This Summer: A Tale of an ultra DNF, a Road Race, and The Journey for Perfection

The summer has began to take shape. I have finished with Graduate school and so now I am a free man to spend my time working on my career, running to my hearts content, and spending time with friends and family.  Making the transition from school to the "real world" has been hectic but I can finally write to you noting that I have made some strides in my transition.

To begin the summer season, I decided to run the Binghamton Bridge Run for a fun tune-up half marathon effort before Cayuga Trails.  I felt that as I have never run this race, it was a great idea to finally take the plunge and compete at the event.  I was still a little banged up from the 50k Provisional World Record Indoor Track Attempt but was training at close to full-strength so I thought, why not jump into a road race. 

CHAPTER 1: The Binghamton Bridge Run---A Grand Ole' Time!

While still living in Cortland, NY at the time, the early morning drive saw me rise at 5 am and then head the 40-50 minutes to Binghamton.  I stopped and loaded up on Dunkin Doughnuts as there is nothing better than a small iced coffee and a glazed doughnut before running hard. I had no idea what expectations I had coming into the race except to contest for the win and run a smooth first 5k then pick up the pace based on how I felt. I never had the intention to shoot for a personal best but if the race dictated that type of effort, then I would do what I could.

I showed up to the race site just in the nick of time as I had 15 minutes before the start. I collected my bib and did a few strides and then I lined up for the race.  I also took a Boom Grape/Pomegranate gel right before the race start which is a strategy of mine to give me a consistent flow of energy so that I do not have to worry about low calories during the race.Talking with people I heard I had some competition for the win with a Ben Snodgrass, who just graduated from Binghamton University and has been tearing up the local road racing scene with some solid times. I saw him at the line and he mentioned that he was doubling both the Half Marathon and 5k and I thought he might try to run this race more conservative. 

The gun shot off and we were off to begin 13.1 miles of sheer fun. I went to the lead with a small pack of about 4 of us with Ben Snodgrass running stride by stride with myself.   We immediately started talking and decided to get rolling after the first 5k as we were running 5:45-5:50+ miles and I wanted to separate early from the chase group.  With the next two miles in 5:18 and 5:21 that separation was created and then became ultimately a 2-man race. 

Thank you Cassandra Hamilton for these photos:

As you can see the chase pack and one other runner right behind us only 2 miles into the race.

Miles 3-5 saw us form quite a solid gap.

From 10k-Mile 10:

We kept pace and chatted the whole way clicking off miles in the 5:20 range as the weather was perfect and it was nice to have some solid company.  I slowly tried testing Ben's willingness to change tempo as we would surge for one mile then ease up the next followed by another surge. Once I hit 10k around 35:26 (5:42 mile pace), I knew I had to start trying to go more uptempo.  From 10k to mile 10, I through in some strong surges seeing if I could drop Ben.   

Clicking off 4 miles at around 5:05-5:13

We ran those 4 miles from 10k to mile 10 in 20:35 with a 5k split of 16:13! 

As you can see, Ben kept stride with me the whole time. We stopped chatting a little during this point but then recollected coming into the final 5k of the race. He was ready to run and ran really strong as the moves I made only dropped him a mere second at points during those 4 miles yet he always managed to surge back.

Photo Credits: Harry J. Back

Last 5k: We hit the 5k easing up from our last miles and then picked up the pace the last mile and we decided it would come down to a sprint finish. We hit the final finish shoot and his track speed gave him the edge as he pulled away by about 2 seconds. I began to close quick the last meters to almost nip him at the line finishing the race a mere .8 seconds behind. 

I placed 2nd and really enjoyed the whole experience! I had never run a road race able to chat it up running a solid 32:13. I also had the chance to rock the new MPF/Red Newt Jersey and man was it fun to represent a great team! The rest of the day was spent talking to people about my ultra running, Mammut, and the new Red Newt/MPF trail running team!  Thank to my family to Mammut North America, Fits Socks, Red Newt/MPF, Karhu North America/ Craft Sports North America, Redfeather Snowshoes, Boom Nutrition for all of your support.

CHAPTER 2: Cayuga Trails 50: DNF Stands for Delirious, Nervous, Faint

I was all primed for Cayuga. I had done my fair share of hilly runs, solid mileage, fast training runs and lots of steps.  The week of the race, I caught some sinus problems from moving into a new house in Binghamton, NY and had my fair share of workouts moving belongings from our third floor apartment into our cars and moving vans. It was a long week of moving and very hard to find the time to do nothing and rest up to totally eliminate my sinus troubles. Unfortunately for race day, I still had some sinus issues but felt as ready as I could be for the event. We woke up early from our new home in Endicott, NY and made the 55 minute drive to Ithaca. I was very tired both physically and mentally from a long week of moving but it is where the sport of ultra running shows you that it is in those moments of fatigue that you can find your strength.

I made it to the race site with about 20 minutes to spare. That was just enough time to check-in and use the bathroom and pose for a few photos:

Photo Credits: Mountain Peak Fitness

**I had all of my new MPF/Red Newt Mammut gear screen printed and it looked great for the race. I linked up with some of the members of the team and began to get ready for a big race. I had aspirations of running near the top 5 and if it was in the cards, maybe surpass my own expectations with a podium spot.  The race this year went out like it does every year though the pace felt a little more controlled than the previous two years. As the field began to push through the various steps and ravines of this grueling course, I started to scan the competition for some tough runners that I knew would be there in the end. I kept my eyes on Andrew Benford, who has some USA Mountain Running experience and though his first 50 miler I believe, his ability to combine fast marathons with mountain running experience would make him a strong podium contender. I kept him in eye sight to help gauge my effort.  I linked up close to Ben Nephew as I have always run with him at times during this race the past two years and have not been able to close at the end so I knew keying my race off of him would give me the chance for a solid finish. 

