Well, it wasn't looking good for yesterday's snowshoe race being anything more than a trail run. I'd run down to the market on trails covered in lumpy, footprinted ice, which made me think it'd just be trail shoes and microspikes for the race. Even though it started to snow in the afternoon and picked up toward evening, there was no way there would be enough to snowshoe on.
I'd just finished this run - a little after sunset - when I got an email. Somehow the race director had found enough snow-covered trails in the conservation area that snowshoes would be a go! I switched over to my ice cleats and hoped there wouldn't be too many bare patches.
Awaking Sunday morning, it was clear that race director Lisa has some kind of deal with Mother Nature!
Big, fluffy flakes continued to hammer down as we approached the race venue - the start had to be pushed back by half an hour due to some people having pulled out marking flags the evening before, which also allowed time for people to make their way through slippery road conditions. I was able to get a few minutes' warm-up run in, then we headed over to the pavilion for the start.
With temperatures right around the freezing mark, the snow packed down nicely under the feet of the racers ahead of me. The trails were stunning with each branch and twig bearing a huge load of snow - slightly less awesome when a gust of wind would cause them to drop a fluffy avalanche on your head!
We had no idea how long the adjusted course would be - we were told "more than 5k but less than 30k" at the pre-race meeting! I went out a little harder than I maybe should have in the first 4km, but only got passed by a few people as I slowed up...one of whom was ST's own stillmoving, who motored right on by me as I hiked up a hill. Overall, I managed to not completely suck, and earned my pancake brunch after the race.
It was nice to meet a fellow ST Womens at the race, and she kicked arse, taking 1st in her age category!
After the pancakes and awards I went out for another lap of most of the course in my spikes, just so I could get some photos of the winter wonderland...and pick up some missed marking flags while I was at it.
Funny thing - it's supposed to be 6c/43f here today, so odds are all that snow will melt away. Winter just stopped by for the day for us to race..
__________________________________________________________
ill advised racing inc.