Photo courtesy of Lorenz Jimenez Photography.
By Leslie Ann Bent
If you like to run trail, you should consider The Cumby. It may seem obvious by its name that the Cumby starts in the town of Cumberland (Comox Valley). This is a trail race that has something for everyone. The 7th edition of this race took place on Saturday to a sold-out field. The route starts in the downtown, then makes its way through the Cumberland Community Forest and adjacent working forests. The full 25 km route encompasses a steady climb through rich timberland, then leads runners through winding single track. The race offers several distance options – the full 25k, the half (14k), the quarter (6k – fairly flat) and virtual (7.5k). Five hundred runners took to the trails.
Our only STARR competitor this year was Greg. He took on the full distance along with some friends who used to run with STARR. His recap is below.
“I ran it as a fun run. I’m still too sore to go all out!
Celebration after
The Cumby 25k was my first trail run, first race. Knee is sore, back is sore, left foot arch is sore, actually, it would be easier to list what isn’t sore!
I discovered three little words that are most humiliating to hear, if they are repeated more than fifty times “On your left!” Each time you hear that, you must move over, and let another faster runner pass you. I must lose 10lbs, and run much faster next race!. There were 188 runners in the full - lots of men and women older than me (some WAY older) came in ahead of me!!
The weather was perfect – cool and overcast. The trail was perfect too. Wet, but not slippery.
Former STARR Greg C.
I took the wrong hydration vest (too big), and opted to run without one (based on the weather). I could have used a shot of baby food half way though the run. My right knee was sore but ok, but my left everything cramped up by the 20k mark.
Pretty hilarious finish too. I challenged a woman on the last 109 metres. I caught up to her, thinking I would breeze past, and suddenly she lit up like a rocket. I managed to catch up to her again, but as soon as I began to move ahead, she cranked it up another notch, and then again 50' closer to the finish line. I managed to beat her, (the ropes either side of the finish corridor were getting narrower and narrower!) Apparently, the look on my face was pretty funny!”
Congratulations, Greg for hanging in there.