I AM SO DEAD...
Monday, March 3, 2008
RD Andy Weinberg has been sending those of us crazy enough to register for this event regular e-mail updates as the day draws closer and closer... here's what he said about the course last week:
The course has been designed by Jason Hayden. Jason has put in a lot of hard work building and maintaining the mountain bike trails. The majority of the course is in the woods on single track bike trails, snowmobile trails, and logging roads. You will enjoy many scenic overlooks throughout the loop and a special section Jason designed in a dense spruce forest. The course is non certified. The course features 1737' of vertical per lap. Each lap is 6.55 miles.OK, that 1737' of vertical raised a few alarms. Two of the toughest races I did this season - Curly's & Northfield - had 800' of vertical. Uh oh...
Today I received another update, which included the following even more intimidating information:
Course Conditions by Sherpa John - The course we will all tackle next weekend is challenging, scenic and simply exhilarating. Huge thanks to Jason for a job, above and beyond, well done! Four of us casually hiked the entire 6.55 mile loop today and it took us just under 4 hours. Our pace was moderate as we hiked along conversing the entire way and enjoying the views from the courses various outlooks. The course is currently well packed singletrack trail over 5 to 6 feet of natural powder. The course markings are superb and we find the likelihood of someone getting lost to be nearly impossible. All though the course is currently 100% packed out, this weeks weather promises much of the same for the current Pittsfield Winter Season. I would all but guarantee the course conditions to change with the currently forecasted snow and ice storms and fluctuation of this weeks temps. Racers should expect to be travelling on 6 - 7 feet of snow and icy crust next weekend.
For those who don't know, 'Sherpa' John Lacroix is an extremely talented young ultrarunner from New Hampshire who does all manner of stuff us mere mortals would consider crazy. AND IT TOOK HIM ALMOST 4 HOURS TO HIKE THIS COURSE!!!!! (He has slightly more to say on his blog - I would assume the picture he posted is from somewhere on the course, and all I can say is - holy crap.)
I'm trying not to psyche myself out, but I know what kind of snowshoeing shape I'm in... I suspect I'm going to find myself completing the 6.55 mi course rather than the half marathon this Saturday, though you never know. Maybe I'll find a magic energy deep inside me and make it through the whole half marathon. (Uh... yeah, right. Even Stupid Turtle doesn't buy that one!)
I am SO dead...
JMH
