Highlands Sky 40 (got to get this post out before writing on Vermont)
Highlands Sky was a race I wanted to do for a long time past four or five years but I’ve been missing the sign up date and it got full too quickly. This year my friend David reminded me the opening date and I signed up after putting it off for couple days (and ended up on the wait list).
And after many weeks, I got in. I think I got in after I got into the Buffalo Marathon (read about it there how I was excited of being pulled off the wait list and also for tge Vermont race).
I have been trilled by being so lucky. Some one says God is kind to Antin.
David ran it last year and he liked it. He and I have been wanting to do a race together. I camped near there before, though not exactly at Dolly Sods, but at Blackwater Falls and Roaring Plains, which are nearby, like 10-15 miles down the road.
I know it has to be a beautiful course and muddy too. Runners, we love streans and mud. Neither disappointed. It was my first time at Dolly Sods and the place is just amazing.
After I got into the race, David said he made reservation at the Canaan Valley Resort Lodge and we could share the room. It is the race’s headquarter and probably only hotel in the area. I had Caroline coming with me. He was fine with that.
At the Resort were where runners bused to the start for those needed a ride. The race is a one way trip point to point and ends back at the Resort.
This kind of race is what I like to do, though the logistics of getting to the start or back later after finishing is a challenge. I am glad to have someone to drive me.
I have thought of camping for the weekend, but since I was coming with a crew and couple other requirements, that was quickly not feasible (I did book a campground but didn’t use it). The best lodging option for those who could afford was to stay at the hotel. They do have cabins and other stuff nearby. I ended up staying at the start woth David. It was one of the best stay I had for a race.
The race was on Saturday. Friday was a Federal holiday, so I did not have to take a day off.
We drove up. Checked in and got my bib. The race came with a pre-race dinner and a meeting. I love the food. It was like a five-course buffet. Then we headed to bed.
David and I were two non-traditional runners, we were late sleeper and decided to head back to the hotel bar to have a beer so as to catch up on things — though we both from the same area we haven’t seen each other for a year (Stone Mill). When we got to the bar, they were about to close and other runners were already in bed; the place was pretty dead. We had our beer then went back to our room. To me, Highlands Sky was not that important any more, maybe I have so many other races lined up, and so we could have a bit of fun beforehand. This might explain a bit of I almost missed the cutoff the next day on my run.
Next morning, bright and early, Caroline took me to the start. We followed the buses for the runners. There we took our group photos and then off we went.
The first mile or so was on the road. Then we turned to get on the trail. I met my friend Aaron at the turn. Aaron was one of my few early trail running friends, might have been the earliest.
It was a surprise to see him showing up. I stopped and said hello but he quickly told me go on. I was one of the last few runners left at the back of the pack trying to beat cutoffs. I thought, once I got to the trail I would reel in people in front of me because I am a better trail runner.
Couple people actually passed me once we were on the trail. Then I was all by myself. Then I said, once we started climbing, I would be catching people because I am stronger at hills. I did catch up to a few runners as we were going up though not as many as I would have like. They said the first climb is the toughest and I was waiting for when it was going to go straight up. It never came. By the time, I realized the climb was over, I said to myself, well that was short.
Then we hit the muddy section. So I prayed I would catch more people. I did maybe two more runners. We then reached the first aid station and 1st cut off point. I was about 15 mins ahead. Not looking too good. By the second cutoff, I believed I passed a father and son team. I was like 10 minutes ahead of the cut, still not looking too good because I was slipping on my time. Then once we got on the ridge, I was swapping places with a runner (whose name was also David). We did not talk much until much later. He had the same strategy as me, just keep going. Every time I passed him, not long after, like 15 minutes, he passed me back.
I think he’s a school teacher. I told him I wanted to make the next cutoff at Dolly Sods and he was telling me how far away it was. We had maybe 2 miles left at the time. He ran the race couple times before but this he did not seem we could finish. I said same, but kept to myself still gonna go for it. I said bye and pushed a bit harder when we got on the road, at the time we were maybe 3/4 a mile left to the Dolly Sods aid station. I calculated that I probably would make it exactly or a few minutes before the cutoff.
I ended up made it in and my friend Aaron was there to rush me back out. He helped refilled my pack and then jammed several candy bars or whatever into my pack pockets. He also got my drop bag and everything was done less than a minute before I went back out.
Now came the long 5 mile road section to Bear Rock. There I caught up couple more runners as we raced to the final cutoff. I ran some and walked some but always tried to keep moving. It was mostly on an uphill. I met up with an older gentleman (I said I would remember his name, but I forgot now, Richard or Ryan). He has done it many times. He out ran me actually but when we were only half mile away to our destination, he said he could not run any more as I passed him again. So I passed him and gave some encouraging words and also passed several other people who I thought were too relaxed about their paces.
When I got to the aid station, they told me, I was the last runner to get through. The rest they would be cut. Later I learned they cut a bunch of runners at the station. Some said, they were a bit too strict with the time cutoff. If they have relax a bit like 15-20 minute more, more people could have finished. In prior years, they would record those who did not make it under 12 hours as unofficial finishers. I can’t say neither way if the cutoffs were too strict, I finished with about 10 minutes left at 11:49 (hr:min). It was a 12 hour race. I could easily have been one of those unofficial finishers.
After the road portion, the pressure was off. I took leisure time. It was no longer felt like a race. Based on the time I had, I needed 4 hrs and 20 minutes to do the final 13 miles, a 20 min mile pace where in earlier sections, we had to run at a 17 min pace per mile. So it was a big relief to go at a much slower pace. I just walked it till the final road section and then I ran it in. They allowed family or crew to join in at the final few miles.
Caroline joined in few miles out from the resort. My friend Aaron was at the final aid station too and he was pacing his friend in but they were too fast for me to keep up at their pace. Aaron turned around and encouraged me several times before our distance was too huge. I was running my own race so I chose to walk.
There were couple other “unofficial” finishers. In other years they would get a finish timing, but I think this year, they were considered DNF. I felt there were many more runners behind me. I did finish. The last of four final runners.
I ended up running with one of David’s friends we met the night before. I did not recognize her until we started talking then realized oh we have the same friend who was ahead of both of us. I had made it my goal to pass my friend David but it seemed unlikely today.
A race is a race. When I was done, and I hardly could walk afterward. Caroline drove the car down to the finish and we rode back up to the front parking lot.
There were a few friends who waited around and so I said hi to them and had their photos.
David had the room for the second night too, but we decided to head back early the same night since our time was short. I think I had more training run to do the next day, plus there’s church.
It would be a race I would have to redo if I get a chance. But I think the early cutoff required a much faster pacing at the beginning portion kind of turned me off. After the Bear Rock, the next aid station at the ski area was just too long away. I appreciated the volunteers hiking up to bring us aids, but I wish it was not so challenging of a race. I think that second half after Bear Rock was what I really like (there were some rock scrambling and challenging trails).
I don’t know if I would run the race again. It was a good experience but I needed to be in much better physical condition to attempt it again.
In awe 