This relatively high mileage week combined with two tests, the semester starting to peak out, and a pretty busy weekend at work leaves me wishing I were in my bed right now. I keep telling myself that it will all be over soon enough. I will take a much needed day off from training, hit the hot tub this evening and hopefully get a great night's sleep. I look forward to hearing about some friends' experiences from The Marine Corps Marathon yesterday (my first 26.2 years ago) and am excited to track some folks at NYC Marathon next Sunday.
Total miles for the week: 80
Monday= Rest/hot tub
Tuesday= 7 miles down Warren Rd. behind airport and back
Wednesday= 7 miles in morning around SUNY Cortland campus; 7 miles in evening around campus and surrounding area
Thursday= Speed Workout= 8 x 800 @ 5:35/mi. pace with 1/4 mile jogs in between...11 miles total
Friday= easy 10 mile loop down Warren, Asbury, Farrell, plus add-on back home
Saturday= easy 9 mile loop in morning through downtown, up Remington, Cayuga Heights back to running store with Finger Lakes Running Company crew; up-tempo (6:25/mi) 6 mile run in evening before work
Sunday= 23 miles on Rec-way Trail w/ Michael W., Katie S., Andy G., Jeff D., Maureen D., Dave J.
Quote of the week: "Sport is not about being wrapped up in cotton wool. Sport is about adapting to the unexpected and being able to modify plans at the last minute. Sport, like all life, is about taking risks."--- Sir Roger Bannister
(Approximately mile 67 at The Pacific Crest Trail Ultra-100 in the Hood (Oregon) in Sept. 2009. Photo by Terry Sentinella)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Back to the Roads
After a wonderful summer running and racing through the forest trails I'm afraid to say it is quickly coming to an end. I tried a trail run Saturday and couldn't believe the amount of leaves covering the trail. I even went off route a couple times not to mention sketchy footing with the leaves blanketing the roots and rocks. Also, it is a time in Central New York when the hunters start encroaching looking for prime spots. That said... I've been racking up some miles pounding the pavement.
Miles for the week: 70
Monday= 6 miles around SUNY Cortland campus
Tuesday= 6 miles down Warren Rd. to Asbury and back
Wednesday= 6 miles around SUNY Cortland campus in morning; 5 miles on Tri for the Y course in evening
Thursday= 9 miles down Warren Rd., Farrell and Asbury loop
Friday= 11.5 miles through Ellis Hollow
Saturday= easy 9.5 miles through Cayuga Trail, Pink Trails and plantations
Sunday= 17 miles through Ellis Hollow to the end of Thomas Rd. back to Wildflower parking lot w/ Michael W. (5 miles in the middle of our run at a 6:05 pace)
I filled out an application to get on Team Inov-8 this weekend so we'll have to wait and see what happens there. It would be an honor to be a part of their team as I enjoy their products. I was asked to put down a race plan for 2009 and already have my eye on some pretty exciting ultras! We've been gearing up for one last winter here in Ithaca and will definitely miss the change of the seasons as we prepare our move to the Portland, OR. area.
Like Coach Weber says..."Only 73 days left in the year...make it count!"
Miles for the week: 70
Monday= 6 miles around SUNY Cortland campus
Tuesday= 6 miles down Warren Rd. to Asbury and back
Wednesday= 6 miles around SUNY Cortland campus in morning; 5 miles on Tri for the Y course in evening
Thursday= 9 miles down Warren Rd., Farrell and Asbury loop
Friday= 11.5 miles through Ellis Hollow
Saturday= easy 9.5 miles through Cayuga Trail, Pink Trails and plantations
Sunday= 17 miles through Ellis Hollow to the end of Thomas Rd. back to Wildflower parking lot w/ Michael W. (5 miles in the middle of our run at a 6:05 pace)
I filled out an application to get on Team Inov-8 this weekend so we'll have to wait and see what happens there. It would be an honor to be a part of their team as I enjoy their products. I was asked to put down a race plan for 2009 and already have my eye on some pretty exciting ultras! We've been gearing up for one last winter here in Ithaca and will definitely miss the change of the seasons as we prepare our move to the Portland, OR. area.
Like Coach Weber says..."Only 73 days left in the year...make it count!"
Monday, October 13, 2008
Canadaigua Lake 50 mile relay
Wow...what a week! About 40% of the miles I ran this week were run in a few hours out in beautiful Canadaigua, NY. The weather has been great for running and the fall foliage in this area is spectacular.
Miles for the week: 61
Monday= Rest
Tuesday= 10 mile loop from apt. down through Cayuga Heights, up Gun Hill through Cornell campus back home
Wednesday= Speed workout: 8 miles total-- 2 mile warm up-- 8 X 800 @ 5:25 pace 60-90 sec. walking recovery-- 2 mile cool down
Thursday= easy 4 miles around SUNY Cortland campus
Friday= easy 5 miles from apt. behind airport and back
Saturday= Can Lake relay-- 25 miles around one of the Finger Lakes
Sunday= easy 3 mile shake out run in morning in Danby Forest while volunteering; easy 6 mile night run down Warren Rd. and back
Last year Michael W., Tom M. and myself ran the Can Lake 50 relay with a three person team in preparation for all of us running the NYC Marathon. Earlier this year, while we were on a training run, Michael briefly mentioned his interest in running the race as a two person team. My first reaction was a laugh and possibly a "I don't know about that one!" The more we talked about it and the more he "sold" me on it I finally agreed to wait and see how I felt after Iroquois 100. Well...needless to say I recovered much faster than anyone, including myself, would have imagined so we decided to give it a go.
Michael and Maria (his girlfriend who was visiting from Colorado) picked me up early Saturday morning for the approximately hour and a half ride to Canadaigua. When we arrived we quickly got our numbers and packet, said hi to familiar faces and met some new friends. Michael got ready to run the first 10-mile leg. I noticed some fast looking guys in the first leg but reassured myself that Michael is no slouch. Off they went down from the community college as Maria and I jumped in the car to meet them at the next checkpoint. The driving along and rolling down the window yelling at our runner is part of the fun too! After waiting for a little while at the exchange point chatting with other teams and volunteers we finally saw a runner. I threw my sweatshirt off and started bouncing up and down getting ready to run just assuming it was Michael. Well...the closer he got the more we realized that it was not Michael...whoa! and this front runner from Rochester was flying!
