Difficulty

I was stricken by something Steve P had once written about 7 Sisters.  After a day in late February on that course, Steve was wondering what all the fuss was about regarding difficulty.  I am not an authority to disagree with Steve, nor would I question his judgment.  I just wanted to explore the differences between a race course and the same trail on a non-racing day.

We train and run along many New England trails preparing us for something.  For some it might be with sights on a beautiful finish at a certain event.  For others it might be that the training is enough, and to race is simply not even necessary.  Others, yet still, explore along the ridges for a reason completely non-aligned to running at all.  For most of us, though, we vary our reasons from year to year.  This helps make the whole concept of trail running cyclic.  Why we chose to run trails, especially the same ones over and over again, is a fairly good yardstick to measure where we are in our life.

The 7 Sisters course is unique, as it has been recognized by many as the most difficult trail event we in New England have the luxury to participate at.  This is arguable, but the old Running Wild ratings and the Rob S Ratings System seem to bear this out by factoring course record and mileage into an elaborate grading system.

I know the figures don’t always tell the whole story, though.  I have finished the 7 Sisters race feeling like I have hardly run at all, and I have also barely made it to the finish.  This was during the actual race.

When training on the course I have had the same thing happen.  Additionally, the last several years have found me running training runs faster than my finish in the race, and feeling better during these faster performances.  I wouldn’t have thought this possible, but it didn’t happen once but twice for me.  If you ask around, you'll also find out that I am not the only one that this happens to.  I have to also admit that there is one other race course where this has happened, Savoy.

So what type of factors play a part in this difficulty, especially on that course?

The day itself can add or subtract to your pace and perceived difficulty.  I know I usually go out to train on the Sisters course on days when I have felt great, and the weather cooperated.  On unusually warm days, or wet days, I have historically avoided the pain that goes with surging up and down that ridge.  In that way I am like water, taking the path of least resistance.  I believe we all realize that to train under tough conditions will improve our ability to race faster, but potentially at the expense of fun.  I have enjoyed what Geoff M has repeatedly said about running for him being about fun.

The contrast in effort between race pace and training pace can feel like a huge difference, but the actual time it takes to finish the two options is not all that far apart.  You have to really work hard to gain even small increments of time.  The tougher the course, the lesser the gains, no matter how hard you are willing to work.  We all have to really surge to increase our speed per mile while climbing up and down that course.  In the end, over twelve miles, it doesn’t add up to a whole bunch of time saved.  The return for your effort is minimal on a course like this.

Secondly, few people go out too fast on a training run.  Most train comfortably, and if in company, go out easy enough to hold a conversation.  In a race, many are guilty of losing their heads to a quickened pace.  Not many people who are racing 7 Sisters are going to be able to hold a conversation among one another.  A pretty typical rule of thumb is, if your talking during a run, your pace is all right, at least as far as comfort level is concerned.

Third, unlike Steve, most of us are not in tremendous shape due to an upcoming one hundred mile event on the horizon, and the training that is required to deal with that aspiration.  For the good chunk of trail runners in our New England Circuit, walking the entire route of 7 Sisters is enough to leave us winded.  Difficulty is increased as one's fitness decreases.

Somewhere, something clicked for Steve, because he returned over and over to the 6 mile ridge called 7 Sisters.  I haven't spoken to him about it, but I think that his initial reaction to its lack of difficulty must have changed some.  Like what has happened to others over time, the ridge seems to have drawn him into its grasp.

September 2000