News

Good morning. A couple quick notes for this week and – finally – the finished Stryders Grand Prix slate for 2021. Thanks to all who turned out for last week’s June Business Meeting, when we also finalized the Summer Picnic Saturday, July 10 at the MWR Facility in Ballston Spa. We have a pavilion reserved from 1-5 p.m. and we’ll be throwing our traditional summer picnic with food and beverages provided by the club. Other details, including an RSVP to attend, will be on the way soon. But save the date.

Regular club events are on schedule for this week:

• Monday Trail Run – 6 p.m. at Spruce Mountain. Details below.

• Wednesday Night Workout – 6 p.m. at the Saratoga Spa State Park. Meet at the “Stryders Bench” in the grass across from the Little Theater parking lot. Optional dynamic warmup at 5:50 p.m., otherwise be ready to roll at 6 p.m. sharp. Coach Mary Fenton is on point this week, details below.

• Saturday Run/Walk – 8:30 a.m. at the Warming Hut at the Saratoga Spa State Park.

• Sunday Long Run – Noon at TBA. Check the Stryders Facebook page later in the week.

Have a great week!

Tom Law

 

Monday Trail Run – Spruce Mountain

Here’s the scoop for tonight’s Mix-It-Up Monday Trail Run from Dan Flanagan:

This is another Saratoga PLAN property: The newly re-routed Spruce Mountain Trail, located roughly 20 minutes north of Saratoga Springs in the Town of Corinth, is a 2.5-mile hike leading to the mountain's summit and historic fire tower. The trail is a moderate to difficult hike, so we will run what you can up and run down!

52 Spruce Mountain Rd, Porter Corners, NY 12859-1715, United States

Post run: We are going to the Brookhaven golf course restaurant after the run/hike for anyone that wants to join us! For a $10 burger and beer!

Workout for Week of June 14

Join the Stryders to get great customized workouts from the Stryders coaches

 

2021 Stryders Grand Prix

The officers and members finalized the 2021 Stryders Grand Prix during last week’s Business Meeting. We have 11 races scheduled, including two of our Camp Saratoga Trail Series events, the Freihofer’s Run for Women (sorry guys) and the FallBack 5 Trail Run. The first virtual 5k was included and the next – a 1-mile event starting this Saturday and running through June 26 – will also be in the series.

The volunteer requirement will also return. To be eligible for prizes you’ll need to earn at least 1 volunteer point. They can be earned at various Stryders-related events, from the trail series to parties. Feel free to run all of the Grand Prix races and your best six finishes will count toward your score. Runners who complete at least six races and earn a volunteer point will also be eligible for a Grand Prix participation award.

Here’s the 2021 Stryders Grand Prix:

Late April – Stryders Virtual 5K

June 19-26 – Stryders Virtual 1-Mile, 6/19-26

July 4 – Firecracker 4, Saratoga Springs

Aug. 2 – Camp Saratoga Trail Series #1

Aug. 30 – Camp Saratoga Trail Series #5

Sept. 11 – Malta 10K

Sept. 25 – Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K

Oct. 9 –Pumpkin Challenge 10K

Nov. 7 – FallBack 5-Mile Trail

Nov. 14 – Stockade-athon 15K

Early December – Stryders Holiday Virtual 5K / In-person event TBA

Stryders Virtual Mile

In-person races are returning with a flourish but we’ll continue to offer virtual options from time to time, including our Virtual Mile scheduled to begin Saturday and run through Saturday, June 26. Click here for details and to register.

We will also collect optional donations for the virtual races, with proceeds from the June event earmarked for the club’s general fund and to the Roundabout Runners’ wintertime salt crew for the paths in Malta used by the Sunday Run Group.

The Virtual Mile works as a perfect prep for the upcoming Firecracker 4!

 

 

Over the past year and across four seasons in Upstate New York, I ran outside every day through sun, snow, ice, and rain. 

I averaged 3.18 miles and 26 minutes per day, while ascending 22,322 feet, descending 23,726 feet, and racing 10 virtual races. I ran a total of 1,208 miles and burned 109,963 calories. 

On May 25, 2021 I ran 3.65 miles to celebrate Day 365 of my unplanned year-long running streak. 

