Round and Round at Montour 24 (12 hour)

 

Montour is a timed event something completely foreign and new to me. I love single loop trail races or point to point type races. Multiple loops on a track or otherwise scare me. I guess it's the fear of boredom or something. Looped courses just seem mentally harder due to the ease of simply stopping. But on the plus side there is no DNF and you are always so close to supplies and bathrooms. It's about convenience I suppose. So since my A race for the year is Oil Creek 100 in October I decided early on the year that the more looped type races I would sign up for the better. OC100 is a looped course with three 50k loops and one 7.7 mile mini loop.

Signing up for this race was sort of a last minute deal. I was stalking the race but just couldn't get myself to hit the enter button. Until of course I ran Worlds End 50K back in May. That race put on by the same RD David Walker was nothing short of spectacular. I floundered in that race due to the high humidity on race day but the feel and vibe of that race coupled with the jaw dropping beauty of the course and the aid stations and many friends I made there had me all but destined to sign up for the 12 hour day race. It was perfectly set up for a nice training run to work on nutrition and my speed walking skills. I didn't feel I needed the 24 hour event as I didn't need anything over 50 miles. I also had several friends, Ryan and Casey, doing the 24 hour event and Destrie doing the 12 hour night race so I would have plenty of friends there. So off to Danville I went, just a short two hour drive from home.

Casey and the BRCC crew all set up.

I set up my chair and supplies with Casey and his BRCC crew Ken and Dan who came up from Maryland. They were all doing the 24 hour event. I chatted with them while setting up and found Ryan and Lauren set up over near the start. Ryan introduced Lauren a newly transplanted Floridian from Orlando but originally from Chicago who now lives in Philly. This was her first Northeast race and more importantly first PA race. As we stood there chatting we realized the race was about to start and all of a sudden we were off along the wet grass and in to the woods for the first 1.5 mile loop. We chatted some as we jogged along the creek. The course was well shaded, super easy to run, and flat. There was one little hill to climb each loop but it took maybe a minute to climb it each time. Just enough to break it up I thought but I prefer more climbing then more flat running. Before you know it you are back at the start crossing the mat.

I could do this I thought. This won't be so bad as long as it didn't get overly hot and humid. My goal was to run 50 miles. My previous 50 miler at Dirty German in Philly was sort of a mess really. I mean I finished it but it was ugly. That race was unbearably humid and I cramped badly and overheated. This race was to see if I could avoid that fiasco and finish on a somewhat more upbeat note. So that was my simple plan. I would rely on Tailwind and whatever fruit and things would be at the aid station. To my surprise they had single pack servings of Tailwind at the aid station! That was a huge score cause I didn't need to fumble around with scooping it out of my drop box bag. They also had ice cold Tang which rules by the way and fresh brewed ice tea and various cold watermelon and cantaloupe.

Lap after lap went by and I finally glanced at my watch and I was at mile 10 already and running comfortably at an almost tempo pace. I was running too quickly. I knew it and even told Ryan and Lauren I was running too fast. But did I slow down? No not really. Somewhere around this time the heat was creeping in and I suddenly needed to go to the bathroom. This never happens to me. I never use the bathroom in the middle of a run unless I ate something odd. Luckily the bathroom is only 1.5 miles away at worst so again that was nice. That break pretty much killed my running flow and cost me at least 10 minutes but nothing you can do. I did feel better after though and continued the lapfest. I was having a good time passing some folks then they would pass me then I would pass them again. It was Groundhog Day. Every runner was so great cause we would all say hello or give a thumbs up.

