Racing Close to Home: Overland & Vermont 50k Recaps
by GRP Trail Runner Sophia Etienne
Quintessential Vermont Racing in Ascutney
After bopping all over the map to race last summer and feeling the effects of the travel, I decided to race a little less this year and a little closer to home. From my home base in Vermont I have access to some incredible racing within an hour or two, from the Aravaipa White Mountain Endurance Cup series to the Ironwood Adventure Works races, and many more local races in between. I chose to focus on mid-to-later season races as well, to give myself more time to transition from winter training to summer running.
Completely by accident, I chose two races both based in Ascutney! Vermont Overland Trail is a 14(ish) mile trail race at the end of August, hosted by Vermont Overland at Mt. Ascutney. The event raises funds for both Ascutney Outdoors and Ascutney Trails Association, and utilizes paths that are normally closed to public access. The course is beautiful, the vibes are tremendous, and with the nationally-recognized bike race the next day you have a reason to stick around and cheer on more amazing athletes. I had a particularly hard day during this race and had to fight my way back from an early setback, finishing in 8th place. It wasn’t the result I wanted, but I was proud to just finish that day.
My next goal race was the Vermont 50k, benefiting Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. Also hosted at Mt. Ascutney, but with a significantly different course, this race has been around since 1993 with both mountain bike and ultra running races. As their website states, “It’s a challenging and scenic Vermont landscape course that is like no other. There is something for everyone.” Once again, this race utilizes some really special private land for race day only, allowing you to experience trails and views that aren’t possible to access any other day of the year.
This was my first 50k race, and my longest race yet, so I was eager to see how I did with the distance. My goal was to practice smart pacing and try to finish strong. I didn’t have as strong a day as I wanted, but felt happy to have conquered the distance and I learned so much about how I need to prepare for my next race of this length. However, I did finish in 3rd, running most of the day with male athletes and mountain bikers. My major takeaways: fueling in the heat is difficult, shoe choice is (obviously) very important, and mindset is everything when the going gets rough. Onward and upward!
New England is for Runners
New England has a rich history of running and road racing, and with our world class rugged landscape, we’re rewarded with some truly beautiful and challenging trail racing. Whether you’re looking for an ultra distance or something fun and fast, you can find incredible options in and around Vermont.