Late decision, and I cruised to a halt at the Maejo reservoir about 5 minutes late. To my surprise the hashers were also late and still getting ready. The hare said it was 8k, so I was immediately planning for some shortcuts, unsure of my fitness level.
We were set off back down the road, told to look to the right. The hare should have pointed us up the hill, but he didn’t so I was already at the next trail when someone called me back. Just along from me was a circle though. At this point, I didn’t know if this was a circle near the end or a circle near the start, so I started following trail backwards until I ran into ABB. Confusion resolved, and it was back to the circle – presumably heading to the main trail head. It was, but not quite the route I took, so once again I found myself going backwards until I think it was Angry Inch leading the pack in my direction.
From this trail head the next couple of checks would be 100%ers, heading up to the 5 point junction. I had a bit of a lead, so I turned right and headed up the hill. I didn’t think I would find powder, but I thought I may well intercept the trail at the next junction as surely we would loop around and back down the hill to the lake. No powder at the junction, so my short cut failed – but not to be outdone, I pushed on to the next junction in the vain hope I would intercept trail there. Nope. I had 2 choices – I could just finish up the hill and do my own thing, but that meant climbing another steep bit for around 5k total.
Instead I turned back and ran back down the hill. Jogging down hill I actually started feeling good – maybe I am over the Covid? I figured I could cut out to the Tiger’s Head and intercept trail up the road the otherside of the reservoir. But as I was feeling ok, I decided to just follow the trail – overtaking a bemused Frozen in the process. We came out on the road and it was marked Wimp to the left and Rambo to the right. Whatever, lets do it. I turned right and ran down the road for a km – why didn’t they use the trail parallel to the right – I know Graven knows it!
The other side of the road by the dodgy shelter. I crossed the weir, only to hear and then see Mr. Poo up the hill above me. No way to cut up to him, but I’d be better off turning left, running along the bottom and intercepting the pack after the industrial zone. It worked out and I had company again – once Piggy figured out how to get to me. I walked for a while and then started jogging as Emmaroyde got close to me, slowly speeding up like a rabbit as he got closer. A loop around the hill and then the powder had been brushed away on the sandy road before heading up the road to the dam.
Pleasant run – I got 8.4k, but then it was bitterly cold! I really didn’t need any ice time!