Mile 20 came and went and I decided to start the music flowing to keep my mind from focusing on another 30 miles. I was starting to speed walk a little more on the flats and was completely content with that and mixing in running when I felt like it. I was still managing 12-13 minute miles which was plenty fast to get 50 miles in 12 hours. Lauren and Ryan came up to me at one point and Ryan was running strong and went ahead. Lauren convinced me to start jogging with her instead of walking which I did. She had the quote of the day for me, she said "fake run." Apparently her coach who worked with her to finish Ancient Oaks 100 miler gave her that idea. Ya know just fake run which is really faster then a walk but somewhat slower then a jog. I loved it cause I'm not fast at all and have no official track background so I'm a natural in the phony running department. And sure enough to my surprise it worked. I was trying so hard at this point to keep my heart rate in zone 2 and not let it spike like I let it the first 10 miles and the "fake run" idea was keeping it low. She went ahead shortly after that as I slowed down again but that tip was perfect for me and I would use that idea the rest of the way.

That space between a 50k and 50 miles is like a dead zone. Or better yet more like a chasm. It really is fairly wide and you just have to not think about another 19 or so miles. But I was of course. Run walk run walk run walk over and over. The fun part of doing a 1.5 mile loop is that before you can really start feeling sorry for yourself you are crossing the mat again and staring at the aid station again. Then you tell yourself "hey it's only another 1.5 miles, I mean really who can't do that right?" I told my brain this a few times around lap 23 through 26. It was pretty hot and I was almost chugging a mixture of Tailwind, Tang, and Brewed Tea constantly. I was careful not to give myself the dreaded "sloshy belly" but I think I was starting to really get close. Onward I went and almost always walked from the start to the woods line then jogged to and across the planked stream crossing, walked the hill, and walked half of the straightaway then ran the footbridge section and walked a portion of the rooty trail then ran to the finish. I really tried to adhere to this because I needed to keep my mind engaged in some sort of diversion plan once it was clear I had to move to a half speed walk/half jog approach. I also had to make sure my heart rate stayed in zone 2. This after all is 100 mile training and not a race.

I met Bill who is 66 years young sometime in the mile thirties for me. Because of his walking I passed him at least one time each lap.  He didn't run at all ever. He limp walked which resulted in a slow pace. He looked like he was in pain but I'm not sure if he was or not. He didn't appear to be in pain but I could be wrong on this of course. It was rather amazing that he was out here for 12 hours and managed a total of 15 laps. It was nothing short of inspirational. I asked him how he was and he chuckled in a very upbeat tone "kinda slow!" I gave him encouragement and shook his hand introducing myself. Another runner ran by and gave him some love also. This moment right here sums up ultra running for me. The grit and determination this guy had was top notch. I didn't know his life story or why he was out here but it didn't matter because he was doing it. I wished him well and walked away while choking back some tears. I felt really emotional after speaking with him and his gutty performance gave me a lift. I went on the pass him several more times and shouted out to him a few times when I went by and he would raise his arm signaling he was fighting onward. One of the highlights for me during this race was meeting Bill.

Bill getting it done!

Onward and round and round I went. But around mile 40 I simultaneously started to feel a chafing issue coming on along with several blisters on the bottom of my left foot and pinkie toe. The blisters I ignored figuring I'm not going to tend to my feet when I'm almost done. The chafing was really bothersome however and it was in a spot I have never experienced before. Let's just say a very private spot that only my gender has. A spot I failed to apply lube or glide. I ignored it as well for some reason thinking I could block it out. I finished that lap and did another then another then on my thirtieth lap I felt raw and stinging and my mind quit at that point. My mind took control and I was to end on this lap. I strolled across the mat at mile 45 and walked into the aid station and told David I was done. I then proceeded to tell him how much I enjoyed the event and how surprisingly fun it was. I got a bowl of chili, sat down, and ate.

Ryan high on life at mile 40!

I still had 1:26 on the clock when I finished which made me feel really good. It doesn't really matter that I missed my goal by 5 miles. 50 miles is simply a number. I didn't have to prove to myself I could run 50 miles I've already done that. This run was more about feeling better after running such a long distance and I felt pretty darn good, which is good because I had a solo 2 hour drive home. And honestly with almost 90 minutes left on the clock if I really had to I could have cleaned up and gone back out for the extra 5 miles. But 45 is a great training day in my book plus I got to hang out with Destrie, a fellow TrailWhippass teammate, and cheer on Ryan and Casey and his crew for a little bit. It was great day in Danville for sure and I hope to return for the full 24 hour event next year.

