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

a week later at the hot and humid Thom B Trail Runs. I ran the 17-mile option at this small local race just to get in the miles at a casual pace, but the humidity and residual fatigue left me hurting after this one too. In retrospect, both of these runs were a bad idea that left me with sore quads and calves. I should have run fewer miles, easier efforts, or both. 

Fast forward another week to Cayuga Trails race day. Gone were the scorching sun and 95% humidity from Thom B. Cayuga was chilly and rainy, with plenty of mud and slick spots along the entire course. I don't know that I'd ever run a race in late May wearing a rain jacket for warmth, so this was a first.

The Cayuga Trails 50-mile is no longer a USATF Championship race, but that didn't stop it from selling out. Ian Golden knows how to put on an A+ event, and that seems to be the selling point here; not the race's championship status or lack thereof. The 50-mile field was large enough that it was split into two wave starts in order to better accommodate social distancing. The first wave took off at 6:00 a.m., and my wave at 6:30. 

The first 10-mile section went well enough. I made it a point to start slow and treat this section as a warmup run. We all had to tread carefully on the stone stairways and granite sections along the park's Rim and Gorge Trails. By the end of this section the temperature had risen just enough to shed my rain jacket and toss it the car. 

Heading out to Buttermilk, the initial excitement of racing began to wear off and fatigue began creeping in. At the mile 15 Upper Buttermilk aid station, I took some time to eat chill out for a bit, knowing I'd be in a world of hurt after feeling it so early unless I was proactive about taking care of myself. The aid station was staffed by Sarah Dobler and the Binghamton Area Trail Runners, better known at the BATs. Sarah had Muse blasting on the sound system, and if there's a band that can get anyone psyched to tear up the trails, Matt Bellamy and company are it. I put in a request to cue up "Stockholm Syndrome" for my next time through. After the 5-mile loop through lower Buttermilk I reached Sarah and the BATs again, and sure enough, "Stockholm Syndrome" was pumping through the speaker. 

I don't remember much else about the race's first half. Only that the water crossing at lower Lick Brook—which is usually quite tame at this time of  year—was raging, and I struggled through the waste deep creek while Ron Heerkens snapped some photos. I went on to finish the first half in about 4h 47m and knew I wouldn't be breaking 10 hours. 

The second loop was the same as the first but the hills were so much steeper! At least the recent rain provided spectacular views of the gorges and all of their raging waterfalls. I'm always amazed how people travel from all over the country to experience Ithaca's beautiful scenery when it's all right here in my backyard. It's tough not to take it for granted when I can drive 10 minutes to a trailhead and see sites that most people will never have the opportunity to see. 

Most of the second half was a blur. I hiked the uphills and jogged through the rest, with a major low point on the shiggy off-trail section from about miles 42-44. When I reached the top of Lick Brook I knew it was mostly downhill to the finish line three miles away. I spotted another guy close behind and decided that not getting passed would be my motivation to finish strong. I ran every step of those three miles, occasionally glancing over my shoulder and seeing the guy in pursuit, and imagined we were racing for the win. I was hurting hard by the end, but managed to cross the 8 seconds ahead of the other runner. The 10h 34m finish time was around average for me at this race, although the course was a little longer than 50 miles and, per Ian, tougher than the old course. 

I never thought I'd run an Ithaca-area race on May 29th and be ever-so-happy to sit next to a fire by the finish line, but that's exactly what happened. Instead of jumping in the park's swimming hole to cool down and then sitting in the sun with friends and food, I layered up and struggled to keep warm until I could muster the energy to pack up and head home. Plenty of other runners and crews did the same, cheering for finishers while basking in the fire pit's warmth. 

This was my sixth finish at the race's 50-mile distance, second all-time to only Rob Seltzer, and my first time running it since 2018. The modified course beat me up more than the traditional route, but it was nice to have the changes to make the experience little different. Kudos to Ian, the BATs, Eric and Sheila Eagan and the entire #TrailsRoc volunteer team, and all the rest who were out there!