"Due to a stroke
of bad luck, your entry into the Escarpment Trail Run has been accepted."
This is how the application form greets runners who are trying to test
their limits with the Escarpment Trail Run. It is listed as one of the
top 15 trail races in the country, and is in its 27th year of running.
I first heard about it from Firdaus, and of course ever since, I’ve
got nothing better to do, I bookmarked the site! Curiosity is a very
bad habit. Especially considering the fact I had only done a trail race
twice – one being the Urban Challenge in Van Cortlandt Park, and
the other being the Long Island 50K. Boy, I didn’t know what a
real trail was before embarking on this race. Starting in Windham, NY,
this point-to-point course climbs 6 mountain peaks and ends at North
Lake.
typical trail scene |
Strict qualifying standards make sure that
one is "prepared" for this race. You must have completed
a marathon time under 4 hours or a 50k under 5 hours. The reason
for this is that the time limit for this race is 6 hours. To estimate
your finishing time, runners must add 1 to 1.5 hrs to their marathon
times. Roll call is taken before the start, just in case you go
and run off the Escarpment. And you might. The Escarpment Race
is famous for its history, its beauty, and its difficulty. The
Eastern Escarpment Trail, located in the heart of the Catskills,
covers some 30 kilometers of rugged mountain terrain, challenging
participants with extremely uneven footing, abrupt elevation changes,
a total elevation change of nearly 10,000 feet, and no road crossings
for the entire18.7-mile length. In return, runners are offered
solitude, several breathtaking views and new friends. No awards,
no age group categories. Just runners, mountains, and some refreshments
at the finish line. |
Since the first Escarpment Trail Run in 1977, its magic has drawn people
to return again and again, despite painful bee stings, spills, and even
broken bones. And all of it thanks to Dick Vincent, Race Director, who
organized it for some of his buddies way back when, and has been running
it ever since.
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It’s 9 AM, and 200 runners try to sort themselves into a one-person-wide
trail on Sunday morning, July 27th. The weather is just perfect
– night rain cooled the air and lowered humidity, and there
is a light breeze. We hit the first climb almost immediately –
after a short 3 minute jog. Forty five minutes later, I am still
wondering where the top of the "hill" is. Runners are
thinned out and you just hear hard breathing all around you. The
course is not all like that of course: some parts are worse. There
is the climb to the summit of Blackhead Mountain, where you have
to use your hands for help, and not look behind. Just imagine
reaching the top of the Empire State building by skipping 2-3
steps as you grab the next one. Or the descent: eating your quads
alive, jamming your toes (luckily I lost mine in a previous race),
and so consistently steep, that runners commonly collide with
tree after tree just to slow down. At the top of 3,940-foot Blackhead,
you see views that remind you why you don't mind sweating to reach
the top of things.
|
 |
At the halfway point, you start to think it’s not so bad after
all. But wait – there is another notorious climb to Stoppel Point,
not as steep, but it seems to go on forever. Then you finally reach
the mark of an airplane crash – it’s a sigh of relief. At
this point, there is 4.5 miles left to North Lake. Of course, this turns
out to be the trickiest segment of the day. And I thought I was prepared
for it - since I’ve hiked this part twice with the family.
There is not so much a trail now as an indication
of direction: a path marked with blue plastic tape. It winds around
boulders and cascades over rocky ledges requiring a rear-end scoot
or two, and it seems a long, long final mile. You also go along
the edges, and realize where the name of the trail comes from.
At the water station here, a women enthusiastically told me I
was among the top 10 females (mind there are only 29 crazy ladies
to begin with), and somehow it gave me a kick to push the pace.
Not a good call! In the last 2 miles my legs turned to mush, my
right quad seized and I started tripping and twisting my ankles
with every step, making running an impossible effort. So in order
to prevent any serious falls I hiked most of it as fast as I could.
Just before the last turn, a boy jokingly said “It’s
_ miles left”. Petrified and almost losing it while I was
trying to figure out how is it possible– here I was, at
the finish line, 4 hours and 32 minutes after we started, with
cheering spectators and benches to collapse on at last. I was
alive and unbroken. I survived. I know, I know, it’s no
100 miler, but hey, it’s a start. |
watch your footing! |
There were, I believe, 8 water stops. Someone carried every gallon
on his or her back for several miles. And they had balloons, music,
food and words of encouragement for everybody. Absolutely amazing people,
those volunteers. They are your parents and best friends in times like
that..
|
looking down on North and South
lakes |
There is a myth that was recorded by the
Dutch, when they came in contact with the Native Americans of
this region - a tale of Manitou: a demon who would terrorize and
eat Indian children. One of the tribe finally fought him. When
Manitou fell to his death, he turned to stone and formed the mountain.
Those who run the trail know that Manitou still rears his ugly
head once in awhile and claims responsibility for the injuries.
|
It is not so crazy as it seems. If you love running, you just naturally
want to go a little further, to see what longer distances are like.
At some point, 18 miles and 4 mountains comes into range.
Some think of the pain, the agony, the exhaustion, and ask why. Some
think of the pain and the agony and the exhaustion and ask why not.
It is there, it is a challenge and it will be fun ... sort of.
These are not my words, as much of the trail description is taken from
official website from an article written by Stephen
Darrow, but I couldn’t have agreed more. The Escarpment Run
met and exceeded all my expectations, and before the thrill wears off,
I am planning my next trip. Anybody’s up for a company? (scroll
to bottom for answer to that question)
P.S. There is one negative side to the story though – for the
next two days I am a subject for jokes as my coworkers are watching
me going down the steps sideways.
Until next time – happy running.
Olga Varlamova, July, 2003
Learn
more about this excruciating race......
read more interesting
articles written by VCTC members
P.S. Yes, you got some company! For 2004, two other
members of the club joined Olga. Firdaus and Tony also got to put their
bodies through the up and down grind, and came out alive and charged
up. Olga pulled off an amazing effort despite running with an injury,
Firdaus felt so good, he was ready to run back to Windham, and Tony
came out truly humbled! (July, 2004)