So, why did I do it?

Running has long been an important part of my life. Since I started distance running in 2008, I was running 3 to 6 days per week—on the higher end when training for a longer race like a marathon or Ragnar Relay—but had never considered a running streak of any duration as a goal. 

Then we were hit by a pandemic.

Like everyone else, I was stressed out, so running became even more important in my life, and a way for me to manage the stress. Before I knew it, I was running every day, so I started to set goals along the way: 100 days, 200 days, then 365 days.

Read more on Gabe's running streak. 

Good morning. Hopefully you had an enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend despite the rain and cold. Congrats to all the Stryders who ran in the Miles on the Mohawk races in Schenectady. Looking at the results we had several strong performances led by Ginny Lupo in the marathon! Ginny ran 3:37.53 to win the Female 45-49 age division and finish 17^th overall among the women. Big congrats.

There’s plenty to get to this week, including news about the upcoming Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo and Global Running Day (tomorrow, make a plan and pledge some miles!).

Here’s the slate:

• Wednesday Night Workout – 6 p.m. at the Saratoga Spa State Park. Meet at the “Stryders Bench” in the grass across from the Little Theater parking lot. Optional dynamic warmup at 5:50 p.m., otherwise be ready to roll at 6 p.m. sharp. Coach Mary Fenton is on point this week and the Global Running Day workout is below.

• Saturday Run/Walk – 8:30 a.m. at the Warming Hut at the Saratoga Spa State Park.

• Sunday Long Run – Noon at Saratoga City Center, part of Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo. Wear your Stryders gear!

• Monday Trail Run (June 7, 6 p.m.) – Fort Hardy Park/Hudson Crossings Park. Saratoga Siege Trail.

• June Business Meeting – 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 8. In-Person Location TBA.

Have a great week. See you soon!

Tom Law

Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo

We’re still in need of volunteers to work the Stryders booth at this weekend’s Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo at the Saratoga City Center. Laura Clark is coordinating volunteer shifts and if you’re interested in any of the slots below let her know. When it says “Need 1” that doesn’t have to be just one, if you want to come with a spouse, family member or friend. The more the merrier. 

Saturday

12-2: Need 1

2-5: Need 1

Sunday

10-12: Need 1

12-2: Need 1

2-4: Need 1

If you’re interested let me and/or Laura Clark know. Email us at president@saratogastryders.org and Laura at lclark@sals.edu.

The Stryders will host a group run and walk Sunday at Noon, a combination of the regular Sunday Long Run Group and the Expo.

The route will be simple – meet at the City Center sign on corner of Broadway and Ellsworth Jones Place and depart the City Center heading south toward the Spa Park. Runners and walkers can turn around where they choose and head back to the City Center. Those looking for added distance can roll right into and around the Park if they wish. We encourage members to wear their Stryders gear.

Global Running Day

Wednesday marks the annual celebration of Global Running Day and the Stryders will again be involved! Check out the workout below for information about what we have planned for an in-person event. We’ve also pledged to run 250 miles as a club and you can sign up here.

Here’s a little more background on Global Running Day:

Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving. This day plays an important role, reminding us of the positives that running can offer and the power of unification. Its mission seems more important than ever right now, as people everywhere attempt to stay active and healthy. During these challenging times, many people are turning to running as a solution to help release anxiety, gain perspective, cope with cabin fever and keep up wellbeing.

 

Workout for the Week of May 31

From Stryders coach Mary Fenton:

Wednesday we will celebrate Global Running Day by participating in the sport we love in the park we are fortunate enough to claim as our own! The coached workout will take us on a short tour of the beautiful Saratoga Spa State Park but there is an alternate for those who are unable to join us on that day.

Pace: This week’s workout will be run at tempo pace which is approximately a pace you could sustain in a race for an hour or about 25-30 seconds slower than 5k race pace.

Purpose: To improve endurance and to prepare yourself for holding a more demanding pace.

Workout: The Wednesday night workout at the park will be a Fartlek-style tempo run with a set course.

If you are running on your own, after completing a 1–2-mile warm-up, do the recommended number of tempo intervals with a one-minute rest after each.