Done and happily eating chili.

A few takeaways from this event.

1. I felt pretty good except my hip flexors were really starting to tighten up sometime after the 50k distance and I wasn't used to that. Because of this my stride became short and I really could tell I was starting to shuffle. In hindsight maybe I should have taken a few moments to stretch out or whatever but I foolishly didn't. That will be something to watch for at Labor Pains 12 hour in September.

2. Way to much "lounging" at the aid station. Can't do that in a 100 miler for sure. I should have taken a baggie and filled it then left and ate on the walk to the tree line. But kudos to David and his wife and the volunteers for having such a fantastic aid station where ravenous runners like me didn't want to leave.

3. I need to eat more protein and fat during a long event. I lived on Tailwind and fruit which is fine but toward the 10 hour mark I was craving fatty protein rich foods and I did not address that craving which I should have. The body knows what it wants. Again something to work on.

4. I enjoyed the looped course way more then I originally thought I would. Lucky for me I have another 12 hour event coming up and a 6 hour event. And my fellow runners where so great and fun to cheer on. The convenience of the aid and bathrooms and personal stuff right along the course was huge.

Montour 24 is truly a big gem in a small town in Central Pennsylvania.

 

Into The Wild at World's End

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources describes Word's End State Park as "virtually in a class by itself, this wild, rugged and rustic area seems almost untamed". After spending more then ten hours and running thirty four miles within this park and surrounding Loyalsock Forest in a single day, I cannot agree more. Up until I signed up for this inaugural event I had never even heard of this park and I have lived in Southeastern Pennsylvania my entire life. The area that the park resides is referred to as the Endless Mountains which is part of the Appalachian Mountain chain. The park is almost entirely surrounded by the Loyalsock State Forest. The ecology is diverse and wild, almost unworldly here. The term "Jurassic park" like was used by some runners. I have run trails in a variety of forests in the Northeast but never have I seen a place as magical as this, and it's only a little over two hours from my doorstep.

Ryan gunning for the age group awards!

Ready to hit the forest.

The RD David Walker gave us our instructions wished us well and rang the cow bell and off we went up the park service road.

Photo by Robert Stoudt.

 It was muggy and humid at 7 am. I started the race with two fellow TWA members Ryan and Jes. That lasted for about a mile at best as they are much faster then me. As soon as we left the blacktop and into the woods I was on my own. There was maybe 70 runners or so for the 50K. The 100K folks went out two hours earlier at 5 am.


Miles 0-3.35 High Rock Aid Station

We did the paved park campground loop passing some cabins and campers just waking up and coming out to cheer us on. The air was clammy, heavy and humid as we crossed the bridge overtop the Loyalsock Creek. You could hear the runners feet and rushing water underneath. The air was also saturated with the previous nights campfires as they smoldered away. About a half mile in we started a small climb around the campground then another climb into the forest. It was only a few hundred feet climb but rocky and fun. We then ran about a mile down hill to the first aid station at mile 3.35. These first three plus miles ticked off quickly. I was already almost drenched in sweat so when I saw the oranges at the first aid station it was so nice to inhale several chunks. Fresh cut fruit is the #1 best thing at any aid station. Your body absorbs it instantly, it's refreshing, and it quenches the thirst.

Miles 3.35-10.79 Sones Pond Aid Station

As I started the first real climb out of High Rock it seemed I was alone already. The race field is small and the course diverse so that often will spread the field out very quickly. This was maybe an 800 ft hike up the mountain. I was sipping my usual Tailwind and downed two saltstick tabs. The plan was to avoid the vice lock calf cramps I had at the Dirty German 50 miler two weeks prior. I finished that 50 miler but it was a painful slog on the last loop. I could not allow the same thing to happen on a course with vert. Every hour two salt tabs. The heat and humidity were really creeping in but I felt confident with the plan.

