~~~~~~Flashback~~~July 23,
2005~~~~~~~
Of 45 competitors.. I finished 26th. The winner finished in 5:15:?? I
finished in 7:57:48. It was an hour slower than my predicted finish time and
goal I had set for myself.. but I didn't care. Because in the end I overcame
my fears, I overcame myself, my mind, my body and my soul. I was beat up,
battered bruised.. and a defeated man.. who was able to resurrect myself to
carry on. This is something I'll do time and time again in the future..
Specs: 32.6 MILES 3,903' Elevation Gain 3,478' Elevation Descent
26 of 45 in 7 Hours 57 Minutes and 48 Seconds
~~~~~~Return to Present~~~July 22, 2006~~~~~
The alarm went off at 4:30 AM. Pretty darn early as it ALWAYS does on race
morning. I got an "ok" nights sleep after finally putting earplugs
in to drown out the noise from a loaded Little Sand Point campground on the
shores of
Piseco Lake
,
NY
. The only other thing that woke me all night was the Racoon on our picnic
table that was going after my Diet Mug RootBeer. I rolled out of bed and
made breakfast for Sarah and I, and began my pre-race preparations. These
mostly consist of getting dressed, filling my bottles with water and
Gatorade Endurance Formula and "lubing" any spots vulnerable to
chaffing.
After we ate breakfast, we got in the car and headed for the starting line
just past the small airport. The Wakely Dam Ultra is a 32.6 Mile race that
runs point to point along the Northville Placid Trail from Piseco to Wakely
Dam. Tim Seaver is the current course record holder with a time of 5:05:50.
Tim also holds the record for running the entire 133 Mile NPT in 37 Hours (A
trail that requires an average of 19 Days to Hike). The race website states:
"The Damn Wakely Dam Ultra is an extreme trail run through the vast
Adirondack Park Wilderness of New York along an uninterrupted section of the
Northville Placid Trial between
Piseco
Lake
and Wakely Dam. There are no cross roads. There are no aid stations. Runners
must be prepared to complete the entire 32.6 miles (52.5K) of rugged
technical trail unassisted. It's just you, the trail and the company of
like-minded runners."
So here I was for the second year in a row. The determining factor that got
me to the starting line this year is that this race last year, was my first
official Ultra EVER. It's been a VERY long year since then and its time like
these that you get to weigh yourself against your own progression. I set 3
goals for the day. 1.) Try and Finish in the top 10 (Be happy with
16th or less). 2.) Finish in under 7 Hours (this would take an
astronomical 1 hour off of my time from last year) 3.) If all else fails
JUST FINISH and HAVE FUN. As I stood in the parking lot and drank the
last of a gatorade to complete my carbo load and hyper-hydration... I took
to stretching and mingling with the other runners present.
Pat Hamel, the 2003 winner and runner up in 2005 had arrived and we began
talking about some folks we knew, Tim Seaver and Bird and Head. As we were
talking Pat said he'd like to break Tim's record if it was at all possible.
Sounded like a daunting task but knew Pat had a GREAT chance to accomplish
this. I told him I wanted to knock an hour off my time from last year and
with a chuckle he said "An hour?? Is THAT all??
Thats quite a chunk of time."
As Sarah laughed with him I told him how last year I crashed hard and sat on
the trail for about a half hour. He responded with "well at least we
know you've got a half hour right there if you don't crash again."
~~~Flashback-2005~~~ "I gathered my belongings put them on my back..
and after wasting a half hour in the wilderness of an area I knew nothing
of.. I had gathered every ounce of courage in my body. Its true that this
type of sport drains every bit of everything in your mind body and soul. All
of your pains sink to your lower back, your equilibrium is thrown off and
your emotions take control over your every move.." ~~~~~Present-2006~~~
Hmmm... it does sound like a daunting task... an HOUR off of my time from
last year??
I mingled some more and ended up talking to Katie Lotterhos. She had run the
race in either 2002 or 2003. She had returned for more punishment. As we
were talking I told her how I had just paced a runner in the
Vermont
100 last Sunday and that I had run the last 32 Miles with her. Then this
girls mom starts laughing, "And you think you're going to finish here
today?! How often do you run these things?!" Well... I guess it takes
all kinds, including crazy ole' me. I had my goals and pre-race laughter or
not, I was going to get out there and see what I was made of. (Note: I later
found out that one runner had actually RUN the entire VT 100 last weekend!
Now THAT is amazing!!)
Per the norm at Wakely, the race begins with a litanny of picture taking.
