This used to be my “races” page, but that term was being used more and more loosely. Somewhere along the line my efforts switched from 5k Road Races to, well, adventures. Long, self-supported solo endeavors. 100+ mile mountain bikes. 50k+ Trail Runs. Open water swimming lakes. And the challenges I’m looking at in the future you don’t really race or win so much as you either finish or don’t. Yes, I like to make my own adventure.
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UPCOMING: My primary focus right now is two-fold: 1.) Completing an Off Road Half Ironman (successfully completed June 2012!), and 2.) Swimming the length of all 11 of NY’s Finger Lakes by fall of 2013. Below are events I’ve successfully completed as well as others that are on the radar… Dream big!
FINGER LAKES SWIM PROJECT: I live near and often train in or around upstate NY’s beautiful Finger Lakes region. Carved by glaciers thousands of years ago, NY’s 11 Finger Lakes are truly world class (not to mention our award-winning wines)! Ranging in length from 4 miles to 40 miles with depths ranging from 30 feet to 618 feet, I will attempt to become the first person to non-stop open water swim the length of all 11 Finger Lakes starting in summer 2012. You can learn more at www.FingerLakesSwim.com.
COMPLETED:
- AUGUST 2012 – Solo: Seneca Trail System Solo Trail Run. I’m always amazed that the Rochester/Finger Lakes region has all these trail systems I’ve only just discovered. Running 12 miles, one-way, from Victor, NY to E. Bloomfield, NY – the Seneca Trail is beautiful! So, I soloed it, self-supported, out-and-back in one day.
- JULY 2012 – Solo: Honeoye Lake Open Water Swim. This was swim #1 of my Finger Lakes Swim Project – an attempt to swim the length of each of NY’s beautiful Finger Lakes between summer 2012 and fall 2013. It was, quite simply, one of the most amazing experiences of my life (picture above).
- JUNE 2012 – Solo: Off Road Half Ironman Triathlon. I have the ultimate goal of soloing a full Off Road Ironman. Seemed prudent to try an Off Road Half Ironman first. Good thing I did – one of the toughest things I’ve ever done to date! 1.2 Mile Open Water Swim, followed by 56 Miles of Mountain Biking, followed by a Half Marathon Trail Run. Not a bad way to spend just under 9 hours!
- MAY 2012 – Race: Sehgahunda Trail Marathon. I suppose it’s glaringly apparent I have a few screws loose when this is my “fun run” for the year. A full marathon, off road (muddy, rooty, gullied singletrack), covering the length of upstate NY’s beautiful Letchworth State Park – “The Grand Canyon of the East” – with it’s thundering waterfalls. Was lots of fun, but… I DNF’d around mile 20. Was not my day.
- MAY 2012 – Giving Back: 100 Mile Ride For Missing Children (Single Speed). I’ve done centuries off road on a mountain bike, so how hard could this be? So I did it on a single speed road bike… and it was such a blast! What an amazing organization and a great day!
- NOVEMBER 2011 – Solo: 65k Crescent Trail Run. This marked the achievement of my goal to successfully complete each leg of an ironman (or longer) in 2011… offroad. This 40 mile, one day, solo trail run was my first marathon, first 50k, and first ultra all rolled into one… and offroad to boot!
- OCTOBER 2011 – Solo: 5k Swim. I hear that most people prefer running their 5k’s, but I wanted to try my hand at swimming one. So I did. It’s great preparation for my 2012 Finger Lakes Swims!
