WIN AGAIN! RACE TO 163 KM ON VIRGIL CREST 100 mountains

Hooray! I finished in less than 20 hours, one of my favorite races on the 100 miles (160 kilometers) «Virgil Crest 100" on 21 September. And at the same time he became the first athlete who managed to win this race twice. Results page here: www.virgilcrestultras.com/Results.aspx#

A few months ago I decided to stop my career a financial analyst for a large international company (after six years of uninterrupted office work) and to devote all their time to professional sport and learning the principles of a healthy lifestyle. I found a formula that allowed me to achieve ideal health and ultra-endurance. Now I want to see what is possible to achieve in the sport if the more serious attention to training and preparation for competitions.

That's where it all happened



Yes, that's on the ski slopes, we had to run around more than a dozen times.



VirgilCrest100 route runs in the forests of upstate New York. Forty-kilometer stretch is repeated four times (round-trip) and includes a number of ski slopes on each lap. The total climb of the race - 23,000 feet (7000 meters)

. Compared to previous years, the route this time included more ski slopes and an additional two kilometers distance (163 km in total). This track is reputable and very serious preparation.

Profile of the route (80km, repeated twice).



Running up the hill on the ski slopes overstrains calves and hamstrings. Running down a steep hill - no easier for the muscles and joints: the knees and back are affected too. And with all of these "hills", we still find the strength to overcome all of the 160-kilometer distance along the forest trails.



In recent years, for various reasons, from the distance of the 160-kilometer race coming off more than half of starters.

Here's how the route looks on a 3D map:



My first attempt to overcome this route (in 2012) has been quite successful.

But last year I had to retire from the race after 140 kilometers a minute because of the lack of training and exposure.

This time I prepared a much more serious and felt more confident before the start of the route drawn up by an experienced Director of ultra-races by Golden Otherworld.

PREPARATION:

As you can imagine, not just ready to race on the steep mountain paths while living in Manhattan. So I had to use every opportunity in the past couple of months in order to escape from the city and train in parks Harriman and Bear Mountain in the vicinity of New York City (where held my readers known races North Face Endurance Challenge).

Living in a tent near the mountain. How do you like watermelon?



At the peak of training loads I accumulates 115 km per week, mostly on forest trails, with a large total height difference (running up and down the mountain).

RACE:

According to the predictions of the popular ultra-marathon website Ultrasignup.com main contender for victory was Sebastien Ruler - a member of the Canadian team on the run for 100 km, and the winner of several serious ultra-marathon races this year. Sebastien intensively preparing for the world championship on the run to 100 km Qatar (November), and in front of our races was in great shape.

Sebastien Ruler



And of course, all eyes were focused on the winner of last year's race - Jim Blandford. I have "fought" with Jim twice on a 160-kilometer distance (2013 MMT100, and 2013 VirgilCrest100) and both times it was inferior. This year Jim had a great racing season with several prize places and a major victory with a record of the track. With Jim VirgilCrest100 completing his racing season until the following spring.

Jim Blandford



Ready to start!



At the start:



The weather was excellent, and all the leaders took quite a fast pace from the start. The first few hours, Jim, Sebastien and I ran together at the head of the race. On a steep slope on the ski slope (about 26 kilometer) I managed a bit away from the opponent. Jim sat on my tail, just a couple of minutes behind, and Canadian (perhaps more reasonable) lowered the pace a little bit more in order to maintain power for the second half of the race.

Concentration



The first half of the route (50.8km) was overcome for 8h 44m - more than two hours faster than last year, and an hour faster than the day of my triumph in 2012. I understood that to maintain this pace in the first half of the race can be unsafe (yet still run more than 10 hours, you need to save power), but I felt at ease and legs did not give cause for concern.

Down the hill



At the end of the first half of the race, the runners get to the beginning of the route from which they were launched and deployed to overcome the second 80 km. This support station I refueled and left to charge for its hours-navigator, took iPods with headphones (with Russian pop music from the 90's, so I had it did not listen, but in the race the good old Hands Up some strange way very help) and headed back to the trail.



After turning in the middle distance, I almost immediately saw Jim, running toward a checkpoint. He fell behind only 8 minutes. When we crossed on the trail, he said that is out of the race. We both stopped. Jim said that from the very beginning did not feel at 100, apparently affected his exhausting race in the spring and summer. And he complained about the too high rate in the first half of the race. I told him to relax a little on the point of support and back into the race, but the race was completed. Some of the runners had to overcome initially only half of our race, and Jim counted the 3rd place finishers among the 80 kilometer race.

Jim comes out of the race on the 82-kilometer



Sébastien at the time was only 25 minutes behind me. This slight delay and a good strategic position to attack in the second half of the race. He looked fresh, and I realized that I still reduce the pace does not. Fortunately, my feeling is remained excellent.

I ran one for more than 10 hours (since the 26-km), and at nightfall my attention began to dissipate. Bulky metal skeleton of an empty cable car cast strange shadows on my trail. One in the middle of the night, half-naked under the bright stars, I was running through the tall grass on the top of a ski slope, and suddenly began to laugh. I felt like a hero of the computer game: what surrounded me, it did not seem real. What am I doing here? How do all of this has managed to do? Who could have imagined running for days in the forest at night, and even up and down the slopes? I felt like a child who does something without logical reason, simply by following some primitive inner compass, allowing him to guide me through life ...

