Running race 50:00 [4] 11.2 km (4:28 / km)
shoes: Adidas Supernova Control
Calgary City Chase with Andrew Green. 2nd place in 2:23, 6min behind Bill and his new partner Andrea. Could have won if we had avoided one big mistake or been able to buy a hotdog for $20.
We started well finishing the rain-shortened scavenger hunt quickly, but by no means first, and bolted for the train station, jumping on a NW that came through a minute or so later. We got stuck into decyphering the clue sheet and after discovering there was a chase point at UofC decided to jump off the train there and make our way back into the city. We got 5 chase points pretty quickly between UofC and Riley Park.
Our big mistake was at the Kensington Running Room: we didn't get into the line quickly enough and the line was moving slowly anyway. Eventually decided to bail out but easily wasted 10min.
We had been doing exactly the same route as a couple of other guys, Pete and Ryan, keeping just ahead of them most of the time. They finished the Running Room chase point though and quickly so that they exited not long after us, and with an extra chase point.
We ran pretty hard to the armoury which was a little slow but we completed it without difficulty. Then we moved on to Tubby Dog on 17th Ave for an eating challenge. Pete and Ryan arrived about 30s after us.
The wait for a hotdog at Tubby Dog was 20-30min but it was a compulsory chase point and the only one that made any sense for us to do. After about 5 min, Bill and Andrea rock in with a skip-the-line pass which was pretty tough to watch. At this point we started trying to buy a hotdog. I thought $20 for a hotdog was pretty good if you weren't doing the race competitively but there were no takers.
After nearly 20min, we decided to try to do the Western Canadian High School chase point before our hotdog was cooked. We sprinted down and were able to complete it by selling a case of Nestea to a member of the public it in about 2min and then sprinted back. We were back level with Pete and Ryan!
By the time we got back to Tubby Dog our hotdog had been made and someone had stolen it!! Fortunately, they made us another immediately and we got out within about 5min, but P&R had left at least 1min earlier.
We hooned it over to Stephen's Ave and did the Blackberry photo scavenger hunt, a bit slowly due to niether Andrew or I having used a Blackberry before, and then really hooned it back to Eau Claire for our final CP: the wrestling ring. The wrestling was quick and easy but Nicki was there waiting for us and told us that Bill had finished a few minutes earlier. A great result, in all honesty, but a little disappointing to be so close.
R&P had actually crossed the finish line first but hadn't read the rules about the charity CP properly and hadn't acquired the stamp for it. They had to go out and get another CP, finally coming in 4th.
It was such a fun race; I can't believe I didn't do it until this year!