This section was a good 7 miles to the next aid station. As I made my way down to a small waterfall I was already having a difficult time picking up the small orange flags. Maybe that's because they were above my head scaling a boulder climb. This was reminiscent of the Breakneck cliff climb I had done at the inaugural race in the Hudson Highlands. Of course on a much much smaller scale and not as steep and deadly. The benefit of doing super difficult races such as Breakneck is that is makes climbs such as these a little more bearable and mentally manageable. It was still however a hard and beautiful climb on a very humid morning. Due to climbs and terrain such as this I had a hard time settling into anykind of flow. The trail was rocky but runnable but it was fairly technical. I had rolled my left ankle at Ironmaster's Challenge and at TNF Bear Mountain and I didn't want to do it here and hobble the rest of the way so I was picking my spots on when to walk short rocky sections or run them. This resulted in a stop and start for several miles. Then I slipped on a flat exposed wet piece of slate and down I went on my left hip. Thankfully it was flat rock and not a sharp rocky section. I'm used to falling on my hip as a skateboarder back in my youth. I used to do it all the time and would get massive bruises. We called them "hippers" back in the day. No biggie my chiropractor will adjust my hip when I get home. I resumed running and then my friend Ryan and a women came up behind me and said they got lost and took a wrong turn with a bunch of others. Ryan ran ahead and the women and I started talking. Her name was Helene and she seemed to be having the same issues as I was. We both were searching for our running rhythm. So we talked about her experience last year at Eastern States and how we both are doing Oil Creek 100 in October. She has done JFK50 for many years and was running really well here but we both had a hard time finding that groove. This section was beautiful however, rocky technical singletrack then soft wet pine needle covered track. The forest smelled sweet here and that was calming in a way. As we chatted we came upon a pond and saw the aid station in the distance. What a relief, as that was a long seven miles!

Helene and I rollin into Sones Pond aid station.
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Miles 10.79-16.34 Cold Run Aid Station


Once again the volunteers here were wonderful. The women there filled my bottle and said "why don't you eat something." I was fumbling with my Tailwind single pack serving and the women said "I'll take care of that you should eat." That sort of kindness always leaves a lasting impression and that cannot be taught to a volunteer. That is genuine and so appreciated. The watermelon was a godsend. It tasted so good I could of eaten the entire bowl. I thanked them and off we went up the road. I met up with Helen here again and we both took another wrong turn to the right into a clearing. Not sure why we did it I think there was a trail with fresh matted down grass that we assumed was the right way. After several minutes we noticed other runners going past and up the road. We quickly backtracked and followed them further up the road and back into the forest. Helene pulled away at this point and I caught up with the four guys from Maryland representing VHTRC. These guys were great. I knew Paul Encarnacion from IG and FB and finally met him at the start and I recognized Gilbert Gray who also did Zion 100 with Paul. Paul made a wonderful GoPro video of their adventure out in Zion and I highly recommend checking that out on YouTube (see here) Jeff and Eric were the other guys with them. Eric was doing his first ultra which was shocking to hear he would choose this monster as his first. Jeff is a very accomplished ultra runner having done all four Oil Creek races which includes the year they offered a 50 miler. That is rare company and pretty cool. These guys also happened to be doing basically the same pace as me so I latched onto them like a sucker fish. Hopefully I wasn't overly annoying. Sometimes you meet folks during a race and you just seem to click. I felt really good hanging with these guys.


After the steel bridge we ran along the beautiful Loyalsock Creek on some really soft and beautiful track. I was so hot I actually walked down the embankment to the creek to dunk my head in that cold water. I really didn't want to leave this creek, but I had a long way to go. I ran and caught up with the group at 154, shuffled along the road for a bit, and then darted back into the woods for more climbing. Up and down we went. Paul and I talked about his Oil Creek race last year and the issues he had during the race. I just love discussing other races with runners. I could talk about running all day long. It makes the miles go by. Then sure enough we came up to the Cold Run aid station for much needed break.

