Dan Lehmann, RD
June 22,2005
How about some important race statistics;
40.7 miles, 5739' ascent, 5121' descent
A 5 mile climb ascending 2200' from mile 2 to mile 7
125 starters, 116 official finishers and 2 just over the 12 hrs…..a 94%
finishing rate
23 first time ultrarunners of which 19 finished…. an 83% finishing rate
8 runners have a streak going completing 2003, 2004 and 2005 races
That doesn’t tell the story of the 2005 Highlands Sky at all. The Friday pre-race camaraderie, the anticipation on the pre-dawn ride to Laneville, the excitement of the start, the conversations along the trail, the freedom of the hills, the company of old and new found friends, the smiles and grimaces of joy as runners cross the finish line…. these are what this 40 miler and ultra running is all about.
A cool, 47 degree Saturday morning and a preceding week of dry weather made for superb running conditions this year. Someone remarked how the lesser amount of water and mud on the trail made it easier to negotiate the rock-strewn sections…. well, a little bit anyway. A new section eliminating the “big muddy” and taking the high meadows and boulders meant less sloshing through the bogs. Everyone enjoyed this new section and the magnificent views along Raven Ridge Trail.
But there was a race going on too. Front runners Ian Schouten, Bill Young and Mark Lundblad all pulled in to AS #2 mile 10.1 at 1:45 followed in minutes by Luke Fleischman, Todd Eaby, Chris Frazer and Justin Thaine. By AS #4 mile 19.3 Schouten had a 3 minute lead on Lundblad and 7 minute on Young. The men kept this order through the reminder of the race with Ian Schouten of Lititz, PA winning in 6:12:04
The women likewise were close at AS #2 with Amy Bath and Justine Morrison arriving at mile 10.1 at 2:05 followed by Wendy Zamzow-Master at 2:07. Last years winner Sophie Speidel was back several minutes at 2:34. By AS #4 mile 19.3 Morrison had pulled ahead with 3:52, Bath second at 4:03 with Zamzow a minute behind at 4:04. At AS #6 at the end of the 7.3 road section Morrison was solid at 4:59, Bath 5:15, Zamzow 5:21 and Speidel close at 5:29. Across the new, tough 5.8 mile section to AS #7 it was still Morrison leading, Bath, and now Speidel at 6:46:30 and Zamzow at 6:46:50. The race was on for 2nd and 3rd place. At the last AS#8 things had changed with Speidel moving up to 2nd, Zamzow 3rd and Bath 4th. Justine Morrison of Washington, DC won with a time of 7:53:26, with Sophie Speidel 2nd and Wendy Zamzow-Masters 3rd.
It was a great third running of the Highlands Sky. Many thanks to our sponsors; Montrail, Patagonia, Fuelbelt, Hammergel, Timberline, Tygart Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, and Canaan Valley Resort. Thanks to the Monogahela National Forest for their cooperation and to all the fine race day volunteers.
The West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners is pleased to host this event and we hope to see you in 2006.
Oh, and next year I’ll remember the weed wacker for that last tall grass section!
Be well,
Dan
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?Three strikes, you're out,? so the saying goes. While I
don't live by this
adage, I really couldn't handle three, consecutive DNFs at this tough but
beautiful run. Walker, my husband, also wanted to finish; as he had also
DNF'd the first two years.
But my focus being on Vermont, I didn't train specifically for, or developed a
plan for this race. I relied on my overall conditioning, and my successful
finishes at other races this year to carry me through the finish line.
I don't know why this race is so tough for me. I've done other tough 40-mile
events without sweating the cutoffs. Perhaps it's because I still consider
myself a late-fall and winter runner, and this event is held close to the
warm, summer months. Uwharrie and Mt. Mitchell (both 40-mile events) are in
February, when I'm in my top form. Perhaps it's due to a mix of rocks, mud,
ascends, sharp descends, and straight as an arrow road across the sky that
makes this event so challenging.
The conditions couldn't be any better with cool temperatures and overcast
skies that kept the sun from beating down on us during that long, 7-mile road
section. The entire course was also much drier than the first two years. We
could actually see the rocks that peppered the course!
I went into this run with a minor pain on my right knee, lateral thigh, and
hip that resulted from a bike spill three days before. And when I fell the
first time, of course it had to be my right knee that made contact with a
large, flat rock! Walker gave me some meds, and I carried on. Rob Apple
passed us saying something funny and encouraging. Two or three other runners
passed us, their hands making contact with my shoulders.
I never thought that we would be so close to the cutoff times. We reached aid
six one minute before the cutoff! If Walker had not pushed me as we neared
aid six, I am certain that we would have timed out there again this year.
I've never been more appreciative of my husband's presence during a race than
at Highland Sky 2005.
