Endur Stage 5 - 25.6K Alpine - Baden

 Stage 5 at Baden didn't disappoint,  1,000m vertical more or less 20 hill repeats.   Its a 2.6K loop done 10 times.  I thought I had a good hydration plan until things got allot harder doing the 8th lap.  I was 3 hours into the run and had only consumed 1.5L of water ,   I was 0.6L behind.  It was getting warm as the race progressed heading out on the 9th loop I upped the water intake and took an extra S cap.  Consumed a GU and an S Cap at the start of laps 3,5,7 and 9.   The 10th lap was a tiny bit better crossing the finish line in 3:54:49  a couple of minutes faster then my 2024 finish.    So an OK day,  felt harder then it should have been then again nothing has been easy...that why I do it. 

17.8 at the start ,  27 at the end...should have run faster and finished sooner! 

Endue Stage 4- 10 Mile Hill - Walter Bean Trail, Kitchener

 Stage 4 went better then anticipated ,  it was a 4K look done 4 times.  First loop was a little rough however things smoothed out quickly and I just had a dun laps 2,3 and 4.  Walked the uphills and ran super fast on the down!   Temps were s wee bit arm but felt better the Mondays Stage 2.  Hydrated with water from the AS ,  no fuel.    Finished in 1:56:01 A 7:12 pace a wee bit better then I thought.

Endur Stage 3- 30km Cross Country - Shades Mills, Cambridge

 30K stage 3 done in 3:49:34.  It was 6 5K loops, total elevation came in somewhere around 600m,  felt like a wee bit of climbing!   Wasn't into the first loop at all ,  ran super slow.   About half way through the second loop I felt more into it and by third it was trail business as usual.  Watched the HR through the run ,  high 120s,  lots of 130s and the occasional 140+.   I wasn't  able to reel in the pace very well in stage 1 and 2 more or less running my 6:30ish pace.   I was really looking forward to a lazy 30K trail run and that is what I did.   

Endur Stage 2- 15K Time Trial - July 10, 2026 - River Bluffs Park, Cambridge

  A bit of a tough slug with better then expected results.   The temps were low 20's but the humidity was super high and there was no breeze.   The Sport and Ultimate were combined ,  it was a mixed field going out.  It was super having everyone on the course.  The only detriment was the chase wasn't there...it usually moves me along a wee bit quicker.     It was a 2 hour cutoff ,  8 Min pace required.   After yesterdays  half I had no doubts about getting it down.    

Finished in 1:37:12 good for an average 6:29 pace/9.3 kmh.    All the treadmill work done over the past few weeks has been at a 6:30 pace.   I tried to pull back again but I couldn't...super odd turning out 6:30 ish Ks.   

 

Endur Stage 1 - 21.1 km - Sunday August 9, 2026 - Rim Park Waterloo

 And so it begins!

Stage 1 is in the books ,  21.1 km in 2:22:01sec 6:44/K pace...I'll take it!  

2024 2:16:41

2023 2:14:14

2022 2:25:51

2019 1:59:50

2018 2:03:12

2017 1:59:05 

In 2017 I was 56,  2026 I am 65...

I wasnt feeling super ready I havent been logging many ks missing a few long runs.     Over the past couple of months I upped my almost daily runs on meal breaks from a 7:30 pace to a 6:30 pace.   The longest I held the 6:30 pace was for 10K a couple of times a few weeks ago.  

When I headed out today my naturally achieved pace was 6:36 ish I would say a moderate effort.   First two laps were solid  grabbing a gel and a cup of water going through the aide station.  HR was mostly in the 130's ,  sustainable for me.  On the third a final lap the HR climbed into the 140's.  Normally no big deal I could push into the 150's in the last K or two however there are anther 6 races to go this week so I pulled it back a bit.  The weather was perfect ,  mid teens to start low  twenties   to end.  There was a bit of sun exposure so I was feeling a bit warm on the last lap.   

So it was a good start a bit of a "I can do this" confidence booster.    The field is small around 30 Ultimate's and I am the oldest...how did that happen!  

Last one before Endur

 5K @ 6:30 pace today on my meal break . 

Solid again

 5K @ 6:30 pace again today on my lunch break.  Felt good just getting board running treadmill.  It will eb good to take it outside next week!