11/14/2015
Gettysburg, PA
Over-coming a pretty serious injury, Gabriel was unsure if he was going to line up to feed his family this year. But some great dry-needling work by his PT, Lacey Erwin, Gabriel had put in a good solid week of training and felt good enough to give turkey hunting a chance.
His eldest drove out with him, as she would compete in the 1M jaunt. He did not have a sufficient warm-up in the 40-degree wind-chill, but he felt good. His entire plan centered around going out relaxed and attacking the second part of the course. He felt he went out controlled, but by the major descent of the opening loop, his left side had tightened. He was barely able to operate at full strength. This was troubling. He wasn't running like himself. He was concerned. But he kept working. Stopping to stretch and running, he kept forcing the pace, forcing the effort and he knew his body would respond - or at least he hoped it would.
Finally, after stumbling down a big downhill, something clicked and Gabriel found himself flowing effortlessly along the trail. He set to attack. He knew the CR was out of reach, but he kept running hard to give himself some reward for making it out to race. He hammered up the last climb and bombed down the last hill to finish as strongly as possible.
Although the CR was not reset, he was very pleased with the final 3-4 miles and they were faster than the 2014 race. At least he took some solace in that: a minor victory.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
LONELY ON THE PEAK
September 4, 2015
Big Sky, Montana
This was a lesson in stupidity. Gabriel felt he needed to secure points in the US Skyrunning Series and he had an open weekend, albeit a tight window to travel. So, he thought it would be a good idea to red-eye a flight to Big Sky, Montana for the Lone Peak VK, as part of the RUT weekend, an iconic and quickly growing bucket list event.
He arrived late, drove 2hrs to a hotel, wasn't checked in until 3AM, then attempted to wake up and race on an empty stomach with no sleep. It was a recipe for disaster. On the warm-up, he felt his heart rate was through the roof. He wasn't recovering at 8-9:00/mile pace. Hmm, this would not be good.
The gun sounded among a plethora of professionals, including the rising firestorm that is Remi Bonnet. Gabriel ran up alongside him at the half mile mark and figured, "I can run with him..." That was short lived, as Gabriel's battery completely drained and he was forced to walk from the first mile to the third mile in absolute misery, even stopping to sit on a rock and contemplate life. Thankfully, he finished up, about 20-min slower than usual. He had learned his lesson. Never again.
Big Sky, Montana
This was a lesson in stupidity. Gabriel felt he needed to secure points in the US Skyrunning Series and he had an open weekend, albeit a tight window to travel. So, he thought it would be a good idea to red-eye a flight to Big Sky, Montana for the Lone Peak VK, as part of the RUT weekend, an iconic and quickly growing bucket list event.
He arrived late, drove 2hrs to a hotel, wasn't checked in until 3AM, then attempted to wake up and race on an empty stomach with no sleep. It was a recipe for disaster. On the warm-up, he felt his heart rate was through the roof. He wasn't recovering at 8-9:00/mile pace. Hmm, this would not be good.
The gun sounded among a plethora of professionals, including the rising firestorm that is Remi Bonnet. Gabriel ran up alongside him at the half mile mark and figured, "I can run with him..." That was short lived, as Gabriel's battery completely drained and he was forced to walk from the first mile to the third mile in absolute misery, even stopping to sit on a rock and contemplate life. Thankfully, he finished up, about 20-min slower than usual. He had learned his lesson. Never again.
HOT SUMMER TRAIL RACING
August 1, 2015
York, PA
And the return of the Rocks... in 2014, Gabriel competed in the On the Rocks Trail Run 30km in nearby Rocky Ridge Park. It was a battle of the elements, but he finished with a great negative split. This year, Gabriel opted for the 15K in an attempt to secure the course record. The day was warm, and Gabriel set off in pursuit of a strong run, but he got himself into some trouble early on and battled through fatigue. Entering the last mile, Gabriel looked at his clock, it was a race against time and he felt there was no way he was going to get the CR. Busting the final turn, Gabriel sprinted to the line, sneaking right under the record and feeling quite good about his effort. Every step had counted.