Miles 16.34-19.73 World's End Aid Station


More watermelon, honedew, and cantaloupe. It tasted amazing. Other races need to take notice of this. On hot days fresh cut melon is what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner! It's the only food I craved and wanted. Also the Tang was fantastic! It really quenched the thirst more so then my Tailwind. We thanked everyone and crossed the road and dove back into the abyss. This section was known as The Devil's Garden, which had really cool rock outcroppings. We then came upon a ominous eight foot high chicken wire like fence which the trail followed right alongside of it. I have to confess it was somewhat creepy. What was this fence keeping in or out for that matter? The vegetation inside the fence was really thick. We didn't hang around and moved quickly along the fence and darted back into the forest. Eric seemed to take off at this point and Paul went after him. I hung back with Gil and Jeff. We made our way back down into the park area near the finish, along the creek side cliff walk section and into the aid station at the park. We checked in and we probably spent close to five minutes here refueling and cooling off. The next aid station was Canyon Vista a mere three miles away but we had some heavy climbs to get there.

Gil descending to the center of the earth!

 Miles 19.73- 29.24 Coal Mine Aid Station

We checked in with the volunteers with our bib numbers and one volunteer was telling us the next section was one of the prettiest we will encounter. We will see multiple waterfalls and vistas. We thanked them and Jeff, Gil and I started the climb up from the valley. It was only about a 350 ft climb but it was steep and it was so damn humid and hard to breath so the difficulty of the climb becomes super magnified. Once at the top it was a nice little short section then a downhill back down to 154 which was throwing me off a bit. I turned around and asked Gil if this was the right way. I had made so many wrong turns my trail confidence was faltering on if I was going the right direction or not. We were now in the waterfall portion. It was breathtaking and that water looked so inviting it was cruel. I could have jumped in but I didn't want to give anymore time away as my pace was painfully slow and getting worse. So I just rinsed off my neck, head and face. I was really gassed here and Gil being the pro he was said we only have about a mile to the Canyon Vista aid station. He had a nice little laminated chart with aid locations and elevation profile. He wisely told me to get ice in my hat and something to eat when we get there. I was definitely starting to massively overheat just like at the DG50. It's that overheating feeling where you start to feel slightly dizzy, weak, and nauseas. The last thing on earth you want to do is start a big climb feeling like that. But that's what was on the menu and the nice prolonged grinding climb up to Canyon Vista commenced. Honestly I followed Gil and just simply put one foot in front of the other. Because that's really the only choice. The predator of doubt was on the attack and the DNF was lingering. Doubt is the ultrarunner's adversary. It is always there lingering in the darkness and if you let it consume you and come out into the light you will suffer more then necessary and most likely drop. As the ultra saying goes "its you against you." The mental game was on for me. I just needed to watch Gil's footsteps and follow. I knew in time this will pass and sure enough it did.

The aid and volunteers here were nothing short of fantastic as usual. I immediately recognized Bob and Janine whom I met in Philly at the Dirty German. Boy was I happy as hell to see them. They grabbed my bottles and got me ice in my hat. They were so helpful! My spirits were immediately lifted and right there my race switched back to a more hopeful tone. The emotional roller coaster was rockin. At the bottom of this climb at the waterfalls I was at a lowpoint and at the top of this mountain I was feeling energized. We grabbed some more melon thanked Bob and Janine and off we went. The ice in my hat was already cooling me off and working nicely. This next few miles was about as easy running as you could ask for. We did a powerwalk/run combo here as we chatted away. I was really enjoying my time with Gil. He could have left me at the aid station easily. I wouldn't have blamed him at all but he didn't'. He helped me almost in a pacer like way. It actually turned out he has paced many friends in 100 milers over the years from Hurt in Hawaii to Wasatch in Utah to Oil Creek right here in PA. So maybe in a strange way his pacer instincts kicked in when he saw me struggling. Either way I felt gratitude towards my new friend. I asked him so many questions as we went along on his training and how he approaches his 100 milers. Turns out this race was really his last long run prior to Big Horn out in Wyoming two weeks later. So of course like a child this perked up my interest on his races. I asked what was his favorite hundred. His response was Western States. How awesome is that! The crown jewel of ultra's. He said his name was pulled the first time he entered. Amazing! So we talked WS, we talked pacing Tom Green at Wasatch, we talked Eastern States, we talked Oil Creek which will be my first this October. He talked nighttime running troubles and the 2 am sleepiness hurdle he says is tough to get over. All fantastic insight into the mind of a fellow distance runner. The miles just melted away and before we knew it we were running on the stone road heading towards the last aid station.


