A Year of Long Distance - Race#5
Mount Greylock Half Marathon Trail Race
Sunday, June 18, 2006

2006 Mt Greylock Trail Races results
Mt Greylock Trail Races info

2006 Mt Greylock Half Marathon Trail Race Photo Slideshow

Hopefully the race organizers will forgive me if I hereafter refer to the Greylock Half Marathon (actually more like 14 miles, according to the RD) as the Greylock Death March. Between the long uphills, the steep downhills, and the technical terrain (oh, and a little heat, too) it seemed a lot more like that than a trail run...

After my tough time at Nipmuck, I approached Greylock with a certain amount of trepidation. While the distance wasn't a concern (I can hike 14 miles in about 5 hours if need be) all the uphill and downhill was... and as the weekend got closer and the forecast called for oppressive heat and humidity, that just added to the anticipated fun. Especially since much of my running so far this year has been in chilly conditions and rain. So I really had NO idea how this was going to go.

As with last year, things were buzzing at the Greylock Glen... especially the flies! Those little buggers were everywhere. One difference is a lot of people seemed to be trying to stay in what little shade there was while waiting for the fun to start. I also ended up parked a bit further away, so I tried to minimize trips to the car.



Bob Dion, the man behind Dion Snowshoes and all around great guy, did the pre-race briefing. As with his talk before Monroe Dunbar Brook last October (the weekend of the Great Flood) he showed a definite way with words...

BD: OK, for those of you doing the long course, it's about 3.5 miles to the top. The further you go, the steeper it gets. So if you're boxed in at the beginning and stuck walking, the folks you're with might be doing you a favor... (as a side note, I heard Bob telling someone earlier that the front runners would hit the top in 30 minutes, the mid-pack in 45 min to an hour... so I was expecting 75 to 90 minutes to get there. Wahoo.)

BD: right after the aid station at the top, you're going to hit what looks like an easy downhill, and just as you pick up speed you'll hit the nastiest section of the whole run. Ledges, loose greasy rocks, terrible footing. Slow down and take it easy. After that you'll hit a section that's all roots and rocks and overgrown, so you can't see your footing. Helen Keller trail running. We tried putting some Braille rocks out there for you, but again - take it easy and be careful! (no surprise, Bob was right on the money for these sections...)

BD: from there on, the trail gets better. The further you go, the better the trail gets. At Jones Nose, there's a great view. If you're going to look at the view, I'd recommend you stop or you may find yourself going off Jones Nose. Three years ago, when we first started using the current course, I hit Jones Nose and went airborne, head down and... well, I'm still alive. (again, right on the money.)

BD: from there on, the trails great, you'll be able to really move. (well, maybe Bob and the runners like him were able to...)

And a few minutes later... off we went!

One of the things about the Greylock races (both start at the same time) that frustrated me last year are the two bottlenecks right off the starting line... having learned from last year, I didn't even try to run. Besides, I knew I'd be walking soon enough anyway. About a quarter mile out, the short course went left, and we headed right, to start our march up the mountain. Very little running, because it was essentially non-stop uphill on a mix of single and doubletrack. The last mile or so was very steep. A couple of pluses - (1) it was mostly shaded, (2) there were other folks hiking along with me (so I wasn't the only one walking up the mountain!), and (3) the woodpeckers were having a good time in the forest... periodically you'd hear them rapping away on a tree. And after 75 minutes - we were at the top! That felt good, especially the anticipation of getting to actually run.

Just over the top was the first aid station - I tossed one empty bottle and refilled another (I'd gone through 40 oz of fluids on the way up the mountain.) Then I headed off down the trail... and soon hit the nasty section. So much for running. I managed some short runs, but most of it was too technical for me to run without risking blowing out my knees. So - back to hiking!

Eventually, we came out on a dirt road, and hit the next aid station, at about the 6 mile mark. At that point there were three of us in fairly close proximity... presumably the back of the proverbial pack. Refilled an empty water bottle again (still had about 1 1/2 bottles of energy/electrolyte drink, too) and headed off on the trail to Jones Nose. Initially it was very runnable, which was enjoyable, but it got more technical as it approached the rocky outcroppings (the Nose) and after that - the trail went almost straight down. So... more hiking. At the bottom there was a nice running section through a meadow... well, nice except for the brutal sun. And then I hit the last aid station, and was told I had 4 miles to go (actually, it turned out to be more like 4.5...)

