Training Week 6/18-6/24

First week on vacation by the beach. You would figure being next to the ocean i would be able to get in more kayaking. Yet vacationing is hard work and after all the fishing, Portugeses Festival, wine tours, and a heat wave of several  95 deg days, i was exhausted. I need a vacation from my vacation. Overall though a productive week.

Monday: NADA
Tuesday: BRICK run 4.5, 10k Kayak race at the
              rows (see post)
Wednesday: NADA travel day
Thursday: Cycle: 41 total: 19mph total
Friday:    Cycle: 38 total 19 mph avg with Charlie
Saturday: Long Run relay training. 7.5 miles in the
               AM,  7.5 miles in the afternoon. 15 total.
Sunday:   20min barefoot beach run followed with
                 20 mins stretch.


Total: Run: 21.5 miles, Cycle: 79 miles Kayak: 6.1
Time in Training: 8 hours

June 19 Holyoke Rows Kayak Race

What a great showing at this weeks kayak race with Mark Wendolowski, Joe Shaw, Ed, Dvorchick, John McCarthy,  Christopher Kielb, Jack Morse, and Mike Craft. Conditions were choppy with 15 mph southerly wind producing some 1-1.5 foot waves. Great conditions for the surf skis.

As Mark let out the command 'go' Joe, Jack, and myself in surf skis moved ahead in a pack. Mark was there too but taking in water in his ICF boat. Two words Mark, spray skirt. After a short while Mark's boat filled with water and had to head to the river bank to empty out the boat. I did my best to hang on to Joe and Jack's draft, staying on their wave. After the first turnaround, Joe and Jack. begin to move ahead and i lost their draft.

This was Jacks first race in a surf ski and he was matching Joe's paddle stroke for stroke. Jack is famous for his racing and training on the CT in C-1s and C-2s (solo racing canoe and tandem racing canoe). The transition from canoes to kayaks for Jack seemed to be seamless. As much as I tried to close the gap to catch up, they would move just a little more ahead of me.

As we approached the second bridge i was still holding on to third place. Then i heard a little splash of water and realized Mark Wendolowski, after having his boat filled up with water, paddle to the bank, dump the water, paddle back in the race, has caught up to me. I know there was a good chance he would catch up, after all he is one of the best at this sport. Yet I was amazed at how little noise he made with his stroke, i never heard him catch up. Signs of a really good paddle stroke!

I stayed with Mark for 200 or so yds after the turnaround and then he took off. At that point i was really feeling cramped in the V10l, a surf ski about 2 sizes too small. (i could not stretch out my legs more than a 30deg knee bend). A few times paddling up-wind  i felt the instability of  being a boat too small  and my hamstrings where cramping.  I am looking forward to racing in a boat that actually fits me. Someday i suppose.  Yet, for now, the seat in the V10 is more comfortable than any racing kayak i have used so far!

Great weather, great turnout, great race. Lets do it again next week,

http://www.holyokerows.org/

The final results follows

1. Joe Shaw
2. Jack Morse
3. Mark Wendolowski
4. John McCarthy
5. Mike Craft
6. Ed Dvorchick
7. Chris Kielb (late start)

The CT river from Holyoke Rows

Lake Wyola Road Race

One thing about racing is that athletes tend to be so  focused on racing, they miss whats happening around them. Thankfully i pre-ran the Lake Wyola course and really got to experience the beautiful scenic roads and neighborhoods. This course is a gem. Yet, like most races, once the race begin, the view point changes.

The Lake Wyola trail race is a challenging 4.8 mile course that ascends for 2 miles, decends rapidly down a shady dirt road followed with rolling hills before the straight away to the finish.  I moved up that first hill at a moderate pace without falling too far behind my competition. By the time i reached the top of the hill though, i was already feeling exhausted. My recovery is not as quick as it used to be. I was still holding on to 6th place, behind some of the faster runners in the area. On the downhill, i let my legs fly and made some progress, but it was the rollers on the last 2 miles that really made me feel like i hit a wall. This was a tough race for me. I finished in 7th overall.