Still smiling! Photo by Tania Lezak

Tania the course photographer was smiling and snapping a few pictures of us. She was so upbeat and that is always uplifting. It was here Gil and I mistook the beer in the cups as tea. Classic! I quickly downed three of those cups of beer and it tasted so good. Four miles from the finish and we're standing there slamming beer. That's trail running and more specifically that's ultra running for the mid and back of the packers like us. The cutoff is the enemy and the finish is the prize. Don't get me wrong I can get super competitive in the moment but only when the condition warrants. For me in this inaugural race in the heat it was about surviving and enjoying the day in this amazing park and not getting carted away in a ambulance.

Just before we left the aid station a women who we were leap frogging for hours ran up and grabbed some of the beer as well. It turns out this is a big race for her as she was returning from major ACL surgery on both legs. What an inspiration! She said exercise actually makes it feel better and when she doesn't exercise it will hurt more. I was in total awe. She had a big smile and seemed so happy to be out in the forest and she was running great. Just another fantastic storyline that you hear out on the trail. Stories of survival and perseverance. It's about not giving up and challenging yourself. It's in these moments you get reminded time and time again that life is so fleeting and you need to make the best of our very short time here.

Mile 29.24 - Finish

With our new found energy from beer and epic comebacks we made our way back into the now very windy and dark forest. I actually made a comment to Gil that the woods here are really dark. It's just so much thicker then were I live. Also there was an ominous dark cloud above which helped a little. The forest creaked as the trees swayed back and forth. It was the sound of an old wooden pirate ship. It was somewhat eerie. Only four miles to go. It was here as we climbed a few smaller inclines that I actually felt like we were going to finish. Not that I had doubt but I tend not to let that creep in until I am really close. I don't like to ever assume something is a done deal and let my guard down. I didn't need to be complacent and trip on a rock and snap my ankle a few miles from the finish and wreck my season. As my mind raced I heard a large crack off to the right of the trail. I kept thinking it was a bear. Maybe it was or wasn't I don't know. I kept thinking about how the 100K folks were doing in this heat and that it was going to get dark in a few hours. Random thoughts would come and go. My feet felt like pickled prunes sloshing around in my socks in a pool of sweat and dirt. I hadn't checked on them all race and I'm sure it would be ugly when I eventually take off my shoes and socks.

Gil and I made our way along a very pedestrian portion of the trail that appeared to be an old service type road or logging road. Talk about easy pickins here. However looking off to the left was a tremendous drop off down into the hollow which is where we needed to eventually arrive at. So at some point a massive downhill was coming. We finally came up on it and it was precarious. It was a cantered trail running along the mountain with an impressive drop off. It would hurt really bad if you slipped off and slid down that to the bottom. On tired legs it made concentrating really important. This was a cruel downhill to put in this spot. My quads were already really tired now I'm extending them for braking all the way down. It made reaching the bottom so much more sweet. We ran past where the mile 19 aid station was and I looked at Gil and said "we gotta run across the finish." Gil said "we're doing it together right?" I said "hell yea we're finishing it together!!"


We crossed the finish together at 10 hours and 12 minutes. My longest 50K by far. My 50K PR is 4 hours less then that! But it didn't matter. Not today. Today was a day where I learned and listened and shared beautiful trail miles with some amazing people. Collecting memories..yea that's what it is all about.

