MDay-91 -- Sun. June 21

Long run: schedule said 17 miles, but with Bill W. headed out to do the Mount Greylock Trail Half Marathon instead. Seriously tough run: 13.5 (or 13.6, according to the maps at site), going up to the summit from about 1300' to the full 3491 (2191' climb!!) in just over 3 miles, then down and around on very technical trails (read, stream beds) and a few regular-ish trails.

Left at 7 a.m., Bill driving us, and after a pleasant drive arrive in Adams before 8:30. Prepared for lots of rain, but weather holds off, so decide to run in minimal t-shirt and shorts, no raingear. Register, look around and then head off with Bill for a warmup going round the 5K route. About a mile in, I mis-stepped on a rock and rolled my right ankle, quite painful if not a big sprain. Part of the reason was a guy was closing in from behind and that seems to be a big distraction. Noted that for future trail run reference, and walked back while Bill (after checking I was okay) jogged on. I started v. slowly to jog again, and we met up again and finished the run together, including a peek at the finishing stretch. Very wet and muddy everywhere, and rocky. And did I say steep? Oh yes, lots of that.

Fairly good turnout (lots of cars, anyhow) and a nice mingle at the start. One chap, Michael, hallooed me, remembering me from the Monson Peaked Mt race (which he said I came 2nd in--when was that?). I allowed as to how that was about the closest thing I'd ever done to this.

13.5 runners were sent off before the 5Kers, fortunately -- lots of single file at the start, but I didn't rush it: just mingled in. It quickly got pretty steep, and there were occasional patches of 2-person wide trail, so I used them to skip up a few places, finding my pace--by about 2/3 of the way up I was definitely at my comfort limit, and was hoping I wouldn't then lose a bunch of places as I faded early. I'd forgotten to start the GPS, so first 1/2 mile or so isn't recorded, but signal seemed to be good all the way up. First two miles after starting it were sub-9, but then it became more like a staircase, with much walking -- my achilles tendons were both shrieking and making me a bit nervous, but walking was even more tiring, so I kept on keeping on. *Hard* work -- the third mile was more like 18-19 minutes, but I summitted in pretty good fashion, placed about 17th, I think.

Meanwhile Bill had made the whole ascent in 37 something, placing 5th--pretty awesome! The top was in cloud, and off to the right as we passed I could see the Tower, like a giant chess piece. Then the descent: holy cow, it was nuts! A woman in a red shirt who I recalled passing on the way up approached and I stood aside--she bounded past like a gazelle, just fabulous. I got caught up in her wake and enthusiasm, nearly went over the edge of the trail: teetered a bit and regained safe ground, then decided to stay at my own pace.

After the first long big descent there were lots of other sections, varying degrees of slant, footing, wetness, muddiness, narrowness -- really a varied and amazing race, which I MUST do again. I ran out of energy, after getting only water at the 8 miles stop when I really needed food (the aid stations were pretty limp, the one bad thing about the whole race--carry own food and water next time!). I'd had no signal after about 5 miles, so didn't know how I was doing, but I seemed to be holding position swapping places periodically with a guy in a yellow shirt. It was a really intricate route, but well blazed, and the only two times I lost direction was when crossing a road and the vols were not really paying attention and I had to ask where to go next (they must think it's obvious, but really, it's not--clear hand signals are a must!).

At about 9 miles a couple of guys approached and got by me--they were moving up, and I was fading. The vol at the 8.5 mile water station had said I was under 20th, so that put me about 21st, and their passing took away the yellow shirt guy too. I was on my own a long while after that, then on a fairly plain trail two more guys went by; we exchanged encouraging words, but I was getting seriously hungry then. Ankles and quads were really sore, though the cold water I kept plunging through was helping keep swellings down. One other person must have passed me, but then at the "Two miles to go" shout from a couple of spectators I figured I could push on and keep my place. I had a good mile there, thinking we were almost at the very end, but then when I realised we still had the mile plus that Bill and I warmed up on I was desperate with hunger again and really beat--of course right then the photographer appeared--but a fragrance of blossoms reinvigorated me and I pushed on to finish quite strongly. Good crowd and marvellously solid eats at the end: downed a can of Coke, a bowl of oatmeal (vegan?) lasagna, hot dog, cookies, trail mix, and more, then waited for Bill to appear. Details:

Time: 2:09:28
Distance: 13.5 miles
Pace/Speed: 9:35s/6.26 mph

Comments: Came in 24th overall, 7th in the 40s age group. just beating the 2:10 mark. There were 141 runners in the half, so inside the top 20%, but in the end I'm just glad I made it to the end w/out collapsing. Bill clearly took it all much easier, and was in better shape. We ate some more, and I saw that the woman in red who'd passed me by was the first female finished--Saeger (turns out she's a US ranked orienteer, really top level: nice to see how much she was enjoying the whole thing, which seems very in the spirit of that sport, much more so than road racing).

Washed off a bit in a small waterfall and drove home, via the Moan'n'Dove. Shattered, but exuberant.