http://runwmac.com/images/greylocktrail-map.jpg Above link will take you to the topographical map which I suggest before you judge too much for having a 3+ hour 1/2 marathon. Also you will see there is a 2200' elevation gain in just the first 3 hours. I am writing this race report in parts and chunks as I have been so busy with work that I have not had time to do so otherwise. - Mile 1: 17:17
- Mile 2: 17:43
- Mile 3: 23:21
- Mile 4: 13:54
- Mile 5: 15:00
- Mile 6: 12:39
- Mile 7: 12:41
- Mile 8: 12:24
- Mile 9: 13:46
- Mile 10: 11:07
- Mile 11: 10:19
- Mile 12: 11:03
- Mile 13: 11:33
Total Time: 3:01:09 Total Distance: 13.5 miles Average Pace: 13:25 I got to the Glen where the Start/Finish area was about 1-1.5 hours early, so I had time to chill in the car and listen to NPR before starting my warm up. I registered and spent an extra $5 to get a tshirt. This was nice because generally the races here don't give you shirts and/or don't choose to sell them. Did about a mile warm up in 9-10 minute pace and used mother nature's facilities. Believe it or not they only had ONE RESTROOM at the start/finish area and there was a line 30 deep. No thank you! As I was waiting for the start of the race, I saw a running friend Laura Clark who does most of the trail races in these parts. She's from upstate NY too and made the trip down. I also heard a guy talking about how he'd done Mt. Washington the day before (hardest road race in New England). He said an elite woman had locked her shoes and singlet in the car and she had to borrow some from another runner. She went on to win the race and set a new course record by more than two minutes. On to the race report: THE ASCENT (Miles 1-3, 2200' elevation gain) Miles 1-3 were rough. The field started in a field and bottlenecked into a single track after only 200 yards. I find with trail races, I know that I am not going to finish up front so I like starting near the back and working my way up to mid-pack. I let the rabbits go, and bided my time. As it opened into a double track after about .25 miles I started to kick it into gear. First 3 miles were all race walk style. I passed a good 20 people the first mile, blazing with my 17:17 uphill first mile. Continue to push the pace but the last 1.5 miles up was a doozie. Deerflies were biting my back and sweat was cascading down my face. I looked like I had taken a shower with my clothes on, no joke. It was 82 and humid, humid, humid! Got to the top in 55:00 and change. Only one problem... NO WATER STATION! Thankfully as I had ran the mountain road so many times this spring I knew where a water spicket was. I went off course to briefly fill it and then DOWN, DoWN, DOWN I went! THE DESCENT (Miles 4-13) Going downhill is always much harder for me. As I went down I made my way down slipper rocks and single track. Tons of roots, and I almost lost my shoe no less than 3 times in ankle deep mud! It was such a great time. This one lady in front of me that let me by said, "Man! This is nothing like running on the West Coast! You can't take a break here!" You got that right Cali-forn-i-an! I started to pick off a few stragglers. Made my way into the first aid station at mile 6, filled my bottle and off quickly, trailing a group of 4. I made it a plan to stick with them. An odd assortment we were, a geriatric, a 20-something kamikaze gal that literally jumped off the rocks going down, a guy with a camelbak, me, and another gentleman. I ended up wedging myself behind the kamikaze lady until about mile 8 where she literally must of evaporated into air. She simply disappeared! Next aid station was mile 8. I got in there and most of the powerade was gone. One bad thing about this race, was only powerade and water on the course. Very hard to run strong without food! Must invest in a fanny pack methinks! ((HAHAHAHA Imagine the Howling Commando with a fanny pack. I almost said that with a straight face!)) I got passed in mile 9 by a young kid (about 14 or 15). I had given him a look at the mile 8 station, and I could hear him trailing me for the mile 9 going downhill along the ridge. I let him go and he caught the girl that flew down the mountain. I started to pull them back, but I think he sensed it and he took off. I caught the girl at mile 10 and kept on running past her. She was fading fast; she was not carrying a bottle of any kind! I can't imagine running this race without a bottle or camelbak! Miles 10-13 pretty much ran by myself. Last aid station was unmanned at mile 12. There were jugs of water on the ground. Filled my bottle and took off. I thought I had a chance in the last mile of breaking 3 hours. This is an unbelievably hard course! THE FINISH (13.5) I came running strong down the hill and cruised through the finish. A lot of people still hanging out and bbq-ing. I grabbed a few cookies and went and changed clothes before heading out to go home. I am still waiting for results to be posted on the website. So all in all, a fun race: 1. Would I run it again? YOU BET! 2. Was it a hard course? YOU HAVE NO IDEA!! 3. Do I love trail runs? WWWoooOooOoo WoooOOoOOoooO I DO I DO!!!
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