July 9, 2011
Connemara, IRE - The 2011 IAU Trail World Championships ended bittersweetly for Gabriel and Perla Rodriguez, as the two Team USA members had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Ireland.
Lining up against 20 countries and 120 athletes, Gabriel and Perla set off against a 70 KM course that was as foreign to them as a hike up Everest. The course began with 4km on road and trail departing from the Kylemore Abbey, allowing Gabriel to move up into the Top 25 prior to the initial summit of Diamond Hill (1,500ft elevation gain). By the summit, Gabriel had positioned himself in the Top 5 and was ready for a great performance.
However, the descent quickly proved his undoing and he was immediately passed on the treacherous and technical descent by over 20 runners. Fighting back on the second ascent of Diamond Hill, Gabriel regained several positions, but quickly lost them all on the descent and although he then gained some places on the bog section to Ben Baum Mountain, his right hip flexor flared up to the point of disability.
Meanwhile, Perla was prudently pacing herself for a finishing effort, content to lag behind the field and figure out the course.
Ben Baum was a quite a challenge. Over 2,500ft of elevation gain over 10-12km, that distance was covered walking and hiking up the steep (25% grade) mountainside and then runners faced an equally dangerous (slippery and steep) descent. By the 40 KM aid station in a little over 5 hours, Gabriel called it a day, injured.
Perla arrived an hour later and pressed on to an impressive 29th place finish in 11h44'. The great news of the day was that the men's Team USA placed 6th in a very competitive field.
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