Lenape Trail

March 1, 2014.

The day started out pretty cold, about 20 F, and with no heat in the truck I was pretty cold as I met the other runners at the Locust Grove parking lot of South Mountain Reservation in Millburn NJ. Thankfully one of the guys let me sit in his truck with the heat turned up high so I could warm up. After warming up, I got out of the truck and the pack made its way to the Millburn train station. We were taking the train to Newark NJ where we would begin running the Lenape trail.

The run is 33 miles long starting in Newark, wending through Belleville further north and west back to Millburn NJ. The day started at 20 F and warmed to the low 30's. It was a pretty good day for a run. The temperature was comfortable with what I wore, and the sun was out for most of the day; but there was still a lot of snow and ice on the trail portions of the route. I also had not been running long enough due to the cold I contracted and the crappy weather we've had this winter. For the first several miles through Newark I was running with Sean. But I was soon alone. And would continue the rest of the run by myself. Some of the marks were difficult to find in the park in Belleville, but I knew where I needed to be. I think I may have cut a bit off but I was needing a bathroom break. And luckily for me trail actually passes right in front of my condo. Stopped at home, got a few swigs of Gatorade and a couple of cookies and the much needed bathroom break.

Trail continued through a park through Nutely, that I hoped would have been free of snow & ice but wasn't:

Lenape Trail through Nutely NJ

 The trail is a mix of everything - streets, paved bike paths through parks and trails. Running through Mills Reservation was beautiful - except for the icy trail - and at the top of the hill afforded me some nice views:

I was really regretting not bringing my Microspikes. It would have been a pain to have to take them off and put them back on but I probably would have moved easier through the snowy & icy parts of the trail. I got a bit turned around in the reservation after taking some advice from a hiker but I called up Chris and he was able to set me on the correct path. At this point, I was mostly walking with a little bit of running. The legs & knees were sore and I still had quite a ways to go before the first aid station at mile 16. After Mills Reservation trail eventually took me around the Cedar Grove Reservoir. With all the ice and snow, it was a bit tough going and ended up running on the street with a narrow shoulder. Thankfully there weren't too many cars and I was able to make my way to where the trail turned back into woods.

This was an interesting section of trail as you end up running along this narrow ridge which is a path for deer. There was so much deer poop and urine in one area; it was a deer bathroom! I was also alone with about 6 deer. Since I wasn't running, I didn't really spook them much and we were traveling in the same direction. If you look really closely you can see them in the trees:

Finally I made it to mile 16. Chris and a couple of volunteers were there with clementines, bananas, water and snacks. I took a clementine and some peanut M&M's. Chris gave me a few pointers of where to go and I was on my way. Trail continued on a rail-to-trail until I made it to Verona. Thankfully there were port-a-johns at Verona Park for another pit stop. I was still trying to eat and drink still at this point. However, t some point I stopped eating and drinking since I didn't want to deal with bathroom issues and just wanted to finish. This was probably a bit of a mistake as I probably slowed down. And I was getting cold. Clouds started to cover the sun and sometimes the wind picked up.

But I was still appreciating the beauty of where I was. Trail went through Eagle Rock Reservation. I've run through this park during warmer seasons and this was the first time I was in the park during the winter. There was no one really on the trails and of course, trail went up to afford a hiker some nice views:

It was after this that was the lowest point of the trail for me. I hadn't been eating or drinking for a while and it was a very long trail and uphill along the by-pass route after I-280. Eventually I made it to the second aid station, which was at mile 26.  The two volunteers drove me back to the start/end in Millburn. I was able to finally warm up after sitting in Doris's car (with heated seats!) for a while. Marcus was kind enough to let me have one of his Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPAs. Much appreciated after my longest run (in miles and time - 9 hrs!) of the year. I hung out and chatted with everyone for a while but then it was time to get home, have a shower, and head to the pub for some dinner and a well earned beer!

A few things that I took from this run is that (i) there are some pretty beautiful areas of northern New Jersey; (ii) I was still able to appreciate the beauty despite being tired and very sore; (iii) I have a lot of strength & determination and can keep powering through a run/hike. This is something that I need to remind myself the next time I have a low point in a long race or run. Of course, it helps that I really didn't want to call Chris, the guy who arranged the run, and see if I could catch a ride earlier. and (iv) I was likely going to be able to finish the 50K at the NJ Trail Series Ultrafest later in the month**.

Here's one link to the Lenape Trail.

