A taste of 5Peaks racing…

My latest race was about 16 km at the Blackfoot/Cooking Lake provincial recreation area. It was held at the Islet Lake Staging Area. It is a beautiful place and the trails are actually mowed and at least 6 or 8 feet wide. There were many small hills, but nothing like the other two venues I ran this year. The day was totally sunny and perfect, warm but not hot.

Marilyn was as usual a volunteer so she and I had to get up at 6 AM to get there in time for her to get set up. I only got about 2 hours sleep the night before and she not much more. There was no particular reason we couldn’t sleep, it was just one of those things I guess. So I was pretty tired even before the race.

I came in 79 out of a field of 84. In my age group of between 50 and 59 I came in 7 out of 7. My pace was 8:27 and I ran it in 2:09:32 which maths out as being about 15.3 km. I heard they calculate the distance as best they can using trail maps, GPS, bike computers and hearsay…

Several people got different distance results using GPS of +/- about hundred or so meters so the races are not measured with any Olympic type precision nor should they be because it’s all about having a good time which I certainly did have.

We all had a great time because 5peaks is a great company. And we all know great companies are formed with great people and I’d like to say that Kamren Farr, the Master of Ceremonies and Northern Alberta Race Director for 5peaks is doing a fantastic job.

Kamren Farr looks very serious as he checks things out:

Results Canada working to set up their chip timing mats:

Eight o’clock in the morning at the start line, race starts at 10 AM:

Volunteer Marilyn getting the store booth set up for 5peaks. Or is she just standing around and drinking coffee? Who can say?

Me coming in near the end of the race. Getting better but still have a long way to go before I reach my peak form at 5peaks!