25 miles or less/week: 4x5 minutes Tempo

25-35 miles/week: 5x5 minutes Tempo

35+ miles/week: 6x5 minutes Tempo

Option B: Run the number of miles you pledged for Global Running Day.

Perfect Ending at Garnet Hill 5K

            A perfect ending is the one which leaves you wishing for more…and that is what we got at Garnet Hill 5K. Temps were February cold with an 11 degree send-off, ski trails were perfectly groomed, with just the right amount of give, and the abundant single tract was a fun, challenging ride.    Step off the trails at your own peril and risk sinking into 4 feet of snow.  Makes you wish winter could last forever. 

            Many newer members were there as well as old standbys from Eddie Albiozek’s original group – the Northans, Maureen Roberts, the Sheehans, Jeff Clark the Younger. The only weird thing is that there were twice as many female as male finishers.  Is this a new trend?  Or were the guys simply transitioning to the roads in hopes of a fast St. Patrick’s Day time?

            The trails were once more expertly marked by Bob Underwood of Underdog Race Timing.  Intimately familiar with the over 50K trail system, Bob presents us with a slightly different adventure each year.  This time, he added about 1/3 mile to the single track, utilizing the wider ski trails more as transition areas—at the start for early race distancing, midway through the trails to give our legs a bit of a break, and at the end for a fast finish.  It was an skillfully crafted mix, catering to our various strengths and weaknesses.

            The highlight for me were the skinny twisting trails, perfectly made for Dion snowshoes.  This single track could be compared to a narrow gauge railways, often utilized in mountainous terrain where tighter curves are a necessity.  At times, it did appear that the single track was truly single, with a slim foothold, barely containing one snowshoe at a time.  Lose you balance and you were destined to plunge one-footed into the awaiting deep snow bordering the tenuous path.

            And while it is fun to let yourself go on a downhill plunge, this turned out to be risky behavior and the multiple sharp curves were difficult to handle while balancing on one foot and trying desperately not to sink 12 or more inches into someone else’s misstep.  It was here that the phrase “coming and going took on new meaning…

laura clark

           

Brookhaven 1 & 2

            With Vermont and Massachusetts virtually shut down this winter and favorite locations such as Mt. Greylock, Readsboro (Hoot, Toot & Whistle), and Vermont’s Prospect Mountain off limits, we have had to confine our Dion Snowshoe Series to New York State, leaving noticeable breaks in our previously crowded weekend schedule.  Enter Bob Underwood of www.underdogtiming.com and Rebecca Sewell, Recreation Administrator for the Town of Greenfield, who combined forces to bring us not one, but two snowshoe races to fill in the gaps.

            Reminiscent of Tim Van Orden’s multiple races at Prospect Mountain, Brookhaven is one of those magical Brigadoon areas where snow flies early and lingers well beyond normal expectations.  Schedule a race at Brookhaven and you are pretty much guaranteed that it will be a “go.”  Unlike Prospect, however, Brookhaven is—a golf course.  Yes, I know. While we have all enjoyed skiing or snowshoeing on the wide-open spaces of the typical golf course, it is more a place of convenience and not where you generally head to experience the solitude of the backcountry woods.  The Bookhaven trails, a mix of towering pines and stately hardwoods, reminded me simultaneously of the Black Forest in Germany and the Viking Nordic Center in Londonderry, Vermont.  Granted, there were no big mountains, but there were plenty of typical XC ups and downs.  For beginners, a perfect introduction to the sport and for the more experienced, an opportunity to clock a fast time on trails meticulously groomed by Steve Schreiber, a Town of Greenfield volunteer.

                Both events offered a 2.5 and 5K option.  The first, coming as it did at the beginning of break week attracted several families as well as our regulars.  It seemed as if the kids and their dogs ran the full mileage just fooling around prior to the start.  Darryl Caron, recovering from ankle surgery, and his puggie (pug/beagle mix) Daisy, hiked Brookhaven #2 and Daisy garnered the award for most steps per minute with a rapid turnover achieved by only highly focused athletes.