The GRTC Team brought in some fast runners and had built at least a 90-second lead on Michael and I. When Michael came in and tagged me I hammered down the road knowing that I only had about a 3.65 mile leg with some pretty good climbs and a big downhill at the end. My only intention was to catch this guy. I huffed and puffed and pumped my arms up the hills in pursuit. After turning a corner about half-way through the leg I caught glimpse of him. "Yes!" I said to myself, because I could see a big hill in the distance, which I knew I would catch him on and then I could fly down the hill and get a little cushion for Michael going into the infamous Bopple Hill leg. That's exactly what happened and I missed the record for that leg by like 27 seconds.
Bopple Hill is something that Michael looks forward to. He has trained specifically for this hill and was going for the record on this leg. However, the GRTC member who would be running this leg (Ted Thull) has the record. Michael ran an incredibly tough leg up this monster hill that our car had a tough time going up but missed the record by less than 10 seconds.
As the race unfolded we continued to run super strong enjoying picturesque views on a clear, sunny day. I couldn't believe how good the both of us were running and we were having fun too. It was just one of those days. I wondered if we could hang on without crashing as we were starting to wrap completely around this awesome lake. It helped to have run it the previous year because certain parts of the course became familiar to me and I also recognized some of the same people from last year too.
Towards the last couple of legs (around the normal 20 mile mark for myself) I could feel fatigue starting to settle in. I knew that they saved their fastest guy (Dave Bradshaw) for the final 7.5 mile leg to try and catch me. Did we build enough of a cushion to elude this? The suspense was killing me.
I took off on the final leg and all the starting and stopping was catching up with my body. This combined with the openness of this leg offering little shade made me look over my shoulders a couple of times in vain. I knew he was back there somewhere...just didn't know how far. There were times on this last leg that I felt so good putting together some 6- minute miles but also some times where I just slogged up the hills. As I charged up the hill to the finish I gave one last glance over my shoulder and realized that we had it wrapped up!
I crossed the finish to greet RD Tom Perry with a time of 5:13:48. After I caught my breath for a second Tom came over and told me that we had the second fastest time ever! GEEZ! I had no idea! What a sense of accomplishment I felt for an idea that I pretty much laughed at when Michael initially proposed the idea.
This race is definitely worth checking out. It's only been going on for 6 years but is organized and run like a 20-year event. Tom Perry and company make sure that every detail is laid out for you ahead of time. I love that sort of information. All of our relay legs were itemized with elevation profiles, directions, records, etc. which is so nice to have. Food, accommodations, and prizes are also very generous.
The views! Oh my god...the views! Surreal at times and like Tom said, "You don't trip looking at them because you're on the road not the trail". The 50-mile seems like it would be a grueling race but the 50K and relay are definitely manageable for a road race in my opinion. It's great satisfaction to look at this huge lake and then realize that you ran the whole way around it on a Saturday. I witnessed Ed, Todd, Dan, William, and Matt all come through as 50 mile tough guys...great job guys!
If you're in the Finger Lakes Region in autumn put this one on your calendar!
Quote of the week: "I tell runners to divide a race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart". --- Mike Fanelli, club coach
Miles for the week: 61
Monday= Rest
Tuesday= 10 mile loop from apt. down through Cayuga Heights, up Gun Hill through Cornell campus back home
Wednesday= Speed workout: 8 miles total-- 2 mile warm up-- 8 X 800 @ 5:25 pace 60-90 sec. walking recovery-- 2 mile cool down
Thursday= easy 4 miles around SUNY Cortland campus
Friday= easy 5 miles from apt. behind airport and back
Saturday= Can Lake relay-- 25 miles around one of the Finger Lakes
Sunday= easy 3 mile shake out run in morning in Danby Forest while volunteering; easy 6 mile night run down Warren Rd. and back
Last year Michael W., Tom M. and myself ran the Can Lake 50 relay with a three person team in preparation for all of us running the NYC Marathon. Earlier this year, while we were on a training run, Michael briefly mentioned his interest in running the race as a two person team. My first reaction was a laugh and possibly a "I don't know about that one!" The more we talked about it and the more he "sold" me on it I finally agreed to wait and see how I felt after Iroquois 100. Well...needless to say I recovered much faster than anyone, including myself, would have imagined so we decided to give it a go.
Michael and Maria (his girlfriend who was visiting from Colorado) picked me up early Saturday morning for the approximately hour and a half ride to Canadaigua. When we arrived we quickly got our numbers and packet, said hi to familiar faces and met some new friends. Michael got ready to run the first 10-mile leg. I noticed some fast looking guys in the first leg but reassured myself that Michael is no slouch. Off they went down from the community college as Maria and I jumped in the car to meet them at the next checkpoint. The driving along and rolling down the window yelling at our runner is part of the fun too! After waiting for a little while at the exchange point chatting with other teams and volunteers we finally saw a runner. I threw my sweatshirt off and started bouncing up and down getting ready to run just assuming it was Michael. Well...the closer he got the more we realized that it was not Michael...whoa! and this front runner from Rochester was flying!
The GRTC Team brought in some fast runners and had built at least a 90-second lead on Michael and I. When Michael came in and tagged me I hammered down the road knowing that I only had about a 3.65 mile leg with some pretty good climbs and a big downhill at the end. My only intention was to catch this guy. I huffed and puffed and pumped my arms up the hills in pursuit. After turning a corner about half-way through the leg I caught glimpse of him. "Yes!" I said to myself, because I could see a big hill in the distance, which I knew I would catch him on and then I could fly down the hill and get a little cushion for Michael going into the infamous Bopple Hill leg. That's exactly what happened and I missed the record for that leg by like 27 seconds.
Bopple Hill is something that Michael looks forward to. He has trained specifically for this hill and was going for the record on this leg. However, the GRTC member who would be running this leg (Ted Thull) has the record. Michael ran an incredibly tough leg up this monster hill that our car had a tough time going up but missed the record by less than 10 seconds.
As the race unfolded we continued to run super strong enjoying picturesque views on a clear, sunny day. I couldn't believe how good the both of us were running and we were having fun too. It was just one of those days. I wondered if we could hang on without crashing as we were starting to wrap completely around this awesome lake. It helped to have run it the previous year because certain parts of the course became familiar to me and I also recognized some of the same people from last year too.
Towards the last couple of legs (around the normal 20 mile mark for myself) I could feel fatigue starting to settle in. I knew that they saved their fastest guy (Dave Bradshaw) for the final 7.5 mile leg to try and catch me. Did we build enough of a cushion to elude this? The suspense was killing me.