**Actually the race is tomorrow! Better late than never with this race report!

3 Days at the Fair 2013

This was my second effort at the 48 hour race at 3 Days at the Fair held at the Sussex County fairgrounds and hosted by NJ Trail Series. Last year I ‘ran’ 54.9 miles in about 45 hrs. This year, I was there a day early to volunteer (two 4 hr shifts) and was able to start with everyone else on Friday morning. My goal was to run more than last year, to be able to run most of the first day, and to not sleep as much during the night. Well 2 out of 3 aren’t bad.

I put all my gear under the pavilion near the start/finish area and my tent next to the bathrooms. Little did I know that the barn next to me was going to be housing chickens & roosters! I worked with Jessi and Steve in the kitchen serving all the runners who already started the 72 hr race. Dave had his usual intense race look on his face. His goal for the weekend was 300 miles! I caught up with Bill and Fred, 2 runners I met three years ago at this same event and look forward to seeing each year.  Also spotted running in circles was Melissa and Steve. Steve planned on a beer marathon for Saturday – 26 beers in 26 miles!

The next morning I woke around 6:30 AM after sleeping surprisingly well and drove to a local diner for breakfast. The waitress was surprised I ate most of my breakfast – 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 French toast, oj, and 2 cups of coffee. I came back to the fairgrounds, changed, and taped my feet to prevent blisters. The day proved to be warm and sunny and I wore my running skirt and started with my Mizuno Wave Rider 15s. I packed well but still forgot one necessary item – Vaseline to prevent chafing. Luckily Jessi came through with some Body Glide!  I had planned on a 5 min run/1 min walk for as long as I could but ended up ditching that once I started catching up with people. I really need to start sticking with my plan for these races. There’s always plenty of time, usually, to catch up with people!  I continued running and walking throughout the day, eating and hydrating well. After mile 19 I finally took a break to sit with my feet up. I switched shoes for some more miles. Towards the end of the evening, I decided to take my shoes off and prop up my feet. That was a huge mistake! I couldn’t even put on my Sauconys, and they are a wider shoe than the other pairs I was wearing that day. Oh well, I switched to my Keen sandals and walked another 2 miles before getting some sleep. The tent was cold and damp and I had trouble falling asleep. I really should have showered before going to bed! I set the alarms on my cell phone to wake up in 4 hrs; seven hours later I finally got out of the tent! This was not what I planned!

The total for the first day was 35 miles! This was a new 1 day PR! 

The start of the second day, Saturday, started with a 1 mile walk in my sandals and pajamas before getting back to the start/finish, the kitchen, and coffee!  This was one of my plans: set up the tent past the start finish and my gear near the finish and always start the day with 1 lap before breakfast. I had some coffee and breakfast and grabbed some clothes for a quick shower and the start of the second day. I was in the middle of a running streak and Steve, who is in his 2^nd year of a running streak, was encouraging me to run at least 1 mile that day. Unfortunately, my legs and my mind were not into it. Some of the highlights of the second day: cool and overcast and I alternated between short sleeve and long sleeve shirts and wore tights. Walking a lap with Melissa while eating a hot dog and drinking a Mountain Dew as she completed 100 miles. Beer miles! As I reached various milestones I grabbed one of the many beers I packed for the event: lap 27 for the marathon mark, lap 32 for the 50K,  lap 51 for 50 miles and lap 57 for the new PR for the 48 hr event.  In the afternoon, Lara and Scott arrived with their sons Adam and Sam. Adam was going to run the weekend and had some serious goals. It was fun to watch him run. He’s only 8 yrs old and he would run pretty fast and then walk. He was certainly having fun as he occasionally would raise his arms as if he was winning a race.  During the evening, I was planning on going to sleep but saw Lara and Scott discussing what to do with Adam. Lara wanted to get some sleep and Scott was heading out to the far gate to act as a traffic cop. I was planning on going to sleep but told them I’d walk another mile with Adam. I found out the next morning that after only a few hours of sleep he got up in the middle of the night to continue walking laps. His mom got up to walk several miles with him!

After my walk with Adam, I took a shower and went to bed. I set my alarms again but for 6 AM as I knew I wasn’t likely to get up any earlier! Total for day 2 was 29 miles. I still counted it towards my streak.

Sunday’s weather was cool again but overcast and rainy. I started walking in my Keen’s and pajamas before breakfast. I ate breakfast while walking another lap before changing into running gear for more walking. I continued walking until the race finally ended for a total of 7 miles for the day. Total for the weekend was 71 miles! A PR for 48 hrs! Everyone enjoyed the pancake breakfast and awards ceremony before packing up and leaving for the day.

