Jack's Ultrarunning Blog and more!

January 2012 Training, A Rough Week

2012-01-22T19:24:00.001-05:00

Yes, this week has been tough.

Since running The Bandera 100K on January 7th I've had some strange things going on. The week after Bandera I felt great, hungry and eating all week and the body felt fabulous. Legs were strong and besides running every day I got in a couple of days XC skiing and a day of Alpine skiing. The cold weather set in, sub zero and it actually felt good running in the cold and snow. Sure beats the intense cramping in the southern heat. Then, all sh#@t hit the fan. After running an easy 12 miler last Sunday in zero degrees, I jumped in the sauna to warm up and then went home hitting the grocery store on the way. Hungry, I grabbed a quick egg sandwich while shopping and then it hit. Dizziness, short of breath and intense pain on the lower right side of the body. At one point I thought I might pass out in the aisles. I managed to get out of there and in the car. Should I go to the emergency ward or just beeline it and get home. I opted for the ride home and as soon as I got home, jumped in bed, clothes, coat and all. I was having a hard time breathing but found one position where I could somewhat relax and lied there, sort of sleeping for over an hour. I managed to get through the rest of the day and attempted to go for an easy sunset hike in the snow, denying any pain I had. Well the pain was still there, big time and I could barely breathe. I returned home after a while and settled in. Some dinner, a movie but wondering, what if I stop breathing tonight, then what? I figured no big deal. My usual philosophy in life, when your ticket comes up at the deli window, it's time. It's all about fate, nothing you can do but go for the ride. That's why I rarely hesitate running through a lightening storm or even think twice about jumping out of the door of a reasonably good plane at 12,000 feet.

Monday began with the same intense pain and I was having a hard time breathing whenever I tried to exert myself to more than sitting. I waited all day hoping things would improve and finally went outside for a run in the afternoon. It finally warmed up to 20 degrees too. Out the door I went, only to find it was not a good thing. I immediately started running/walking up the hill. After about a 1/2 mile the pain trying to breathe was excruciating and I could hear myself grunting with each breath. I felt like I only had one lung, what the heck. I hit the top of the hill and was then running on a totally flat road, which I thought would be fine. Not! It hurt as much as the hill. I managed to get another 1/2 mile shuffle in before I had to turn around. This was definitely not fun! I just couldn't breathe. On the way back home I go right by the Charlotte Family Health Center, I thought I would pay them a visit. I always hate to go to the doctor, almost embarrassing if something isn't really wrong. I thought not being able to breathe was a good enough reason to visit. I saw Bunkie, my local doc who is great. He did a quick exam and evaluation and decided I should get an xray to check my lungs for a possible partial collapse of the lung. He also said, "no more running" for now. After he did some other vital organ checks, it was off to the hospital to get an xray at 5:30 PM. The trip to Fanny Allen was easier and quicker than anticipated. I barely had to wait. The pics were taken although the picture taker wasn't capable or allowed to read the xray so I would have to wait to get the reading from the radiologist and/or Bunkie.

It doesn't get much flatter than this.

Tuesday, still in pain and no word from the doc. About mid day I decided to attempt a slow run to the Post Office and then to some new trails on absolutely flat frozen mowed trails. As I went by the docs office I slowed it down to a walk in case they could see me. At minimal effort I was ok, doing 10 plus minute miles and an efficient shuffle. Anything faster and I couldn't breathe. This was OK, for today.

Wednesday I woke up still in pain. During the day I did some work at home and finally decided it was time to attempt another walk/run. I stood up and noticed something strange, I could breathe again. I could actually stand and take a good deep breath. Where did this come from?? It was like someone flipped the switch. Hey take what you can. Then Bunkie called to say there was nothing out of the ordinary in my xray or other results and I could run again. I didn't tell him I never stopped running. This was all great but on the other side, so why was I hurting so much before?? So I went out for a run and ran snow covered trails for almost 2 hours without any reoccurring issues. Weird!!

Thursday, feeling good, I went to the Range and XC skied for almost an hour on wicked fast snow, skate skiing on the edge of disaster . The fun part of XC skiing is that many times have very little control and are on the edge of a major crash and if you can pull it off without, you've done really well. This night was like that. The snow was hard, icy and rough and you seemed to bounce all over as you cruised along. Successfully, I stayed upright and had a blast! Then it was the Thursday night run with the crew. First it was the pre-run with Bob to get in more miles. We decided to go do the usual 6 miler along the back dirt roads of Essex. Normally this would be fine but our fluky weather this year has brought many freeze, thaw, freeze opportunities and tonight was no different. The back roads were challenging to say the least. Ice was the primary surface and staying upright was a challenge. About 2 miles out with Bob, I found some really slick ice, tried to move over unsuccessfully and crashed hard.

Left Elbow rather swollen - "olecranon bursa"

The brunt of the fall was taken by my elbows although I also crashed on the back of my head and my headlamp flew off. But the immediate pain was definitely felt more in the area of my elbows. Still, I got up, regained some stability after sliding some more and off I went running. Bob and I continued and finished our loop to join up with the rest of the group so we could run this loop again. And we did so with no major issues. We all ran conservatively on the icy roads but managed to get through without any more crashes. Once we got back, I thought I may have cut one of my elbows and decided to have a peak. I had a hard time getting my shirt over my elbow and finally gave up only to have a more difficult time trying to get my shirt back over my elbow. When I finally changed for the post run dinner, I realized my elbow was rather enlarged. More than I had ever seen it before. First thing that came to mind was, I've already been in for xrays this week for a possible collapsed lung, they won't want to see me again. At dinner I put my elbow in ice and when I got home immediately wrapped it in ice which reduced the swelling.

Right Elbow

Friday, my whole body was sore from Thursday nights crash. I felt like I was run over by a truck. My elbow was still swollen so I experimented and wrapped it with pre-tape then put on an arm warmer, perfect! Then I made a trip to the hardware store and made a major purchase, 20 screws for my shoes. I went with the # 6 hex head sheet metal screws, 10 at 3/8" depth and the other 10 at 1/2". So just before my run I grabbed my screw gun and put those in. Then out the door to do a test run. I headed out to run at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge where the trails are still runnable. About an inch of snow covered over the ice and it was great! The screw shoes were incredible!

Screw Shoes ready to go!

Saturday proved to be a nice 20 miler in light snow on the back rolling roads of Williston, Richmond, Hinesburg and Huntington. I met Aliza just after 9:00 am and off we went, bundled up for the run as it was only 9 degrees, luckily not much wind. After a couple of miles on paved roads it was mostly snow and ice covered dirt roads. The screw shoes were ideal. My arm was bandaged up in a semi bent positions and was no problem although the rest of the body was still sore. We had a mostly uneventful day on this "slow" run except the dead end road cut through had a new no trespassing sign which of course we ignored. Once through the gate we heard a voice yelling at us. Too late, we were moving forward and a bit faster now as repeated yells at us to stop. Not stopping, run faster! Luckily no gun shots. Once out of there it was back to more hills and dirt roads. We were both getting a bit hungry and had a quick GU break only to find out the GU's were more like semi frozen blocks. Forgot to pre-warm the GU in my pocket. We cruised along for a bit and were approaching some more big hills when we came upon Heather coming out of Dugway Rd. She was doing a different loop so we decided to join her on the rest of her loop. More back dirt roads, nothing too steep until the mile downhill on Wes White Hill. Luckily this paved part had some clear pavement making it easier to stay upright. At the end of the hill was Heather's car and a ride back to the start making for a nice winter run.

And back to Sunday to end this week. I met up with Bob Ayers in the not too early morning and we ran a fun loop through the back roads and some trails of Richmond, Bolton and Jericho, 22 Garmin miles. The elbow was feeling much better and the body not as sore. Screw shoes were required as much of the surface was snow covered with ice underneath. It started out cold but above zero, maybe 8 degrees with little wind and the sun came out. We had some good climbing on the Stage Road to really warm up. Overall, we had a great run and chatted most of the way about life, running and whatever. To end the day and to enjoy the sunset I went out on the flat mowed trails at home for a few more miles as a great end to a week that started out a bit questionable.

Sunset over the Adirondacks

I learned a few things this week. Some are just basic common sense, which at times I'm lacking in as I always try to push the envelope a little bit to see what the body and brain can endure.

What I learned this week:

You can benefit from bringing fluids and food with you on 20+ mile runs, even in the winter.
Eat more calories so you don’t bonk.
Embrace the good things in life when you have them, like being able to breathe.
Turn on your headlamp while running at night on the ice; you can see more with it. (Wish I had my light on BEFORE the crash.) I like to “feel” the road as I’m running in the dark. I definitely felt it that night.
Screw shoes are a wonderful thing, use them.

Let's hope for a better upcoming week and more successful weeks to come! And hopefully I can survive this training without any more major issues. See you on the trail :)

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

-- Confucius

2012 USA 100 km Trail National Championships

2012-01-11T13:14:00.002-05:00

Bandera 100 km Endurance Trail Run -
Race Report and Adventures
A Trail Run of Rugged and Brutal Beauty

where Everything Cuts, Stings, or Bites

January 7, 2012

Bandera, TX

As usual, my races are way more than the race itself. It's all about the journey, not the outcome.

Texas Longhorn

The decision to make the trip to Texas was sort of last minute. I had been training for the USATF 10K Club XC Nationals held in early December in Seattle with my local 50’s team and had been racing a number of 5K to 10K distances to prepare. But I felt a need to get back into the longer distances and on trails. I quickly ramped up the miles and even managed to get in a 50k day at the Christmas Marathon in NY. And with the lack of snow in VT, I had been able to continue running on trails. So I figured what the heck, time for a change of pace. I didn't feel 100% trained for such an event but thought my fitness level was good enough to go. The bigger factor for me would be the weather, especially the warmer temps that Texas could produce. Last March I went down to the Nueces 50 Mile Trail Championships, only to arrive in 87 degrees. Luckily it was cooler for race day but still hot enough to set off some good cramping for not being acclimated to the heat. Training in Vermont in the winter is more about staying warm and dry. And the week before Bandera, the temps had been in the 0-15 degree range, which was feeling rather nice to me.

I made reservations to fly down for a quick weekend, leaving on Friday morning, race Saturday and back to VT early Monday morning. The wild card would be the weather, for flying. Winter traveling in the Northeast is always a challenge. As I finally prepared and packed for the trip, the weather was looking fine, possibility of light snow to fly out with but nothing out of the ordinary for an area that normally receives snow in the winter. I was up early on Friday for the 5:30 AM flight and there was about ½” of snow on the ground and it wasn’t all that cold, maybe 20 degrees. I arrived at the airport with plenty of time and soon we all boarded, right on time. There really shouldn’t have been delays as I think we were the first plane out that morning. But then we sat, and sat and sat in the plane. After sitting for 30 minutes, then it was time to de-ice the plane which took another 15 minutes. So right from the start, we were running 45 minutes late on the first leg of the trip to Dulles Airport. I knew there wasn’t a lot of time between flights but thought if all went well, the connecting flight to San Antonio would still be possible. We landed and I figured I had about 15 minutes to catch the next flight, if we got out of the plane after we landed. Well another snafu. We sat in the plane forever and they wouldn’t let us out, losing time fast. Finally we got out and then had to wait for our carry-on bags. I knew they were already boarding my next flight. As soon as I could, I grabbed my 40 lb roller bag, threw on my 25 lb backpack and started running. To make it worse, we landed at terminal A and I needed to get to D which could require either a shuttle or a train ride. I went to the shuttle area but it wasn’t arriving until my flight was already gone, so off and running to catch the train. The train was for gates C & D. First stop it said Gate C. I poked my head out the door, a bit lost but looked again and the train said Gate C, it made no mention of Gate D so I stayed on. When the door closed, I noticed I was the only one on it. The train electronic banner now said out of service and traveled a short way up the track and stopped in the middle of nowhere. I was stranded on this train, doors locked and nowhere to go. Then it started moving up another rail and it said Gate A, what the heck! So back to A, then to C where I got off this time and then ran from the far end of C all the way to the far end of D only to see the flight was closed. Not a happy camper. A bit overheated I arrive at customer service only to wait in line. At the counter they were having issues but found a flight going back up to Chicago and then to San Antonio. I started to complain but the woman at the counter said they were already boarding and I better get going or I wouldn’t be out until the evening. They were having problems printing a boarding pass and said they would call ahead. So off I was running again, this time from the far end of D to the far end of C. When I arrived they greeted me and said, “Didn’t she tell you, we couldn’t get you on”. At that point I was ready to go home. I think she saw the look on my face and said wait here and somehow found a spot for me as the plane was waiting. I finally boarded and then off to Chicago and then to San Antonio.

In all, I lost about 4 hour’s time, the time I wanted to check out the trails and attend the pre-race briefing. Not a huge deal. I got off the plane and it was HOT. The sun was shining and I thought I might melt. I took the shuttle over to get my rental car which would also be my camper for the weekend. When I made reservations I upgraded to the next size up so I would have room to sleep in it. I got the keys and found the car. It was this lime green thing, not much bigger than a smart car. There was no way I could fit in any direction in this car. I went back to the counter. The woman said that was the larger car and if I wanted to pay $15 per day more I could get a bigger car. Back out I went to see if there was any way I could fit. Right next door was a larger car, the one that I thought I was getting and was listed on the reservation so back to the counter. The woman was busy so I talked to some guy. He was very accommodating and said sure; you can have one of those. With a quick phone call and some new paperwork I was finally out of there. More lost time. I drove straight out to Bandera as I wanted to at least get in a little run in daylight to see what the trails were all about.

I was feeling better as I had finally made it which was questionable for some time. After a little trail run I headed back to the town of Bandera to find some dinner. I was supposed to be meeting up with David Ploskonka from Baltimore, Maryland. I met David last year at Bull Run Run and thanks to David’s efforts we were part of the wining men’s open team. As it turned out David’s flights were also messed up and he hadn’t yet arrived. In Bandera I found a great little pasta restaurant, John’s Pasta House. I had a table outside and David would meet me there a bit later. Sitting alone, I was invited to join some local Texan’s who were adjacent to me and also running Bandera. We had a great dinner and David finally arrived to enjoy the local pasta house. After dinner it was back to the start/finish area which was also the camping area. I set up my Hotel Nissan, folding the front seats all the way down and retired for the evening.

Hotel Nissan

The race start was at 7:30 AM, right around sunrise, much better than a 4:00 AM start in the dark. It was cool out but you knew it would heat up and the forecast called for near 70 degrees and sunshine. Not really what I was hoping for but it is what it is. At the start I met up with David and saw some other familiar faces. Yassine Diboun was there and Liza Howard. I saw team Pearl Izumi all ready to go. There was an excellent field of runners for this National Championship and also part of the Montrail Ultracup with 2 spots available for Western States. I knew they would be fast out of the start. My plan was to go out at a reasonable fast pace until the pack thinned and then settle in and do my own thing, just run at a comfortable pace and enjoy it.

This was a two lap course. The terrain seemed very runnable. Some hills, nothing too bad and rocks but again, not that technical. Not like the slippery rocks and roots back home. And plenty of nice single track to cruise on. Shortly after the start I could hear a familiar voice behind me. It was Liza running along with local Steve Moore. I ran quite a bit of Nueces with Steve and Liza last year. They soon caught up and the three of us ran a good part of this loop together, many times back and forth and pacing off one another. I could also see Darcie Africa just behind. There was an impressive women’s field this year including Liza, Darcie, Pam Smith and Cassie Scallon and all capable of winning.

At some point on this first lap, I spacing out, tripped on a rock and went down hard. Nothing unusual for me. Landing on rock is no fun. But the other alternative is landing on cacti, equally as bad. The usual tuck and roll technique doesn't work either as you hit hard on rock and then roll on cacti. Something you want to avoid altogether. I got myself up, scrapped and bruised and continued on. About mile 16, I came into the Crossroads aid station and stopped to find my drop bad and pick up a fresh bottle of Gu Brew and some more GU gels. I saw the familiar face of Meredith Terranova who helped me get through which was great. Another 5 mile loop and I was back to Crossroads again. At this point I could feel the heat increasing and made certain to increase my fluid intake as well as electrolyte pills. Continuing going back and forth with Liza and Steve, we all arrived at the halfway point somewhere around 4:28 which I thought was right on, trying to be a bit conservative. After refueling at the Lodge and grabbing a replenished supply of electrolytes I was on to lap 2. Right from the get go, I could feel twinges in my lower extremities, signs of cramping. The heat to me when not acclimated is like kryptonite to Superman and can take me down. I increased my electrolytes again and backed off a notch on pace hoping these adjustments would help. The climb up Ice Cream Hill was in full sun and just after I passed a distressed runner, a big calf cramp kicked in and stopped me in my tracks. I stomped on my foot to get it to bend, took another electrolyte pill and kept on moving. This seemed to be the pattern for a while.

Jack coated with salt wearing Headsweats Super Duty Race Hat

As I came into the second aid station, I saw another smiling familiar face through my now fuzzy eyes. It was Meghan Arbogast. I was dizzy and had to sit for a moment. Meghan helped replenish my electrolyte supply which was needed and off I went while munching on a pb&j sandwich. I continued on doing the slow run for a while when suddenly I felt a weird sensation in my left foot. My entire ankle cramped and then my right foot cramped causing me to collapse right across the trail. I laid there like a corpse and couldn't move as the pain shot through my body. I could see another runner coming up and thought for sure they would think I was dead on the trail. So as this runner approached I lifted my head up to say, “I’m not dead”. As my eyes cleared enough to focus I could see it was my friend David from Baltimore. I think he kind of chuckled as he saw me there unable to get up. With a little boost, I was able to finally stand and we both moved ahead slowly.

David relaxing the morning after the race

David has experience with heat issues himself as he has run Badwater the last 2 years. Before long, David was far ahead and out of sight as I still had to move slowly, but move ahead I did. The rest of this second lap was more of the same with continued cramping, slow running and ingesting up to 8 electrolyte pills each hour. I forced myself to eat at each aid station knowing that my body needed fuel and kept drinking, all the while feeling nausea and wanting to hurl but didn't want to lose what I already had in my body for electrolytes. I thought as the day progressed, the heat would lessen and I could continue on at a faster pace but the heat and the cramps continued for most of the race.

Slow but steady I continued on, had another hard fall somewhere and reopened a wound on my hand from earlier in the day. I ran through some more sotol plants and felt the thorns rip my legs but it really didn't matter at this point.

Sotol Plant with sharp spikes

Sotol damage to skin

As I looked at my watch I could see this second lap taking almost 2 hours longer that the first, not good. Trying to better that I was able to pick up the pace a bit, on and off for the last 9 miles. I also wanted it over, that’s always a motivator later in the race. Finally, just before darkness set in, I crossed the finish line. I was immediately greeted by Liza Howard who gave me a puffy coat to put on as the temps were quickly cooling as was my body. Liza ended up with a stellar run finishing 2nd for the women just behind Cassie Scallon with Pam Smith not far behind in third. Also greeting me was Charles Corfield, another awesome master runner from Boulder and Dave Mackey who finished second for the men just 10 minutes behind Tim Olsen. Thankfully Charles brought me some fluids while I sat on the ground trying to regroup. It didn't take long and afterwards I headed over to the heated tent to find some food. I ended up hanging out there for hours with Steve Moore, Liza Howard, Tim, Chris and many other local runners while finishing runners came in. I truly enjoyed the overwhelming southern hospitality while exchanging war stories over some cold ones. Thanks to Steve for supplying the Lone Star beverages.

Steve Moore & Dylan Bowman

In the end, I didn't have the best race result based on my inabilities to deal with the heat but still I finished, had a lot of fun and had a wonderful experience revisiting with familiar faces and meeting new folks from around the country. It's amazing what we ultra runners consider fun :) The heat and course also took its toll on others as of the 215 starters, 56 dropped down to a 50k with only 153 runners finishing the 100k. I finished with a time of 10:46:32 which was good enough to place first for the USATF National 100K Championship in my age group and set a new age group course record and finished 13th overall in the men’s division. Click here for full results.

Thanks to RD Joe and Joyce Prusaitis for putting on this fabulous event and to all the volunteers who made this race possible. Put this one on your list of to do’s! These guys put on a whole series of races which can be found through Tejas Trails. And thanks to Headsweats for supplying the Super Duty Race Cap which worked wonders on this hot and sunny day.

Liza and family at awards with RD Joe Prusaitis

One final note, the trip back to VT was mostly uneventful, hurrying as usual to catch flights on a three airport journey to get home. On the last leg from LaGuardia to Burlington I was in this short bus with wings waiting to take off among the huge mega jetliners. As we were heading to position for takeoff I could see some of my fellow passengers getting nervous. This 37 passenger bus with wings had propellers and only one was working. Finally one of the passengers spoke up and questioned the flight attendant with hand signals as the noise was too loud to hear anything. He motioned that the propeller wasn't working, how are we going to get off the ground? The flight attendant very calmly said they will turn it on when they are ready. Just before the final takeoff stretch on the runway, they did turn on the propeller, it worked and off we went.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

The 24 Hours of Christmas Adventures Returns for 2011...... Or Not

2011-12-26T23:34:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2011 and Looking Back at the Year

A SPECIAL HOLIDAY BLOG, SO BE PREPARED!

Wow, what a year! Many ups and downs throughout with lots of new experiences. Two months ago I thought I would be in a different place. Well, how things change....again. Life is full of changes and challenges. So once again, due to unforeseen circumstances, I'm back running to celebrate this Holy Day of Christmas with plenty of time to reflect on the past year and think about all of those special people, family and friends who have been a great help for me for whatever. Merry Christmas!!

One change on the 24 hour run, since I have signed up to run a 100K two weeks from now I thought it might be a good thing not to run 100+ miles on Christmas. Instead I've entered The Holiday Marathons in NYC organized by Mike and Mike and will run the marathon plus some more to make it just a 50K or so and then spend time with family in CT.

Just before driving down to CT on Friday I stopped by the post office to get my mail. On the display board there were sayings from the 1st grade class at CCS. One of them caught my eye. It said:

Where there is honesty, there is understanding.
Where there is fairness, there is peace.
Where there is sharing, there is friendship.
Where there is love, there is fulfillment.

Pretty good for a first grader and great not only for the holidays but all year long. To bad adults can't always think this way. This one's for you Kelly.

Mom's tree

Christmas Eve with mom in CT, very nice. The sun was shining during the day so I got in a pre-dinner easy run on the golf course. Not always a possibility as usually when there is no snow, they are golfing but not today. So I got to chase the geese hanging out on the course. Afterwards, Mom and I had a great Christmas Eve dinner. We haven't been together on Christmas Eve for 15-20 years?? And since Dad passed away 5 years ago Mom has been on her own. Myself, the last two Christmas's have been a bust so it was great for mom and I to connect and chat about life over some wine, ending with the traditional Drambuie after hot fudge Sundays. After dinner I retired to watch one of my all time favorite classics, " A Wonderful Life".
Then is was "The Santa Clause", another movie favorite. I sometimes wish I could have the job of Santa Claus. I would do that in a heartbeat! Then off to bed for some sleep before Santa arrives.

Christmas Marathon/50K Race Report:
Christmas morning, up early and on the road to the Holiday Marathons to be held this year at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers, NY after a waffle and banana breakfast. Just over an hour drive which isn't bad and sure beats sleeping in the cold at hotel Ford. I arrived just before 9:00 AM and ran into friend, race director and former pacer for me at the WS 100 years ago, Mike Oliva. Mike was getting the start area set up and about to head out to mark the course. The other RD, Mike Arnstein hadn't yet arrived. There were two trees at the start area designated for gifts. One was for a grab bag after you were done with your race. If you brought a gift, you could get one at the end. The other tree was for Toys for Tots. It was fun going out Christmas Eve to buy toys for some child who might not have a Christmas. After the race, the toys were going to be delivered to the children.

Holiday Headsweats

The official start of the event wasn't until 11:00 AM but they encouraged runners who were doing the marathon distance or who needed extra time to start early, especially with sunset around 3:30. Runners had the choice of doing a 1/8 marathon, 1/4 marathon, 1/2 marathon, 3/4 marathon or full marathon. Each lap was 3.275 miles on a paved rec path which circled around a lake. So in an effort to get to my sisters for Christmas dinner at a decent hour, I was ready to go by 9:00 AM. It was still chilly out, maybe 32 degrees but warm enough for shorts and anticipating that the day would warm up. I wore my custom Headsweats Holiday Mid Cap for the occasion in holiday red with a white pom pom. I took no water or gels with me to begin with but had a bag at the start area with some basic provisions which is where you would return after each loop. The first few loops were quiet as not too many runners were out and I enjoyed the scenery. In the middle of the lake was a huge swan that just swam around. All the other birds seemed to have great respect for this big bird and stayed out of it's way. The way the paved path was, there was enough of a dirt shoulder along much of it so I seemed to gravitate to the dirt to make it a bit softer. By the fourth lap, more runners were out and I could feel my pace picking up and was starting to warm. Before heading out for loop # 5, I grabbed my water bottle with GU Brew in it and some electrolyte tabs. I could already see the salt accumulating on my skin so I started taking the electrolytes just in case, even thought it was still cool out. I also grabbed one GU gel and on that loop tried to eat in but it was rather cold and stiff and was a challenge to eat. Usually I put it in my pocket before to warm up but not today. Lap 5 and 6 were the fastest yet, averaging around a 7:10 pace, not that this was a "race" but more of an event but I felt good just running along. Also after I started lap 5, the official start began so there were a lot more runners and some fast ones too so that kept me moving along at a good clip. I was over the 20 mile mark and on lap 7 cruising along again, when I started getting incredibly hungry. I knew I hadn't had much to eat and should have had more GU's to start but didn't. Then the energy was being sucked out of me. It turned out to be one of my slower laps but as I headed to the turnaround, I grabbed a banana which definitively seemed to help matters. I finished lap 8, the marathon distance at a comfortable 3:13 and only 2 laps to go. I seemed to focus more on eating at each turnaround and managed to eat a half a banana each time through.