August 8, 2015
Patapsco Valley State Park, MD
Oh man. Where to begin? Gabriel wanted a long run. He wanted about 2hrs of running. Not much more. There was a 25K option at the MD Heat Trail race, but it started at 9AM, too late and too hot. There was a 50K, and that started at 7AM. So, Gabriel paid his 50K entry and lined up, with the plan to drop at 25K and the first loop. The trails were technical and he didn't feel great, but he was finishing up the loop with a good day behind him. His effort on the 25K loop would have been top five all-time and it was a moderate effort at best.
But here is where Gabriel got into trouble. As he approached the finish line, getting hot and ready to drop, the Race Director was so excited he was on course record pace. He pumped everyone up and sent Gabriel on his way onto the second loop. Gabriel was like, "no way, I am not running for another 2.5 hours out here in 80-degrees." He figured he would drop nearer his car after the turn and out of sight. But by the time he got to the turn he said, "f-it", just finish up. It was a nice battle. Trying to take as much water at each station and taking as many gels as possible. It was a fight against depletion and dehydration on the trails of Patapsco that he knew so well. So it was a bit of a curse, knowing how much further he had to go.
Finally, the last four miles was basically one foot in front of the other. A trudge to the finish line, which was accomplished with a new course record, forty minutes under the old one. This race is not for the faint of heart. The heat and humidity, combined with dry, dusty trails, leads to dehydration and suffering, but perhaps that is what drives us. To find out the unknown. To find out our limits.
York, PA
And the return of the Rocks... in 2014, Gabriel competed in the On the Rocks Trail Run 30km in nearby Rocky Ridge Park. It was a battle of the elements, but he finished with a great negative split. This year, Gabriel opted for the 15K in an attempt to secure the course record. The day was warm, and Gabriel set off in pursuit of a strong run, but he got himself into some trouble early on and battled through fatigue. Entering the last mile, Gabriel looked at his clock, it was a race against time and he felt there was no way he was going to get the CR. Busting the final turn, Gabriel sprinted to the line, sneaking right under the record and feeling quite good about his effort. Every step had counted.
August 8, 2015
Patapsco Valley State Park, MD
Oh man. Where to begin? Gabriel wanted a long run. He wanted about 2hrs of running. Not much more. There was a 25K option at the MD Heat Trail race, but it started at 9AM, too late and too hot. There was a 50K, and that started at 7AM. So, Gabriel paid his 50K entry and lined up, with the plan to drop at 25K and the first loop. The trails were technical and he didn't feel great, but he was finishing up the loop with a good day behind him. His effort on the 25K loop would have been top five all-time and it was a moderate effort at best.
But here is where Gabriel got into trouble. As he approached the finish line, getting hot and ready to drop, the Race Director was so excited he was on course record pace. He pumped everyone up and sent Gabriel on his way onto the second loop. Gabriel was like, "no way, I am not running for another 2.5 hours out here in 80-degrees." He figured he would drop nearer his car after the turn and out of sight. But by the time he got to the turn he said, "f-it", just finish up. It was a nice battle. Trying to take as much water at each station and taking as many gels as possible. It was a fight against depletion and dehydration on the trails of Patapsco that he knew so well. So it was a bit of a curse, knowing how much further he had to go.
Finally, the last four miles was basically one foot in front of the other. A trudge to the finish line, which was accomplished with a new course record, forty minutes under the old one. This race is not for the faint of heart. The heat and humidity, combined with dry, dusty trails, leads to dehydration and suffering, but perhaps that is what drives us. To find out the unknown. To find out our limits.
SUMMER SKYRUNNING SERIES
June 27, 2015
Wilmington, NY
After Gabriel's success at Quest for the Crest, he proceeded to head up to Lake Placid with his family and attempt the Whiteface VK. Upon arrival at the ski resort loomed quite a daunting mountain. Gabriel thought, "there is no way I am running up that thing." Bear in mind, the biggest hill Gabriel grew up with was the Key Biscayne Bridge and the Tropical Park Hill.