This was one of those races where you are almost at the finish, and can even see it, until the route winds back once more in the opposite direction.  Usually when this happens it is toward the end and fairly easy to deal with, but this time, the turn back occurred perhaps two-thirds into the race, so I spent the final portion of #1 wondering if I had somehow gone wrong.  I was much calmer when this happened during #2 and was even able to deal with that rough final uphill before the finish, which begins before you can even see the finish.  Amazingly enough, my time for #1 was the same as my time for #2, which was run in rougher conditions.  Except that I had run the 15K Frigus in Moreau the day before so that might have had something to do with it.  But perhaps not.

With few races this year and even fewer handouts, the Town of Greenfield generously provided long-sleeved T-shirts for both events.  It was a caring gesture, appreciative of the athletes who signed up, and are sure to show up again on their own to explore the nine-mile trail system.

           

The Endurance Society Presents: The FRIGUS Challenge          

           

The above emblem is probably all you need to know to get the rough idea: a wasted skeleton, still clinging to his sword (or in this case, trekking pole) crawling to the summit of The Staircase of Death.  Speaking of which, I did not make that up.  That is the actual name of one of the climbs we encountered during the Endurance Society’s Frigus expedition at Moreau Lake State Park located in upstate New York, at the edge of the Adirondacks. Doubly scary as these were only the foothills.

            You may well ask, what is a frigus?  The term, derived from the Latin, is exactly what it sounds like: frigid, bone-chilling temperatures that penetrate through your modern wicking layers down to your very bones.  But wait, the translation also implies a threatening cold shudder produced by fear. And rightly so. With a single 15K loop featuring just shy of 2400 feet of elevation gain, the three-loop marathoners had plenty to fuel their apprehension. One would naturally assume that an athlete not opting for the 5K version or the single 15K loop would address such an undertaking with a protective shield forged from hours of training runs.  But there is more to it than that, as Race Director Andy Weinberg points out, “The sword is pointed toward the skeleton as the battle is within.”  One 15K run would get you a finish, but two?  Not so much.  The posted options were 5K, 15K or Marathon.  No middle ground.  Continue forward beyond the 15K and you were up against the sword.

           

            Mental struggles aside, we had the Polar Vortex to contend with, facing 5-degree temperatures at the start. I briefly toyed with the idea of wearing my parka instead of my jacket and even threw it in the car, until the bright, sunshiny day convinced me otherwise. When training for the event in similar conditions I stuck my handheld inside my fleece jacket with no success, so this time I went with an insulated bottle.  The bottle was fine but the nozzle froze along with my zippered pouch containing most of my snacks.  I did OK until the final few miles when I bonked. I was familiar with this part of the route and knew I could mentally hang in there, although it was painful to be passed with the end in sight.  It didn’t help that I made the same wrong turn I always take, avoiding the sharp right to the exit in favor of the easy out to the road. I have failed to execute this turn in all four seasons, even with winter’s snowshoe prints clearly indicating the correct path.  I have proven myself a slow learner.

            Lately, I have been noticing just how many folks seem to be carrying trekking poles.  Previous to this race, I had dismissed them as being relevant to hikers with heavy packs or perhaps sky mountain runners.  But not anymore. All along, I had been trading places with another 15ker.  He was faster on the ups, but I had the advantage on the downs.  At least until I encountered a butt-slideable portion.  He wielded his poles expertly and flew fearlessly down the hill.  Thinking back on the experience, I should have realized I was in trouble when so many athletes proudly brandished their spears. I stood out with my minimalist approach.                    The day was so beautifully sunny, the mountain views so inspiring and the downhills so much fun that halfway through I deluded myself into thinking that I could perhaps make it through another loop.  But the second major climb convinced me otherwise.  It was so long and so steep that I was forced to assume the stance of the frigus skeleton, crawling stop motion from toe-hold to hand-hold.

   

         The highlight for me was the trek across the frozen lake, past the brave huddles of ice fishermen.  As a kid, I had skated on frozen ponds and smaller portions of snow-cleared ice, but I had never skied or snowshoed from one edge to the other.  Even though the ice was obviously safe, the few sun-warmed slushy spots took an act of faith.  There, from a distance, I could see the beach house and the finish line folks, but like a mirage in the Arctic desert, they never seemed to get any closer.  Time stood still.  It was so peaceful out there, with no need to pay attention to my feet, that I could simply take in the beauty of the day and the satisfaction that comes from the combination of physical and mental effort.

