The first event in the 2017 5 Peak Ontario Trail Series was
held, April 22, in Terra Cotta and it was an amazing event, even though it was
unseasonably cold that morning.
I was a volunteer that morning, so arrived at the park at
7:45am to assist with set up and to meet the race crew, as I had not been able
to attend previous get-together runs for the Trail Crew team. When I got there,
I immediately met up with Eric, the Series Director, and asked him what was
needed, and went to work helping set up tables, and the inflatable Start/Finish
line.
I’m glad that I was kept somewhat busy as it was very cold
when the sun was behind the clouds and I was worried that my planned attire for
the event was too light (shorts and long sleeve t-shirt). The 5 Peaks events
are so well run, with tons of volunteers and helpers, and are great for runners
of all ages and abilities. There are kids 1k fun runs, a youth 3k distance, as
well as both a Sport (1 lap) and Enduro (2 laps) events so there is something for
everyone.
The weather was sunny, and we had just come off a few days
of rain, so the participants were all warned about safety as the first half of
the course resembled a mud bog, which made for plenty of action, hilarity, and
dirty runners. I decided to follow the mantra of enjoy the mud, and ran right
through the middle of all the mud patches as we made our way through the first
loop, and everyone was very careful to keep upright and also aware of the other
runners to avoid slipping and taking out a whole bunch of people. It became
very clear that the easiest path was the muddiest path and the sooner you came
to terms with this, the better.
The trail was in good shape, and the terrain was challenging
with elevation changes, bridges, and narrow paths but also had the wide areas
to allow for runners to pass with ease. Having looked at the elevation map
early, I was aware that there were some hills, and that meant both ups and
downs, and remembered that keeping a consistent pace and muddy outlook would
suit me well coming up on the second lap.
The crowd of runners thinned out for the second lap, which
was good, because after 500 runners had passed though at least once, by the
time I hit the mud the second time, it was even more glorious.
Again deciding
to embrace the “get muddy” mentality meant straight into it, and through it,
and I loved every second.
I took in the beauty of nature, listened to the sound of the
trails, and lost myself in the joy of trail running and couldn’t wait to cross
the finish line tired but feeling accomplished. The festive nature of this
event series is amazing – from the lively crowds, playful volunteers and crew,
and just the relaxed atmosphere of the trail community, it is something to be
witnessed.
If you have never run a trail race, try a 5 Peaks event,
they are not intimidating, and the experience is different at each location as
each park offers different terrain and scenery.
Try it, you’ll love it - especially if you don’t mind
getting a little dirty.
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