Checked the time, just under 3 hours... not great for 9.5 miles, but not awful considering all the hiking I'd had to do. Hit the trail again, and it turned out to be downhill on a jeep road... wahoo! Finally a long runnable stretch (I thought) AND the possibility of coming in under 4 hours. Unfortunately, 10 minutes later the downhill turned into uphill, and while it wasn't too steep, I just didn't have any juice left in my legs to run uphill. So... back to hiking. About 20 minutes later, it was back to downhill, but the road was badly washed out (in other words, all loose rock) so the running was tough. Footing was tricky and my feet took a pounding from all the rocks. Some nice scenery crossing streams and so on... but that road seemed to go on forever.

Eventually the course left the road and headed off on a hiking trail. Fewer rocks, but a lot steeper... yes indeed more hiking. Eventually it hit the 2nd half of the short course, which is very pretty... but at that point in the game for me, all the downhills meant more walking. The last stretch was pretty good - managed to run to the finish line, and crossed it half dead in 4 hr 18 min 31 sec. Grabbed a bite to eat, then headed back to the car, changed clothes, and drove back to Albany, sucking down fluids all the way.

Apparently I was NOT the last person to come in... I knew there were two other runners behind me, but the race results show five folks crossed the line after I did (I don't know where the other three came from! Maybe they took a long break at the top of the mountain?)

So that was one heck of a tough "run" and one that has left me with no doubt that I am nowhere near ready to do Escarpment, since that makes this look like a piece of cake. I'm giving some thought to things I can do to improve - the three long races I've done this year have been mighty difficult, and I'd like to feel like I'm getting better the more I run rather than worse!

Next up: depending on how my legs feel, probably the Summer Solstice Run down at Lake Minnewaska State Park. And definitely the 25K loop of the Finger Lakes Fifties on July 1...

JMH

2006 event totals
snowshoe - 3 miles, 59.5 min
running - 66 miles, 18 hr 20 min
riding - 32.4 miles, 2 hr 32 min

WATERFALLS AND GORGES GALORE
Hiking Taughannock Falls State Park and Watkins Glen State Park
Sunday, June 11, 2006

Taughannock Falls site
NY State Parks: Taughannock Falls

Taughannock Falls hike photo slideshow

Watkins Glen waterfalls
NY State Parks: Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen hike photo slideshow

As part of celebrating Ann's upcoming birthday and our 6 year anniversary, I took on the task of finding someplace interesting to visit. In the end I found two state parks - one neither of us had been to, and one I hadn't been to. And both were fantastic choices.

Taughannock Falls

Taughannock (pronounced "tau-han-nock") Falls State Park is near Ithaca, off the western shore of Cayuga Lake. The gorge is 400 foot deep in spots and has trails along both rims and along the stream at the bottom of the gorge. The primary attraction, of course, is Taughannock Falls, which at 215 feet is higher than Niagara Falls and is almost the highest waterfall in the northeastern US. (Apparently there's a falls in Letchworth which is slightly higher, but that one spends much of the summer dried up.)









We picked a good day to visit - while it was somewhat overcast and cool, the rain a couple of days before meant there was a good flow going over the waterfall. We parked at the overlook and after watching the falls for a bit, hiked down the north rim trail (downhill all the way, ending in a steep set of stone steps down the hillside... all of which meant lots of uphill on the way back!) and then up the gorge trail. There were plenty of people around, but it wasn't crowded. The trail goes to a viewing area which was covered in spray - pretty darn cool (made me glad I have a waterproof camera!) There were numerous small waterfalls along the way, and a variety of neat rock formations. Unfortunately, all too quickly it was time to make the uphill hike back to the car. I'd definitely like to go back some time and walk the south rim trail... there's also another waterfall further upstream (only 100 feet high, but still...) Who knows... maybe I'll go for a run there sometime this summer.







Watkins Glen

When I told Ann that the other place we were going was Watkins Glen, her response was, "That's right, you've never been there. You're going to love it." And was she ever right!





Watkins Glen State Park runs along a gorge containing the Glen Creek and numerous waterfalls. At the end of the most recent Ice Age, about 12000 years ago, glaciers dug out the 38 mile long trough that became Seneca Lake and steepened the valley side. Since then the creek has eroded the weaker sedimentary rock and made waterfalls at the harder rocks, leaving behind a gorge that descends 400 feet in 2 miles and contains 19 waterfalls, with cliffs up to 300 feet on either side. The gorge was opened as a private tourist resort in 1863, and in the early 1900's the various tunnels were dug by hand. The area became a state park in 1906. Now it is easily one of the most spectacular parks in New York State (right up there with Minnewaska, in my book - and that's saying a lot!) (Much of the historical info here came from Rich and Sue Freeman's books on hiking in the Finger Lakes region.)

Anyway, enough history, on to the hike!

The first thing we did was go up through a tunnel and out onto the Sentry Bridge, which overlooks a waterfall and gives a nice view out into the gorge. What a beautiful place! Took the path along the stream, climbing up stairs and even walking behind waterfalls in two spots. It was a little bit like walking through a rainforest in spots, with the sun trickling down through the vegetation and water splashing down the sides of the cliffs. Bridges crossed the creek in a number of spots as we climbed higher and higher.











