Snow to Surf

The Snow to Surf is a team relay race with nine legs. The race begins on the local ski hill, Mount Washington, and finishes at the Comox Marina. Sarah and I raced with a team comprising ultimate regulars and partners. We entered the open mixed category with five men and four women and a combined age of 262 years. Over 150 teams were entered in the event. Our team, after a short and lethargic confabulation, earned the pseudonym Gitmo Gaolbyrds (pronounced "Gitmo Goalbyrds" by the announcer at the finish). We were convicts on the run.

Race map

The race starts on Mount Washington with the alpine leg, a downhill ski. The racers are staggered by an uphill run to where their skis are waiting for the swift journey down. Megan was our skier. Meg hadn't skied in ten years, but had started skiing at the age of three, which was qualification enough for our team. Meg said the uphill run (in ski boots) stretched her lungs in new ways (that's not exactly quote/unquote); her muscle memory took over for the downhill. The second transition was the Nordic leg, 8 kilometres of cross-country skiing. Ang performed admirably, earning the meanest blisters on a difficult leg with zero preparation (zero prep could have been our race mantra). She handed over to me at the first running leg with our team in second last position. I was hyper after watching almost every other runner take off down the mountain access road. I was also hyper from bouncing around in shorts in 1 degree Celcius, with occasional skiffs of light, pebbly snow falling. I ran my 6.8 kilometres in a quick time, carried down by the constant slope. My legs felt strong. I didn't see another competitor. (Me and round-the-world sailsmen, much in common.) I really (no, really) wanted to pass somebody.

Mount Washington access road:
Tricky to get a sense from the sky, but I think I ran this section.

I handed over to our second runner, Alana, and our team began to reel in the opposition. Alana ran 6.4 kilometres, passing a number of competitors, and handed over to Grayson at the mountain bike exchange. Grayson made up a lot of time, cruising both gravel logging road and single track to Comox Lake. He passed on to Douglas who kayaked the 5 kilometre course in choppy waters and treacherous side winds, clawing his way up the field. Sarah was at the next transition, the 30 kilometre road bike leg. Her trusty Norco MTB with bald tyres performed like a road bike, and she arrived at the Courtenay exchange in a personal best of 55 minutes. Awaiting Sarah were Mark and Quinton, our vigorous canoeists. They paddled 5 kilometres through a strong head wind and very choppy water on Comox Harbour. The rest of the convicts drove to a vantage point over the water, where we spotted the boys. We yelled indecipherable encouragement (and were rewarded with a raised oar from Quin and redoubled paddling from Mark), as we raised beers and slid greasy pizza down our gullets. We arrived at the Comox Marina, the race finish, a few minutes before the canoeists. The boys came in full-steam ahead and Quin raced from the bow to the bell.

Our team finished in 115th position, with a time of 5:40:21. We were the 22nd team in the Open Mixed category. Talk about bragging rights. We did climb 40 positions from the end of the Nordic leg. The first placed team, North Island Tanks (Open Men), finished in 3:24:20. Endorphins surged throughout the day and beer flowed in the afternoon. (Muscles seized up the next morning.) I think we'll be back.