I took off on the final leg and all the starting and stopping was catching up with my body. This combined with the openness of this leg offering little shade made me look over my shoulders a couple of times in vain. I knew he was back there somewhere...just didn't know how far. There were times on this last leg that I felt so good putting together some 6- minute miles but also some times where I just slogged up the hills. As I charged up the hill to the finish I gave one last glance over my shoulder and realized that we had it wrapped up!
I crossed the finish to greet RD Tom Perry with a time of 5:13:48. After I caught my breath for a second Tom came over and told me that we had the second fastest time ever! GEEZ! I had no idea! What a sense of accomplishment I felt for an idea that I pretty much laughed at when Michael initially proposed the idea.
This race is definitely worth checking out. It's only been going on for 6 years but is organized and run like a 20-year event. Tom Perry and company make sure that every detail is laid out for you ahead of time. I love that sort of information. All of our relay legs were itemized with elevation profiles, directions, records, etc. which is so nice to have. Food, accommodations, and prizes are also very generous.
The views! Oh my god...the views! Surreal at times and like Tom said, "You don't trip looking at them because you're on the road not the trail". The 50-mile seems like it would be a grueling race but the 50K and relay are definitely manageable for a road race in my opinion. It's great satisfaction to look at this huge lake and then realize that you ran the whole way around it on a Saturday. I witnessed Ed, Todd, Dan, William, and Matt all come through as 50 mile tough guys...great job guys!
If you're in the Finger Lakes Region in autumn put this one on your calendar!
Quote of the week: "I tell runners to divide a race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart". --- Mike Fanelli, club coach
Monday, October 6, 2008
Back In The Saddle
Back to running regularly and actually threw in a quality speed workout run this past week. I am so pleased about how fast I have recovered. The change of the season is beautiful but I noticed a few hunters out in the woods yesterday. I guess I'll be transitioning into more road running. I've also been incorporating a daily yoga and stretching routine which has helped out immensely.
Miles for the week: 51
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 20 mile bike ride commuting from my apt. to Cortland w/T. Bryant
Wednesday: 5 mile run in morning around SUNY Cortland campus; 5 mile run in evening on Tri-for the Y course
Thursday: 10 miles from Island Health Club down Black Diamond Trail w/ Cass Park add on
Friday: 3 mile warm up- 4 miles at 6:08/mi. pace- 3 mile cool down behind airport
Saturday: 9.5 miles through Buttermilk and Ithaca College with Finger Lakes Running Company crew
Sunday: 11.5 miles on Abbot Loop and Danby's Down and Dirty course with Karen G. and Dave J.
We're looking forward to this Saturday at Canadaigua's 50-mile relay. There are some tough hills but after Iroquois I think Michael and I can handle them.
Quote of the week: "Nothing will work unless you do"--John Wooden
Miles for the week: 51
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 20 mile bike ride commuting from my apt. to Cortland w/T. Bryant
Wednesday: 5 mile run in morning around SUNY Cortland campus; 5 mile run in evening on Tri-for the Y course
Thursday: 10 miles from Island Health Club down Black Diamond Trail w/ Cass Park add on
Friday: 3 mile warm up- 4 miles at 6:08/mi. pace- 3 mile cool down behind airport
Saturday: 9.5 miles through Buttermilk and Ithaca College with Finger Lakes Running Company crew
Sunday: 11.5 miles on Abbot Loop and Danby's Down and Dirty course with Karen G. and Dave J.
We're looking forward to this Saturday at Canadaigua's 50-mile relay. There are some tough hills but after Iroquois I think Michael and I can handle them.
Quote of the week: "Nothing will work unless you do"--John Wooden
Monday, September 29, 2008
Feeling better
After not being able to walk very well and feeling shooting pains in my legs last Sunday and Monday I am feeling much better one week later. I caught my little 4-year old neighbor looking at me funny when I was walking down my steps backwards last week. I explained to her that my legs hurt and that it felt better when I descended that way. She just smiled and seemed to think I was silly...which is true. I was able to escape this weekend to rejuvenate and recharge and have actually been doing some running. This coming week will involve more running but also some swimming and biking to aid in my recovery.
Miles for the week: 10
Sunday and Monday= Rest
Tuesday=20 minute chair massage on back,neck, and arms; low intensity tennis for class
Wednesday= easy 3 miles down Warren Rd.
Thursday= played low intensity tennis
Friday= 3 miles through Kripalu's trails in Western Mass.; hot tub in evening
Saturday= 4 miles through Kripalu's trails in morning; 80-minute massage and hot tub in evening
Sunday= Rest
Michael talked me into running the CanLake relay again this year and this time we will have a two-person team. Should be interesting!
Quote of the week: "Dream barriers look very high until someone climbs them. Then they are not barriers any more.”--Lasse Viren
Miles for the week: 10
Sunday and Monday= Rest
Tuesday=20 minute chair massage on back,neck, and arms; low intensity tennis for class
Wednesday= easy 3 miles down Warren Rd.
Thursday= played low intensity tennis
Friday= 3 miles through Kripalu's trails in Western Mass.; hot tub in evening
Saturday= 4 miles through Kripalu's trails in morning; 80-minute massage and hot tub in evening
Sunday= Rest
Michael talked me into running the CanLake relay again this year and this time we will have a two-person team. Should be interesting!
Quote of the week: "Dream barriers look very high until someone climbs them. Then they are not barriers any more.”--Lasse Viren
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Iroquois Trails 100 Race Report
September 20, 2008...the first running of The Iroquois Trails 100 and 50 mile trail races. Even though I will be doing a few more races this year IT100 was to be the grand finale explosion of my 2008 race calendar and to also celebrate the anniversary of my 30th year.
Over the last several months I would frequently stop into The Finger Lakes Running Company and subtly inquire details about the status of the race and about the overwhelming task of tackling a race of this magnitude. I have to really commend Ian Golden for his perseverance because there were times that looked grim as far as the race even happening.
Well...it all came together nicely for the first year. One might even say it was a major success. I know I had a magical experience and will never, ever forget what I did for my 30th birthday.
As I'm sitting here trying to re-live many of the details of the treacherous journey the first thing that comes to mind is race day morning. I arrived at Gatherings around 5:15am for a 6am start. I saw someone running all over the place with a headlamp on. I didn't even need to see who it was...I knew. This was the day RD Ian Golden had been waiting for since the time this local ultra marathon vision had been conceived.
