Friday, 11/10/2017 to Sunday, 11/12/2017 - Dirt Cheap Stage Race

The race this weekend is the three race Dirt Cheap Stage Race at Mendon Ponds Park (MPP) put on by Yellow Jacket Racing for the past nine years. I have run it every year since its inception in 2009. It was 3 races in 2 days for the first six years: Stage 1 - the 3 mile Time Trial on Saturday morning at 9 AM, Stage 2 - the 5 mile Devil's Bathtub race at 1 PM and Stage 3 - the 11 mile Epic Race on Sunday at 9 AM. Stage 1 was moved to Friday night at 6:30 PM (yes ... in the dark) in 2015. So now it is 3 races in 3 days.

I did some number crunching and totaled up all my times for these races since 2010. I couldn't do 2009 because I had missed a turn during Stage 1 that year and DQ'ed myself afterward. I wasn't the only one who missed that turn but I was one of the very few who went to the timer and took a DQ. Anyway ... I noticed that I ran my fastest cumulative time for the DCSR was last year, 2:58:21, in 2016. My Stage 1 time of 30:55 was my second slowest and Stage 2 time of 43:19 was my third fastest but my Stage 3 time of 1:44:07 was my fastest ... so I beat my previous best from 2011 by 25 seconds. Insert snark about cagey veteran runner here! I have run 425 races so I qualify, lol.

Friday, 11/10/2017: 16394 steps during the day, 2 runs of 1.0 and 3.13 miles, 19F, 67% RH, 8 mph W wind, wind chill 10F, clear.

I knew that Stage 1 is a time trial with runners going off every 5 seconds. I remembered that you are seeded according to when you pick up your bib. I also remembered that I picked up my bib at the race venue last year and had to wait for some long and rather cold minutes to race. So I made my way to Fleet Feet Armory to pick up my bib and series mug before I went to lunch. Boom .. bib 151.

I charged my headlamp for about 18 hours but it never came to a full charge. It was bright enough but I think a new running headlamp is in my future.

I didn't get out of work as early as I wanted so I didn't start out until just before 5:30 PM. I wore my usual winter running gear: Brooks running pants, white Freezeroo long sleeve tech, yellow/black Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover along with my blue Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes. I thought about wearing my black Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes that I had screws put in 2 years ago ... I think I should have. I saw runners with Micro-Spikes later. I got down to the parking lot at the intersection of Pond Rd and Douglas Rd around 6 PM. I added my balaclava, yellow/black Brooks beanie, headlamp and ski mittens along with a jacket that I found in the trunk as I walked the cold and dark 1/4 mile up to the race venue. Did I mention it was cold?

I got up there at 6:23 PM. I was cold so I stuffed my jacket into my drawstring bag and got out for a 1 mile warm up run at 8:23 pace, link here. I knew I had a bit over 12 minutes from the race start since every runner was going off every 5 seconds and I had bib 151. So I only had to wait about 5 minutes before I started.


And .. I was off! DCSR #1 is a short, just over 3 miles, trail race in the dark. This particular one was made more difficult by the one inch of snow and a bit of ice along with leaves obscuring the rocks and roots underneath. My headlamp wasn't as bright as I would have liked either. Another difficulty was passing some of the 150 runners in front of me. The upshot was that I fell not once but twice. The first fall was about 1.5 miles in. I was going around a tree to the right and putting down my right foot on a slope that fell away from the tree. My foot slipped on some ice and boom! I went down on my right hip just like that! I bounced back up and continued running. I walked a few of the hills along with everyone else. The second fall with due to a root on a downhill. I let myself tumble a bit instead of trying to stop right away. I bounced up again and kept on running. I did slow down a bit. I could hear Ellen so I knew I was close to the finish. I passed a few runners and ... done in 32:51, 10:30 pace!

Post DSCR #1 selfie

I went to the food tent and quickly downed 2 hot dogs and 2 cookies. I put my jacket and headed back to the Cruze fairly quickly ... another race tomorrow.

