TrailToes

Escarpment Trail 2014 – A Bless To Get High

Distance : 18 miles
Finish : 4:29:03
Rank : #72 (overall)

This was my second year to run this year. The same trail, the same thunderstorm rain, and the same motto, “Mountain Goat Only”. It still fresh in my mind how was those words spoken for itself.

This race was my training race for my upcoming TDS race; actually this would be my first mountain run training after a couple of weeks of vacation from running. I planned to run it nice and easy, try to find the best pace and strategy that I wanted to apply in TDS. Also I had a bruised on my left knee, I fell on the subway train on Friday night. Doing a parkour after midnight on the stairs was not a brilliant idea, I was not even drunk at that moment. Slow and easy seemed the right mantra that day.

Thunder, Lightning, and Pouring
I drove with Joe to the car pool area (the finish line area) to get a bus ride to the starting line. I stayed with Delano’s family the night before and got a chance to hang out with Dylan, which was awesome.

When we got into the starting line, I met many familiar faces, especially the runners from Manitou Revenge that I did a couple of weeks earlier. It was kind of funny how I always see these same people in all of my races these years; I guessed we shared the same flavor of trail running on the mountain, technical terrain and torturing ourselves.
The new thing with this year Escarpment Trail Race was we started in waves, since the park regulated a new rule, they only allowed a certain number of people on the trail at the same time. The first wave was mostly the male elites. I saw a few familiar faces in that wave, Ben Nephew who has been dominating Escarpment trail for years, Ian Golden the RD from Cayuga 50 miles, and Ryan Wellts. On the second wave, mostly were elites female, I saw Kristina Folcik and Sheryl Wheeler.
Like last year, it was pouring again this year, but we had a bonus this time. We got a few paparazzi from the sky, who flashing lightning and thunder from its dark sky.
I was cold and wet, so when I stood on the starting line in my wave with Joe Delano, I could not wait to start and got warm.

The Elites
The Elites
Me with the other mountain goats - photo by Mat Gerowitz
Me with the other mountain goats – photo by Mat Gerowitz

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Vermont 100 – Crewing and Pacing Team Woods

The Vermont 100 Endurance Race is one of the original 100 mile runs in the USA and a part of the Grand Slam Series of Ultrarunning. Each year, 300 runners attempt to finish this hilly race over beautiful Vermont back roads and trails under the 30 hour cutoff point, and a well-trained few finish in under 24 hours.
(description from the race website)

This was my first time to attend a 100 miles ultra marathon race that part of Grand Slam. Although I was not racing it, I was as giddy as the racer in this event, human or horse. Yeah that was the other cool thing about this race, the human would be running the course side by side with horses.
My main purpose for me to be there was to make sure Jessica Woods to cross the finish line. I was part of the Team Woods crew. One biker (Alex), 2 exceptional Boston Marathon finisher (Brian and Steph),the coach (Chad), one MonkeyCart, and a monkey (me). Also there were a lot of runners from NY and NJ area who was participating in the race or crewing. Some of my friends were crazy enough that they were doing The Grand Slam, basically they ran four 100 miles race back to back with only 3 weeks in between.

photo by Elaine Acosta
photo by Elaine Acosta
photo by Elaine Acosta
photo by Elaine Acosta
photo by Elaine Acosta
photo by Elaine Acosta
Team Woods
Team Woods
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Running: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 09:45:27

Last Run With My Beloved MT10v2: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 12:28:44

This run was a trial run for me to use Tailwind and walking poles. I supposed to do 2-3 loops, but I woke up so late that I could only do one loop. But other than almost got lost a few times, and got a chance to meet a giant snake (probably 1-2 meters), it was a good run. The trail was at Ward Pond Ridge Reservation, I was doing the old fire tower loop, that I was not able to locate it. It was pretty diverse trail and some decent elevation. Some area had a pretty good scenic view, and others was some random chairs with weird environment setup.

