The Miller State Park aid station was staffed by some kind ultra running volunteers. They knew exactly what we needed in terms of food and drink. They filled our bottles and packs for us. It was here that we caught the only person who passed us so far. He was unloading his pack. Seems that he stocked his CamelBak with water-proof gear in case the 40% chance of rain materialized. I on the other hand traveled light. I carried a hand strap 16oz water bottle and an elastic racing belt that clipped my bib number and held down 6 Gu packs on either side of a small pouch that carried a small 10-pack of tissues. (I was so deathly afraid of gastro issues causing me to stop for a number 2 in the woods. I'll save you the suspense, the 10-pack of tissues wasn't used - not even to blow my nose.)
Bill and I headed out of the aid station in about a minute and a half and followed the trail to what I at first thought was a dead end.
If I were to describe the topology of the Pack Mountain climb, it would look a little like the small letter "n". That is a near vertical climb, followed by a little downhill followed by more uphill over the peak and then a rather steep descent. And there are a lot of rocks.
I got the feeling that a long time ago, someone stared at this vertical rock pile and started to climb it with a yellow spray paint can marking triangles as he went. When he could climb no higher, he walked a little to the left and found some more near vertical rocks and started zig-zagging up them too. When they ran out, he walked a little to the right and found some uneven, steep, root-laden dirt path and continued up and over it and on to the summit. People just started following his path and that became the trail. So here we are, years later "running" (read: climbing) up this trail thinking in about 2 hours we'll be "running" (read: belaying) back down it. Unbelievable.
It was with a great sense of accomplishment that we crested Pack Mountain, ran by the towers we saw from Temple Mountain over an hour ago and started into the valley between the Packs. About this time, we saw the first runner come towards us. He had a two-digit bib number, ours' were three-digits. He was the leader of the 21.5 mile race.
[A quick aside: there is a 50 mile and a 21.5 mile race. I ran the 50, but some people choose to run the 21.5, which starts at the north end of the Wapack Trail and runs south. It's the second half of the 50 mile run without the extra 7 mile loop at the end. The 21.5 mile race starts at 8 AM so right around 9 AM - with an hour to the turn around for us and and hour into their race - we met.]
Another two runners passed against us - again from the 21.5 mile race. Then the deluge started. All 60 or so registered 21.5 mile participants passed against us over the next miles of steep single-track. We also saw the few leaders of our 50 mile race pass against us. They had already made the turn around and were heading home. We were still finishing the climb over North Pack.
If I were to describe the topology of the North Pack Mountain climb, it would look a little like an upside down capital letter "V". That is a really big uphill followed by a really big downhill. And there are a lot of rocks. There were some technical sections, not requiring pitons and a harness, but certainly not runnable - requiring hands to scramble up or down depending on your direction of travel.
Bill slowed down to tend to a cramp and I continued to the Mountain Road aid station - the terminus of the Wapack Trail and our turn around point. I had finished the out in just over 5 hours and 5 minutes. Bill was quick to follow. I took my time in the aid station using my drop bag to replenish my Gu stock on my running belt and mix an electrolyte drink for my bottle - which one of the aid station volunteers kindly did for me as I downed some salty snacks and a banana.
Bill was off and I was soon to follow. Half way done - but not really; there was that looming 7 mile loop at the end after hitting the "finish" line.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wa-Wa-Wapack Weekend - Part 3
Leaving the Windblown aid station at mile 9 presented us with some gentle rolling hills that were easy to keep a good running pace over. Bill and I ran together out of the aid station and up the climb. We saw no one in front or in back of us. The field had thinned pretty well by now. The leaders were about 20 to 30 minutes in front of us according to the aid station volunteers. We had no illusions of catching them, it was just good to know where we stood in the field.
This seven mile section of the Wapack Trail heads over Temple Mountain and follows the long ridge line descending into Miller State Park. It's relatively downhill for the first 2 miles followed by a bloody big climb and an equally impressive descent over the next 5 miles. Most of this section was runnable. Again, we walked the hard uphills maintaining 'relentless forward progress'.
