Race Reports

Mountain Man Jim Griffins Race Report:100 mile stage race: http://www.himalayan.com/sr2.html

Well it's all over, and I had a blast! We started off with a bus ride from Mirik Lake in the Himalayas on the 28th, and we got to the Start Line in a few hours. We were then at about 2,200 meters, and wa had a 24 mile run up to Sandakphu at 4,000meters. It was the most brutal days running I have ever experienced- no question. There was actually about 3,000meters cumulative gain, so there must have been some downhill there somewhere, but I can't remember where! I just remember the endless hairpin bends on the tiny road, and the up, up, up! I kept running for the first few hours, but then I had to start walking sometimes. It was very tough indeed, I have to say. We spent the night of 28th in mountain huts, and the next morning (at 5:00am)we had fabulous views of Everest and Kanchenjunga in the distance. Then we started a 20 mile run to a tiny village called Molle and back, on an undulating, mainly cobbled track through wonderful open moorland running country.. The track is right, literally, on the border with Nepal, and armed soldiers were absolutely everywhere. Although the running was superb, the almost 4,000 meter altitude meant breathing was a little difficult, and whenever I took a swallow of water, I was left gasping for breath. The many water stations often had bananas and baked potatoes, difficult to chew and swallow while running at that altitude. I walked all the ups! The next day was the 26 mile marathon. We again ran out to Molle, but then started an incredibly steep descent.. We dropped over, I think, 1,500 meters in 12km, mainly on a tiny track that was more like a dry stream bed, which eventually wound its way through a village, zig-zagging past the little thatched houses, with all the chickens and goats, and the cheerful villagers. The trail marking, by the way, was excellent. We stayed that night, and the next, in the large village of Rimik, and at Lodge, and we had descended by then back to around 2,200 meters. The next day we started a 13 mile run early, as always, and had another out and back, undulating and very scenic, through an almost tropical landscape. I was back to being able to run the ups! The final day was 17 miles, starting with an hour or two of steady uphill, then level, and ending with a long downhill zig zag back to Mirik Lake. The food was excellent running grub, always! I'm now in Delhi for a few days. One of the friends I've made will join me for Delhi run the morning of the day after tomorrow, before he departs for the UK, and I to Nepal. I hope to have a try at the Cowichan 3 mountain Loop in 9 hours on my return, as I'll never have a better chance of making it!

See you on my return in early December Happy running! Jim

Margaret Symon - Great Lake Walk 2007
The following is not so much a "race" report as a justification for why my son and I did the GLW 2007.
Last year, when my son suggested we "do" the Great Lake Walk to support a friend who had recently lost her mother to breast cancer, I thought, "what a good idea". Neither of us had ever run a distance longer than a half
marathon, so we envisioned doing a sort of run-walk combo, with numerous stops to "fuel" up at rest stations.
Well, you know what happens to runners when they running - walking just isn't the same.
Encouraged by the fabulous volunteers at the rest stations (there are 12), we entered the GLW 2006, and kept on running - past the half marathon mark, then past the marathon distance, until we finished .But we (I) vowed "once is enough".
That perspective changed this past summer. n July 2007, our 15-year old next-door neighbour committed suicide by
hanging himself. Another neighbour and I responded to his mother's screams. We conducted CPR for 20 minutes before the ambulance crew arrived. We clung on to hope - especially when the ambulance crew continued to work on the
teen.
In an effort to ensure Rielly’s death was not in vain, my son, Gavin, and I solicited the neighbourhood for pledges for the Central VI Crisis Society, as our part of a fundraising effort promoted by the Great Lake Walk 2007. We raised several hundred dollars. When the "going got tough" this year (the road was not graded due to the strike), we concentrated on the reason why we were running 56 km - again. (Can't imagine how fellow CeeVacs "Flash" Downing has done the GLW 6 times.)Highlights of GLW 2007:
-absolutely amazing volunteers
-scenic course
-Ceevacs cheering squad at the finish line - a truly welcome sight - thank-you!
-warm foot baths and foot massages at the Cowichan Lake hall -pure bliss
Every step of the way it helped to know that the community cares - another tragedy might be prevented.

Margaret

Tammy Lang – Great Lake 2007

My day started at 2:30 am even though it should have started at 3:00 am, but I was just too excited and never mind the extra water I took in the day before he he... I ate me favorite breaky (oatmeal and peanut butter) and of course coffee. I double checked my racing gear, pinned on my race number and Ivan and I were out the door at 4:00am.

We got to Yobou hall at about 4:45 am and I hit the woman's bathroom line up again like every year.. Ivan drove back to Lake Cowichan for a nap and then he was going to ride his bike out to Duncan to meet Gary and Julie to ride back to see me and fellow Ceevac's race into the finish. I got out of the bathroom in time to sing "Oh Canada" and we were off at 5:00 am all just over 500 of us. I turned on my head lamp and morning tunes and found my pace. It was very dark and I was concerned about the road condition because they had said the road was full of pot holes but I found it to be just fine. The only time I twisted an ankle was when a car would come up behind me, and between their head lights, dust, and my light it would go blurry for a few seconds. I couldn't see but no worries I survived.

I had my pace times in my back pocket which I keep checking and I was was right on track and feeling great! The km' were flying by quickly. I found out at each aide station that I was second gal and in 8th place. That kept me reved up, I pretty much ran by self for a long time. I did get behind a guy in a grey shirt at about 27k and I kept him in my sights and stayed behind him at about 200-400 meters back. I liked his pace and gave me a focus for when my pace got difficult. It worked like a charm. Finally after 37k the big climbs were starting and my guy was really slowing down so it was time to move past him, as I got be side him we smiled at each other and gave the thumbs up (that gave me goose bumps) and a way I went. I now was in 7th position. I kept telling myself "It's your day, your doing great keep going".

I ran into another fellow just near the top of the final climb who was walking and I think hurting, I passed him and now in 6th place. I hit the marathon mark at 4:11 and then my calfs, top of feet, and shins were cramping bad. I believe that it was because I haven't run long all year and I needed electrolytes. Any ways I shuffled down the hill with one walk break when the cramps were really bad. I kept looking back and saw movement so I kept shuffling forward looking for the the bottom of the hill where the next aide station was with the salt and gatoraide. I was just about there and along side me was my friend Carlos (aka. Jackal) I was happy to see him. He told me Janet G was right behind me, so I had to try to get rid of these cramps. Deep inside I really wanted to hold on to second female postion. Carlos put me into 7th postion at 46k but that's ok cause 7 is my lucky number. I sucked on a few pretzles and chugged gatoraide but the cramps slowed me. I saw a phase written on the road that said "It's up to you!" and it worked, I kept chugging along. Janet got me at just over 48k. I re focused my self and decided to keep her in my sights and still get a pr for this ultra, "I did it!" I came through the finish where Gary, Julie, and Hubby were waiting. I was crying (low on blood sugar) and very happy. I was 6 minutes faster and came in 8th overall, third gal with a time of 5:49:30. Wow what a day! I love this ultra! All the aide stations are so much fun and the views are amazing. I watched Jim G, John D, come in too. Well done boys! I also got to meet Margaret who was first gal and found out that she is also a Ceevac! Congrats to her as well as Han's wife Margret for her amazing finish! I hope to do this again next year.