It was a little chilly. I think around 45 with wet grass from the dew. As Erica and I got out of the car a small man in a very puffy coat passed by very close to us and grumbled,"crazy runners". It turned out to be Ian's father George and had me laughing from the get go. I checked in with Katie Stettler and got all my belongings ready. As it got closer to race time I got so nervous. Anxiety almost paralyzed me at times when I was sitting in the car trying to stay warm because I couldn't believe I was about to embark on a 100 mile run. The longest I have run prior to this in one go was 50 miles in 7 hours. Time wise I knew I was about to triple that. Was I ready? Hell yeah. I was so organized that I even made a poster board with the course map on it and on the back had instructions for Erica on what to do every time I came through the checkpoints. I just wanted to get this thing started. The anticipation was killing me.
Ian had us all lined up at the start beneath a couple tiki torches and gave us some last minute instruction. I lined up next to fellow Ithaca runner Tim Ingall who, again, spontaneously jumped into an ultra on low mileage training. God bless him! Ian sent us off as we hooted and hollered through the dark. Another great advantage I had was that I knew the course inside and out. Tim, Bryon Powell, Adam Chase and myself took off down Tone Rd. with about 40 runners behind us. Up we went the ski slope Mars Hill and fell in line with the ski lift. We all walked this portion and chatted and got to know each other better. Close to the top I told the guys to take a look back. If I close my eyes I can still see the unforgettable view of a pink ocean of clouds as the sun was coming up. It was breathtaking. Also, the twinkle of all the headlamps coming up the mountain was surreal. We all agreed that this was something we'd never forget.
OK...back to business. After gawking at the sunrise Tim and I separated ourselves from the other two and made our way down to the base and back up the mountain running and walking at a nice pace. As we went down the steep Arcadian Gate I could feel my feet completely soaked. That was OK because I had planned to change shoes at Gatherings after the first 5.9mile section was complete. Tim and I entered the hub together and agreed that we were just going to take a couple minutes, change our shoes, and take off to run the next 17 mile out and back section together. I changed from my Inov-8 Roclite 285's to my La Sportiva Fireblades and a fresh pair of Smartwool socks. Off we went up Carson Rd. We both agreed how great it felt with dry shoes and socks. After about 1.3 miles on the steep uphill paved road we turned into the Finger Lakes Trail which would take us to Pipeline Rd. During this time Tim and I talked about all kinds of things from jobs to our families to traveling and to of course running. I let him know my plan which was to run this leg back to Gatherings and then grab music to listen to from miles 23.5 to 50 or so. He was fine with that and assured me to stick to it. Around mile 12 I started feeling some burning in my legs. I couldn't believe it but tried to remain calm and to not panic. I had a long way to go...this couldn't be already happening. I shared my secret with Tim and told him not to tell anyone. I just didn't want loads of people constantly asking how my legs were. However, it really didn't slow us down too much. Around mile 16 or so I saw Ian out in the woods and he yelled to me,"Yassine! you're not over running are you?!" I then replied, "No, I'm trying not to...I'm feeling good". That was a lie. A few moments after seeing those guys I told Tim to move on without me. I had too much of a race in front of me and I had put in too much hard work in to be messing around like this. I was basically by myself in the middle of the woods so I decided to try some yoga poses that Erica had taught me. I did some Warrior lunge stretches and Crow along with some hamstring and calve stretches interspersed with running. It helped but didn't completely alleviate the crampiness discomfort. I managed to tough it out to Gatherings and mile 23.5 still way ahead of schedule.
All that I have to say is that Erica was the most awesome crew person. She set aside everything this weekend to be there the entire time. When I arrived I went directly to the back of the Subaru hatchback and dove into my cooler while Erica massaged my legs with Arnica oil. This was something I picked up at Green Lakes while watching Valmir Nunes and his crew. It turned out to be so helpful in flushing out wastes and keeping my muscles loose. I ate some pasta and other random goodies, drank an Ensure, and re-stocked my bottles. It was so helpful that I wrote things down beforehand because it was all ready when I came in. I didn't have Erica asking me if I needed this or needed that. It was a little distracting having Renee, who was filming for a documentary, right in my face the entire time but tried to answer her questions and refuel at the same time. So, I felt ready for a long out and back to Daisy Hollow Rd. with IPOD full of music. I purposely took Erica's IPOD and put it on 'shuffle songs' because I didn't know much of her music and I thought it would be a good exercise to keep my mind busy and to have it be a surprise what song would come on next. As I was leaving Gatherings Becky Harmon, Karen Grover, Joel Cisne and a couple others startled me as they yelled with pom poms flying "Go Yassine!, Go Yassine!!" It was classic. It definitely put a much needed smile on my face.
I headed down to the end of Tone Rd. and up the steep technical section to the Greek Peak aid station where friends Holli and Brian were working. The weather was phenomenal...nice and cool in the woods. I still felt fatigued and a bit crampy and realized that with the distraction at Gatherings I forgot to grab some more Endurolytes. When I got to the aid station I wished Holli and Brian both a Happy Birthday, briefly chatted and asked if they had any salt caps. Unfortunately, they didn't but Tony P., Bryon Powell's crew very nicely offered me one. After I left those guys I started getting into some nice grooves as a lot of the steep hills were behind me. Next aid station was the Rock Pile and it was funny to come up on Dave and Maria who were playing their guitars. I briefly chatted with them, grabbed some pretzels and re-filled my bottles knowing that second place was not too far behind...I think as close as five minutes at times. Off to Daisy Hollow on a somewhat technical part of trail and I was starting to feel much better. When I hit the aid station at Daisy Hollow I learned that Bryon was still creeping back there so I pushed on. I passed Ian and Renee in the forest and eventually Powell as we exchanged high fives. This is where I entered, looking in hindsight, "the zone". Great song after great song inspired me to run free through the forest sometimes singing out loud and laughing. There were times that endorphins completely filled by brain leaving goose bump chills over my entire body. There were times when I pictured the Iroquois Indians running over these hills chasing down deer and rabbits. I was really covering some ground by now and learned that Tim was not too far ahead of me. Eventually, I came around a corner and caught view of a couple people in the distance...and a dog. The closer I got I realized that it was Tim and Eric Maki and his dog Shakota. I caught up with them and learned that Tim was not feeling so well and had taken a wrong turn that also bruised his spirit. I was feeling so good that I powered on down the mountain to complete the first 50 miles in 8:53. I was very happy with that time on this course and elated that I overcame some early race annoyances. Still way ahead of schedule of my goal of sub 24 hours.