I started thinking about pace, timing and the possibility of completing all 50 miles. As I mentioned, the Wapack Trail is a 21.5 mile trail that we run south to north and then back south. That provides the first 43 miles of running. The last 7 miles are a "quick" out and back over Mt. Watatic between the start/finish line and the first aid station. If runners hope to complete the full 50 miles, they need to finish 43 in the 12 hour cut off time. If you arrive back at the start/finish line after 5 PM, you aren't allowed to continue back out. It's at this point that some runners who beat the cut off time also choose to end their punishment voluntarily.
Based on the reading I did from other peoples' past race accounts, I hoped for a 5 and half hour out and a 6 and a half hour return. That would put me at the start/finish line very close to the cut off time and maybe with a quick push at the end, allow me to head back out for the last 7 miles.
We had just finished 9 miles in 2 hours - a paltry 13:20 pace. Given that, we expected another hour and a half of running to the Miller State Park aid station at 16 miles. I was feeling good now. Time was closing in on 8 AM. My legs were warmed up. My body temperature was fine - the sun wasn't too hot yet. I had some good food in me to supplement the Gu packets I was taking between aid stations.
Bill warned me about the last 5 miles past Miller State Park - the Pack Monadnock Mountains. He said those 5 miles would take us at least another one and a half hours. Assuming that was correct, we'd complete our out in 5 hours. Assuming my 6 and a half hour return, I'd be well under 12 hours and be eligible to go back out and complete the final 7 miles. Now it was just a matter of keeping that good feeling - staying fueled and hydrated - and keeping the legs moving.
Our progress was impeded a few times with small detours. The trail is pretty well marked with yellow triangle blazes on trees and rocks but some have faded. There are also some intersecting trails and on the bare rock peaks only cairns mark the way. It was easy to get off track - and we did a few times - thankfully not too far. After cresting Temple Mountain and starting the downhill we got a glimpse of the towers on Pack Monadnock in front of us. It looked a ridiculous distance away and a rather daunting climb. Also knowing there was another higher peak (North Pack) hidden behind that we would summit didn't help.
Like clockwork, we entered the Miller State Park aid station at 16 miles after another 1.5 hours of running. It was just after 8:30 AM. We had kept our pace and were both still feeling fine.
This seven mile section of the Wapack Trail heads over Temple Mountain and follows the long ridge line descending into Miller State Park. It's relatively downhill for the first 2 miles followed by a bloody big climb and an equally impressive descent over the next 5 miles. Most of this section was runnable. Again, we walked the hard uphills maintaining 'relentless forward progress'.
I started thinking about pace, timing and the possibility of completing all 50 miles. As I mentioned, the Wapack Trail is a 21.5 mile trail that we run south to north and then back south. That provides the first 43 miles of running. The last 7 miles are a "quick" out and back over Mt. Watatic between the start/finish line and the first aid station. If runners hope to complete the full 50 miles, they need to finish 43 in the 12 hour cut off time. If you arrive back at the start/finish line after 5 PM, you aren't allowed to continue back out. It's at this point that some runners who beat the cut off time also choose to end their punishment voluntarily.
Based on the reading I did from other peoples' past race accounts, I hoped for a 5 and half hour out and a 6 and a half hour return. That would put me at the start/finish line very close to the cut off time and maybe with a quick push at the end, allow me to head back out for the last 7 miles.
We had just finished 9 miles in 2 hours - a paltry 13:20 pace. Given that, we expected another hour and a half of running to the Miller State Park aid station at 16 miles. I was feeling good now. Time was closing in on 8 AM. My legs were warmed up. My body temperature was fine - the sun wasn't too hot yet. I had some good food in me to supplement the Gu packets I was taking between aid stations.
Bill warned me about the last 5 miles past Miller State Park - the Pack Monadnock Mountains. He said those 5 miles would take us at least another one and a half hours. Assuming that was correct, we'd complete our out in 5 hours. Assuming my 6 and a half hour return, I'd be well under 12 hours and be eligible to go back out and complete the final 7 miles. Now it was just a matter of keeping that good feeling - staying fueled and hydrated - and keeping the legs moving.