By laura clark

Photos by Mike Seman

             

           

Winterfest Features Snow!

            This may seem like a no-brainer but for the first time in many years, Winterfest Snowshoe 5K in the Saratoga Spa NYS Park featured snow rather than its usual ice/mud combination.  Even better, it snowed day-of, so the trails were frosted with a soft coating of fluffy white.  Standing on the threshold of an almost solid year of COVID restrictions, it was uplifting to think that at least something had gone right.  All of us have cycled through the 5 Stages of Grief: from March denial (this will only be for a few weeks), to anger at canceled races, to Virtual Race bargaining with the fitness gods, through fatigue-inducing depression.  Hopefully, we have catapulted into the final phase – accepting a new normal.

            Races have cautiously tiptoed around restrictions with limited fields, outdoor-only venues, no after-event partying, stacks of compliance paperwork and huge bottles of hand sanitizer.  Although it was sobering to forego our usual raffle prizes and pot luck party, folks were just grateful to do something semi-normal once more and wave at each other from a distance. Anything to get out of the house.

            To reduce the number of volunteers who would be counted in our 50-person State Park limit, for the first time in twenty-two years, I hired a timing company, Underdog Race Timing, which also insured that runners could maintain 15 second interval individualized starts. I was probably the last race director in NYS to enter the 21^st century.  The week before I was beset with anxiety, feeling that I just wasn’t doing enough.  Granted, there was no food or raffles to organize and no alternate routes to map out due to scanty snow, but still the feeling was unsettling.  Now I finally get why timing companies are so popular. I am not sure I would revert back to pre-COVID in this respect.  I have gotten spoiled.

Last one to the top, photo by Joe Babcock

            As have the rest of us, perhaps.  With a starting time bordering more on suggestion, runners are now accustomed to pulling up late (after all, why would you want to stand around waiting in 7 degree cold?), grabbing their bib and taking off.  Jamie Howard took this to new levels with a recorded finish time of 11 hours.  He was delighted as he got in a long run and could log in a hero’s snowshoe mileage on our weekly  www.dionwmacsnowshoe.commileage competition—and still make it home in time for the Super Bowl.  While this didn’t actually happen, it could have.  Jamie was busy distributing loaner snowshoes and by the time he shed his heavy clothes and made it to the start, Timer Bob had already moved on to the finish. I for one, appreciate this flexibility.  Back in the day when Edward Alizobek founded our snowshoe series, folks who were distraught at having to spoil their perfect record because of a wedding or other unavoidable event, were permitted to race after the fact, as long as they had another person to accompany them for safety concerns.  Everyone knew everyone else (and still do) and would have an idea of a reasonable time for that person.

            As for me, my main concern on race day was staying warm during the interval between set up and registration, and the snow, while adding atmosphere, was nevertheless cold and wet.  But with the staggered start, I had enough time to remove my husband Jeff’s roomy parka and make it to the start.  Both of us founded the Winterfest race 22 years ago after enjoying Edward’s series, and even though Jeff is no longer here, I had the good fortune to randomly draw his favorite number in memory of his Vietnam call sign—Bulldog 33. Whenever I felt myself falter and lapse into the easy way out, I patted his number and felt the force of his presence with me once more.  It was a good day.

By laura clark                                                

                                                           

                                                                       

Unauthorized Spectator
 photo by Jen Ferriss

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Churney Gurney snowshoe race report written by ATRA contributor Laura Clark. Laura is an avid mountain, trail and snowshoe runner who lives in Saratoga Springs, NY, where she is a children’s librarian. Photos by Jen Ferriss.

I’m on my way…off Northway Exit 20 and up onto Gurney Lane Recreation Area to the Churney Gurney 5K Snowshoe and Fat Tire Bike Races in Queensbury, New York. At first glance, the multi-layered parking lots, playing field, swimming pool and recreation center resemble any other such facility. But directly behind it you step into a Beatlesque take on Penny Lane—convoluted forest circles weaving in and out, up and down, sometimes with the roar of the highway in the distance. All compact, meticulously planned-out and designed to provide a maximum amount of trail in what might otherwise have been a postage stamp sort of place. Within its flowing layout on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains, Gurney Lane encompasses 13 miles of trail and is ranked the #1 Mountain Bike Trail System in New York State.

