Trail Weekend Double-Header

Westerly, RI

Saturday, September 17

7th annual race, and unfortunately our lowest showing except for inaugural year.  There are just so many races and other events now, especially given COVID restrictions are pretty much completely lifted.  On the bright side, as we self-time many of our events now, and this is a no-frills race, the breakeven point is very low.

Start of 2022 Wahaneeta 5K

My short race review:  I asked Emma, a Westerly Land Trust intern, to start the race.  She did great, and we were off.  Dave and Tommy 5K were in the lead in the 1st half mile, as we headed down the dirt road.  As we were running out of double-track runway and headed towards a short technical section, Tommy actually encouraged me to pass him before we got to the technical stuff, so I did just that.  I kept Dave in sight as we wound through the first mile, and I could feel the wolves just behind me.  Towards the end of the first mile, I tripped and went down.  I soon found out who was right behind me, as Adrian leap-frogged over my sprawled body.  Mercifully, he didn't step on me!  He asked if I was alright, and I waved him on.  Got up and got going.

Nothing noteworthy in the second mile.  I could see Dave and Adrian ahead of me, and thought Adrian would pass Dave either in the open field or at the start of the second loop on the dirt road, but that was not the case.  Try as I might, I could not gain on either one of them, and the gap widened.

1.5 miles in, by myself now
in 3rd place

Coming through the start/finish field for the final time, I started the short OAB on orange and now saw Adrian in the lead headed for home, followed closely by Dave.  Made the short loop over the stream and back on the bridge, saw Tommy coming next and finished in 3rd almost a minute behind Adrian and Dave.

Most of today's WTAC contingent

Final result:  21:36, 3rd overall of 34  Full results here

Easy cool-down with Adrian and Dave into Woody Hill.

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Trails to a Cure

Chester, CT

Sunday, September 18

In my younger days, I would think nothing of running back-to-back on a Saturday AND a Sunday of the same weekend.  Nowadays, not so much.  It takes too much out of me, and as John a/k/a Pard once told me, the older you get, the longer the recovery needed.  True enough.

So why did I race this when I just raced yesterday?  Because this is a unique race, and one of my favorites.  Nick and I lined up on the front line of about 100 runners combined for the 4 and 8 mile courses.  Charlie, the RD, explained that this year the course was changed, and would be closer to 8.5 miles than 8.  The primary reason given was that the previous area of the water crossing was overgrown and partially filled in, so we would be finishing on the eastern shore of the Pattaconk Reservoir instead of the traditional western shore.  And, yes, there would still be an optional water crossing, but this one would be longer, deeper, and more pristine.

Whereas in previous years, there were a definite time advantage to taking the water crossing instead of the trail around it, this year was not so certain.  The "water cooler talk" around the starting line was whether to take the water crossing or the trail.  Nick seemed inclined to take the trail, and I only committed that if I weren't in first place, I would take the water crossing as my finishing time and place wouldn't matter so much.

Race start:  Lined up in the front row, along with Nick and two younger fast look guys from Hamden.  The first mile of the race is my least favorite, as it's uphill and on rough asphalt for about 2/3 mile.  There were five of us that went out.  The four previously noted that I figured would take out the lead, plus a guy in orange shorts.  Hmm.  Maybe Rob Low?  Anyway, I was pushing and panting harder than I wanted on the gated paved road, as I wanted to be in a good position when we turned off onto the single-track.  I'm not sure how much it helped as I was in 3rd going into the single-track, well behind the young leader (Dan) and just on the heels of his running friend (Lee).  I'm pretty sure Nick was right on my heels, but I think Rob (?) had dropped back by now.

Standing around (in blue singlet and blue hat) waiting for
race to start.  Staring at my feet apparently, being the true introvert
that I am.  To my right is Lee, and to my left is Dan, with Nick
just behind him.
(Photos from event FB page)

Start of the race, with the beautiful Pattaconk Reservoir
behind us.

Early on in the single-track it became apparent to me that I should be able to pass and stay ahead of Lee, at least on technical sections.  I certainly don't mean that to sound pompous and hope it doesn't, but I just felt I was navigating quicker on the technical stuff than he was.  When the time was right, I gave an "On your left!" and went by.  Now it's time to push.  The second mile featured a 180' drop so this was right up my alley.  I could only occasionally see Dan way ahead of me, but my immediate goal was to put some distance on my pursuers.  At the southern turnaround, I took a quick cup of water off the table there as I was feeling dehydrated.  It was only two miles in, but it was also 70°F and near 90% humidity.  I was a little worried about this.  