The pace through the first few miles felt solid as I ran within myself. I could see Ben in the slight distance with other runners right in contact. As we went up and down the gorges of Ithaca, my Gps watch kept hitting my other watch and messing up my passing and mileage. I kept playing around with it and then gave up and kept running by feel. My sinus pressure felt okay though I tried not to let some stuffiness get my mental game. I remained tough and kept along the pace. The field strung out as we crossed the deep creek and headed to Lick Brook. Chad Trumbo and myself with Ben Nephew linked up pretty well in Lick Brook and we ran together nice and solid. The pace felt 7:30's on downhills and 8-8:20 a mile as we recovered from a 10 minute mile uphill section from miles 6-15. Myself and Chad worked together pretty solidly while Ben was with us and at times would relax a little only to find him right with us a few minutes later if that. It was a pack of three!

I took the lead at the big Lick Brook Climb and gained a little separation as out of my race, that power hike up the incline was my crowning achievement for the race. I felt pretty relaxed hiking up the trail.  

Photo Credits: Mountain Peak Fitness

*The photo here shows at the section at Buttermilk Falls, Chad had been in and out of the aid station and we both on the downhill to the Buttermilk Aid station put up a little bit of time (seconds) on Ben. The photo shows justice. I felt good here as well strategically running and power hiking sections incredibly well and had much more left even with us running about pace for sub 7:20 for 50 miles. That would be a 20 minute or so PR on this course for me though my last two runs at this race I have not been at full-strength so my potential on this course I have yet to experience. I felt like this day would be the day.  I kept fueling with my Boom gels and was on tap with gels every 45 minutes and my energy levels felt solid. I put in a surge and linked up with Chad.

We ran strong together and I think picked it up some as we were approaching the turn around. At the river crossing (Underpass) aid station we both caught Fred Joslyn and another gentlemen and that was a big boost for us as we were closing well. If we could keep our pace, we would run a spectacular time.  

It was at the dreaded Lucifer steps, 4 miles from the turn around where something odd happened. I was running powerhiking this section with the group feeling still strong but ready for some more gels when my heart rate skyrocketed and my vision went dark for a few seconds. While almost at the top, i braced the wall of the steps to hold myself upright. My vision returned and a ringing noise popped up in my ears. My head felt cloudy and highly pressurized like some soda cans that were shaken up. I suddenly felt extremely weak. I lost the group of guys as I felt like I was going nowhere. I looked back and saw Ben ascending up the steps. I could not go up the steps as I wavered on each step trying to retain balance. From Ben's perspective, I must have looked like some drunk fool dancing around the steps almost 1,150 feet high. I regained a little focus once at the top, took a gel, and drank the last of the GU brew in my bottle. I was bummed I lost contact after running so smart and strong the first 20+ miles. I descended into the next aid station and took my time fueling up thinking maybe it was low blood sugar.  I then headed to the turn around. 

Photo Credits: SportTracks!

I did not feel good at all. I felt dizzy, delirious and faint.  I felt my race would now be a long suffer fest for another 25 miles. This is not how I wanted my race to go. I felt dejected as I was passed by maybe 4-6 people in those last 4 miles. I would have to run really strong to improve upon my 7th place finish from 2014 (last year). I had trained very well this year and felt my progress was to lead to a high-caliber finish for this race. That was not in the cards for the day.  I told my family that if I would improve how I felt by the Buttermilk Aid station mile 37 or 38 , I would continue to the finish. I spent quite some time fueling up and off I went. I ran and power hiked the sections but my energy even with all the calories felt rock bottom. It was great to see Carlo and Silas, both Red Newt/MPF teammates run so well. I felt bad I had nothing to keep pace. The next 12 miles I was pretty much to myself. I kept running but my pace dramatically slowed. Everything felt heavy and my vision turned to tunnel vision where I could only make out the trail and a pink flag as the course marker. At the turn around (Mile 25) I noticed this tunnel vision and lack of specificity in my vision. At times I almost missed turns on the course and I tired to be optimistic but as I left Lick Brook and entered Buttermilk, nothing seemed to change as I kept up with my 45 minute gel strategy. I was thinking, it cannot be blood sugar. I caught both Sam Jurek and Fred Joslyn as they were struggling from the early pace. I was passed by Brian Rusiecki, a east coast ultra stud who I have been blessed to race with at Cayuga Trails and Manitous Revenge. I told him I was having a rough day and it was maybe low blood sugar. Like the gentleman he is offered gels and I kindly declined. I kept going to the aid station. 

I then descended into Buttermilk. Physically, I felt better as my legs could offer my last two miles in 7:10 and 6:52.  As far as the way my vision was, I was exactly the same. As an oath to myself, as I came to the aid station greeted with the cheers of my name from the Trails Roc crew, I said my number and that I was seriously dropping. I will forever remember their shouts of "NO, NO, NO, Don't Do IT". I felt done. I laid in a nice chair and took in calories of every goody out there. I consumed oreos, broth, watermelon, gels, M&Ms etc. The color in my face soon started to return but I still felt like I was KO'd at a boxing match with little birdies flying around my head like a cartoon.

MY Race was OVER.  I called it quits at Mile 37/38. I was in 11th place at the time of the drop which was not too bad but I felt off of what I could do.  Trails Roc worked hard to convince me to keep going but there was no such luck getting me to change my mind. I met my father and Ashlee at the aid station, spent 15-20 minutes there then headed into the van to return to the finish line. 

I had the chance to see the first few finishers who ran solid races. Amazing performances  across the board. The collection of times were much faster than the previous two years.