20 " Candy Cane

It was fun watching the other runners too with about 450 runners signed up to run on this Christmas Day! Some in full Santa attire, others with Grinch like green outfits and most in some kind of Santa hat. All kinds of runners, young and old, fast and slow but they all seemed to be having fun! By the time I was doing my last lap # 10 it was getting quiet out there again as most had done the shorter distances and were done. When you did finish, you had to hit the gong with the hammer and Mike was there to supervise. For finishing each runner was awarded a candy cane, the more laps you did, the bigger the candy cane. For me, I got the 20" candy cane. In the end I ran just over a 50K; 32.75 miles averaging a 7:30 pace rather comfortably. I thought if I could keep it under 8 min. miles it would be good so I figured this was a good trainer for the 100k in two weeks.

More pics of the Christmas Marathon .

RD and friend Mike Oliva and Jack at the finish by the finishing Gong

After the race it was just over an hour's drive to spend Christmas with my mom and sister and two nieces. Dinner, more champagne and to end it all watching "National Lampoon's Christmas". Another one of my movie favorites.

So ends the race season for 2011, I think??

END OF THE YEAR SUMMARY:
As I end the year, I sit back and think of the year gone by. It had some great moments and it had some not so good times. I had a great trip to Europe, my first ever while competing in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. The scenery was like I've never seen before. That was definitely a high point. Throughout the year I had some good races and some not so good races but it's always a great day on the trails. Besides my trip to Europe, I traveled around to places like Texas, Virginia, NY and Washington state. I had some great times running with new and old friends throughout the year and have met some wonderful folks from all around the world. I had some foot issues mid year that slowed me down and even a DNF at the Finger Lakes 50K, not good, but I was able to work through it with the help of Doc Rinaldi and changed my work schedule and bounced back. Energy levels were up and down. So as an experiment this meat and potatoes guy, has now gone without meat for three months. So far so good. I changed my residence and purchased some real estate this spring and hope to build a new home on the land this coming year. I thought I was to be married in October, (a high point) only to find out that the person who I thought I knew for eight years has totally different values and beliefs than me about commitment, honesty, fidelity and trust, values which I believe are key to any successful relationship. So no marriage. A sad ending to the year and the end of another chapter of life. But to finish on a positive note it is a New Year ahead and another chapter begins! I have a lot to look forward to and a lot of great friends to be thankful for :) Now it's time to plan out the race schedule for 2012. So far on the horizon, it's the Bandera 100K in two weeks in Texas and the MMT 100 in Virginia in May. The rest of the schedule to be determined. Just last week I did receive my new passport, so who knows where in the world I may end up :)

A little Karma to end the year and to start the new year with, one of my favorites. (I have one of these happy Buddhas and rub his belly at least once a day):

The decisions you make and the way you treat people will someday come back to stare you in the face. If you are good and kind to people they will treat you kind. If you are cruel to people and make bad decisions then life will not be so kind to you.

Happy New Year to All !!

And remember "Impossible is Nothing!"

2011 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships

2011-12-19T13:45:00.000-05:00

and USA Masters Men's 10 km Championships

December 10, 2011

Jefferson Park Golf Course - Seattle, WA

2011 GMAA National XC Team

As a GMAA Team we were finally somewhat organized and ready to head to Seattle for the Nationals. It was not easy to get a full team together this year with injuries and conflicting activities but in the end we brought over 6 runners for our 50’s age group team. Our captain, Norm Larson along with Tony Bates, Kevin McMahon, Lyman Clark, Keith Woodward and myself. You need 5 to officially score as a team. More than 100 clubs and 1,100 competitors were to compete at Jefferson Park Golf Course in the Emerald City, Seattle. USATF Pacific Northwest, Club Northwest, the Seattle Sports Commission, the Seattle Parks & Recreation Department, and ProMotion Events worked hard to provide a complete championship experience with a Northwest flavor!

Snow Covered Ground at BTV

On Thursday morning five of us flew together from Burlington to Seattle with a short layover in Chicago. It was a cold and snowy morning in VT.

Kevin enjoying some Dakin Farm munchies in Chicago.

Thanks to Sam at Dakin Farm for sponsoring our trip with lots of goodies to munch on throughout the weekend. Waiting in Chicago we broke out the incredible cheese, beef sausage, maple kabanos, crackers and more. We also ran into Christine Reaser, an awesome women’s master runner from Maine. She kindly offered to give us a ride to the hotel once we landed in Seattle instead of us taking a train. Sounded like a good idea. Once we landed in Seattle we were joined by Lyman Clark at the airport. I’m not sure Christine knew what she was getting into when she first offered us a ride. There were six of us plus Christine. She was confident that her full size rental would work. So 7 of us jammed into a Chevy Impala plus luggage that would not all fit in the trunk. Not a pretty sight!

In the Chevy

Friday was an easy day, a morning run with Norm and Kevin touring Seattle, heading down towards the waterfront and the famous Pikes St. area including the throwing fish market. It was still early so things were quiet at the market. On our way back to the hotel we found a coffee shop as Norm and Kevin were craving coffee. I had a great cup of hot chocolate. After that Norm and Kevin headed back to the hotel but I still needed some more miles and headed this time a little bit north to see other parts of the city.

Downtown Seattle

As usual I have a hard time going to someplace new without exploring and this was no different. I was in search for the “Needle” and thought I could keep running north to find it but no luck. Finally I headed back to the hotel but not before stopping in at a waffle shop for some breakfast. Awesome strawberry topped homemade waffle! Later that day we took the shuttle over to the race course to pre-run part of the course, which on race day would be a five loop run along a golf course. And a great sunny day it was which allowed great views all around including the snow capped mountains not far away.

Full Moon in Seattle

Saturday Race Report and more by Kevin McMahon, GMAA Masters Runner:

The race was on a golf course, most of the energy we wanted to spread across it was going into the softening ground. By the 5th 2K lap, the course was ragged and muddy on several curves and took down several runners trying to take the tight high line. The 40 degrees was a mist by the time we started. It didn't bother as much as expected, but I also took the precaution of finding a community center down the street in which I laid warm and low until race time. I had planned on sneaking into the enormous VA hospital across the street, but was scared off by the idea of possibly being profiled as a TB patient and then detained. On the jog to start, I felt like the race season should have ended weeks ago, perhaps in June. Dull, twanging, tight and tired. But damn thankful to be healthy enough to line-up one more Nat time with the VT M50's. I thought of Jim our #2, still injured, and Tony our #3, with us but too injured to go under the gun. Doesn't get better than running free of anything that could stop you. And how great to have both Lyman and Woody step up for the run! So tough.

Norm

At the 5K mark, I wondering how I could possibly run that distance again without stopping. By 8K, the run became be a sideways climb into the black hole. Kept repeating Norm's instructions to 'be in the moment' and when any moment sucked too much, I repeated his suggestion to 'embrace the pain'. Finally, it was just shameless pleading to not pass out before crossing the line or be passed by too many M55's.

Jack and Kevin

Didn't pass out but got passed like I was. My eyes were still crossed 40 minutes later but the lips were no longer purple. I ran 60 secs slower than last year, but so did Norm. But he won the M55 gold and I ended up 12th place in the M55's. Pilla ran fast and faster than last year, Woody chased in Bill Dixon! another reminder that Keith is truly a legend among us Vermonters. Lyman finished his first XC Nats running the critical 5th slot for our injured engine. Tony managed every support detail and I'm sure he ran at least 10K, cheering, reporting and taking pictures. Results.

Woody

Lyman

The best part of the day was joining Pilla and Kasie Enman for a 10 mile run back to the hotel along the shore of Lake Washington. I figured I'd remember better running with two of the world's best, than running ho hum in the nationals. And I was right. By the time we returned to the hotel, we had seen spectacular neighborhoods and houses. The gardens with palm trees reminded us Vermonters that the growing zone in Seattle is the same as their running zone: no ice, no snow, no slow. The downside of the run was the upside: once we turned away from the Lake Washington and headed a straight 3 miles back into the city, the roads became hills. Big ass hills, like running up the length of Main Street in Burlington. On the second climb, Kasie and I shouldered up together behind Pilla the Goat. Since Kasie was on my shoulder and not with Jack, I was sure she was casting a pity line to drag me up. This really helped, I was feeling the team and after the 3rd hill, she was still there. But when I began to whine against Jack his hill-hell tour, her pity turned off. She started to describe racing up Mt. Washington and began swapping details with Pilla. I folded into a shuffling whimper and she scooted ahead. Alone, things got tougher still. I even tried to regurgitate the Snickers bar I had eaten an hour ago, hoping to recycle some sugar. Looked out for bus stops and started to finger the coins in my pocket. When I began to badger Jack with the question: 'Where the hell is the hotel?”, those two seemed to get a second wind and surged.

Kasie running in the Women's Open

Anyhow, the brutal straight line delivered us exactly into the lobby, setting for me a single day record of running a total of 20 miles, 6 of it at race pace. I turned to hug and high-five my mates, but they were heading back out the door, Jack to shop for Tequila and Kasie to put in more miles. So much for my new spot on the mountain running team.

Kev

Dakin Farm goodies and more for post race

After a little post race celebrating we headed over to the official award ceremony. The post race awards featured our very own Norm Larson receiving the gold for the 55-59 age group. Way to go Norm! And in the end our team ended up 9th out of 17 teams from across the nation.

National Champ Norm!!

At the post race party I had a great chat with Max King, the World Mountain Running Champion this year.

Max and Jack

Afterwards, the team went for a late night hot tub and swim. Our big kid, Kevin, was having a little too much fun showing off his breast stroke and scared off some other younger kids.

Kevin having fun in the pool.

Special thanks again to Dakin Farm for sponsoring us with fabulous snacks that got us through the entire weekend. Also thanks to Headsweats for supplying us with the bright red midcap which was perfect for the cool Seattle weather. It was very easy to spot us running on course chasing Norm. And thanks to GMAA for helping us out as well.

If you want to see the video of the master's race, click here.

And to the USATFNE Board of Directors,

On behalf of the entire Green Mountain Athletic Association, let us express our sincere appreciation for the USATFNE grant that enabled us to compete in the 2011 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships last weekend in Seattle.

As you know, most running clubs in New England are small, with limited funds to send their athletes to Championship events. The GMAA is one of those clubs. Your grant enabled our 50-59 team, (the 2009 National Champions) to represent New England on a national stage.

With each individual member responsible for his own flight, room, meals, entry fee, and ground transportation, your $1,000.00 grant eased the burden on working/training men with families and allowed us to take the trip.

Thank you once again.

Sincerely

Norm. Larson

Tony Bates

Kevin McMahon

Jack Pilla

Keith Woodward

Lyman Clark

Next up for me, who knows? Will it be the 2nd Annual 24 Hours of Christmas or some other Adventure? Time will tell.

Happy Holidays and stay tuned.

Jack

Santa Claus 5K Run and final training race for Seattle

2011-12-04T23:31:00.001-05:00

Burlington, VT Dec. 4, 2011

Who would have thought over 1200 runners would have signed up for this first ever festive race on the first weekend in December!!

Well, it turned out to be an awesome day to start. The sun was out, the temps in the high 30's and warming, a bit windy, but what the heck. It wasn't raining! The race started at 9:30 AM but by 8:30 AM there were mobs of Santa's cruising around Church St. in Burlington.

Church St. in Burlington, VT

I arrived shortly after 8:00 AM, got my race number and went out to preview the course, without the Santa outfit. About halfway through Santa Bob drove by who then tried to catch up but we must have crossed paths and didn't find each other til the start. I finished the loop and then suited up in full Santa attire to get ready for the run. Once I had the suit on I noticed it was rather long and baggie. I headed over to the host site, Ri Ra's and found some pins to customize the suit. I folded up the pant legs, as every pair of pants that I own were too long to begin with, so this was no different. And then attached a safety pin to keep them together. I cinched up the waist with the attached string but made sure I hit the bathroom before and good thing as it took a good 5 minutes to untie myself after the race. And the jacket, I attached numerous pins across the chest to keep it from flopping open. The belt set up was marginal but held on with a simple tied bow. Good to go. Back out on Church St. the Santa's were everywhere and singing Christmas Carols. The Holiday spirit was definitely alive. It was hard to recognize anyone you knew as obviously, we all were wearing the same outfit. Finally it was time to get to the start line. I did see some folks I knew and hooked back up with Santa Bob. Bob and I do a lot of

Santa Bob Ayers

running together. And then we were off and running. A quick run along lower Church St and then down on Main St. towards the lake. And yes, the winds were blowing pretty good but no worries. The front pack of Santa's took off rather quickly. I wasn't too far behind and noticed I was having trouble breathing. The beard and mustache was getting sucked up my nose and into my mouth. Finally for survival I had to pull it down just enough to get some oxygen in. And this was no flat and easy 5K run, once you got down to Battery St. it was a good up hill for the next mile and a half and into the strong headwinds on South Willard. But after that, it finished up with the wind at your back on a downhill which was great. In the end I believe it was Ray Webster and Jason Baer tying for the win. Full results are here: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/11/vt/Dec4_RiRaSa_set1.shtml

Afterwards we were all treated to an awesome breakfast hosted by Ri Ra's with plenty of food to go around. Then with belly's full, Santa Bob and I went out to run the course again, in our Santa attire of course. It was fun and relaxing. We had numerous folks honking the horn at us and waving. In all, a great day and an event that should grow over the years. An event you won't want to miss!

Here's a story from the Burlington Free Press with video:
http://www.wcax.com/story/16184775/burlington-overrun-by-santas .

Next up, the USATF National Club XC 10K Championships in Seattle, Washington.

BUSY THANKSGIVING WEEK AND WEEKEND

2011-11-27T21:55:00.001-05:00

AND LOOKING AHEAD.

This was a non-stop week and weekend for me. It started with the beginning of the Christmas Season Elf work at Dakin Farm. Since 1981 I have been helping out with the distribution of gifts to people all over the US and occasionally other parts of the world. So for the next month I will be busy. Luckily there are 24 hours in a day so I will be running whenever the schedule allows.

Then a trip down to visit Mom in CT for Thanksgiving. A time to sit an relax a bit and enjoy some Champagne with Mom and my sister and niece. But before enjoying any Champagne I had signed myself up for some races in CT. With the National XC Club Championships coming up on Dec. 10th, I knew I needed more speed work. So early Thanksgiving morning I was up. I had about a 50 minute drive to Southport, CT for the 34th annual Thanksgiving Day 5 Mile Road Race put on by the Pequot Runners.

I've run this race in the past but each year it has become more popular. This year there were 4223 runners competing in the 5 mile race. The crazy part is it starts on a narrow back street, jam packed with runners. The bagpipes play to get you motivated at the start and then it's an all out blast of runners trying not to trip on one and other. For the first 100 yards it's tricky but after that it mellows out. The course runs close to and along the Long Island Sound with some awesome views and magnificent homes along the way. The first mile went well holding a 5:53 pace. Just right to start. I ate a GU gel just before the start which seemed to be just the right amount of fuel needed for this short run. My goal was to try to average around a 6 minute mile for the 5 miles. After that first mile, I settled in to a comfortable pace and just kept moving. For the next 2 miles I was holding strong without really thinking about it. But by mile 4, I was fading a bit. Not sure why but I had somehow hit the 4 mile marker at 6:12. I kicked it in a bit for the last mile and finished in 30:10. Nothing spectacular but a 6:02 average and near my goal for the day. I wore the Mizuno Musha 2's which worked fine on this fast and short course.

And I felt fine afterwards to go run for a good cool down so I guess a good day. I ended up 52nd overall out of 4223 finishers and 3rd in my age group out of 389 50 year old runners, enough to get an age award plaque. The best part was after the race and cool down run. They had a massage therapist giving free massages. She did an awesome massage and worked on me for 20-30 minutes! Thanks Heather! They also have a great raffle with the top prize this year being a brand new mountain bike. No I didn't win it but still had a fun time hoping to win.

Thursday night we did get into the Champagne. Mom, Pam and I went through 3 bottles that evening. Luckily I didn't have to go anywhere. And this was also the first time ever in my life that I celebrated Thanksgiving without eating any meat. That's right, no turkey. Why? Ever since going to Europe and seeing how they eat and how healthy they are and also from watching the movie, Forks Over Knives, I've been freaked out over the whole meat industry and decided to try to eliminate meat from my diet. I also was looking to try something to get some energy back in my system and to eliminate the highs and lows I usually deal with. So for the last month I have weaned myself completely off of meat. I eat way more vegetable and fruit. So far so good and mom cooked a fabulous dinner with all the fixings so I didn't even miss the turkey. Thanks Mom!

Friday morning, a time to burnout all that Champagne from the night before. I had a great trail run through an area known as East Hill Woods and then ran to the Bend of the River Audubon Center to run around the perimeter trails of the park and then back to the East Hill Woods. In all a good solid 2 hour run.

Saturday morning, up early again. This time to head down to Trumbull, CT for the 16th running of the Cow Chip XC Race put on by Club CT. I guess the course can vary from year to year but this year was basically a 5k course from the Trumbull High School and running around the athletic fields but also into the back woods trails. I thought this would be a great trainer for Seattle and was psyched to run this course. I brought down my Mizuno Kaza spikes but there was just a little too much pavement and gravel plus it wasn't all that muddy so I stuck to my Mizuno Cabrakan Trail shoes. The first part of the course has you running 2 loops around the llama pen. The first loop you have to hurdle a stone wall. Going around the llama pen the second time, it was quite congested as you were lapping many of the other runners, then you had to veer off to continue on and go around the football fields and through the first section of woods. As we broke away from the llama pen I could see the 2 leaders already getting a good lead but there were also a number of others runners to deal with. Slowly I was able to get on track and pass most of them. Dave Rivard-Lentz was still in front but by the time we got to the first woods section I passed him. He stayed right behind me for quite a while which was great to keep me moving as too many times I get in a rut and back off. I could hear him behind me all along the fields heading up to the next section of woods. As we ran through he woods, I could still hear him but

Cow Chip Age Award

on any uphills he would fade a bit and then eventually catch up. But as we headed out of the woods on a slight uphill I pushed a bit harder and saw that he had faded back. With about a mile to go I just had to maintain a good steady pace and try not to space out as usual. The 2 front runners where about a minute or so ahead so there was no way to catch them. The last mile consisted of mostly running through the athletic fields and some other open areas all the way to the finish. In the end I finished 3rd overall, first in the age group. Apparently some of the other guys in the 50's age group, George Buchanan (last years overall winner) and Rob Beattie, had mistakenly run the llama loop 3 times instead of 2 so they were back a bit. They do have some awesome runners in the 50's age group so hopefully I can return to run with them as well. This was a really fun race with about 250 mostly local runners and well organized. Thanks to the RD, Marty Schaivone.

After the race it was back to Mom's for a quick lunch and then on the road to VT. When I arrived home the first thing I noticed was the ground still covered with snow. I guess winter is here. After a good night's sleep I was up for a light breakfast and then off for the weekly 20 miler. I awoke to some fairly warm temps so I guess winter was not really here yet. I put on the shorts and off I went only to overheat in the first two miles. Luckily I was ok taking off a layer on top. Then the stomach kicked in. I probably shouldn't have used all that hot sauce last night with my burritos. A quick trip to the woods fixed that. But I soon discovered that I didn't have a lot of energy either so I figured a long slow run was in order. I was good until about 15 miles in and then the wheels were starting to fall off. Doing my usual "experimenting" I didn't eat enough for breakfast and didn't take any fluids or gels with me for the run. So as usual it was must a matter of time before I bonked. By mile 15 I was totally dehydrated and at the point of getting dizzy. I found a nice patch of sort of clean snow in the woods and munched on that for a while. I felt a little better, enough to get me back home without passing out. I jumped on the scale later on and noticed I was down considerably in weight, yes needed way more food which I knew from the start. Luckily I do this more on my training runs and usually by race day have it dialed in. Always trying to see what the body can do and where the limitations are.

So that was the long weekend in preparation for the Nationals coming up in two weeks. Next up for the final preparation will be the Santa Claus 5k run in Burlington, VT next weekend. With about 1200 Santas, it should be a race to remember!

See you then!

Run Your Can Off and Training for the upcoming USATF National Club XC Championships

2011-11-18T23:56:00.000-05:00

To Run Long and Steady or Short and Fast???

That was the dilemma I faced. After running UTMB in August and the VT 50 in late September I was eyeing some late season 100 milers. I felt like I needed to get in another 100 miler to end the year. But at the same time I was being recruited to be part of our GMAA club team to represent the 50 year old age group in Seattle, Washington in December for the USATF National Club XC Championships. This is a 10K XC race with the nations best masters runners. For the last two seasons I have been part of this team. Two years ago in our first showing we very quietly did our thing and won the Nationals in Lexington, KY. Last year the competition worked all year recruiting to get a top team together and yes, they were succesfull but we still came away with the bronze last year running in Charlotte, NC. We have a great group of 50 year old runners coming out of the Burlington area. Norm Larson, Tony Bates, Kevin McMahon, Jim Miller and myself make up the core group but the team can vary depending on availability and injuries. This year the race is in Seattle, Washington. Never been there before so I figured I would go. With that in mind, the focus now would shift from long endurance training to short and fast. Not an easy transition.

The Team

Training plan: Run short and fast as much as I can until the December 10th Nationals then refocus on the longer runs.

October 8, 2011: Art Tudhope 10K
This race always hurts and this year was no exception but a good trainer.
October 16, 2011: Des Moines Marathon
Bad weekend overall and my worst marathon in 7 years. Still a good trainer. (Did win my age group).
October 29, 2011: Halloween Hustle 5K
Starting to feel better. Of the top 6 runners in this race, 4 of the 6 were 50+ years old. (Myself and my teammates). Bony Tony took first overall.
November 6, 2011: NE XC Championships 8K at Franklin Park
Another good trainer but I spaced out a bit in the woods. At the end I felt like I didn't even run a race. Need to run harder, I can! GMAA took 2nd place for our 50 year old team.
Coming Up:
November 24, 2011: Pequot Runners 5 Mile Thanksgiving Day Run
I've run this in the past. Popular race with up to 7500 runners for this event.
November 26, 2011: Cow Chip 6K XC Run
Have heard about this but never run it. The course changes every year.
December 4, 2011: Santa 5K Run
First time race in Burlington. Should be fun wearing a Santa suit for the 5K distance.

Along with these races I've been making a weekly visit to the CVU track to do speed work. The first week was terrible but each week seems to be getting better.

Then came the Run Your Can Off on November 12th, a 6 hour event. I had been so good at working on the short distances but finally fell off the wagon. I really needed a good longer run for many reasons so this fit into my life schedule. I had no expectations but to just run with friends for 6 hours. It was also a good fundraiser as we all donated items to help support the Winooski Food Shelf. The event involved a 1.25 mile loop in the Gilbrook Natural Area in Winooski. You could donate on a per lap basis or time. For my 6 hours I donated a turkey. This was a very low key race but very well organized with the help of Greg Veltkamp and many other volunteers. It was a typical VT day, cold and dark and standing around for the start I was shivering in my Mizuno shorts but soon after we got going, I warmed up. Right from the start I headed out with Chad Shepard and Pablo. Chad was only going 20 miles so he took right off at a fast pace. Of course I had to run with Chad but new I would pay the price later but so be it. This was just a fun day in the woods with friends. After about 4 laps, Chad was overheating and had to change out of this tights into shorts so he went off to change. Meanwhile, Pablo and I continued on the fast pace. We never saw Chad until he was finished with his 20 miles as we were probably running at similar paces and never caught up again. The course consisted of a 1.25 mile loop (according to a GPS??) on trails in the woods with very little elevation change but just rolled and twisted through the woods. My Mizuno Ascend trail shoes where perfect for this run. For the first couple of hours there was some congestion with other runners but all in good fun and no worries. There were walkers, runners, strollers and dogs so it made for an interesting run. Pablo is a young buck going to UVM and just getting into the ultra scene with some experience but after 20 miles I could hear his foot steps getting louder and louder. And he was starting to catch his feet and trip a bit. I knew he was tiring. By mile 26 or so, he took a longer break at the aid station and I continued on. We were about 3 1/2 hours into it at that point. So for the rest of the day, I just did laps, occasionally running with some friends here and there. Serena Wilcox ran with me for a while but she was running with dogs which was not easy. I came across Todd Archambault and he was having stomach issues so opted not to run the full 6 hours. Amazing to see was Wayne Warnken who ran for I think 2 1/2 hours with a kid on his shoulders. After about 30 miles or so I was feeling low and asked for some Coke at the one aid station. None to be had, but to my surprise at the next go around I was informed that Coke would be here soon. So the next lap, there is was, ice cold, fizzy Coke. Just what I needed!! Thanks Greg! What a pick me up and off I went. I had been drinking GU Brew throughout which was great and eating GU Gels but there's still nothing like a hit of Coke to give you a boost. So round and round I went, spacing out as I did my laps. I ran into Pablo a few more times and ran a bit with him but he was in a slower mode and I just kept moving along. I could see time was getting down there and the 6 hours was getting closer. I thought maybe 2 more laps if I moved my butt but then I saw Scott at the aid station. His goal was to run 50K this day but was one lap short and was done. When I heard that, I convinced him to run with me for one final lap. He had just eaten a bunch of food but it wasn't hard to get him back on the trail for one final lap. The RD, Greg also joined us for this last lap. We had a fun run around and ended on a good note. Scott completed his 50K, Greg had a very successful event. Pablo came in shortly after we finished at just around the 6 hour mark. I think Pablo and myself were the only ones to run for the full 6 hours that day. I haven't seen the official results but Greg had me down for 35 laps or almost 44 miles. I had my watch counting laps but realized later on that my high tech watch only goes up to 30 laps. And so much for speed training but it was a much needed run anyway. Thanks to Greg and all the volunteers who put on this event!

