2021 Cayuga Trails 50

It's been more than six months since the 2021 Cayuga Trails ultramarathon and I'm finally getting around to writing something about the race. This recap will be to the best of my recollection, kind of like Proust triggering vivid memories with his madeleine and tea, but far less boring and long-winded.

The course was modified extensively in 2020 due to COVID-related permit restrictions. It retained a similar course for 2021, with the staging area at Robert Treman State Park but in a different spot than the original layout. The modified course still covered most of the same trails, but was made a little tougher by an off-trail section near lower Buttermilk Falls. The format was essential this: Start at Treman Park's Y Camp. Run a 10-mile loop around the park and back to Y Camp. Then run a 15-mile lollipop loop that leaves Treman, passes through the Lick Brook preserves, and loops around to lower Buttermilk Falls State Park and back to Y Camp. 50-milers do this circuit twice and 50k runners do one full circuit followed by a 10k mini loop. Those running the shorter Lucifer's Crossing race only do the 10k loop. An aid station is set up every 4-6 miles. 

I came into the race not feeling my best. Two weeks prior I ran 19 miles on the course with two fast friends—Rich Heffron and Adam Pacheck—who pushed the pace and left me hurting. I thought I'd be fine after a day or two, but I still felt sort of beat down

MFAMTL: Will Run For Gummy Worms

This was only my second time running a fixed time race and the first that wasn't on snowy trails. I jumped into the MFAMTL 6-Hour last minute as sort of a birthday present to myself. Who wouldn't want to spend their birthday weekend pulverizing their quads and then gorging on a giant burrito? 

MFAMTL is an acronym—with no logical pneumonic device that I know of—for Maybe the First Annual and Maybe the Last. My friend Michael Valone created the low-key event a few years ago, unsure if it would become a recurring race or just a one-off—hence the moniker. Turns out it was the former, and after three years of missing out I finally was able to make it up to Rochester's Durand Eastman park for the race. 

The format is simple. Run a one-ish mile trail loop as many times as you can in 6 hours. The first 3 hours you run clockwise, then you're told to turn around and run the same loop counterclockwise for another 3 hours. Only loops completed before the 6-hour time limit are counted; partial loops are worth nothing but extra calories burned. And you apparently earn good karma or fun

Ten Junk Miles Podcast - Meet the Nation

A few days ago I had the pleasure of talking to Scott Kummer over the phone to record episode #147 of the Ten Junk Miles podcast Meet the Nation series. These episodes are short, 20- to 30-minute interviews of listeners and fans of the show, where callers can discuss their history with the sport of running, favorite books, movies, and albums, and whatever other miscellany happens to come up in the conversation. 

I've been listening to this show regularly since 2016, particularly the Long Run episodes. In this format, Scott digs deep with all types of people in the U.S. ultrarunning community, most of whom are everyday runners rather than elite athletes. I've been drawn to these episodes mainly because Scott has a way of getting his guests to open up so it feels like the listeners actually get to know them. A few of my personal favorites are David Clark, multiple world record holder Camille Herron, Iditarod 350 runner Scott Hoberg, and a guy named Mark Scotch who told his story of donating a kidney to a complete stranger. 

I've also enjoyed listening to the other 146 Meet the Nation episodes and hearing stories from other podcast listeners. 

Anyway, click the link to check out my 28 minutes of fame and let me know what you think.