After a quick briefing, chatting with Joe Grey about European races and living, and spotting Matt Lipsey, the race took off. Gabriel immediately settled in with Joe Grey, knowing he was going to win the race, so his job was to stick with him as long as possible and learn about power output. Out in front was an unknown running very well. By half a mile, Gabriel moved into the lead, but only temporarily as the runner (Art Degraw) soon surged again with Joe in tow. The two would proceed to power away. Gabriel pressed on.
At 2.5 miles, Gabriel was caught by 4th place, and it was a matter of will to retain position. He closed tremendously well, but could not get back into 3rd and secured a personal best over the VK in 40:55 and secured 2nd place in the USSkyrunning VK Series.
July 10, 2015
Val d'Isere, France
A pending business trip to Asia prompted an early husband/wife vacation for Gabriel and Perla. Upon reviewing all options, it would be a great opportunity to experience the mountain racing scene in Europe at the International SkyRunning Federation's opening VK event - the Kilometre Vertical Face de Bellevarde. Highly considered the most difficult of all the VKs in the series due to it's finishing "wall" at over 50% grade and 8,000+ft altitude, Gabriel was ready to go.
This race was in an interesting 20-second stagger, with each racer running by himself, a test against will and mountain. With the late start, the heat was oppressive. Gabriel watched as his competitors chugged 5-Hour Energies, stripped down to compression, exposing veins and muscles. This was legit. Soon enough, Gabriel was off working the steep grade. His footwear was of poor choice, as he slid on the scree. He kept working, but by 1.5 miles had lost most of his energy and attempted to power on. The last 800m was absolutely brutal, at 50% grade, sun beating down on his back, his feet slipping and him struggling to power a step forward. The last 20m his legs were like a young gelding, unable to coordinate, but he finished well in 43:50. He could improve.
The trip ensued with runs of La Flegere at Chamonix, the Croix de Culet at Champery, and climaxing with a summit of the Matterhorn, which will forever be embedded in Gabriel's soul.
Wilmington, NY
After Gabriel's success at Quest for the Crest, he proceeded to head up to Lake Placid with his family and attempt the Whiteface VK. Upon arrival at the ski resort loomed quite a daunting mountain. Gabriel thought, "there is no way I am running up that thing." Bear in mind, the biggest hill Gabriel grew up with was the Key Biscayne Bridge and the Tropical Park Hill.
After a quick briefing, chatting with Joe Grey about European races and living, and spotting Matt Lipsey, the race took off. Gabriel immediately settled in with Joe Grey, knowing he was going to win the race, so his job was to stick with him as long as possible and learn about power output. Out in front was an unknown running very well. By half a mile, Gabriel moved into the lead, but only temporarily as the runner (Art Degraw) soon surged again with Joe in tow. The two would proceed to power away. Gabriel pressed on.
At 2.5 miles, Gabriel was caught by 4th place, and it was a matter of will to retain position. He closed tremendously well, but could not get back into 3rd and secured a personal best over the VK in 40:55 and secured 2nd place in the USSkyrunning VK Series.
July 10, 2015
Val d'Isere, France
A pending business trip to Asia prompted an early husband/wife vacation for Gabriel and Perla. Upon reviewing all options, it would be a great opportunity to experience the mountain racing scene in Europe at the International SkyRunning Federation's opening VK event - the Kilometre Vertical Face de Bellevarde. Highly considered the most difficult of all the VKs in the series due to it's finishing "wall" at over 50% grade and 8,000+ft altitude, Gabriel was ready to go.