- OCTOBER 2011 – Giving Back: Fifty for Uganda Fundraiser – Endurance Mountain Biking – Group
- SEPTEMBER 2011 – Trip: Lake Lila, Adirondacks, Canoe Camping – Trip – Family
- SEPTEMBER 2011 – Race: Finger Lakes Triathlon (Olympic Distance) – Individual
- JULY 2011 – Solo: Genesee Valley Greenway – 112 Mile Endurance Mountain Biking – Self-Supported
- JULY 2011 – Trip: Adirondack Wilderness Canoe Camping – Family
- JUNE 2011 – Solo: Letchworth Finger Lakes Trail 20 Miler – Trail Running – Self-Supported
- MAY 2011 – Race: Flower City Challenge Half Marathon – Running – Individual
- NOVEMBER 2010 – Solo: Erie Canal Towpath Half Marathon – Running – Self-Supported. This was my first half marathon; I wanted to see if I could do one. So, I got up early on a Saturday and ran 13.5 miles… about 7 miles further than I’d ever run at one time before that. This was a big turning point for me in understanding just how much I’m capable of.
- SEPTEMBER 2010 – Race: Finger Lakes Triathlon / Sprint Distance – Individual: This was my first triathlon. It was the furthest I’d swum up to that point in my life; I flatted out 4 miles into the bike and rode the next 11 on a flat; and than managed to get through the run. Not pretty, but I’ve been hooked on Tri ever since.
- JULY 2010 – Race: Hardcore 24 Endurance Mountain Bike Race – Individual: This was my first true endurance racing experience. It went badly; after 9 hours my body was dehydrated and, hopelessly behind on electrolyte intake, my muscles were cramping up beyond what I knew was possible. It was easily the most excruciating experience of my life. However, it taught me an awful lot about mental endurance and fueling/nutrition. While it hurt my ego at the time I’ve become very grateful for the experience.
- MAY 2010 – Race: Chase Corporate Challenge / Rochester, NY – Running: This little 3.5 mile running race was my first running race ever. “Race” is really glorifying the walk/run that was my participation, but it was the start of something much greater. The first step of my journey.
TO BE DETERMINED: these are all items that I want to tackle as I have the time. I hear about trails, lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. all the time and get all kinds of crazy ideas. The ones I plan on tackling as time and money allow go on this list.
- MOUNTAIN BIKING TO THE SOUTH POLE: I’ve always wanted to trek to the South Pole solo. I’ve just never been quite sure how. Than I discovered that there is a 900+ mile snow/ice “road” there. The word “road” is used VERY loosely. My plan is to mountain bike there, solo. Which no one has ever done. If I could choose just one adventure for the rest of my life, this would be the one I’d pick.
- TOUR DIVIDE MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE : 2700+ mile self-supported Mountain Bike Race – Solo, Single-Speed. This race is a “must-do” on my list. After I knock out the Finger Lakes, this is on my radar.
- STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING: My wife and I only recently discovered the awesome sport of SUP! My brain is already scheming… Erie Canal? All 11 Finger Lakes? Great Lakes crossings? This could get interesting!
- CRANBERRY LAKE 50: Cranberry Lake is a beautiful body of water up in the Adirondacks region of upstate New York. Gorgeous, at the foothills to the High Peaks, a 50 mile loop trail has now been established around the lake. I will trail run it in one day.
- REMSEN-LAKE PLACID CORRIDOR SOLO: up in the Adirondacks there is a 120 mile long abandoned rail bed running from the town of Remsen, up past the high peaks into Lake Placid. I’d like to Mountain Bike it… or Trail Run it… or Snowshoe it… Not sure yet, but you get the idea!
BRISTOL HILLS TRAIL 104 MILE SOLO TRAIL RUN: NY’s Bristol Hills Trail, a 52 mile extension of the cross-state Finger Lakes Trail, stretches north through the beautiful Finger Lakes region of the state. At some point I’d like to tackle the 52 miles (and ~7k+ feet in elevation gain) South from Ontario County Park in Bristol, NY down to Hammondsport, NY – and back – solo. The goal would be to complete it in under 24 hours, self-supported.
- LONG TRAIL SOLO TRAIL RUN: Located in Vermont, the 273 mile Long Trail is the oldest long distance hiking trail in America. I’d like to solo trail run it in both the summer and the winter.
