A Year of Long Distance - Race#3
Nipmuck Trail Marathon
Sunday, May 28, 2006
2006 Nipmuck Trail Marathon results
Nipmuck Trail Marathon info
2006 Nipmuck Trail Marathon photo slideshow
"When you can't run, you walk. And when you can't walk, you crawl. And when you can't crawl, you find someone to carry you."
- Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly
So after that ominous quote, let me answer the big question first: was I ready for Nipmuck? The answer - apparently not. I pulled myself from the race after 5 hrs 45 min at the northern turn-around, at mile 19.4, and caught a ride back to race HQ at the start/finish area. And I'm very disappointed, because I really wanted to finish NIPMUCK, both because it's been a goal on and off for 8 years now and because I really wanted one of the cool finishers trophies (a section of log with a sticker and a blue blaze painted on it!) But sadly, this year NIPMUCK finished me instead.
The day started early - alarm went off at 2:45 AM, and I was on the road at 4:15 to try to get to Ashford, CT, by around 7 AM. Drive was pretty straightforward, except for lots of mist and fog (not a positive sign regarding humidity levels later in the day!) All in all, a pretty drive through the mountains of southern Massachusetts, before a short jog down into Connecticut. And a big plus - almost no traffic at that ungodly hour!
Apparently I was part of the "early" group to arrive, because I managed a parking spot close to the start/finish line. The race is run out of a trailhead along Perry Hill Rd and and this is probably the busiest it ever gets, with the road lined with cars in both directions (after all, there are typically 150-200 runners.) Got a free water bottle (from the Fuggawee Athletic Racing Team - look at the initials and you'll see someone has a sense of humor) and a free Techwick T-shirt for the 2006 Montrail/EMS Northeastern Trail Running Series. Also got my race number, complete with bright orange "High Fall Risk" sticker indicating that I am a Nipmuck neophyte. Then I geared up and hung around waiting for the pre-race briefing.
After a few technical difficulties, Nipmuck Dave (the RD) ran us through the briefing, which consisted of a series of taped questions from "Inbred Trail Runner", "Trail Geezer", and so on, the bulk of which was designed to remind us that we MUST take responsibility for our being there and that no one else could be held responsible for anything which happened to us. We heard that many, many times during the 10 minute briefing. We also were informed of the cutoff times - 3 1/2 hours for the 1st out-and-back (wasn't expecting that to be a problem) and 6 hours to reach the 2nd turnaround (that one worried me a bit, since I'd heard the 2nd half is much hillier.) So that gave me some additional goals to shoot for (besides just finishing.)
And then, a few minutes later - off we went!
Nipmuck Trail Marathon
Sunday, May 28, 2006
2006 Nipmuck Trail Marathon results
Nipmuck Trail Marathon info
2006 Nipmuck Trail Marathon photo slideshow
"When you can't run, you walk. And when you can't walk, you crawl. And when you can't crawl, you find someone to carry you."
- Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly
So after that ominous quote, let me answer the big question first: was I ready for Nipmuck? The answer - apparently not. I pulled myself from the race after 5 hrs 45 min at the northern turn-around, at mile 19.4, and caught a ride back to race HQ at the start/finish area. And I'm very disappointed, because I really wanted to finish NIPMUCK, both because it's been a goal on and off for 8 years now and because I really wanted one of the cool finishers trophies (a section of log with a sticker and a blue blaze painted on it!) But sadly, this year NIPMUCK finished me instead.
The day started early - alarm went off at 2:45 AM, and I was on the road at 4:15 to try to get to Ashford, CT, by around 7 AM. Drive was pretty straightforward, except for lots of mist and fog (not a positive sign regarding humidity levels later in the day!) All in all, a pretty drive through the mountains of southern Massachusetts, before a short jog down into Connecticut. And a big plus - almost no traffic at that ungodly hour!
Apparently I was part of the "early" group to arrive, because I managed a parking spot close to the start/finish line. The race is run out of a trailhead along Perry Hill Rd and and this is probably the busiest it ever gets, with the road lined with cars in both directions (after all, there are typically 150-200 runners.) Got a free water bottle (from the Fuggawee Athletic Racing Team - look at the initials and you'll see someone has a sense of humor) and a free Techwick T-shirt for the 2006 Montrail/EMS Northeastern Trail Running Series. Also got my race number, complete with bright orange "High Fall Risk" sticker indicating that I am a Nipmuck neophyte. Then I geared up and hung around waiting for the pre-race briefing.
