Adirondack Life, Inc. - 2010 Annual Guide: Long-Distance Relationship

2010 Annual Guide: Long-Distance Relationship

Long-Distance Relationship

Long-Distance Relationship

Inside the mind of an ultra trail runner

text and photographs by Drew Haas

Last fall I ran the 133-mile Northville-Placid Trail (NPT). It was a 60.5-hour solo journey that challenged me physically, but there’s more to it. Ultra trail running—covering distances of 26.3 miles or more—is mostly mental. After my ﬁrst 24 hours along the NPT I fought to turn off my brain, deal with the pain and get in the zone, one foot in front of the other.

I had previously hiked most of the trail, so knew ahead of time

where to rest, where to push the hardest, the sections where I could make up time. Among the 12 pounds that I carried in my backpack were clothing, food, sleeping gear, a head lamp, a gas stove and an emergency blanket. I slept three times, a total of six hours—I’d pass out from exhaustion along the side of the trail and managed, each time, about two hours of sleep before I’d get cold. That was my alarm clock. I’d get up, make a hot beverage on my stove and then get going again, eating energy gels, candy bars and dehydrated meals while moving. Whatever water I’d ﬁnd on the trail I’d zap with my SteriPEN, its UV light purifying the liquid in 45 seconds.

Trail runner Chris LaPierre
on Indian Head.

I’d go 20 or 30 miles without seeing anyone, which meant long stretches alone with just the thoughts in my head. By the last 20 miles of trail, terrain I had navigated before, I was so exhausted I started hallucinating. I felt as though someone was in front of me, building the path ahead as I ran.

I was in good shape and spent months training for this (and I know my wilderness survival skills), but logging such mileage all at once takes its toll on the body: blisters, swollen feet and ankles. Since I ﬁnished the NPT my feet have never been the same.

Growing up, I hated running unless it was after a ball. Later, in my 20s, it was a way to get in shape for ski season, an activity to pass the time before the snow fell. In those days I was an avid hiker, a backcountry skier, a climber who scaled rock faces in warm weather and when they were covered in ice. But then everything changed. I started having debilitating panic attacks. My pursuits had always involved factors I couldn’t control, such as gravity and weather. Suddenly I was paralyzed with fear and stopped altogether doing the things I had loved.

But trail running—slowly at ﬁrst, with friends and only in good weather—became my therapy. It’s how I got active and back in the woods. Though there’s potential for sprains and falls, it’s gentler on the knees than pounding the pavement (I’ve never run a conventional marathon) and it’s peaceful to exercise in such a beautiful, quiet place. I couldn’t control the weather, but had control over the type of route I wanted to run and the distance I wanted to cover. As I explored more trails I grew more conﬁdent and found running like this to be the ultimate way to challenge myself, to see how far I could go. I like the idea of opening a map, drawing a route, then giving it a try.

Bill Schneider, of Saranac Lake,
ascends Pitchoff Mountain.

I started with mostly ﬂat former logging roads and then picked trails with steady climbs, spiced up with river crossings and mazes of roots and rocks (see “Training Days,” below). I ran—and continue to do so—about 40–80 miles a week. Once my endurance was established I entered the Great Adirondack Trail Run, an 11.5-mile event through the Giant Mountain Wilderness Area. Then I did the 32.6-mile Damn Wakely Dam Ultra that takes you, completely unassisted, through the wild Moose River Plains (see “The Amazing Races”). In the following years I ran a number of 50- and 100-mile races in Vermont, Massachusetts and Virginia; the 38-mile Jackrabbit Trail, which links Paul Smiths to Keene; Cranberry Lake’s 50-mile loop; plus about 100 miles of the NPT. I was addicted. I had learned so much about my body and mind through these experiences.

Last September when I reached Lake Placid—133 miles after my wife dropped me off in Northville—I realized I had pushed myself the farthest. Yet.

Natasha Barton gets muddy in the
Giant Mountain Wilderness Area.

Training Days

The Adirondacks has one of the most extensive trail networks found anywhere in the country. There’s great running terrain on hiking and snowmobile trails and old logging roads. One of my favorites is the Marcy Dam truck trail, with its five-mile out-and-back route. The rolling terrain on single- and double-track trail climbs to the spectacular Marcy Dam in the High Peaks. There are occasional roots and loose rocks, and the intermittent hills challenge the lungs and legs.

A more difficult route can be found at the Garden trailhead in Keene Valley. Follow the Northside trail uphill to Johns Brook Interior Outpost for 2.75 miles. Here is excellent technical running through roots, rocks and wooden walkways. Steep, long climbs and the occasional descent bring you to the outpost. Cross the bouncing suspension bridge over Johns Brook and then head downriver on the Southside trail. You’ll pass brooks, waterfalls and rapids to a bridgeless rock hop/ford of the brook. The last climb and descent allow you to drain your waterlogged shoes before returning to your car.

The Jackrabbit Trail, from Paul Smiths to Keene, is primarily a valley trail with the exception of one big climb over McKenzie Pass. The Jackrabbit is great for running smaller three- to six-mile sections of the trail. Some friends and I did 23 miles of it, from Saranac Lake to Keene, and we encountered one railroad track, three golf courses, one cross-country-ski center, a beaver dam and stinging nettles along the way.

If you’re interested in mountain running, my top choice is the Pitchoff Mountain trail. Start at Pitchoff’s eastern trailhead on Route 73 and you’ll climb more than 1,000 feet in the initial 1.5 miles with the first half-mile warming you up for the steep mile ascent to the ridge. The next two miles are amazing open-ridge running, climbing and descending four summits. The terrain isn’t forgiving—perfect for the inner mountain goat. Then there’s a steep descent to the famed “balanced rocks” and another steep 1.5 miles down to the western trailhead. Use two cars if you’d rather not run back to the starting point along the shoulder of Route 73.

Cresting Hopkins Mountain during
the Great Adirondack Trail Run.

The Amazing Races

There aren’t many organized trail races in the Adirondack Park, mostly because of the difficulty in obtaining permits for large groups’ use of public land.

There’s the Great Adirondack Trail Run with its 3.2-mile fun run and its 11.5-mile mountain course. Competitors race through the Giant Mountain Wilderness Area, culminating with an ascent of Hopkins Mountain and then a punishing two miles of constant downhill to the finish line in Keene Valley. This year’s event happens June 19. Call the Mountaineer, in Keene Valley, at (518) 576-2281 or see www.mountaineer.com to register and learn more.

The Damn Wakely Dam Ultra begins in Piseco and ends 32.6 miles later at the Wakely Dam campground near Indian Lake. There is no support for racers during this grueling test of endurance, so participants need to be experienced and prepared. The race takes place on July 24. Learn more at www.wakelydam.com.

Drew Haas holds the record for the fastest time to complete, unsupported—without caches of food or taking handouts, and collecting water only from streams, lakes and ponds—the Northville-Placid Trail. Haas beat the previous record of 80 hours by 19.5 hours. The 31-year-old works at the Mountaineer, in Keene Valley, and lives in Jay. Learn more about Haas, the Adirondack Trail Running Club, plus trail running, conditions and races on his Web site, www.adktrailrun.com.