Run Your Can Off Finishers Medal

Back to reality and speed work. I have a 10k race coming up to prepare for. Tuesday, speed work day. Although this week instead of the CVU track it was a trip to Burlington to run with Mike Early and Jess Cover. Both are training for the Houston Marathon in January. They had on the schedule for this day to run 5 x 1 mile repeats with about 12 miles total. My body still hadn't recovered fully since Saturday's 44 miler especially with Joe Carrara taking me out for a hilly 10-11 mile recovery run on Sunday. The warm up run wasn't feeling too bad and after about 3 miles, we were running hard and fast. First repeat went well, Mike and I ran just under 6 minute miles. Same for repeat # 2. By the third mile I had slowed up a bit and ran more like a 6:08 mile. 4th repeat, not good, down to a 6:15 and feeling beat up. I was waiting to be chicked by Jess. 5th mile, about the same, maybe slightly faster but not feeling any better. All in all, a good workout, painful but good. Thanks Jess and Mike for kicking my butt.

So now, three weeks to go. I have three more short races on the agenda and more speed work to do. Hopefully this will make a difference and help my speed which has been lacking. For the Team! Special thanks to Headsweats for sponsoring us with awesome hats so we can all look like Norm.

Jack with the new Headsweats Midcap.

I almost forgot. The Video Of the Month has to be this guy surfing the biggest wave ever, a 90 footer!! What a rush and what fun it would be to ride this. Here's the link: Big Wave Ride

Vermont 50 Race Report 2011

2011-11-03T00:28:00.000-04:00

I've been a little late on reports lately so some of the details may not be fresh in my mind. It's been a busy month with running, work and life. So here goes.

THE VERMONT 50 MILE ULTRA RUN
Sunday September 25, 2011

This is always a home town favorite. Good course, excellent volunteers and race director Mike Silverman, who understands and listens to the runners. Thanks Mike!

I showed up around noon the day before to set up a booth for the Green Mountain Athletic Association. We are the states largest organized running group with over 600 active members. This was our first year at the event and somehow I volunteered to host the booth. I wasn't sure if I would be running the race, but of course since I was there I had to. I had quite a few visitors at the booth and had some goodies to give away in a drawing thanks to the generosity of SkiRack, Julbo, Catamount Family Outdoor Center and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. It was a sunny, warm and humid day with the occasional burst of rain just to add to the already muddy course from the rains all week.

Jack and George

After a great pasta dinner it was back to the ultimate camper race rig in the upper parking lot, (my F150 with cap set up with a queen platform bed. Mike Wiegand and I were car camping. And what a night. We hung out for the pre-race ritual, Buds and Tequila under the stars before settling in for the night. Mike had his own Audi "camper", which seemed to work well too. The race start was at 6:20am so it would be an early to rise morning. 5:00 am, still dark but already fairly warm. This could be a warm day. After a little breakfast it was a quick walk to the start area. There's a huge tent set up with snacks and refreshments as we wait for the bikers to get going. With so many bikers, there was some issue and the race time for the runners was pushed back some, but finally at the crack of dawn, we were off and running.

Right from the start, I knew it was going to be a warm day so the electrolyte replacements were going to be key. Self supporting, I had a drop bag at mile 30 with replacement electrolyte pills, GU gels and GU Brew which has some electrolytes as well as calories making it the perfect drink for the 50. I also knew the drink they offered at the aid station was not my favorite so I would have to get by with mostly water after I ran out of my initial bottle of GU Brew. That would be a gamble with warm temps and high humidity. For shoes I wore the Mizuno Ascend's, a great all around trail shoe. Some runners were wearing road shoes but with the mud on course, I knew a trail shoe would be the way to go. This was probably the largest field they ever had for the 50 mile and as usual we were off at a fast pace. With some of the early season flooding, there were some course changes. Instead of a fast 3-4 miles along the river, after about 1/2 mile we were climbing steep hills which I really didn't mind. After running with the front pack for a bit I backed off and settled into a groove and just did my own thing. Brian Rusiecki was up front along with a couple of other young bucks. I was running along with Glen Redpath, Steve Trull and a couple other guys. Glen and I seem to run together quite a bit at these races and usually go back and forth throughout the day. Glen had some good morning energy and seemed to take off ahead and I wouldn't see him again for some time. Overall the course was in great shape. The first half of the course has a lot of dirt roads with some single track mixed in. The single track had some good muddy sections which seemed to cause more havoc for the bikers as we passed by many. The day was warming and I kept on a regular schedule of taking the electrolyte supplements. And I tried to eat a GU gel at least every hour for a little burst of energy. Somewhere about halfway I was catching up to some of the other 50 mile runners who were starting to slow up. Usually in these races, I just keep going and sometimes get stronger in the later phases of the race and today would be no exception. I like the second half of the VT 50 way better as there is so much more fun single track. Yes it was muddy but also lots of fun cruising through the woods. I grabbed my drop bag at the mile 30 aid station, replenished my electrolytes, GU gels and GU Brew and quickly headed out. I heard Aliza was not too far back and was waiting for her to catch up to me as she has been having a great year on the trails but never saw her. Soon I saw a red hat in the distance. Sure enough it was my Canadian friend, Glen Redpath. Glen was slowing down just enough for me to catch up. We ran together a bit and then I took off feeling good. Glen was not too far off and at the next aid station he caught up to me. We also met up with Chad Denning who was supposed to be pacing Aliza but heard there was a change of plans. So Chad was coming out to pace with myself and Glen for the last 10 miles. In the wide open fields it was getting really warm and I could see Glen fading a bit so I took off again. Chad stayed back to run with Glen. I was feeling good but was also thinking about food and was ready to end this race. Finally I approached the last aid station, mile 47 or so. I got some food in me and there was Glen again, right behind me. So off I went again. At many of these races Glen and I are only minutes apart, sometimes he is ahead of me, sometimes I'm ahead of him. I think in the end we help motivate each other to keep going. This last section was all uphill until the final mile. I remember coming out of the woods into a field and it felt like a sauna, things were really starting to heat up. So far so good with keeping on top of the electrolytes. In more races than not, I develop leg cramps and have to make adjustments and back off for a while and/or limp in cramping. But today I had it under control. Finally, it was the final mile, a downhill finish. To my surprise they had made some changes and added more single track variation which was fine. And then finally to the finish. Not my best but not my worst. Coming from a hundred miler 4 weeks prior I wasn't sure how I would do but overall I was pleased. In the end it was my year to stay ahead of Glen, I think by 2 minutes. I was top master and won my age group and was 5th overall with a time of 7:15:20. Youngin Mike Dixon was the overall winner with a blistering time of 6:17:33, I believe a new course record.

Another finish at the VT 50

So another Vermont 50 in the books. Thanks to Mike Silverman, RD, Mizuno for their great trail shoes and gear and to GU Energy for nourishment!

POST UTMB: Training Continues and so do the races

2011-10-05T00:09:00.000-04:00

The Dolomites of Italy and the Return to Home

Dolomite Mountains of Italy

Immediately after the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc I hit the road and ventured to the Dolomites of Italy to check out some areas that I had always seen in magazines. It involved a lot of driving which included an all night drive but that was ok as a little sitting after running UTMB was ok. I had a 6 speed on the floor Mitsubishi Lancer that made the mountain passes a blast to drive on. I felt like Mario until I was passed by not only motorcycles but also some impatient Italian drivers who knew the roads better than me. My first destination was Agordo, Italy.

Agordo, Italy

This was a rather rural older village in the foothills of the Dolomites. The Alta Via Trail went right through the high peaks which is where I would attempt to go after feasting on some Italian morning pastries and grabbing a loaf of fresh bread to bring along on the trail. I found a small road that lead up into a mountain pass. It got rather steep, narrow and rough so I found a parking area down lower and walked up the road a ways in search of some new trails. As I was walking up the dirt mountain road, I noticed a lot of signs with numbers on them. They seemed to be in numeric order so I assumed they were address numbers as most were next to small mountain villas. Later I realized that those signs were more trails that went through these mountain villas and into the hills above.

I found some awesome trails and a never ending system of trails. Being rather sleep deprived from the night drive, I made it an easy day and came back into Agordo after 4 hours or so to enjoy a real Italian pizza. What a treat!! I never had a pizza like this. Light, almost pastry like crust with tomato and Gorgonzola topping. I ate the entire pizza while enjoying an ice cold beer :) Afterwards, I headed out to find another trail head to run the Alta Via the following day. I wasn't quite sure where I was going except through more mountain passes. I took a wrong turn and was on unfamiliar territory which brought me to the Pellegrino Pass. I had to stop there as part of my Italian heritage is Pellegrino. I soon discovered, this was also part of the Alta Via trail network. Excellent, a place to hang for the night and a starting point to venture into the mountains in the morning.

A night of car camping after enjoying some fine Italian wines at the local wine bar and then up early the next morning to head into the hills. There were cable cars and lifts to take you up a ways but I was out before they were operating, not that I would have ridden a lift up when I could run up instead. I discovered a whole network of trails again and found the Alta Via # 637 which I followed. After about 45 minutes passing cows with bells and nice rolling terrain, I arrived at the rocky section of the

trail. This got rather interesting with steep rock faces with ladders and cables to hook onto. Only problem, I didn't have the speed harness to hook on as was recommended. Not a problem. The magazine ads showed nice rolling high mountain trail running in the Dolomites but never mentioned the technical sections that one would have to go through. Some sections contained caves where the trail would go through in total darkness. I would carefully walk with my hands up hoping I wouldn't fall through some hole into eternity. This section was also part of the Italian front line from World War One and remnants of the line still existed on the trail along with war memorials. Other sections were so steep I was hoping I wouldn't have to go back down. Luckily I found a way to loop through and kept going. In the end, I did find some incredible parts of the trail system just like in the magazine ads with rolling high elevation trails among the steep Dolomite peaks. Some day I would like to return to do the complete Alta Via trail going hut to hut and fully enjoying the Dolomites of Italy.

Incredible high elevation trail runs!

After day 2 in the Dolomites it was time to drive back to Courmayeur, Italy for the night and get ready to fly back to the states the following morning. The drive back was long but at least it was still daylight so I could enjoy the Italian scenery. Italian Villas everywhere! Looking for a castle or a villa, call Jack Pilla! That's all I kept hearing. In Courmayeur I enjoyed another fine Italian dinner, lasagna. Another incredible treat! And

Cable route along the Alta Via

enjoyed the company of Bryan Powell and Meghan on the outdoor patio of some fine Italian establishment. Up early the next morning to fly out of Geneva, Switzerland and back to the states.

It was nice to get back home, sort of. I had an unforgettable journey in Europe but now it was business as usual. And of course back to the local race schedule. First up was the GMAA Archie Post 5 miler. It's is a point to point FAST race. Usually I run it at about a 6 mile pace. This year, after UTMB, I was hoping I could run near a 7 minute mile pace. I figured this would be a good way to get the lead out and fire up the fast twitch muscles. Oh, did it hurt but I was amazed. Coming across the 1 mile mark I saw a 5:53. I didn't think I had that in me. I did slow down later on, especially where the second half of the course is up hill but I managed to average around a 6:10 pace. I did pay the price the next day as I was extremely sore.

Next up the following weekend was the GMAA Common to Common 30K. Another test of the fitness and energy level. A fast rolling course on the back roads of Essex and Westford. I just signed up for a mid October marathon so I figured this would be a good training run. And it hurt too. But I was able to average a 6:30 or so pace on rolling hills so hopefully I can hold that for a flat road marathon in a month, we'll see.

So back to the local running schedule and recovery from UTMB although not much time to recover.

Next Up for 2011:

The Vermont 50 Mile Race; September 25, 2011
The Des Moines Marathon; October 16, 2011
Another 100 Miler ? ?

ULTRA-TRAIL DU MONT-BLANC-RACE REPORT 2011

2011-09-06T15:47:00.000-04:00

Race Report – UTMB 2011

By late morning the delayed start of the race was announced. Now it was another 5 hours to wait. By early evening the dreaded rains came in and the temperatures were cooling. We were all hoping that the rains would let up. As time got closer, there was no break. We knew it would be a cold and rainy start. The only good news we heard was that possibly by 4:00 AM the front might pass through. At 9:30 PM we headed over to the race to drop off our drop bags and figure out the start line-up. To my surprise, with 2300 runners, the drop bag and waiting area was not crazed. In fact, I even found a real indoor bathroom with no line which is usually unheard of in the US.

Pre-Race Waiting at the Sports Center

The runners were just relaxing and staying dry. Just before 11:00 PM it was time head out to find the start line and get the race briefing. Outside the rains were not letting up at all. Glad I had my extra clothing in plastic bags. As I got closer to the start line I could see the crowds lining the streets of Chamonix. It was 11:00 PM cold and rainy and everyone was out to watch the start of the UTMB, impressive. I had a difficult time finding a way into the start chute. Race officials were all along the course luckily. I asked one of them where to go, of course they spoke French and I didn't but they understood. They looked at my number, 2606 and checked on the sheet. She said something to me but I understood it as go this way which brought me to the beginning of the start line where I was greeted by another official. She also looked on some sheet and pointed to the front of the line. I was puzzled, this was the very front of the line and there was a press interview going on.

Alex, Birger, Jack & Gretel at the start

I asked her where again and she in broken English said to get in that line. As I ducked under the tape I realized these were the best of the best ultra runners in the world. This was a roped off coral for maybe 50 or so runners. Did they make a mistake? How could some 53 year runner be up here. Maybe I was supposed to go back farther. I worked my way into the back of this first coral trying to hide. I was rubbing elbows and standing with the likes of Scott Jurek, Goef Roes, Hal Koener, Killian Journet. I saw Bryon Powell and moved back to chat with him. The race briefing was underway and of course in French. I figured I would just follow and figure it out as I ran. The rain continued and the crowd was roaring and we were off. Immediately the course was congested with excited runners as we took off through the streets of Chamonix. The pack thinned and I got into the groove of things. It was dark and wet and quickly I warmed up. I had on my new Marmot Mica rain shell for the first time and also a lightweight winter hat along with my usual Mizuno short sleeve tech shirt and shorts. But soon I had to stop to replace my winter hat with a cap to stay cooler. I lost a little time and placement but it really didn’t matter as we had a long way to go and to keep the body better regulated was more important.

Runners in the night.

As I approached the next climb, Croix du Bonhomme, I noticed some stars in the sky and at the same time the rain was diminishing. Very nice, the storm must be ending! Then the climbing started. I thought the first climb was tough but that was just a warm up. There was nothing easy about this climb and as we got higher in elevation I found myself running in snow. And up and up I went, using every available muscle in my legs. And then as equally steep as it was up, down I went on the backside for 3 miles of sheer quad burning downhill. Finally at the bottom I came into Les Chapieux to prepare for the next onset of climbs. This was a major aid station where they also did a special equipment check on the runners to make sure they had their cell phones with them. If not, disqualification would occur.

Next up was about 10k of climbing to the Col de la Seigne. What I remember most here was that the sun was starting to show. As the sun was rising the views were exploding with lush green meadows below and tall snow filled mountains above with glaciers all about. After reaching the summit it was back down again and then up again, this time to the Arete du Mont-Fauvre. At this point and throughout the race, I had no idea where I was with place or most times, even where I was.

Coming off the Arete du Mont-Fauvre climb, I was cruising along absolutely enjoying some of the best views I had ever seen in my life. It made the foot pain non-existant for the moment and I was overtaken in awe of the landscape. After descending for quite a while I came upon an aid station. I asked the volunteers where we were and they named some aid station. Maybe if I read the brochure I might have recognized it but no, never did. Finally I asked them what country we were in. They said “Italy”. This was the Col Checrouit. They also saw from my race bib and commented that I was from the United States. I said, yes but I’m Italian, my name is “Pilla”. With that, their arms started waiving and making gestures. “He’s Italian, Pilla!” Well, with that, they were serving me food and getting me drinks. We were chatting and I was having the absolute best time with my new Italian family. After feeding me, the cameras came out and we had to do some family photos. One of the women took a picture of my bib so she could email the pictures to me later on. Other racers were going by and I was losing time and placement but figured hanging with my new adopted family was worth every minute of it. Eventually I said I had to go as I had a race to run. I said “Gratsy” and off I went.

My New Italian Friends.

The downhill continued and finally I arrived at the Courmayeur aid station. This was at 78 kilometers and the one and only place for a drop bag. As I ran through, someone handed me my bag and said to run around the corner where I could change, etc. In this busy area, I found a place to sit down and do my thing. First I pulled a dry t-shirt to change into. Dry socks were next with an application of Body Glide on my toes and heels. I also reapplied Body Glide to a number of other areas. For me, Body Glide is a requirement in these longer races. Without it, the chaffing would be just too painful. I had a bag of GU Brew powder to replenish my hand held water bottle. Threw in some more GU gels and replenished the electrolyte pills. I was ready to eat something solid and be off but needed to put the drop bag somewhere else. I asked someone who could speak English and was directed to go up the stairs and around the corner and out the door. Not what I was expecting but as I got up the stairs they had food there. And being in Italy it was a full on pasta spread along with other fine eats. I enjoyed a small plate of zitis with fresh parmesan cheese, some bread and a coke. I never sat down to eat but woofed it down and out the door I went. I never had pasta like that in the middle of the race but I was also not used to eating any of the food or drink they were offering. Not the best to experiment during a race but on the other hand, solid food was necessary to eat now in order to survive the race in its entirety.

Next up, another climb. But first we ran through the center of Courmayeur while listening to a band and cheering crowds and then up hill through the streets lined with Italian Villas. Soon we were on single track again and climing big time again, to the Refuge Bertone. This was yet another tough climb but afterwards was a little break with some more gentle hills to get you ready for the Grand Col Ferret. As the midpoint of the race approached this was to be the biggest climb of the day. I thought how much more climbing could it be? Well this was the hardest yet. It was so steep that there were times where you felt like you were going to fall backwards on the way up. And it just never ended. My legs throbbed as I tried to find a slow and easy pace without having to stop to rest. I wanted to stop many times but just kept moving forward. The bad part of many of these climbs is that you can sometimes see other runners in front of you, way, way up there, knowing that you still had a long way to go. Finally after reaching the summit at 2537 meters, it led to some really nice downhill single track for a while. It started off gradually and then increased in steepness.

Cruising along I came upon another runner walking on the downhill. Throughout the race I had come upon a number of other runners walking with blown quads. As soon as I got closer I realized it was one of the American runners, Hal Koerner. Hal is one of the top ultra runners in the US and the world. We chatted for a moment. Hal was trying to regroup and would hopefully return to running the race. Hal is one of those runners who I have a deep respect for. Even when he has a bad day, he is determined to finish. It may not look like a good finish time but still, he is one tough dude. And coming up was one of the longest downhill stretches of the course which went on for miles and well over an hour’s time. At some point I had crossed the border and was now in Switzerland.

In the valley below I ran through some quaint Swiss villages. A nice bonus about running through these mountain villages was the frequency of the village stone or wooden water foundations. It was a great way to replenish your fluids just when you needed it most. Next up, another climb, only 1500 meters to Champex. The typical climb which never ended. Always hoping to be there sooner but usually taking longer to get there. At the top was another major aid station. Feeling hungry I was looking for something more substantial to eat as the day light would soon be ended and much energy would be needed to keep going through the night. I was having a hard time with the available foods throughout as I just didn't recognize what it was. For a while chocolate chip cookies where my food of choice then some nice french bread and the pasta was a treat but now was looking for something else. Finally I chose the bread, cheese and salami with some soup. I was a bit nervous about what it might do to the stomach but it did the trick. I found it filled me up enough and gave me some good energy to keep going. After a quick shirt change to get ready for the night I was out the door running through another Swiss mountain village. After looking at the profile map on the wall I figured I had about 20 miles to go to the finish. How wrong I was. From this point the course was re-routed and one might figure due to bad weather it would be shortened. For some reason, the course was lengthened instead and never seemed to end.

From Champex instead of climbing some more, the course dropped down steeply to the valley below before another steep uphill climb as darkness was setting in. I think it was after going through Trient on another uphill climb I was running with Stephane from France. We communicated the best we could and commiserated on the climb to the next peak. Part way up we came across a privately held aid station where a nice woman was offering hot tea with sugar. We both looked at each other and figured why not. It was awesome, just what we needed to get up the next stretch. It was quite common in Switzerland along the course to find families offering water and snacks to the runners.

Argentiere

From that point it was more of the same, up, up, up in the dark to down, down, down on quad burning trails to the valley below. The night air was cooling but felt good. The energy level was diminishing as time went on. Those last 20 miles turned into more like 30+ miles. By the time I got close to Argentiere, the last aid station, I wanted it over. It was close to 2:00 AM and was told there was another 2 hours to go. As I came through the small village streets I heard some folks yelling my name. It was Oliver and Katie from the Hostel cheering me on with a beer in hand for me. I guess they were celebrating the race and watching my progress. It was great to see and hear them. I refrained from the beer as I really needed to finish this race now. I even skipped the aid station, ran with Oliver and Katie past the hostel and took off. For some reason I was energized and was passing other runners in this last section. I thought the course from here to the finish might follow along the river and be a nice rolling downhill but the course never dropped to that river trail. Instead it decided to climb and climb above Chamonix. Meanwhile I had passed 4 runners in this section and was pushing harder than the entire race. My headlamp was loosing its power and I kept kicking rocks on this rather bony section but still I just kept going. Finally the trail started to descend and of course on and on it went. But soon I approached Chamonix as the course ran through the village streets for quite a while before entering the finish area. It was a great site to see and even though it was 3:30 in the morning, there were many cheering supporters to greet you. Finished!!

In Chamonix approaching the finish line

UTMB is a race I will always remember. The views were spectacular, the runners and crowds were awesome in this foreign country which I had never visited before. For me, I didn't think I had a great race and was dealing with foot issues throughout but in the end, I did my usual and ran my own race. When I crossed the finish line, it was the only time I ever knew what place I was in. When I heard I was the 3rd American and 22nd overall for the race I was really surprised based on the top level athletes from all over the world that were there to race. But it was a tough course with tough conditions and I know I'm way to stubborn to quit so I just keep moving forward the best and fastest I can. One regret I had was missing the awards. Due to my usual lack of communication and reading the brochure I thought the awards began at 5:00 PM. When I arrived at 5:00 PM the awards were finishing up. I heard later that I was one of only two American to actually make the podium. Darcy Africa from the US was third woman overall. And I won my age group which game me a spot on the podium. Thanks to Nick for cheering for me when they called my name!

Full Results

Special thanks to Mizuno for all the great shoes and gear that got me through lots of training miles and through the race. I wore the same Mizuno Ascend 6 shoes for the entire race and only had one minor blister which is amazing based on all the screaming downhill running. For much of the race I was powered by GU Brew and GU gels. When it wasn't available I experimented with other forms of "energy" drinks which varied by country, some good, some not so good. Stay away from that carrot juice somewhere in France. And the Italian "gas" is just seltzer water. Thanks to Gretel for many of these amazing race day pics and Congrats to Gretel and Birger on their outstanding finishes! And thanks to all my training partners, friends and family back home for all the support before, during and after!!!

"Ciao"

Running Times Article on UTMB

Incredible Video of the Race

UTMB RACE DAY-Weather Delay

2011-08-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

NASTY WEATHER APPROACHING FOR THE START OF THE ULTRA-TRAIL DU MONT-BLANC:
RACE START DELAYED UNTIL 11:30 PM

The view from the alley.

After another near perfect morning you could tell something was brewing. The winds had picked up overnight and as morning went on the dark clouds were moving in. A couple of emails from friends warned of the race delay although still no official word has come from the organization. The forecast calls for the first storm to hit late this afternoon with the usual rain, thunder and lightning but then another is supposed to hit around midnight with heavy rain, wind, thunder, falling temps and higher elevation snows, yipee! Always and adventure! The later start may have us starting in the pouring rain but it may avoid us running in the mountain snow until daybreak. And by morning, the storm should have passed. This is all speculation so we will see. In any event, the race has been delayed so a full day in store for rest and relaxation.

Yesterday was also a day of rest. It started with a trip to the local pastry shop where I got a pain du chocolate which I even ordered speaking it in French. After breakfast Grettel and Birger, my hostel mates and I had gone out for a couple of easy miles running around town and in the forest to burn off some anxiety. Afterwards it was lunch, rest and planning our pre-race pasta dinner. We ventured up to the local market and did our best trying to understand the local methods. Cheese you order in wedges, meats are by the kilograms. You can also buy beer, wine and liquor at the local market. After a successful shopping trip it was time for more rest. Before dinner, we decided to visit the local drinking establishment. About 30 meters from the hostel is the Savoy Bar. Perfect for an afternoon local draft. Meanwhile Oliver was back at the hostel preparing the coals for grilling dinner.

The Savoy Bar

Grettel, Birger and I enjoyed the sites along the Rue as we sipped the local draft before heading back to the hostel. Dinner consisted of of course pasta but with grilled legumes mixed in as well as Ricotta cheese. Along with the pasta was grilled chicken, ribs, salad, bread and cheese. Bread and cheese goes with every meal here. Afterwards we enjoyed Toberlone chocolate. We all filled up in anticipation of the 6:30 PM race start figuring that was our last full meal. Later in evening I received some emails from friends warning of the nasty weather approaching and a possible delay or re-route. Prior to bed I finally got myself organized for the race. This race is a little more challenging as you have one pack you are allowed to carry throughout with many obligatory items. In addition, there is only one place to drop a bag so if you have any special need items, you need to carry them for at least half the race before you get your bag. And I'm not quite sure what they will have at the aid stations. Nick mentioned wine and beer but not sure if I will indulge in that during the race, we'll have to see how I feel. Finally by 1:00 AM I had done enough and was off to bed.