Here is where I thank everyone who made this day a huge success.

Thank you Ian Golden for putting on such a well-run event. The race seems to get better and better each year. 

Thank you to all of the volunteers and runners out on the course that gave some encouragement out there. It is always a great boost to hear my name out on the course.  The aid stations were perfect with great help from some stand-up people. Thank you to the Trails Roc crew for all of their help and support. You are one fabulous band of people.

Thank you to my sponsors:

Mammut North America: The MTR line continues to improve and our MTR 201 Tech Low performed as a super competitive shoe for trail racing and ultra marathons. The cushioning of the shoe blew me away and the upper feels luxurious for swelling feet and the outsole felt good on every surface Cayuga Trails had to offer. The MTR 201 Tech Low is a must-buy Mammut shoe! The new apparel keeps me dry, fits perfect, and chaffing...that word is not in my vocabulary.

Boom Nutrition: The tattoos were great. I had them on my legs but washed away in the big creek crossing. Of course your gels keep me going with a boom of real fruit energy and flavor with the most calories of any energy gel. 

Fits socks: Best fitting socks around. No blisters as my Light Runner Low socks have just enough padding for the ultras but keep my feet dry in the moist, dank, and wet conditions of Cayuga like a real champion does.

Mountain Peak Fitness/Red Newt Racing Team: Thank you Elizabeth and Joe, Ian too for all the support, and for having such a great team of people that love the outdoors. 

Redfeather Snowshoes: Thank you for keeping me fit in the winter as the hard training is paying off this summer!

Finger Lakes Running/Confluence/Run On Hudson: For a great job helping to help shape our running community. And great tattoos!

Karhu/Craft Sports: For amazing gear and footwear I train in and race in while on the roads. 

USATF Niagara: For being a great governing body for our sport here in Upstate New York.

Thank you to my friends, family and everyone who reads this. Your support and enthusiasm keeps me running!

Chapter 3: The Journey From Here:

The Nervous side of this race comes with the NOW. 

Amazing MTR 201 Tech Low shoes that have been a major player in solid training and racing! Amazing job Mammut!

So where does my racing take me now?  I am currently training for the Whiteface Skymarathon which I hope to run a race where I can redeem myself from the DNF at Cayuga Trails. I have been getting in some solid hill training in to hopefully improve my overall fitness and prepare my muscle-memory for the rigors of a sky race.  I have been talked into running both the Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon and the Vestal 20k both as road races to provide some uptempo training for myself which is always a good thing.

Here is a photo from JFK 50 last Fall. I came into that race, still not fully-recovered from some bad bronchitis but rallied to a 5th place finish. 

After a summer where I had a severe ankle injury, I was recovered well and raced to a course record at the Virgil Crest 50k. 

Cayuga Trails 50 Miler 2014---Last Man Standing

I want to begin by saying that this will not be your ordinary race recap post. This will be a discussion about how far the sport has come, the building interest in the East, and the potential for the sport in the future.

All the race gear!!!!!!

What will be discussed will be my vision that the Cayuga Trails 50 help to validate. And of course along the way I will recap how the race transpired because this year it was unlike any ultra that I have been apart of.  Here we Go.


My personal story begins 4 weeks prior when I twisted my ankle on a training run on a Thursday. It was nothing special just a stupid mistake as I approached the entrance to some trails. The ankle continued to get worse and for the Tom B trail run, I was a little on the weak-side with the ankle so I knew that I had to be cautious. I used the race as a training run and succeeded running 3 sub hour laps until the final lap. I hit a root and with already a marathon in my legs, I faltered and twisted the chocolate sauce out of the thing. I then continued to walk and kinda jog the last 8 miles. I finished in 4:15 crawling at sub 10 minute pace.

The next week was taken entirely off in hopes to heal my really severe medial ankle sprain which is about 5% of all ankle sprains and I am a pronator which means that I favor that side of my ankle. Luckily I had trained some big volume days leading up to the event and by 3 weeks time, would be feeling the gains. By the week of the race, I was back to running my 10-13 mile runs around the same pace I normally would without too much struggle.

I came into race weekend confident I could place well but knowing I had to run more conservative than I would like to because of my weakened ankle where I felt one false slip and I would have done permanent damage that would sideline my running for months on end.

7:46:02!!! 7th Place

Ian Golden has done such a great job with the Cayuga trails and I have been lucky enough to have him for a boss at the Finger Lakes Running Company. It is always great to see all the praise that everyone has given Ian, the volunteers and race management, sponsors for the race. This year had some amazing competition  and I was excited to finally have my name in the mix. I knew that I was not at full 100% but was still expecting a strong race with the solid training I have been able to put together.

The race had so many top prospects: Matt Flaherty--50 mile road champ extrodinare and a speedy guy to boot, not to forget mentioning the most legendary mustache in ultra running history, Chris Vargo---part of the Nike Trail Team and a guy that has run ridiculous times out West in Cali and Colorado, surprise Tristin Williams---- who smacked me at USA Mountain Running last year, Yassine, who is a 100 Mile specialist and Western States top 10 finisher, Ben Nephew the East Coast FTK specialist of the Catskills who is arguably the fastest runner on some of the ickiest terrain, Brian Rusecki who now runs for Patagonia and has run crazy times at Vermont 50, races in Virginia, a solid performer, Jordan McDougal---North Face Bear Mountain Multiple winner and super fast and top three last year, Zach Ornelas a fast mountain runner and young stud running his first 50miler which he could do some damage and SO MANY MORE!

As you can see the race was stacked. A top 10 finish would be lovely and a top 5 or 3 would be ideal.