Heidi and Bob Underwood and Underdog Race Timing have been hosting a winter and a summer version of this festival for three year now. As local mountain bikers they are intimately familiar with the trails and are able to make last minute adjustments when this snow is sketchy. But this year it was perfect—a crunchy base topped off with two inches of fresh snow the day before made for a speedy and pleasant trek.

Looking at the course from a race director’s eye, I admire Bob’s skill in marking it. With all the intersecting lanes, this route could easily require a troop of course marshals. But instead, he has just one, making generous use of caution tape to define routes, divide lanes, and keep the flow smooth and effortless. The only dicey section was at the end in the playing field where Chief Dog, Uncas, insisted on running around with the cones and rearranging them to suit his stylistic preferences.

Weirdly in this COVID era, registration was held indoors in a nod to the early morning 10-degree temperatures. This is the first race we have had all year where we could go indoors to get warm (besides hanging out in the bathroom), and we were careful not to crowd or linger. As we finished our snowshoe event, the mountain bikers were arriving, the temps were climbing and the sun was brilliant—a fire by the open-air pavilion didn’t hurt either! And, another first, we even had a socially distanced raffle. I had forgotten how much I had missed these little touches. Some of us browsed the outdoor market set up by Grey Ghost Bicycles –another pre-COVID, Penny Lane sort of touch.

When all was said and done, we experienced the best of Penny Lane—a glimpse into the past, a valiant present effort and a hint of things to come.

The Gurney Lane Snowshoe Race took place on January 24, 2021. Race results can be found on the Underdog Race Timing website.

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Cock-a-Doodle-Shoe snowshoe race report written by ATRA contributor Laura Clark. Laura is an avid mountain, trail and snowshoe runner who lives in Saratoga Springs, NY, where she is a children’s librarian. Photos by Jen Ferriss.

Now into its ninth year, the Cock-a-Doodle-Shoe Snowshoe Race at the New Land Trust in Saranac, NY is not for the faint-hearted. In just this short span of time, it has easily garnered a reputation for being the coldest, snowiest race the Dion snowshoe series. It would be difficult to beat the 2018 North American Snowshoe Championship, when my car temperature gauge read -17 Fahrenheit in town, before we even made it to the trailhead. Or 2019, when the battery-operated timer froze as soon as the first 5K finisher crossed the line. Or last year, when a drive through a blizzard served as the warmup activity.

In a weather sense, then, this year was rather a disappointment. Temperatures hovered around 30 degrees F, although the fierce wind did make it seem much colder. On the plus side, it had snowed the day before, giving us perhaps eight inches of fresh snow along with a mixed bag of day-of sleet, snow and sun.

Sir Thomas proudly shepherded me, Maureen Roberts and Karen Costello to the race, being the vehicle of choice due to his studly accessories. We made it down the Interstate 87 Northway just fine, and into the local gas station for some liquid refreshment – Sir Thomas has a small, dainty tank. But then, overconfident, we got lost. Too late, I plugged in my Nuvi (navigation) and she took us on a grand tour of Saranac’s backwoods, turning us onto roads that eluded Google Maps.

But what could we do? We had no idea where we were and my Nuvi is an older, unforgiving model. Meaning she was not prone to the soft purr of the modern-day Alexa. If you screwed up and failed to take her advice, you would be subjected to wrathful disdain. And at this point we couldn’t afford to cross her. So we soldiered on. Karen and I were concerned about making it to the race on time, but Maureen, in the driver’s seat is known to take optimism and enthusiasm to competitive levels. She was thrilled to be viewing snowy Adirondack scenery seldom seen by folks pursuing their regular Garmin routes.

One of the charms of Saranac, New York is that it is a steadfast supporter of the concept of kids’ snowshoe racing. Not only that, but Race Director Jeremy Drowne places his kids’ event on an equal level of importance to the 5K and 10K to follow. Youngsters line up at 10am and the 5K and 10K are advertised to start whenever the kids’ event is completed. So FOMO (fear of missing out) compels everyone to stand around and cheer the kids. This year, there were nine finishers in this family affair and among the onlookers were a Dad packing a two-month-old and a lady who intended to hike the 5K at eight months pregnant.