Finish line joy. Photo courtesy of Alfonso Ong

From left to right, Paul, Gil, myself, Ryan and Jes. Photo courtsey of Alfonso Ong. 

Finding My Way at The Dirty German

"I want to go home..." I can't believe I said this out loud to Kourtney somewhere between miles 41-47. Somehow I was reduced to an eight year old child. It was a very odd moment of mental weakness for me and not exactly what you want to hear or think for that matter when your in the middle of your first 50 miler. I am still shocked I said that and at the time I meant it. Home is comfortable, calm, with air conditioning. Home has clean clothes. Home has a shower and home has my family and my dog. That is were I wanted to be. However I first had to fight the hardest battle and race I have ever been in and the heat and brutal humidity and many miles were standing in my way. The struggle between brain and body was real and I felt caught in the purgatory between the two.

This is from Web MD:

Heat exhaustion signs and symptoms include:

• Faintness or dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Heavy sweating often accompanied by cold, clammy skin
• Weak, rapid pulse
• Pale or flushed face
• Muscle cramps
• Headache
• Weakness or fatigue

I had every one of the these symptoms on the third lap at The Dirty German Endurance Fest 50 Miler, plus swelling fingers, occasional cold shivers and feelings of being disoriented. This was not how my first 50 was supposed to go down. I felt lost, hopeless, and alone out on the course even though I ran the entire thing with my running buddy Kourtney and ran with many friends. These were foreign feelings to me during a run. I have run countless marathons and tough 50K's but this....this was a superior beast I had never come across. It sounds like I'm sensationalizing the description but I can tell you flat out I am not. The only reasoning I can come up with was the humidity and an untrained body and minds reaction to it. I am not a heat runner and when you couple that with heavy humidity and no breeze it's just makes the oncoming suffering that you know is coming that much harder to cope with.

6:00 am and the humidity has hangin around already.

Race Report: Ironmaster's Challenge 50K

I knew very little about Ironmaster’s Challenge 50K when I signed up for it back in the winter. I still knew very little about the day of the race. All I really knew is the location, Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Michaux State Forest in the south-central area of Pennsylvania. Basically I had a two hour drive out past Harrisburg and down to Carlisle. But like so many of my recent races it was merely set up to be a nice slow long run in the woods to get time on my feet and get the miles in. It’s a very small race and I don’t think it’s very well known so much outside the general Central PA region. I think this is partly because they don’t use ultrasignup.com and it just sort of gets lost in the plethora of springtime marathons and ultras. The race is put together by The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy and the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club “with all proceeds from the race going to support organizational programs and operations, including the Ironmaster’s Mansion” the location of the finish line. So it’s a not for profit race which is always a bonus. 

Pavillion area at start.

Almost ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race Report: Riding The Tiger at Breakneck

So you fancy yourself a trail runner huh? You like to climb, feel the burn in your legs, then bomb the descents right? You think your pretty badass I take it? Well then, why don’t you go run the inaugural Breakneck Trail Marathon and 25K up in the Hudson Highlands? You’ll be fine it’s ONLY a marathon. (insert facepalm) This was the voice inside my head rattling around. I kept thinking of that classic Bruce Willis quote in the original Die Hard movie, “come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs.”

The Breakneck Point Trail Marathon and 25K is put on by Ian Golden owner of Red Newt Racing based in Ithaca, NY. They put on such great trail events as Cayuga 50 and of course Virgil Crest just to name a few.  The website states that Breakneck will have “a cumulative elevation gain on par with SkyRun marathons, and a few of the steepest ascents and descents of any trail race in the country”. That description is clearly laying down the challenge that this race is not for the faint of heart and not for beginner trail runners. It’s basically a mountain race not even a trail race. To put it in perspective, the marathon had a final gain of 10,900 VF and the 25K had a mere 5,700 and change as shown on my 310XT. So race day was here and it was time to “run steep and get high!”

