2014 Mt. Greylock Half Marathon

Happy Father's Day!  My wife asked me what I wanted for Father's Day, and I said I wanted to go run this race, and that was it.  Green light!  My friend James was fishing for someone to go with, so I gave him a shout and let him know we were going.

We left my house at 6, with a possible 3 hour drive.  Made it there in much less, and it was great (as it always is) to have conversation on the long ride.  Coming around a curve in Adams, Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts, is unmistakeable.  We both let out a gasp and the nerves started to kick in.  I never (well, hardly ever) get nervous before a race, but I was looking up at this mountain with apprehension.  I'd been running hills, but nothing like this.  The tower at the top, partially obscured by...clouds...fog...something, was beckoning, and a cool wind was whistling through the Glen, at the lower part of the mountain.  Hmmm...

Met up with Greg H. almost immediately, then WTAC brethren Jonny and John.  Glad to see familiar faces, but I ended up having some great conversations before and during the race with quite a few people - trail runners are quite a friendly crowd.  James and I checked in, got bibbed up, and did a short warmup on the tail end of the course.  Looked very similar to what I'm used to!  Now about that mountain...

Got ready and lined up for the race.  With single-track trail right off the bat, there was a big bottleneck, but nobody seemed like they were in a big hurry.  The slow three mile trudge up the mountain had begun.  My goal was to hit the top in under an hour.  At 2400' of gain in the first three miles, that seemed totally reasonable.  I chatted with a runner named Will, who grew up at the base of the mountain and was running his 16th Mt. Greylock race.  He gave me plenty of good advice, as did others.  Apparently the net downhill back 10 miles were no love-fest - in fact, with recent rain, they'd be steep in places, slippery and muddy...

Got to the top, camera at the ready to snap a quick picture, and...fog!  Clouds!  Could barely see the enormous statue, so James and I continued on.  I was skipping down the first descent at a good clip, it was technical but fun.  there began a series of rises and falls on the backside, on tight trails.  At one intersection, we run into about eight runners.  No streamers in sight, so we take the left.  After a bit, I notice a muddy section with no recent footprints.  Back we go.  I think we added just a few hundred yards each way there.  I did stop to take one picture on the back part:

Breathtaking scenery, one of several waterfalls and stream crossings...

A long, slightly ascending, then descending, service road followed.  Lost James here around mile 9.  When we hit the super muddy downhill singletrack section at mile 11(?), I opened up what I had left in the tank, and passed a number of people, fast and recklessly.  The best part of the race for me.  I finished well!  I was thinking I'd come in just over the 3-hour mark, until the official results got posted:

Just squeaked in under 3 hours with 0:00:06 to spare!

The Sun finally came out!!!  Greylock, looking less formidable than it was for me...

Greg was 3rd and Jonny 6th in a really competitive field, not sure about John but the "official official" results will be posted soon.  Some crazy fast runners there!  After James sat in a nearby stream to cool off, he changed up and we were out rather quickly.  A directional mishap added a bunch of time to our drive though (I'm not blaming anyone...James!!!), so I got us back at 5.  Great day, and one Helluva race put on by the WMAC (no affiliation with the WTAC!).  I got home to receive this handmade painting from my daughter for Father's Day, which capped my day off perfectly:

Love my daughter, she's awesome!

Great day!!!