To put into perspective, this course is one level more runnable than Virgil Crest or any crazy Catskill trail race, but has its fair share of elevation changes, creek crossings, roots, rocks, and crazy steps that make you feel like you are running the Great Wall of China Marathon!  This course had near 12k of vertical gain with the new Red Pine Trail which I have run and has a steep uphill section and the dreaded Lucifer Steps which has an amazing view but makes me feel like I am Lara Croft running away from some stone gargoyles or something of the sort. And I digress…

Back to the story… So I arrive with my father at the race, check in, say HI to Joe Viger, Ryan Welts, Amy Rusecki,  Kristina Folcik, and many others. It was a cool morning and I could feel the pre-race jitters. I hit up the bathroom as usual and hung around nice and relaxed ready to run 50 grueling miles. I had a Clif Bar for breakfast and some pre-race Honey Stinger Cherry Cola Energy Chews, yum. I had all my Mammut gear ready with my MTR 201 Pro Lows in the new icicle blue and my blue and green gear. I had my new Coolmax Fits Socks that are blended with Merino (SOOOO AMAZING) EVERYONE MUST BUY THIS FALL, and my Acidotic Racing Visor and little logo on my shirt!  With 10 minutes I lined-up with the top crew and was ready to roll. Never before have I felt like people know WHO I AM. I had people I have never met before wishing me luck, who have read my blog and have talked about my recent accolades. It feels surreal because I do not approach myself like a celebrity but for anyone that has supported me and looks up to me THANK YOU! Your support and admiration is a breath of fresh air. I have  been blessed to have such wonderful support and anyone that considers themselves a fan of myself Thank you. I will state here that IF I Ever Were to become famous, I will always remain humble and respectful of everyone that is awesome and cares about me. My goal in all of this is to inspire people that hard work pays off. That your dreams can become a reality if you wake up each and every day ready to fight for them. I spent my life being told I was never good enough for anything and here I am today. I am still on the cusp of big success but I attribute what I have achieved to believing and having people that have believed in me has given me the strength to keep on when I felt like calling it quits. Thank you again.



Once the rams horn went off we were out.

I settled into the pack of top guys. We are like 15 deep as I can feel the excitement of a USA 50 mile trail championship. I know that many of the guys upfront will lose pace so remaining consistent would be the goal. I decided to remain mid-pack as I had no idea how the ankle would hold and the pace was hot from the get-go so I wanted to remain smart. I also knew that the weather would heat up later in the day so running a smart and consistent race would pay dividends in the later stages. I settled along with Ben Nephew, Yassine, and some other fast dudes as we meandered around the gorges. I began to run the uphills with ease so I knew all my vertical was paying off leading up to the race. With my ankle, I strained on the downhills but that was to be expected. The course was of course gorgeous and more importantly was the first race in a long time for the East Coast to bring this deep of competition to an ultra marathon. I have never run 12 miles into a race and still have a pack of guys to run with. I enjoyed the day with the race and up the steep Lick Brook Climb gained some ground on Yassine and company. At this point, it was the large main pack that I had to catch but the race was still early and I wanted to take it easy to ensure a stronger second half. Once we left Buttermilk and then headed on the fields that connect into the last section of the Gorge Trail, Yassine caught me. I was having the beginnings of fatigue and could feel myself losing pace 4 miles before this photo op.

Photo Credits to Ron Heerkins Jr.

We ran together for numerous miles as Yassine would crush the downhills and I would catch back up on the Uphill sections. It was fun to be back running with him again. I was following my gel and liquid nutrition plan getting ginger ale and water at the stations, downing at least a gel ever 45 mins and consuming 20 oz every aid station. I felt good.  Then Ben Nephew caught up to us a few miles from the turn around and we hit the Lucifier's Steps and I could not climb with them. My legs felt real tight from stressing the downhill sections and holding my body back and the heat of the day was starting to deplete my body quicker than what I could take down. I was beginning to become severely dehydrated.  I lost my edge and then the separation began. Once I lost ground on Yassine and Ben, I knew that I had to be smart. My ankle began throbbing and I had the thoughts of dropping. I hit a low point only 3 miles from the 25 mile turn-around. I walked up some of the hills and felt like I was trotting. I remember seeing all the top guys maybe a mile ahead of me and knew that if I could make due and improve my pace something could come of this but I felt exhausted. 

Ron Heerkins Jr with another solid photo! 

Loop 1 coming back to the Gorge Trail

As I came to the turn-around I saw that Jordan McDougal had dropped out and I talked to him about how he felt. He mentioned to me that the top guys were looking strained and that if I held it together, I could get into some of the carnage. I too was struggling now from the heat and beginning to feel its effects but I thought if I was in 8th now, I could pick up some spots and if guys are to drop then I would have a chance. I came out of the aid station like  person reborn. I won the coveted CLIMBER's JERSEY for the fastest section from the turn-around to the next aid station which has some solid climbs and Lucifer Step's again. I was still climbing like a champ and went for it. Once I got back into nearing Lick Brook, a Salomon Runner was with me now. It was hard to fight with this guy as physically by mile 30+, I felt hot!  I would be able to cool myself off at the creek crossings and aid stations, but truly, all the water and GU Brew that I could take down just was not enough to get myself back to feeling comfortable. I was able to pass him near entering the downhill to Buttermilk Falls. I came down to the Falls, and Ian mentioned that I looked like I had stopped sweating. I was cold and clammy and had no visible sweat on me. That was bad. No wonder I felt like I was roasting on this 80 degree day.