I laid out my somewhat wet running clothes for them to dry ... I don't change my clothes for the DCSR if I can help it. Just pick them up and put them back on the next day. Boom ... easy peasy.

I checked the results when I got home. I did OK, 3.13 miles in 32:47 (32:51 by Garmin), 10:30 pace, 352 feet elevation gain, 68th out of 203, 1st out of 2 (!) in my M 60-69 age group, link here. My splits were: 10:03, 11:22, 10:27 and 7:26 over the last 0.13 mile.

I was tired when I got home and went to bed by 11 PM. My alarm was set for 7:15 AM.

Saturday, 11/11/2017: 11187 steps during the day, 2 runs of 1.1 and 4.65 miles, 27F, 68% RH, 3 mph SSE wind, cloudy.

I got up with my alarm and puttered for a bit. I had a pre-race breakfast of a English muffin with ham and cheese along with a glass of apple cider. I kissed Christine goodbye and headed back to MPP. The venue this time was Devil's Bathtub. I got there around 9:10 AM and got a nice parking spot just below the parking lot on top of the hill. I did stop for a much needed pit stop at the heated bathroom near Stewart Lodge ....nice!

A Facebook grab

A peace sign I saw marched off in the snow at Stewart Lodge

 It was a bit warmer so I just wore my yellow/black Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I got out for a nice and easy warm up run of 1.1 miles at 9:04 pace, link here.


I talked a bit with Andy Ciaio as we walked up to the start. And ... we were off! I was up with the fast kids and was passed a bit in the first mile before we got to single track.

DCSR #2 - start ... photo courtesy of Jo Meleca-Voigt

Andy (yellow top and shorts) and I (4 runners back) ... photo courtesy of Jo Meleca-Voigt

The trail conditions were variable like last night: an inch of snow, bare trail, a bit of ice, rocks, roots, leaves. Today we had areas of ice with mud and water underneath! But I could mostly see the hazards today. I was a bit more careful, didn't fall and walked the hills I had to walk. I found a lot of mud and water though! The mud was sticky and tired me out. I saved enough strength to make it up the infamous stairs to the finish. And ... done in 47:36, 10:14 pace!

The infamous stairs of DCSR #2 ... photo courtesy of Jo Meleca-Voigt

I had 1.5 cinnamon raisin bagels and 4 cookies along with some water after the race. I had wisely brought a change of shoes and socks. I changed into them as I was sitting in the driver's seat of the Cruze. I may have gotten some mud inside the car. But .. my feet were freezing!

Post DCSR #2 selfie

I checked the results when I got home. I did OK, 4.65 miles in 47:34 (47:36 by Garmin), 10:14 pace, 348 feet elevation gain, 56th out of 220, 1st out of 2 in my M 60-69 age group, link here. My splits were: 8:12, 10:37, 11:24, 9:23 and 12:16 over the last 0.65 mile.

A warm shower did feel good after I put my wet gear up to dry. I have my doubts that my blue Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes would be dry by morning.

Sunday, 11/12/2017: 19958 steps during the day, 2 runs of 0.52 and 10.09 miles, 30F, 64% RH, 6 mph SW wind, wind chill 27F, cloudy with some sun.

I was up by 6:30 AM. Today was all about running for the coveted DCSR hoodie! Ellen is fond of saying even she doesn't know what color the hoodies are until she opens the box! I had my usual bowl of cereal and banana for breakfast. I kissed Christine goodbye and left around 7:40 AM. The 30 minute drive down to MPP was uneventful. There is something comforting about following a Dodge Caravan sporting a Sehgahunda sticker on its rear window ... you're pretty sure that they're going where you're going!

I went up to Stewart Lodge to hang out for a while. Ellen was a bit concerned about the a**holes that had removed the course flags overnight. She told everyone that they were being replaced.

