11/13/2015-11/15/2015 - Dirt Cheap Stage Race

My seventh Dirt Cheap Stage Race. The past six were of the 3 races in 2 days format. Race #1, a 3 mile race, held in time trial format on Saturday at 9 AM, Race #2, a 5 mile race, at 1 PM at Devil's Bathtub with its infamous stair climb finish and Race #3, a 11 mile race, at 9 AM on Sunday. This year had race #1 held in the dark on Friday night at 6:30 PM.

11/13/2015: 3.16 miles, 32:34, 10:18 pace, 41F, 65% RH, 16 mph W wind, wind chill 33F, overcast.

I took all my gear to work so I could go out to Mendon Ponds Park straight after work. I took most of my cold weather gear. I chose my old CW-X tight, Darn Tough socks, a yellow long sleeve tech, a white short sleeve tech, Brooks beanie, Brooks jacket, heavy running gloves along with my trusty Salomon SpeedCross trail shoes. Oh ... it was cold, dark and windy outside so I wished it had more at first.

There was no parking by the race venue up on Pond Rd so I parked in the approved parking lot at the corner of Douglas Rd and Pond Rd. Then I hiked up to the road to race venue to get my bib. I was really surprised ... YJR had sunshine (a big ass construction light) and a nice tent to hold their post race festivities.

The DCSR #1 start and finish lines ... the rest of the course was dark - photo courtesy of Fleet Feet Rochester

I was surprised when I got 229 as my bib ... picking up my bib late meant that I got a really high number. A really high number times 5 seconds per number meant that I had wait almost 20 minutes after the race start before I started. So ... I spent it shivering in the tent talking to Jady Simmons who had a slightly lower number. I took off my Brooks jacket just before I got in line because I knew I would warm up.

The time trial lineup before the start of DCSR #1 - photo courtesy of Fleet Feet Rochester

I didn't warm up at all and just hopped around a bit as I waited my turn to go. Ellen reminded me to turn on my headlamp when I got up to the start line.


And ... I was off! I wasn't warm so I started nice and easy as I went up, up and up for the first 1/2 mile. I kept my pace at nice and easy as much as I could and kept scanning the ground with my headlamp looking for roots and rocks. I started passing runners and giving them encouragement or just a "hey". I concentrated on keeping myself upright while motoring past slower runners and yielding to faster runners behind me. One thing I did notice is that I thought I was running a longer distance than I actually. I thought each mile was actually two, lol! Soon enough I could hear the sounds of the finish line and ... done in 32:34!

A post DCSR #1 selfie

I had a some chips, a banana and couple of hot dogs for my post race grub. Another excellent YJR race. They have this down to a science! I put on a hoodie and my Brooks jacket pretty soon after the race. I didn't want to get chilled. I did pretty well, I was 72nd out of 254, 11th out of 27 in my M50-59 age group, link here. My splits were: 9:49, 11:26, 10:05 and 7:43 over the last 0.16 mile.

Saturday, 11/14/2015: 2 runs of 0.83 and DCSR #2 of 4.67 miles, 37F, 60% RH, 16 mph W wind, wind chill 28F, overcast.

DCSR #2 started at 10 AM so I could sleep in just a bit. I think I woke up at 6:30 AM. I had just thrown my running clothing into a corner in the bedroom last night so I just put it back on. The temperature and weather hadn't changed any ... it was just daylight not nighttime. I drove down to Mendon Ponds Park again ... this time to Devil's Bathtub. I got a parking spot about halfway up the hill about 50 minutes before race start. I met up with Prem Kumar, Andy Ciaio and Mike M. I got out for a warmup run of 0.83 miles at 9:04 pace, link here. I didn't get a chance to have a swig of water before the race because I cut it too close. I moistened my mouth with what little spit I had and waited for the start.


And .... we were off! DCSR #2 is a repeat of the 5 mile Dirt Cheap race at Devil's Bathtub with a mass start on top of the hill with the infamous stair climb finish.

The start of DCSR #2 - photo courtesy of Tom Rossborough

I got up to speed quickly. I passed Prem about 1/2 mile in and gave him a fist bump. I followed Mike Maynadasy straight through the mud fields and passed about 4 runners who were trying to dance around the edges to try not to get muddy. Boom! I passed Mike at the apex of a right turn at about mile 3.

I think this was somewhere in the first half of DCSR #2 - photo courtesy of Tom Rossborough

Climbing up Cardiac Hill - photo courtesy of Kim Smith

Cresting up Cardiac Hill - photo courtesy of Kim Smith

I went straight through the creek crossing instead of taking the bridge. The flags led us straight through ... so did I. It did help wash the mud off. Soon enough the course led us to the stairs. I ran up them and was more than happy to stop ... and done in 44:53. I went straight to the Equinox for water and to put my hoodie. I had a banana and apple after the race.

I did pretty well again. I was 56th out of 267, 7th out of 28 in my M50-59 age group, link here. My splits were: 8:09, 9:59, 10:28, 8:29 and 11:39 over the last 0.67 mile. Andy finished in 43:27, Mike finished in 45:08 and Prem finished in 46:39.

Sunday, 11/15/2015: 1:48:15, 10.40 miles, 10:24 pace, 46F, 66% RH, 10 mph SW wind, wind chill 42F, partly cloudy.