I entered Gatherings to the sight of many friends and now family members started to arrive. My mother drove 4 hours with my Aunt Patty and they couldn't believe how good I looked after running 50 miles...and neither could I. Erica worked her magic on my legs while I ate some gnocchi, quinoa curls, pasta w/pest, etc. etc. I refueled my bottles and restocked my Race Ready shorts w/ everything from Endurolytes to gels to dried red bananas and crystallized ginger. I said to my Aunt Patty as she poured cold water over my head, "This is where it gets interesting". I changed my shoes from The Fireblades to Inov-8's Roclite 305's that had much needed arch support insoles and cushioning. Now I was about to go into uncharted territory mileage wise. Same tough course repeated for another 50 miles...whew!
Off I went as my cheering section grew bigger and louder. As I ran down Tone Rd. to access the alpine section I saw someone running towards me at a pretty good clip. As he got closer I realized that it was Ian. Damn, this guy is everywhere. I bet he ran a marathon this weekend not to mention pretty much staying awake for approximately three days. Ian gave me some valuable information about how I was pulling away from Bryon and I can still remember Ian putting his finger to his temple telling me to be smart. The sun was high and hot by now and going over the ski resort section offered little shade. This was a tough part but, again, listened to some good tunes, zoned off into my own little world and, at times, reflected on how far I have come and where I am now. I did the loop and arrived back to Gatherings for another quick pit stop. There I picked up my pacer Michael W. and saw an unexpected friend John O. That was a great pick-me-up. Keep moving forward and try to have fun was my attitude from this point on.
Up Carson Rd. which we walked the entire way. In fact we didn't start running until we were into the forest a good bit of the way. Finally, we made it to Pipeline Rd. and I ran/walked to the aid station where my mom had a huge sign and people were chanting, "Team Yassine! Team Yassine!" It was great to see Cory West and Brian Lee and briefly chatted and joked with them. They took care of me and off we went for a five mile loop. As I returned to the same aid station Erica gave me a long sleeve and my headlamp for the 6 mile section back to Gatherings. My aunt told me,"You're doing this Yassine!" We ended up needing the light towards the end as the sun went down and there were some dark sections of forest. Going down Carson Rd. I mentally prepared myself for what I will need for the last section of the race knowing that I will potentially be running into some problems.
When I turned the corner from Carson Rd. onto 392 I will never forget the view. The road was all lit up and coming from total darkness, except the little light my headlamp displayed, it was very energizing. Also, as my eyes focused in I could see my brother, his wife and my cute little nieces (Lydia and Makana), good friends Nick and Maggie, Erica, my mom and Aunt Patty all standing at the mouth of Gatherings. They were all smiling and cheering and I picked up the pace and gave them all high fives as I went past. This was a really special moment for me. My brother ran up to the car with me and couldn't believe how well I was moving for having run 73.5 miles! By now the pit stops were routine and Erica was on my legs, my Aunt Patty changing my water bottles, and me eating some solid foods. Tim yelled and joked from a lawn chair that Monday we would be doing speed work on the track. Weishaar came up and told me to get moving which made me laugh and Jason C. stopped in with a great smile to lift my spirits. I said to people, "Surprisingly, I am feeling great!"...just then Ian busted in the crowd and emphatically stated..."It's no surprise!...you've trained long and hard for this!"...He was right. I guess I just thought I would be feeling much more fatigued. I guess my crew and family helped with this but I reminded myself that I still have a marathon to go.
OK...let's do it. I didn't want to get too comfortable talking with people and hanging around the festivities even though it was tempting because Powell had to drop hours ago due to an injury and the next person back was a long way. Keep moving forward. Tone Rd. to the end and up the trail was exhausting. I just didn't have much power and the darkness was starting to take a toll on me. It was getting a bit cooler but I had some gloves on. Michael really did a great job pacing me through this section and even offered me one of his apples. Even with Michael along side of me I starting feeling a little lonely and tired. I started thinking of the treacherous trails that lie ahead of us. Michael reminded me not to think about all of that. Just think about getting to Greek Peak aid station. I just kept thinking about the annoying sections...a lot of things were going through my tired mind. I had to constantly remind myself of this thought stopping and centering.
I entered Greek Peak aid station finally to greet Matt and Katie Aldridge who welcomed me with some great noodle soup. Talked a few minutes then forced myself onward to the Rock Pile where I knew I had a Starbucks Double Shot can waiting for me in my drop bag. That's the only thing that I really looked forward to at that point. As we trudged through the woods we saw a light shine on us..."Hands up...immigration!"...it was search and rescue joking with us. I said they could take me to jail as long as there was a bed there. Before long we saw another light approaching us. Who could this be. Turns out to be Eric Maki again! What an animal this guy is. It was also very coincidental that years ago when I did my first ever 20-mile run Eric was a part of that too. He totally energized us by telling great stories and updating us on all the college football games scores. He also told me that since the last time he saw me when he was running with Tim he had gone home, ate lunch, did the dishes, took a nap, went to Wal-Mart and then drove back to the forest with his dog Shakota. Wow, that really put into perspective how long I had been navigating my way through this demanding ultra course. I rode his energy to Daisy Hollow letting out sighs periodically as he encouraged me to stay strong.
When we finally made it to Daisy Hollow I could hear my fan club and crew huddling around the aid station w/ Laura Voorhees and her husband. It was now 86.6 miles and I was not smiling a whole lot. This is where I would drop Michael and pick up Brian Olmstead who would be celebrating his birthday running this final leg with me. My Aunt Patty spoon fed me pierogies and I refilled my bottles. I didn't have much to say. I wanted this to be over with. I was really tired. It took me a long time to get to Daisy Hollow and my family told me that they were worried about me. I was still on pace to break 24 hours comfortably but had to remind myself just one section at a time...one step at a time. In fact Laura said something that stuck with me for the rest of the race. She said, "Every step you take from here on out is a step closer to the finish". I kept reminding myself that in my head.
Back towards the Rock Pile with new company. Brian was great too. He kept pushing me and telling me I was doing great. I just kept thinking about the other half can of Starbucks I had at the Rock Pile and the soup that the wonderful volunteers promised me for my way back. I finally made it and witnessed the beautiful warm fire they had going there. I didn't entertain the thoughts of sitting down next to it for a couple of minutes eating my soup. Keep moving forward.