I cooled off and kept powering through. The race from this point with 13 miles to go was not good for me at all. I managed my body from going from Heat Exhaustion to Heat Stroke the last 13 by cooling myself off but I felt dizzy, cold, tired, my legs were cramped, I had a headache. It was not comfortable. Myself and Kristina Folcik-Welts experienced much of the same issues as did many of the competitors. Each aid station, I was told runners were dropping like flies and I kept hearing places opening up for myself as people were moving up slots because of the drops. 

With the vertical and the toughness of the course, I dug deep and pushed through. Once I hit the last two aid stations with 7 miles to go, my body was spent. I was walking more of the hills now if not all of them and of course could hardly even run the uphills. I just wanted to be done. 

What ultras teach you is to dig deep even when you are having a crappy day, because you never know what the day can bring. For Cayuga, I felt like my race was not good at all but was not terrible. I have trained hard since November and Snowshoe Running Season has given me a new level of fitness that I am very happy about. If my ankle was at 100%, I feel my performance would have been much different but that is what racing is all about: seeing what you have on the day.

I held things together and finished 7:46 which was much quicker than my 8 hour time last year on a harder course with both ankle issues again. 7th in a much deeper field from 9th I will take it as I struggled but the story of the day was to just hang on and hope the heat would not kill you. I was pleased with a solid day of hurt and struggling but it taught me to hang tough and good things can happen.  My summers I like to train hard to prepare for a fast fall. This Fall, I would like to run more of the Road Ultras as my Can-Lake 50 race was no fluke and I love that I have a real knack for the roads. I also thing as my ankle continues to heal and strengthen, running on the roads might not be a bad idea. Luckily in Cortland, I have plenty of tough ascents on road and gravel seasonal roads so I can achieve a lot of solid vertical up and down without stepping on the rocky and rooty trails.

1st place--Chris Vargo! Climbed well all day and hung tough

3rd Place--Matt Flaherty who had a tough day and hung in there.

I DID IT!!! SO HAPPY TO BE DONE!

Going for the Climber's Jersey

So what was learned from this race: *With a Cold Winter, Heat acclimatization was crucial for success.

* Do not give up

* Take in more calories and gels

* Strengthen the ankle since it is weak

*Keep Training Smart

*Reach for the Stars

The amount of interest in Trail Running and Ultra Marathoning has exploded in the East! This is a very exciting time as more and more top athletes are coming from the East rather than Colorado and the West. There are more and more races featuring prize money and I was amazed with how solid the competition was this year. I cannot even wait for JFK! I feel that my running is coming around and I look forward to getting myself out there more to market the companies that keep me going. I have an awesome bunch of sponsors and they deserve more media time and I hope I can get them there. More and more athletes are being sponsored which is great in the sport of trail and ultra running and people are really taking a liking to the sport. I am very pleased with the excitement that is being generated from the sport and cannot wait for Cayuga Trails 2015! We all learned from a tough day but it was a great day!  

Ready to Climb Buttermilk Falls

Thank you to my family, friends, people that want to support me, my sponsors: Mammut North America, Fits Socks for the most amazing new Cool-max socks, Acidotic Racing, Redfeather Snowshoes, Karhu/Craft and Confluence Running for the support. Thank you Ron Heerkins JR for the photos and Matt Gawors for the photos too. Thank you everyone and have a wonderful summer!

Gear Used: 

Mammut MTR 71 Shirt (Green)

Mammut MTR 201 Pro Low in Icicle Blue!

Mammut MTR 71 Run Shorts in BLue

Acidotic Racing Emblem and Visor

Fits Socks Brand New Cool Max socks in Green!!!!'

Ultimate Direction 20 oz handheld and Essential Belt

Lots of Gels (GU) (12 gels)

Lots of Fluids (11-13 20 oz)

Zensah Calf Sleeves

Next up is Manitous Revenge which is a crazy Catskill mountain race. I look forward to having fun and testing myself. Have a great summer and see everyone next year! 

http://www.manitousrevengeultra.com

This race is BURLY and not being much of a mountaineer, I have no idea how my climbing skills will be but at least it will be a fun experience and I can say I summited a bunch of high peaks in the Catskills.

Today's Greek Peak Training run for Manitous'

Training as of late---My thoughts and ramblings

As of late, I have been running in the humid New York summer air. It is of course much cooler here than anywhere else I have trained at but of course summer is summer.  I have been getting in some solid workouts and have been hard at work with Confluence Running. Each week leading up to the big USA Mountain race, I will be heading to Greek Peak on Sunday's running up and down the ski slopes. THe course design at Cranmoore is very similar so it should give me a great advantage come race day.  I enjoy the fun of summer and the relaxation of these cool and calm evenings.  Of course like all things, summer will be over soon enough and then my fall ultra races will begin.  I have the Virgil Crest 50 mile or 50k then the Can Lake 50 where I hope to run a sub 6:19 time for a new course record.

For a nice Thursday--June 27---I am running twice today: so far my first run was 50 minutes on the trails at Cortland High School. I ran round and around the 5k course twice then headed back home. I love the shade Upstate New York has with all of the trees which makes running in the summertime much easier to endure.  My fitness is back to normal though I did twist my weakened ankle again but it is nothing serious luckily. I just have to be careful out there.  This evening at the store, I will have the chance to go out for a nice 45 minute run with our running group which will be a blast.  

I am also working on developing a professional coaching service for those individuals who would like a race-specific training plan, consultations with myself, a proper shoe fit, and finding a system that will ultimately allow for you to reach your goal healthy and happy so that we can work on the next goal.  I hope to provide some of the consultation and analysis from Confluence Running and will ultimately look to provide all the race knowledge and experience I have gained in road-racing, trail running, and snowshoe running to help you be successful.  I hope to show you the proper techniques for running the trails on technical surfaces or even smooth trails, fueling for those races which becomes more of a critical component the longer the distance, and all the product knowledge to help ensure all you have to worry about on race-day is to just enjoy the experience!  I have been enjoying running in a new place and look forward for more fun times.  

