Pure Grit 30K Trail Race - Hepworth Ontario - Saturday May 8, 2024

 Third event in the past 3 weekends was done on Saturday running the  Pure Grit Trail race  on the Sawmill Ski Trails in Hepworth.

3

 The race was way harder then it should have been mainly due to me being a dumb ass.   The weather was fantastic...sort of.   I was doing the 4 loops ,  suppose to be 30Kis but it cam up short on the Garmin ...no big deal.   Heading out on the first of 4 loops it was around 10C and foggy.   I was wearing a long sleeve tech T and shorts.   I thought I was parked on the course and the plan was to pick up my pack and poles after the first lap.   As it turns out I wasn't ,  ran within a few hundred meters of the car before heading out for my second lap.   I was super sweaty after the first lap ,  heating up too.  With the high humidity and no breeze the sweat wasn't evaporating thus not cooling efficiently.  It was suppose to be a cup less evet but fortunately  the had some so I grabbed some water heading out on the 2nd loop and again at the 1/2 way aid station on the loop.   Nearing the end of the 2nd loop I made the detour to the car ,  dropped the long sleeve T in favor of a singlet and through on my vest on grabbing my running poles too.   On the 3rd loop I caught up on the hydration and started on the Cliff  chews.   It just wasn't a pleasant day for me in spite of the fog clearing,  sun coming out and the addition of a breeze . Temps remained in the lower teens .... perfect weather for a spring trail race.    It was rough heading out for the last loop,  finished off my gels and loaded up on the water.   The avg pace for the Ks climbed ... I just wanted it to be over!   All 4 laps my legs were not moving well on the downhill there was more breaking then the usual flying LOL!   I don't think I was fully recovered after last weeks PYP!    On the 4th loop I had a slight tightness across the shoulders indicative of thickening blood.    

Finished the 4th loop, starting to fell and move better,  in 3h50m32.  

Officially the race says its 30K however the Garmin reported 24.7K .  I am more inclined to believe the Garmin however it somewhere between 25 and 30K ...not a bug deal!        

Splits Irwin, Ronald 52:10.7 57:38.3 1:02:45.5  57:59  total time 3:50:32.9