After a few technical difficulties, Nipmuck Dave (the RD) ran us through the briefing, which consisted of a series of taped questions from "Inbred Trail Runner", "Trail Geezer", and so on, the bulk of which was designed to remind us that we MUST take responsibility for our being there and that no one else could be held responsible for anything which happened to us. We heard that many, many times during the 10 minute briefing. We also were informed of the cutoff times - 3 1/2 hours for the 1st out-and-back (wasn't expecting that to be a problem) and 6 hours to reach the 2nd turnaround (that one worried me a bit, since I'd heard the 2nd half is much hillier.) So that gave me some additional goals to shoot for (besides just finishing.)
And then, a few minutes later - off we went!
The 1st leg was a LOT of technical terrain - not particularly hilly, but rocks and roots everywhere. Also some very pretty surroundings - at two points we were running through pine forests along streams. About 2 miles from the turnaround, the faster runners started coming back - the big disadvantage to an out-and-back, if you're slower you spend a bunch of time getting out of the way of people on their way back. But I doubt that slowed me down all that much. Reached the 6+ mile mark, chatted briefly with the nice folks manning the aid station, and headed back, pretty much alone on the trail once I'd passed the half dozen folks who were still on their way to the turnaround. Kept up a pretty consistent pace, and pulled into the start/finish area at 2:55, which was what I was aiming for.
Took a 10 minute break to change into a dry shirt, re-grease my feet and change socks, and grab something to eat... unfortunately, I had no stomach for solid food and ended up eating 1/4 of a boiled potato. I suspect the heat was the culprit there - just thinking about my Clif bars made me slightly nauseous. And the lack of solid nutrition (despite sucking down bottles of Hammer HEED and Perpetuem that I'd brought with me) may be what led to my problems in the seriously hilly second half. That and the relentless pounding my legs took in the technical 1st half. My legs were tired enough that I had to walk the uphills - no big deal. Unfortunately, even a little ways in I was finding it difficult to run the few level sections and downhills. I did some running during the next 3 miles, but after that I was reduced to hiking almost everything. Still not a huge problem, though I was beginning to get worried. But, tired as I was, things were looking OK as I walked into the aid station at mile 17.8, at 4 hours 50 minutes - I was still on pace to finish in under 8 hours, even hiking all the rest.
Unfortunately, the section between there and the turnaround at mile 19.4 was easily the toughest section of the course. Non-stop steep up and down, over technical terrain... I slowed to a crawl and knew I was in trouble. Hiking that section sucked away what little energy I had left - and I was going to have to go BACK over the same terrain on the way back! So over the next 50 minutes I made the tough call, and decided to pull myself from the race when I hit the turn-around. And that's what I did, after coming down a section so steep that there was a STAIRWAY installed!
It was a really difficult decision to make. I really wanted to finish and I hate giving up. But it was clear that, if I were to keep going, (1) it was going to take me at least 3 hours to get back, which meant I wouldn't make the 8 hour cutoff, (2) it's possible I would have reached an aid station after the 8 hour point and gotten pulled from the course by race management (which would have really hurt), and (3) my legs would have been even more beat up and my recovery time would be that much longer - not to mention the hollering my bad knee was doing on the ups and downs. So I caught a ride back to the finish, saw the RD who seemed saddened by the fact that I didn't make it, and watched a few people come across the finish line as I changed into dry clothes and bought one of the custom tye-died Nipmuck Trail Marathon T-shirts. (Don't know if I'll ever wear it - but I had to have one!)
So I'm disappointed but also determined to go back next year and finish. Being on the course has given me some new insight into training (more technical trail! more hills! and more long distance runs!) And perhaps next year, with a better base to start from than I had this year, I'll be able to do it.
And if nothing else - I got to spend six hours out on some really beautiful trails, with a whole bunch of folks who are as crazy or even crazier than I am!
JMH
Next up: a short trail race at Mendon Ponds park, and then - GREYLOCK.
2006 event totals
snowshoe - 3 miles, 59.5 min
running - 47.5 miles, 13 hr 07 min
riding - 32.4 miles, 2 hr 32 min
