July 2nd - Finger Lakes 50-Miler (One down... Two more to go!)

Having now run the FL 50-Miler (11:09:30)... I have a new appreciation for trail running! The course consisted of 3, ~15.5 mile loops with a final 3.4 mile "baby loop" in the Finger Lakes National Forest. The 50K (2 loops) and 50M (all 4 loops) started at 6:30 AM; the 25K (1 loop) started at 8:00 AM. The long loops consisted of about 3 miles of road, 3 miles of cow pasture, and about 9 miles of trail, foot path and horse trail; 80% of the course was shaded.

Unlike 2006 when the mud was so thick most folks reportedly dropped out... in 2007 the trail and weather conditions (partially cloudy; 70-degrees) was perfect. The course is a real ankle breaker. It's riddled with roots, and miles of cow pastures and horse trails bedeviled with uneven footing caused by deep hoof prints - sometimes, almost too uneven to run across.

Apparently there were a high number of ankle sprains and race dropouts, and at least one runner was carried out by Syracuse's Search and Rescue Team. Many folks had at least one fall... including myself (Gee... what time is... AUGHHH! Thumpity-Thump-Thump!)

Wine Country: Beautiful Vistas	Team-C: Rockin' Support Team	Where did those darn Sherpas go?

Team-C and I left for the Finger Lakes wine country about 10:00 AM on Friday. After lunch in Seneca Falls we arrived at the Finger Lakes National Forest around 3:00 PM. With cargo wagons we hauled tons of gear and food down a dirt road to the "group" camping area designated for race participants. The new EMS Star-3 tent went up in a jiffy... the race course map at the race director's pavilion was studied... and, if it wasn't for Team-C's persistent thinking that my start time of 8:00 AM was a tad off... I would have missed the cowbell start by an hour and a half!

Team-C relaxes and takes in all the pre-race hubbub.		Race Director's Pavilion & Aide Station #1 at the start/finish line.	Although AXE wouldn't approve, the rolling kitchen opened for dinner at 7PM.
Saturday/Race Day: The bull horn gently announced it was 5AM; race start time was 6:30AM. Campers gradually meandered from their tents. "g" boiled water... shaved... and cooked breakfast and made "diner-coffee". The rolling kitchen was back in action!	Race-ready: DirtyGirlGaitors.Com provided the gaitors. Bib #96 was pinned to the Mizuno running shorts. "g" was ready to rock!	The Syracuse based Search and Rescue Team was in place at the start line. Within moments of race time, about 90 runners filled the camp road.	6:30AM Start: In his typical ultra-adventure style, "g" assumes the very last position in the field.

I loved this course. The trail jammed through dense forest which occasionally opened into 100-acre cow pastures with expansive vistas of rolling hills and open sky. It was a difficult course because of miles of uneven footing and the persistent propensity for tripping and falling. After the race I had some pretty nasty blisters and I'm likely to lose a toe nail on each foot due to constant root-banging! Never the less, I can genuinely say I never regretted my decision to run another 50-miler.

According to Team-C (who helped at the race director's pavilion serving food and assuming the occasional role of Clara Barton), other runners had a very different race experience. Many folks dropped out due to sprained ankles and the toughness of the course. For example, although there were 47 registered runners for the 50-miler, I finished 27th of 35 finishers.

1st Loop: 3-hr/1-min With the Start/Finish Line canopy in the background, "g" completes his first 15.7 mile loop. Team-C shoots him full of Gatorade, restocks his carbohydrate gels... and the boy is back on the course!	2nd Loop: 3-hr/25-min With sportier looking headgear, and a tad more tired, there's plenty of good spirit and energy in "g's" 53 yo bod.	3rd Loop: 3-hr/54-min 4th "baby" Loop: 51-min "g" cruises through the finish line canopy tent with his hand made finisher's medal. Team-C readies his crashing-chair!	6:00 PM The feel of a good sit! Soon to be aware of his very bruised feet... in this moment it's only smiles and a huge sense of personal accomplishment.

Once again, my anxiety about being in poor shape to run 50 miles because of my scheduled 3-week taper proved unwarranted. Aside from have some pretty banged up feet and burned-out quads... I'm now registering to run the Vermont (9/07) and JFK (11/07) 50 Milers as I prepare to complete a 50 miler hat trick and qualify for the VT 100 Mile Race in July of '08.