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.