Saratoga Winterfest 5k Snowshoe Race
Sunday, February 4, 2007
2007 Saratoga 5k Snowshoe Race results
Saratoga 5k Snowshoe Race info
2007 Saratoga 5k Snowshoe Race photo slideshow
For some reason I ended up very disorganized for this race... I found myself scrambling in the morning to pull all my gear together and even realized 5 minutes or so into the race that I hadn't started my stopwatch when the start whistle blew! So in some ways it's something of a pleasant surprise that it went as well as it did.
Friday night word was posted on the WMAC snowshoe page that the intention was to run the race as a snowshoe event, as 4" of snow had fallen Friday evening at Saratoga Spa State Park. I must admit I was a bit sceptical that enough snow would remain on the course for a snowshoe race on Sunday, especially after folks had descended on the park on Saturday for skiing and snowshoeing. So I was happily proven wrong when I arrived at the park this morning and found a good deal of snow remaining (though we did have sections where the snow cover was much less than ideal - we were basically running over gravel with a light coating of snow.)
Checked in, geared up (a challenging proposition, given that the temperature was in the high teens with a viscious windchill part of the time - I finally decided it was better to risk being cold and left my windbreaker and 180s with my shoes) and waited for the fun to begin. Joked a bit with Konrad, listened to the snowshoe newbies fret about what they were going to do, and then - off we went!
The first part of the race was a run around the perimeter of the field in the middle of the quadrangle that includes the park admin building (which also acts as race HQ.) I had forgotten how long that stretch is - took a good 10 minutes to get around it. As a plus, I had a good view of the train of runners ahead of me and the front runners pulling away from the rest of the group.
Then we headed through the woods and down a snowcovered road, across Geyser creek, and then - up the long hill to the pool complex. As I was trudging up the hill, the front runners came blazing down - I recognized Bob Dion (of Dion Snowshoes) in 2nd place, and the fifth or sixth fellow to come down the hill greeted me by name - wish I could remember his, we met at Northern Nipmuck last year and then chatted again briefly after the Greylock Deathmarch (oops - Half Marathon!) Near the top of the hill we headed into the woods again, circled around the pool building, and then ran back down the hill I'd plodded up earlier. After a stretch along another snow-covered road, it was back across the creek and through a picnic area and then - the never-ending hill through the pine woods.
About halfway up the hill, the fellow taking photos for the race hollered at me to start running for my picture... so run I did. Couldn't tell exactly when he took it, though he said it was good - just have to wait for the photos to be posted to see!
Finally made it to the top of the hill - after that it's level all the way to the end. I was able to pick up my pace a bit - legs were finally warmed up and ready for some sustained effort. Kept a pretty good pace all the way through the woods to the long straightaway to the finish - even managed to pass a kid who'd blazed by me early on - and finished in 38:33, or just under 12.5 min per mile - yet another PR for my snowshoe running.
After that it was time for the post-race stagger back to the admin building, where I chatted for a bit with Rich Busa (who's in his late 70's and still manages to beat me in every race we're in together - I hope I'm running as strong as he is when I get to be his age!) while we each removed our snowshoes. Snagged two cups of very delicious chili, and headed back to the car to change clothes before heading to the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve for more running before returning home.
Next up: hopefully the Camp Saratoga 8k Snowshoe Race in just under two weeks... last year it was cancelled because there was no snow and the trails were covered with ice. And possibly a 2nd race in the WMAC Snowshoe Series that Sunday... just have to wait and see what happens between now and then.
JMH
2007 EVENT TOTALS
Running
Cycling 6.2 mi, 33 min
Snowshoe 13.3 mi, 3 hr 15 min