Suddenly my attention was focused sharply on the dark silhouette standing in my path, just a few meters ahead. Seeing me ... silhouette began loudly singing and playing the guitar! Ran by, I realized that it is people from approaching the station decided to support in this way, "cheer" the tired athletes, making them a genuine surprise for the night in one of the most difficult parts of the race.



Here it is necessary to add that the level of organization of these ultra-marathon races here in the US, is incredibly high. Each point of support - a real buffet with dozens of different drinks and dishes to suit every taste. All is left to chance: the night a greater emphasis on hot soups (for frozen), the longer the race, the more variety of high-carbohydrate foods. I have heard that some stations even had a beer and a freshly-cooked bacon on the menu ...

Let's return to the race.

In the area of ​​the 122-kilometer (one route reversal) I saw Sebastien again and calculated that my gap increased to 45 minutes. It remained only to run another marathon - 42 km
. Such a gap in the final segment was more than palpable, and I made a strategic decision - a little slow to protect themselves from force majeure and to minimize the risk of unexpected injury or a wrong turn

.

After the last point of helping me was only 10 kilometers from the finish, but the path in this segment was full of deep mud, and my sneakers for asphalt pavements is not condusive to such conditions. During several hours of running athletes foot can grow several sizes. I solved this problem by elastic laces that with the increase of the foot stretched a little and allow to finish the race without the time-consuming to replace the shoes (and they are not undone). But if you run on the deep mud, the leg can often just pop out of sneakers and shoes have to remove the hands, he returned her hopping on one leg (at the start of the race a couple of times I had to experience it).

On the last leg I managed to keep a good pace, and 3-4 kilometers before the end, I knew that a Canadian I just do not catch up.
I looked at the clock: the total time of the race - 19 hours and 40 minutes. I do not know exactly how many were still running to the finish line, but he was certainly getting close. After my victory in 2012, the year (21 hours 34 minutes), I figured that when ideal weather conditions and with thorough preparation will be to finish in less than 20 hours. But during the race I had completely forgotten about those ambitions, since Completely immersed in a battle with a Canadian fast.

The last couple of kilometers I ran fast (at least for the 160-kilometer race). Until the last minute I was not sure what would happen to meet the 20 hours. But everything turned out. pleased with the results: the race was without injuries, failures and surprises, and managed to finish in 19 hours 56 minutes

. As I expected Sébastien managed to reduce the gap a little bit, and he finished 37 minutes after me. A good illustration of our pace with it is time to finish runner, who took 3rd place (Jack Reyon): 25 hours 38 minutes, which is more than 5 hours behind Sebastien finish

. 20 people finished all 163 kilometers of this year (a total of 3 women). Retired appeared 55% (again, more than half). And that under ideal weather conditions. Last year, 73% of the runners were forced to go the distance!



For many participants, the only problem - just to finish the race. But here on VirgilCrest100 - it is not easy to do even professional athletes. After winning in 2012, the year I fizzled out in 2013, and the same thing happened with Jim Blandford: After winning last year he failed to finish the race in 2014. This route requires respect and careful preparation.

The real hero of the last race turned out to be Jim Porter (54), who finished the race last. It was his first finish in the life of the 100-mile race. Last year, he had to leave the race after overcoming 106 kilometers. This time, he went through all of 163 km, it took him 36 hours and 20 minutes! At the end of his odyssey, the temperature began to fall, and it began to rain, but it continued to move towards the goal. The last 40 kilometers he took nine and a half hours. The incredible strength of will. Jim showed the true spirit of the ultra-marathoners.

Jim Porter finish



Another hero - Julie Goodale

. I first met her during a training session at one of the mountains not far from New York, just a few weeks before the race. She said she is preparing for her third attempt the conquest VirgilCrest100. I saw her run on that mountain all day, in full gear, both during the race. Her positivity and resilience of spirit reminded me that the process is more important than the result in these races. The main prize - a sense of victory over their weaknesses and doubts, a sense of tempered character after many weeks of hard training, a sense of pride in their courage and fortitude

. Julia route



Julia started the race very well, but in the middle of a route managed to get lost, and after returning to the track her stomach refused to accept the prepared food. After 90 kilometers it did not fit into her schedule and established regulations had to withdraw from the race this year.

The next day she was still full smile and enthusiastically told me all about his adventures. He says that it was a lot of fun, and that she will be back next year for the fourth time trying to conquer VirgilCrest100.

POWER:
Before the race: syroedchesky chocolate, fruit juices, bananas
. During the race: mainly orange juice, some sports gels (semisolid sugar), juice, a couple of vegan sports bars, a couple of glasses of sports drink

. The race director was ready for my visit and stocked lots of fruit!

The fruits of victory.



WHAT'S NEXT:
I connect with sports and food companies in the search for sponsorship. In the US, attention to the ultra-marathon race has increased tenfold over the past few years, and the most outstanding athletes can boast some good contracts with well-known sports (and not only) brands.

The plans for November - participation in an authorized US athletics federation of the race for 24 hours in New Jersey. I will try to force the so-called "daily race».

Only forward!