The race included a team competition and as a member of the Sugarloaf Athletic Mountain Club we had a great turnout with 3 racers in the top 10 and a second place finish. I got to take home a massive danish that Crytal, her sister Ann Marie, and myself ate for the rest of the week.

After the race, several of us  went for a 3 mile cool down through some of the prettiest shady meandering dirt roads. I definitely want to head back to Shutesbury for more long runs..they are fantastic.  My knee felt good and after all was done I tallied just about 14 miles. This is about the time the brain starts putting crazy ideas in my head...racing + distance=racing longer races.....do i dare start to think of the 'M' word again.

HEF Smartrun

2012 Hatfield HEF SmartRun

The first weekend in May brings out some of the best races in the pioneer valley and western MA. The Holyoke marathon, the infamous Seven-Sisters trail race, and the whitewater championships at Otter Brook to name a few. In any other weekend I would be running towards these races, but for this weekend I was staying around to support a great local Hatfield race, the Smart Run 5k.

 The Smart Run supports the Hatfield Education Foundation, a program that supports the schools that I so proudly work in. The course is flat, fast, and very picturesque, tracing through old neighborhoods of large colonial houses, lush gardens and huge flowering trees.

 If you are looking for a fun fast 5k, this is it. Expect a small town, very friendly run, BBQ with foot-long hot dogs, cheeseburgers and veggie burgers, homemade brownies, and a great raffle where runners have a good chance of leaving with a prize worth more than their entry fee.

For me, i left with a $50 gift certificate to the Mountain Goat and a $15 to Northampton Running! Time to go shopping!

Mr. McCarthy takes first place!

Training Week of 5/7-5/13

Earl's Trails

 Training Week of 5/7-5/13

Monday:       Tempo Ride. 23 miles at 150-160 HR. 20.6 mph
                    average
Tuesday:       8 mile run at Ashley Reservoir
Wednesday: 30 mins kayak, 30 mins core work/stretch
Thursday:     Track Workout with Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic
                    Club.
Friday:         Rest:  Work
Saturday:     Long Ride: 60 miles to Palmer, Warren, Belchertown,
                   Granby, and Ludlow
Sunday:       Long Run: 10 mile trail run on Earl's Trails


Run: 23 miles Cycle: 83miles Kayak: 4 miles : Strength 30mins

Time training: 9-10 hours

2012 Tuckerman's Inferno

Team Tucksanity Wins Duo Division! Third place overall

I think there must be a weather God up there having a blast messing with us adventure racers. The 2012 Tuckerman's Inferno went off in spite of a very low river, virtually no snow on the Tuckerman's trail up to the ravine and a prediction of rain, snow, and pure misery. Well, we had the last laugh, the day turned out to be glorious, in weather and in victory!

 My division this year was the Tuckerman's Duo with top notch runner Alex W of the Summerville running club. Our top competition was 3 time defending champs Waters Equity. In the duo race, teams must complete the pentathlon with 2 people anyway they like. Waters Equity and Tucksanity where matching each other leg for leg.  Dave M and Alex W headed off the run, hike, and ski. and Mike T and myself tackled the kayak and bike portions of the race.

Dave M on the left and Mark T on the right. Mark has got some funky cycling styling happening.







The rivalry is a great one, comparable to Magic and Bird and the Redsox vs.Yankees. Dave M is the most experience racer with a very accomplished resume. A good runner and faster hiker, Mr. M is downright tough. On the other hand Mark T, is downright crazy. A 2nd place finisher at last years Lozer Cup kayak race, a class 4 downriver race on the Dryway section of the Deerfield, he paddles like a bull and reads river lines like an artist. In addition his cycling strength absolutely befuddles me. With minimal training and a heavy bike, he puts down times faster then most his competitors. I would love/hate to see him in a fast bike.

Tucksanity at the start

On our side though we had Alex, part human part machine. He has run 2:30 marathons and skis with the best. On a good day Dave would not have a chance to keep up. Yet, Alex is coming into the race after just running a 2:50 Boston marathon in 90 degree weather less than a week earlier. Could he really recover that fast to stay ahead of Dave???