This race was in an interesting 20-second stagger, with each racer running by himself, a test against will and mountain. With the late start, the heat was oppressive. Gabriel watched as his competitors chugged 5-Hour Energies, stripped down to compression, exposing veins and muscles. This was legit. Soon enough, Gabriel was off working the steep grade. His footwear was of poor choice, as he slid on the scree. He kept working, but by 1.5 miles had lost most of his energy and attempted to power on. The last 800m was absolutely brutal, at 50% grade, sun beating down on his back, his feet slipping and him struggling to power a step forward. The last 20m his legs were like a young gelding, unable to coordinate, but he finished well in 43:50. He could improve.
The trip ensued with runs of La Flegere at Chamonix, the Croix de Culet at Champery, and climaxing with a summit of the Matterhorn, which will forever be embedded in Gabriel's soul.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
QUEST FOR THE CREST SUCCESS
May 30, 2015
Burnsville, NC - The US Skyrunner Series launched in 2014, challenging Americans to some of the most difficult racing found in our vast landscape. Although Gabriel had signed up for the Kendall Mountain Run, he was unable to make the trip and the series passed him by.
2015 brought a new series and some East Coast options. And so, Gabriel entered the Quest for the Crest Vertical Kilometer with sights on racing US Mountain Champion, Joseph Gray. As his training evolved with trips to Big Round Top and a final session at Colonel Denning State Park, Gabriel felt he was ready for a legitimate assault, regardless of who would show up in the Black Mountains.
Race morning brought chaos. Gabriel was surprised to see Matt Lipsey there. Matt had destroyed an unprepared Gabriel at Glacier Ridge about a month back, so this would truly test if his training was progressing. Jason Bryant also showed up, and there were a handful of locals, including the defending champions.
The Quest for the Crest VK was a 3200ft climb in 2.7 miles. The course record was 46-minutes, and Gabriel didn't really know what to expect in a VK, as this would be his first. There would be half mile sections at 50% grade; long steady climbs, and some scrambling. Gabriel prepared his mind.
The gun went off and Joe Gray and Matt Lipsey burst into the lead on the 9% road climb to the trailhead. Gabriel was immediately in about 5th-8th place but unconcerned. He knew there would 40+ minutes of running ahead of him. Within a half mile, Gabriel had moved up into third behind Lipsey, and quickly passed Matt and set his sights on Joe Gray. Gray was strong. Each stride was powerful and purposeful and Gabriel began to lose ground on a steady 15% grade climb up the mountain, but he felt he was distancing himself from the pack behind him. This would be Gabriel versus the mountain. Joe Gray would be above the clouds today.
And so Gabriel dug in, with a mantra provided by his wife, "be strong." This would be a course for the strong. Each step he ensured he was going up, with as little power-hiking as possible. This was a race. He moved and moved. After 20-minutes, he was wanting the finish line, but he knew there was another 20-minutes left so he powered on. Thankfully, the summit came in 42:00 (Gray had passed in 36:00), and he was relieved with what he wanted: a top three finish in the VK.
He stopped, tied his shoes (with Lipsey passing him back on the descent), and started down the mountain. There were two races within one and Gabriel had no interest in the Quest for the Crest 10K because he did not want to risk injury descending 3000+ ft in over three miles. He ran controlled and somehow ran well enough to stave off a charging Jason Bryant.
It was a great trip, a great day on the mountain, and Gabriel now knew he strengths and weaknesses. All would be addressed in the months to come...
Burnsville, NC - The US Skyrunner Series launched in 2014, challenging Americans to some of the most difficult racing found in our vast landscape. Although Gabriel had signed up for the Kendall Mountain Run, he was unable to make the trip and the series passed him by.
2015 brought a new series and some East Coast options. And so, Gabriel entered the Quest for the Crest Vertical Kilometer with sights on racing US Mountain Champion, Joseph Gray. As his training evolved with trips to Big Round Top and a final session at Colonel Denning State Park, Gabriel felt he was ready for a legitimate assault, regardless of who would show up in the Black Mountains.
