents.  The final few km’s were all downhill and that gave me a chance to really open up the legs and get some good speed going, and the run into the finishing chute was welcomed by my tired legs.

Finish.

I was happy to be done the race,  my legs were bagged, I was soaked and pretty cold and why I still had every intention of running back home, I didn’t think twice when Ray offered me a lift.  I defrosted my hands by the fireplace inside the chalet, had an internal argument with myself about how I was getting home and resigned to the fact that my happy place right now was in a warm shower followed by a nice refreshing beer. 

I took the ride home. 

I was just shy of 4 hours running, having only covered 24Km, with a total elevation gain of over 2,220 meters and while I didn’t complete what I had set out to achieve by missing the return run, I still had a great day out in the mountains and had fun in attempting a crazy idea.

Climbing ...

My Gear
Shoes – Salamon XA Pro 3D Ultra GTX
Socks – Drymax trail running
Shorts – Adidas run
Pants – Luluemon outdoor sport pants
Base – Helly Hanson Dry
Shirt – Luluemon run
Jacket – Salamon Clima Pro
Snowshoes – Atlas RUN
Pack – Gregory Diablo
Hydration – Nathan Quickdraw elite
Fuel – Accelerade