I've gotten roped into doing this run with my buddies who are doing the marathon. Trip report to follow! Anyone do it before?

When I first posted this, I had no real intention to do this run. I thought that I would be able to weasel out and do the 5.5 fun run around the lake. My friends sussed out my plans and with constant abuse I finally relented. I mean, what did I have to lose? After all I had trained all of 3 months with my longest run of 8 miles.

I changed my plan to registering and running the first few miles. Denial was taking many forms.

Four of us flew out. The other three had run New York City 4 weeks ago, 2 around 3:15 and I ran the last 8 with the third who ran 4:32. They had all trained intensely for New York. On the other hand, I started running in August after a 14 year marathon hiatus, although that was a 2:52 in NY.

I refused to even think about what my plan was other than survival. I planned to walk at any opportunity and stay with my buddy. With 3500 feet of climbing, there was plenty of opportunity to walk.

Our fast friends took off at the start, and I did stay with my friend, although his shorts fell down to his ankle in the first 200 yards.

After much cursing of the course, we finally got into a rhythm - walking at the sight of any hill, and jogging on the flats or moderate down hills.

The day wore on and on. That is the problem with walking in these things - it takes forever.

Anyway, we ran the last mile to finish in 5:48. Our fast friends ran 4:13, and the winning time was 3:0something. My legs feel fine today (this was yesterday) but my bad back is a little sore.

Next up - a running traverse of the Presidentials!

Anyone else do a long trail race - Escarpment Trail etc.?

Yeah, I hope to qualify for the 2006 Escarpment Trail Race. I could do it on my own but joining an event is just so much more fun!

Yeah, I hope to qualify for the 2006 Escarpment Trail Race.

What is the qualifier these days? Way back when I did it you needed a sub-3:30 marathon or to have completed one of several similarly torturous trail races. Everything else (e.g. Boston Marathon) has got progressively softer over the years.

The race website lists a few ways to qualify.
# All those who finished the previous year's Escarpment Trail in under 6 hours.
# Men and Women who have completed a 4 hour marathon within the year.
# All those who have completed an trail run of 30k or more in reasonable time (Example: Nipmuck Trail Marathon under 6 1/2 hours, Virgil Mt. Madness Run in under 5 hours.).
# Anyone who has completed a 50 mile run within the year under 10 hours or a 50K under 5 1/2 hours.
# You MUST be 18 years of age or older to compete.

It is the 'reasonable time' that is the unknown for me - each trail race is different. I will just submit my trail marathon times and see if they pass muster.
In the meantime I am looking forward to the HAT Run 50K in MD in March. Anyone here run that?

How hard could it really be ?? A guy from North Dakota finished 10th !

Six hours - yow! That is a long time out there. I think this course is harder than the one I ran from memory. Also it's in the summer.

We should have a gunks.com team for this run. It's our house.

6 hours is too long indeed. The desire to get it over with so I can stop running is my ultimate motivation when all else fails.
A gunks.com team would be fun - we can call ourselves The Running Belays or some other vaguely amusing name.

My first marathon (in the Canadian High Arctic) was 6 hours. And quite tough (600' km-long hills at mile 21 and 25). But I'm getting faster (Richmond was 5:34) even if I'm not training. But I'd love to do the trail run. I've already picked my three races for next year (including NYC for time...at least sub-4), so that means I could qualify in 2007. Put me down as a g.c team wannabe!

fraser was that you in running or runners magazine photos for nyc marathon?