Other highlights of the weekend: the amazing food put together in the kitchen. Thanks to Jessi for overseeing the food/kitchen/volunteers and all the baked goods! Bill Gentry cranking out some seriously fast miles at the end of the race. Hey Bill – stop saving so much energy and you might be able to run more miles during the weekend! Steve attempting a beer marathon and having to stop drinking beer after 9 miles. Watching Adam, Anya, Ryanne, and many other young runners have fun and put in some serious mileage! Adam had never run anything more than a 5K and he ran 45 miles! Ryanne ran an ultra (27 miles) and Anya ran 41 miles! Seeing the 24 hr runners run crazy fast – Sergio qualified for the US 24 hr team with 151 miles. Dave and John battling it out for second place for the 72 hr race. Dave finished 1 mile ahead of John. Dave didn’t meet his goal of 300 miles but had a new PR of 233 miles! MaryLou had a new Canadian record for 72 hrs with 253 miles! And of course all the people – old friends and making new friends.

And I continued my streak the next day with a 2.5 mile run. The streak didn't end until the next month - 74 days and 309.7 miles.

NJ Ultrafest

Still being a relative newcomer to ultra-running, I'm still learning what I need to do during a race. Two of my issues during these long races are usually GI (and more I than G) and nutrition. Both were an issue while running the 50 km distance at the NJ Ultrafest on March 24. And a third issue has resurfaced - a tight IT band. This was my forth attempt at the 50 km distance. Last year I ran the 50 km for the first time at the Ultrafest and finished in 7 h 11 min. This year I had hoped to better my time. My training was better - I've run more miles in 3 months than I have ever run in that time span and I had a 20 mile training run at the HMRRC Winter Marathon in February. Unfortunately that was my last long run except for the 10 miles at Febapple. None-the-less, I felt confident that I would finish the race and have a decent time.

I didn't start packing for the weekend until Friday morning (darn teaching job!) but I had Jessi's packing list that I modified so I was confident I wouldn't forget anything important. I couldn't find the Immodium that I purchased but I hoped I wouldn't need it. This year I would camp at the race site. I had a tent and a sleeping bag from friends so I was set. After packing I drove up to the race site stopping at the RD's house to pick up their oldest son. Arrived at the race site, got my parking pass and parked my truck next to the building and right along the race course. I had already volunteered to help where I was needed so I quickly jumped in to help with packet pick-up. Despite the nearly 260 people registered for the five race distances (marathon, 50 km, 50 mile, 100 km, and 100 mile), registration never got too crazy and I was able to get some dinner and socialize. Then it was a quick set-up of my tent and hopefully some sleep.

Not sure how many hours I slept but I know it wasn't a lot. The noise from the road and the movement of the tarp over the tent due to the wind (was that an animal??!?) didn't help. The sleeping bag was warm (thanks Tony!) but the camping pad was narrow (I think I may invest in an air mattress). But that's ok as I had plenty of sleep leading up to the race.

This year the race would be at a new location at the NJ State Fairgrounds in Sussex County so the course would be different than last year but still relatively flat. The course was a 10 mile loop starting on the fairgrounds then to the gas line. First a 1 mile out-and-back back to the fairgrounds (2 miles) for another out-and-back (6 miles) and then a loop through the fairgrounds back to the start. This last bit had two decent inclines that allowed a little break for the legs (walk the hills!).

The weather proved to be nice for a run - sunny and in the 50's to 60's. I got up a little after 6 AM, changed into race gear - shorts and a short sleeve shirt - and threw on some pants and a sweatshirt since the 50 km race didn't start until 7:45 AM - civilized! I had my breakfast - a bagel with pb&j and coffee (thanks Jessi!). I should have gotten up earlier to eat breakfast and drink the coffee as there is one bathroom stop that I wasn't able to take and later wished I had. I packed my Powerbar cut into thirds and my electrolyte drink. Rick had his usual pre-race talk, including the directions for the initial 1 mile loop. I made a quick dash to the bathroom and started about 30 sec behind everyone - oops! There was supposed to be a short 1 mile loop through the fairgrounds and the back to the start before we began our first of three 10 mile loops. But everyone forgot the directions and followed the front runners and the 3rd volunteer on the course failed to direct everyone in the right direction. Of course, I didn't really know this until later in the day but after 11 min into the race, and the fact that we were nowhere near the finish area, I knew that we missed some turn. So I and another runner made our way up the hill with everyone telling us to head back and continue on the course - that the RD had made the correction and that we should continue with the race along the gas line.

