Mt Washington Road Race
One of my favorite races of the year, with the goal to PR or place top 3 in my age group. My results: 3rd in Age group WMDP Masters team was 1st !
From Cool Running: 208th overall 38th woman F5054 time: 1:36:52 12:45 per mile Age group: 3/48 gun time: 1:37:02 WESTERN MASS DISTANCE PRO
The Mount Washington Road Race is a 7.6-mile hillclimb from the base of Mount Washington in New Hampshire to nearly the summit. The race features more than 4,500 feet of climbing as it follows the Mt. Washington Auto Road, America’s “oldest manmade tourist attraction,” which has an average grade of 12 percent. The race started in 1936 and has been held annually in June since 1966. Non-elite runners must enter a lottery to be one of the approximately 1100 participants. The standing course record (56:41) was set by Jonathan Wyatt in 2004.
This letter below is from our WMDP Coach and team mate Ashley Krauss, who was unable to run this year. Definitely got the \”Coach Letter of the Year\” award. Love running with this team!
Hi Ladies,
I just want to wish you all of you going up Mount Washington on Saturday the very best of luck!
And of course, offer you some naggy advice, since I can\’t be there in person to dish it out :).
1. Figure out how to find the car your stuff is going up in and get to the start EARLY, like 7 (the line to get into Great Glen can back up by 7:30; you don\’t need that on race morning); they are serious about making the cars going to the top by 8, and you need stuff at the top, especially if you are running down. There is only limited cell reception at the bottom; don\’t count on being able to call or text your driver. Cars going up should tie balloons or flags to the car antenna at the bottom, and close a towel or something across the roof of the car at the top (beware of high, high winds at the top – make sure it\’s secure). You actually look down at the parking area from the top, and it turns out all cars look pretty much the same from the top. Be sure the driver will leave the car unlocked so you can get in and get changed!
2. Send a ton of clothes to the top, ESPECIALLY if you intend to run down. On a regular year, we bring our down jackets, wool hats and gloves and lend out our extra clothes to my teammates who don\’t bring enough clothing. This is not a regular weather year and Ross and I won\’t be there this year to save your skinny butts! Bring a change of everything; you cannot hang out in wet clothes at the top unless you want to get hypothermia. If you are running down, bring new clothes for running down in, probably different shoes, AND warm layers for while you are waiting for everyone to finish and gather and get ready to go down. And maybe a pack to stuff layers in as you descend. And maybe a mask to filter the smell of burning brakes.
3. Send food to the top, unless a whoopie pie is all the recovery you need. In that case, ask Dawn where to get the whoopie pie, and send up $$. All they give you is water at the top (and a fleece blanket, but you can\’t eat that), and they don\’t start letting cars down until noon, and it can take an hour to drive down. If you wait until then, you\’ll barely make it through the turkey dinner, and definitely won\’t make it through beers at Moat Mountain that night!
4. Have fun! Look around! The tree line is about halfway and the views are spectacular.
5. Start conservatively! Trust me on this one.
Can\’t wait to hear all about it!
Ashley
Run Stanley
Everyone\’s favorite K-9 race at Stanley Park. This race will never be the same after Maverick became the poster puppy for last year and this year\’s event! He loves the trails and DOGS! Oh so fun to pull mommy on a leash through the trails. Lucky for us the 3rd place pup had to take a dump along the way and we cruised into third place! It was a beautiful day and Race Director Vanessa Diana did an amazing job again — so much fun and festivities to celebrate the community of Westfield and support the restoration of Stanley Park bridges and trails.
Bumblebee Booths – photo booth fun with Maverick at #runstanley this weekend! 🙂 Featured here with RD Vanessa Holford Diana who rocked it for the 3rd year raising funds to support Stanley Park
🙂
run stanley 5k Canine Champ Maverick 😉 Any dog that can come out in public and run alongside other dogs is a champ just for showing up to the start line. Always wanting to be in the front of the pack – Maverick would have landed a sub 20 minute 5K if I wasn\’t holding him back! #fastdog #raceday #winner #runstanley
USAFT New England Cross Country Series
GBTC – “Pie Race” – 3rd in age, Team place 1st (50+), 1st (40+) and 5th (Open)
This is the “pie race” where they give the winning teams engraved silver forks! Now I have 2 for my collection. This is a great course, soft flat trails, a bit rooty and I tripped with only 1/2 mile to go. Blaming the cleats, the tired legs, but I rolled it and popped up to finish and try to sprint to catch up with “Katy” at the end. We had a great team there and everyone is so supportive. Celebration for Karin\’s birthday with healthy cake and pie! Lots of Pie!
38 275 NANCY COOK WESTERN MASS DIS F 52 23:13 7:29
WMDP Smith College Cross Country Race (first annual) – 2nd in age
Wayland Cross Country Festival – 3rd in age, Team results: 1st Senior team, 3rd Masters team, 4th open team.
33 Nancy Cook 407 52 F WMDP 23:31 7:35
Missed the Mayor\’s Cup after spraining my ankle
USTAF New England Championship I placed 9th in age and took 3rd overall in the series.
USTAF NE Cross Country Series Final results after 5 events: Top 5 in 50+ / Senior category
Hot Chocolate Race for Safe Passage
This is the holiday celebration for our WMDP team! The ladies and the men both were on the podium winning 1,2,3 and we were the #2 fundraising team — just truly incredible. Festive holiday running gear donned by all and smiles were abound. I love this race! Missed the age graded ranking by 4 slots – but made top 30! So fun hanging out with Vanessa and Anne Lund before and the whole team at the end at the Union House Bar for wings and a beer! Cheers for a Happy New Year everyone!
It truly was a great year of racing for me! Not slowing down too much despite that darn sprained ankle! Lots of new goals coming for 2017!
What\’s your running goals this year?
Please leave a comment below and thanks for stopping by!