Friday night 6 condos were filled with bikes, skis, poles, kayak gear, water bottles, and nutrition in the powder and gel form. Just after dinner Crystal and I realized that in the duo race, the hiker does not have to hike the skis up to the bowl. That makes for a huge advantage for Dave and Mark as they planned (smartly) to have someone else bring up Dave's gear. Crystal and I raced around all night trying to find a person who could help us out. In addition, Alex did not have a backpack set up for hiking skis. Logistics and poor planning equals less sleep. In the end we combined support teams with tuckerwomen Daniela. We now had former Ironman Charlie H helping us out...we certainly owed him some beer!

This was the first time i competed in a team format.When it comes to racing, I am pretty selfish...i like to race all the events...no sharing!. Yet this time around i really enjoyed having the team format. For one, packing was a cinch! Having only 2 sports to organize felt like a vacation.  Yet what i really like about racing on a team is the feeling of being a spectator and cheering for your team one minute, then racing for your team the next. Giving a high-five to yourself at the end of a race is not the same as a high five to a teammate!

As i said Alex is a machine. The race went off, and Alex hammered the 9 mile run finishing several minutes ahead the second place runner. Apparently marathon recover for Alex was a cold shower and a few beers. I was given a huge head start on the kayak. The lead got so big, I did not see another kayaker on the river, even as i bent around the corners to look far back. The low river was more technical this year. Rocks poked out of the river like a pimpled teenager..they were everywhere! Skill was involved in reading the river's most fluid lines.  I managed ok finishing with the third fastest kayak time.On the other hand Mark finished with the second fastest time. They where catching up, game on!

Still having a large lead i pushed ahead on the bike as best as I could. Yet with no one in front or behind I hard a tough time knowing if i was pushing hard enough. At 8 miles in i still held a lead and for a minute i thought i might be able to give Alex a chance to win the whole race. That would be something, a duo beats the best 5 person teams.

 
 That thought quickly faded as a super sleek aero carbon TT bike with all the fixings and a rider pushing some serious wattage passed me cruising at18-19mph on a climb.  Then another cyclist, also in top aero form with calves of steel, passed by me.I felt slow and weak and envious of their high end gear. I pushed on as best as i could, meeting Alex at Pinkham notch for the tag, We were  hanging on to third place overall. I finished with a bike time of  1:01, 13th out of the 75 teams which included transition time.




Not too long after Mark came in. Waters was holding on to fourth place.  As a duo team, both Mark and Dave and Alex and I were outperforming all but 2 5-person teams. Both of our teams were kicking some ass! Alex and Dave raced up Tuckermans Trail to the Ravine to complete the ski leg. Mark and I stuck around to cheer our friends as they came in.

Next in our group to arrive at the bike-hike transition was Josh F. He was in second place in the tuckerman division with the 3rd place tuckerman not too far behind. I met up with Josh F the day before to run the dry Sacco river. Josh F is a great racer, winner of the Berkshire Pentathlon, 2nd place in last years Tuckerman's Ravine, and various other triathlon accomplishments, Josh knows endurance. We were rooting for him. We knew he had a great chance in this years solo category.

Justin came in next. Also competing in the Boston marathon just a week before, he was cruising in this competition. I do believe Justin is part gorilla, he is an animal at these events. Many, including myself, owe Justin the credit for making this event what it is. He is the master organizer that brought so many like minded individuals to New Hampshire for many weekends of training, racing and fun.

Left: Justin using my purple valley Avocet. This is a great boat for this race. Fast and nimble, it can run class 2 rivers very well!





















Daniela arrived not too long after. Where as many of us come from various racing backgrounds, with the exception of some road races, Daniela comes from a limited race background. Yet last year she won the individual Tuckerwomen's division. This year she would hold on to second place for another great performance.

Attaching skis to Daniella's backpack

The funny part of the Tuckermans inferno for a team or spectator is that the finish is in the bowl of the Ravine. So if you would like to see the finish, you have to hike 3.5 miles with 2000ft elevation gain up Tuckermans Ravine Trail into the Bowl...and that's what we were to do.