The 49 of us who were running, huddled together for a big group picture and
flashbulbs went off like something you'd see at a Patriots Game. Its a GREAT
way to enjoy pre-race because we all knew what lay before us. We made our
way to the trailhead where RD Jim humored us with his infinite wisdom and
enjoyable sense of humor, "Now the Forest Service wants me to tell
everyone that we are to have no more than 15 runners together at any given
time. So... if you find your running with 15 other runners at once... spread
out."
However, we were all getting ansy
and wanted to start. And just as it had in the past... get your fingers on
the button on your watches an "GO!"
Greg Stone, a man whom I had met various times while training on the Pemi-Loop
managed to squeak into the race. He had ran the 31 Mile Pemi
Loop
just this past Wednesday... I was amazed he was out here and ready to go. We
both watched in astonishment as Pat Hamel took off "like he was in a
local 10K!" For the first 3 miles I felt tired and was finding it hard
to find my pace. My legs felt like rubber and I was all ready wondering how
the REST of this day would turn out. It was VERY humid out here, the
mosquitos were blood thirsty and the horseflies were ready for the kill. As
I carried on I thought of the days forecast.. Mostly cloudy and cool with
highs in the mid 70's... but I thought, "Man I could use a little rain
to get rid of these bugs and cool the muggy's." I would Pay for this
shortly.
I soon found myself hunkered down behind a young man named Jim Lampman. Jim
was tall and tone with curly blond hair up in a pony-tail. He had a relaxing
pace and I was comfy behind him. So I settled in and decided to enjoy the
race for awhile behind him. I had my iPod shuffle going and put my head down
to trudge on. We were soon enough flying down the trail at a great cruising
pace and then we came to a gate where 2 trucks were parked and then we ran
along a dirt road.... "wait a minute... I don't remember a dirt road
from last year. Oh well... this kid seems to know where he is going. Hmm...
no blue circles on the trees anymore either.. well there WAS 2 runners
behind us.. maybe I'll walk slowly and hope they catch up." Well.. NO
LUCK and soon Jim, whom I had been following, made his way back up hill
towards me. He asked, "Hey.. it says after Jessup river there's a sharp
left we need to be careful of... is that it over there (as he pointed at a
fork in the dirt road)" "Jim... I think we are WAY off course. I
don't remember ANY of this from last year and there are no more trail
markers." So.. we turned around and went back up this daunting hill of
a dirt road until we found another blue circle. Yup... Missed the sharp
left. Jim then got behind me and followed me to
Spruce
Lake
(mile 7.6). I gave the nickname of Jim "GD Rookie" Lampman, he
seemed to like it.
Along the way to the
Lake
I asked Jim if he had ever done any tracking. "Whats that?" I then
showed him how to identify foot prints in the mud, sand or wet marks on
rocks, then how to see which way the person was going. I figured at least
he'll have the knowledge for future reference. At Spruce lake, Jim headed
out in front of me again. Soon he came to a junction, our blue blazed trail
went right and an arrow pointed left with a sign that said
"Lean-To." Jim began to head Left towards the lean-to, then he
stopped in his tracks and looked at me. I went right and said, "This
Way, Jim." We had taken a 1.5 Mile detour all ready.. I wasn't about to
make this race ANY longer. I was getting discouraged.. So much for Goal #1..
and Who Knows about Goal #2... lets just get Goal #3.
I put my headphones back on and prayed for good tunes and thankfully... good
tunes played in my ears as I took off down the trail. I was feeling great,
found my stride and just ran as hard as I could... until I heard a sound...
I put the iPod on pause and listenned... "hmmm... sounds like rain.
That wasn't in the forecast." Well... I asked for it... and it came...
it started to pour and it would do so for the next 25 Miles of my day...
RAIN BUCKETS... HUGE BUCKETS and all I had was the clothes on my back. UGH!
Surprisingly.. it felt good. The bugs went away and so did the muggy air.
I continued on down the trail, soon coming to a river crossing that I
remembered from last year. Except this year the bridge was out and runners
had to rock hop across the stream. Many runners had stopped to fill water
bottles but HEY!.. THIS IS A RACE! I took the chance to try and sneak by
them.. only to fall into the river while trying to cross... now I'm drenched
from head to toe, covered in mud... I'm a mess. I always wondered if I could
finish an ultra in the rain... I guess today I'd find out.. because at
Wakely.. YOU HAVE TO FINISH!
