the start of the Mt Washington Gutbuster it had been rainning all the way to Courtenay and here it cleared up, reaching the ski lodge it was clear and warming up and so far not raining. Walking around a bit and getting ready for the race, knowing in a short while we would be going all out, running to the top of the blue chair lift at Mt Washington
This is an elevation close to 1400 mtr. We started at the bottom by the beginners hill close to the cross country trails, to the bottom of the blue chair lift turning right unto a bike trail and from there it was a steady run going up over biking trails small tractor trails and then we came to the mtn goat trails which went staight up to the summit..
The first three to four k.m was over trails cutting across the side of the mt going over mt bike trails and logging roads always having a slight incline with a few shallow downhill slopes which only took you higher at the end going over some rough terrain where you had to watch were you were going. The trails we ran on were narrow single track hiking and bike trails so they werent groomed and you had no trouble of running over rocks and roots of which there were plenty, and you couldnt really pass any one unless you wanted to take a chance of stepping off the trail and then you didnt know where your foot would end up. The last third of the race ended up being foggy and here I had to take off my glasses, {they were fogging up } the trail also got harder to run up, It was steeper and seemed to be going straight up , some of the spots we ended up climbing up like mtn goats holding on to what ever we could, if it had been a clear day the scenery would have been spectacular,Some of the higher trails seemed to be put together from rocks blasted out of the mt and but together like a puzzle some wobbly some steady but neatly placed to make a narrow ledge to run across, we crossed some snow patches and here we had to make sure that our footing was firm into the ice and hard packed snow or else we would be sliding back a few meters or falling down and would only have to do it over again, some time it was hard to see the trail marking becuase of the snow and fog other times it just seemed to blend in with the rocks and back ground at times the person in front of me would say this way and off we went again . making it to the top we where greeted with the start of the rain and hurried to the chair lift for the descent a fifteen minute ride down the mt , only to get wetter as the wheels of the chair lift rolled down the cable splashing the water on the person sitting below , this caused me to miss the pine tree where every female was supposed to throw their bras on, supposed to be a tradition on this part,I also find that with so many trail races it is hard to pass some one or sometime you have to move to the side a bit. which makes you have to get of the trail and you have steep terrain were passing is almost imposible therefore it is better to start at the front with the fast pacers you usually end up staying wwere you start in an race , not becuase your not fit or ready for the race but with trail running you sometimes dont have the room to pass there fore you just kind stay were your at. At the bottom it was finding a dry spot to chance in into dry gear ,,, OH yes it was a great race .
the start of the Mt Washington Gutbuster it had been rainning all the way to Courtenay and here it cleared up, reaching the ski lodge it was clear and warming up and so far not raining. Walking around a bit and getting ready for the race, knowing in a short while we would be going all out, running to the top of the blue chair lift at Mt Washington
This is an elevation close to 1400 mtr. We started at the bottom by the beginners hill close to the cross country trails, to the bottom of the blue chair lift turning right unto a bike trail and from there it was a steady run going up over biking trails small tractor trails and then we came to the mtn goat trails which went staight up to the summit.. 
The first three to four k.m was over trails cutting across the side of the mt going over mt bike trails and logging roads always having a slight incline with a few shallow downhill slopes which only took you higher at the end going over some rough terrain where you had to watch were you were going. The trails we ran on were narrow single track hiking and bike trails so they werent groomed and you had no trouble of running over rocks and roots of which there were plenty, and you couldnt really pass any one unless you wanted to take a chance of stepping off the trail and then you didnt know where your foot would end up. The last third of the race ended up being foggy and here I had to take off my glasses, {they were fogging up } the trail also got harder to run up, It was steeper and seemed to be going straight up , some of the spots we ended up climbing up like mtn goats holding on to what ever we could, if it had been a clear day the scenery would have been spectacular,Some of the higher trails seemed to be put together from rocks blasted out of the mt and but together like a puzzle some wobbly some steady but neatly placed to make a narrow ledge to run across, we crossed some snow patches and here we had to make sure that our footing was firm into the ice and hard packed snow or else we would be sliding back a few meters or falling down and would only have to do it over again, some time it was hard to see the trail marking becuase of the snow and fog other times it just seemed to blend in with the rocks and back ground at times the person in front of me would say this way and off we went again . making it to the top we where greeted with the start of the rain and hurried to the chair lift for the descent a fifteen minute ride down the mt , only to get wetter as the wheels of the chair lift rolled down the cable splashing the water on the person sitting below , this caused me to miss the pine tree where every female was supposed to throw their bras on, supposed to be a tradition on this part,I also find that with so many trail races it is hard to pass some one or sometime you have to move to the side a bit. which makes you have to get of the trail and you have steep terrain were passing is almost imposible therefore it is better to start at the front with the fast pacers you usually end up staying wwere you start in an race , not becuase your not fit or ready for the race but with trail running you sometimes dont have the room to pass there fore you just kind stay were your at. At the bottom it was finding a dry spot to chance in into dry gear ,,, OH yes it was a great race .
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In running, it doesnt matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say,I have finished; There is a lot of satisfaction in having accomplished that goal, its a great feeling. Runnertwo