Quick recap from my first race of the season, Runamuck 50k! No cool pictures, but some quick insight into the race and my upcoming plans-
First off- Super Stoaked to be again running in Salming footwear and clothing for the 2017 season- Their shoes have been solid and the line offers a shoe for every situation or event- I can't seem to killl my favorite pair, the Elements (500+miles, still comfy and grippy)! However, the shoe choice for Runamuck was the road/trail hybrid, the Salming T2- Great support and just enough tread for the icy/muddy roads of VT-
I am feeling more fit than EVER heading into the spring- It has been awesome to run with Eric and Iain (among others) quite a bit this winter and hone some consistent weeks and months in the hills and lower mountains of our region. Normally I open my season with a fast race, the last two years it has been the Great Bay half marathon. This year I chose something a little more up my alley (but still not a strong suit) by opening up '17 at the Runamuck 50k- 50k/Dirt Roads/3600ft vert
I made two major mistakes at the race:
1) I chose to wear shorts- Although the temperature was not terrible 35-40 degrees, the wind brought that down quite a bit- Plus there was quite a bit of snow flurries flying every which way- My legs got really cold after a couple hours and although I originally thought they were cramping, it makes more sense that they experienced increase soreness and a decrease in flexibility due to the cold- I felt more like I had run 50 miles at the finish!
2) I ran right through the first aid station! For some reason I had in my head that Jac would be up ahead at the next turn, but that must have been a dream- Luckily 'ol EMS pal Kendra was at the mile 18 turn with some water (and cookies)- But as any runner could attest, you can't race at your best with a lack of water and calories (Because I missed Jacqui, I couldn't grab the insulin needed to start consuming food)-
I went from battling for third around mile 12 to losing 5 spots between miles 23-30. It is super demoralizing to be passed late in a long race, but I just didn't have any fight left after 3 hours had passed- The good news is that Both these mistakes can and will be corrected quite easily in the future- For one it should be warm from here until at least September, and two, my wife (and/or crew) need to make a more specific plan for next race- Well, thats settled, now all I need to do is run faster!
Runamuck is a fun, simple race that helps provide a tough challenge to start the year, and gets folks ready for the type of experience they are to expect come July at Vermont 100- The dirt roads of Vermont are cruel beasts, not to be taken lightly- Hats off to race director Jonathon Vass and another speedy performance from Brian Rusieki, who continues to inspire with his strength and long-term consistency at the front of the pack! Also, no matter the results or expectations, its quickly erased when you get to share stories and battle scars with friends like Mike Tegart, Jeremy Merrit, Zak Wieluns and Astrid Hoyt! If it wasn't so cold, we could have stayed longer!
I have some ideas on where I'm headed for races and adventures this year, but we'll get through the first half of the summer first- My schedule is:
May 6th- Seven Sisters- 12m
May 13th- Wapack- 21.5m
May 27/28- Pineland Farms crewing Team AMP active
June 10th- TNF MA 50m or 50K
Excited to get back to my strengths as a technical trail and mountain runner- Very excited to mix it up at the front and see how far I can go in this sport- Blessed to be able to pursue this lifestyle and be a part of an amazing community! Thanks for the support and I Hope to see you out there on the trails and in the mountains!
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