Our progress was impeded a few times with small detours. The trail is pretty well marked with yellow triangle blazes on trees and rocks but some have faded. There are also some intersecting trails and on the bare rock peaks only cairns mark the way. It was easy to get off track - and we did a few times - thankfully not too far. After cresting Temple Mountain and starting the downhill we got a glimpse of the towers on Pack Monadnock in front of us. It looked a ridiculous distance away and a rather daunting climb. Also knowing there was another higher peak (North Pack) hidden behind that we would summit didn't help.
Like clockwork, we entered the Miller State Park aid station at 16 miles after another 1.5 hours of running. It was just after 8:30 AM. We had kept our pace and were both still feeling fine.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wa-Wa-Wapack Weekend - Part 2
It's 5:05 AM, Saturday, May 7, 2011. I just started running the Wapack 50 with about 35 other maniacs. The group of us has fallen into single file and started up the single-track trail over Mt. Watatic. It's dark. My wife convinced me to not use my headlamp - "the sun is coming up soon". It's cold. My wife convinced me to wear short sleeves - "it's going to be over 60 degrees today". It's quiet - save for the 70+ feet plodding on dirt, root and rock.
The Wapack 50 is a 50 mile endurance run over the historic Wapack Trail. Heading from Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, MA at the south end, 21.5 miles to North Pack Mountain in Greenfield, NH at the north end, the Wapack Trail is one of the oldest interstate trails in the northeast. It follows ridge lines up and over the summits of Watatic, Pratt, New Ipswich, Barrett, Temple, Pack and North Pack Monadnock. Of course the Wapack 50 is a 50 mile race and the Wapack trail is only 21.5 miles. So you run it south to north and then back north to south. If you're a math wiz, you realize that still falls a bit short (7 miles to be precise). So to complete 50 miles, you need to leave the start/finish line, run back over Mt. Watatic to the first aid station (3.5 miles) and then back over Mt. Watatic to the start finish/line (3.5 miles the other way). During the ordeal, you gain and lose over 14,000 feet in elevation and cross 7 peaks, twice, and 1 four times for a total of 16.
About 20 minutes into the race, we crest Mt. Watatic and start the runnable downhill section towards Binney Hill Road - the first aid station about 3.5 miles into the race. It's light enough to see now without the need for flashlights or headlamps. I'm following a guy (Bill) who's running a steady pace that I can keep up with and we make small talk as we pass some people on the downhill section.
I don't realize we've turned onto Binney Hill Road as it isn't so much a "Road" as a fire road / Jeep trail. We pass four gallons of water on the ground at 43 minutes. We think nothing of it. Bill starts cursing as we begin crossing the makeshift bridges over the wetlands of Binney Pond. He forgot to drop his flashlight at the aid station. "What aid station," I ask. The four gallons of water on the ground were our first aid station. So that's what kind of day this is going to be. At least I'm not carrying a headlamp or flashlight for the next 5 plus miles to the Windblown aid station. Score one for my wife Jen.
Next come the uphills of Pratt and New Ipswich Mountains. We run the short flats and gentle uphills and walk the more steep sections. It's slow work. Bill and I keep a good pace and talk some more. He's quite the accomplished ultra runner and ran Wapack last year. This gives me some confidence. If I can match his pace and he's familiar with the course, I might just be OK.
There's a small downhill off New Ipswich before we start up Barrett Mountain about 7 miles in. We pass a guy who's obviously struggling now. He's in full leg spandex/lycra and long sleeve spandex/lycra. He has a hat and what can only be considered hiking boots. He's sweating profusely and the sun isn't really beating down yet - it's only 6:30 AM. Even Bill comments on his own long sleeve running T and how hot it's getting. Thanks Jen - plus one again.
We cross into the Windblown ski area and start our descent to the second aid station. It's seconds under 2 hours when we make it to the Windblown aid station. Some food and fuel - top off our water bottles and we're back at it.
