Perserverance Trail Run

I wasn't sure about driving up to Cumberland to do a short 10k trail race but after some discussion decided that it would be fun so we packed up quick and headed north. The morning of the race could not have been more perfect, 9C and clear. A good crowd of runners turned up for the event and it sounded as if the run would be challenging. Holy crap did I underestimate the severity of what was to come. The first 2k was forest service roads but a steady climb and by steady I mean steep. The course featured a lot of single track with names like, "short and curly", "bear buns" and "off broadway". How deceptive. After the first short singletrack the lead pack missed a turn onto another trail adding almost a km to our run. As we transfered back onto the right route the trail went up, way up for what seemed like forever. See picture as it gives a good indication of the intensity of the climb over such a short distance. Yikes!

The climb was a real test of wills as I had to get over the desire to stop, just keep moving that was all I kept saying. At the top it was so pretty, the view was awesome. Then the downhill, and for a big dude I can really move going downhill. Except I missed one step and wham I was on the ground rolling. I got up quick and looked at my legs, there was nothing sticking out that didn't belong so I kept going blood and all.
I really had to gut out the next couple of minutes as I adjusted to the stinging but it went away fast and I caught up to the two guys that had just passed me. I found a new level of intensity and really pushed hard. As we entered the last two sections of singletrack I was totally inside myself, I could see two steps ahead and moved fast. At the end I could hear the crowd but really didn't know how much more there was to go. As I saw the finish line I was so relieved as I was beat up bad. At the end of the race during the awards, there was a joke made about changing the name to the Allen Lake 15k due to the extra km added on plus I was regifted an award for the most in need of a bandaid with my two bloody knees, it was kinda funny. It was a good one that's for sure, brutal ups and downs, super intense trails, gorgeous and totally fun. 1:08:30 ~ 10.8km, 6:30 per km.