Manitou's Revenge 54M - Phoenicia, New York 5,5 Elevation Gain: 15,000' - High Point: 3940' - Low Point: 600' - RESULTS June 20, 2015 - When asked if I was ready just prior to the start, I commented that I am always ready, and so it seems true with my ever expanding experience of racing. While others fidget nervously with platitudinous banter I shift into a patient mode of quiet confidence, not that I assume I can deliver some miraculous performance without much preparation, but more a deep-down knowing that whatever challenge lies ahead will be dealt with and overcome, or not. Without expectations of outcomes, every event becomes yet another in a continuous string of opportunities to test one's mettle and possibly grow. Therein lies the excitement for me, and reason enough to return again and again. Manitou's Revenge is definitively the most challenging trail run of this distance that I have engaged. This would be my encore performance here in the mighty Catskills. Only three weeks previous I had run likely the most challenging 50K of my career in North Carolina, so my legs were quite familiar with the brutality they were once again going to take on. But recent training runs were few in number, short, on roads without hills to climb, so I would have to count on experience, mental toughness, and the extra rest I had been reluctantly getting to see me through this one. Nonetheless, I was poised to put on a good effort and substantially improve my time from my previous performance here. The race started in six waves at five-minute intervals. I asked to start in the final wave so that I could play catch-up all day, which I much prefer to being passed. As it turned out, that strategy worked out fine as I was able to overtake 32 runners during the day, but then gave back at least eight positions in the final miles as I was forced to slow. The first ten miles with climbs over Acra Point and Blackhead went as planned in two and a half hours. I took up with a friendly group during the following ten miles, which slowed my tempo more than I had planned. Finally breaking away I got back into rhythm by the time I reached Palenville at mile 21.5. The climb out of Palenville over the next ten miles to reach Platte Clove was slow going with extremely wet and mud- slogged trails from a very wet spring. Any effort at maintaining tempo was negated by the increased care required to safely negotiate the muddy trail. I purposefully slowed to prevent my shoes from being sucked off and to minimize lateral slippage. My legs, breathing, and energy level were good, so it is unfortunate that I could not run up to my potential. But then everyone else had the same problem, so the playing field was level. I enjoyed the day, much cooler than the previous effort here. I wasn't pushing it, but was just running well within myself to keep control and avoid stumbles and falls. The race was going well when I switched out gear and resupplied at Platte Clove before the march up the Devil's Path would begin. After 31 miles, this is the meat of the course. My climbing legs were not up to par with my lack of hill training, but I still managed to summit Indian Head with what I perceived to be less effort than I had ever experienced before. The 1500-foot climb to the top went quickly. Usually this climb seems to take forever, but not on this day. After an easy descent down to the col, I seemed to roll to the top of Twin without any duress. All was going well until the clouds dropped and began coating the rocks with moisture and light rain. Climbing down Twin calls for caution under dry conditions. With wet rocks every step was a potential disaster. I shifted to survival mode to reach the bottom before safely going over the following thousand-foot climb up Sugarloaf. The descent into the aid station at Mink Hollow was not as treacherous, but the wet rocks had me unnerved, so I was being quite deliberate with each step to avoid a fall. The final climb up Plateau is always daunting, but I pushed it to make up time without feeling any stress. I was still functioning well within my limits when I reached the turn off Plateau in well less than an hour. From here onward the trail was new to me as I was running it for the first time with daylight. The descent into the following aid station was quite steep, but I could see well enough to run nearly all of it without incident. The climb up Edgewood out of Silver Hollow seemed arduous. I could feel myself tiring for the first time after 14 hours of running. Dropping off Edgewood to cross Warner Brook in the waning light of day turned out to be harrowing. I was losing control of the resilience and strength of my legs and feet, leaving me to slip and stumble at seemingly every step. I didn't fall, but it was a nightmare for awhile to reach the stream crossing at nine o'clock. The rain was increasing as I finally turned on my headlamp to follow the route. The air seemed misty with low lying clouds, diffusing the light, making visibility more challenging. It seemed to take forever as I stumbled up the switchbacks on my ascent of the final climb up Mount Tremper. I was no longer enjoying myself - not in any pain, just stressed from exhaustion. I didn't have quite enough to race the entire event. My eyes weren't responding very well to conditions either. I was close to just stumbling around in the woods blind and so I made no extra effort to quicken my tempo. Still, my attitude was good as I proceeded with patient resolve. I had had an enjoyable outing and would just ease into the finish without concern for time. After catching up with a friend at the final aid station on approach to Mount Tremper, I hobbled on through a torrential downpour for the final five miles. I hadn't run in this kind of rain in forever, and perhaps never in the dark. I was soaked and on the verge of hypothermia when I began the final three mile drop back to the valley. My eyes were giving me fits as I could not discern slippery rocks from surrounding mud. Very carefully I walked as deliberately as I could, but was still slipping with nearly every step. Totally misjudging one rock I fell hard on my back, really feeling pain. I layed there in the mud in shock for a short time before continuing my plight to the road below. Once on the road I was able to run comfortably over a mile to finish. My legs were surprisingly good, probably from walking so much over the final seven miles. Finishing in somewhere around 18.5 hours I should be satisfied, but I know that I left a good two hours on the course due to conditions. Oh well. I do not expect to return to my friend Charlie's race. There are other objectives that will take priority. So I bid a fond adieu to good memories on the Long and Devil's Paths. |