Race morning brought chaos. Gabriel was surprised to see Matt Lipsey there. Matt had destroyed an unprepared Gabriel at Glacier Ridge about a month back, so this would truly test if his training was progressing. Jason Bryant also showed up, and there were a handful of locals, including the defending champions.
The Quest for the Crest VK was a 3200ft climb in 2.7 miles. The course record was 46-minutes, and Gabriel didn't really know what to expect in a VK, as this would be his first. There would be half mile sections at 50% grade; long steady climbs, and some scrambling. Gabriel prepared his mind.
The gun went off and Joe Gray and Matt Lipsey burst into the lead on the 9% road climb to the trailhead. Gabriel was immediately in about 5th-8th place but unconcerned. He knew there would 40+ minutes of running ahead of him. Within a half mile, Gabriel had moved up into third behind Lipsey, and quickly passed Matt and set his sights on Joe Gray. Gray was strong. Each stride was powerful and purposeful and Gabriel began to lose ground on a steady 15% grade climb up the mountain, but he felt he was distancing himself from the pack behind him. This would be Gabriel versus the mountain. Joe Gray would be above the clouds today.
And so Gabriel dug in, with a mantra provided by his wife, "be strong." This would be a course for the strong. Each step he ensured he was going up, with as little power-hiking as possible. This was a race. He moved and moved. After 20-minutes, he was wanting the finish line, but he knew there was another 20-minutes left so he powered on. Thankfully, the summit came in 42:00 (Gray had passed in 36:00), and he was relieved with what he wanted: a top three finish in the VK.
He stopped, tied his shoes (with Lipsey passing him back on the descent), and started down the mountain. There were two races within one and Gabriel had no interest in the Quest for the Crest 10K because he did not want to risk injury descending 3000+ ft in over three miles. He ran controlled and somehow ran well enough to stave off a charging Jason Bryant.
It was a great trip, a great day on the mountain, and Gabriel now knew he strengths and weaknesses. All would be addressed in the months to come...
Monday, May 18, 2015
RAN INTO A BUZZSAW
5/9/2015
Moraine State Park, PA - The Glacier Ridge Trail 30km provided some much needed respite for Gabriel and his family after a long week at the office with the SP16 Sales Meeting. Preparation, presentations, and more presentations had immersed Gabriel in a world of work, and thus an escape was necessary.
Driving out Friday afternoon with the family to the outskirts of Pittsburgh proved quick and after a nice stop with old friends, they arrived at the hotel ready to rest.
While the morning proved to be of good weather, if not a bit warm, Gabriel noted the legendary Matt Lipsey waiting in line at the restroom. Although not on the official entry sheets, Gabriel anticipated his participation since Lipsey is the CR holder and previous year's champion. Matt is fit. He hadn't lost a regional race all year until taking US Mountain harrier David Roche to the line at Hyner. Let's just say this, Gabriel was in no mood nor shape to race Lipsey at this point in time. He was not ready.
And so, Gabriel resigned himself to racing for second, ensuring he got in a proper long run (his longest run to date had been 20km), and enjoyed the scenic and tough course. When the gun blasted, Lipsey sprinted off the line like a mad man, disappearing into the trail, as Gabriel crossed the first mile comfortably in sub-6:05. Lipsey must have run that first mile in close to 5:00.
And so it began, a nice long run on the trails of Moraine State Park. However, within a couple of miles, Gabriel felt horrible. He had just started on Claritin-D as he had visited the doctor on Friday suffering from sinusitis and laryngitis after ignoring his seasonal allergies. Perhaps the medication was wreaking havoc on his body. Perhaps it was all his energy was gone from the long week at work, the sleepless nights, and the long drive. He entertained the thought of turning around and saving the effort for another day. This was miserable.