NBC Tower In Binghamton, NY, all the way on top of one of those big hills

If you would like to hear more about my COACHING SERVICE--- you can contact me at my colecrosby88@gmail.com email address. I would love to hear from you as I set up my system.



I am getting ready for the USA Mountain Running Championships up in New Hampshire this year. I am especially excited that the race is a down-up year.  That means that the course starts at the top of the ski hill meanders down the mountain and then will finish heading back up.  THe race is going to bring the best mountain runners from all over the country and even athletes from Mexico and Canada for the NACAC championships which is a trail/mountain running division or conference that is using the race as the host site.  Now onto the training.

Upstate New York has been infected with rain, rain...rain...rain...oh and more RAIN!  The rivers are bound to flood and the humid overcast skies have been exhausting.  One day lets have some normal summer weather.  When it is not raining, it is humid and overcast.  I have been running trails, up hilly roads, up and down ski slopes to better prepare myself for this big race.    In my travels I have found that Binghamton really does have some great trails off of South Mountain Road. The views are spectacular and the trails themselves are awesome. I am excited about running some fast ultras to begin the fall and I hope I can perform well at the USA championships!

I have been putting in the mileage with a lot of vertical lately. Today for July 4th, I went out for my run in the heat and humidity of the day. I ran the hills out along Cortland/Virgil Road which has a nice steady climb for a solid 1.5 mile jaunt.  I felt ok besides the sweltering heat of late. It reminds me of those humid Oklahoma mornings when the dew point is outrageous.  I was sweating a great deal but my Columbia Zero Q design shirt kept me very dry and the little nodes of the shirt that absorb sweat really do make you feel cool as a nice breeze blows on you.  I had my handheld and that allowed for myself to be nice and hydrated which is a must.  I finished the run with 15 miles and am hour and a half done and in the books.  My mileage this week is back at 90 which is stellar and I feel stronger than ever.  I hope that I can bring together a super fast performance at Cranmore and am even more excited for the Virgil Crest Ultra and the Can Lake 50.  Both these races are in my Fall slot for 2013 and both I hope to come out of them with course records and to get myself back on the map.  Cayuga Trails got me some attention but I hope that these events will confirm my level of fitness. At Cayuga Trails, I twisted my ankle pretty bad and that made me lose spots I normally would not have lost.  I feel that my fitness for 50 miles actually is pretty darn good and with proper fueling, I should be blazing some incredible times. I even hope to race in Idaho come next summer which would be an amazing trip.  Stay cool out there and happy trails!

Greek Peak Ski Resort--Slope in Left corner--ran up and down those 7 times for a long 80 minute run

Nice long hill in Vestal, NY

Ultimate Direction Summer Hydration--THis stuff ROCKS!

Neighborhood in Vestal, NY

Binghamton Trails-South Mountain

South Mountain Trails

South Mountain Trails

My favorite Running Pouch--super lightweight

Amazing trails in Binghamton, NY

Running Cayuga Trails 50

Karhu--a sweet sponsor and love their new Flow series of shoes. They are light, flexible, have super soft uppers and look cool too!  Using the Karhu Flow Trail as a Fall Training shoe--(Trail.Road Hybrid shoe) and the Flow Light for my Can Lake 50 Race in October and other road races!

Karhu FLow Light--Sweet Shoe

Is Snowshoe season here yet?

The Cayuga Trails 50 Miler---Wet, Wild, Unforgettable--9th place finish in first 50

How to begin after such an incredible day yesterday.  For one, I can say that I am so sore that it is just silly.  My feet ache a little, I have a swollen ankle that limited my performance yesterday, and my legs make going up stairs and down stairs a living struggle.  I never thought I could survive and run 50 miles.  I always knew I had the ability to but even in the early miles of the race past the 50k point(31 miles approximately), I was worried a DNF was in the cards.  When I look back on my performance I am so thankful for such an incredible support group and everyone out there that helped keep me motivated all the way to the finish.


How the weekend began:  It was a Thursday as I was at the Finger Lakes Running Company in Ithaca setting up a display for the Elite athlete meeting at the store at 5pm.  Andrew, myself, and Claire all worked really hard to get the display all situated.  Before I knew it, it was 4 pm and people started trickling in. I met Sage Canaday and many others. I was then off to run once 5 hit in the pouring rain to get a little taper run in there. I tested some of the nearby trails off by the Mulholland Wildflower Preserve to see what would be in store for Saturday's race. I was slipping and sliding on any downhill and I immediately knew that the race would be a slower strength race instead of a speedier track type of trail run.  I had the chance to meet with my father and my girlfriend as we relaxed for a big day in terms of race preparation and registration. 

Number 45!

The Next Day::: I headed out around noon with my father to the running store for packet pick-up. By the time we arrived near 1, the store was quiet which I expected a busy store because of packet pick-up but I was told that everything cleared out early.

Here is a pic of the race shirt.  After loading up on some nutrition products, it was time to head to Wegmans and to Best Buy for some race-day groceries and for me a phone charger.  We went around town and what felt like a short trip became a long stretch around Ithaca. By the time we made it back home for some amazing raviolis, it was bed time at 8:30.  The next day was going to be a race I had been waiting for months on end.  This was my first big time Ultra race and I wanted to prove my worth out there.

What I call the Lara Croft Stone Obelisk right on the steps of Buttermilk Falls! (You can see the tiny steps on the far right of the picture)

Slick wet conditions

This course had some of the best visuals of any Ultra out there. If you like waterfalls and deep winding single track, this IS THE COURSE!