The first out-and-back is pretty uneventful. Some mud, no water, and very little in  terms of a technical trail. Then it was back to the water stop and the next out and back. I knew this section would have more uneven footing as I had run this part of the course in January. The only really worrisome parts were potentially the bridges and one spot where there wasn't a bridge. But the RDs took care of the uneven footing on the bridges by nailing down plywood. The one water crossing wasn't much of a problem - there were rocks that a veteran trail runner could use to prevent the feet from getting wet. I wanted to maintain a steady pace during the race, especially since I know that I tend to start out too fast. Not having a GPS watch or any mile markers on the course could make keeping pace difficult but I decided a 10 min run/1 min walk should be good. The first 10 miles or so seemed to go well. I felt good and tried to eat something early enough. Though at the first aid station (~7-8 miles into the race) I only took 1-2 orange slices and not much else. But I had the sinking suspicion that I was having a bit of an intestinal issue. I made it back to the start, refilled my water bottle with G2 and water and packed more Powerbars. And went to the bathroom - yep I had the issue again. Took care of what needed to be taken care of, grabbed a few gummy bears and had another orange slice or two, and started loop 2, which I thought would go well but it didn't.

My feet were killing me! With the Brooks Cascadias I was wearing I ended up feeling every little rock. And my left IT band started tightening up, especially on the last part of the loop. Damn! The IT band really bothered me during my 20 miler in February and I figured the last 10 mile loop was going to be painful and ugly! And I was struggling with keeping my 10 min run/1 min walk pace. Uh oh! The best part about this type of course is that you are rarely alone. There is always someone running past you or towards you so you can't get too bored. People encourage you and your encourage those who are also struggling. As I finished my second loop, I saw Ron, the photographer (Hillcrest Photo) who had gone out for a run during the race. I asked him how the run went, and he said it was painful. My response was - all runs hurt but some are better than others (or something to that effect - this is what I get for waiting so long to type up my report - I forget good quotes!).

Finished the second loop much slower than the first. I saw that Johnny and Marie were taking care of Jessi who definitely looked like she was struggling - which was not good as this woman kicks ass on the trails and her training had gone so well this year. Her accomplishments truly amaze me!  Johnny asked if I needed something but I don't usually ask for or accept much help during a race as I usually don't know what I need and I usually just get it myself. But given my struggles I accepted the cheese quesadillas he offered as well as the one Marie brought for Jessi who didn't want it. I took 3 ibuprofen, stopped at my truck to change my shoes and to get the stick to massage my IT bands (now both were tight!) and continued along the course to my tent to get new socks. As I was changing, another runner encouraged me to get back on the course and to run with him. I assured him I'd be back out there shortly after changing my shoes & socks.

So new shoes, socks, and more food and I was on my way. As I was running through the fairgrounds I was starting to feel better. I was running more and walking less and caught up to the guy who encouraged me to get back on the course. As I passed him at a nice clip - he was walking and seemed to be struggling - he asked if I was Nascar. LOL! Nope! Just new shoes, drugs, and some food and I was feeling like a new woman! There were times I actually was able to run 10 min straight! I would have to stop and stretch the IT band every so often but after a while that didn't even bother me. During this last loop, and with my renewed energy, I was determined to not finish last! I caught one 50 km runner while running the fairgrounds and continued on the out-and-backs. I handled the bridges without issues and traversed the rocks across the water without a problem. Tho I did tell the two guys that were gingerly making their way across the rocks they needed more practice. I had to wait for them and I wanted to run! As I was making my way to the last aid station, I was taking note of who was wearing bibs in the 100s (fellow 50 km runners). I knew there were at least 2 guys behind me so I knew I wouldn't finish last but I also wanted to see who I might be able to pass. Yes I was feeling 100 times better than I did in the second loop. At the aid station I was well taken care of by Jody (thanks!) and checked out my competition. I thought there were two women I had to worry about but it actually was only one (the second woman was running one of the longer races - the 100 miler I believe). I try not to stay too long at aid stations and got back to running. I passed the one female 50 km runner that I saw at the aid station, made it to the water stop and then up the hill on the fairgrounds to make my way to the finish. I was feeling pretty good but not enough to run up the hill - heck I was probably past the marathon distance at this point! But any time I was running, I was running strong and with good form. I barreled down the hills and occasionally walked. After passing the pond and making my way across the bridge I knew the finish was right around the corner! I passed another runner who was running the marathon and ran most of the back stretch. I made the right turn onto the road, passed the gate, and tapped the inspirational sign. Man was I feeling good at this point! So I picked up the pace. Mentally reminded myself of the potholes at the next turn - avoided said potholes - and sprinted through the finish line! 7 hrs 34 min. I heard Becky screaming for me (such enthusiasm!) and Rick handed me my finishers medal and fleece and gave me a congratulatory kiss on the cheek.

The 7.5 hrs was not quite the time I wanted but was much better than expected given how I felt during the second loop. Next race - 12 hrs at 3 Days at the Fair. But I've moved up to the 48 hr race. It'll be a good start for training for the Finger Lakes 50 km at the end of June. Keep on running!