However, by an hour, his body woke up, he started running well, and started enjoying the trail. There were some good climbs and some good sections of trail. This was a great trail. He saw 7:26/mi pace early on and figured he was running well enough. By the turnaround, Gabriel was over 6-min back of Lipsey. With encouragement from the on-coming runners, Gabriel was alerted that Lipsey was right ahead, the lead down to 4-min. This excited Gabriel only temporarily, as he was aware he was in no shape to "hammer" the final 10km... his fitness was not there and by 12 miles his energy had dwindled and he was faced with quite a tough course ahead of him. His power fleeted on the uphills, he was brought to life on the downhills, and then he found his rhythm with the head back, arms swinging with his empty water bottle, center chest, and just attempting to fly. He was very proud of his road finish, powering home the whole way and finishing a solid 12-minutes behind the impressive Lipsey.
Lipsey is the future, as there always needs to be one. It would be interesting to see what Gabriel could do while in form, but the course is quite legitimate. The course nor the competition was conquered on this day, but the job was accomplished and 30km of running was in the bag.
Moraine State Park, PA - The Glacier Ridge Trail 30km provided some much needed respite for Gabriel and his family after a long week at the office with the SP16 Sales Meeting. Preparation, presentations, and more presentations had immersed Gabriel in a world of work, and thus an escape was necessary.
Driving out Friday afternoon with the family to the outskirts of Pittsburgh proved quick and after a nice stop with old friends, they arrived at the hotel ready to rest.
While the morning proved to be of good weather, if not a bit warm, Gabriel noted the legendary Matt Lipsey waiting in line at the restroom. Although not on the official entry sheets, Gabriel anticipated his participation since Lipsey is the CR holder and previous year's champion. Matt is fit. He hadn't lost a regional race all year until taking US Mountain harrier David Roche to the line at Hyner. Let's just say this, Gabriel was in no mood nor shape to race Lipsey at this point in time. He was not ready.
And so, Gabriel resigned himself to racing for second, ensuring he got in a proper long run (his longest run to date had been 20km), and enjoyed the scenic and tough course. When the gun blasted, Lipsey sprinted off the line like a mad man, disappearing into the trail, as Gabriel crossed the first mile comfortably in sub-6:05. Lipsey must have run that first mile in close to 5:00.
And so it began, a nice long run on the trails of Moraine State Park. However, within a couple of miles, Gabriel felt horrible. He had just started on Claritin-D as he had visited the doctor on Friday suffering from sinusitis and laryngitis after ignoring his seasonal allergies. Perhaps the medication was wreaking havoc on his body. Perhaps it was all his energy was gone from the long week at work, the sleepless nights, and the long drive. He entertained the thought of turning around and saving the effort for another day. This was miserable.
However, by an hour, his body woke up, he started running well, and started enjoying the trail. There were some good climbs and some good sections of trail. This was a great trail. He saw 7:26/mi pace early on and figured he was running well enough. By the turnaround, Gabriel was over 6-min back of Lipsey. With encouragement from the on-coming runners, Gabriel was alerted that Lipsey was right ahead, the lead down to 4-min. This excited Gabriel only temporarily, as he was aware he was in no shape to "hammer" the final 10km... his fitness was not there and by 12 miles his energy had dwindled and he was faced with quite a tough course ahead of him. His power fleeted on the uphills, he was brought to life on the downhills, and then he found his rhythm with the head back, arms swinging with his empty water bottle, center chest, and just attempting to fly. He was very proud of his road finish, powering home the whole way and finishing a solid 12-minutes behind the impressive Lipsey.
Lipsey is the future, as there always needs to be one. It would be interesting to see what Gabriel could do while in form, but the course is quite legitimate. The course nor the competition was conquered on this day, but the job was accomplished and 30km of running was in the bag.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
NO CHILLING HERE
1/25/2015
Reading, PA - This was a bad decision from the beginning of time. There is a reason it has taken Gabriel over three months to report on this race - it was traumatizing.
Gabriel was in need of a workout. A nice, hard tempo. Well, the advertised "the HARDEST trail run" that the organization puts on relative to more hills on a per mile basis. Well, that was not intimidating, since Gabriel had raced at Spook Lane previously, it was the snowfall that had acclimated over the previous few days.
