randy's comments - by leg
| 1. | Behind the pack, Ted Good, VB, Jon Torrance and Dan Quinn and probably some others. Cut over the hill I think with Jon or Greg Balter while some others went around. | |
| 2. | D - followed VB | |
| 3. | E - Crowd boomed right; looked left and saw Mathias (I think), or Dan punching and slipped in. | |
| 4. | C - Saw Dan punching behind the ridge. Think I see Jon running the other way, | |
| 5. | B - Out of C, Dan says his map fell out of the case and he can't find it, I yell you just have to follow for the rest of the race; I remembered hearing some story like that from some other goat race -- maybe a billygoat where the map was misprinted or something. I guess that's what he did 'cause he finished. This helped me later as I realised the maps were not stapled in. | |
| 6. | A - get in just behind Ted and Greg. | |
| 7. | I have trouble reading the contour features in this area, and lose contact on the way in. The pack, let by Ted, I believe, seems to know what is going on, but we end up past on the spur. Look back and see Nadim and I believe Mathias punching. | |
| 8. | ||
| 9. | With Nadim, Mattias, Greg and Ted, and Tim? Wondering where Jon and Dan are. Nadim is in the lead, I think, as we cross the stream on the other side of the road. Everyone booms to "M" on the prior reentrant; Greg figures it out first. | |
| 10. | G - Down to the trail. Greg takes the trail, Mattias takes the canal or woods. I think the trail will be faster. Don't see the others who were at 9. Attack off the first reentrant/stream. I think Greg goes down the wrong trickle and I spike the control ahead of them. | |
| 11. | F - I'm out to the trail first. Like I'm gonna outrun these guys, but I don't like to follow, it just sometimes works out that way, so I try to stay ahead. We all pretty much get there the same time. | |
| 12. | H - follow the line of man made earth features and pick up the ditch directly before. Greg and Mathias are pulling away a bit. Don't remember seeing anyone else except a runner coming the other way. | |
| 13. | I - Mathias goes lowish, I think. I decide I want to stay high; Greg stays high which is comforting. Count the reentrants. Actually saw that ride/trail thingy, or think I did. | |
| 14. | Mathias is gone, and Greg is leaving me in the dust as well. As I come up to the saddle, Eddie blows by me coming out of nowhere. The first I've seen him, and pretty much the last as he beats me to the flag. | |
| 15. | J - JKL seems the obvious order. I don't even bother trying to keep up with Eddie. | |
| 16. | K | |
| 17. | L - See VB coming from the other side. Am a bit surprised and encouraged. Punch just ahead, but he blows me away on the way to 18. Besides that, pretty much alone. | |
| 18. | Trail. Dogleg control and see some of the leaders coming up the hill as I contour over. No sign of Jon and Eddie is doing the short, so I figure I'm in 5th, behind Mathias, Greg, Alexei and VB. | |
| 19. | Contour around a bit, but get caught in the mistletoe which I suppose has spread. No reals signs of anyone now. | |
| 20. | 600m run in. Think I'm behind Alexei. See Mathias heading out on the second loop when I get about to the trail junction. Can't remember if I see Eddie or anyone else ahead. | |
| 21. | Refreshment break. They tell me I'm about 2 or 3 minutes behind. Try to study the second loop map but it is hard to do that and drink at the same time. Just as I'm leaving, Jon comes rolling in. Had about a minute lead on him as it turned out. Hope he takes a break too ... | |
| 22. | Cross country to trail junct near edge of green. See Tim on the way in, tell him he's about 5 min back. Realise Jon didn't take a break and is not far behind. Actually see the trail junct beyond the tramway trail, and follow the reentrant in. Get there ahead of Jon. | |
| 23. | M - MNO looks obvious. Ahead of Jon down the spur. I'm hoping he goes to O but it looks like he's coming with me. Cut up the reentrant and he blows by me like a mountain goat on the slope. Damn. | |
| 24. | N | |
| 25. | O - Jon is pulling away. It looks like he is being chased by a dog and it is perhaps distracting him. I've had that happen and its annoying. He booms right and I find the bag first. Back in business ... | |
| 26. | Trail run along the canal. I want to cut the corner a bit thru the mansion area, but Jon runs down and around. He knows the park so I wonder if its is out of bounds and decide against it. There were a ton of people there. Jon is a strong runner and leaves me in the dust. In retrospect a straight route might have been a better gamble, but I thought the around route was the fastest for me. | |
| 27. | P - PQRS. I have trouble in this are so I look to make things simple, and I feel P to either R or S is a risk, especially since the veg is out of date. I'm also having problems with my map and remember Dan Quinn's coming out, and that they are not stapled. I pull it out of the bag and it rips, part of the last window is gone, but nothing critical. I stuff the bag in my pocket. I don't see the beautiful trail/reentrant right into P, and go up to the tram circle then reentrant in. Only real mistake of the day though. Pick up Alexei either here or at Q | |
| 28. | Q - compass and big round reentrant. See Vlad here heading to P. Behind Alexei and ahead of Vlad, probably in 6th place. | |
| 29. | R - some people where surprised I did RS, but S -> 29 looks simpler and less physical than R to 29. Am I being stupid? I'm definately behind Alexei here, but not really following. Worried more about Vlad coming in from behind if I start to bonk or boom. Check out the rec? control on the hillside. | |
| 30. | S - punch just behind Alexei. Saw the thing from a mile away. | |
| 31. | trail/stream. Keep it simple. Not gaining or losing ground. | |
| 32. | T - TVWU. I once had a huge boom in this area of the park and am worried. Alexei goes straightish/rightish and I cut more up the reentrant/leftish. Were together as I count gullies. He seems to then go leftish, and I head to the left of that hill to the north of the circle. Don't see him again. Now I feel obligated to push to hold the place. Still worried about Vlad as well. | |
| 33. | V - thru the green | |
| 34. | W | |
| 35. | U | |
| 36. | feets don't fail me now ... | |
| 37. | Keep it simple. Reentrant, R trail, stream, cliff. Slight cramping. Surprised this choice cost 30 sec, but since my place seemed pretty set, keep it simple every time. | |
| 38. | And I'm dead. Thanks for a great race, and fun course setting. |
Total Time Lost - 00:00:00
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