That spike on the pace, is where I met the giant snake and need to smack bushes:D

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Run For Dylan

10001067_576829152431673_6360765702795937527_oDylan, a 4 years old girl, who loves to play soccer and run. Sometime she races with her dad, Joe Delano. And she wins every time.
Joe is one of my running buddy, who also a Boston Marathon qualifier. Unfortunately, Dylan has to suffer a rare disease, The Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ib. (https://www.counsyl.com/services/family-prep-screen/diseases/glycogen-storage-disease-type-ib/).
Due to a missing or impaired enzyme, Dylan is unable to maintain normal blood sugar levels between meals, leading to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). As a result, Dylan will be chronically hungry, tired, and irritable unless she eats regularly—typically every 1 to 3 hours during the day and every 3 to 4 hours at night. If her blood sugar reaches a critically low-level, sometime may experience seizures. So far there is no cure and Dylan needs to be under an adult watch for 24 hours. It definitely hard for such an active parents, but it is worst for Dylan. She might not realize it right now, but she has a limitation on her activity. She would not able to kicking ball all day, running with her parents, do camping, and what not.
The first time I heard a story about Dylan, it broke my heart. For me, a childhood should be the time for a kid to be a very active, care free, having a fun day/night, and the best time to enjoy what the world could offer. I believe that happiness will stamps to the kid’s mind and soul, which will be carried till he/she grows up become an adult. Although these disease did not slow down Dylan nor her parents. Dylan is a very active kid, Joe is undoubtedly a great runner on the road or trail, and Cindy is going to do her first marathon at Philadelphia this year.

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Mile For Dylan
Then I heard from Joe that University of Florida College of Medicine has been doing research for a cure, but they need more fund. And it become my small obsession to find a way to help Joe with this fundraising. Not only it would be a delightful moment if I can witness Dylan can be running around all day, but also more kids in the future could advantage from this remedy.
So here is my idea:

1. Every 10 dollars from the donation we receive, I will run a mile for it.
**Please assign the runner’s name in the comments area if you want to assign to me or Joe, or any other volunteer runner if there is any. (Updated 07/16)

2. If anyone want to join us to run the mile(s), he or she needs to bring his/her own 30 miles. The donation can be combined from any of his/her donator. Than, he/she will be in the roster as our volunteer runner. And I will email him/her directly for the mile assignment. Then he/she could email me back the tracking info.
**Please make sure that the donator put the runner’s name on the comments area. (Updated 07/16)

3. Every time Joe and/or I will participate in a race, anyone who runs in the same events, can donate their mileage.
**Meaning, the runner could translate his/her miles from the race, full or part of it, into a donation. (Updated 07/16)

 

How to Donate
This is the most important part, please follow this direction bellow, so University of Florida can inform me how many miles that I need to match. Thank you! Together, I hope we can be a small help for Dylan.

1. Please go to this link:

https://www.uff.ufl.edu/OnlineGiving/FundDetail.asp?FundCode=019181

2. Please fill the “Appeal Code” with this format : RFD

3. **(Updated 07/16)** For donating to our mileage. Please fill the “Comments” followed by the runner name that you want to run it, with this format : Run For Dylan – “Runner Name”
(e.g Run For Dylan – Eric D)

4. For donating your race mileage. Please fill the “Comments” with this format : Run For Dylan – “Race Name”
(e.g Run For Dylan – Escarpment Trail 30K)

5. We can always cross check the miles vs the dollars thru this link weekly, http://goo.gl/QE3Tl2

6. **(Updated 07/16)**  The University of Florida will email me weekly for how many miles that I need to match. But, you can email me the receipt if you want me to run it immediately, not waiting till the end of the week. And email me if you have any questions. Email ME.

7. Come to the Final Count Down event on September 24th to give ourselves a beer clank.

 

The Final Count Down
On September 24th, I will run 35 miles to the bar and we will do the final calculation there and celebrate. If anyone one wants to meet up on the run and share a few miles with me, it will be well appreciated.

Ace Bar
531 E 5th St
New York, NY 10009
United States
Date/Time : September 24th, 2014 / 8 pm
Race report >> link
Total fund : 1266.3 Total miles : 268.66 >> chart