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As most of you probably know, I went up to Moncton for the Atlantic XC championships (an open race). It was coupled with the AUS championships (Varsity race). We had a nice quick 3 hour drive up, got settled in to our hotel friday night, and then went to the restaurant, where we found one of our rival schools had taken our reservation 
. Oh well, we got seated quickly anyway.
On the race day, I got up at 0630, to give my body 4 hours to fully wake up for the race. I ate some breakfast and chilled in my room. The four of us doing the open race leave before the team, and we get to the course about 9:30. there is frost everywere, ice in some spots, and a large flock of canadian geese on the course. And Canadian geese Shit. They shit a lot. The whole course was covered with it, and it was disgusting. Anyway, we find out that we need five people to score as a team (we entered our "b" team in the open race, as did another of our rival schools). We all turned to Dave, who was injured, but on the mend. He says, shit this will be a bad idea, but does a few strides and feels ok. Now we have a team.
We do a fairly hurried warm up on the course. The frost is gone when the sun comes up, but footing is bad in a number of spots, even when there is less goose shit. I get to the line feeling great and ready to go, just as the rest of our team shows up to cheer us on. The race was 6k, so I wanted to get out fast, but still controlled which I succeeded in doing. I gradually moved up on the second of 3 2k loops, and got into a good rhythm. On the third lap, I start reeling in one of the St. FX runners, and at the crest of the hill with 600m left, I get him. On the downhill, I throw it into high gear and as soon as I get on the flat, but I underestimated just how far the finish was, and he got me with about 10m left. I wasn’t greatly impressed with my time, but someone said the course was 500m long, and in the Varsity women’s race, nobody broke 19 (a number of them should have) and in the guy’s race, the winner was a pedestrian 33:17. Oh, I ended up in 10th, my time being 23:08. Given the 6.5k distance, 5:43/mile is a great time with the slow course. We also edged out St. FX for the team title, 27-28.
Our Varsity teams faired less well, the girls finishing second, but with a solid score of 38 (St. FX was 26) and the Men finished 3rd, with 77 points, (St. FX got 20, UNB 74)
Here are some pictures:
Strides before the race, I managed to grab a Cuba Singlet. I think I repped Fidel well.
I hate hills. This is still on lap 1.
One of our coaches goofing off for the camera.
End of lap 1.
Early in lap 2.
End of lap 2.
Going up the big hill one more time.
Worst. Picture. Ever.
Our lovely girls team warming up.
Our cheering squad!
. Oh well, we got seated quickly anyway. On the race day, I got up at 0630, to give my body 4 hours to fully wake up for the race. I ate some breakfast and chilled in my room. The four of us doing the open race leave before the team, and we get to the course about 9:30. there is frost everywere, ice in some spots, and a large flock of canadian geese on the course. And Canadian geese Shit. They shit a lot. The whole course was covered with it, and it was disgusting. Anyway, we find out that we need five people to score as a team (we entered our "b" team in the open race, as did another of our rival schools). We all turned to Dave, who was injured, but on the mend. He says, shit this will be a bad idea, but does a few strides and feels ok. Now we have a team.
We do a fairly hurried warm up on the course. The frost is gone when the sun comes up, but footing is bad in a number of spots, even when there is less goose shit. I get to the line feeling great and ready to go, just as the rest of our team shows up to cheer us on. The race was 6k, so I wanted to get out fast, but still controlled which I succeeded in doing. I gradually moved up on the second of 3 2k loops, and got into a good rhythm. On the third lap, I start reeling in one of the St. FX runners, and at the crest of the hill with 600m left, I get him. On the downhill, I throw it into high gear and as soon as I get on the flat, but I underestimated just how far the finish was, and he got me with about 10m left. I wasn’t greatly impressed with my time, but someone said the course was 500m long, and in the Varsity women’s race, nobody broke 19 (a number of them should have) and in the guy’s race, the winner was a pedestrian 33:17. Oh, I ended up in 10th, my time being 23:08. Given the 6.5k distance, 5:43/mile is a great time with the slow course. We also edged out St. FX for the team title, 27-28.
Our Varsity teams faired less well, the girls finishing second, but with a solid score of 38 (St. FX was 26) and the Men finished 3rd, with 77 points, (St. FX got 20, UNB 74)
Here are some pictures:
Strides before the race, I managed to grab a Cuba Singlet. I think I repped Fidel well.
I hate hills. This is still on lap 1.
One of our coaches goofing off for the camera.
End of lap 1.
Early in lap 2.
End of lap 2.
Going up the big hill one more time.
Worst. Picture. Ever.
Our lovely girls team warming up.
Our cheering squad!
