Marathons Part IV

After completing two road marathons, I felt I was ready for a trail marathon.  I was scared, and had no idea what to think.  The event was Nipmuck, and I wasn't familiar with the forest, the course, the hills, or the drain on a body during 26-miles along a rolling, wooded trail.  A friend of mine from Adams, RunSteveo, met me at the half-way point to run the second half of the route with me.

The event that day was actually easier than I thought it would be.  I recall being very cautious regarding my pace, and not getting caught up in "racing".  This really helped me enjoy the distance and the forest.  Also, I had some difficult trail runs in the bank.  I had completed a couple Savoy 20-milers, as well as a couple Wapack finishes over the previous two trail racing seasons, and both of those events included some serious hills. 

Lesson learned, again, was do the homework.  I had a lot in the bank, and was maybe over-prepared.  These attentions to detail resulted in success.

My official trail race marathons total twenty-one finishes. as follows:

1994       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

1995       1st Moby Dick, Lanesborough, MA

1996       2nd Moby Dick, Lanesborough, MA

1996       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

1997       Gruba Dupa, West Hartford, CT

1997       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

1997       Pisgah, Chesterfield/Winchester, VT

1998       4th Moby Dick, Lanesborough, MA

1998       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

1998       Greylock Marathon, Lanesborough, MA

1999       Pisgah, Chesterfield/Winchester, VT

1999       Watery Hill I, Rhode Island

2000       Watery Hill II, Rhode Island

2001       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

2005       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

2006       Greylock Marathon, Lanesborough, MA

2008       Curlys, Pittsfield, MA

2009       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

2009       Curlys, Pittsfield, MA

2010       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT

2012       Nipmuck Marathon, Ashford, CT