Remembering the 2013 Can-Lake 50--Lake Circumnavigation Challenge

Almost a year ago, I was blessed to be able to run the best athletic performance of my career to date: the course record at the 2013 Can-Lake 50.

Here is a great link that recaps the experience of the event for runners:

http://nyoutside.com/2013/11/12/2013-canlake50-race-report/

Coming into the out-n-back section near mile 33

Finishing the out-n-back--Look at that Fall Foliage!

Such a beautiful lake that you get to have views like this for a whole ultra!

Coming down one of the strong descents!

Thank you RD's: Tom Perry and Gil Robs for terrific Ultra Sign-Up Photos!

This race granted me the chance to run my heart out and be rewarded for all of the countless miles, late night runs, thousands upon thousands of vertical feet gained, and countless sacrifices my family makes to support this passion of mine.

I was able to connect with Daven Oskvig, who is an incredible athlete and person and without his encouragement and respect, I probably would not have been able to run the way I did at Can-Lake.

It was a race I felt strong for 38 miles, then the last 12 were the death of me yet I rallied to pull it together.

I will not be running the 2014 Can-Lake this year, instead I am preparing for the Oct 19 Tussey Mountainback.  I hope to emulate another similar performance as Can-Lake come the 19th. If all the stars align, it will be a very exciting day! I just found out that Michael Wardian, one of the most prolific ultra runners of current American History will be running Tussey and I am very ecstatic to have the opportunity to race with such a legend.

I wish the best to everyone running the 2014 Can-Lake 50 mile, relay and 50k. I hope everyone has a wonderful time and gets to reach their goals!  Run Fast!

This summer, Can-Lake gave me the idea to tackle my next challenge:  The Finger Lakes Circumnavigation.

With all these top athletes going for the FKT (Fastest-Known Time) on all of these top hiking trails across America and in the Colorado Rockies, I had my own idea in honor of the region that has given me so much success.  I was out for a 12 mile run one day during a nice 80 degree summer day and thought.... "Hey, why not set a record for the complete circumnavigation of every Finger Lakes?"  I was thinking that maybe I could do a cumulative time for all of the lakes. The trick is getting the attempt accounted for. With Can-Lake I already have the fastest time around that lake.  I have also bagged my second Finger Lake on a training run around Lake Otisco, which is a smaller lake about 6 miles long and 18 miles round-trip using the road access around the lake.  I have to look at my exact Strava data for exactly the time for the run. It was not a fast-effort though I was in the 7 minute range.
That means that I have two Finger Lakes circumnavigated and I have 9 more to go.

photo from: blog.timesunion.com

This will be an on-going project.  Cayuga Lake being a near 100-miler, this will be my culminating lake circumnavigation attempt.  

Let me know what you think???