Thus inspired, we began the half-mile warmup to our start and dutifully positioned ourselves amid orange flags placed at socially distant intervals. I glanced admiringly at Jeremy’s flags with their longer-than-usual metal staffs. Definitely not the standard Tractor Supply variety, but made for serious snow. And then we were off, heading into an Adirondack forest whose paths were tunneled by snow-laden branches. Runners quickly found their own pace and it was not long until most of us were totally alone in a winter landscape painting. I thought I knew the course pretty well. I remembered the steep, narrow downhill where one icy year I unashamedly slid on my butt. But surprisingly, totally forgot about the steep uphill that preceded it and figured they had changed the course. Sort of like childbirth—you forget all the really tough parts.

But for me, the worst (read boring) section was circling the fence around the orchard. It is totally exposed and wind-whipped, with just enough upward slant to make you feel guilty for hiking it. I did anyway, rationalizing that it was time for an energy gel. My favorite section is oddly as it is the mile-long Zen Trail loop. This comes at the almost-end, just when you sense that the barn is near and the last thing you desire is a detour. But the beautiful, remote single track is totally worth it. If you are hunting for a negative split, this would be a good race to select as the first 5K is considerably tougher than the last.

Because of COVID protocols, the warming hut was shuttered and the wood stove was merely ornamental, but as the day was mild, this did not matter. Next year, we look forward to that warm fire as well as the Darn Tough Vermont sock giveaways for which this challenging race is famous.

Complete results from the 2021 Cock-a-Doodle-Shoe Snowshoe Race can be found on the race website.

Everyone’s a Front Runner at Gore

            Remember those classic shots we used to see of runners crowded at the start line, bent over in starting gate position, fondly fingering their watches?  Back in the day, that is.  Back when things were as normal as things were ever going to be.  Well, Gore 5K Snowshoe Race in the year(s) of COVID was as far removed from this picture as you could imagine.

            Because of COVID restrictions, Heidi Underwood of Underdog Race Timing, gave us a 20-minute start time frame. So there we were, milling around, unsure of what to do.  It was comparable to our Saratoga Stryders Saturday morning runs, when we all recognize that it is time to get going but no one wants to make the first move.  Moreover, it was a sunny almost 30ish afternoon and no one was particularly cold.  It was really quite pleasant just standing there, almost committed, but not quite. I grew impatient and shouting, “Yay, I’m first!” I dashed off. Actually, I wasn’t.  I eventually figured out that without fanfare, eventual winner Jeremy Drowne, had taken the early initiative.

            The course consisted of five 1K loops around the Gore Mountain Ski Bowl.  Rather like one of those bike criterions.  The loops were supposed to have been longer, but some of the trails were closed for snowmaking.  At first, I thought that five times was rather a lot, but eventually I grew to appreciate the abridged route as each swipe of the circle seemed really speedy in comparison to the familiar Citizen’s Race course.  Made me feel like a winner. 

            Beforehand, I had tried to visualize the route, reminding myself that the first uphill, which always seemed the most difficult to me, was followed by a glorious downhill.  I remembered that the next uphill was steep, but brief, and never seemed to bother me that much. But this time the first one seemed easy and the second more difficult. With each go around I tried to hunt and peck the fastest trajectory but naturally didn’t figure it out until the final circle. 

            As a consequence of the staggered window, getting lapped lost its meaning.  Either someone who started just behind you was passing as in a normal race, or perhaps that person was on their first loop while you were pounding out your second.  It was like everyone was their own frontrunner, strangely liberated from the temptation of running someone else’s race.  And while we missed the snack bar and fireplace afterwards, it was just enough to be out there and to see our North Country friends once more. 

            On the drive home, the setting sun tinted the bare-brown trees purplish pink and I was reminded of my time in the Arizona desert.  Folks ask how I could stand to be without greenery, but the setting sun flashes rainbow colors against the sandy canyons, rather like it did for the stark winter trees, reminding me that every place has its special beauty and every outing, even if not quite like before, is more than enough. 

            By laura clark

            Photos by Jen Ferriss