Friday Morning- Race Day: I checked the early morning weather report. It still looked nasty with no major changes. I received a couple of emails from friends finally confirming the race delay until 11:30 PM. After a nice breakfast and some more organizing for the race I decided to get in a couple of easy miles touring around the town and the rec path along the river.

Rec path

The river along the rec path

After that it was back to the hostel for lunch and more relaxation waiting for the 11:30 PM race start.

Hopefully there will be no more delays and we'll be off and running on an adventure in the mountains next!

Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc Race Week Day 3

2011-08-24T18:03:00.000-04:00

AND ONLY 2 DAYS TO GO UNTIL UTMB !

Being surrounded with mountains like this makes it real hard to be good and taper before a major race. One has to do what one must do and for me I continue to be drawn to the mountains to explore.

Another beautiful day in Chamonix.

Today started off with a late awakening to a beautiful morning again looking up at Mont-Blanc. After a leisurely breakfast it was off to Chamonix Center to sign in for the race. One of my hostel mates, Margaretha and I went over together on the bus. Upon arrival we quickly saw "the line".

Margaretha from Australia waiting in line.

Registration began at 10:00 am and I think half the competitors thought to come over at that same time. In all it took about 2 hours to get through the process which included the passport check and then the gear check. We had to sign waivers to verify that we had all the obligatory equipment for the race. If found on course without, it could lead to a time penalty or disqualification. At one point I thought I was being taken aside to have a blood test for doping. I didn't quite understand what the person was saying in french so another came by to take me to the doctors. I think it was about some form that was sent to me that I didn't fill out. But as I was being taken away, another person came by to say it wasn't necessary. I was relieved. Needles are not my thing. Afterwards we headed over to the Expo to check out some of the vendors and sponsors of the event. I was hoping for better food samples but only managed to find some rather nasty tasting energy bars and some milky drinks that I wouldn't want to drink for even 5 miles. Margaretha soon hooked up with a friend for lunch and I headed back to the hostel to plan my afternoon adventure. With some minor difficulties like not catching the bus and walking around for quite some time to find the train station, I did make it back, only took an extra hour but in that time I become buddies with some guy at the train station. He talked my ear off in french and never stopped, (he was also drinking capachino, must have been high test). I just nodded and smiled most of the time until the train arrived and I was gone.

Back at the hostel I had a quick snack and decided to venture across the street to climb up towards Les Grand Montets, another mountain peak next to the Argentiere Glacier and just north of Mont-Blanc. This was to be a full on uphill climb along a trail/mountain service road to the plateau and I had thought I might even take the cable car from there on to the top. This would also be a great opportunity to help break in the new shoes which arrived on Saturday, the day before I flew out. A new pair of the Mizuno Ascend 6's which have always treated my nicely, (Thanks Tina). There was no running involved once I got to the hill, it was a power hike all the way up for a good 40 minutes. I was dreading thinking about the pounding coming down, as I didn't want to crush the quads 2 days before the race. I stopped in to see about taking the cable car up to the summit but of course was too late as the last car just made the trip. I could also take the cable car down to avoid the downhill and the last car was available but no, I couldn't do that and decided to hang at this plateau where there was a full lodge and deck overlooking the valley below. The sun was out so I just relaxed for a good 45 minutes enjoying the peace and the views.

I finally decided it was time to go and found a possible alternative trail down the face of the mountain but in the trees with lots of switchbacks. That would certainly be easier on the quads. As I was heading down I ran into 2 English speaking climbers who were just coming down from the top. They told me the Glacier was just over the horizon. I hadn't yet been up close to the Glacier so without hesitation, I was heading up again in search of the Glacier. The trail was much more reasonable and was only moderately going up and was mostly runnable. After about 15 minutes I was perched over the massive Argentiere Glacier.

It was truly impressive and I could also feel the temperature drop as I approached. I was hanging over the end taking pictures and enjoying the site when the rumbling started. Another afternoon storm was approaching and I was totally exposed above the treeline. Time to go as the rain started in and the lightening was getting more frequent. I got back to the mid mountain lodge just in time as torrential rains, lightening and hail came down. I knew the next trail section would be totally exposed as well so I made a good decision and hung out until the storm had passed. I saw a break in the clouds and that was my Que to get going. As I was starting I kept hearing music. Nobody was in site so I figured I was just delirious and hearing things, it wouldn't have been the first time so I continued on. As I made the cutoff to the trail down I saw a peculiar site, a line of some kind of animals for as far as I could see. They were walking along this trail that I wanted. I slowly approached and got closer only to see hundreds and maybe thousands of goats and sheep, many with bells on (The music I heard) on a hike down the trail. I stood there for quite some time trying to figure this out. Never seen this before, where is the herder and when will the line of animals end.

It never ended for the five minutes I stood there. Many of the goats had these huge racks on their heads, looked like smaller moose antlers. All I could think of was that I would get bucked and have stitches in my butt and not be able to race. Finally I found a group of more friendly looking sheep and jumped in with the crowd as we ran down the mountain together.

They were all right, not aggressive even the sheep with the horns and I even caught up to some goats and they were fine too so we continued on for quite some time until I had to turn off. I said my au revoir and headed down the mountain to a long section of steep switchbacks to get me to the bottom, eventually. At least it was in the woods and much softer than the service road would have been. Finally I was out of there and just in time as another storm was brewing. Within minutes I was back at the hostel.

Another fine day. Tomorrow I will begin my taper, really.

Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc Race Week Day 1 & 2

2011-08-23T17:40:00.000-04:00

RACE WEEK IS HERE: 3 days to go until UTMB!

After attending the "Redneck" Party Saturday evening, involving a little bit of tequila and other fine cuisines and company, it was time to get up 3 hours later for my ride to the airport for the 5:45 am flight from Burlington to the Washington DC airport (Dulles). Thanks to Bob Ayers Jr. for getting my butt to the airport in time! Getting out of Burlington was easy but then it was to be a long day in Washington, from 7:45 am until my flight out at 5:45 PM to Geneva. The big challenge in Washington was to figure out a way to get a run in. I had 2 bags I was carrying around and there was no great place to run at this airport. The Washington Reagan airport has a whole network of trails out the front door but here at Dulles, it was only highways. After some investigation work I discovered a public bus that would take me over to the Air and Space Museum at the far end of the airport property and was told they had lockers available for the bags. I had to wait a couple of hours to catch the bus but at least they have free wifi at the airport now which occupied my time until the bus arrived. Then a short 15 minute bus ride to the museum and there I was. As soon as I arrived I found the lockers to ditch my bags and what a deal. For 25 cents you could fit 2 large bags in and when you returned to get your bags, you got the 25 cents back. So I was in and out of that locker many times. I did the tour around the museum which was all indoors and it was very interesting.

Lots of planes from day 1 of flying to the present fighter planes to the shuttle.

After seeing enough I decided to get a run in around the museum grounds. I did the quick change into the running gear and headed outside. Going outside was like hitting a wall. The temps must have been in the mid 90's. I sort of plotted out a run and headed out to the far end of the parking lot and would follow the perimeter. The grounds were like being in a prison camp, surrounded by tall metal fences with barbed wire at the top. It was all airport property surrounding the museum. I followed the fence line and over small hill and dale made a loop around.

Museum running route as seen from the observation tower.

Probably only 2 miles in all but that was just enough to stretch out the legs a bit. Then it was back inside to have lunch and finish up the tour before heading back to the airport. Lunch was very limited as all they had was a McDonald's. I can't remember the last time I've eaten at one but I had no choice. I did find a salad that looked safe and went with it. I survived, barely. I finished my tour at the museum with a visit to the observation tower and then went outside to wait for the bus. While waiting I remembered a special snack I had, a bag of peanut m&m's. I dug into the bag but ran into a little problem. The bottom of the bag blew out and they spewed out all over the sidewalk. I'm not one to usually pick up food off sidewalks but this was chocolate and I also figured, in a trail race you eat and do things that normal people might think was disgusting so what the heck, with people all around I started picking up the m&m's and enjoying every last one off the sidewalk, except for the one stuck in the crack of the sidewalk under someone's foot. I had to let that one go. Afterwards it was a quick ride back to the airport and through security. I thought I was in for a pat down but instead had the arms in the air for picture time screening. Maybe next time. Finally it was time to board the plane. Everything was going smoothly until we started to taxi out for take off. Apparently the earlier storms delayed some previous flights so we had to sit and wait and wait for nearly an hour and a half on the runway before we could get in the air. After that it was smooth going all the way to Geneva, but it was a long time for sitting and made for a long night with very little sleep.

The plane arrived in Geneva, Switzerland just over an hour late. Meanwhile my shuttle bus to Chamonix was waiting very impatiently for my arrival. When they spotted me it was the quick dash to the bus to try to keep the driver on schedule. He kept talking to me as he rushed me along but I had no idea what he was saying as he spoke French. The only thing he understood from me was that I had to get some Euros to pay him. So we were off and going to Chamonix for the hour or so drive. The shuttle bus was some mini bus but the driver thought he had some Ferrari as he flew around the corners and cut off any cars in his way. We first stopped in the center of Chamonix to drop off another passenger and then the driver stopped suddenly and said something to me in french which I had no idea what he was saying. Finally another passenger who spoke some English told me there was an ATM machine so I could get cash but to hurry. So I ran out only to find the machine not working. So quickly back in the bus to the next corner for another machine. This one was working but when I put the card in, it asked for a number code. I hadn't used this card in years but put in a familiar number and... it worked and money came out! Back in the bus and on route again. Finally when we got to another street just outside of Chamonix in the town of Argentiere, the driver stopped, got out and put my bags on the ground. I paid him the fee in Euros and off he went. So there I was, somewhere in France without a clue as to where I was or where I was going. After strolling along the street I spotted a paper hand written sign up an alley of the Elevated Backpacker's Chalet, my home for the next 6 nights.

View of Mont Blanc from my bedroom window.

The new home was a small hostel in the center of this small mountain town and only a short bus or train ride into the center of Chamonix, the start of the race on Friday evening. I spent much of the day organizing my travel gear and then shopping at the local market. This was another big experience for me as a foreigner. All the packaging was in french and all the people spoke french so it was resorting back to french 101 from the early high school days. I did ok for the most part but the fresh cheese I couldn't wait to eat turned out to be butter. I couldn't find much of any cold cuts to make sandwiches but did find some unique beers to sample. Trying to be good for the race I kept it to a minimum as far as the beer was concerned. I first found a Bud can, usually my favorite back in the states. But this was a special Czech Republic blend. And then there was some french blonde bier that sounded good too. And for an extra bonus, these foreign beers are typically stronger that the US beer. A special treat to look forward to with tonight's dinner! But first it was time for lunch and then time to check out the trails.

I decided on the first day to get up in elevation to see how it was and discovered a trail just out the back door that went up to Le Blanc, a mountain directly across from the famed, Mount Blanc. After a long gradual uphill it went into more switchback single tracks until above the tree line. From there is turned out to be very nice single track that you could see winding all throughout the mountains. I got to the summit of this peak as a storm was approaching. Elevation was 2350 meters or so, I think about 7,000 feet and you were totally exposed so I thought it was best to head down.

I tried to take it easy on the downhills to preserve the quad pounding for the race which was hard to do on an hour down a fairly steep downhill. Overall a great training run during this race week with just over 2 1/2 hours on the trail. Afterwards it was pasta and beer to enjoy at the hostel before retiring from a long 2 days of traveling. I did re-learn some french today. Nearly every one you see on the trail says "bonjour" so I politely I would return the "bonjour". And I'm using "merci" too when I get something.

I awoke Tuesday morning feeling well rested after a great night's sleep. I ventured out to the market to try my luck again in finding cheese and also brought back some fresh bread and eggs to make a great egg sandwich to start off the day. Then it was time to head in to explore Chamonix. I walked over to the train station and jumped on the train. They have a great public transportation system in place and with my special pass have full and free access to the train and bus to get around. Fifteen minutes on the train while looking at incredible views and I was in Chamonix.

Chamonix is quite busy with many tourists and many shops. One of my goals on this day was to find a bank to exchange some US money into Euros. Again I was lost in this department and found a bank where no English was spoken. I was given a sheet with the current exchange rate and the bank charge for exchanging which all meant nothing to me as you really have no choice and it is what it is. So the $260 I gave the bank translated into $167 Euros. What I do know is that Coke is very expensive so you might as well be drinking beer. A 16 oz bottle of coke cost $2.50 Euros or about $3.50 US dollars. Another learning experience, when I bought a sandwich I thought I was getting a nice ham and cheese sandwich, my lack of french got me a 1/2 a baguette with ham on it. No mayo, cheese or veggies. I knew the woman was trying to say what else but I forgot how to say "legumes" which I think means vegetables and fromage for cheese. I'm learning, slowly.

After wandering around I had enough and took the train back to Argentiere to figure out the afternoons hike/run. I decided to venture out to the north and follow the river but soon learned that the river ended just up the street coming down directly from the Argentiere Glacier so I found a trail that headed up alongside the glacier for a ways until it dead ended as the surrounding walls got too steep. So I turned around and followed the river south towards Chamonix not really knowing how far I would be going but I knew the train also followed along the river and was smart enough to bring my train pass. I ended up in a very small town of Les Tines and from there took the train back to Argentiere. After eating so much bread today I decided to only have a salad tonight which was awesome as they do have great veggies when you know what to call them. For my beverage of choice this evening it was another blond bier of a different variety. Tomorrow will be a busy day with race check in and equipment check for the required gear needed during the race and then another hike/run in the mountains. "Au Revoir"

ANOTHER FUN FILLED WEEK OF TRAINING

2011-08-14T12:33:00.002-04:00

And only 2 Weeks Until UTMB!

This week continued with some fun days of training. The foot continues to get better and after a good training week last week I'm at least confident that I can at least finish the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. It may not be my best race but I'm determined to enjoy my time in Europe.

Monday: Trouble at 12,000 feet.
This was an awesome day with abundant sunshine. I thought I better take advantage of the day so after some morning work, I headed down to VT Skydiving Adventures in Addison for mental therapy. It was a busy morning at VAS but I was able to get on a load rather quickly. I was waiting for one of the chutes to be packed when it was time to go. Ole soon came out of the trailer with a new chute for me to try, a Stiletto 150. The winds were a bit gusty so I figured a slightly smaller chute than what I had been using would be just fine. So I quickly put on my gear and jumped into the already loaded plane. As we were heading up, which seemed to take extra long as we had some big guys on board, I chatted with Mike about the Stiletto. He informed me that this was a "performance" chute and had some unique characteristics, one being to make sure you have a very stable body position before you deploy as it has a tendency to get line twist. OK, I can handle that. When we got to 12,000 feet, it was time for the 4 guys to go. One would be hanging upside down from the wing while the other 3 would be hanging on the strut before they all dropped. I would head out after them. Didn't seem like anything unusual. But with all 4 big guys hanging outside the plane, 1000 pounds of guys and gear, it caused the plane to slow down and tip quite a bit. I didn't have much weight to counter balance and neither did the pilot, a new addition to VAS crew in the last 2 weeks. As soon as the guys dropped it caused the plane to roll in the opposite direction and increase in speed. With that, the door shut hard as I was trying to get in position to exit. I pushed as hard as I could, not happening. I kept pushing and pushing and eventually got the door to open enough to get out. I could feel the plane was still traveling a bit fast but as soon as I was clear of the door, out I went like Superman.

It felt good to get out, the air was cool and the views were great. As I was looking around, I could see the drop zone in the distance. Problem... it was due northwest quite a ways and there was a gusty northwest wind. Hmm, do I pull early and try to fly it back into the wind or will that cause me to be dragged backwards more by the wind. I finally pulled the chute around 4,000 ft. and put it in forward motion to see what this Stiletto could do. It would be touch and go. I looked for alternative landing spots. Luckily in Addison there are a lot of farm fields. Been there, done that before. The Stiletto seemed to be gaining forward momentum which was great but still would it be enough to get over the tree line and into the drop zone. I kept it going, tacking a bit to keep moving forward. Luckily the Stiletto was a performance chute and had great flying capabilities. I made it back to the drop zone. And even with all the challenges, it was a blast to jump as usual.

After the jump I thought I would get in a run up Snake Mountain since it was right there. It's basically a 2+ mile run up and then down with some great views of the valley from the top but I wanted to explore the backside of the mountain. The VAST trail runs back there and I used to mountain bike there as well. The VAST trail was a no go so I continued down and then found another way to the backside. I discovered some real sweet single track. I wasn't sure where I would end up but in the end it was a loop that took about a half hour returning right where I went in. Nice Find!

Tuesday: Catamount Running Night
Before the weekly 5k trail race Todd Archambault and I both arrived early to get some early miles in. Another stellar day so we got in a 90 minute warm-up running parts of the Red course and then some made up loops. Todd's training for the VT 50 and in need of some miles after time off on maternity leave. Probably not the smartest thing to do running an hour and a half before a race but these are just fun races.

The race tonight would be on the Pink course so after the warm-up we headed over to the race. 250+ runners, another great turnout. I looked at tonight as another test for the foot and would try to push it. As usual the start was fast and furious but with an immediate slow uphill, the field gradually thinned out. I ran comfortably and was able to push the foot, all good. In the end I was pleased, not my best time but not my worst and the foot felt good.

Wednesday: Catamount Mtn. Bike Races
Another great day, but then the clouds rolled in as I headed over to Catamount for a pre-race trail run. After the lightening storm and heavy rains ended, I headed out for a good hour and a half trail run. A bit muddy after the rains but still a fun run although I felt exhausted. I had been on a ladder all day and my body just ached. I decided to just do the 2 lapper mountain bike race feeling tired as I was and knowing the course would be full of mud. But once I started the race I felt better and was having fun. I never have a good starting position by tonight I at least was in the top 10 of 30 or so racers. With the gradual uphill start, I slowly worked my way up. By 3/4 of the first lap I was comfortably sitting in 2nd place. I kept it that way through the first half of the 2nd lap and then passed the leader before we headed into the tight single track which was good and muddy. I was having fun and took off. In the end, to my surprise I held on to the lead despite my aching body which wasn't aching anymore. Funny how that works.

Thursday: Dr. Rob Rinaldi Visit
Thursday late morning I had a second visit with Doc Rinaldi for anther cortisone shot in the foot. I had a horrible sleep that night thinking about that needle going into my foot 1 1/2 inches. Yes I'm still a weenie when it comes to needles, especially when the first one hurt real bad. Not knowing if I could run afterwards, I got in an early morning easy run. When I arrived, Rob grabbed my foot and pushed and pulled. He was very pleased and the good news, decided I didn't need anther shot :) Suddenly I was relieved. Instead he put me on some anti-inflammatory drugs for 10 days. Yes, a good day! Later that night it was the Thursday Fun Run night at Catamount. I was supposed to meet up with Aliza but arrived a bit late so headed out on my own. Not more than a mile into it, I tripped on a root and did my usual tuck and roll but this time I landed on a log. I smashed my upper thigh so hard that I just stayed there on the ground for a while. It hurt big, more than the needle in my foot. I got up and tried to stretch it out. Not good. I did the run, hobble and it did loosen up a bit but still hurt as I was determined to get in my hour and a half run, which I did. Afterwards, I grabbed my mountain bike and rode a loop hoping that would help loosen it up too.

Friday: 2 Weeks to go until UTMB !
The leg hurt all day and again I was on a ladder all day. Since I was in the area I headed over to Catamount for a late day run. Once I got going the leg was feeling ok, a bit stiff but getting better. Meanwhile the foot was feeling fine. I was running the yellow/green course tonight and ran into Serena so I turned around and followed her on the reverse red course. We ran and chatted and had a great run. After an hour and a half, I bailed out as I was done and had things to do. Serena continued on as she arrived later and needed more miles.

Saturday: Ultra-Trail Du Mansfield-night run
I had a lot of day time chores to do and with a full moon I decided to do a night run on the Mansfield Loop. UTMB starts at 6:30 PM so I figured I would do the same to try out my night gear and capabilities. As usual I parked at the Stevensville parking lot and headed out. Within the first minute I was feeling exceptionally wet on my back only to discover that the hydration bag was leaking. Not worried, I turned and headed back to the car. On my way to tonight's run, I had stopped at the Skirack in Burlington and just purchased a new hydration bag. Not wanting to fool with the old one, I quickly drained the leaking bag into the new one and off I went, again. It was a great night although still warm and humid but without the mid-day sun, it was comfortable. No headlamps were needed up the Notchbook Trail or down to the Trout Club or through Trapps. When I came out of the woods at Trapps the moon had just risen over the Wooster Mountains and looked awesome.

Trapps was very busy as I ran through and continued up towards the Haule Road. Once I got there and in the trees, it was dark. The moon hadn't risen enough yet to shine through the trees so I put on the headlamp and continued on. Up and over and then down to the Mansfield touring center, it was fun running. Even the downhills were fun with the light of the headlamp. Slowly the moon was getting higher and was shining through the trees with incredibly brightness. As I headed to the bottom of the Toll Road I tried to get in to the Inn for water. No luck, being this late everything was locked. With 4 or so hours to go I needed water and knew this could be an issue. I toured around the maintenance shed looking for an outdoor spigot, nothing. Then I remembered the clay tennis courts. Whenever there are clay courts, they have to water them on occasion so there must be water. As I looked over I saw a possible hose down on the lower courts but as I turned the corner I saw a yellow jug on the upper court. It was a water cooler and sure enough with ice water in it :) Mission accomplished, filled the hydration bag and off I went while snacking on a peanut butter sandwich. I took it sort of easy on the climb up the Toll Road enjoying the now full brightness of the moon. I rarely turned on the headlamp. As I got closer to the visitor center the wind was picking up and felt great. From there I continued along the ridge and up to the chin in full moon brightness. It was a great run along the ridge and no tourists at this hour. I had it all to myself. I stopped briefly at the summit, said my thanks and headed back south on the Long Trail. Heading down the ridge was equally as nice and the footing was fine with the moonlight and headlamp. But I knew the rest of the downhill would be more of a challenge running along the roots and rocky sections in the trees. Just before heading into the trees I put on a second headlamp along my waist. The lower lamp would light up directly in front of me while the one on my head would go out a bit farther. I tried this technique at Leadville last year and it worked great. Heading down the rock face from the Forehead was no problem as the moon was still shining brightly and going down the chutes and ladders was fun but after that, it was slower going. The footing alone is tricky but at night, even with 2 lights, it just took longer but no problems. The good thing, the foot was feeling fine with only minor aches and pains. As usual I ran out of fluids but this time with only a mile to go. Tonight was a great test for the foot and overall I was very pleased. Plus the lighting system worked. In all the run took under 6 hours which for night running was awesome. And the reward for such a feat, an ice cold Bud waiting for me in the car. It doesn't get much better than that :)

Sunday: Easy day on the trails at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge.

All in all a positive week. Much improvement on the foot and the body is starting to feel good again running freely on the trails, if I can just stay upright. Four weeks ago I didn't think I would be running like this so don't ever lose hope and remember "Impossible Is Nothing".

UTMB - HERE I COME!!

2011-08-06T22:55:00.000-04:00

For better or for worse, I've decided to go to run the Ultra-Trail Du Mont Blanc later this month.

I've had three weeks of mixed training and mixed emotions about going but finally, I'm feeling better physically and mentally. My biggest fear would be not to complete the race. With a blow up at the Finger Lakes 50K I was definitely worried that I could bail out in the middle of the Alps somewhere in the middle of the night and who knows where. But the last 2 weeks I've been running again and able to hammer it a bit. Thanks to Doc Rob Rinaldi who I finally had enough sense to go visit just last week. He figured out my foot problem may be the Baxter's Nerve which was very inflamed. With a special foot cocktail, it eliminated the swelling within days and made running on a flat foot bearable again instead of running on the side of my foot. And I've been cross training a lot to keep the fitness level up as much as possible.

Two weeks ago it was bike, bike, bike and minimal running. I racked up about 200 miles with a combination of road riding and mountain biking including a weekend at the Kingdom in Northeast Vermont where they have some awesome single track trails which are great for mountain biking and running. The little town of East Burke is thriving with business around biking. After taping up my foot, I managed to get in some mountain running up and down Burke Mountain including the fire tower. After that it was a road ride around Lake Willoughby before settling in at the Burke Mountain campsite for the evening thanks to the efforts of Mr. Boffa. Steaks, potatoes, Oreo cookies, beer, tequila just to name a few of the treats. The next morning another mountain run around Burke Mountain to be followed up with really fun mountain bike riding around the Kingdom Trails for 3 1/2 hours. Then lunch from the East Burke Country Store for the ride back home to refuel before a run at the Forest and the Jedi Loop at Sleepy Hollow on my way home. I was tired by the end of the day.

A week ago I received my foot cocktail on Tuesday and was feeling much better in the running department. Still I continued with some good road riding and mountain biking including the Wed. night mountain bike races at Catamount. They have done a great job on the trails this year and it's just a blast to ride there at the races. I always have the worst start and end up in the back of the pack but slowly work my way up throughout the 3 laps. The Tuesday night trail running races I'm still running conservatively as the foot hasn't been ready to really push it yet. The end of the week ended up with a group run of the Mansfield Loop, a 26 mile adventure which loops around Mt. Mansfield. We had an awesome crew with some of the best ultrarunners in New England to include Aliza Lapierre, Nate Sanel, Nick Yardley, Todd Archambault, Serena Wilcox, Scott and Joyce Holsten and Bob Ayers, Jr. The weather was just right, warm but dry. We started out at 7:00 am, which is a bit early for me but was a good choice as later in the day the heat increased. We had 9 of us cruising around which was quite impressive as we ran along the ridge line up to the Chin to the top of Mt. Mansfield.

The Crew on top of Mt. Mansfield

Overall I had a decent run with some foot pain on and off all day. It would come and go. Probably the worst was the long haul up the Toll Road, about a 4 1/2 mile climb. After about 2 miles in, the foot started to hurt and I limped up the remainder to the visitor center. But after that I had some good moments. All in all, a good week. I was back up to running about 75 miles for the week and could see some hope that the foot was getting better.

This past week, still getting in some biking with another fun race on Wed. night at Catamount. They've made some improvements on the Blue trail and it just flows better. Again I was having a blast winding around the trees on banked turns. I could hear myself laughing as I was going through the woods. Running has also been better with more miles and harder workouts. Tuesday night at the trail races I did take it easy and Joyce, Scott and I ran from the back of the pack but it turned out more like a Fartlek run sprinting when we had the chance to pass other runners. Wed. night before the bike races on my run I sprinted all the hills, up and down and felt good. Thursday night I returned again to Catamount and hammered the red course before running the Green/Yellow course with others later on, so another good night. Friday was a 14 mile run in the heat of the day with Aliza on the big hills of Huntington and Richmond at a "slow pace". There's never a slow pace when I run with Aliza but always a good run and a good test for the foot to be running on the hard surfaces. Saturday, successfully ran the Ultra-Trail Du Mt. Mansfield aka the Mansfield Loop. Felt good, ran it almost an hour faster than last weekend. With some more miles on Sunday I could be back to the 90-100 plus miles for the week. So with all that, I just made airline reservations to fly in to Geneva Switzerland on route to Chamonix/Mt. Blanc for the UTMB. :)

UTMB, I'm on my way!!

I have no idea how I'm getting around in Europe or where I'm staying but that will come in time. If any of you have suggestions, I'm all ears. Any help would be appreciated as I've never been to Europe before. All I know is I'm psyched to be going and while I'm there I have to visit parts of Italy where the family comes from and also want to run through the Dolomite's, where there are some awesome pics of trails running through the mountains.

The Dolomite's of Italy.

Less than 3 weeks to go! Remember, Impossible is Nothing!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and the VT 100 Mile Endurance Race

2011-07-21T00:45:00.002-04:00

THE WEEK IN TRAINING AND THE VT 100 MILE ENDURANCE RACE

Let's get right into The Bad and The Ugly to get it over with. I've been dealing with some foot issues for a while and Tuesday night was my test night to see if I could run the VT 100 on July 16th. Aliza was all set to run with me prior to the weekly 5k trail race at Catamount Family Outdoor Center to see if I was race worthy. We ran some on trails and then hit the hard pack roads. I think we ran 6 or 7 miles at a good clip. I thought I was able to hold my own and prove that I was ok. Aliza thought not with my gait totally off from the usual. Still I wasn't convinced so for my own sake, I wanted to race the 5k trail race to prove I was able to run 100 miles. Well, after a mile or less, the pain kicked in and I was fading fast. Even on the uphill which I always look forward to I was being passed by others. On the twisty turny single track I was in pain on every corner. The only bright star was that I was so cautious on every turn that I slowed down while others excellerated only to wipe out in the mud like Todd. In the end, it was the slowest I ever ran this course and I was in pain. Immediately following the race I sat in my truck, foot in the beer cooler while I sucked down an ice cold Bud as I knew I couldn't run the VT 100. That was the bad and the ugly.

Some good during the week, I finally completed the exam for the USATF Level 1 Coaching. I took the class in March or April and finally had time to sit down and take the test. I scored a 96%. Besides being able to coach for endurance running, I can coach for throwing a javelin or for the pole vault event. I always thought the pole vault would be fun, hmmm. Any way, for the rest of the week I ran a minimal amount and biked a lot. Thursday night Joe Cararra and I cranked out a 43 miler bike ride in the hills of Hinesburg, Huntington and Richmond folowed up by dinner, beer and tequila.

Friday was the check in for the VT 100, something I would normally be looking forward to, but not this year as I would have to declare my DNS status. I arrived late in the afternoon and got in line to check in. Many runners came up to me and wished me a good race, not knowing my foot status. When I got my race packet I pulled out my number and attempted to give it up to Deb, declaring my DNS. I had a really, really hard time letting go of my race number. Deb even told me I could hold on to it until the morning if I decided to race but I knew better. Sure, after some tequila I could put on the shoes and shorts and be ready to run at 4:00 AM. So after a few give and take backs, I finally gave up my number to Deb so I could not race in the morning. Afterwards I went out for an easy run, then a mountain bike ride on some great single track to make room for dinner. After dinner I chatted with some of the racers and then hung with Nate Sanel for some pre-race rituals. We enjoyed some Patron's Tequila (Thanks Nate) and had a good look at his new made shoe which he was to run in on Saturday. Soon it was time for bed so I retired in the F-150 camper for the evening.

Jack and Nate. Pre-race training

Saturday, 3:30 AM. I was woken up by the loudspeaker of Julia Hutchinson. 30 minutes to go to the start. I rolled out of bed and off to the start. It seemed kind of odd, no running for me and no official crew or pacing, so why was I there? What purpose? I met up with some familiar faces and wished them the best. 4:00 AM they were off. I felt sort of lost, thinking now what??? For now I knew it was time to go back to bed, which I did.

5:45 AM time to get up. I heated up some hot water while I prepared for the day and then had some tea to get myself going towards Pretty House, the first aid station at mile 21. Still not knowing my role I figured I would just help out as needed. As the lead pack came in, Mike Arnstein was part of this group. I knew Mike was solo and had no crew so I found his drop bag and helped him to get on his way. Bob Ayers was not far behind and I cheered him on as he went through. Serena came in for a shoe change and was in great shape, not too fast, not too slow. Mike Oliva, also solo, came through so I found his bag to help him through. Nate arrive shortly thereafter, not looking good. Hopefully his hard training will kick in soon??? So it went, I had plenty to do throughout the day. Helping Mike and Mike as trail bitch and giving support to Bob, Serena and Nate as well as many others.

Serena doing a quick shoe change at Pretty House.

Same at the Stage Road Aid station but had to also help out the aid station replenish squad comprosed of 2 elders. They parked their pickup directly in front of the aid station so it would be a challenge for any runner to come through. I jumped in the back of the pickup and handed supplies out to speed up the process. Shortly thereafter, Joe Carrara and I were having our own tailgate party, cooking up pancakes with VT maple syrup watching runners and horses coming in.

Next up, Camp Ten Bear, mile 47. The Lead runners were coming in including Mike Arnstein and Leigh Schmitt. I grabbed Mike's drop bag to help out and off he went. Bob Ayers wasn't too far off either. Then, there was a large gap. At this time I found some other friends who just arrived to cheer, maybe pace and also go for a morning run.

Jen, Bob and Jack

Glen Redpath, Theresa Ridgway, Meghan Arbogast and Aliza La Pierre. Talk about royalty, this was the best of the best of the Ultrarunning world! The sad part of it was that this was my dream team to help me race this VT 100. Ugh... my crew and pacer not to happen this year, or ever like this. Oh well, might as well enjoy the company and the great day. We all decided to go for a nice run in the woods while it was quiet at the race so I taped up my foot and off we went. We headed out from the course mile 70 and beyond. Theresa and I were both having foot issues so we only ran about 2 miles out before we turned back while the others continued on for some time.

Meghan, Jack and Aliza.

Camp Ten Bear is always a busy place with a lot going on as it's the aid station for mile 47 and 70.

Mile Silverman (VT 50 RD) and Jack

There was a lot of hanging out and I drove Ron back to the Silver Meadow so he could prepare for his night of pacing and then returned back to Camp Ten Bear. We watched the leaders coming in at mile 70, some in good shape, others fading fast or dropping out. I continued to help for Mike and Mike. Mike Arnstein at mile 70 said, "I'm either going to win this race or blow up". He was looking good and was chasing the leaders at this point. Bob Ayers was looking good and relaxed, Serena was on a mission to conquor and wouldn't even slow down for food so hurt foot and all, I had to sprint to catch her before she was off in the woods with some solid food for her to eat. Mike Weigand and Nate Sanel came in pretty close to each other at mile 70. Nate had blister issues so the meds were attending to him and causing him some serious pain, but all for the better. Mike was looking rather green. We sat him down in a chair and soon therafter the puking began. It was going to take a huge effort to keep him going so Team Mike was formed. Joe Carrara was the crew but we recruited Theresa Ridgway to pace with Mike to get him to Westwinds where I would take over until Polly's where Joe would take over for the final stretch. After about a half hour of wretching, Mike was ready to go, sort of. Good thing he had Theresa to follow to take his mind off things for the 7 mile stretch. Joe and I headed over to Westwinds to wait for Mike. Meanwhile, Nate showed up feeling good and revived.

Nate ready to go at mile 77.

He was in and out in no time. But it took Mike 2 1/2 hours to do the 7 miles. When he arrived we got some food in him as he was still a bit weak and off I went with him at about 8:45 PM. We had about 20 miles to go until Joe took over. The moon was rising and the temps were comfortable and it wasn't raining so all in all a good night. Good but long. In the end it took us 6 1/2 hours to cover 20 miles doing the run/shuffle. And there were many stops along the way to continually empty out Mikes stomach. He christened Queen Victoria Rd. He visited the woods later on and hit every port-o-let on the way. We found a new diet for Mike, something that would stay down, it was the combo of gummy bears, chocolate chip cookies and Coke. And he started running again, so fast that Joe mis-calculated his time and wasn't ready for us at Polly's. At that time, it looked like Mike had a chance of getting in under 24 hours so we couldn't wait and we were in and out at Polly's. Half a mile down, Mike had to empty his stomach again and then we were off and running. Another half mile and headlights were coming at us, it was Joe ready to take over. I was extremely happy as my feet were rather sore at that point. Joe drove up the road to get himself ready and as Mike approached Joe took over. I gladly took Joe's car and headed over to the finish with Theresa.

Mike finally made it, a huge accomplishment! And Team Mike celebrated the victorious day.

Jack, Theresa, Mike and Joe at the finish.

So all in all, I had a great weekend helping out and meeting some new faces and keeping up with running clients whom I coach. Serena kicked butt in the end and won for the women. Bob Ayers ran strong throughout and took 5th for the men. Nate after he fixed his feet from nagging blisters ran a strong second half. Mike Arnestein ended up victorious and set a new course record with his win. I ended up being on my feet way more than if I ran the race. So be it. If you can't race, you may as well help out and enjoy the day... and night :)

Alternative Training This Week

2011-07-11T10:30:00.000-04:00

The Week in Review, a variety of training

Last week I ended the week with a sore foot after DNFing at the Finger Lakes 50's. In an effort to try to save my chances of running at the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2 weeks, I dug the road bike out of hibernation and that became my main training vehicle for this past week. With 6 consecutive days on the road bike, the butt has finally adapted to road riding. Each day also included at least a mile of running/stretching to see how and if I was progressing.

Highlights of the week:

Tuesday night at the Catamount Family Outdoor Center. The usual trail series 5K run did not happen for me. Instead I ran the cadet loop this week on the yellow course which was about 2 miles. I was up against some good competition, 8, 9 and 10 year olds mostly. In the end, I took 6th place overall but won my age group. Afterwards I got in an easy mountain bike ride, riding most of the yellow course with Kelly.

Thursday night I was invited by my friend and training partner, Joe Carrara, (who is recovering from knee surgery and unable to run at the moment), to ride with the boys on their weekly tour. When I arrived most were ready to roll and all I could see where these fancy machines they were on. My mid 90's Cannondale looked like a antique from the past. We took off at sort of a slow pace until we were organized and then off we went. These guys are serious about their riding. In a tight pack and cruising. Maybe we had 15 or so of us in a line doing easily 25 mph. These guys were cruising and having fun. We hit some patches of dirt roads, not so fun, for a few miles of the ride and the pack broke up after Roger flatted on one of the dirt sections. In the end we rode about 40 miles averaging 19 mph which included a few miles of slow dirt road riding. Throughout the ride, the pack looked like a bunch of kids hammering along but when we finished and they took off their helmets, I could see the gray hair and wrinkles as most were in their 50's and 60's. Impressive! Afterwards it was cocktails out by the man pit and a bbq dinner:)

Friday was another beautiful day so I decided to get in more mental training, a trip down to VT Skydiving. I had an almost new parachute to use today with a container that actually fit instead of the loose rental gear. I also opted to jump without a jump suit and was forewarned that you lose some stability. I got to sit in the co-pilots seat as we headed up, not really a seat but on the floor next to the pilot. As we got up to 3,000 feet, Mike was heading out to do a quick hop n'pop to work on his landings. It was fun watching him drop for a while as I got a great view with the door wide open. I wasn't quite sure how the door would close but Joe rolled the plane back and the door immediately shut on it's own. Then up to 12,000 feet. On the way up I noticed my altimeter was not working correctly and was off 500-1000 feet, hmm? I made some mental adjustments for that as I didn't want to open 1000 feet too late but at least I was aware of it before exiting. At 12,000 I opened the door, saw the drop zone below and I was out doing my superman thing. Front dive into a forward flip and then belly flying. I noticed right away the instability without the jump suit but made some adjustments and it was fun. I did some more rolls and some sit flying. Without the suit you can also go faster so I thought I would try it out and went into a dive. Keeping on eye on the altimeter and the mental note of it being off, it was time to throw out the chute. Being a new chute it had way more pop to it and was very responsive in the turns, nice. And in for a landing, right on but was very conservative in the landing and leaned was back to skim the feet along so no chance of tweaking an ankle a week before a 100 mile race. (Did that last year 3 weeks before Burning River last year, not fun). Another great day of playing superman!

Friday night consisted of a guest appearance on WCAX for the 30 show to talk about the VT 100 Mile Endurance Run with Julia Hutchinson, the RD of that event. We were both a bit nervous as neither one of us had ever been on TV. A friend at the station, Alden Pellett, greeted us and gave us a quick tour of the studio. At first I thought we had 30 minutes on live tv but in the end, it was 5 minutes total. It went well I guess and I think for the first time gave some significance to this event. Here's a link to the interview: http://www.wcax.com/story/15049924/vermont-100-draws-hardcore-ultramarathon-runners

Saturday was to be a good test for the foot. I ran 1-2 miles a day all week but now I needed to see if I could get in a 20 miler and survive. I met John Izzo down at the Moosalamoo campground outside of Ripton, VT. I found John and Marsha joined us too. She came from the Sharon area. John had a variety of loops as options. The first one was a trip to the summit of Moosalamoo. Some great single track with roots, rocks and some great views. We went at a fairly slow pace which was perfect for this morning. Very enjoyable except for the stinging nettles. I ran these trails years ago and still remember the nettles from then. After the first almost 2 hour loop, Marsha headed out. John and I continued on another loop, not as hilly but lots of mud and wet grass. After this loop, we both decided to keep going so John picked out a third loop for us. It started out the same as the 2nd loop but then turned onto another trail, remember this number 43. NEVER take trail number 43 unless it's winter. What started out as just mud and muck turned into a torturous journey. Stinging nettles as high as my waist, good thing they couldn't sting through my shorts. Before we knew it, were were totally engulfed in the worst stinging nettles I have ever been exposed to and it just wouldn't end. Patches and patches of 100 yards of total torture and just when you thought it was over, there were more ahead. At one point I grabbed some dirt and coated my legs in mud for protection. Not sure if it helped but it felt good. There was nothing else we could do but just run and that we did until we hit the road. Then the deer flies came out looking for lunch. Finally we made it back to the car, 4 hours and 15 minutes of running through the trails of Moosalamoo. The foot survived with some pain but I think the nettles took my mind off my foot. Thanks John!

Shins bathed in mud for protection from stinging nettles

Saturday I met up with Aliza at Catamount. Although shorter, this would be a good chance to run the foot a bit faster and see how it felt. We ran the woods side of the red course. I started off slow and cautious but by the end, the foot was feeling better. And for the rest of the day, the foot almost felt normal. Weird!

The week ended with 140 miles of bike riding, one skydive and 33 miles of running and so it goes.

This Week in Training - The end of June 2011

2011-07-06T10:53:00.000-04:00

The End of June and the 4th of July Weekend

June marks the end of usually the biggest training month of the year for me. With a number of longer races coming up, I seem to maximize my training during this period and this year was no different. I had a goal for the month of June and in order to get there I needed about 60 more miles. That meant on average 15 miles per day for Monday thru Thursday. That seemed possible. Monday was a run out on the trails at The Forest and Sleepy Hollow. Some of my favorite single track trails in the area. Tuesday brought on the Catamount Trail Series of races weekly 5K race. As usual a good running of the trails prior to the race and then running afterwards. I felt good at the race with decent energy and no foot issues. Wednsday brought about a lunch time road run around the block, running on the trails at Catamount later on then the mtn. bike races followed up with some more running the trails. While there were threats of rain, it held off until later that night:) Thursday was another lunch time run around the block with an evening run at Catamount after showing a house in Jericho. And that ended June with just over 500 miles for the month. Goal Accomplished!

With June over and just over 2 weeks until the VT 100, I thought I should do a good long run this weekend. Being July 4th weekend, it just didn't feel right not traveling over to the Finger Lakes to run the Finger Lakes 50's which has become a tradition. So Friday late morning the truck was packed and off I went to the Finger Lakes. The drive is long, usually about 6 hours and can take some patience driving on the back roads of NY until you reach Rt. 90. Once on Rt. 90 it's cruise control and away you go. There are no big mountains to see, just rolling hills and you follow along the Erie Canal.

Driving to the Finger Lakes

Once off the main highway it was more of the same heading south to Hector NY and the Potomac Campground. In addition to the rolling hills were grapes, lots of grapes. This area has turned into wine country with lots of vineyards.

One of the many vineyards offering great wine.

I met up with Chris Reynolds at the race headquarters, the race directior and her faithful helper and husband Joe. They put together a wonderful race. Low key with lots of volunteers to help yet professional quality even with chip timing which for a trail race is unusual. It was great to see Joe and Chris again and some other familiar faces.

Joe, Jackie & Chris

After signing in, I got my race packet and headed back to the truck which is where I would stay for the night. But I still needed to get in a pre-dinner run which was definitely needed after the 6 hour drive. I met up with another familar face, that of friend Chad Denning. Chad joined me in the pre-dinner run. Chad was new to the area so I gave him a quick tour of the beginning and end of the course. After the run, Chad and I had some dinner on the roadside besides our car camping rigs. Good dinner, early to bed, not much to drink.

After a good nights sleep it was up at 5:00 AM to prepare for the 6:30 AM start. They had awesome muffins to greet the runners prior to the race along with coffe or hot water for tea. The Finger Lakes 50's has three separate races going on. A 50 mile, a 50k and a 25k. The 50's start together and it's a loop course with 16.5 miles per loop. The nice part is that you can support yourself during the race by having a drop bag in one place as you loop around. The 50k runners will do two loops which is a bit more than a 50k but then again it's a trail race, who's counting miles. The 50 milers run three loops plus a baby loop. The runners have an option to end after 50k or continue on with the 50 mile as they are running the loops so on a bad day if you decide you don't have it in you to run 50 miles you can stop after two laps and have run a legitimate 50k without a dnf on the 50 mile. And if you are feeling great after two laps you can decide at that time to continue on to run the 50 miles. For me, it was planned from the start to only run a 50k as I had the VT 100 in two weeks and I thought it best to give myself a break here. Chad was planning on running the 50 miler as he was training for some upcoming adventure races and really wanted the distance. Nice thing was that we could run together for a while.

The start went off right at 6:30 AM. First part of the course is down a gravel road and then you turn into some nice single track. The road downhill was fast and hard on my feet but all was feeling fine. Sean Andrish from Virginia took off right from the start to take the lead. I followed with Chad and some others together in a pack. As we entered the single track, Sean was already gone. I've run this race enough to know better than to run that fast. Not that we were going slow as we were still going at a good clip but at a much more reasonable pace to hold on for the duration. In the woods on the single track it was a slow gradual climb up to where you cross a road and then eventually through a cow meadow. Chad and I had pulled away from the others at this point but after the long downhill following the cow meadow a couple of guys caught back up with us. So for quite a while it was myself leading the pack of Chad, Peter Lawry and Jeff Powers. The course was great with some mud holes that could pull your shoes off but still it was in great shape. After about 8 miles or so, I was still leading this pack and felt some pain in my foot as I would go through some of the mud. I've been dealing with this pain on and off all year and usually can run through it until it goes away or eases up and may have to slow down on hard decents. But this trail was soft so I never anticipated any major problems. The little pain got worse and worse. We were still cruising but finally I had to back off to try to regroup. The legs felt good, the energy level was good but this foot was becoming an issue. After a few more miles I was running last in our pack but could slowly see them gaining distance. Even on some areas where I would normally kick it in and take off, I was having a hard time even running. With probably 4 miles to go, I finally had to walk and stretch it out as it wasn't going away. Basically I limped it in to finish lap one in a time of 2:18 and at that point decided it was not going to happen this day. Only my 2nd DNF ever. Usually I can pull off a bad day and at least finish but I didn't think I wanted to walk the next 16.5 miles to get in loop number two. Bummed I decided to go try to run slowly along the road for a bit to see if I could stretch it out. Bad choice as I headed out for about a mile and a half doing the walk/run thing and it wasn't pretty. Coming back it was more walk than run.

The Finish Area

I got myself changed and went to the finish area to watch the 50k guys finish and to see Chad thru after his 2nd loop of the 50 mile race. First through from lap two even before the 50k runners was Jeff Powers a 50 mile runner followed by Chad Denning just seconds behind. Chad was looking good but would have to kick it in to pass Jeff. Then the 50k runners came in. As predicted, Sean slowed up on lap 2 and ended it with the 50k. He just got back to training a month ago so this race was more to see where he was at with his training. Still he finished the 50K in second place, first master. Excellent run, keep it up! First in the 50K was Paul Wallace followed by Pete Lawry.

Chad after lap 2

I enjoyed a great meal at the race BBQ as always, said my good buys to Chris and Joe and was back on the road for 6 hours to Charlotte. The foot hurt all the way back home to which I administrered some tequila upon arrival and then rode my bike to a tiki party on the lake. I found out later that Jeff held on to the lead in the 50 mile with Chad finishing about 10 minutes behind for second. Good run guys!

Sunday morning, discouraged and with sore foot. Now what, the VT 100 is in two weeks and I can't run. I did some chores around the house and then by afternoon was thinking, "Desperate times call for desperate measures." With that in mind I pulled out the road bike which has been sitting vacant for years. I dusted off the saw dust and debris from it, pumped up the tires, found my shoes with the mouse family but luckily they only chewed up the pile from the winter boots and off I went on about an hour road ride. It was scary at first looking at the pavement as I was going down a hill at 40mph wondering if I had tightened the front wheel. It stayed on. I guess this is training until the foot feels better. After I got home, I did throw on the running shoes for a quick mile test run. No, not ready to run, still hurt.

Monday was the annual 4th of July Clarence De Mar 5K road race in So. Hero. I was signed up to run this and probably I could have pulled it off but was told by my advisor, Aliza, not to run. So I did listen and instead of running volunteered to help out at the race. After the race I hooked up with Joyce and Scott Holsten who had just finished running the 5k race and we went off on a bike ride in the Islands. Joyce and Scott are avid bikers so I wasn't sure if I could even keep up.

Joyce and Jack

North Hero Country Store

Jack and Scott

We rode about 33 miles on a perfect day. Joyce and Scott took it easy on me and made it a short ride. Got home, did some more chores and then time for a test run. I went out for an easy mile and it was better but I know if I want to run the VT 100 and better yet the UTMB in August, I need to behave and take care of my foot.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." This is a variant of the proverb "Desperate diseases must have desperate remedies." Whatever, I guess I'll be riding my bike for the next 2 weeks.

This Week in Training-Please no more rain!!

2011-06-27T15:41:00.001-04:00

RUN, CROSS TRAIN AND HAVE FUN WITH IT!

Finally today I'm able to put the sneakers outside to dry without threat of a lingering storm to refill the shoes with water and hopefully the stench of old moldy sneakers will disappear too. One can only hope. I have a new dryer with a high tech drying rack. Not as good as the sun.

Sneaker drying rack..

This past week has been a busy one. It was the last full week of intensive training before a gradual somewhat taper to prepare for some upcoming races with the VT 100 Mile less than 3 weeks away and the Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc after that. I think I managed to get through one, maybe two days of running without being rained on. Monday started out as a beautiful day, fooling you into believing every day could be like this. To fully take advantage I snuck in a shorter run just before lunch. Got some work done and then headed down to Addison to get the skydiving season officially open. Vermont Skydiving is an awesome place. Very low key but they know their stuff and also how to have fun.

Vermont Skydiving

After my quick refresher it was time to go up. Adam, Colin, Ole, myself and a student got comfy for the 20 minute or so ride up with Joe, our faithful pilot. It's a very relaxing ride up, a bit noisy but you get in a totally relaxed state of mind and at times fall asleep. The views this day were incredible and the air was cool and clean, except Joe had a bit of a gas problem and when you are locked in a small Cessna, there's not much you can do except turn on the miniature vents. The plane from the inside is stripped out of seats except for the pilot's seat and the interior is held together with lots of duct tape. Finally at about 12,000 we are ready to exit. Adam is first out with myself following about 7 seconds later. My favorite is the door dive into a forward roll then settling in. It's so much fun to play superman. I cruise around for about a minute or so, rolling flipping looking at the sites while dropping at 120 mph or so and also looking for the other skydivers. At around 3500 feet I throw out the chute, all good. I see Adam down below and shortly Ole comes cruising by and drops below. Colin goes zipping by too, not too far and I follow along behind. They have smaller chutes which makes them drop faster. After a nice soft landing, I feel great. There's nothing like diving out of a plane. At the end of the day, the kegolator flows but not for me today. I still need to get more mileage in. So after I get home, it's another 10 miles or so.

