Yesterday was the last race in my 2013 season- the Batawa Fat Ass 25K Trail Race. Despite this being a local race for me, this was my first time doing it as it has never managed to suit my schedule. The Fat Ass races are put on by our local running store ( http://triandrunsports.com ) and has really grown over the years. It started 9 years ago with just a hand full of people, and yesterdays races had over 700 people racing distances of 7.5km, 10km, 17.5km, and 25km.
The races are held at a local ski hill and the surrounding area. Being South Eastern Ontario, the hills aren't massive, but if they're big enough to ski down, you can be sure they hurt to run up.
From looking at past results I figured I wouldn't be far off the leaders, so I lined up right at the front. The race starts with a quick out and back down the road and then we headed up the hill. It was a pretty decent climb- not too steep, but probably close to 700 or 800m long. At the top of that hill the trail narrows down very quickly, so I wanted to make sure I was ahead of the mob when we got to the top of the hill.
The races are held at a local ski hill and the surrounding area. Being South Eastern Ontario, the hills aren't massive, but if they're big enough to ski down, you can be sure they hurt to run up.
From looking at past results I figured I wouldn't be far off the leaders, so I lined up right at the front. The race starts with a quick out and back down the road and then we headed up the hill. It was a pretty decent climb- not too steep, but probably close to 700 or 800m long. At the top of that hill the trail narrows down very quickly, so I wanted to make sure I was ahead of the mob when we got to the top of the hill.
By the top of the hill, I was pretty much in the position I would be in for the rest of the race. At this point the 7.5km and 17.5km racers were still all together (the 10km racers head in a different direction from the start) but there was very little passing or being passed- I think after the first 2km I only got passed twice, and one of those positions I picked up again.
The race starts out on the 7.5km loop, which has a nice mix of gravel road, single track, 4 wheeler track, and a bit of grass as you're coming back down the ski hill at the end of that loop. I was keep a pretty good effort for the first loop as I didn't want to let the leaders get too far ahead of me. The end of the first loop brings you down the other side of the ski hill- a screaming fast descent where the 7.5km racers hang a left for the finish line and everyone else heads out for the 10km loop.
The race starts out on the 7.5km loop, which has a nice mix of gravel road, single track, 4 wheeler track, and a bit of grass as you're coming back down the ski hill at the end of that loop. I was keep a pretty good effort for the first loop as I didn't want to let the leaders get too far ahead of me. The end of the first loop brings you down the other side of the ski hill- a screaming fast descent where the 7.5km racers hang a left for the finish line and everyone else heads out for the 10km loop.
The 10km loop was the best part of the course. It started out along a rail bed type of trail- not too exciting, but you could pick up the pace a bit- and then got into the tighter forest trails, which were a blast. There was one awesome section of very winding single track on the side of a steep hill that was so much fun that I was smiling from ear to ear.
Once we came out of the single track we were back onto 4 wheeler trails and headed back toward the finish area (where the 25km racers had to do the 7.5km loop again. By about 16 or 17km I was starting to hurt a bit- I was pushing the pace pretty hard, and I could definitely feel it.
Once we came out of the single track we were back onto 4 wheeler trails and headed back toward the finish area (where the 25km racers had to do the 7.5km loop again. By about 16 or 17km I was starting to hurt a bit- I was pushing the pace pretty hard, and I could definitely feel it.
As I headed out for the final 7.5km loop my focus was to just try to hold off the guys behind me. At one point when I was up on a ridge I could spot the 2 guys who were in front of me and I knew I wasn't going to catch them, so I focused on trying not to drop my pace too much. The last few kms were really tough- at the top of the last 2 climbs I was getting a bit lightheaded, but I managed to stay upright and keep pushing. I think the look on my face in this photo as I'm just coming into the finish chute shows how I was feeling!
I crossed the line in 2:02:15- 4th overall. I think I may actually be 3rd- when looking through the photos one of the guys ahead of me appears to be way back in the pack at the top of the first hill, and I'm sure he never passed me, but that's okay.
All in all it was a great race. I really enjoyed it and I'll be back next year- I may even make it one of my goal races and see about giving it a real race effort.
All in all it was a great race. I really enjoyed it and I'll be back next year- I may even make it one of my goal races and see about giving it a real race effort.