by Peter Collins
by Peter
Collins
A Wakely Story:For the love of
blow-downs, I simply had to return to Wakely Dam for the 2004 edition of the
Damn Wakely Dam Ultra.I was especially looking forward to it this year as I had
heard there would be some fast runners this time around. That meant that I
wouldn't be repeating the sticky mess of 2 years ago when I was the designated
"Spidermen" for two-thirds of the run. Having the fast runners present
also meant that I would not feel pressured to run hard to win and could simply
run free and enjoy the beauty of the Adirondak trails. My time in 2002 would
have won the event in 2003, but then I was in top form back then. This time
around I was poorly trained and recovering from a pulled groin (long story, not
for the squeamish).
After a week of hot, humid weather, and more than a little rain, everything came together for race day. I pulled into Wakely Dam at 11:15pm and quickly set up camp and my running gear for the early morning start. At 4am, I awoke under a gorgeous star-filled sky to the sight of more than a dozen headlamps making their way towards the Damn Wakely Bus that would chauffeur us to the start of the run in Piseco (about an hours drive away). Except for an emergency pit-stop for a couple of overly-hydrated runners, the bus trip was uneventful. Once at the starting area, we met up with those runners who had camped in Piseco. Once we had exchanged "hellos" with friends we hadn't seen since previous Wakely runs, and posed for the obligatory start-line photo, it was time to get the show on the trail.
A few last minute warning
words from the R.D. about trail conditions and we're off and running like kids
through the woods. I had a carefully prepared pace chart to follow with both
conservative and "wishful thinking" ETAs at more than a few milestones
along the course. I might as well have left it at home as I find myself up front
with the 3 leaders right from the start. I'm running what feels right at this
point and I’m waiting to reach my first milestone to see what kind of pace I'm
actually running. With Dan Dominie behind me, Bob Dion in front and Tim Seaver's
bare back visible not too far ahead, we each find our comfortable pace over the
first few miles. Bob and Tim slowly pull ahead while Dan & I joke about what
a sticky situation Tim is in clearing the trail of spider webs for us with his
bare chest. Dan & I continue to juggle 3rd & 4th place until we reach
the Jessup River crossing. Hey wait just a minute! What happened to the Fall
Stream crossing? (Wakely) Dam, I've missed it! Now I've reached Jessup more than
10 minutes ahead of my goal pace. Time for some serious damage control. I tell
Dan to get going as I really need to slow down if I'm going to finish this romp
in the woods. He tells me he's sure he'll see me again as he pulls away but I
don't expect to see him or anyone else ahead again. The plan from then on is to
try to get back on pace, enjoy the run, and see if I can stay ahead of those
behind who I expect are gunning for my backside.
I reach the first lean-to at
Spruce Lake and notice that I'm still 10-minutes ahead of pace. Shortly after,
I'm surprised by Bob Dion coming out of the woods to my left. It seems a pit
stop was required. We talk for a bit, and I learn that Bob is training for a
solid Vermont 50 miler in September. I also learn that Bob has scoped out Dan
and Tim and feels that he can take them both in this race. "After
all", he says, "Dan is a fast marathoner but has little trail-ultra
experience so will likely fade after 26 miles and Tim is just a speed
hiker". As Bob pulls away again chasing his rabbits I start to wonder
whether I too should push on after the leaders. Less than 10 minutes later, I
catch Dan who is "sucking wind" (as he put it), on an uphill stretch.
Between
the north end of Spruce Lake and the West Canada creek bridge I run with Dan but
I'm starting to lose control. We reach the Sampson Bog outlet milestone 13
minutes ahead of my goal pace and I'm getting injured. Over the past 3 miles
I've:
- dinged my left knee on one blow down,
- ran hard enough into another blowdown to spin me around and leave a
wicked "Eye of Sauron" bruise on my left hip,
- slightly twisted my left ankle in a knee-deep mud hole.