Watching the water cascade down

RACE DAY!!!!! 4:00am.... My alarm goes off as I slip out of bed. I am tired of course but feel well-rested.  I freshen up, lace up the Mammut MTR 141s, and my Mammut gear eat a cliff bar- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, my favorite and a yummy chocolate protein shake.  It is game time!  I load up into my father's van and off we go.  I have all the Gels, Chomps, and snacks I could ever need.  On the drive down, I am wondering about the distance...50 miles.....50 MILES.....50.....MILES???  What am I doing?  I can run a fast 50k but to do that then decide to run 20 more fast miles, well that is just insane!  My mind drones on with all of the crazy thoughts as I know that in a few short hours, I will embark on a Grand Adventure, the Cayuga Trails 50.

We make it to Robert Treman State Park, and of course the atmosphere looks just like every other ultra. We have the runners with calf sleeves, hydration vests, people clamoring and just being giddy, which at 5 am is pretty awesome.  I jog to the North Shelter for check-in and get myself ready.  It was cool to see all of the great sponsorship help with the event. Ultraspire, Tifosi, Chobani, Scott Sports, Swiftwick, GU, Irunfar.com, Atayne and of course the Finger Lakes Running Company. Though I played a small part in the organization of the event, it felt great to see everything come together and to know that I played some part in shaping the race.  With that thought I chatted with many runners I have met leading up to the race at our store, the Finger Lakes Running Company.  With 20 minutes before the race start, I headed into the woods to use the bathroom one last time. I noticed the port-potty facility was full and it would have been too late so I pulled into the woods.  I of course waded through some deep grass and got saturated with moisture.  I came out and saw that Sage Canaday, the race favorite for the Men had the same idea.  I rung out my Fit Socks which as merino wool socks did so well with all the inches of rain, creek crossings, and wet...EVERYTHING!

It was time to take the line:

With the Blowing of the Ram's Horn we are off!!!!!

The race went out nice and fun for me. I am always used to a fast race that this event felt laid back even with the top-level competition.  I of course came into this race ready for a break-out race and was hoping for a top 5.  If I could average 7:30-sub 8 min pace for the 50 miles, I think that would do it.  Naturally, I am used to running much quicker even for a 50k so this pace seemed not too terrible. I settled into the 7-7:30 minute per mile pace as Sage, Jordan McDougal, and this Russian guy, Denis shot out into the lead. I was fourth at this point.  I just did my thing. I was nice and relaxed and kept the mantra of "50 miles is a long way, save it for the last 20".  I remained a pace I knew I could handle and with running the majority of this course throughout the year I have been here in Upstate New York, I knew what to expect for the most part.  The wet conditions made me have to be extra conservative. I tried running some of the steep downs with some speed and I nearly tripped over my feet several times. I knew that I had to take it easy.  The Denis guy would sprint at the top of every uphill and downhill and then powerhike the uphill section which I would catch him at the crest of each uphill. This pattern went on like this from miles 5-9.  I kept going my pace.  Then we came out onto the first section of steps and man was Lucifer Falls looking amazing. With the water crashing down and the mist splashing on you, any person would feel rejuvenated running in such a picturesque site. From here, we wove through the crowd out onto the trails across the deep stream and over to the Lickbrook Preserve, a section I had not seen.

NEXT SECTION: Lickbrook Preserve and FInger Lakes Trail-----I was still around 4th. Then finally, Yassine D caught up to me. I relaxed through the course as he was talking with the runners behind me. It was not until the next aid station where we all caught up.  At this point, we were out hanging out, Yassine, Sam Jurek, and Matt Flaherty. This was my group. We were the chase pack!  We had caught up with Sage at the Lickbrook Preserve aid station and it was cool to be running behind such a fast dude.  Then it went into the winding singletrack. Up and down we went.  I still had not run these sections so I felt a little off leading the group. I pulled us off of a sharp hairpin turn and asked if Yassine could take the reigns. He thought he could probably break-away so he went for it. Matt Flaherty, Sam Jurek, and myself gave chase.  It was near the Lick Brook Climb where we all caught up. Jordan was not feeling to good as we passed, and Sage was leading the charge up the climb while Matt was powerhiking really well. I kept pace with him as Yassine was tiring a little. My MTR 141's had the toe flex to make all the uphill running a dream. I felt like running uphill in the race was in fact the easiest portions of the race thanks to this shoe and some training in the hills!   Then after this section, Matt Flaherty left us to chase after Sage and that was the last I saw of him.  

 

Near the 18 Mile Mark In Buttermilk Falls! Feeling Great and making a move!

Flashforward to Buttermilk Falls-------I was waiting with Yassine and Sam for the Buttermilk Falls section of the race. I had run it many times and knew that this could be a nice place to make a slight move to ensure a smooth finish.  This section was near miles 14-19 or so and it was time. From the photo here, I made my move at Buttermilk Falls and with my father there to save me with nutrition if I needed it, I was ready.  The move began shortly after this road section. I went for it just relaxing on the downhill and flying down.  The terrain was still slick and though my Mammut shoes never let me down all day in terms of cushioning, grip, the whole shebang, I still did not want to risk my whole race.  

Coming out of the Buttermilk Falls steps, My father saw that I looked the best out of any of the others that had passed on by.  Now it was time to shoot for the turn-around.  I felt really good here. I had my space, I was feeling like my pace was solid and I could maintain the 7:30's I had set out.  I had run every uphill section and my legs felt just fine.  

THEN IT HAPPENED!!!!