Gabriel showed up, full of running, to a pretty packed field. A delay held up the start, but soon enough they were off and it was out fast. The initial climb was an absolute scramble. Guys were fighting for terrain and soon enough Gabriel realized this would be no solo effort and workout. A couple of runners had escaped the turmoil behind them and had quite a significant lead early into the race. More devastatingly though, there was 5-6" of soft snow on the ground, meaning everyone was running the same pace no matter the effort. So, at every instance, Gabriel attempted to claw into the lead.
He finally made contact with the leader, who looked strong, and immediately took the lead to press on. He created a small gap, but soon enough the race at the front took on a cat and mouse battle of wills. Gabriel would power away on the uphills, and the challenger would charge back into the lead on the flats and downhills. Gabriel quickly decided two things - 1) he was either not heavy enough to power through the half foot of snow, or 2) he had on the wrong footwear. Pretty soon it was evident, he just didn't have enough fitness.
By midway, Gabriel conceded victory. He had hammered and to no avail. He was exhausted. Finally, on one last climb up to an aid station, the RD yelled out, "only a mile to Mount WTF"... hmm, Mount WTF sounded like a serious climb, Gabriel's only chance to win this race. And so, he took on the mindset of a rabid squirrel, taking short, quick strides to get through the snow as quickly as possible and to Mount WTF with some semblance of a lead. It worked. Gabriel had summoned some inner strength and began pulling away, powered up Mount WTF, sprinted down the road, entered the trail, and somehow managed to keep a 50-100m lead until the finish line. That was amazing. A lot of fun, pain, and craziness, but amazing.
Turns our the challenger was the famous Eric Marshall, one of the best stories of the PA trail racing scene. What a great race, as Gabriel looks forward to more battles in 2015.
Reading, PA - This was a bad decision from the beginning of time. There is a reason it has taken Gabriel over three months to report on this race - it was traumatizing.
Gabriel was in need of a workout. A nice, hard tempo. Well, the advertised "the HARDEST trail run" that the organization puts on relative to more hills on a per mile basis. Well, that was not intimidating, since Gabriel had raced at Spook Lane previously, it was the snowfall that had acclimated over the previous few days.
Gabriel showed up, full of running, to a pretty packed field. A delay held up the start, but soon enough they were off and it was out fast. The initial climb was an absolute scramble. Guys were fighting for terrain and soon enough Gabriel realized this would be no solo effort and workout. A couple of runners had escaped the turmoil behind them and had quite a significant lead early into the race. More devastatingly though, there was 5-6" of soft snow on the ground, meaning everyone was running the same pace no matter the effort. So, at every instance, Gabriel attempted to claw into the lead.
He finally made contact with the leader, who looked strong, and immediately took the lead to press on. He created a small gap, but soon enough the race at the front took on a cat and mouse battle of wills. Gabriel would power away on the uphills, and the challenger would charge back into the lead on the flats and downhills. Gabriel quickly decided two things - 1) he was either not heavy enough to power through the half foot of snow, or 2) he had on the wrong footwear. Pretty soon it was evident, he just didn't have enough fitness.
By midway, Gabriel conceded victory. He had hammered and to no avail. He was exhausted. Finally, on one last climb up to an aid station, the RD yelled out, "only a mile to Mount WTF"... hmm, Mount WTF sounded like a serious climb, Gabriel's only chance to win this race. And so, he took on the mindset of a rabid squirrel, taking short, quick strides to get through the snow as quickly as possible and to Mount WTF with some semblance of a lead. It worked. Gabriel had summoned some inner strength and began pulling away, powered up Mount WTF, sprinted down the road, entered the trail, and somehow managed to keep a 50-100m lead until the finish line. That was amazing. A lot of fun, pain, and craziness, but amazing.
Turns our the challenger was the famous Eric Marshall, one of the best stories of the PA trail racing scene. What a great race, as Gabriel looks forward to more battles in 2015.
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