Tuesday's are always busy. We have the Tuesday Night trail running series at Catamount Family Center. It's a rolly, twisty 5k trail run with about 300 runners in a mass start. That in itself would be fun but usually I get in an hour or so of running before the race. This week I ran with Aliza for a while which would be her last home turf run until she came back from running in the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run on the weekend. After a pleasant run, I ran some more and then it was race time. It's always a wild, too fast start but soon mellows just a bit, mainly because it becomes a narrow single track and it's almost impossible to pass in certain sections. But that also gives you time to regroup and catch your breath for a moment. This night I'm a bit tired. Getting in max miles this month is catching up. I can't seem to stay up with Sam, he's running well tonight and Alan is gone too. Oh well, enjoy it. Afterwards we head out for another loop. This turns out to be a 20+ mile day.

Wed. arrives and it will be another night at Catamount but this time for mountain bike racing. I ran about 10 or 12 miles before the race and then the rains started, just in time for the bike races. It's coming down enough to make it greasy and each lap gets worse. Tonight I just did a 2 lapper as I still needed more running miles in. But I took full advantage of the mud and wore as much as I could. After the bike race, I threw on the running shoes and off on the trails I went.

Muddy night at Catamount

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, the rain just would not let up. The shoes are starting to smell as I go through my inventory of Mizuno's looking for dry stock. I got in some great runs starting at the Forest and then heading over to Sleep Hollow. There's a great loop called the Jedi Loop which is up and down and all around on great single track thanks to the efforts of the Fellowship of the Wheel. But of course it's raining, the only good thing, not as many bugs and the temps are cooler too. Sunday I'm trying to plan a trip to run the Pemi Loop in NH but the weather is not looking good either so I decide I can run up at Stowe in the rain as well as I can run in NH so I might as well save some drive time. Sunday morning I head over to the Toll Road at Stowe.

The Toll Road

Where's the sun?

The lower elevation temps are ok so I head out with shorts, no shirt and a cap. The usual summer attire. As I gain elevation I can feel the temps dropping and the wind is slowly picking up but nothing like on Mt. Washington the weekend before. About halfway up I feel a bit of a sprinkle but it lets up, maybe it was just fog. Once I get to the visitor's center I decide to go right up to the summit as bad weather could come in at any time and at the moment, it's bearable. Deep in the clouds with a little wind but overall a pleasant trip to the Chin and an immediate turn around and down. It's not warm enough to hang around. As I head down the Toll Road the drizzle picks up again and then turns to a downpour. I remember I left a pair of shoes out to dry next to the car. I don't think they will be dry any time soon. As I drop in elevation the rain increases and the body temp is dropping too. I think this really sucks, I'm tired of the rain. Soaking wet with about a mile to go on lap one I see two girls on mtn. bikes going up in the rain. As I'm going by one of them says with enthusiasm, "Looking good!". Well maybe this isn't such a bad day. A good ego booster is always helpful when the day really sucks. When I get to the car I'm totally drenched and decide to put on some dry clothes. Luckily I had one other pair of shoes inside the car which were dry. So new dry shorts, dry shoes and socks, some food and off I go. Loop two was ok. It was dry for most of it with the exception of some sprinkling here and there. Up to the visitor center and back down. Next up, the final loop. After a snack and drink I'm off. The skies are overcast as they have been. About half way up, first a fine drizzle which turns into a steady downpour. This really sucks. About 3/4 of the way up I am so tired of rain which almost looks like sleet and hail at this point that I remember a portolet which I'm contemplating going into to get out of the rain. But just as I come around the corner, the rain lets up, for the time being anyway. Another 5 minutes up, turn around and down I go. The rain is still coming down on and off and at times just pouring. I can hear my feet slapping on the downhill in the wet. Finally it's done, a 30 mile hill workout in challenging conditions.

Mount Mansfiield covered with clouds.

And so it ends, another stellar week of training including jumping out of airplanes, mountain bike racing and 120+ miles of running. If it just would stop raining...

Mount Washington-The Annual Presidential Traverse

2011-06-21T14:01:00.001-04:00

2011 Presidential Traverse

June 19, 2011

Mount Washington during most years creates it's own special challenge. This year the weather looked somewhat dry, the temps cools but bearable, 30's and 40's but the wind was the big factor. When I previewed the weather before heading out on my annual adventure it talked about windy conditions, 25-35 mph. That is nothing for Mt. Washington so I thought it was just a walk in the park. Never Assume! Mt. Washington doesn't boast to having the worst weather in the world for nothing. I started my adventure on the trail at 3:30 AM thinking I would leave a little buffer to catch the shuttle at the Highland Center at 1:30 PM to get a return trip to where I started at the Appalachia, Rt. 2 parking area. Little did I know that the wind was to be the BIG factor in today's adventure.

I arrived at the Appalachia parking lot on Rt. 2 outside of Gorham Saturday night amongst numerous other vehicles that had hikers from the busy Saturday. I got myself a nice spot to park the F-150 camper and got my provisions ready for the morning hike which would start at 3:30 AM. In doing so, I was trying to figure out what to bring while at the same time looking to be a minimalist in what I bring with me. Of course the lighter the better but be prepared for the worst on top of Mt. Washingon. I've had many other experienced on Washington which included dodging lightning bolt to dealing with hypothermia so I never take for granted what can happen.

Up at 3:00 AM, have a little breakfast, some last minute packing and on the trail by 3:30 AM, right on schedule. The temperature was probably in the 40's but going uphill for the first 4 1/2 miles warms you up quickly so I had on a light tech t-shirt and shorts, cap and headlamp. The first 3 1/2 miles were uneventful, plodding along in the dark in somewhat dry conditions. Then finally you break out from the trees. I could hear the wind howling already and could feel the temperature drop so before continuing on I though it would be smart to take off the sweaty shirt and layer up for the wind and cold. I put on a long sleeve tech shirt, a shell, light winter hat and gloves for the journey to the Madison Summit. This stretch along the Watson Path is a steady uphill climb over large bolders totally exposed to the weather. I could see the sun rising and when it briefly hit you, the warmth felt great but it had a ways to go before it was higher in the sky to really help. As I scrambled my way up, the wind got more and more intense. At times I had a hard time as the wind would blow me over. There are a number of false summits along this route but having done this enough times, I knew to be patient and knew about what time I would reach the summit. I could feel the core temp starting to drop as the wind sucked the warmth right out of the body. I ate a quick GU hoping some calories might help. Finally after 20-30 minutes in the cold and wind I reached the summit. The wind at this point must have been blowing over 70. No time to hang out, more like hang on. I kept going, now across the summit ridge and towards the Madison shelter getting blown sideways from the wind. I was having a hard time seeing as my eyes were watering and could feel my body shivering from the cold. It was only a 1/2 mile down to the shelter but the west/northwest wind was right in your face. As I approached the shelter my body was trembling from cold. Always I have continued on without even a break at this point but not this year. Two years ago I ended up on the summit of Mt. Washington with bad hypothermia from being exposed to wind, rain and cold and was treated to time in the infirmary wrapped in a heated blanked and down sleeping bag. Didn't want to do that again. Plus I was already feeling somewhat hypothermic so thought I would stop in to try to warm up.

It was just before 6:00 AM but there was some activity in the Madison Shelter. Even inside the windows were shaking from the wind making me think twice about continuing on. The next 3 hour stretch you are mostly exposed going through the Great Gulf Wilderness Area. It's rare that I even see anyone going along this stretch, especially at this early hour. I put another heavier long sleeve shirt on under my shell and kept my hat and gloves on. Hot tea, yes that might help. I grabbed a cup of hot tea but was having a hard time with the cup as my hands were mostly useless from the cold and I was shivering. I got some trail mix out of my pack and was slowly eating that too, hoping the calories would help warm me up. Still shivering I was already planning my day, plan B. I could hike back down to the car and drive to Mansfield and run aroung the mountain as I often do. It would be warmer there. Still shivering I grabbed another cup of hot water and drank it, then a another. I could see the sun coming up more and starting to hit some of the trails. Hmm, if the warmth of the sun would help, could I continue on without getting in trouble? After over a half hour trying to warm up I had to get going but would I be bailing out or continuing on. I would make that decision once I was outside. Being one not to give up easily, I thought I would continue on at least to Mt. Adams. For a stretch I would be shielded from the wind and the sun was on the trail. I was finally feeling better but still not warm. It's about 30 minutes to the summit. I also knew I would be blasted with the wind on top of Adams and hiking for a short time into the wind again. And yes, right on schedule, got to the summit feeling good, then blasted by the wind until I got to the Gulfside Trail and then headed more south so the wind was at my back. And so it went all the way to the summit of Mt. Washington going over Jefferson and Clay. Along the Clay Loop it got so warm I even took my shell off but I knew it wouldn't last as the 1 mile approach to the summit is totally exposed and the wind did blow all the way but it was at my back. I arrived at the summit with the wind blowing 53 gusting to 72 and maybe 40 degrees in the fog and glad to be inside to fuel up for the remainder of the trip.

Turkey sandwich, diet coke and some trail mix. I checked my hydration bag and only drank about 10 ounces of fluid in 5 hours, not good. But I did have 3 cups of tea/hot water. I still had 30 ounces so I figured I would fill up later on to keep the pack weight down. So I ate, sort of warmed up and back at it. Losing time at the Madison hut, the next challenge would be getting down to catch the shuttle on time. It would be close. I could bypass a summit or two and make the trip shorter, but no, wouldn't even think of it. I could always hitch a ride back. With the wind blowing like it was I already ruled out a return trip on the trails. Been there ,done that before in better weather but without adequate clothing this year to go into the wind into the late night hours in 30 degree temps, it was not happening this year. I must be getting smarter??

Saw these awesome flowers along the way.

I knew the trail down to Lake of the Clouds would be blasted with wind but after that and going down in elevation, the temps were also warming and the sun felt great. Got up Monroe, Franklin, Eisenhower. When I got to Pierce, I knew I had at least another 2 hours and 15 minutes to go. Looking at my watch, it was going to be real close if I would make the shuttle. Warming I got rid of my extra layers, hat and gloves and was down to a tech t-shirt again and cap. I was hoping to stop at the Mizpah hut but no time. It would be a gamble to see if I had enough fluid to complete the trip. Onward past the hut, up Webster, Jackson and a sprint to the finish at Crawford Notch, as much as one can sprint over roots and rocks. With 10 minutes to spare I made the shuttle for an hour ride back to the car. Nice!

The gear: Mizuno Cabraken 2 shoes were awesome grippinig over the rocky terrain and holding steady on the roots. The Mizuno Cabraken Shell was a life saver to help break the wind. I used the Gregory Wasatch Active Trail Series pack which worked great. GU brew was the fluid of choice and some GU's for quick energy throughout.

I try to make this trip every year as it's one of the best training runs I can find for the ultra races I do and was a great tune up for this year's upcomng VT 100 Mile Endurance Run and the Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc. It's always a challenge and can kick my butt and usually does. And I always learn something on these adventures up Mt. Washington and this year was no exception. Pack some warmer clothes!!

The Three 50’s, Part Three: Northface Endurance Challenge at Bear Mtn, NY

2011-06-20T23:42:00.001-04:00

2011 Northface 50 Mile Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain, NY

May 7. 2011

Of the three 50's this spring, this would be the most technical. This would be my third running of this event and although it is not a fast 50, it is fun if you respect it. For me, the question would be how much energy would I have. My kick a... job was still draining my energy from early morning risings and physical energy spent at work. Whatever, I went into this event knowing it would be a great training run for later events in the year.

Arrived at the site the night before and car camped in the F-150. Worked awesome! Got up in the early morning and jumped on the shuttle to the start. The morning started off cool but was dry which was great. Got to the start and got my bib and ran into Leigh Schmitt. Leigh had moved to CA last year so I didn't think I would see him this year but NF wanted him here for the event. We chatted for quite a while and before you knew it, it was time to run. Besides Leigh I ran into Mike Oliva, a friend from NY who I met at Western States back in 06. I also ran into Brian Rusiecki and Amy Lane and Annette Bednosky.

The race went off as scheduled and we were off. As usual a fast pack took off. I was just in the back of this pack to stay ahead of the masses but wanted to settle in and do my own thing. I felt ok but not totally energized. But after about two miles, it was clear to me that this was not to be a great day. The legs felt fine but the energy level just was not there. So i backed off even more than usual and looked at this as a fun Sunday run. The course was in great shape, drier than in years past. The temps seemed reasonable so far but would be warming later on. So I did my thing and ran along. I had a number of early wipe outs on the trail but nothing major.

Finally after about two hours I was feeling good and started to pick up the pace. I was passing other runners and cruising along having fun again. Then at about mile 26, I took another fall, a good tuck and roll and kept going. But at this spot was a sharp 90 degree turn. I did such a good tuck and roll that I rolled right past the turn off and kept going down a gradual hill for quite a while. I was feeling good but after a while, it was too quiet. I looked for trail markers, nothing. Finally I did some trail scanning and couldn't see any good footprints. Dang! Lost again. I turned around and ran back up this hill, cussing that the courses are never marked good enough. Finally I came across this very obvious turn off, which I had rolled right through and never saw, runner error. Back on course I figured I had lost about 20 minutes. I was again passing folks who I had passed earlier.

Got to the aid station at mile 28, refueled and kept on going. Chatted with Scott Livingston too and thanks Scott for the awesome photos which I have displayed here. At the next steep uphill I came across Annette Bednosky who was actually walking up this hill. I gave her some grief as I passed her and we chatted a bit. Over the past year, I have seen Annette at a number of races and she is one strong runner who I respect. For the rest of the race, we would go back and forth. Annette was feeling sluggish on the uphills where I was feeling stronger. But on the downhills Annette was in cruise mode where I was more in turtle mode due to sore feet and PF. When we got to the road section with the long gradual uphill, I took off and didn't see Annette for quite a while. Meanwhile I was doing my thing, just running along. The heat was increasing and so were my cramps. I made some adjustments to my electrolyte intake but was still on the verge of cramping whenever I really stressed the body. It was a balancing act as usual. I passed some others who had passed me way back so at least I was still gaining ground. Still I was running a bit conservative trying not to blow up with cramping. With about 5 miles to go Annette eventually caught up. We ran together again for a while. She was running in the top position for the women but had no idea where the next woman was. We pushed on going back and forth but staying pretty close together. With the final two miles to go, we took off at a good pace. The course was more of a XC trail setting and not as technical so we could push the pace. Without rocks to dodge, my feet felt much better so I was able to push even a bit harder. I pulled ahead of Annette and was feeling good. I ran to the finish line with a time that would be my longest 50 mile finish ever. Still I was pleased that I was able to come back from such a bad start and even after getting lost for 20 minutes. I finished 9th overall, first master and first in my age group. Annette was only about 30 seconds behind me and won overall for the women.

The Gear: I ran in the Mizuno Cabarakan 2 shoe which performed excellent on the rocky course. The Mizuno techie shorts and shirt also worked great as did the multi-purpose hat providing shade from the sun, a deflector from bugs and a sweat band.

Thanks to Northface for putting on this event!

The Three 50's Part 2: 2011 Bull Run Run 50 Miler

2011-06-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

2011 BULL RUN RUN RACE REPORT

April 9. 2011

Nice single track!

This race has been on my list of “to do’s” for quite a while. I never had the opportunity to travel to Virginia this time of year but 2011 seemed to have a void in the schedule so it fit just right. Many friends have had the opportunity to run this race and I’ve heard nothing but good things. So, at the last minute I signed up, which is a lottery system based on the stock market. Whatever, I made it in. Shortly thereafter I was contacted by another runner, David Ploskunka, who was organizing a team to run in the open class. It seemed like a fun thing so sure, why not.

For this trip I decided to drive down from VT with a stop in CT to visit mom and it broke the trip up into 2 sections. When I arrived in Virginia, after incredible traffic jams in Baltimore and outside of Washington DC, the rain was lingering. Just like home in VT, the rains had followed me down. When I arrived at the race site, I went for a quick run before dinner to preview the course. Rain and cool temps. After a quick dinner in the F-150 camper, I headed over to the pre-race meeting. The usual talk about the course, etc. and then there was discussion about the team events. The local team of years past was heavily favored and there was no talk about any good competition this year. Excellent, we had a strong team and no one knew about us. At the meeting I met my teammates for the event, David Ploskunka, John Cassilly and Matt Bugin, all youngins but with some good credentials. This could be fun!

Stream Crossing

Race Day, up early for the 6:30 start. Temps were cooler than normal with clouds, excellent! The first mile was a loop around the parking lot which was fast and furious before heading onto the trails. I settled in but still felt like I was going too fast. This first section was an out and back. With the rains the day before they were saying it was extremely muddy but it seemed like a typical day in VT. But the usual dry stream crossings were not dry at all. In fact there were a good half dozen times where you were completely submerged in water going along some concrete pillions, and if you fell off, who knows how deep it might be. Luckily I stayed on course. I think I was running in about 7^th place just doing my thing and not worrying about the leaders. The trails got a bit congested being an out and back but after the first section, it turned into some fine single track. The course had some other loops and lollipops sections which I barely remember but I know I was just running my race and slowly picking up steam. The temps were manageable so cramping was not an issue as long as I was taking my S-Caps. The aid stations were excellent providing just enough if needed. I was powering through mostly with GU’s and the occasional peanut and butter sandwich. At one point I passed by Adam Hill. The last time I saw Adam was at the VT 100 a few years back where I passed him at mile 95. Adam and I ran together for quite a while until the middle of the Do Loop. He said he always had trouble here and wouldn’t you know; it happened again. I tried to keep him going but he slowly faded. Somehow I was now in 4^th position after passing some others earlier on in the race. I kept hearing from spectators that I was only a couple of minutes behind the 2^nd and 3^rd place runners. So I pushed on thinking maybe I could sneak up on them. Little did I know that they had seen me and were pushing hard to stay ahead. Just when I thought I was gaining, I was running through the soccer fields and ended up in a parking lot, totally lost. I ran in circles and was jumping up and down trying to find the course. Luckily a passerby in a car noticed my crazed behavior and redirected me back on course. I always seem to get lost at some point in the race and this race was no different. That took the steam out of me but onward I went. No signs of any other runners for a while so I thought I might even be lost again. Finally I recognized part of the course and knew the end was near. Up the hill, through the fields and bluebells and finally across the finish line in 6:49:57 setting a new age group record. As stated in the official Bull Run Run Report, “This Beamonesque time obliterated the senior event record by almost an hour”.

Matt Woods won the event setting a course record beating Leigh Schmidt’s record from the previous year. Neal Forman and David Frazier were tied for 2^nd. Adam Hill was just behind me finishing in 6:57:10. I never saw her during the race but Annette Bednosky finished first for the women.

Annette Bednosky, the womens winner.

In the team event, our little know team, the Equipo de Deportes finished first in the men’s open division defeating the heavily favorites.

The Winning Open Team

I felt good for most of the race. Still the energy level was not at top level but the course was not incredibly demanding either. Being a very runable course make the effort just a bit easier and the cooler temps helped too. Thanks to the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club for putting on this great event.

Jack

The Gear: I ran in the Mizuno Cabarakan 2 shoe which performed excellent in the muddy conditions and drained well with all the stream crossings. The Mizuno technical shorts and shirts also worked wonderfully as usual.

The Three 50's Part One: USATF 50 Mile National Trail Championships

2011-06-15T11:54:00.000-04:00

Since March I've run three 50 mile races. Here is the first one :

2011 NUECES RACE REPORT AND ANOTHER ROAD TRIP

March 5, 2011

Desert conditions in Texas

Since I didn’t make the lottery for the Hardrock 100 or Western States this year, it opened up the race schedule a bit. Without the travel expenses of either, I thought a short road trip might be in order this winter. And, time to get out of VT and experience summer in the middle of winter. I researched the ultra schedule and found thru the USATF, a 50 mile race in Texas which was also the National Trail Championship as well. Having never been to Texas I signed up for the Nueces 50 mile Endurance Race located somewhere near Rocksprings, Texas.

The road in, a bit dusty.

One question I had, was I ready for a 50 miler this early in the year? Training all winter on snow covered roads in the cold isn’t the best to get ready for a trail race in the Texas heat. But what the heck, I knew I could do the distance. But how fast and how soon until cramps kick in from lack of any heat acclimation would be the challenge. And being a Saturday race I knew I had to get off a couple of days from my early morning work schedule. Getting up at 4:00 AM and lifting boxes for 4 ½ hours each day is not what I call being in “taper” mode before a race. Luckily I was able to get the two days off prior to race. Leaving Burlington, the temps were close to zero. I arrived at the San Antonio airport shortly after 11:00 AM. It was already showing around 80 degrees. This was going to be interesting. The drive out was 2+ hours which went from the city to suburbia to ranch country for the last hour which was flat and desert like. All I could see was scrub brush, cacti and signs for exotic hunting. I finally arrived at the race site, Camp Eagle to preview the course and met the race director and his wife, Joe and Joyce. I grabbed some water since it was now 83 degrees. Shorts, no shirt and running in the heat in the middle of the winter, this was ok. I don’t think I had seen trails without snow on them since November. A lot of the surface had loose rock which was a little tricky to run on but overall, the trails were not that technical. There were a lot of switchbacks and not too much for hills. Most was quite run-able. Although it was hot, it was so dry that you didn’t even sweat. After the run, I headed back to Kerrville just over an hour away to find a place to stay and food as there really was nothing at Camp Eagle. Friday morning I drove back up to Camp Eagle and ran the trails a bit more and checked in for the night in one of the hostel type rooms.

The bunk house.

Race start was at 6:00 am, about an hour before sunrise. Glad I brought my headlamp. Temps were a bit cooler, maybe 50’s and the wind was blowing. Way better than the 83 degrees from Thursday. Just before we headed out, I caught up with Lisa Howard, a local Texan and the 2010 winner of Leadville who I met last year at Leadville. We chatted quickly just before the start and then we were off. A group of maybe 10 or so took off quickly and settled in. Shortly David James, Jason Schlarb and another youngin left the group and took the lead. I was running in a pack which included Lisa and we chatted for quite a while. By the first aid station at mile 5, the group started to scatter a bit. I ended up running with Jason Bryant from NC and Steve Moore a local Texan. The three of us spent quite a while running together for the first 2 loops of this 3 loop course. The course was fun with lots of switchbacks, some loose rock climbs and running in dry streambeds, much different from Vermont roots, rocks and mud. Not a lot of vegetation either except for scrub trees which provided some shade. The air was starting to warm but still was bearable for a northerner. But by the middle of the second lap I could feel the heat. At one point I was zoning out and took a nasty fall. Those rocks are not very forgiving but I did my usual tuck and roll and kept on going. I think I would manage to fall a couple more times during the race but nothing unusual and everything stayed intact. At the start of the 3^rd lap I decided to back off a bit to try to prevent the heat from hitting me too hard. Jason had moved out ahead and Steve was somewhere behind. I was taking my electrolyte supplements and drinking but still not seeing any heat like this for 6 months or the extremely dry air was taking its toll. I could feel the cramping starting in my toes and working its way up. Not much I could do but keep moving, just a bit slower. Most of this third lap I was by myself. With a few miles to go, I could see Steve coming along. Usually I enjoy the end of the race with a good push towards the finish but today, any time I tried to push cramps would kick in. So it goes, just as expected but that’s what early training runs are all about. With about a mile to go, Steve came by looking strong. In the end, Steve finished in 4^th overall, less than 1 minute ahead. Jason Bryant finished in 3^rd overall. David James was second and Jason Schlarb from CO finished first. The other youngin who went out with David and Jason blew up somewhere on course and was a DNF. Not far behind me was Jeremy Pade from MD. Liza Howard was first for the women. All seven of us beat the previous course records.

Part of the race course.

Special thanks to Steve Moore for those ice cold Lone Start beers immediately after the race and to race directors Joe and Joyce for a great event.

The gear: I wore the Mizuno Cabraken 2 shoe which provided excellent traction in the loose rock conditions. The Mizuno Ascend shorts also worked great!

Crazy moving bridge we ran over three times.

Exotic Hunting??

JACK IS BACK

2011-06-01T10:43:00.000-04:00

Yes, Jack is finally back!

Thanks to Binney for that headline as we were running at Catamount last night. After the last few months of craziness, I have reworked my schedule and life to allow myself to re-focus on work and running. Yesterday ended 18 months of an insane job that got me up at 4:00 in the morning each weekday. Not to say that I haven't been working or running but without adequate energy to fuel the fire it's been tough. In the last three months I've run 3 50 mile races, 2 half marathons, 1 marathon and some shorter trail races and maybe some others that I have forgotten about, moved, started up my own Real Estate office, went to NYC for USATF coaching certification and am coaching some great folks for many different races. All this on 4-5 hours of sleep a night. Even after 1 normal nights sleep, I feel much better with more energy and am look forward to each day again.

So watch out, Jack is back! And I will find the time to write up the highlights from some of my races over the past 3 months.

Race Schedule for 2011 and Training

2011-02-19T09:34:00.002-05:00

What a treat to run in shorts and no hat yesterday…or was that just a dream. This morning I awoke to reality, 20 degrees with the wind blowing 20 or so, wind chill about 5 degrees. Yes, winter is still here. I was waiting for Aliza to arrive for our Saturday morning run but just got an email, cancelled. I guess I’m on my own. A quick waffle, a cup of tea and out the door I will go.

I feel more motivated now to get out and run as I committed myself to another race last night after buying my plane ticket. In just two weeks from today, I will be in Texas so no excuses to sit by the fire this morning. And two nights ago I committed to running the VT 100 again. Anyway, here’s the lineup as it’s shaping up for 2011, of course all subject to change;

March 5, 2011; USA Track and Field 50 mile Trail National Championships, Nueces Endurance Trail Run, somewhere in Texas.

March 20, 2011; New Bedford, MA ½ Marathon, (speed workout), a team event with the GMAA.

