The Road to Vermont Chapter 2 – Leathermen’s Loop

While I am not sure a 10k race will help Shelly Girl and I complete Vermont in a few months the Leathermen’s Loop signified the end of the second phase of our training. That phase know as having fun along the way. I have always been a big believer in keeping my running fun. I don’t worry if I miss a day or if I don’t stick completely to the plan. I always try to let my body, spirit and life be my guide. I am sure this has hurt me in races, last years Nipmuck Marathon comes to mind, but I just can’t let running be a negative thing in my life. So, after we ran Seneca Creek, our lives dictated that we would be running lots of short races for the next month. First the Bash, then a 10k at Bimble South and finally last weekend at the Loop. For me, this what just fine.

First, I love short races and second I felt the speed work would be a nice change from the long grinds we had been and will be doing in order to prepare for Vermont. Plus, how could we bypass a race like the Loop with many of the usual Bimblers, along with some virgin loopers. It was going to be a great day of Bimbling! Things started off with a bunch of Bimblers meeting in Branford for the drive to Cross River, New York. Shelly and I hitched a ride with Iggy and Dom. We love those guys, they are so much fun and the drive went quickly, as we chatted away the miles. We got to the race quite early, which I highly recommend due to the parking issues, got our bib numbers and talked about how cold we were. It was supposed to rain but at this point it was just chilly and overcast. We all sort of hung out waiting for the race and laughing about how mcuh attention Guthrie was getting. She is held in awe at the Loop for her numerous victories and course records. In fact they have a model of the loop course with our own Guthrie a part of the exhibit. I was impressed how well Mr. Arsenault, I mean Mr. Bimble, handled his wife’s star status. After a brief warm up, we headed over to the start. If you decide to loop in the future you should know two things about the start. First, they always start very late. Tim and I actually went for a brief jog just to stay loose. The second thing to know is the start is crazy! 1,200 runners scrambling across a field and then jamming themselves into a single track trail. It is chaotic and this year was no different. After a nice tribute to Micah True and the yearly Navajo prayer (Now I walk in beauty) we were off. Tim and I started off together. He is much faster than me but he was nursing an injury so we thought we would run together.

At the start I took off like a bat out of you know where and we both hit the single track with no problems and in a good position. Shortly after, two things happened first Tim dumped me and then a lot of folks passed me. I expected both of these things so I just settled in and found my pace.

As most people know the big allure of the Loop is the water and the mud. This was my third loop and, from what I hear, I cannot say I have ever felt the full force of these aspects of the race. The first year I ran it was hot and sunny so the water was pretty low and the mud no too bad. The second year it was raining and the water was much higher and the mud was downright…  well muddy! I think I lost a shoe that year. This year the course was extremely tame. The Spring has been dry so the water crossings were really low and the mud was almost non existent. This made the course really fast and it would be a day of Pr’s and course records. I did my best to take advantage of the conditions and basically ran as fast as I could the whole time. The first section is rolling single track, I don’t remember the first few miles ever being to muddy and this year the course ran fast. I had settled in to a nice pace, as I hit the first water crossing. The water was maybe calf deep this year so I just took my time crossing and jumped out the other side. I think it was along this section that Super Mudder passed me, but he was so in the zone he did not see or hear me, as I gave him a “lookin good Mudder”. Soon enough I reached the second water crossing and then the lone aid station. The water for the second crossing was low, compared to past years, but still about high thigh in depth. I was going to skip the aid station but I decided to grab a cup of water and then headed out for the mud flats and quarry climb. These are two signature parts of the Loop. In past years the mudflats have actually pulled my shoe off but this year there was only one or two places where there was any mud at all. In fact, without the mud, this was a very fast section, so I cleared the section in good order and came upon the Quarry climb. This is a very interesting section. Personally I really don’t see what the big deal is. It is sandy but it is about a minute hike and then you are done. Plus, you have the bagpipe guy playing at the top! I always find the section after the Quarry to be the most difficult. There are two fairly long climbs of the worse kind. Slight grade and totally runnable. I hate those but this year I was determined to run strong on this section. I hunkered down and while I did not set any speed records it was the first time I had run the entire section so I was pleased and ready for the best part of the Leathermen’s loop. After the hills, you begin a wonderful downhill tumble through a thick forest area and this part is just awesome! For me, I was flying and just had a blast coming off the “mountain”. The downhill section dumps you out on the pen-ultimate section of the loop. It is maybe a half mile flat section that, in the past has always seemed long, so I was pleased when the section flew by and I turned left to enter the field, last water crossing and finish. The third water crossing was was quite disappointing. Usually there are two sections of water and this year I did not even get wet until the second part. At most the water reached my calf. I got across and began the final hill before the finish. While it is only about 400 yards this is another section that has gotten the best of me in the past but experience can be a wonderful teacher so I gathered my remaining strength and sprinted to the end as fast as I was able. The best part of the Leathermen’s Loop is after you are done. After completing the course I turned and walked back up the course to see Nadia finish followed by Shelly Girl and both girls looked good. Shelly must be getting stronger because it is the first time I saw her come up the last rise not looking totally shot! I missed Sudsie and All State coming in but did have my day be made complete by watching Mr. Wonderful, Iggy and Diana come out of the water and take the last hill. They all had that look unique to all runners at the end of a race, a combination of when will this be over and elation. I love it! While the weather had held up for the run.

The weather did begin to deteriorate and we all sort of sat in the rain being cold waiting for our pie winners Guthrie, Shelly Girl and Nadia get their rewards. After that we all headed out with another day of great Bimbling in our memories. For me and Shelly we now turn our focus to Vermont in earnest. While we are very excited to toe the line for this unbelievable opportunity a part of me will long for this month of carefree running.

 

 

See ya on the trail.

Lefty