JACK IS BACK

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

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 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

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

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!

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

 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

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/