I
remind Dan that I'm out of my league here and that he should pass me and go
hunting rabbits again. He says "Nah, you're looking good". I'm
thinking he's a sadist. I'm no masochist though so I slow down again. Still, Dan
and I run together through the West Canada Lakes area until shortly after the
Mud Creek bridge at mile 18.4. I've really slowed down now yet I'm still 6
minutes ahead of my pace chart.
I'm
running solo now and and I'm thinking about my hydration strategy. Conditions
are much cooler than 2 years ago but I'm carrying much more liquid. I'm carrying
1.4 litres of Gatorade in my fanny pack (Camelbak) and for the first time ever,
I have a water bottle in my hand. My thinking was to use the water bottle just
to shower myself whenever I feel overheated (as I did 2 years ago at every
stream and lake possible). Instead, I'm drinking my favorite lemon-lime Gatorade
every 10 minutes or so, and I'm using the water to wash down some food or gels
every half-hour. At this rate, I'll likely run out of water so I start to ration
it as I don't have any purification tablets or filters. In a pinch I figure I'd
chance some lake water but I'm not there yet.
I reach the Cedar Lakes lean-to
junction (mile 20.1) still a minute ahead of a 5:15 finish pace, then I really
start to fall apart on the Cobble Hill ascent. The fast start has come back to
bite me. I'm pretty much reduced to walking the hills and flats, and breaking
into a slow jog on the downs. I start to regain some form on the long-sweet
downhill from Cobble Hill. I reach the Beaver Pond outlet bridge 2 minutes
behind a 5:15 finish pace, yet 8 minutes ahead of a 5:30 pace (my more realistic
goal considering the lack of training). At the north end of Cedar Lakes I chat
briefly with a couple of rangers chowing down on lunch at their lean-to. I
lament at the lack of wildlife on the trail when one is not leading. I tell them
of the 2 bears, and numerous deer I saw in 2002. I then reach the Cedar Lakes
Dam 6 minutes ahead of 5:30 pace and kick myself for not asking the rangers for
a spare cup of water. I have only a mouthful left and I estimate at least 2
hours of running to do yet.
26.2
miles finds me 4.5 hours into the run and out of my bad patch. I'm on the south
side of the Lamphere Ridge and running consistently again (albeit at a much
slower pace). I sense that I'm nearing the end of the Lamphere Ridge, so I bring
out the bug dope and smear it all over the back of my head & neck in
anticipation of the bugs. I remember how much of a pain the deer flies were on
the tote road in 2002. Hmmm am I that dehydrated? I'm seeing hallucinations in
the form of a red-haired goddess running towards me. Check out the tattoo on her
thigh, cool!. Ahh, I see now that's it's Anke running in to support Patrick. She
offered info on how far behind each of the leaders I was, but I wasn't really
interested in knowing that I was about 10 minutes behind Dan. I guess he must
have found his wind again. I push on, but not before kicking myself once again
for not having asked for a drop of water.
A
little further down the trail I'm surprised by the Carry Pond Lean-to at mile
28.3. I'm now 8 minutes behind a 5:30 pace and not caring. This run is almost
over and just when I was enjoying it the most. I meet up with another runner
heading in to pace a buddy home, and this time I think to ask if he can spare a
cup of H2O. He agrees and I am grateful. I can see the glint of the Cedar River
Flow off to my right and I know that I'll shortly round Sturges Hill where I
went for a refreshing swim in the heat of 2 years ago.
I
finally reach the Moose River Rec. Area road junction after 5hrs 30 minutes of
running free through the woods. Time to wrap this up. I switch into low gear and
vow to run this to the dam but where is that range cabin. Oh there it is; and
there's the damn dam.
With
a hop, and a skip, and a couple of fancy jumps, I'm across the Dam line in a
very fine 5:42. Not what I was hoping g for time wise, but I'm still mightily
chuffed considering the complete lack of raining specificity. Now where's that
lake; time for a dip!
Peter,
CYA on the trails ahead
and at the Damn
Wakely Dam Ultra in 2005.