I signed up when it first opened up on ultra signup after hearing about it from Dylan over on the TrailWhippass FB page. I figured it would be a grueling but fun training run with a chance to get some serious vert on my legs heading into Dirty German 50. I have never been to the area let alone run here but the pictures from the top of Breakneck Point were amazing. I knew it would be the most difficult race for me to date due to the elevation changes but little did I realize just what I had signed up for. Staring at the elevation chart it was obvious the climbs were going to be brutal. In my head I was fixated on getting through the climbs and then being able to run whatever flats there were and even running the descents. That was my plan. Yea right good luck with that plan, insert facepalm here you stupid.. stupid man.

I arrived at the Settlement Camp after a long 135 minute drive and jumped in line for the porty potty. It was here I met Ron Kappus from New Jersey. We both have many mutual friends and got to talking. We run the same trails at Trexler Preserve and we talked about him running the Tammany 10 over the winter. He’s also running MMT100 so in hindsight this was perfect training for a rocky course such as MMT. But that’s one of the best parts of these small grass roots races, you always get a chance to meet familiar faces and have great conversation. I then picked up my bib and went to my car to get my gear ready. It was here I realized the girl gave me bib #1. 

Not sure how I pulled this number.

Race Report : Garden Spot Village Marathon

This was my first time running Garden Spot and my second marathon in three weeks. I ran Ocean Drive two weeks prior and that marathon kicked off a slew of running activity leading up to Dirty German 50 miler on May 17. So G-Spot was #2 on the list and the races afterwards would start to really progressively get harder. Funny thing happened I went ahead and signed up for another trail marathon leading up to G-Spot, The North Face Bear Mountain up in New York. A rocky nasty trail run at the foot of the Catskills. So that gives me a brutal lead up to my fifty but I digress.

I really did not have a lot of expectations for Garden Spot as far as time goes. I wanted to run well but nice and easy, sort of like a glorified long training run. No pushing the pace or trying to go all out with Breakneck Point Marathon the following week. I was looking at trying to run 30 to 40 seconds slower per mile then I did at Ocean Drive. That should allow me to not really blow up towards the end. So that was my goal I suppose, to not blow up. Easier said then done. I was running the race with my running bud Kourtney. She and I ran the Bird-In-Hand Half Marathon back in the fall around these parts and I struggled mightily in the heat and humidity that day. That half was run on the hottest day of the year and was probably my worst race I have ever done. So my memory of running in New Holland wasn’t a pleasant one. But once again, that’s why I signed up for this one. This is as much mental training as it is physical. Ultra distances of 50 miles and 100 miles require a hardening of the mind as well as the body. This was ultra training.

KYW News Radio? That's what I kept thinking. LOL

Race Report : Ocean Drive Marathon - On The Way To Cape May..

Ocean Drive Marathon, a point to point road marathon held at the end of March from Cape May New Jersey to Sea Isle City New Jersey. The course is super flat minus a few minor bridge crossings. Not my forte for sure. I’m a 200 pound trail runner and not a lean and fast road runner. However I love a great marathon but I’ll be the first to admit that road marathons are hard. Running on flat roads for hours is a mental challenge and that’s precisely why I signed up for it. And it comes only a week after The Hat Run mauled me like a baby seal in shark infested waters.  So why run races and routes that I know I’m not good at or actually enjoy? Because it’s great ultra training, that’s why. Everything and everywhere I run this year is all solely for preparation for Oil Creek 100. Run races I’m not good at, do speedwork, run mountainous hilly as all hell trail races. Run in the rain run in the cold run in the snow..when I’m tired when I’m bored when I don’t feel like it. Run flat roads run hilly trails. I’m going to do it all. Leave no stone unturned. One target “A” race. One goal way off in the distance. Finish that 100 miler in October deep in the woods in Northwestern Pennsylvania. So Ocean Drive it is. It’s just  a super flat long run down the shore with seagulls, salt marshes, lapping waves and boardwalk oddities.  It turned out that I actually really enjoyed this low key marathon even though I suffered a bit.




Freezing Cold