If you're keeping score - it's Jen: 2, Me: 9 (miles that is).
The Wapack 50 is a 50 mile endurance run over the historic Wapack Trail. Heading from Mt. Watatic in Ashburnham, MA at the south end, 21.5 miles to North Pack Mountain in Greenfield, NH at the north end, the Wapack Trail is one of the oldest interstate trails in the northeast. It follows ridge lines up and over the summits of Watatic, Pratt, New Ipswich, Barrett, Temple, Pack and North Pack Monadnock. Of course the Wapack 50 is a 50 mile race and the Wapack trail is only 21.5 miles. So you run it south to north and then back north to south. If you're a math wiz, you realize that still falls a bit short (7 miles to be precise). So to complete 50 miles, you need to leave the start/finish line, run back over Mt. Watatic to the first aid station (3.5 miles) and then back over Mt. Watatic to the start finish/line (3.5 miles the other way). During the ordeal, you gain and lose over 14,000 feet in elevation and cross 7 peaks, twice, and 1 four times for a total of 16.
About 20 minutes into the race, we crest Mt. Watatic and start the runnable downhill section towards Binney Hill Road - the first aid station about 3.5 miles into the race. It's light enough to see now without the need for flashlights or headlamps. I'm following a guy (Bill) who's running a steady pace that I can keep up with and we make small talk as we pass some people on the downhill section.
I don't realize we've turned onto Binney Hill Road as it isn't so much a "Road" as a fire road / Jeep trail. We pass four gallons of water on the ground at 43 minutes. We think nothing of it. Bill starts cursing as we begin crossing the makeshift bridges over the wetlands of Binney Pond. He forgot to drop his flashlight at the aid station. "What aid station," I ask. The four gallons of water on the ground were our first aid station. So that's what kind of day this is going to be. At least I'm not carrying a headlamp or flashlight for the next 5 plus miles to the Windblown aid station. Score one for my wife Jen.
Next come the uphills of Pratt and New Ipswich Mountains. We run the short flats and gentle uphills and walk the more steep sections. It's slow work. Bill and I keep a good pace and talk some more. He's quite the accomplished ultra runner and ran Wapack last year. This gives me some confidence. If I can match his pace and he's familiar with the course, I might just be OK.
There's a small downhill off New Ipswich before we start up Barrett Mountain about 7 miles in. We pass a guy who's obviously struggling now. He's in full leg spandex/lycra and long sleeve spandex/lycra. He has a hat and what can only be considered hiking boots. He's sweating profusely and the sun isn't really beating down yet - it's only 6:30 AM. Even Bill comments on his own long sleeve running T and how hot it's getting. Thanks Jen - plus one again.
We cross into the Windblown ski area and start our descent to the second aid station. It's seconds under 2 hours when we make it to the Windblown aid station. Some food and fuel - top off our water bottles and we're back at it.
If you're keeping score - it's Jen: 2, Me: 9 (miles that is).
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Wa-Wa-Wapack Weekend - Part 1
In case you haven't already surmised from previous posts - I'm a runner. I'm not getting much faster with all the training I do, but I did notice I could run longer and longer distances without problems due to the training. So 5k's became 5 milers, which lead to 10k and 10 milers to half-marathons to long-distance relays to a marathon. It was this continuous distance increase that lead me to a north central Massachusetts trail head at 5 AM on May 7, 2011. With a yelp in place of a starter's pistol, I - along with 36 other ultra runners - began running the Wapack 50.
How did I get myself into this? After flirting with marathon distance in training and running Reach the Beach as an ultra team in 2007, I thought I'd try the longer distance - 50k or 50 miles. I stumbled upon the RI 6 hour and ran that as my first official ultra in 2009. Still looking for a local 50 mile race I Googled "50 mile massachusetts" and the Wapack and Back 50 Mile Trail Race came up. I signed up and started training in January 2011 after my usual December break to enjoy the holiday food and beer.