By now we figured out that if we kept moving at a pretty good pace, relatively speaking, that we could break 22 hours. Brian kept reminding me when I would sigh or complain a little by saying, "22, 22 come on Yassine 22". There were periods of time when I was actually able to sustain a run for like 2 to 3 minutes then I would feel my left IT band start to tighten up a little. Nothing major but enough to force me to walk. Then I would start running again. We would see oncoming head lamps and when we passed each other mumbled words of encouragement and moved on into darkness. I couldn't believe how chipper Margie Hughes was every time I saw her and got great energy from her and her pacer. Also, seeing the amazing Jack Pilla pacing and crewing his girfriend Kelly was awesome to see. There's a couple that can do some damage.
Finally, we made it to Greek Peak at mile 96.5 and it was basically all downhill from here. I thanked Katie and Matt and kept hammering it home. I joked with Brian that I didn't want to talk to anyone when I finished...that I just wanted to go to sleep. On the downhill steep technical part of Greek Peak I tripped and did a Superman face first dive down the mountain. A little scary but I was all right. Brian helped me up and re-emphasized that we were almost home. As we jogged down Tone Rd. we came across a few more runners who congratulated me as we passed. By now I could see the huge light tower. As I took a left onto 392 I walked for a minute so I could take the corner running into the finish. This was such a powerful moment for me. I thought of everything that led up to this race and all the crazy training things I did to empower me to do this amazing feat. I turned the corner and let out some woooohoooooo's probably waking people up. It was 3:30 am. I came to the tiki torches where I started some 21.5 hours prior to Ian, who was still in full force taking pictures and encouraging everyone, and finished my first 100-mile trail run in 21:35! I gave Ian a huge hug. Then Erica came over and wrapped her arms and a blanket around me and kissed and congratulated me. I'm not sure I have ever felt the type of satisfaction I felt at that moment. 100 miles....geeez!
Wow! I immediately crawled into the back of Erica's car and got under the blanket. However, I did get up when my mom, Aunt Patty, Scotie, Karen and a few others came over to congratulate me and gave out some thankful hugs.
I went through many emotions that day and night. I had some rough times at the beginning and at the end but the bulk of the race was magical. I fed off of the spirit of the other runners, the volunteers, my crew/pacers/Erica and family and the absolute beauty and connection I had with the trails in Virgil. I tried to never take the race too seriously just like I have to remind myself to not take life that way either. I can't thank Ian enough for all the hard work and organization that went into this event. All of the behind the scenes details of making sure everyone was taken care of. The food at the aid stations, gels, soup,etc. was great to supplement what I had brought. I also want to thank Erica, not only for being the most awesome crew person, but for your patience with me as I spent a lot of the summer running through the forest getting ready for this inaugural race. I will definitely be back for another IT100 and can see this race becoming a popular ultra in the Northeast.
I went home at 4a.m. and slept for a few hours but woke up to come back to the awards ceremony. There I would witness Ian's heartfelt display of thankfullness to all the runners, volunteers, his wife and the fact that...Yes...it happened. Never Give Up!
Over the last several months I would frequently stop into The Finger Lakes Running Company and subtly inquire details about the status of the race and about the overwhelming task of tackling a race of this magnitude. I have to really commend Ian Golden for his perseverance because there were times that looked grim as far as the race even happening.
Well...it all came together nicely for the first year. One might even say it was a major success. I know I had a magical experience and will never, ever forget what I did for my 30th birthday.
As I'm sitting here trying to re-live many of the details of the treacherous journey the first thing that comes to mind is race day morning. I arrived at Gatherings around 5:15am for a 6am start. I saw someone running all over the place with a headlamp on. I didn't even need to see who it was...I knew. This was the day RD Ian Golden had been waiting for since the time this local ultra marathon vision had been conceived.
It was a little chilly. I think around 45 with wet grass from the dew. As Erica and I got out of the car a small man in a very puffy coat passed by very close to us and grumbled,"crazy runners". It turned out to be Ian's father George and had me laughing from the get go. I checked in with Katie Stettler and got all my belongings ready. As it got closer to race time I got so nervous. Anxiety almost paralyzed me at times when I was sitting in the car trying to stay warm because I couldn't believe I was about to embark on a 100 mile run. The longest I have run prior to this in one go was 50 miles in 7 hours. Time wise I knew I was about to triple that. Was I ready? Hell yeah. I was so organized that I even made a poster board with the course map on it and on the back had instructions for Erica on what to do every time I came through the checkpoints. I just wanted to get this thing started. The anticipation was killing me.
Ian had us all lined up at the start beneath a couple tiki torches and gave us some last minute instruction. I lined up next to fellow Ithaca runner Tim Ingall who, again, spontaneously jumped into an ultra on low mileage training. God bless him! Ian sent us off as we hooted and hollered through the dark. Another great advantage I had was that I knew the course inside and out. Tim, Bryon Powell, Adam Chase and myself took off down Tone Rd. with about 40 runners behind us. Up we went the ski slope Mars Hill and fell in line with the ski lift. We all walked this portion and chatted and got to know each other better. Close to the top I told the guys to take a look back. If I close my eyes I can still see the unforgettable view of a pink ocean of clouds as the sun was coming up. It was breathtaking. Also, the twinkle of all the headlamps coming up the mountain was surreal. We all agreed that this was something we'd never forget.
OK...back to business. After gawking at the sunrise Tim and I separated ourselves from the other two and made our way down to the base and back up the mountain running and walking at a nice pace. As we went down the steep Arcadian Gate I could feel my feet completely soaked. That was OK because I had planned to change shoes at Gatherings after the first 5.9mile section was complete. Tim and I entered the hub together and agreed that we were just going to take a couple minutes, change our shoes, and take off to run the next 17 mile out and back section together. I changed from my Inov-8 Roclite 285's to my La Sportiva Fireblades and a fresh pair of Smartwool socks. Off we went up Carson Rd. We both agreed how great it felt with dry shoes and socks. After about 1.3 miles on the steep uphill paved road we turned into the Finger Lakes Trail which would take us to Pipeline Rd. During this time Tim and I talked about all kinds of things from jobs to our families to traveling and to of course running. I let him know my plan which was to run this leg back to Gatherings and then grab music to listen to from miles 23.5 to 50 or so. He was fine with that and assured me to stick to it. Around mile 12 I started feeling some burning in my legs. I couldn't believe it but tried to remain calm and to not panic. I had a long way to go...this couldn't be already happening. I shared my secret with Tim and told him not to tell anyone. I just didn't want loads of people constantly asking how my legs were. However, it really didn't slow us down too much. Around mile 16 or so I saw Ian out in the woods and he yelled to me,"Yassine! you're not over running are you?!" I then replied, "No, I'm trying not to...I'm feeling good". That was a lie. A few moments after seeing those guys I told Tim to move on without me. I had too much of a race in front of me and I had put in too much hard work in to be messing around like this. I was basically by myself in the middle of the woods so I decided to try some yoga poses that Erica had taught me. I did some Warrior lunge stretches and Crow along with some hamstring and calve stretches interspersed with running. It helped but didn't completely alleviate the crampiness discomfort. I managed to tough it out to Gatherings and mile 23.5 still way ahead of schedule.
