World Snow Shoe Invitational Championship

The first race of the World Snow Shoe Invite was very unique and new to the world of snow shoe racing. The host country, Japan put together a short course featuring flags every 100 hundred meters totaling 400 meters. The course was pretty technical. The first 100 meters was comparable to running straight down and up a halfpipe then you get a flat section followed by a slight downgrade with the last 100 meters trekking uphill on a narrow path. The race was not just a 400 meter sprint. NO sir. This is where it got interesting.

Imagine the NCAA Basketball tournament. Brackets come to mind, also single elimination should come to mind. The sprint portion of the Snow Shoe Championship was designed in the same light. There were 4 runners per heat and the winner advanced to the next heat. Of course, being that I was dealing with SI joint pain I immediately thought about not competing in the event, but in the end it was way too unique an opportunity to pass up. After the first heats it was obvious it would end up being a battle between myself and the top Snow Shoe runner representing Canada.

During the second rounds of the Championship I noticed that the course was getting more and more treacherous and many athletes were worried, especially after seeing one of the top French athletes injuring himself on the initial downhill section. Many athletes fell on this section. The snow was quite deep and especially deep in the bottom crest of the first downhill. With many runners pouncing through the same path this deep section began to develop profound holes, deep enough to suck a snow shoe in and flip a runner straight onto their face. This is exactly what happened to me in the final. I shot off to an early lead and at the bottom of the hill my foot got sucked right into a hole and down I went (Pictures to come soon). It was as if someone turned the lights off because I literally face planted into a huge pile of snow. My sunglasses were covered, but I bounced back up and kept the focus on getting back into the lead on the uphill. I was able to get back into the lead before the half way mark and hold on for the win to the finish.



Race Information Packet

The Championship for the long course (15k) had a very exciting finish just as the sprint. Early on the pack included two top Japanese trail/mountain/snow shoe runners, myself and David LP of Canada. The two Japanese runners quickly fell off pace. At one point due to the deep snow, one runner who was ahead of me pulled off to the side of the trail and literally stopped running for a few seconds. The race was more a snow trek rather than a snow shoe race. There were no aid stations so runners were to carry their own packs for hydration.

I've grown to really love Japanese food as you can see. Pictured here with David L.P. of Quebec

Little did I know some of the other runners in the race had people on course who would hand them water so I carried extra weight for nothing. It was Canada and America up front and we exchanged the lead over the next few kilometers. The snow was literally so deep that you could not make a move. Neither of us could break away and I could sense we both were just waiting for the finish area where we would have another sprint finish as we did in the 400 Championship. 

Buddha



Coming into the last stretch I swung out wide and pulled close to passing him and he surprised me with a strong surge so I quickly responded once again and we even, heading into the final kilometers. With maybe 4 steps remaining I pulled ahead and cross the line in first, so I thought. Some of the spectators came down to congratulate me and even the race director congratulated me then I hear from a judge across the trail that I had in fact lost the race. I asked him if there was some mistake because I was sure I won and being that he was not even looking from the side view at the finish I felt he had no business judging the finish. I accepted it with a bitter taste in my mouth because unfortunately, there was no photo or video of the finish. To make matters worse, after the awards a member of the staff and camera crew came by and said I have a video to show you.

From the video it would seem I won and he himself thought I won, but the awards had already been given out. So, a very painful way to lose a race. Nothing to do now accept bounce back and get ready for the rest of the year. Japan was a great experience, the people were above and beyond polite. On many occasions Japanese locals would walk me to my destination when I was lost even though it was out of their way. That is very selfless, so I was happily shocked to see a culture of such helpful individuals. I hope to visit Japan again in the future and check out more of the Eastern & Southern cities.

All you can eat sushi and sashimi the night before the race

Green Tea

Receiving award after winning sprint championship

The good stuff



A gift from a local. Green tea & Yatsuhashi



Local Myoko Kogen brew!



Heading back to the USA

This is maybe one thing I won't miss too much



UDON