As we got to HoJos (the caretakers cabin) we where greeted by many of the other teams, support crew, and fans. Word came down from the mountain the Alex and Dave had an amazing hike with Tucksanity winning the Duo division and Waters Equity finishing second. More surprising is that we both held our duo spots to third and fourth overall.

   Left: Alex and Daniella coming down from Tucks. The ski
  course, right gully, is in the background. Daniella finished 2nd in the solo women's division

 Pictured right: Josh after finishing 3rd in the solo division

Me and Crystal

 

Like every year, good times and some celebration were had at the awards ceremony and back at the condos. We had a great crew this year. And to think many people left before we snapped this shot. What a team! Next year we may even put together a 5 person team and really turn some heads!
 

 

C-ya Next year!

The Up Down and Around Challenge

The Up Down and Around

 

In its second year, the Wachusett Ski team hosted the Up, Down, and Around challenge adventure race. The proposed course takes athletes on a 5 mile run with about 50% trail, 8 mile hilly bike over some pack dirt, a climb to the summit and ski down. Yet in adventure racing proposed courses don't always stick.  Like many of the other end of the ski-season races this year, snow was lacking. In response, the pentathlon was changes to a quadrathlon, run, bike, hike to the summit, and a downhill run.

There was a good turnout for the race with 50 solo competitors otherwise known as" mountain men and women" and 11 teams. The solo division brought out some tough competition that included triathletes, trail runners, rando-racers, and other multi-sport adventure racers.

The run took us on a beautiful loop through non technical fire-roads, quaint neighborhoods, and a challenging hill at the finish. Still feeling tired from last weekends Berkshire Pentathlon, I focused on keeping to an easier pace and save some juice for the climb. I finished the run leg in 8th place right along  Dave Mangori. Dave and I had an epic battle a month earlier at the Jones 10 mile road race and it looked like this could be a rematch.

I brought my tri bike for the ride and kept with the skinny tires. The website told cyclists to ride with a bigger tire but for this day, i found the dirt roads manageable with a racing set-up. The dirt road only lasted about 1.5 miles towards the end of the course. I would though recommend a road bike as the roads are  rolling with one steep hill, a couple fast descents, and quite bumpy. As a result, I did not ride as aggressive as i would have in my road bike. I was though able to move up a couple of positions on the bike, but Mangori was no where to be seen.. Mangori was able to increase his lead by 2 minutes over me on the bike....nice ride Dave!

The hill climb went straight up Conifer, one of the ski slopes at Wachusett. The trail was muddy with some pockets of snow to maneuver around. I was running when i could and walked when the slope got too steep or I felt my heart rate pumping out of control. I felt good while passing a few more athletes, then at about 3/4 of the way up i saw Dave. I caught up but I knew i had to build a lead. Dave is an excellent runner and i did not want to compete with him head to head on the downhill. I finished the hill climb with the 3rd fastest time of the day. I felt redemption after last weekends struggle up the very short climb of Berkshire East.

The Downhill route went half-way down the Summit Road and turned off onto a really nice single track. Athletes finished with a half lap around the lodge and under the banner. I ran by myself most of the way down not seeing anyone in front or behind. That was until we came out of the woods when i turned around and saw Mangori closing in. We sprinted around the building and though Mangori pullled off the 2nd fastest downhill time of the day, i was able to hold on to my lead and finish 11 seconds ahead of Dave, and 6th overall.  

The Up, Down, and Around went off great in spite of the changes of the course. This is another example of how adventure racing is all about racing in the conditions that are present on that day. I would suggest if the downhill run/trail run happen again, to utilize the trails on the east side of the mountain to the summit. There is beautiful single track there! 

A great day by all and thanks to Wachusett for putting on the race. I hope to see it back every year and hopefully next year with some snow!

Tough Competition!! Four of the top seven place finishers, Dave M (7th place), Jeremy A(5th place), Josh F(3rd place),and Russ J(Overall Winner). Where is that growler Russ?

Check out the nice video put together by Rt2 photography

Up Down and Around Video