Fifty million years ago the Sooke Basalt and Gabbro formations emerged from deep below the surface of the earth. Millennia of rain, snow, ice and glaciation have worn the rocks down over time, yet they still defiantly stand here today as the Sooke Hills that we know and love. They are a testament to the resilience, determination and staying power needed….. to finish the Sooke Hills Trail Races! This is tough terrain and a gruelling run, and congratulations are due to all of the 84 folks who completed the 25km, and hats off to the hard-core 66 that completed the 50km pain fest!
Of course, none of this would have been possible without Elliot and his fantastic team of volunteers who supported us in every sense throughout the day. The Michelin star tacos at the end were so welcome as was the cheer for each and every runner crossing the line! Thanks, especially to the local SAR crews that packed and hiked everything in and out to the remote aid stations.
We were blessed with the perfect day, cool in the trees, dry and sunny with a welcome light breeze for the exposed climbs. Both 25km and 50km routes offer incredible variety of ascent, descent, forest trails, the odd service road and many well earned vistas. Much of the trail is difficult under foot with loose rocks and roots, but there is relief every so often with a chance to relax on a more forgiving forest trail. These races are technical but the very generous cut off times, do allow those that want to pace themselves and hike the more tricky sections to complete and finish without taking too many risks.
Our crew of three elderly gents had a great day albeit with some cramp challenges we worked through, giving us a real sense of achievement when we finally crossed the finish line and got to select our unique really cool memento running shirts. These re-purposed shirts are one of the many steps Elliot has taken to make this arguably the least environmentally impactful trail race on earth. Well done Sir! Our low point came at the Charters Trail junction off Sooke Mountain Trail. We knew the left turn led downhill to my hot tub, a brewery, a great way back to the finish via the Goose and basically civilisation. Naturally, the route turned right along Charters and then up Monument(!) and down Harrison Trail (scree slope). We held a meeting to decide if to bail for a beer or press on, and press on we did and hated our decision for an hour or two, but feel great about it now.
As for our STARR contingent, we had representation in the 25km race with me, Paul, Maggie, Ali, Kari, Vanessa, Dave D (& my friend Paul visiting from Brisbane) in the 25km and Sarah in the 50km race. Well done all, and wear your t-shirts with pride. Dave Dick’s 5th place in the 25km and the first Sooker home, is worthy of a special mention! Well done Dave.
Mark your diaries for next year, this event is a must!
The official times for the STARR runners were:
25 km
Dave 2:58
Maggie & Ali 5:42
Paul, Paul & Ian 6:12
Kari & Vanessa 6:57
50 km
Sarah 9:13