So I knew this race was going to be brutal but not DNF because I couldn't finish 10 miles in 4 hours brutal. This is one of the toughest trail … MORE
So I knew this race was going to be brutal but not DNF because I couldn’t finish 10 miles in 4 hours brutal. This is one of the toughest trail races you will find and you basically go up and down a mountain at a ski resort and it is a battle. I had just moved to Rochester about 3 weeks ago (so I am post the 14 day quarantine period) and was very excited that Yellow Jacket Racing just announced they were having their first live event since the covid pandemic started which was this. When initially looking at races in Rochester this was not on my “to run” list as I really didn’t want to tackle going up and down a mountain but with so many events canceled and nothing else to choose from I thought why not. I knew the half was ambitious but I am hoping to level up in half fanatics so thought I’d try it. The half is the 10 mile course + the 5K course and you have to finish the 10 mile course in 4 hours to continue (24 min/mile) which sounds easy enough as I normally run 10 to 12 min/miles and even in trail races have always maintained under 15 min miles but man was I was wrong. I’ll start with production and logistics. This course was amazingly well produced especially given how strict NY state is with covid. It was done very similarly to Zion at Night. There was an outdoor packet pick up at Fleet Feet Thursday which was very smooth and you signed a covid waiver. They also had race day pick up if you couldn’t make it. You have to bring you own water and I used a hydration pack (a must as you want your hands free so I do not recommend a handheld water bottle). The race had a rolling start from 7:30 to 8:30am. They checked your temp before you start. Again a little bit of an anti-climatic start but I came at 7:30 and everyone was lined up 6 ft apart and excited for real racing. The first part of the course is uphill on gravel. This was too steep to run on but I power hiked at an under 20 min/mil pace and was feeling good. Once you get to the top after about 1.5 miles it is downhill. However these are skiing trails and are pretty much untrimmed grass which is not something I practiced running on. I was very impressed with how well the course was marked and how easy it was to follow given we weren’t running on actual trails. I actually thought it was quite fun to run downhill through the grass but not the fastest surface but maintaining an under 15 min/mil pace on the downhill so not too bad. Then you get to this killer hill that had grades of 30 to 40% and I pretty much died. Took about 30 mins to get up the hill but eventually you get to the top and there is an aid station. The aid station is well stocked with gels, bananas, bars, chips, and candy. My only complaint about the aid stations is they had water bottles. I understand how this is better for hygiene purposes but it would have been hard to fill up your hydration pack and I wish they had a system like Zion at Night did. I just grabbed a water bottle and stored it in a pouch and drank from the water bottle when I was hiking and didn’t need my hands and used the hydration pack while I was running or the steep parts where I used my hands. The next part is really nice and is about a mile or so of more typical trail in the woods and is shaded. FYI most of the hills are not shaded and it was hot. Then there is a downhill which was very steep too steep to really run on. Then you get to this absolutely killer hill that never seemed to end around mile 7. Yikes. I made it to the aid station at mile 8 (it is the same one) and had 41 minutes left before I would be DNF and thought I can do this. The next mile was downhill. Again really steep but I did it in about 20 mins. Then there was a giant, steep hill again and I realized I wasn’t going to make it. At that point since I knew I wouldn’t make the time limit I just enjoyed myself (as best you could hiking up a hill with 35% grade) and chatted/commiserated with the other runners. Finally I made it to the top and the rest was downhill. I knew I was too slow and even if I had been fast enough I don’t think I would have wanted to do those extra 3.1 miles. I still made it to the finish line and was proud of the 10 miles I did. I was hoping they would give me a 10 mile time instead of a DNF but sadly they did not (it’s okay it’s my fault I thought I could do this). But to be fair I don’t really think I want anyone to see my pace. At the end you get a goody bag with food and if you finish on time a medal which sadly I didn’t get and man it would have felt good to get a medal at a finish line (again my fault not the RDs). Even though I got a DNF I had a great time meeting local runners and participating in a real event. I wasn’t planning to do this race pre-covid and I don’t think I would do again unless there are still limited races next summer but I’m glad I tried today and did it once. If I did it again I definitely would do the 10 miler or less. I’m not sure going up and down practically vertical hills is for me but if it is for you, you will love this race. There is normally a 50K as well (it was cancelled this year) and I can’t imagine the kinds of masochists who would want to run that loop 3 times but to each their own. Overall not my most successful race but a very memorable one.