It wasn't until I missed my last planned marathon-distance training run on Boston Marathon weekend due to a sinus infection that I started to worry about my preparation. I was going to taper after that run, so a week early shouldn't hurt, but I was worried nonetheless. I started to do some research on Wapack. Big mistake.
I read some comments: "This is a very tough trail race. Don’t attempt it unless you are in excellent shape." I read some recommendations: "Don't recommend this for your first 50." I saw a picture from a participant last year of a 100-foot vertical rock wall with the caption, "Where's the trail ... I know it's hear somewhere". The "useful trail guide" is a scanned copy of someone's scribbles on a napkin. I figured my 50 mile time would be close to 9 hours based on 38 miles in 6 hours giving 3 more hours for the last 12. The Wapack 50 course record was close to 10 hours. I was now officially scared and feeling woefully underprepared.
After a fitful sleep in a Fitchburg hotel and a 3:15 AM wake-up call, my loving wife kissed me good-luck as I started down the gentle dirt road to the single track take-off which started the climb up Mt. Watatic - the first of four times I'd run over that wretched mountain that day.
How did I get myself into this? After flirting with marathon distance in training and running Reach the Beach as an ultra team in 2007, I thought I'd try the longer distance - 50k or 50 miles. I stumbled upon the RI 6 hour and ran that as my first official ultra in 2009. Still looking for a local 50 mile race I Googled "50 mile massachusetts" and the Wapack and Back 50 Mile Trail Race came up. I signed up and started training in January 2011 after my usual December break to enjoy the holiday food and beer.
It wasn't until I missed my last planned marathon-distance training run on Boston Marathon weekend due to a sinus infection that I started to worry about my preparation. I was going to taper after that run, so a week early shouldn't hurt, but I was worried nonetheless. I started to do some research on Wapack. Big mistake.
I read some comments: "This is a very tough trail race. Don’t attempt it unless you are in excellent shape." I read some recommendations: "Don't recommend this for your first 50." I saw a picture from a participant last year of a 100-foot vertical rock wall with the caption, "Where's the trail ... I know it's hear somewhere". The "useful trail guide" is a scanned copy of someone's scribbles on a napkin. I figured my 50 mile time would be close to 9 hours based on 38 miles in 6 hours giving 3 more hours for the last 12. The Wapack 50 course record was close to 10 hours. I was now officially scared and feeling woefully underprepared.
After a fitful sleep in a Fitchburg hotel and a 3:15 AM wake-up call, my loving wife kissed me good-luck as I started down the gentle dirt road to the single track take-off which started the climb up Mt. Watatic - the first of four times I'd run over that wretched mountain that day.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
To Do
Wake up with baby.
Take dog out to pee.
Make baby's breakfast.
Make dogs's breakfast.
Make my breakfast.
Play with dog.
Play with baby.
Put baby down for nap.
Run 20 miles:
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Eat, shower, dress.
Go to dump.
Play with baby and dog at park.
Play with baby and dog in yard.
Play with baby and dog in house.
Dinner (thank goodness for parents).
Put baby to bath and bed.
Blog.
Bed.
Repeat.
Take dog out to pee.
Make baby's breakfast.
Make dogs's breakfast.
Make my breakfast.
Play with dog.
Play with baby.
Put baby down for nap.
Run 20 miles:
View Larger Map
Eat, shower, dress.
Go to dump.
Play with baby and dog at park.
Play with baby and dog in yard.
Play with baby and dog in house.
Dinner (thank goodness for parents).
Put baby to bath and bed.
Blog.
Bed.
Repeat.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Recalculating ...
Don't you hate it when your GPS sends you the long way? Well Google Maps said it happened to be exactly 26.2 miles to my nephew's birthday party. Can you guess how I got there?
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Note: Start and End points are approximate. Actual route varied at the start and end; however, rest assured, it was exactly 26.2 miles.
View Larger Map
Note: Start and End points are approximate. Actual route varied at the start and end; however, rest assured, it was exactly 26.2 miles.
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