IN THE CLOUDS

Wednesday evening saw the running of the 3rd trail race in the Summer Series, the venue was Silvermine West, 500m below the dam. After the heat of yesterday I was hoping to find the dam a good place to cool down after the race, but my first glimpse of the mountain told me I wasn't going to be in that sort of luck. The mountain was covered in cloud and it wasn't swimming weather.
This week I didn't start as slow as last week, in fact I found myself setting the pace. (I think the others started slowly.) Rupert, last weeks winner, did however soon pass with my friend Roger chasing him. Damian and myself filled the next 2 spots. I pulled a bit ahead as we reach the rocky single track climb at 1.3km and closed the gap on Roger. I didn't catch him and me gap of Damian wasn't enough to last... I had taken my glasses off and was running blind (OK not that bad) so once over the first hill I was caught and passed.
I was working hard and not going forwards, I think I wasn't hungry for a place finish. But with the the next climb I slowly caught Damian only passing him with 1km of the hills left. I push home the advantage and opened a nice lead, but I would have my work cut out for me if I was to hold on to my 3rd place.
I didn't made good time on the first bit of down, but once we hit the gravel I was moving quite nicely...
Then we left the 'road' and turned onto a very overgrown, fynbos covered, single track... That was the end of me; with tired eye straining to see the path ahead I couldn't look back or even ahead I had to watch my every step. It didn't take long for me to be passed, or for Damian to dart off down the mountain. As I jumped and weaved over the rocks I was relaying on me shoes to keep me save.I was by all mean taking a leap of faith every step!!! Just on the Monday I had noticed that the nice new tread was pulling away from the bottom of the shoe!!! This is not good for the shoe with on ever 50km on them... but listen to this service, I told the Hi-Tec boss, who was at the race, about them and a new pair was delivered this morning...
Back to the race: I was lying 4th with Rupert and Roger way ahead and Damian had just passed me and was disappearing off into the clouds... Then, like 'Gorilla's In The Mist' I saw Roger walking, he had gone over his ankle (he had done that last year at the same race) and was out of the race.
Unbeknown to me some-one was closing the gap, but I was able to stay ahead till the last little climb up to the finish and there he wasn't going to catch me.

So Rupert had won in 51:50 with Damian 2nd in 53:30 while I was 3rd (and 1st vet) in 54:30, Mr. Garnim called the race 11.3km with 395m climb...
Same position as last year, but 2:40 slower!!!