More technical stuff, and I could see the leader (Dan) now closer in my grasps.  Worked my way down a rocky stream bed, and all of a sudden the two guys behind me (Lee and Nick) were coming right up to me.  Wait a minute; where did you guys come from?  Cheaters!  Just kidding, as it was totally inadvertent, but they had gone just slightly off course and likely saw me and came towards me.  I pointed them back to the set of flags where they would have to go up the other side of the riverbed, cross the river, and then back down.  It wouldn't really add much time, but if they were catching or passing me, I wanted to be legit, as I'm sure they did as well.

OK, whew, that bought me a little bit of breathing room, but my next nemesis was one of my weaknesses:  a 200' hill climb.  This one wasn't technical, but just taxing for me.  The leader, Dan, was gone and out of sight by the time I crested the hill, and I wrote him off as winning the race and I'd be battling to hold 2nd.  

In Mile 4, I could once again see Dan on certain stretches, but it was deceptive as he would seem close to me but only because he was slowed going up on a rock scramble or because the trail twisted back on itself.  We came up on the course split, where 4-milers turned off to the finish, and 8+ milers continued on for more fun.  There was a manned water stop there and I was happy to get a full cup of water.

After the course split, next we were on a technical 3/4 mile segment aptly named "Rocks n'Shit".  This is where I was able to reel Dan in and catch him.  Not on the uphill, although I narrowed the gap here, but on the subsequent downhill I caught him and he was complimentary as I went passed him.  He would later write in his Strava post that it was the technical sections that slowed him down.  I forged ahead, as I most certainly did not want to prematurely assume I would win and knew the technical sections would not last the remainder of the course.

I love most of the new section that RD Charlie added north of County Road, and I was relieved that when I periodically glanced back at several switchbacks, I could no longer see Dan.  But eventually we were dropped back onto a dirt road, and I feared he might re-catch me.  Fear of being caught can be a good thing instead of being lulled into a false complacency.  It harkens me back to my MBA days reading the book "Only the Paranoid Survive" as a case study.  Written by the chairman of Intel Corp at the time, the take-away (and parallel to running in this race for me) is even when you're ahead of your competition, you have to be hyper vigilant at all times.

My analogy for the mentality needed
to keep hyper-focused on the win today.

At seven miles in, I know we have to be getting close to the water crossing, so I'm running out of time on making a decision of water crossing or trail bypass.  We're on a non-technical dirt road for quite a while, and I am nervous about that.  I can now see course monitors ahead and the split for water and trail bypass.  What to do?  What to do?  I really want to take the water crossing even if  it's not the fastest route.  I take one final look back a long stretch of fairly straight dirt road and I don't see any runners in sight behind me.  Decision made:  water crossing!  I go through a campsite area where there are Scouts and run as far as I can into the water, make a split section decision to remove and clutch my favorite running cap, and dive headfirst into the water.  I don't use the rope at all as I know that will be slower to pull me along than swim, and swim my fastest pathetic stroke that I can while I looking up briefly every five strokes to sight the opposite bank and a quick glance to my right to make sure I'm swimming parallel to the rope.

Making my way through the water 
crossing

And here's a good perspective photo
(of 3rd place finisher) showing
the rope and just how long the water
crossing actually is

As I exit the water and put my hat back on, I ask someone standing on shore if any runners have come through and are ahead of me, as I wouldn't have been able to see them if they beat me on the trail.  The answer comes back a resounding no and that I am in first place.  It is at this point that I finally am confident that I will win the race.  We have about a 1/2 mile left, and the remainder of the course is quite technical.  Yes!  

Super technical, but very short section,
near very end of race.

I run reasonably hard back but not crazy out of control over the roots and rocks, knowing I have this wrapped up.  This is my third consecutive win here as I cross the finish line with a big smile on my face!

Finish line

Finished and immediately dove into the lake.  Refreshing.

Final result:  1:05:53, 1st overall!  Full results here

My winnings included a blueberry bush,
plus homemade pumpkin bread.
Pretty awesome prizes,
and a really fun race!