And so, 2017 began with an interesting invitation - newly carved trails in new ground close to home at River Valley Ranch - for Gabriel to test his fitness and health.
The virgin 8 mile course was run on completely cambered trails, but he was so full of effortless running against Stasiowski that he ignored his desire to only complete one loop and finished up both loops, scoring a decisive and fun victory. To start 2017 with a victory on day one of the new year was exciting and promising...
However, Gabriel would not line up until April, after a trip to his homeland of Cuba, Gabriel was rejuvenated and running well, albeit with only of one week of training.
His lack of training showed, but it was completely promising to finish 15km of arduous, hilly miles and run with energy and without crashing. He ran well but was unable to maintain the fitness of the top two runners. A third place was unfamiliar, but acceptable at this point.
And so the fire was rekindled and Gabriel jumped at the opportunity to revisit the Greenwood Furnace Trail Challenge. This beast of a course would let him know if he was on the right track. Basically 20km of ascending and descending in some of the nastiest terrain in Central PA, Gabriel set out for the challenge.
He arrived with good time, go out, tested the trail (it had rained all weekend) and opted for road shoes. He wanted health, first and foremost. He set out in about 6th place, moved up to 2nd by half mile and then took over the lead within a mile and kept pressing on the climb. He was free with no real concerns.
However, on the first descent, it was tremendously rocky - a boulder field, and he could feel himself giving up all of his advantage from the climb. Finally, he hit some nice singletrack, mud, and road, and stretched out his legs, but he was being pursued closely. He would have to commit to the re-climb.
And so Gabriel dug in, quads burning relentlessly, he pushed and pushed and pushed. When he got to the summit, he committed himself to a suicidal descent, but it was amazing, he was running so well. However, when he hit the jeep roads, by 11 miles he was done with fitness and concerned. The battery was draining. He was worried he would not be able to finish. However, the singletrack came and he was rejuvenated and sprinted home... winning in a dominating fashion four years apart!! Although he felt he would run a 1:43, the 1:46 baffled him, but it was wet, muddy and damp. He took what the course gave him.
He was back...