I Fought the Mountain & the Mountain Won
So I knew this race was going to be brutal but not DNF because I couldn't finish 10 miles in 4 hours brutal. This is one of the toughest trail … MORE
So I knew this race was going to be brutal but not DNF because I couldn’t finish 10 miles in 4 hours brutal. This is one of the toughest trail races you will find and you basically go up and down a mountain at a ski resort and it is a battle. I had just moved to Rochester about 3 weeks ago (so I am post the 14 day quarantine period) and was very excited that Yellow Jacket Racing just announced they were having their first live event since the covid pandemic started which was this. When initially looking at races in Rochester this was not on my “to run” list as I really didn’t want to tackle going up and down a mountain but with so many events canceled and nothing else to choose from I thought why not. I knew the half was ambitious but I am hoping to level up in half fanatics so thought I’d try it. The half is the 10 mile course + the 5K course and you have to finish the 10 mile course in 4 hours to continue (24 min/mile) which sounds easy enough as I normally run 10 to 12 min/miles and even in trail races have always maintained under 15 min miles but man was I was wrong. I’ll start with production and logistics. This course was amazingly well produced especially given how strict NY state is with covid. It was done very similarly to Zion at Night. There was an outdoor packet pick up at Fleet Feet Thursday which was very smooth and you signed a covid waiver. They also had race day pick up if you couldn’t make it. You have to bring you own water and I used a hydration pack (a must as you want your hands free so I do not recommend a handheld water bottle). The race had a rolling start from 7:30 to 8:30am. They checked your temp before you start. Again a little bit of an anti-climatic start but I came at 7:30 and everyone was lined up 6 ft apart and excited for real racing. The first part of the course is uphill on gravel. This was too steep to run on but I power hiked at an under 20 min/mil pace and was feeling good. Once you get to the top after about 1.5 miles it is downhill. However these are skiing trails and are pretty much untrimmed grass which is not something I practiced running on. I was very impressed with how well the course was marked and how easy it was to follow given we weren’t running on actual trails. I actually thought it was quite fun to run downhill through the grass but not the fastest surface but maintaining an under 15 min/mil pace on the downhill so not too bad. Then you get to this killer hill that had grades of 30 to 40% and I pretty much died. Took about 30 mins to get up the hill but eventually you get to the top and there is an aid station. The aid station is well stocked with gels, bananas, bars, chips, and candy. My only complaint about the aid stations is they had water bottles. I understand how this is better for hygiene purposes but it would have been hard to fill up your hydration pack and I wish they had a system like Zion at Night did. I just grabbed a water bottle and stored it in a pouch and drank from the water bottle when I was hiking and didn’t need my hands and used the hydration pack while I was running or the steep parts where I used my hands. The next part is really nice and is about a mile or so of more typical trail in the woods and is shaded. FYI most of the hills are not shaded and it was hot. Then there is a downhill which was very steep too steep to really run on. Then you get to this absolutely killer hill that never seemed to end around mile 7. Yikes. I made it to the aid station at mile 8 (it is the same one) and had 41 minutes left before I would be DNF and thought I can do this. The next mile was downhill. Again really steep but I did it in about 20 mins. Then there was a giant, steep hill again and I realized I wasn’t going to make it. At that point since I knew I wouldn’t make the time limit I just enjoyed myself (as best you could hiking up a hill with 35% grade) and chatted/commiserated with the other runners. Finally I made it to the top and the rest was downhill. I knew I was too slow and even if I had been fast enough I don’t think I would have wanted to do those extra 3.1 miles. I still made it to the finish line and was proud of the 10 miles I did. I was hoping they would give me a 10 mile time instead of a DNF but sadly they did not (it’s okay it’s my fault I thought I could do this). But to be fair I don’t really think I want anyone to see my pace. At the end you get a goody bag with food and if you finish on time a medal which sadly I didn’t get and man it would have felt good to get a medal at a finish line (again my fault not the RDs). Even though I got a DNF I had a great time meeting local runners and participating in a real event. I wasn’t planning to do this race pre-covid and I don’t think I would do again unless there are still limited races next summer but I’m glad I tried today and did it once. If I did it again I definitely would do the 10 miler or less. I’m not sure going up and down practically vertical hills is for me but if it is for you, you will love this race. There is normally a 50K as well (it was cancelled this year) and I can’t imagine the kinds of masochists who would want to run that loop 3 times but to each their own. Overall not my most successful race but a very memorable one.