I thought I had set my weekend alarm at 6:15 AM but instead it went off at 5:45 AM. No matter ... I got up, got dressed and went downstairs to finish the dishes from last night. I knew the drill ... eat a pre-race bowl of cereal, got dressed with the same clothing as yesterday and Friday night, make sure I had all my gear, get out and get down to Mendon Ponds Park about a hour before the race start. The wrinkle today was twofold: my trail shoes were still damp from yesterday and it was a bit warmer. So I just put on my damp trail shoes and changed to my new CW-X capris and my calf sleeves. I felt that the calf sleeves would help my legs with the 11 trail miles of DCSR #3.

I got down to the Beach parking lot around 50 minutes before the race start. I found the parking lot about 80% full. I found out that about 100 runners had taken the 7:45 AM early start. I met up with Prem Kumar, Mike Maynasdasy and Andy Ciaio before the race. I decided to carry my 10 ounce water bottle and 1 gel so I knew I would have water during this cupless race.

I didn't hear as much of Ellen's pre-race comments that I usually do ... I had some business in the bathroom. I knew it by heart: "Follow the pink flags, don't follow the runner in front of you, if you get lost it's your fault!"


 And ... we were off! This was a long trail race so I knew to pace myself. I settled in ... nice and easy, run the flats and downs and walk the hills that I couldn't run. Still ... I did start out a bit fast and didn't walk any hills for at least three miles.

One thing I did notice was all the photographers on the course. Fleet Feet's Kim Smith and Barb Boutillier took 443 and 699 pictures respectively. Anita Cornell took 117 pictures and Tom Rossborough took 376 pictures. 1635 pictures ... wow!

photo courtesy of Tom Rossborough

This is before mile 3 since I still had my Brooks beanie on - photo courtesy of Kim Smith

I passed Prem around mile 3. I passed a guy who was limping around mile 3 also. I heard him say that he had rolled his ankle. I later learned via Facebook that he had broke his ankle ... but also finished. Of course there was a pic, lol! I also remember seeing Charlie Sabatini out for a walk ... the 81 year old running legend.

photo courtesy of Kim Smith

I took a gel and refilled my water bottle at mile 5. I had a chuckle when I came upon Stacy Maier dressed up as a trail shark at mile 5.85. I got a high five as I passed her.

Stacy Maier as the trail shark ... dum, dum, dum - photo courtesy of Tom Rossborough

photo courtesy of Tom Rossborough

I pressed onward. Prem was right behind as I picked my way through and around the bog. He passed when I stopped to take some water and a couple of breaths. Onward. I staggered a bit as I crested a hill and had to take a swig of water to steady myself. I saw Sean Hendrick as I went up a hill ... he was yelling out "Climbing hills builds hair on your chest" ... I'm sure I got more today. I filled my water bottle as I got to Devil's Bathtub at mile 9. This time we ran down the infamous stairs. I was on the home stretch ... one foot in front of the other ... I could hear the sounds of the finish line ... I saw Jeff Rose at the bottom of the last hill. I gritted my teeth, launched myself up ... and done in 1:48:16!

Gritting my teeth for the finish of DCSR #3? Check! - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

The coveted 2015 DCSR #3 hoodie sure did feel nice!

I quickly got in line to get my 2015 DCSR #3 hoodie. I had earned it, I wanted it and I quickly changed into it. Nice! I had some pasta, a banana and an apple for my post race fuel. I hung around for a while and swapped some running stories with Andy and Mike.

I did OK. I didn't trip or draw any blood. I finished 57th out of 241, 8th out of 27 in my M50-59 age group, link here. My splits were: 8:53, 9:11, 11:02, 10:11, 10:30, 9:47, 9:32, 11:53, 13:17, 10:06 and 9:37 over the last 0.4 mile. I finished 7th out of 23 in the series M50-59 age group, link here.

The DCSR is an event full of stories for lots of trail runners. Some pics from DCSR #3.

Andy Ciaio finished in 1:40:40, 28 seconds behind his son, Ben - photo courtesy of Kim Smith

Mike Meynadasy finished in 1:54:14 - photo courtesy of Kim Smith

Bambi Jasmin finished in 1:54:46 - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

Barry Cherney completed his first DCSR and race #3 in 2:13:44 - photo courtesy of Barb Bouutillier

Beth Spingar finished in 3:12:22

Chris O'Brien (in blue) finished in 1:51:38

Jim McLaughlin and Courtney Abeln finished in 2:16:47, a 28 minute PR for her - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

Danielle Feligno finished in 1:52:32

Jady Simmons finished in 2:28:44

Prem Kumar finished in 1:44:59

Ron Heerkens Jr fell on his water bottle (which knocked the wind out of him) and finished in 1:56:34 - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

Tina Pellegrin finished in 3:03:00 - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

Tom Butler finished in 2:39:00 - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

Amy Lord finished her first DCSR and finished race #3 in 3:00:00 - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

Rick Conrad rolled (broke) his ankle early and ran/walked the rest of the way to finish in 2:38:11 - photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier

I have done this race since its inception 7 years and will do it again at the drop of a hat. It's fun, challenging and a bit grueling. Did I mention fun?