From here on the miles seemed to whiz on by, so much so that the race is now
merely a blur. I remember feeling great. I was well hydrated with my bottles
and had no unexplainable pains. But then again..it IS a LONG race... and
chances are if you feel good... that'll change. I ran past where I had
crashed last year and it felt like true redemption knowing I was running
great at this point this year. In fact, I had caught another runner and he
told me I looked strong. My confidence was boosted and I was chomping at the
bit. But then.. I got hungry. My banana had smooshed in my waist pack and I
sucked it out of the peel some 72 minutes ago. I didn't want to hastle with
the PB+J in my pack... I'll just keep running.. because I had a plan.
My calves began to cramp, my right quad cramped, my hamstrings were tender
and I felt some pain circulating in my hips. If I only had some salt! The
one thing I forgot! Then I ran into
Gary
. A runner from
Pennsylvania
. He ran in the Massanutten 100 this past year and was looking great! He had
a great pace as well and we actually fed off each other for the next 8 Miles
until we came to the sign which read "Cedar River Hdqts - 9 Miles"
ONLY 9 MILES TO GO! We stopped to look at each other and fired off sinister
grins. It was go time. Much of the trail was an overgrown mess. Many times
we could not even push the growth aside to see the trail below. We ran
blindly hoping to not slip on anything. I had all ready scraped my knee open
on a rock.
We continued to feed off each other until I noticed
Gary
had much more gas in his tank than I. So I slowed off a bit and tried to
find my own pace. I ran past a forest ranger. He is out there every year.
I carried on down the trail. I was, however, soaking wet and cramping badly.
As a light wind picked up through the valley, I felt myself shiver and knew
I was fading into a low fast. I smiled though... instead of being worried of
how I would climb over the wall... I smiled because it came MUCH later than
it ever had and I was ready to rock and roll with my soul. Lets do it
demons! I ran when I could and walked otherwise. I NEVER stopped moving. A
group of 3 runners passed me trying to cheer me on, "Reel it in buddy,
lets go!" I shuffled my feet. I was on the dirt road... a LONG dirt
road that led 3 miles to the finish. A HELL of a time to crash... but I was
insanely loving it. Soon.. I started thinking of my grandfather, who some of
you know passed away this past April to Cancer. He was my best friend.. and
I miss him dearly. As I thought of him and welled up inside... I saw a huge
chunk of white fungi from a decaying tree sitting on the trail.
Mt.
Drew
is known for fungi writing... and on it said "GO John GO! ANDY AND
SARAH 1:00pm" I looked at my watch.. it was 1:21.. I could catch them!
I found myself smiling and feeling great again. I was overcoming the low..
climbing the wall and ready to go. Drew and Sarah had once again lifted my
spirits and raised me from the dead. The trail was now a raging river, mud
was knee deep in MANY spots, raspberry bush thorns had cut me legs to
smithereens and I looked like Passion of the Christ out here. And soon.. up
ahead.. there they were. "Come on kid! GET THE LEAD OUT!" It was
Sarah and Drew. As I reached them Drew asked... "you gonna make 7 hours
or what?!" I looked down at my watch.. "Holy Crap! I've got 9
Minutes!" I ran as hard as I ever have at such distance towards the
finish line. As I entered the camping area on the near side of the damn, I
looked back and saw a runner behind me. No way was someone else going to
pass me. I headed for the dam and ran hard across.
As I crossed the dam I was overjoyed. I had done it again, defeated Wakely.
I did the sign of the cross and prayed to my grandfather and god for the
strength. I pumped my fist in the air.. I was psyched.. and as I made it to
the other side, I spotted a deep puddle... and reared back, jumped up and
dove in.. SPLASH!
Goal #1: Finish top 10 be happy with 16th (this would be 10 less than last
year).. I finished in 18th, I LOVE IT!
Goal #2: Finish in Sub 7 Hours. I finished in 7:02:48. Exactly 56 Minutes
faster than last year AFTER the extra 1.5 Miles Detour. I'll take it!
(Actual Distance with detour 34.1 Miles.. DOH!)
Goal #3: I finished and I had a BLAST! The rain felt great, the people were
awesome and I was all smiles.
Pat Hamel ended up winning the race for his second time. And despite the
rain and mud... unimpressive conditions.. he beat out Tim Seavers Course
record by 50 Seconds with a time of 5:05:00. Great Job Pat!
I hung around the finish line to chat with some other runners and watch some
others cross before taking off. Special thanks to RD Jim for another great
year at Wakely.. he and his run staff do an amazing job! And thanks also to
Mt.
Drew
and Sarah, for lifting me up and shaping new goals for me. Now lets see if
we can knock another hour off next year!