|
Ed's Sk8toronto Website
NORTHSHORE MARATHON (DULUTH MINNESOTA) -SEPT 2004 I had a tremendous race in Duluth at the Northshore Marathon. I came very close to winning some money. Things could have gone a little smoother enroute to the race however. I lost a skate buckle on the way to the airport and the flight to Thunder Bay took off 3 hours late. This caused a bit of a scramble to get to the race expo. However, my travel mates Gillian, Caroline, Stephen and I managed to pick up our race kits, shop for equipment (including a skate buckle) and wolf down a spaghetti dinner before heading to our hotel rooms for final preparations and sleep. Next morning I stuffed an improperly capped water bottle into my back pack and it ended up soaking everything. I discovered the problem on the dark and bumpy school bus ride to the start line and as I re-sorted my equipment I somehow lost my right wristguard. I was undeterred by my little problems and upon reflection I think they may have served as a useful distraction because for the first time ever I was not nervous at the start line. I was keyed up and psyched –but not nervous. The race was great. My goal was to beat the time of the fastest Advanced man by skating in the Elite (Pro) Veteran’s category. I had made the decision to move up to the top level on my own but apparently I would have been forced up regardless. The pace in the elite veterans division was pretty fast but not unduly so. As with all high level races there were big surges (where someone would break away and be chased down by the pack) followed by short periods where everyone would stand up while waiting for somebody else to take the lead. I took up my usual position near the back of the pack. All the starters stuck together to about the 6 mile mark when there was a particularly strong surge. I saw a gap open up further up the line and skated around several others to close it. I was the only one to manage it and the main pack lost a sizable number. Over the next 10-12 miles I covered several more gaps as they opened up but the trailing guys mostly managed to catch up as well. After I had covered a few gaps I realized that, for the first time this year, I was in full command of my “best stuff” and I decided that I would see how many of these guys I could beat to the finish line. We were now down to around 25 skaters from around 45 that had started. We started to overtake a lot of burned out Masters and Pro skaters but none of them joined our pack. This was largely due to the fact that there were quite a few tough looking guys on motorcycles driving around and preventing cross-category drafting. I seemed to work pretty well but I heard there were some problems further back. As usual, I was watching the mileposts and predicting our finishing time. At the 22 mile mark we were averaging 2:57 minutes per mile and heading for a time of around 1:17+. It didn’t look like there would be a PB for me as I did this race in 1:16:47 in 2001. As the race reached the last few miles I showed my face at the front of the pack for the first time. Things were getting serious but not really dirty. There was a lot of jockeying for position but everyone was still getting back into line when they wanted. As we started up the final ramp I found myself pretty far back –outmanoeuvred again! I started my final charge on the ramp and felt strong as I passed a few skaters. I passed a couple more on the downhill stretch and perhaps another 2 or three on the straightaway before the final turn. As the finish line came into view I realised that I was boxed in. I was going much faster than the skaters ahead and would easily pass them if I could find a space. A small opening came to view a little to the right and I went for it. It seemed that I would finish about 7th. Then my right skate clicked someone else’s and WHAM –down I went –only about 20 yards from the end. I scraped myself off the concrete and staggered across the finish line. I had lost about 7 seconds and 10 positions. Later, I found out that I had contacted Stephen Kenney’s skate. I am glad that he didn’t go down too. It would have been my fault. The prise money extends only to the first 10 places so I was out of the money. The first thing I did after crossing the finish line was to stop my watch and discover that I had actually managed a new PB (1:16:34). The pace had quickened considerably in the last few miles. I had intended to watch the advanced men finish to see if their times were better than mine but I decided to go to the medical tent instead. I found out later that I had indeed beaten all the Advanced Men. The second thing I did after crossing the finish line was to examine my injuries. I had cuts on my right pinky and palm, a sprained right wrist (no wristguard!) and road rash on my left knee and both forearms. I headed for the medical tent. Next day I added a sore right shoulder and tricep to the list. Almost everyone at the finish line was on a high because most skaters had set PBs. I don’t believe that the wind was much of a factor but some thought that there must have been a little help from the wind. If the race had been held later in the day or on the next morning there would have been some terrific times because the wind came around to the east. Some year it will happen.
|