Eventually the trail leveled off and the stream bed became a bit calmer. No surprise, the crowds also thinned out quite a bit. About a half mile later we reached the top of the gorge, and climbed a long, steep staircase to the rim, where we took a wide dirt path back down almost to where we started, and crossed the gorge on a suspension bridge 85 feet above the creek. Apparently, during the great flood of 1935, water came within 5 feet of this bridge! I can't even imagine that much water blasting through the glen. Much of the stonework (bridges, walls, etc) that we saw was built after that flood.

From there, we hiked back down a long stone staircase to the main path along the creek. It was getting fairly late, and close the time for the park to close, but we took a few more minutes to go back up the trail and marvel at the beautiful waterfalls and rock formations. Needless to say I would have loved to stay longer, especially since there weren't as many people around! But finally we made our way back through the tunnel and down to the car, and started the long drive home (Watkins Glen is at the southern tip of Seneca Lake - as already stated, a long lake indeed!)



So, while it was a bit chilly and cloudy at times, overall this was a great way to celebrate - spending time with my sweetheart and wandering around some absolutely fantastic places. I definitely want to go back to both parks again!

JMH

A Year of Long Distance - Race#4
Powerbar 4.5 Mile Trail Race
Saturday, June 10, 2006

2006 Powerbar 4.5 Mile Trail Race Results
Powerbar 4.5 & 9 Mile Trail Races info

2006 Powerbar 4.5 Mile Trail Race Photo Slideshow

OK, I guess 4.5 miles doesn't really qualify as long distance, but the short races have significance too. They give me a chance to try running faster than usual (since I don't need to save energy for all those upcoming miles) and they're fun, too!

Another great race from Yellowjacket Racing out in Rochester. And another race where they had a record turnout - roughly 200 runners between the short and long courses. And another chance to run in beautiful Mendon Ponds park! There were two options - a 4.5 mile and a 9 mile (2 loops of the 4.5 mile.) I chose the shorter option because (1) I wasn't sure what the course would be like (I suspected lots of hills) and (2) Ann and I were planning to do some travelling this weekend, and the short race would leave me more time with her. A good choice, as it turned out.

Once again, we had abnormal weather for this race - in this case, temperatures in the 50's on June 10! That left things a little uncertain as far as clothing goes, but I finally decided to go the (initially) chilly route and chose shorts and a long-sleeved shirt. Another good choice, as it happens, because by the end I was pretty darn hot!

So a bit before 9 AM we all crowded into the start area (the edge of a field) and got a humorous pre-race briefing from Dave "Boots" Boutillier, including being told "You'll know the steep hill when you come to it. The footing is rough, so be careful. There are three trees on the left you can use to slow down, and at the bottom there's a big tree on the right you can aim for - it will definitely stop your forward motion!" and "If you're doing the long course and you get to the waterstop and decide you want to switch distances - smart move and it's no problem. If you're doing the short course and you feel great at the waterstop and want to keep going for the long race - you're crazy, but again, no problem!" And then - off we went!



Initially this race reminded me of a snowshoe race... within a quarter mile we were on singletrack and given the number of runners had a fairly lengthy train set up (a long line of runners one after the other.) Then the hills began and the line spread out... :-)

We ran almost the entire race in the eastern part of the park, on trails used primarily for XC skiing in the winter and horseback riding in the summer. There are a few fields but it's predominately woods, with LOTS of hills. A few level sections, but almost all the time we were going either up or down. I managed to run the uphills for the first half, but after that had to walk most of them - I was pushing hard enough that at one point I wondered if I was going to throw up (fortunately I didn't!) On a flat course that probably would have translated into 10-11 minute miles - here it was more like 12's. Passed a few people, and was passed by a few as well, but never really hit a point where there weren't other runners around. Most of the time we were on the main trails, but at a couple of points they diverted us off onto deer paths and we were dodging fallen trees and tripping over roots. Boots was right - the steep downhill was easy to pick out, though I did avoid the tree at the bottom! To add to the fun, not long after that we had another shorter, steep downhill with a 3 foot dropoff at the bottom! After those two sections the rest seemed, well, tame...





A few minutes before the waterstop several fast runners blew by me - the lead guys in the 9 mile race! Must be nice to be biomechanically blessed... boy those guys are fast! As I was approaching the waterstop and the short stretch to the finish, I heard them announcing the winner, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers for the 9 mile. On the last uphill I passed two gals who were walking (it was a short hill, so I pushed and ran it) but then they both blew past me on the downhill. Got my picture taken (twice, actually, but I didn't realize Ann was there until later!) and then ran as fast as I could to the finish. Didn't have a prayer of catching those two gals, but I did manage to cross the finish line in 55:18... not bad, considering the hills on this course.