All that I have to say is that Erica was the most awesome crew person. She set aside everything this weekend to be there the entire time. When I arrived I went directly to the back of the Subaru hatchback and dove into my cooler while Erica massaged my legs with Arnica oil. This was something I picked up at Green Lakes while watching Valmir Nunes and his crew. It turned out to be so helpful in flushing out wastes and keeping my muscles loose. I ate some pasta and other random goodies, drank an Ensure, and re-stocked my bottles. It was so helpful that I wrote things down beforehand because it was all ready when I came in. I didn't have Erica asking me if I needed this or needed that. It was a little distracting having Renee, who was filming for a documentary, right in my face the entire time but tried to answer her questions and refuel at the same time. So, I felt ready for a long out and back to Daisy Hollow Rd. with IPOD full of music. I purposely took Erica's IPOD and put it on 'shuffle songs' because I didn't know much of her music and I thought it would be a good exercise to keep my mind busy and to have it be a surprise what song would come on next. As I was leaving Gatherings Becky Harmon, Karen Grover, Joel Cisne and a couple others startled me as they yelled with pom poms flying "Go Yassine!, Go Yassine!!" It was classic. It definitely put a much needed smile on my face.
I headed down to the end of Tone Rd. and up the steep technical section to the Greek Peak aid station where friends Holli and Brian were working. The weather was phenomenal...nice and cool in the woods. I still felt fatigued and a bit crampy and realized that with the distraction at Gatherings I forgot to grab some more Endurolytes. When I got to the aid station I wished Holli and Brian both a Happy Birthday, briefly chatted and asked if they had any salt caps. Unfortunately, they didn't but Tony P., Bryon Powell's crew very nicely offered me one. After I left those guys I started getting into some nice grooves as a lot of the steep hills were behind me. Next aid station was the Rock Pile and it was funny to come up on Dave and Maria who were playing their guitars. I briefly chatted with them, grabbed some pretzels and re-filled my bottles knowing that second place was not too far behind...I think as close as five minutes at times. Off to Daisy Hollow on a somewhat technical part of trail and I was starting to feel much better. When I hit the aid station at Daisy Hollow I learned that Bryon was still creeping back there so I pushed on. I passed Ian and Renee in the forest and eventually Powell as we exchanged high fives. This is where I entered, looking in hindsight, "the zone". Great song after great song inspired me to run free through the forest sometimes singing out loud and laughing. There were times that endorphins completely filled by brain leaving goose bump chills over my entire body. There were times when I pictured the Iroquois Indians running over these hills chasing down deer and rabbits. I was really covering some ground by now and learned that Tim was not too far ahead of me. Eventually, I came around a corner and caught view of a couple people in the distance...and a dog. The closer I got I realized that it was Tim and Eric Maki and his dog Shakota. I caught up with them and learned that Tim was not feeling so well and had taken a wrong turn that also bruised his spirit. I was feeling so good that I powered on down the mountain to complete the first 50 miles in 8:53. I was very happy with that time on this course and elated that I overcame some early race annoyances. Still way ahead of schedule of my goal of sub 24 hours.
I entered Gatherings to the sight of many friends and now family members started to arrive. My mother drove 4 hours with my Aunt Patty and they couldn't believe how good I looked after running 50 miles...and neither could I. Erica worked her magic on my legs while I ate some gnocchi, quinoa curls, pasta w/pest, etc. etc. I refueled my bottles and restocked my Race Ready shorts w/ everything from Endurolytes to gels to dried red bananas and crystallized ginger. I said to my Aunt Patty as she poured cold water over my head, "This is where it gets interesting". I changed my shoes from The Fireblades to Inov-8's Roclite 305's that had much needed arch support insoles and cushioning. Now I was about to go into uncharted territory mileage wise. Same tough course repeated for another 50 miles...whew!
Off I went as my cheering section grew bigger and louder. As I ran down Tone Rd. to access the alpine section I saw someone running towards me at a pretty good clip. As he got closer I realized that it was Ian. Damn, this guy is everywhere. I bet he ran a marathon this weekend not to mention pretty much staying awake for approximately three days. Ian gave me some valuable information about how I was pulling away from Bryon and I can still remember Ian putting his finger to his temple telling me to be smart. The sun was high and hot by now and going over the ski resort section offered little shade. This was a tough part but, again, listened to some good tunes, zoned off into my own little world and, at times, reflected on how far I have come and where I am now. I did the loop and arrived back to Gatherings for another quick pit stop. There I picked up my pacer Michael W. and saw an unexpected friend John O. That was a great pick-me-up. Keep moving forward and try to have fun was my attitude from this point on.
Up Carson Rd. which we walked the entire way. In fact we didn't start running until we were into the forest a good bit of the way. Finally, we made it to Pipeline Rd. and I ran/walked to the aid station where my mom had a huge sign and people were chanting, "Team Yassine! Team Yassine!" It was great to see Cory West and Brian Lee and briefly chatted and joked with them. They took care of me and off we went for a five mile loop. As I returned to the same aid station Erica gave me a long sleeve and my headlamp for the 6 mile section back to Gatherings. My aunt told me,"You're doing this Yassine!" We ended up needing the light towards the end as the sun went down and there were some dark sections of forest. Going down Carson Rd. I mentally prepared myself for what I will need for the last section of the race knowing that I will potentially be running into some problems.
When I turned the corner from Carson Rd. onto 392 I will never forget the view. The road was all lit up and coming from total darkness, except the little light my headlamp displayed, it was very energizing. Also, as my eyes focused in I could see my brother, his wife and my cute little nieces (Lydia and Makana), good friends Nick and Maggie, Erica, my mom and Aunt Patty all standing at the mouth of Gatherings. They were all smiling and cheering and I picked up the pace and gave them all high fives as I went past. This was a really special moment for me. My brother ran up to the car with me and couldn't believe how well I was moving for having run 73.5 miles! By now the pit stops were routine and Erica was on my legs, my Aunt Patty changing my water bottles, and me eating some solid foods. Tim yelled and joked from a lawn chair that Monday we would be doing speed work on the track. Weishaar came up and told me to get moving which made me laugh and Jason C. stopped in with a great smile to lift my spirits. I said to people, "Surprisingly, I am feeling great!"...just then Ian busted in the crowd and emphatically stated..."It's no surprise!...you've trained long and hard for this!"...He was right. I guess I just thought I would be feeling much more fatigued. I guess my crew and family helped with this but I reminded myself that I still have a marathon to go.
