Sherpa John
New member
Date(s) Hiked: 9/3/05
Trails(s) Hiked: "Kancamagus Pavement Trail"
Total Distance: 38.8 Miles
Difficulty: HAZARDOUS
Conditions: Dry with a head wind
Special Required Equipment: Good running Shoes and a vehicle dodging device.
For years I have seen cyclist's taking it to the Kancamagus Highway and Bear Notch Road. Despite heavy traffice, they hastily cruise at seemingly sonic speeds on their own trips of joy. But I got to thinking one day, how you never see anyone RUNNING the kanc. And on that very day, I looked at Sarah and said.. "I think I'd like to run the Kanc from Conway to Lincoln.. wanna watch?" She just laughed.
So months after the idea came up. I decided that labor Day weekend would be the CRAZIEST weekend to attempt such a crazy idea. Hell, if folks were giong to constantly mention my level of stupidity.. I might as well have given them further proof that I lack brain cells.
At 8:16 AM.. I finished stretching and handing out the maps to my support crew. Yes.. though TS can no longer raise money as TS... they all still very much exists as my support crew. So Sarah, her brother Bill, my father and my mother all took their maps equipped with markings to indicate checkpoints, wished me well and I was hurredly on my way.
THIS was the first time in quite a while since I had run ANYTHING on pavement. All of my training has taken place on the trails where amazingly enough, is rather comfy on the joints and feet. Pavement on the other hand, would quickly seise to be my friend. I had the iPod on as a car or two would pass every so often. My dad and bill waiting for me every mile to make sure I was ok. Mom and Sarah at the Major checkpoints with the TS sign board and paintings on the cars.
Sarah's brother rode my bike for 2 miles on a flat stretche between the beginning (Conway Junction 112 and 16) and Lower Falls.. after that... he had had enough. He would prove to be a great help handing me banana's and bagels. Potassium and Carbs.. and even mixing some awesome Gatorade. Sarah and my mother would do the same.
As I reached Champney Falls... my dad was ready to go on the Bike. It was now his turn to follow behind me. I thought he would only do a small section, but my dad muscled out a good 8-10 miles with me, finally getting off the bike at the Sugar Hill outlook, where my sister and her husband Mike was waiting for us. Mike was wearing his Team Sherpa shirt he made special for running events. And my 2 little nephews wrote GO UNCLE on the pavement with chaulk.
My dad had done fine until that rather strenuous incline before Sugar Hill... I could say the same about me. I had gone quite a few miles... in fact Kancamagus Pass was 26+ miles in... a marathon. I had finally hit the wall, was walking short stretches but thanks to the 1812 Overture and Classical Gas and moral support from my new running partner Mike.. I mustered enough energy within to push to the top of the pass.
Cars rushed by in LONG lines. Hogging the turns like a Nascar race, all you could smell was exhaust and brake dust.. the loud roar of the motorcycles was enough to bust an ear drum (I thought I had at one point). But as I hobbled to the pass... I was elated to be there. SO MUCH JOY went through my veins that I had even made it THAT far. I could have ended the day then.. but I carried on with the mindset... "It's all down hill from here."
The down hill felt GREAT at first. After all.. I had just ran the TRUE heart break hill.. over 26 miles of UPHILL running. As I rounded the turn into the Hairpin turn.. I saw the team waiting with checkpoint supplies. My knees were KILLING me and my feet hurt worse. They asked how I was and I muttered a muffled "ok."
After leaving the turn.. I headed for Otter Rocks. I was getting light headed, tunnel vision and a slight blackenning of my peripheral vision.. I was crumbling hard. As I got down to Greely Ponds I turned to my brother law and said... "I think at Otter Rocks, I'll call it a day." My plan was to run all the way to the Lincoln Visitors center and be there for 3 pm. I was running out of time, steam and the ability to struggle through the pain. He then asked, " well, you've come this far so.. why don't you ride the bike into town and I'll run until I can't run anymore?" I thanked him for hsi support and quickly rememberd WHY EXACTLY I had such a great TEAM. It's because we are JUST that through thick and thin.. a TEAM working together to make a difference.