Staggered back to the car and as I was refueling (ie. drinking water and chomping on trail mix) Ann caught up with me - a pleasant surprise, since I hadn't realized she came over for the end of the race! Since it was pretty cold (to her, at least... I'd been working hard enough that I was still warm) we packed up and headed home.

So I'm very glad I ran this - it was a lot of fun, and I got to see some more of the trails in a section of Mendon I hadn't really been to before. (And a section that will be very good for getting in some hilly runs this summer, when I'm out in Rochester!) And I got a cool T-shirt with a trail-running skeleton!

Next up: GREYLOCK.

-JMH

2006 event totals
snowshoe - 3 miles, 59.5 min
running - 52 miles, 14 hr 02 min
riding - 32.4 miles, 2 hr 32 min

RETURN OF THE MUDDY TURTLE
12 Mile Run at Thacher Park & on the Long Path
Sunday, June 4, 2006

I knew I wanted to get in a longer run (2 1/2 to 3 hours) this weekend, preferably someplace where I haven't been running recently and preferably with a bit more technical terrain than the Pine Bush (after all, GREYLOCK is rapidly approaching!) At first I considered heading to Alander or Beartown, but those are both a haul (3 hour round trip.) I toyed with the idea of checking out the Taconic Skyline trail just west of Pittsfield, but even that's a bit of driving (90 minutes round trip) and I just didn't feel like sitting in the car for that length of time. So in the end I decided to visit Thacher Park, home of the Indian Ladder Trail Race (which I've run 6 times in the past 8 years) and the Hairy Gorilla Trail Half Marathon (which ended up being more fun than I'd expected.) In addition to being someplace I haven't run much before, Thacher also has some reasonably long hills and connects to the Long Path, which I'd like to explore a bit more.

Parked at Hop Field, which in the winter is one of the bases for XC skiing at Thacher. Geared up and headed off for the trail along the escarpment, and immediately regretted not bringing my camera - with all the rain we've been having, the waterfalls over the escarpment were spectacular. Ran the escarpment trail all the way up past the Haile's Cave picnic area, then revised my plan to run the trail through the woods behind there when I discovered the trailhead totally flooded. So it was back down the escarpment (following the current Indian Ladder Trail Race route!) and then up Paint Mine Road, the first significant hill (made it all the way to the top without stopping!) After that I headed uphill on the Long Path to Roemer's High Point, a spot with a pretty darn great view. Of course, there was a LOT of climbing to do to get there (what would you expect, running to someplace named "High Point"?) Some sections were too steep and muddy for me to run, and unfortunately what were probably once some very nice sections of trail are now a torn-up logging road. But I did make it to the High Point, and even went a little bit beyond before heading back to Thacher.

From there I headed down into the XC ski trails, many of which I haven't run since the route for the Indian Ladder Trail Race was changed back in 2000. I had forgotten how pretty that section of the park is, so I'm really glad I ended up running it today. That was also the muddy section back when we ran the race there, and today it was a swamp. Mud and water everywhere - what a blast!

My legs definitely felt the 3 hours and all the climbing, but it wasn't bad... and being on such great trails definitely helped to wrap the run up on a positive note. I ended up very wet and very muddy, which is usually a lot of fun (and definitely was today.) One thing that really stood out was the lack of traffic noise - as much as I like the Pine Bush, there's almost always the sound of traffic somewhere in the background, and at Thacher that only happened when I was near roads. I will definitely have to spend more time running there this summer! Too bad I didn't have my camera; maybe I can get some pictures after a storm sometime in the next few months.

-JMH

THE WEEK AFTER NIPMUCK

16 mile bike ride
Monday, May 29, 2006

4-5 mile run
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

So what does one do after running/hiking 19.5 miles across a technical hiking trail in northeastern Connecticut?

My legs were tired Monday but not totally shot, so I took my bike over to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike/Hikeway west of Schenectady and rode the path from Schenectady County Community College out to the railroad crossing at Scrafford Lane and back. A good evening for a ride - it was fairly humid and very hot, so the breeze from riding felt good, and that path is fairly flat, so it was a nice way to get my legs working again.

Wednesday night I headed over to the Pine Bush for a short run. I could definitely feel the aftereffects of Nipmuck in my legs, but it was still nice to be running again. Half an hour into the run a thunderstorm rolled in, and then it turned into a cool run. (Actually, quite literally - the rain felt great after running for 30 minutes in the muggy weather we've been having!) Just the thing I needed as a pick-me-up in the week following Nipmuck.

JMH

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!

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