The folks at Aid six were just wonderful. There, I saw Sharon Lapkoff's
husband, fellow runner Alex Morton from South Carolina, and few other familiar
faces. It was so very good to hear their hearty congratulations, and
encouraging words. At aid seven, we ate warm, chicken noodle soup given to us
by Dan's son. At this point, we were fairly sure that we would make it,
although it would be close to the final cutoff for an official finish.
On the final stretch, within two miles from the finish, we saw Rob Apple
again. He is finished, and driving back home already. He shouted, ?You guys
did it, this year!? I refuse to look at my watch, so I'm hoping he's right.
I was thinking that if we didn't make the cutoff, at least we'll have covered
the entire course this year. That, in my book, is not a DNF. That's a
finish, albeit an unofficial one. I looked at my watch just as we were
heading into the final trail section. We had eight minutes! I was
encouraged, so I picked up the pace. Then I heard David Snipes yelling
something like, you run until you reach me, right here! I'm running towards
him. He then warns me about the sharp descend going down to the finish.
I'm thinking, he's nuts! There were much sharper descends on the course than
this little, short downhill.
Two years ago, my birth-mother, who was visiting me from South Korea, helped
the runners at aid four. At age 87, she wanted to learn some English. She
asked me what she should say to the runners. I told her, ?Good job!? A
couple of runners told me after the event that she was an inspiration. Last
year, other volunteers asked me if she was with me, as they appreciated her
help and enjoyed her company. My son was at aid four last year, in lieu of
mother. This year, it was just my husband and myself. And my birth-mother
and son were both glad to hear that we finally came across the finish line.
She boldly said the words, ?Good job!?
Dan, Lehmann family, the volunteers, and runners who encouraged me, thank you
all so very much. To all the aid station folks, thanks for waiting for us,
and encouraging us. To all the runners who recognize me from previous events,
it is always so good to see you all again.
And until we meet again, HAPPY TRAILS!
Caroline E. Williams.
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I debated all Spring on whether to run Dan Lehmann’s race. I had run a lot of ultras (for me) this year and I was unsure whether to do one more before getting some rest prior to the Fall racing season. I figured I could handle a 40 miler and besides I ran this race it’s inaugural year in 2003 and I survived. What I forgot was that covering 40+ miles would not be the hard part but how long it takes to run this particular 40+ miles.
What really drew me back is the scenery from start to finish. We run through lush green forests, over large rock outcroppings, across high meadows, up and down a long service road (a.k.a. “the road across the sky”) and down a section in the woods properly nicknamed “butt slide”. This new section was replacing the wet bog area we ran through in 2003. I also heard it would be easier or faster?? I’m still not sold on it being either.
It was a cool, dry morning and great running weather (dryer than in year’s past). I ran the first section or two with the previous year’s overall winner Bill Young and the eventual winner for this year Ian Schouten. Bill had his entire family manning the 2nd aid station, which I thought was very cool. I enjoyed talking with both Bill and Ian for the first few miles. After the first big climb Ian mentioned that the climb did not feel too bad and we both laughed as we knew that we would be feeling that climb a few hours later. By the second major climb we had all separated so I would find myself running alone in silence from here to the finish. I did mumble a few choice words to myself after hours of running over rock after rock. I started getting some blisters on both my feet around mile 17. I knew it would be a long day now. As my blisters got worse it was very difficult maneuvering over, around, and through all the technical sections, which is what this course is all about. I found myself missing the service road section and longing for the 2 miles of roads near the end. The only time I was comfortable was when my foot would land on a flat smooth surface. I was out of luck on this terrain.
I was never able to catch the swift moving Mr. Schouten. Blisters or not he was out of my reach. I decided trying to finish and maintain 2nd place would be my priority. The last short trail section before we entered the park entrance to the lodge and the finish was tough for me. The grass was waist deep and I figured Dan must have forgotten to get out his weed eater prior to the race. (Bill also mentioned something about the need for a weed eater in this section as he crossed the finish line) I ended up walking most of this grassy trail as my feet were killing me and it was hard to see where your feet were landing. I’m still not sure if there was a trail there or not. I eventually made it through to the finish and was very glad that my racing was over for a while.
I have raced and trained on some beautiful trails but the Highlands Sky course is my favorite even though it is brutally tough. I hope that Dan is able to keep having this race year after year. He is an awesome race director (runner) and has every detail worked out. The volunteers are top notch. The aid stations are as good as it gets. The pre-race and post-race meals are wonderful. Dan mentioned during the race briefing that someone had filled out the section of their entry form on how they had heard about this race by putting down ”they had heard voices under their bed”. These same voices will be bringing me back to run here again.
Mark Lundblad