I got out for a short 0.52 mile warm up run on my virgin Saucony Kinvera trail shoes at 11:03 pace, link here. I had these Fleet Feet clearance shoes in my closet for a couple of years but never had dug them out. My trusty blue Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes were still damp. I was not impressed with the lack of room in the toe box but ... what choice did I have? You run in what you bring to the dance. I met up with Andy Ciaio just before the race and got my Garmin Live Update fired off about 2 seconds before the race started.


 And ... we were off! I have run this race more than a few times so I knew to go out nice and easy. Easy to do and hard to do ... so I didn't. I talked a bit with Andy off and on for the first mile before I pulled ahead. There was too much mud for the first four miles.

Maybe two or miles ... photo courtesy of Marsha Barrett

Somewhere in the middle ... photo courtesy of Marsha Barrett

Somewhere else in the middle ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

I took a mouthful of Hammer Gel at mile 4.75 just before I crossed Canfield Rd. Andy passed me as I drank some water as I crossed the road. He told me that he had kept me in view ... I just love being a rabbit, lol! I set off after him. There was a lot of cold mud and water for the next three miles. There was even a bit of glare ice on Hopkins Point Rd at mile 7 that required a bit of skating ... err ... putting on the brakes a bit and trying not to fall on my ass. I skirted the edge of most of the bog by Devil's Bathtub instead of taking the higher but very rooty route above it. Getting it done! I saw Boots at the top of what he said was "the last hill before the finish". I laughed a bit. It's mostly true ... it's the last "big" hill that requires most runners to walk (err ... crawl) up it. I could hear Ellen at the finish so I just kept on running.

About a mile from the finish ... photo courtesy of Marsha Barrett

About 1/4 mile from the finish ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

Mud ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

Barb took my picture ... a couple hundred yards more ... right turn ... up the last hill ... cross a foot wide log ... and done in 1:51:39!

My newest favorite DCSR hoodie!

I found lots of mud!

I went inside to get my new 2017 DCSR hoodie. Ellen told me and everyone else that "no one can wear this hoodie but you". The color this year is chocolate ... sweet! I was a bit chilled so I changed right into my newest favorite hoodie. I talked with Andy (1:47:23) and Doug Miller (1:56:58) for a bit as we watched other runners run up the last hill to the finish.

I am not a soup person so I just had a bagel and some cookies after the race. I had brought a change of shoes and socks again. It may have been a bit gross ... but I changed my shoes and shoes right in Stewart Lodge. My toes were freezing! I finished ahead of Chris Barry who was the other M 60-69 runner. I talked to him for a bit before I picked up my age group award ... a jar of creamy Once Again peanut butter and a nice plaque.

The M 60-69 age group winner swag ... I was running out of peanut butter!

I stopped by Herrema's to get a couple of large cinnamon buns ... I figured that I had earned their sweet goodness ... mmm!

I stripped and took a nice hot shower and bath when I got home. I don't normally take baths but usually do after long and dirty races. I checked the results as I sitting with my feet up with my obligatory mug of coffee. I did OK, 10.09 miles in 1:51:38 (1:51:39 by Garmin), 10:14 pace, 804 feet elevation gain, 57th out of 197, 1st out of 2 in my M 60-69 age group, link here. I was 50th out of 175 overall in the series, link here. My splits were: 9:22, 9:25, 11:20, 10:33, 11:13, 9:27, 11:18, 14:16, 13:24 and 10:16 over the last 0.09 mile.

So ... another epic Dirt Cheap Stage Race is in the books. What have I learned? I may be getting older and may be losing a step or two but I still love running in the woods from time to time. It's so different and more peaceful than running on the road. It may be a bit more dangerous but it's a different kind of dangerous. Trail running requires your attention and concentration to adjust your foot falls to the varying terrain. If you lose focus you can and will fall. It may not seem it but trail running is relaxing.  I would have never believed you if someone had told that when I first starting running way back in 2005. But it is. Plus you get to play in mud! That's my story and I am sticking to it.