Escarpment Trail Run 2014

The masochist in me cannot pass up the opportunity to run through the mountains of the Catskills.  Last year I survived it for the first time, so I should have known better to have come back.  This year I prepared myself a little better and I planned to run under 5 hours.

Just like last year it poured just before the start.  It would not rain again, but the sun never really came out, only for brief periods.  This year would be the first with the wave start.  Last year the run was quite social.  Today I would converse with only two different people, both on the way up and down Blackhead Mountain.

I got off to a strong start.  I made it up to the lean-to in about 15 minutes.  The summit of Windham was reached in under 49 minutes, by far the quickest I reached the summit.  As I like to say, this stage is completely irrelevant.  The race begins from the summit of Windham.  The descent was far more difficult this year with the late rains.  On the descent from Burnt Knob, I stopped myself from a fall, but felt a tweek in my hips.  It felt as if I pulled a muscle.  Time would tell.

After about 32 minutes, I reached the col of Burnt Knob and Acra Point in 29 minutes. Not bad considering the rain.  From here, I made it to the bottom of Blackhead in 32 minutes.  Now for the fun to begin.  I climbed this pretty hard, but it wore me out.  I made it up in 30 minutes, which was 5 minutes slower than 2 weeks ago.

Reaching the summit of Blackhead felt great.  But it's only halfway with some of the toughest sections remaining.  I lost some time on the descent, but made it to the bottom of Stoppel Point unscathed.  Though my hamstrings and feet cramped up a few times near the top of the descent slowing myself down.  I took a few minutes break before I got going again.  I made it down in 35 minutes.

On the ascent of Stoppel I started to feel quite tired.  I walked the uphills.  The two flat sections, I had difficulty running since I experienced more cramping.  After 48 minutes of this, I reached the summit of Stoppel.  I took about a 5 minute break here before I got going again.

Last year it took me an hour and twenty minutes to complete the last 4 miles.  I hoped I would do better than this.  Maggie caught me near Newman's Ledge.  She would also break 5 hours.  Although this last section would be difficult, I finished much stronger than last year.  It took just under an hour and ten minutes and my overall time was 4:52:29.        

Escarpment Trail Training Runs

No doubt, since I started this blog, the year 2014 has been the least productive.  But lately it hasn't been completely unproductive.  For the past month I've been doing a training run once a week.

Windham High Peak (June 2, 2014)

This would be the first training run for Escarpment Trail.  With just under 7 weeks to go, I have a 4 week head start compared with last year.

I started early and before the humidity arrived.  After 53:30, I reached the summit.  A minute and a half quicker than I reached the summit during last year's race.  I guess I'm not in terrible shape.

On the walk/run down, I spotted a bear.  I guess he's training also as he stayed on the trail for a few seconds before darting into the woods.  Possibly the longest I have ever seen a bear.  While he ran, I watched his flabs of fat move side to side.

Windham High Peak (June 9, 2014)

Today would be a bit hotter and more humid than last week with the later start.  Still I made it up 30 seconds faster.  This is what I want.  I chose to walk the whole way down.  No point in beating the crap out of my knees any more than necessary.

Dutcher Notch to Stoppel Point (June 22, 2014)

After a lazy week with no training, I decided to head to the closest trailhead.  This training run provided an ascent of 2,000 feet in about 4 miles.  Serious stuff.  I made it to the summit in 68 minutes.  Not too bad, considering there are not many breaks.  Next to no humidity and quite cool considering we're at the summer solstice.  I met some other runners, also hoping weather conditions hold through to the end of July.  Not likely.

Overlook Mountain (June 30, 2014)

I got a nice early start for this one.  As usual, I started in Woodstock.  Though a lot of this is on road, it's over 2,500 feet elevation gained in one shot with no breaks in 4.5 miles.  I made it to the trailhead in 30 minutes and reached the tower in 35 minutes from there.  I'm slow.  It's hard to believe that back in the day I could get up this thing in the low 50s.

Today I ran down the trail, then walked down the road.  I helped chase a woman's dog afterwards.  It took about 20 minutes.  The dog quickly got away.  The woman decided she had enough and ran the other way.

Windham High Peak (July 7, 2014)

This makes a great training run for me.  It's trailhead is conveniently located and it's the start of the Escarpment Trail.  It's the single largest ascent of the run (at 1,700 feet) and it's one of the most runnable sections of the entire trail.

Today I felt strong and fresh for the first time.  I made it to the lean-to in 16 minutes and the summit in just over 50 minutes (50:14).  No doubt I'm in better shape than this time last year.

Last 3/4 of Escarpment (July 13, 2014)

I didn't sign up for this one.  I was planning on running to Blackhead and call it a day.  Instead, Ross dropped myself and Maggie off at the end of Big Hollow where we ran up to the junction just before Acra.  The run would be over 14 miles.  Ross would drive to North Lake and run towards us.

I took off first, wanting to end the misery as soon as I could.  The ascent to the Escarpment took 15 minutes.  Now the run really begins.  From this junction it took me 32 minutes to reach the bottom of Blackhead.  The climb up Acra is not too bad, but the section after Acra is tough.  It's tricky finding spots to put your feet and it's hard to retain any kind of momentum.

The hike up Blackhead took 25 minutes.  Despite not running any of it, it has to be one of the more exhausting sections of the trail.  Which is understandable since this part of the trail ascends 1,000 feet in a tad under a mile.  Again, this is serious stuff!

The ascent down Blackhead is a monster.  In 2.7 miles, the trail descends 2,000 feet with more than its share of scrambling.  The descent seems like it should be quicker but I managed to take 36 minutes to do it.  One year the winner made it down in 26 minutes.  It's definitely not easy.

At Dutcher Notch, the final major ascent awaits.  There are three climbs up Stoppel Point that total 1,000 feet.  I have always found the second climb to be quite brutal.  It has some really steep sections in it.  But none of it is easy.  It took me 40 minutes to make this climb today, but that included a stop when I met Ross as we admired a lightning strike.  

Once on Stoppel, 4 miles is all that is left to North Lake.  With hardly a noticeable ascent in this 4 miles, one would think it would be easier.  This is easily one of the toughest stretches to run.  It's just so hard to get into any sort of groove.  With it being the last 4 miles, just makes it that much more difficult.  I made a wrong turn and somehow went backwards.  Pain was really starting to settle in and my muscles resembled jelly.  This last bit took 70 minutes for a total of 3:48.  My goal of 4:50 should be attainable.  Of course, if everything goes as planned.

It may not be saying much, but this is by far the most pain I've felt after training run.  It took a dip into North Lake to ease the pain.  Before that I started to have trouble walking and my quads and hamstrings were throbbing.  Thankfully there is a nice cool lake at the finish.