April 9, 2011; Bull Run 50 mile, somewhere in VA.

May 7, 2011; Northface 50 mile at Bear Mtn., in NY.

May 29, 2011; Key Bank Vermont City Marathon, (speedwork).

June 2011; (?)

July 2, 2011, Finger Lakes 50K in Hector, NY (?)

July 16, 2011, Vermont 100 Mile.

August 26, 2011, Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc 100 Mile in Europe.

And of course there will be the weekly 5K Tuesday night trail races at Catamount Family Outdoor Center in Williston from the end of May through September and I’m sure numerous GMAA races.

Now I need to come up with a training schedule for myself. I’ve been winging it so far this year but have been putting in 80 and 90 mile weeks since the beginning of the year with my last 100 mile run in December so I guess I should be ready for a 50 mile race in two weeks as long as it’s not too hot. No heat training as of yet, unless yesterday’s run (which started in the 50’s and dropped to the 40’s by the time I got home), counts so I better dig out the electrolyte pills. The rest of the training has been alternating hard and easy days and always throwing in at least one 20 mile+ run a week, sometimes two. I’ve had some good longer runs with Kelly on the rolling back roads of East Charlotte and have done a little speed work on some longer runs with Aliza. And I’ve run some of the Richmond group Sunday runs with the GMAA folks followed up with incredible feeding, yes I like to eat. I’ve been trying to do more cross training this year too. I get out twice a week on my skis, either lift serviced alpine skiing or skinning up. Sledding with my Hammerhead Sled, I’ve been doing some hiking up Mt. Philo for speed runs down. And I’ve been doing core workouts 5 days a week for 4 hours at a time getting up at 4:00 AM. Oh, that’s my early morning part-time job at UPS loading trucks with packages that weigh up to 150 pounds as they come off a moving conveyor belt. A fellow worker had a pedometer on one day to see how far we “walk at a brisk pace” during the shift. I think we calculated it was close to 10 miles a day while lifting and loading. I’m still trying to figure out how that fits into my training. All I know is it takes all day to recover before I want to run.
Anyway, that’s it for now. I guess it’s time to put on the layers and head out the door for another adventure. It's cold out there!

Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc and The Week in Review

2011-01-26T20:28:00.000-05:00

What a treat tonight, to be able to run in 30 degrees above zero and without wind. I even thought about wearing shorts earlier when the sun was out but by the time I got out the door, the clouds had rolled in and it was getting close to sunset. Still, light layers and a thin pair of mitts made for a very enjoyable run tonight compared to many runs in sub zero temperatures lately.

Mont Blanc

My plans for 2011 are finally falling into place. After not making the lottery into Western States and a chance for the Grand Slam, I was pleasantly informed last week of my acceptance into the Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc, one of my dream races. This is 100 miles around Mont Blanc which includes running through the countries of Switzerland, France and Italy. Having never been to Europe before, this is certainly a dream race come true. The race includes 2300 entrants from all around the world which were drawn from a lottery from well over 3000 entries. I know very little about the race but do know I need a doctor’s certificate to complete the application. When I went in to get my doctor to sign off on my good health, the woman at the front desk returned from chatting with my doctor and stated “no way is he signing off on you, you haven’t seen him for 2 ½ year”. The “but I’ve been healthy and haven’t needed to see him”, didn’t work or my colonoscopy 1 ½ years ago. So I guess I have to go in next month for a full physical. It will be worth it. I’m really psyched to be running with or at least starting with some of the best runners in the US such as for the men; Geoff Roes, Karl Meltzer, Anton Krupicka, Hal Koerner, Dakota Jones, Scott Jurek to name few and for the women, Kristin Moehl, Darcy Africa and my local training acquaintance, Aliza Lapierre. So no matter how it goes, it will be an unbelievable experience. My hope is also to stay after the race to visit some of my old family paisano heritage in parts of Italy. Who knows, maybe I’ll like it so much that I’ll stay there :)
Other plans for the year should fall into place in the next week or so as more lottery results will be posted. Then I can finally come up with a training schedule for myself. In the meantime, I’ve been on a “maintenance program” which includes about 80 miles a week, core workouts daily Monday through Friday at my pre-dawn job of loading trucks for 4+ hours and alpine skiing and skinning at least 2 times each week. Last week I met up with a good friend from Southern VT, John Talkington and skinned up the backside of Killington to an area where you frequently hear about tourists getting lost off the mountain.

John skiing through the woods.

From a very remote area, it was about a 2 hour skin up a moderate grade and then skiing down through fairly open trees. When I drove down to meet John, all I could see was ice stuck to my windshield and side view mirrors and was wondering why I was making to trip but once we started to rise in elevation, the ice layer disappeared. No it wasn’t Champaign powder but still was a lot of fun.

From the Chin on Mt. Mansfield

And the week before, I skinned up along the exposed ridgeline of Mount Mansfield in zero temps with winds blowing 30 or so. Not the most pleasant experience but as usual I kept going. I visited the Chin which is the highest point in the State of VT and has a lot of sentimental value to me. I couldn’t see much as my eyelashes were almost frozen shut but felt the good vibes off the Chin as usual. Then I was pleasantly surprised by some of the good untracked woods skiing coming off the face of the mountain. Always an adventure!

And another activity this winter, high speed sledding. Living with Mt. Philo in my backyard, a sledding mecca, I've had a chance to frequent the hill for some great sledding on my Hammerhead Sled! I've never been on such on nice rig. And until you experience this finely tuned machine, you just can't imagine how nice it can be. Thanks Steve :)

Jack with his Hammerhead Sled after night sledding.

And when you are at mile 90 of a 100 mile race remember; “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”.

A LITTLE KARMA AND SNOWSTORM RUNNING TIPS

2011-01-12T14:07:00.002-05:00

A LITTLE KARMA AND TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON

This is not the usual race report so beware.

A Blustery and Snowy Day in VT

As I sit here looking out the window all I can see are the snowflakes being carried sideways by the howling winds and snowdrifts getting bigger as each minute passes. The temperature is 15 degrees but with the wind chill it’s more like 0. It makes it hard to get motivated to go out and run but it has to be done. I know that once I’m out the door it will be another epic adventure. But In trying to find the motivation to get out the door, I look ahead to some of this year’s races that I’m trying to get into figuring that would make my training run today have a purpose. A purpose, yes I heard that word just recently and it had to do with karma, or so I was told.

I was with an acquaintance over the weekend having a fabulous time in Stowe skiing in the morning and running all afternoon in the fresh snow on the back roads, seeing wild turkeys in the fields and a coyote running through the deep snow. While finishing the day with dinner at Gracies I noticed she had on a shirt from a local health spa that said “What goes around comes around”. I asked what that meant and she replied it was about karma and that to her it meant something had served a purpose and it was time to move on. I didn’t question it but somehow that didn’t seem right, especially coming from a health spa. That sounded more like quitting and failure. Failure is another thing I have a hard time with which is probably why I can keep going in many of these endurance races. But as long as you try, it is not failure. “The only real failure in life is the failure to try.” Even dropping in a race is acceptable and noble as long as you gave it your best effort. So how could all this be good karma?

The Happy Budha
(If you rub his belly it's supposed to bring you good luck, good karma. Yes I have one of these and rub his belly every day)

So I did a little research and found a much different answer. The word karma literally means deed, but implies the entire cycle of cause and its effects. The decisions you make and the way you treat people will someday come back to stare you in the face. If you are good and kind to people they will treat you kind. If you are cruel to people and make bad decisions then life will not be so kind to you. Now that makes sense. Now how does that relate to running? In running the longer distances, it becomes more and more of a mental challenge the farther and longer we go. So having good karma can helps you get through the low points of the race. Think of how we rely on a lot of different folks during our races throughout the season, many of them volunteers being there out of the goodness of their hearts only to hear us complain at times. How many times have you come into an aid station and they just didn’t have the snack you were looking for or not the right drink? Or you were dehydrated and a bit cranky and may not have been the nicest person on the planet. Did you still thank the volunteers for their help and for standing out there for hours and hours? Well if you didn’t, you should have. For now on make an extra effort to say “Thank You”. Some day you may really need one of those volunteers in a life threatening situation and having good karma will only help in the end as the total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, may determining the person's destiny.

So as you prepare for your races this year and are asking people to crew and pace for you in your quest to succeed, make sure you treat them kindly not only at the race but all the time. Better yet, always show your appreciation to those folks who care most about you and who will be there for you. And be good and kind to all the volunteers and make sure you let them know and thank them often. Another thing you might consider is to give back to the racing community. Talk to the race directors and find out how you can volunteer at a race to see how it is on the other end. Crew and pace for someone, it’s a great experience and a lot of fun. In many cases it’s harder than running the race itself. Do some trail work. It’s a requirement for many of the 100 mile races but do it anyway, even when it’s not required. And remember, every human action--in thought, word, or deed-- inevitably leads to results or consequences, positive or negative, depending upon the quality of the action. Scary thought!

And what is success: To fail is a natural consequence of trying. To succeed takes time and prolonged effort in the face of unfriendly odds. To think it will be any other way, no matter what you do, is to invite yourself to be hurt and to limit your enthusiasm for trying.

Enough karma for the day, time to go run!

SOME WINTER TRAINING TIPS FOR RUNNING IN A SNOW STORM

Wearing xc ski gaiters in deep snow helps keep your feet warmer and drier. Many of today’s trail running shoes are made of mesh which doesn’t help. Or wear a Gore-Tex running shoe.

Using studded sneakers can help on hard pack surfaces but you might try something like the Kahtoola Micro Spikes for better traction in deeper snow or even running snow shoes.

Technical clothing is essential in wicking away moisture and keeping you as dry as possible. Wear layers in case you need to regulate the core temperature.

A balaclava under your hat that you can pull up helps protect the face from frostbite and yes of course, wear a winter hat.

Wind proof outer layers are a necessity (and wind briefs for the guys to keep the family jewels from freezing).

I prefer winter mitts on the really cold days but this in an individual thing. My hands tend to freeze easily.

On longer runs, you may consider having some clothing to change into along the way. Have your car or home be a stop in the middle of the run where you can do a quick change and keep going. Being warm and dry is critical beyond a couple of hours or the sweat may turn to ice. Having something for hydration at that time would be good too as often it will freeze if you are carrying it while you are running.

If running at night wear a reflective clothing/vest, a headlamp and a rear blinker. It’s real hard to see a runner in a snowstorm. The snow plow trucks will appreciate it and so will you when they don’t run you over with the wing plow.

Goggles or sunglasses with light colored lenses, not a bad idea if you want to see where you are going.

Try to plan your route around the wind or down low when going into the wind. Running cross wind is certainly better than having the snow blast you head on.

And remember:

"If you are good and kind to people they will treat you kind"

“The only real failure in life is the failure to try"

The END of 2010 and A NEW POSITIVE ATTITIDE FOR 2011!

2011-01-04T23:36:00.001-05:00

2010 RECAP

Jack with Corky at Leadville

Last year was up and down for me both in races and personally.   I had a lot of personal changes and challenges along with job demands that made it a very difficult year. It definitely made a difference on race day as I can't really remember a race that I felt fully rested and 100%. Still, I persevered and pulled off some good race results throughout the year. The Burning River 100 was my fastest 100 miler yet even though I was not feeling great. I still had fun visiting a whole new area and visiting Niagara Falls on the way out. Leadville was a disappointment in my performance but in the overall perspective, it was an awesome experience just being out there and it brought to light some other aspects of my life. And being my first time in Colorado, it opened my eyes to a whole new country, a place that I could call home some day? Who knows?? I did not return to defend my title at the VT 100 but chose to crew and pace for another runner which I completely enjoyed, helping her to finish in her fastest time yet for a 100 miler and beyond her own expectations.   The JFK 50 miler was a surprise to me in that I had some time to check out the area and really appreciated the whole history of the race and the area. It made the race more than just a race, but rather a historic trip that I will remember for some time. It was also my fastest time for a 50 miler. I had my first DNF ever at the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon in May. I was so distraught that immediately afterwards I went for a 2 hour mountain bike ride followed up with a run to get in 20 miles for the day but had to run backwards for the few miles as I was in too much pain to run like most normal runners. I won the Rollin Irish Half Marathon in April which was fun. I ran in three or four 50 milers, did three 100 milers which included one of my own creations, ran many other trail races and logged more miles than ever before, just over 4500 miles of the year. I had a uneventful Presidential Traverse in the White Mountains of NH. Just cold and damp but no hypothermia or major bonking this year, so that was good.

I am very grateful to the wonderful network of friends I have and to the running community here in Vermont and all over the country. I always say, it's not about the race but more about the journey and that surely was the case in 2010.

RACE REPORT FOR THE NATIONAL XC 10K TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CHARLOTTE, NC.
December 11, 2010.

With the holidays and a crazy work schedule I almost forgot about this but Tony has been bugging me so here goes.

Our 50's team with the Green Mountain Athletic Association is the defending champs for this event so we had to travel down to Charlotte, NC. After coming from nowhere last year in Kentucky and winning this event, we had some teams really after us this year. We have a great crew of runners who have no egos but are truly great runners. So we came to Charlotte with a great attitude and would see how we could do. For the team we had Norm Larson, Tommy Ryan, Tony Bates, Kevin McMahon, Jim Miller and myself. Jim Miller was still working on an injury so we weren't quite sure how that would pan out but at least we had 6 team members, with only 5 needed for scoring. Immediately after work Friday morning, I boarded a plane at 11:00 am from Burlington to Charlotte.   It was great to board on the plane, knowing that I had a weekend to not have to work. I look at these races as a time to rest. The race was only a 10k so it would be over soon and I would have time to relax and enjoy life a bit. Coming from a hectic week of working mornings and night for the busy Christmas season I was only able to sleep at a two hour clip but twice a day, still four hours a day doesn't quite cut it. Anyway, I would have a good night sleep in Charlotte to try to catch up. When I arrived in Charlotte, it was a warm welcoming, that being the temps. As soon as I got settled in my room with Tony and Jim, I got on my running gear, headlamp on and out to view the city of Charlotte for a night run. The great thing about traveling and running, you can see so much just by running about in the cities. I ran by the famous Nascar Museum and then toured around. Charlotte was incredibly clean and friendly. The Christmas decorations were up so running at night was special to see it all lit up. Finally back to the room, dinner and to bed. The race the next morning wasn't until 11:00 am so a good nights sleep was in order. At the crack of dawn or by 7:45 or so we could hear a lot of noise below. It was the Nascar Marathon with thousands of runners just below our window running along. It was fun to see. Afterwards, we went out for the usual shake out run to loosen up the body and to get ready for breakfast. Breakfast, this was a challenge as most of the city was closed up on the weekend. The one bagel shop had a huge line so we ended up back at the hotel. A quick lesson was learned, don't order hotel food. Cup of tea, $5., A lousy bagel, $5. So be it. Then on to the race. The race course was a 10k loopy thing which ran along kind of a tow path with one hill but you ran that hill 3 times on various loops. This race was for all the masters runners so the adrenaline was running high and off we went in a mass start of 400 or so racers. From a wide start to a narrow trail, it was tight. Even after the first mile and a half, I can remember bumping with other runners. And the start was fast, even in a crowd but manageable, or so I thought. After the first mile at 5:40 or so, I was quickly losing steam. The lack of sleep was catching up. The legs felt fine but the energy level went from 10 to about 2. I could see the other 50's runners passing by one by one. And that's how it went for me, basically a survival run. Luckily I have awesome teammates who ran strong. Norm lead the way for us with an incredible time as usual followed by Tony Bates and Tommy Ryan. Just behind was Kevin McMahon, a 56 year old who trains while running with the baby jogger for his new born child. Way to go Kevin! Jim Miller ended up pulling out so I was the 5th scoring member of our team. One of the worst 10Ks that I've run, I felt like I let the team down but I just had no energy. Still, when the day was done, we made the podium coming in 3rd overall. Not bad for a bunch of old guys from Vermont!

After the race, I ran back to the hotel to get in my miles for the day. It was about 9 miles back to the hotel. I hadn't felt good all morning but after a mile or so of running back to the hotel I stopped at a convenience store to get a quick snack and drink. Snickers and a Coke, the snack of champions. Well, before I left the store, things erupted internally and that set the tone for the rest of the day and night. I quickly learned that the Marathon gas stations are frequent and have excellent bathroom facilities. It was a long run back but I was in no hurry so I tried to enjoy the journey. As I got closer to the city, I noticed the sidewalk system that I was following was coming to an end. What to do? I hesitated for a second but knew I had to make a decision. To go forward or head off in another direction to who knows where. So I kept going but no more sidewalk. So for the next few miles, I was running on the Freeway towards Charlotte. Traffic was buzzing by but I kept going on the shoulder hoping that eventually I would find another roadway to follow. I was just waiting for the police to pull me over but no, I finally made it to some exit ramp that I sort of recognized. By then the stomach was erupting again and by the power of God or who knows what, there was a port-o-let just ahead.  Left over from the Nascar Marathon and no line so I quickly took advantage of the marathon perks. As I headed towards the city I came across someone who was still running the marathon, 7 hours after the start. I wished her luck and continued on, finally arriving at the hotel. For the night, it was awards, dinner snacks and an upset stomach again so back to the room for an early evening.

Sunday was a travel day back to VT. Tony and I caught the bus to get to the airport for our 11:00 am flight. We got there plenty early, 8:45 or so. After waiting a while, we learned that our flight was delayed due to weather and so the wait started. I think it was every 30 minutes that an update was announced saying that the fog in Washington was too heavy therefore we couldn't fly in. I was getting quite antsy and after many hours of waiting decided to put on my running gear. I still needed to get my run in for the day, so why waste time sitting in the airport. I got on the shorts and shoes and started to run to opposite ends of the terminal. Thanks to Kasie for the suggestion. I felt like OJ running around the terminal, jumping around airport travelers. When I got to the far end of the airport, I heard an announcement that they were finally boarding and quickly ran back. I think it was 7 hours at the Charlotte airport, way too much time but at least there was good company to hang with. The next leg to Washington was short but there would be another 5 hour wait until we could fly back to Burlington. I left the shorts on for the flight under my jeans and as soon as we got settled in Washington, I grabbed my license, boarding pass and left the airport to go explore. I chatted with a woman at some help desk to see if there were any nearby trails and she was kind of surprised by the question as she never had someone ask that before. So off I went exploring, as I do quite often. I tried to run completely around the airport but was interrupted by a large body of water. When I turned around and headed back I ran into what looked like an official escort of some kind, maybe political as secret service vehicles where there. I ran through the flashing lights and continued on, wondering if I would get pulled over. Just after that I noticed a path which looked like a golf course path and followed it. Wow, this was some National Park system of trails. So I jumped on and off I went. I headed towards the lights and soon could see the White House all lit up and the Washington Monument in the distance. So I headed towards the city. I found a map of the trails and this network headed into Washington and also to the start of the tow path which I ran on at the JFK 50 the month before. It was farther than it looked but I soon reached some big bridge that crossed the Potomac River and kept on going. At the far end I found the Jefferson Memorial and did some site seeing. Just across the river was the Washington Monument but I had no idea how far it really was so I decided to head back just in case an earlier flight popped up. On the way back I passed under some bridge that was pitch black on the way out. On the way back I could see a little better with the lighting and almost ran over what looked like a body of a homeless person sleeping under the bridge. Finally I make it back and found the other travelers. Now hungry after an hour and a half run, I sat at the bar for a burger and tequila with Tony. A great way to end the journey before the last leg back to Burlington.

Jefferson Memorial

As I always say, it's not about the race but the journey. This weekend, even with the poor race results for myself and stomach issues, it proved to be a fun weekend of exploration and adventure and good company.

2011 OUTLOOK

With 2010 out of the way, it's time to look forward to the new year, 2011. This new year looks promising in bringing new adventures and a whole new perspective on life. Where it goes, who knows but the outlook is very positive for this year. Sleep, yes, need more of it. Nutrition, need to focus more on that. Races, still in the works as many have lotteries. I didn't make it into Western States. If I did, I was planning on doing the Grand Slam so I guess not for this year. So for now, I am entered into the Hardrock 100 but there is a lottery for that one in February. Another one is the Ultra Trail De-Mont Blanc. I am totally psyched for this one as I have never been to Europe before and am really looking forward to this new adventure. I will find out in a couple of weeks if I am in or if there will be a lottery. Beyond that, I will take it one race at a time and see what life brings.

Mont Blanc

Quote for the year, "No matter how life is today, I won't let another moment slip away", "Everything is possible, nothing is impossible".

Have a great 2011!

THE 24 HOURS of CHRISTMAS ADVENTURES

2010-12-26T15:38:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS 2010

As I sit here in front of the roaring fire this morning, full from fresh waffles made in my new waffle maker, I am reflecting on yesterday's adventure. Due so some "circumstances" I found myself alone this year for Christmas. I worked on Friday and was possibly working on Monday so I didn't feel like driving to CT to visit my mom and sister. Plus I was exhausted from working multiple shifts over the past 3 weeks averaging about 4 hours of sleep a day which was broken down into two 2 hour shifts. So a little R and R was in order. Although my interpretation of R and R is different from most other folks. Some other years I've camped on Mansfield while skiing the summit chutes under moonlight but this year I just didn't feel like driving. So I created The 24 Hours of Christmas Adventures, an all day run about.

CHRISTMAS EVE
I was invited to the Carrara family gathering next door for Christmas Eve. This included many generations of the family and reminded me of my own paison family gatherings. Lots of food, drink and good company. A great opportunity to carb up for my adventure. There were plenty of different pasta dishes to choose from as well as numerous other dishes. (No squid for me though). It was hard not to over eat but I had to be somewhat careful as at midnight I would start my adventure. And desserts too including Joe's homemade bread with his special ingredients. And of course wine with dinner followed up with after dinner drinks of some very tasty tequila. By now it was around 8:00 PM so time to go home and prepare for Christmas. My run was to start at Midnight and go possibly for 24 hours or til I could go no further. I mapped out 4 loops all starting and finishing from my home so I could refuel and get a change of dry clothes. A huge challenge in the winter is to stay warm and dry. Even with the best technical clothing you do sweat some and that sweat then freezes cooling the body quickly. Temps were looking chilly, around 10 degrees to start and maybe warming to the high teens. I had clothes layed out and food on the counter ready to go. Peanut butter and jelly, chicken soup, chocolate bars, etc. By the time I got myself together, there was really no time for a nap so I would have to forgo sleep. Been there done that before. Just before midnight I got my pack together. This was a brand new back from Santa, a Gregory Wasatch pack from their new active trail series designed for fastpacking. Thanks Santa!

Gregory Wasatch Pack

CHRISTMAS DAY
Midnight, Christmas is here, time to go. With headlamp on I was out the door. As soon as I walked out the moon was shining brightly. Clear skies and a 3/4 moon, no need for the headlamp to be on. Loop number 1 consisted of mostly rolling back dirt roads of Charlotte, Hinesburg, Monkton and Ferrisburg through farmland. A 25 miler. The temps were in the low teens but falling. One thing I noticed quickly was on the downhills you created your own windchill but on the uphills you warmed up. So to regulate body temps I would unzip on the uphills and zip back up for the downhills. My goal today was also to have a nice steady pace. This was not a race but rather a fun unsupported ultrarun. It was very quiet with almost no activity except I did see someone delivering papers back on Dorset St. around 1:00 AM. On these longer runs I can just zone out and go and have no concept of time. All I know is that I will be runnng for the day. Everything is going well but about halfway I notice my hands getting very cold. Not unusual for me which is why I wear full on winter mitts for running in the cold temps. But still, I was losing feeling and when that happens my fingers don't function which was starting to occur. Even my arms were really cold. For clothing I had on a short sleeve base layer along with a long sleeve zip top under a shell. Maybe I should have had on a long sleeve base layer. At one point I had a difficult time operating my zipper and soon I discovered even that wasn't working Not a big deal as only about 2 hours to go before I would get home to refuel. Been there before. But the bigger problem was I couldn't drink or eat as my hands were useless. Not usually a huge deal for this loop but not eating and drinking early on could effect you more in the later miles of a long run. Finally I arrived home. Quickly I was trying to get out of my wet clothes while getting a cup of hot tea going and eating. I got on some nice warm clothes including a long sleeve base layer this time. All of a sudden I could feel my body going downhill fast. I was getting dizzy and lost all energy. I could barely function and still had a long way to go. The only hope was to sleep. Still plenty of time to go. I set my alarm for 2 hours, dove under my down comforter with still frozen hands and arms and passed out. Awaken by my alarm I noticed my arms and hands were back to normal. I got a quick snack in me, repacked my pack and back out for loop 2. It's amazing what a little sleep can do for you.

Loop Number 2

Milk truck hard at work

This loop consisted of a mostly out and back to Burlington with a small loop in Burlington. A 31 miler. I dislike a true out and back where you run to a point, turn around and go. I figured a loop would liven it up a bit plus I threw in a hill to help change up the body. Still dark out and no traffic yet. I headed north on Mt. Philo Road. As I ran by the Foote Farm I noticed some activity. They were milking, even during the early hours on Christmas Day as the milk truck was there filling up. We should be paying more than $2.30 a gallong for all the work they do. Pretty uneventful running into Shelburne but the sun was starting to rise although the clouds had come in. Temps were also starting to rise. My layering seemed good and I was comfortable just in cruise mode. From Mt. Philo Rd. I headed north into Burlington using the sidewalk system. I figured the sidewalks would be mostly snowcovered which would be more cushioning than just running on pavement which I don't like, especially for long distances. I also wore my Mizuno Ascend trail shoes for running on snow. And the sidewalks were for the most part snow and ice covered but plowed until I reached So. Burlington. They do a horrible job maintaining the sidewalks. They do a quick initial plow and that's it. Then the overspray from the road plows mucks up the sidewalks which people walk in creating frozen deep foot steps. Nasty running on this as you can feel your ankle rolling over on every step so I jumped into the road to run. Also for this part of the run as the temps were rising I changed over to my elf hat for a little Christmas spirit. I had a lot of folks honking and waving which was fun.

