Mountain Washington 2013

By Stavros Kanaracus

from Leo Kenney Photography

Yes, lucky me I got in by the Lottery.  I did miss the last 2 years and what I remembered from those attempts was the start of my walking efforts began once I ran the initial flat quarter mile of the Auto Road.  Well maybe I made it another 100 yards uphill whereupon my heart rate zoomed and I proceeded to walk.  But this time I had trained on the treadmill set to 15 degrees and 3.1 m.p.h. for at least 30 minute intervals strengthening the walking muscles instead of the running ones while also stretching out the calf muscles thereby preventing pins and needles at the 1.8 mile mark where the road really turns steeper.   A good 6 months effort here with no Pack Monadnock, Mt. Wachusett or Christian Hill repeats. So I am ready on this cool day with the 39F at the top and a 30 mile wind out of the north yielding a windchill of 27F.   But weather or not, after my brief warmup I went with a singlet.

My goal:  To realize a life long dream, that of finishing ahead of an excellent hill runner, Jim Fitzgerald whom I could never top even at my best time of 1:37 a while back.  Jim has climbed Mt. Washington numerous times but of late that has not been the case.   So after Dave McGillivary said a few encouraging words and thankful ones as well in lieu of the Boston Marathon,     You would be glad to not have to be Dave.   I started in the back with Jim and was able to reorient by image of the past 15 years as I gradually moved ahead of him once we hit the hill.  I lasted about 1.8 running and switched to walking once the walkers passed me, alternating thereafter, running the flats, walking the hills.     My brother Nick appeared at mile 1.6 via the Pinkham notch trail, whereupon he proceeded to ask myself and other runners a series of questions about the course such as , “Are you having fun?  You don’t look like it.  Is this the first time you started walking?  Are you familiar with the course?  Why would you want to run such a brutal race?  You don’t look like you are having fun.   What age group are  you in?”   I anticipated Nick running with me but he had too many inquiries to make and once done he handed me a pack of energy dots.  Of course with sweat drenched hands I was unable to open the package.  “Hey Nick how about opening these things?”   He did and then off he went downhill.  He did mention that the lead runners impressed him with their speed of ascension.   Well most live in Boulder and weigh in at 130.

I really thought I had a sub 2 hour ordeal however when I reached the halfway point at 59 and change I knew 2 hours would be out of reach.   Wasted too much time at the start shuffling across the initial flat stretch.   Nevertheless my treadmill training really helped and I moved along the 3 To 4 mile cold downwind uphill stretch without agony.  Too much elevation to try and run.  Once we turned the corner 5 to 7 were directly into a cold wind.  Disappointed, I couldn’t run for the cameraman and once I got to the finish (2:03) I grabbed a Polartec blanket, a hot coffee, not moving from my seat in the Visitor’s Center for an hour as my hands thawed out and then luckily finding  my ride down.   I did realize my dream and without fail encountered Dave Dunham on his way down.  The Hart’s Turkey Farm post race dinner was outstanding as was recognizing the 93 year old finisher prior to the winners.  Unfortunately Lou Peters at 88 was not here this year. He said he would be here if he got in.

I did have to put my hands on my knees to make the last turn but that was about it for that strategy which I had used at starting at mile 4 in the prior two attempts.  The other fortunate items were finding a ride down on the day of the race and warming up prior to it.  And as Will Mason said just before exiting the bus on his way to the starting line at Boston,  “Next year I am really going to train.”

For complete results, go to http://www.coolrunning.com/results/13/nh/Jun15_53rdNo_set1.shtml.