OK...let's do it. I didn't want to get too comfortable talking with people and hanging around the festivities even though it was tempting because Powell had to drop hours ago due to an injury and the next person back was a long way. Keep moving forward. Tone Rd. to the end and up the trail was exhausting. I just didn't have much power and the darkness was starting to take a toll on me. It was getting a bit cooler but I had some gloves on. Michael really did a great job pacing me through this section and even offered me one of his apples. Even with Michael along side of me I starting feeling a little lonely and tired. I started thinking of the treacherous trails that lie ahead of us. Michael reminded me not to think about all of that. Just think about getting to Greek Peak aid station. I just kept thinking about the annoying sections...a lot of things were going through my tired mind. I had to constantly remind myself of this thought stopping and centering.
I entered Greek Peak aid station finally to greet Matt and Katie Aldridge who welcomed me with some great noodle soup. Talked a few minutes then forced myself onward to the Rock Pile where I knew I had a Starbucks Double Shot can waiting for me in my drop bag. That's the only thing that I really looked forward to at that point. As we trudged through the woods we saw a light shine on us..."Hands up...immigration!"...it was search and rescue joking with us. I said they could take me to jail as long as there was a bed there. Before long we saw another light approaching us. Who could this be. Turns out to be Eric Maki again! What an animal this guy is. It was also very coincidental that years ago when I did my first ever 20-mile run Eric was a part of that too. He totally energized us by telling great stories and updating us on all the college football games scores. He also told me that since the last time he saw me when he was running with Tim he had gone home, ate lunch, did the dishes, took a nap, went to Wal-Mart and then drove back to the forest with his dog Shakota. Wow, that really put into perspective how long I had been navigating my way through this demanding ultra course. I rode his energy to Daisy Hollow letting out sighs periodically as he encouraged me to stay strong.
When we finally made it to Daisy Hollow I could hear my fan club and crew huddling around the aid station w/ Laura Voorhees and her husband. It was now 86.6 miles and I was not smiling a whole lot. This is where I would drop Michael and pick up Brian Olmstead who would be celebrating his birthday running this final leg with me. My Aunt Patty spoon fed me pierogies and I refilled my bottles. I didn't have much to say. I wanted this to be over with. I was really tired. It took me a long time to get to Daisy Hollow and my family told me that they were worried about me. I was still on pace to break 24 hours comfortably but had to remind myself just one section at a time...one step at a time. In fact Laura said something that stuck with me for the rest of the race. She said, "Every step you take from here on out is a step closer to the finish". I kept reminding myself that in my head.
Back towards the Rock Pile with new company. Brian was great too. He kept pushing me and telling me I was doing great. I just kept thinking about the other half can of Starbucks I had at the Rock Pile and the soup that the wonderful volunteers promised me for my way back. I finally made it and witnessed the beautiful warm fire they had going there. I didn't entertain the thoughts of sitting down next to it for a couple of minutes eating my soup. Keep moving forward.
By now we figured out that if we kept moving at a pretty good pace, relatively speaking, that we could break 22 hours. Brian kept reminding me when I would sigh or complain a little by saying, "22, 22 come on Yassine 22". There were periods of time when I was actually able to sustain a run for like 2 to 3 minutes then I would feel my left IT band start to tighten up a little. Nothing major but enough to force me to walk. Then I would start running again. We would see oncoming head lamps and when we passed each other mumbled words of encouragement and moved on into darkness. I couldn't believe how chipper Margie Hughes was every time I saw her and got great energy from her and her pacer. Also, seeing the amazing Jack Pilla pacing and crewing his girfriend Kelly was awesome to see. There's a couple that can do some damage.
Finally, we made it to Greek Peak at mile 96.5 and it was basically all downhill from here. I thanked Katie and Matt and kept hammering it home. I joked with Brian that I didn't want to talk to anyone when I finished...that I just wanted to go to sleep. On the downhill steep technical part of Greek Peak I tripped and did a Superman face first dive down the mountain. A little scary but I was all right. Brian helped me up and re-emphasized that we were almost home. As we jogged down Tone Rd. we came across a few more runners who congratulated me as we passed. By now I could see the huge light tower. As I took a left onto 392 I walked for a minute so I could take the corner running into the finish. This was such a powerful moment for me. I thought of everything that led up to this race and all the crazy training things I did to empower me to do this amazing feat. I turned the corner and let out some woooohoooooo's probably waking people up. It was 3:30 am. I came to the tiki torches where I started some 21.5 hours prior to Ian, who was still in full force taking pictures and encouraging everyone, and finished my first 100-mile trail run in 21:35! I gave Ian a huge hug. Then Erica came over and wrapped her arms and a blanket around me and kissed and congratulated me. I'm not sure I have ever felt the type of satisfaction I felt at that moment. 100 miles....geeez!
Wow! I immediately crawled into the back of Erica's car and got under the blanket. However, I did get up when my mom, Aunt Patty, Scotie, Karen and a few others came over to congratulate me and gave out some thankful hugs.
I went through many emotions that day and night. I had some rough times at the beginning and at the end but the bulk of the race was magical. I fed off of the spirit of the other runners, the volunteers, my crew/pacers/Erica and family and the absolute beauty and connection I had with the trails in Virgil. I tried to never take the race too seriously just like I have to remind myself to not take life that way either. I can't thank Ian enough for all the hard work and organization that went into this event. All of the behind the scenes details of making sure everyone was taken care of. The food at the aid stations, gels, soup,etc. was great to supplement what I had brought. I also want to thank Erica, not only for being the most awesome crew person, but for your patience with me as I spent a lot of the summer running through the forest getting ready for this inaugural race. I will definitely be back for another IT100 and can see this race becoming a popular ultra in the Northeast.
I went home at 4a.m. and slept for a few hours but woke up to come back to the awards ceremony. There I would witness Ian's heartfelt display of thankfullness to all the runners, volunteers, his wife and the fact that...Yes...it happened. Never Give Up!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Iroquois Trails 100!
Ran, raced, and won my first 100-mile trail run in a time of 21 hours and 35 minutes. Race report will follow in the next week or so.
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