The Cinnamon Bunner Shaw 10k

He's back. The "not-so -Lazy Trail runner" has redeemed his title as a runner rather than a wine and tequila connoisseur.

It was an ideal Vancouver winter day. The skies were clear, the earth was frozen, and hundreds of eager runners dawned their spikes, road shoes, clogs, or whatever it was they had, and came down to the 26th annual Gunner Shaw 10k, at Jericho Beach. With Tran media services out on the course, I knew I
must look my best. Sporting Salomon's Exo II compression tights, I wanted to be fast, but not so fast that the wheels came off this running bus in the first of two 5k loops.
Traffic was heavy out of the start and I found myself dodging tree branches, people's high kicks, and the odd lump of frozen dog log. I couldn't see Coo or Letchford anywhere, but I ran my pace and felt great. About 2k in I spotted the Lazy Trail runner. He was cruising at my two o'clock and I aimed to reel him in. We both slowed for the beach section and only I knew we were running together. It's amazing how close we are in gait and pace, but I figured if he saw me he'd spook and bolt. I ran just off his left shoulder until he heard me. He looked to his right as he cornered downhill toward the beaver pond and with an overextended, giraffe-like neck, he saw me. He called me a name of some sort and took off down the hill. I followed suit and managed to ride about 20 meters back throughout the entire first lap, through a 19 minute 5k split , and half way through the second lap. With about 2k to go, I rolled past Tran Media Services, made the short loop up hill to 4th, and forced out a high five for the very comfortable Kev. Still about 200 meters out in front of me, and laying down the law, was Coo. My pursuit wasn't enough. Before the end I caught him slightly, but was still 20 or so seconds back. With the taste of iron in my mouth, I doubled back to the start of the finish chute and saw Kev rolling it in with some serious juice left in the legs.

It was a perfect cross country day. Blue sky, cold air, and fairly dry terrain, other than the mandatory stink hole they made us leap through. The best part of it all was sitting in Grounds for Coffee after the race, with achy legs, a fat cinnamon bun topped with cream cheese icing, and a large dark roast. It didn't seem to matter that our stink covered shoes were rotting in the back of my Subaru.