Church St.

Soon I made it into Burlington, ran down Church street which was basically abandoned, up the hill on Pearl to Prospect and down Prospect back to Shelburne Rd. The one advantage of running along Shelburne Rd., especially on Christmas day is the number of mini marts. These would be my aid stations. And with my handy credit card stopped at Bournes Shell station for a quick breakfast. A prepackaged cinnamon roll and a full strength coke. The breakfast of champions! I started to chill while enjoying my treats so onward I went with still another 12 miles to get home. I had some GU's along the way too but they were almost frozen so I would have to keep them in my mitt for about 5 minutes before I could eat them but they were definelty not as tasty as that cinnamon roll. The good part on this loop was the fact that my hands were warm and toasty. I switched to a down mitt which I had to take off at times to keep from sweating. And I was able to drink extra fluids that I packed for this 5 hour loop. The last part of this loop is quite hilly back to the house and I arrive back feeling good but hungry. I cooked up some chicken soup, had a peanut butter sandwich, some coke and other snacks. I took my time as there still no hurry. I repacked and refueled my pack and off on loop number 3.

Loop Number 3

This was really just loop number 2 with the small end loop in the reverse direction. Again, the convenience store availability was key in choosing for this unsupported run. During the ultra races you usually have fully stocked aid stations with plenty of food and drink along with drop bags for dry clothing. On the way to Burlington I was getting a craving for Coke again and this time hit the earlier Shell station. I hung out inside while enjoying the ice cold beverage and chatting with the nice woman at the register. I drank half then stored the rest in my pack. I wasn't sure how it would hold up being carbonated while running. But it ended up being fine as I was running easy and not bouncing around too much. On my way through Church St. I was hoping that Ken's Pizza would be open for the afternoon as I had a craving for a slice of pizza but no such luck.

Hoping for pizza at Ken's

The Chinese restaurants were open but no way was I going to be munching on that and running. Done that before and it doesn't work for me. Heading south on Shelburne Road it was starting to get dark. What short days. So I broke out the headlamp. I also have a blue blinky light on my pack in the back. I fiigured this loop would take longer than the previous loop as you usually slow the longer you go. Temps were droping and even the fluid in my pack turned to slush. But made it home on schedule with 87 miles under my belt so far. Was starting to feel tired but ate, drank and repacked. While home on these breaks I would email my neighbor Joe to let him know my progress in case I didn't return for some reason. My phone also went dead from the cold so it was useless. The next loop I figured would be my last even though there would have been time for more but I thought an even 100 miles would be nice with time to eat, drink and sleep afterwards. Plus I still needed to call mom to wish her a Merry Christmas as I was sure she was getting worrried. Out for the final loop.

Loop Number 4

This was to be the final 13 miles out and about the Guinea Rd. area of Charlotte. More rolling back dirt roads. It was dark without any moonlight as it hadn't come up yet but with clear skies the stars were just magnificent! Still I could run without the headlamp and see just fine. Guinea Rd is great at night with all the Christmas decorations lit up. I cruised the different side neighborhoods and took my time as it was still early enough. One of my favorite decorations to see is the full size nativity arrangement on the south part of Guinea Rd. Cows, sheep, the wisemen, all there in full size and lit up. I guess it was too late to have the music on and the characters moving but still a site to see. And the other home just down from there with the driveway bushes all lit up with multi colored lights and the house all decked out too. Very nice! A great way to end the Christmas Adventure. From there it was only a couple miles back to the house and was somewhere around 9:00 PM. Plenty of time to eat, drink and be merry.

Another Christmas Adventure in the books. Not the traditional Holiday but I try to make the best out of every situation and to go along with my favorite saying when things may not be ideal, "The longer I run, the smaller the problems become", and " Impossible is Nothing".

Merry Christmas!

JFK 50 Mile Run 2010

2010-11-25T23:17:00.002-05:00

JFK 50 Mile Race Report

Washington County, Maryland

The idea of running the JFK 50 first came to mind 2 years ago as a friend was training for the race. I did some research on it but for some reason it still wasn’t on my list of to do’s. But last year another friend ran it and this time it peaked my interest. So this spring when the entry opened up I decided to sign up for the 48th running of this historic race.

I didn’t know what to expect for this race but I did know it was a fast 50 miler from looking at past results. From the course description it has some trail running but more tow path, which at the time I was unfamiliar with. After running the Burning River 100 this summer, I was introduced to a tow path which was flat, fast and mentally challenging. So after returning from Leadville I included faster and flatter terrain into my training and was racing anywhere from 5 milers to marathons to work on speed. The other part of my training that I was lacking in was sleep. Sleep is critical to recovery. And with my crazy part time job, I’m up every day at 3:30 am with 4-5 hours of sleep a night. Not nearly enough. So I took off a couple of days from work to catch up on sleep.

I decided to drive down on the Wed. before to the JFK 50 which is located in the northwest part of Maryland. I broke the trip up into 2, stopping in CT to visit Mom and also to get a good night’s sleep. Thursday, after a morning run, I hit the roads again and arrived in Maryland by darkness. I got a room for the night to get another full night’s sleep and of course for the continental breakfast which included my favorite pre-race treat, waffles. Afterwards I decided to try to find the race course and run part of the Appalachian Trail which the beginning of the JFK 50 included. I drove up to the Gathland State Park and found the AT trail which would be the same location as the # 2 aid station. I headed south from there and ran a couple of miles out on the

Gathland Park

AT. What a treat, more like a groomer than the rocky, rooty trails of northern New England. I turned around and ran back and then drove to the next check point which was located at the end of the AT trail section, Weverton Cliffs. Here I wanted to find a spot to hide a bad for a shoe change. One challenge was in trying to decide what shoes to wear. Trail shoes were certainly nice for the beginning 14 miles but after that, it was flat and fast so I decided to have my racing flats ready to change into. I found some potential locations to hide a bag and then drove back to town to pick up my race number. On the way I drove by

Antietam Battlefield Monument

the Antietam Battlefield which just amazed me and opened my eyes up to this truly historic area. For miles and miles, there were fields and monuments which the soldiers battled on during the civil war. The fences, walls and cannons were there in place as they were years ago, ready to do battle. It was sort of an eerie feeling looking out. From there I continued into town and got my number. After getting my number I headed back down to the Weverton Cliffs aid station to set up for the night so I could get up first thing and put out my drop bag. Plus this was fairly close to the start line in Boonsboro. After a cold pasta and Bud dinner, I got to bed early to prepare for the 5:00 am wake up.

I got a reasonable night’s sleep in hotel Nissan (car camping). I had to scrape the inside of the windshield from frost as the temps dropped down over night, had a quick breakfast and then hid my drop bag before driving to the start line. Upon arriving at the start, there were lots of people for this was the largest ultra race in the country with over 1000 entries. After the pre-race meeting we had to head into town, a mile or so away, to the start. I got in a last minute port a potty stop and realized time was getting on so I had to run to the start line, a good way to warm up. Lining up I ran into a couple of familiar faces, Mike Oliva and Mike Arnstein, a couple of NYC boys. Arnstein came in second here last year so he was determined to take top honors this year. But he had lots of competition with many others hoping for the same results as well as setting new course records. At this race you not only had ultra marathoners but also some of the top road runners in the country so the field was full of impressive runners from all over the country such as Michael Wardian, Mike Arnstein, Oz Pearlman, Serge Arbona, David James, Matt Levine, Mike Oliva and many others. Immediately after the start a runner next to me said hi. I looked over and it was Reno Stirrat, one of the best 50+ age runners in New England who usually kicks my butt in the shorter distance races. The JFK 50 was longer than he had ever gone before so it was to be determined on how he might do. The first few miles were mostly uphill until we joined on to the AT. At that point I crossed the mat in 28th place in a large group of runners. From there it was a mix of road and trail as we continued to climb. We even walked up some

sections to conserve for later. Finally as we headed into some nice consistent trail sections I had enough of the group as some were complaining of the technical aspects (must be road runners) and I didn’t want to trip and fall as I usually do while running on trails in a group. So I decided to have some fun and ran around Mike Arnstein, Michael Wardian and a bunch of others to run the trails. I ran through the Gathland aid station by myself and kept going. It would be 6 miles of trail until the end of this section at Weverton Cliffs. The trails were in great shape and I was having fun skipping along the rocks and leaves, passing by some of the 5:00 am starters and an occasional 50 miler who must have been in the lead pack. Just before the end is a steep descent with lots of switchbacks, loose rocks and slippery leaves. I could hear a group of runners behind and let the first one pass. It was Michael Wardian. I followed closely behind with 2 or 3 others behind me as we ran down the trail, passing now lots of 5:00 am starters. Just before we hit the end of the AT at mile 14.5, Weverton Cliffs, I spotted my drop bag in the woods, a bright pink purse. I grabbed it and sat on a rock to do my shoe change. It took longer than I thought as I had to untie the timing chip from my trail shoes and put it on my racing flats. I also reloaded my Gu’s, threw on some fresh body glide and removed my long sleeve shirt and gloves. Meanwhile lots of runners were passing by. I was hoping this shoe change would help in the long run even though I lost about 4 minutes at this stop. With purse in tow I ran down to the road hoping to give the purse to an aid station helper who could bring it to the finish. I quickly learned that the aid station wasn’t for another mile so I tucked the purse

The Pink Purse

under my arm and ran on. I had some funny looks as I passed by runners with my pink purse. Finally I arrived at the aid station and found a gracious person who volunteered to bring my purse to the finish. Next up, the tow path. At this point I think I was still in around 28th place. The next 26 miles would be the tow path which winds alongside the Potomac River. It was a cinder type surface covered with leaves so it was very nice. The path was full of 5:00 am starters but was plenty wide to pass. Not more than a mile or so into it, I came across Reno. He was having some difficulties, we chatted a bit and then I moved on. To make the time go buy I focused on some tow path mile markers which I found were not very consistent in the accuracy nor did I find them at every mile but it was something to go by since I don't have a Garmin to keep track of the miles. And

The Tow Path

there were frequent aid stations with more accurate mile markers for the course. I continued to pass runners along the way and was feeling good. I had a good pace going and I think the 3 days of sleep helped with my energy level. I heard spectators yelling out my position and was working my way up in place. Coming into this race I wasn’t that concerned with placement but was more focused on time. I’ve run a number of trail 50s in just under 7 hours but this course should be faster. The age group record was 6:29:30. If it were a good day maybe I could do that. Time would tell. Around mile 30 I noticed I was still working on my first 20 oz. water bottle, not good. I wasn’t thirsty but I know better to keep drinking especially since I cramp easily and have to supplement with electrolytes which I was doing along the way. And even though it was cool out and I wasn’t sweating, my arm was covered in salt. So finally I started drinking more and refilled at the mile 34 aid station, my favorite with the Christmas theme going. I also started to nibble on some food as I had not quite enough GU’s to get me to the finish. I was trying to figure out in my head if I could break the age group record. It would be close but I had to maintain close to a 7 minute mile. By mile 35 I had enough of the tow path and started to run backwards and sideways to change up the muscles. Still I was passing runners and think by now I was in 15th place or so. Again I tried to calculate my finish time, not easy to do after many hours of running. Finally by mile 41.5 the tow path was done and onto the road to the finish. Immediately it was an uphill climb which actually felt good on the legs and I went by a marker showing 8 miles to the finish. Now with accurate markers I could see where I was with time. At 8 minute miles, it wouldn’t do it so I had to continue to push. For the next 2 miles I was just rolling along at about a 7:20 pace. With 6 miles to go trouble started, cramps. Without any advance warning, my left calf locked up in pain and then eased. Usually my body tells me if I’m dehydrated with dizziness and blurred vision but not this time. The lack of hydrating early on was catching up. I took a couple of electrolyte pills and usually it helps but my left calf locked up again and I couldn’t get my heel down on the pavement. Then my right side locked up from my foot all the way up to my arm. My right arm went numb and I started to see stars. Not good. I reached into my pill inventory and took every remaining electrolyte pill and whatever else I could find. In all I took 7 various electrolyte pills and 1 IB that was in there. The next 2 miles was grueling and my pace dropped to 10:30. At 4 miles to go I could start running again but whenever I tried to really push, I could feel cramps not far behind. I ran by Mike Arnstein who was struggling but still on the move. At this point I would need close to 7 minute miles for the next 4 miles to make it in under the record. I could have easily given up and just brought it in slowly with still a good finish time but I came all this way and was so close. If I came in 30 seconds after the record time, who would even know, or care. But being the stubborn person who I am and always competing against myself, this was a personal challenge. These next 2 miles were near a 7:30 pace. So the last 2 miles would have to be under 7. With every bit of energy I had left, I put it into high gear and sprinted. The

The Finish

first part was a slight uphill to the highway overpass and it hurt, then slight downhill to the one mile marker which I could see. Not sure what my time was but I knew I had to give it my all. With 3/10 of a mile to go I turned the corner and saw the slight uphill climb to the finish, not what I was hoping for. I pushed harder than I think I have ever pushed to a finish and crossed the line with a 6:50 final mile. Was it enough? One of the timers knew I was close to the record and checked the records and yes, I had done it by a mere 13 seconds to finish in a time of 6:29:17. Besides breaking the 50’s age group record and winning my age group, I made it into the top 10.

After the awards ceremony another 50’s runner came up to me and we chatted for quite a while. He had run this race many times and was running this year to try to break the

Eric Clifton and Jack

age group record too but not his day this year. Later I learned it was Eric Clifton, a legend at the JFK 50 with 19 finishes and the overall course record from back in 1994 with a time of 5:46:22. Just amazing! Afterwards a couple of older men in their 60’s and 70’s came up to chat. They were truly inspired by my accomplishments as a senior runner and what we older runners could do. And then an older woman from the spectators came up to question my age and then gave me a big hug. That made it all worth it and the reason why I continue to run all these crazy races.

The Gear: For the first 14.5 miles I wore the Mizuno Ascend 5 trail running shoes. Excellent traction and stability on the trails. I changed into the the Mizuno Musha 2 racing flats for the rest of the race for lighter weight on the tow path and road to the finish. The combo worked excellent!

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped out. We couldn't have these races without you.

Full results can be found at: http://www.jfk50mile.org/

Winter is Here!

2010-10-24T23:01:00.003-04:00

HOW FAST SUMMER DISAPPEARS AND WINTER ARRIVES!

Running up the Toll Road at Stowe

Yesterday I ran my usual Mansfield Loop, a 26 mile mountain adventure, only to find winter in full swing, not what I expected. With more than 3 hours of running/post holing in the snow on top of another 3+ hours of running in mud and water, I managed to get out of the woods just as the sun was setting. Good thing as I decided I didn't need my headlamp and didn't have enough food to go any longer as the bonk mode was already setting in. Oh well, just another training run. The Gear: I wore the Mizuno Cabrakan trail shoe which was great for the needed added traction for most of the terrain. At times I could have used the Mizuno Kaza spikes for the ice. For clothing I wore the Mizuno light weight tights along with the Mizuno techie wear for the top. But most imortantly was the Cabrakan light weight shell for the howling winds on the summit to keep my core warm as toast. I also wore a balaclava and hat too along with the Breathe Thermo gloves.

I've had a busy last few weeks since the Common to Common 30K race. The following week after the 30K was the:

USATF National Championship Masters 5K Team Race in Syracuse, NY.
Myself, along with 4 others from the GMAA in VT made the trip to defend our title from last year. With speedster old guys, Norm Larson, Tony Bates, Kevin McMahon and Jim Miller, we made the drive over from Burlingto to Syracuse. The course was an out and back, fast, 5K road race, something I'm not usually found doing. Last year I nearly exploded at the finish after a way too fast first mile and a slow finish time. My goal this year was to run my own race and hopefully do better. The first mile I was 10 seconds slower than last year coming in this year at 5:28 instead of 5:18 and I figured out how to calculate kilometers as the rest of the course was in kilometers. Running still way to fast for my usual, I ended up 9 seconds faster than last year. So being a bit more conservative right from the start did make my time faster in the end. Hmmm, maybe there's something there. For the team, Jim had some issues which we knew could pop up but still he kept on going and with his incredible efforts, we placed second this year. Not bad for a bunch of old farts from VT. Even more impressive was our 60's team of Ted McKnight, Ed McSweeny and Chuck Arnold won placed first at this years event for their age group. Congrats to these guys! The Gear: For this short road race I wore the Mizuno Musha 2's racing flat. Super lightweight and fast. Maybe that's why I was faster than last year. After the race I ran around Syracuse and back to the hotel to make it a 20 mile day. For the pavement poundiing I ran in the Mizuno Alchemy for added support and cushion to make the hard surfaces a bit softer.

The next weekend I opted out of any races but the following weekend ran the GREEN MOUNTAIN MARATHON in So. Hero, VT. This was the 40th annual running. I find this race a real challenge although it's mostly flat but run a lot on dirt roads and is an out and back. And there is always a wind either heading out or coming back. This year it was a headwind on the return trip. From the start and directly into the wind for the first mile, we had a crowd of about 6 of us running closely together. After mile 1, you make a 90 degree turn and the wind is at your back and for the rest of the first half, or most of it. Eli Enman quickly took the lead. Eli won the race last year. After a few miles, Binney Mitchell caught up to Eli and gave him a good challenge up til mile 18. Binney had been training this year for a western 30K trail race so was mentally good for 30k. After that, he fell off a bit and Eli took control of the race. Myself, I ran the race as I usually do, in my own mode, however I can. I kept up running 6:15-6:20 per mile for the first half but on the way back was averaging more in the 6:45 range into the wind. In the end, I still ran my fastest GMM in the time of 2:51:55. I came in 6th overall and earned a star after my name for exceeding the USATF time standard for national ranking. Any when you look at the age grading which they now do for all the races, I placed first for whatever that means. Anyway it was a good trainer for JFK which was the intent. For the Gear: I ran in the Mizuno Musha 2's. This was the longest I have run in these lightweight racing flats and it was also my fastest GMM. Maybe there's something there?? I also wore the Mizuno techi shorts and the Mizuno Breathe Thermo gloves as it was a bit chilly.

Running alone at mile 12 at the GMM

Somehow in between training and races I managed to get to some of my best mental training. I like to head down to VT Skydiving in Addison, VT to jump out of airplanes at 12,000 ft. to relax. It's always a blast to play superman. The Gear: Infinity 170 chute, part of the rental fleet as I don't have my own yet. For footwear I chose an old pair of Mizuno Alchemy's for a good slide landing in the grass.

Post Jump

So from a 50 miler at the VT 50 to a 5K road race to the Green Mtn. Marathon and jumping out of planes. Five days later was a special invite to the 8K XC race at St. Michael's Invitational at the College in Winooski, VT. The GMAA was invited to participate in a college race. For the men we had 11 runners and for the women, 6. In the end we placed 2nd for the men and also 2nd for the women up against 6 or 7 college teams. The only team that placed higher was the UVM team. It was fun running with the young college kids and I wonder what they were thinking as a bunch of old guys were running along side with them. It was a good trainer for our 50's team as we have the NE XC Championships coming up in 2 weeks in Boston and then the National 10K Club Nationals coming up in December in Charlotte, NC. And in between, I have the JFK 50 mile speed event on November 20th. The Gear: For this XC event it was the Mizuno Kasa spikes for added traction in the grass and also the Mizuno Breathe Thermo glove as the northwest winds had brought in some cooler air.

Next up, the NE XC 8k at Franklin Park and then the JFK 50 miler on Nov. 20th.

Life After Leadville

2010-10-01T23:15:00.000-04:00

It was hard coming back to reality after spending time in the mountains of Colorado. Such impressive mountains that one could very easily get used to. Hmm, it would be nice. Anyway, after returning back to VT, I quickly returned to the race scene with four 5K races withing the first 8 days back. First was the Tuesday night trail race at Catamount with maybe 4 hours of sleep. Not good but still was nice to be on good single track trails. Next up was the Stowe Trail Series race behind the Golden Eagle Resort. One of the longest "5k" races I've been in this year. They used a GPS to measure the course which included multiple switch backs in the deep woods. Long but overall a fun course. Oh, yes I managed to get lost too even after a prerun of the course. Came back on the course and had to pass lots of folks to make more of a challenge. Still fun. Next day the GMAA Scholarship 5k XC run. A bit more accurate in the distance and always a fast run. 2 days later another Catamount 5K trail race. With each race, I felt more rested since Leadville and the times improved. On my return back from Leadville, I had promised to not run for a week. Well that didn't quite happen but I did take a step back and backed down on miles and also slowed down to enjoy my runs. No schedule, just running what and when I wanted to. Well sort of, as I know I have the JFK 50 in November and from what I hear it's a 50 mile speed event. Also there's the USATF National Masters Team 5K road race in Syracuse in Oct. and the USATF Team 10 National Championships in Charlotte, NC in December. So, speed is the focus. With that in mind, I ran the Archie Post 5 miler a week later. Always a fast start and first half leading to a gradual uphill to the finish. I wanted to keep it under 30 minutes which would be under 6 minute miles and did acomplish that with a time of 29:38 and won an awesome apple pie. Wore my Mizuno Wave Musha 2 racing flats. Awesome shoe! Next up, 6 days later, was the GMAA 30K Common to Common on the back rolling hills of Essex and Westford. Beautiful day for a run. Today's goal was to keep the run under a 6:30 pace. I went out from the start with Binney Mitchell. Binney has been running fantastic this year and after the first mile was gone. From then on, I ran my own race with no one else around. No one to really push me and no one to chase so I was on auto pilot, another trainer for JFK. I like these back road hills but there's one section on bigger hills where you really slow down but after that it's 4 miles of flat and gradual downhill to the finish. In the end I came in 2nd and was 10 minutes behind Binney and 5 minutes ahead of Todd. And I did achieve my goal with a 6:29 pace. I also broke the age group record by 8 minutes. And another day of running in the Mizuno Wave Musha 2's, the longest distance I've taken them so far.

The back roads of Westford.

The next week I surprisingly ended up at the VT 50 Mile Trail Race in Brownsville, VT. With other plans cancelled I managed to drive down to Ascutney on Saturday evening 15 minutes before registation closed at 8:00 PM. With no taper time this week, not sure how the energy levels will be. Soon we will know.

THE VERMONT 50

Once I got myself registered and found some food, I drove up to meet up with Joe Carrara and Bill Kelner in the upper parking lot. There I set up Hotel Nissan and joined the boys outside for a pre-race ritual, a cold beer. Afterwards it was off to sleep for an early rise at 5:00 AM for a 6:25 AM start time. It probably got down to the 40's overnight, not too bad. It would be a chilly start but as always a fast start for the first 4 miles then, the uphills would start. I started out running along with Brian Rusiecki and Glen Redpath, 2 local eastern trail boys who I have gotten to know over the years. Brian has been running fantastic this year and 50 miles is a perfect distance for him. He's still working on the 100's. Glen helped me get up and over Hope Pass at Leadville 5 weeks earlier and ran in the Trans-Rockies that same weekend. As usual we went out way too fast, under 7 minute miles for the first 4 miles but then the pace slowed somewhat for the climbs to follow. We were running in a pack with about 10 of us. The single track in the woods was great and if anything, a bit too dry. We soon caught up to bikers who were also racing and on the downhills, they would go by us, kicking up a cloud of dust. The dry dirt was a very fine silt with soft piles on the trail. Running along with Brian, he was curious about a runner just ahead of us. He soon found out it was a serious contender and he put it into another gear and took off to catch this runner. That was the last I saw of Brian. From there on, I just kicked back and ran my own race. Brian was up ahead in a group of 3, Glen was just ahead of me with 2 others and I was bouncing back and forth from 5th to 10th. In most of these races, there are always some who drop out and others who die off in the last 10 miles. So doing my own thing, I just cruised along. I felt ok, not totally energized but was enjoying the run for the most part. I would pass bikers on the uphills and they would pass me on the downhills. Then, nearing mile 30, I stepped aside on a steep downhill to allow a biker to go by and tripped on something. Down I went, rolling down the hill in the soft silt. No major pain but it was like I had been tar and feathered, without the feathers. The soft silt stuck to my sweaty body like glue and wasn't going any where. My arms, back, hands, legs and face were covered. Not much I could do but continue on. Even my water bottle was covered so the first sip of water was mud and water. Somewhere around 30 miles, I was starting to tire. I felt nasea coming on and was a bit dizzy. It took a while to regroup and I had to focus on eating more which I did. Somewhere around mile 37 or so on some fun single track I was feeling better. There's a house in the woods which you run just about under the porch. At this time I was running around 5th place. Some guy on the porch, when he found out I was running 50 miles said I needed counseling. Laughing as I went by I responded that this was my therapy. A couple of miles later, as I was passing a 5 K runner, I tripped and again was rolling in the silt to add to my collection of dirt. Onward ho. Just about that time another runner, Greg had passed me feeling strong but soon I caught back up to him as his quads had given out for the downhills. So he would pass me going up and I would pass him going down. I knew if this kept up, I would catch him in the end as the last 1 1/2 miles is a down hill to the finish. But by mile 45, there were some good downhills and never saw him again. For the last few miles up and down the mountain, it was a grind up but I knew the end was near. I wasn't sure where any of the other lead runners were either. As I came throught the finish I knew it wasn't one of my better runs here but not my worst. With a time of 7:13 I finished in 5th, and 1st in my age group. I was within 2 minutes of the 3rd and 4th place finishers. Brian finished 1st almost breaking the course record and Glen finished in 2nd.

Covered in dirt at the VT 50

The Gear: For shoes, the Mizuno Cabrakan 2's were awesome as were the Mizuno shorts and shoes. Perfect for a day in the woods.

Next up: The USATF National Masters 5K Team Road Race.