I bombed a nice downhill section leaving Buttermilk into the Finger Lakes Trail and then (THUD)...I had twisted my ankle. I was immediately halted to a hobble.  I spent the next few minutes walking it off trying to regain my composure. I knew that I would be caught rather soon so I just tried my best.  My ankle had already began to swell to that of a tennis ball.  I could not really run the downhills as the downward pressure was too much for my weakened ankle.  I hobbled down the low stretches and then ran on the upswings.  Yassine caught me in about 8-12 minutes of running and he asked me how I was doing and I told him to pass because I twisted my ankle really bad and had to take it easy. It was hard to let him go. Here I was running the race of my life and I had a major hiccup.  Shortly, my body began to tighten up because of the overcompensating my left-side had to do for my ankle.  Soon, my whole body began to stiffen and cramp. I remember running in the Finger Lakes Trail section alone....bruised, beaten, defeated.  Would I finish? How much longer can I go? Am I seriously injured?  

These were the questions I asked myself in the stretch. I also twisted my ankle again with the pain shooting through my legs.  And then the Bonk came.  I was running on a slight uphill section and soon I slowed to a walk as my vision became blurry, I started breathing really hard, my ears began to ring, I was losing touch with reality it seemed.   I yelled to myself 

"OH MY GOD, I AM BONKING!! THIS IS WHAT BONKING FEELS LIKE!"

I had my Clif shots in my Ultraspire belt as well as about 4 Roctane gels and 2 in my water bottle.  Like a wild animal gorging myself for my very life  I gnawed at the Clif shots package with my teeth until  I could open a large-enough hole to get the shots out.  I pressed the package to my lips and the series began...ONE...TWO....THREE.....Down.....FOUR.....FIVE.....SIX...Down.  Shot blocks down!  Now onto the Gels!   I first grabbed the gels from my water bottle and ripped the tops off easily with my teeth and squished every last morsel of gel into my body. I washed down each gel with a nice swig of GU Brew.  Like a man rising from the ashes, with each and every gel I felt my life systems recharge. It was like someone unplugged me momentarily only to plug me in again.  My walk soon became a glide to a run. I was still tight but I could semi-run at 9 minute pace. I was moving.  Could I survive 50 miles?  My confidence came back to me. My top 5 finish was shot but maybe I could pull myself together for 28 or so miles at this point of running for survival.  

So how did it all end???????

The Conclusion: I never bonked the rest of the way. The combination of GU chomps, Gels, and my energy drink kept me feeling solid the whole way, only if I had a new body I would be good to go.  I could not believe how crucial that nutrition is. To be the best, you have to re-fuel like your life depended on it! What makes Sage Canaday one of the best ultra runners in the world? The answer is simple: he not only trains smart, recovers well but come race day he takes in the nutrition (gels and chomps) like a kid gorging themselves on candy so that he optimizes his performance level. I never realized how crucial it is to re-fuel as such. Once I was on-tap with my nutrition I felt great! I ran into every aid station loading up on the gels and chomps with my one cup water, one cup ginger ale, one cup coke, three shot combo that sent me on my way feeling strong. I was passed by a few guys though through it all still held it together.   I hit the last aid station asking how much was left. I was told just a 5k!!!  A 5k!!!!!!! I WAS ALMOST DONE WHOA! 

I fueled up one last time and made my final push. Let me tell you, the last 12 miles of any ultra are tough but this was a toughy at a 5k. My body wanted to quit at mile 18 with the twisted ankle and I willed myself a whole 32 miles. I was almost there.  I pushed the last uphill and then came to the field where the finish was, I did not know if we finished on the same side, I thought we might come around the opposite way. I ended up going back on course for an additional 3 miles before running into some guys the 10th and 11th place men who told me I was going the wrong way. I was not happy with that so I sprinted my legs to 6 minute pace the best I could do for my last mile to ensure I could hold off those guys behind me.  I had survived 8th place for hours on end that I could not finish out of the top 10 no way!  I came down the straightaway and say that I was passed by a guy I ran onto the trail that I asked if I was going the right way because I should be finishing and he told me he had no idea. You see what 50 miles of fatigue can do to a person!

I came across the line right at 8 hours.  I placed 9th in my first 50 miler in a super competitive field. As a new sponsored athlete in the trail running scene, I was happy to get myself into the top 10 after my ankle really altered my race.  Overall, it was an amazing experience. 

53 Miles--Finishing Strong in my Mammut Gear!

***** What we learn from ultras is that no matter how bad you feel in life, just believe  that you can keep going or rather just doing so can take those low moments and allow for us to crest into such magnificent high points.  All the athletes out there had some tough moments out there, we all at one point felt like we wanted to drop from the race. But often it is in those moments that we truly find ourselves and realize what the human spirit is made of.  Sure I run, but I do the activity because it is something so rudimentary, so simple yet so complex.  I want to thank all of my friends, family, and sponsors: Mammut, Acidotic Racing, Fits Socks, Karhu/Craft and Dion Snowshoes and the Finger Lakes Running Company.  Your support was motivation for me out there and I thank you for making my dreams a reality.

Sage the winner coming in at 6:47

The official results

Myself tired but happy after my 8 hour finish

Here is a link to a summary of the race and a sweet video!!!!


http://www.ithacajournal.com/article/20130609/NEWS01/306090029/A-long-trek-along-trails-12K-prizes

Here is a photo of me post 50 miles!

Making a move at Buttermilk Falls State Park!

The front group at the beginning of the race! (I am number 45)

Before the Start!

The closeup! I am number 45 next to Sage Canaday and Yassine Diboun

13 Seconds to Go!!!!

Photo of Matt Flaherty at the Buttermilk Falls Gorge Trail!

Another great video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpONTroALwQ