Adirondack Distance Festival 10-K

Dear Blog:

This weekend, Schroon Lake and the surrounding communities prepared for the 18th Adirondack Distance Festival.  The first Adirondack Marathon was held back in 1997.  Since that time, the event has grown to include several races - 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon. The Marathon finishers (with eligible times) can use the race results to qualify for the Boston Marathon. All profits from the weekend events goes to charity.

By way of background, our daughter, Katie, had always wanted to run a Half Marathon.  Her first attempt ended with a stress fracture in her heel. After months and months of rehab, she was ready to run again. However, she was looking for a little motivation.  She asked if we would be interested in virtually training with her.  Our son, Matt, wanted to join in the fun. And so our Half Marathon training began. You can read more about it in our blog: Broad Street Run.

Several weeks after the Broad Street Run, it was Kathy that learned she had a stress fracture in her foot. Several weeks in a walking cast left her back out of whack. This set the training for the Half Marathon back by months. As the date approached, it seemed pretty obvious we would not be able to run the 13 miles. Katie, too, felt she really hadn't been able to train appropriately, so we opted to change our registration from the Half Marathon to the 10K Race. Kathy, still nursing injuries, agreed to be Team Manager and Maggie, Katie's dog, would be the official mascot.

Saturday, September 27, 2014 was race day.  The morning fog lifted as we drove down from Schroon Lake to Chestertown. Race packets were picked up at the Town Hall and bib numbers attached. Here is Kathy discussing strategy, giving pointers, and going over the race course with Dave and Katie.

As the start approached, team #scrantondomination prepared their race kits:

iPhone with running playlist - check

Sports Gu - check

Water bottle - check

Soon, the PA system announced: "Racers! approach the start line!"

The excitement begins to build as the runners crowd into the street. Maggie barks encouragement.

Dave and Katie wish each other good luck before the starting gun. Note the large warrior princess to Dave's right (left of him in the photo). She looks like "Games of Thrones" TV character Brienne of Tarth (a/k/a the BOT). She hounded Dave the entire race.

The 6.2 mile race course loops back toward the start/finish line.  Here is Katie in full stride. The BOT, who ran ahead of David as Katie pulled away, slipped in behind Katie. It didn't take Katie long to leaver her in the dust.

Not wanting to hit the wall too soon, Dave paced himself:

Around Mile 3, David found himself passing the BOT, only to have her pass him again and then slow down in front of him.  David and BOT exchanged positions as each applied their own race strategies to the rolling terrain.  Somewhere around Mile 5, BOT seemed to just not be able to stand Dave's passing her again and determinedly pushed herself forward and slowly slipped ahead of him, never to be seen again before the finish line.

Katie was unaware of the drama that was playing out behind her. She was having too much fun rocking out to her playlist.  There is nothing quite like the smile you get when you see the finish line and know that you never have to run again.  It was fitting that this was Katie's "official" race photo as snapped by the race photographer:

Kathy caught Katie's photo finish and her race time on the clock: 

Rounding the final turn, Dave forgot all about his inglorious loss to the BOT and made a happy dash to the finish.  Here he is in his "official" race photo nearing the finish line:

You've got to love the high tech Finish Line. That's Dave behind the ladder in Kathy's snap of the ultimate moment:

The runners were amply rewarded for their efforts.  The local community put forth a feast, including fruit, yogurt, bagels, donuts, lunch meats and cakes.  There was even a gigantic bowl of "death by chocolate."

The best runners in each category received the cutest race trophies that I have ever seen.  Notice the racers lounging behind the trophies, recovering from their supreme efforts:

Maggie was just glad to have all of her pack back together.  She really, really wanted to run off with Dave and Katie, and it was everything Kathy could do to hold Maggie back.

After cooling down, team #scrantondomination headed back to Jellystone RV Park for a hearty brunch of Bisetti coffee, orange chipotle bacon and blueberry pancakes -- the perfect end to a great race day adventure!

P.S. We are not going to mention the traffic ticket Kathy got on the way back to camp which was not for speeding, but for failing to completely move over to the left lane when she passed a State Trooper pulled off to the right giving someone else a speeding ticket. So, whatever you do, don't tease her about it.