At Otter rocks.. after 28.8 Miles of pounding pavement.. I hopped on the bike (which killed the chaffing that sent blood dripping down my legs) and followed Mike as he ran to Loon Mountain. At Loon he called it a day with his own respectible 15 Miles and then I carried on into Lincoln. I asked the team to make Steve Smith's store a checkpoint.. as I showed up.. I fell off the bike and went in to say hi to Steve who has been a great friend and supporter.. of which I could never repay him. He said, "It's only .3 to the end.. might as well run it." He was right.. I started running.. I'll finish running. I thanked him and walked out of his store. The team was holding my bike up and tried assisting me onto it. I declined and told them I would be running to the end.
They loaded the bike onto the car and I VERY SLOWLY hobbled down the road on tender feet and sore feet and hamstrings. People stared as I grimmaced by them at the ever so healthy McD's and as I rounded the turn into the Visitor's center, there was mom snapping pictures and with tears in her eyes. I ran up to the car and let out a huge sigh.. and mom told me how proud of me she was. I thanked her with a hug and threw my shoes off to rest my feet. It was 3PM.. right on time. I fell to the ground and quickly began stretching and getting more food in me to offset the fatigue of miles earlier. I had run a CRAZY 31.2 Miles and biked 7.6 of my 38.8 Mile trek.
Crazy? YES! Would I do it again? Yup... I need to run what I set out to run... Conway to Lincoln.. the whole way. And it will be just as painful.. yet just as fun but next time.. with less Traffic.
Trails(s) Hiked: "Kancamagus Pavement Trail"
Total Distance: 38.8 Miles
Difficulty: HAZARDOUS
Conditions: Dry with a head wind
Special Required Equipment: Good running Shoes and a vehicle dodging device.
For years I have seen cyclist's taking it to the Kancamagus Highway and Bear Notch Road. Despite heavy traffice, they hastily cruise at seemingly sonic speeds on their own trips of joy. But I got to thinking one day, how you never see anyone RUNNING the kanc. And on that very day, I looked at Sarah and said.. "I think I'd like to run the Kanc from Conway to Lincoln.. wanna watch?" She just laughed.
So months after the idea came up. I decided that labor Day weekend would be the CRAZIEST weekend to attempt such a crazy idea. Hell, if folks were giong to constantly mention my level of stupidity.. I might as well have given them further proof that I lack brain cells.
At 8:16 AM.. I finished stretching and handing out the maps to my support crew. Yes.. though TS can no longer raise money as TS... they all still very much exists as my support crew. So Sarah, her brother Bill, my father and my mother all took their maps equipped with markings to indicate checkpoints, wished me well and I was hurredly on my way.
THIS was the first time in quite a while since I had run ANYTHING on pavement. All of my training has taken place on the trails where amazingly enough, is rather comfy on the joints and feet. Pavement on the other hand, would quickly seise to be my friend. I had the iPod on as a car or two would pass every so often. My dad and bill waiting for me every mile to make sure I was ok. Mom and Sarah at the Major checkpoints with the TS sign board and paintings on the cars.
Sarah's brother rode my bike for 2 miles on a flat stretche between the beginning (Conway Junction 112 and 16) and Lower Falls.. after that... he had had enough. He would prove to be a great help handing me banana's and bagels. Potassium and Carbs.. and even mixing some awesome Gatorade. Sarah and my mother would do the same.
As I reached Champney Falls... my dad was ready to go on the Bike. It was now his turn to follow behind me. I thought he would only do a small section, but my dad muscled out a good 8-10 miles with me, finally getting off the bike at the Sugar Hill outlook, where my sister and her husband Mike was waiting for us. Mike was wearing his Team Sherpa shirt he made special for running events. And my 2 little nephews wrote GO UNCLE on the pavement with chaulk.
My dad had done fine until that rather strenuous incline before Sugar Hill... I could say the same about me. I had gone quite a few miles... in fact Kancamagus Pass was 26+ miles in... a marathon. I had finally hit the wall, was walking short stretches but thanks to the 1812 Overture and Classical Gas and moral support from my new running partner Mike.. I mustered enough energy within to push to the top of the pass.
Cars rushed by in LONG lines. Hogging the turns like a Nascar race, all you could smell was exhaust and brake dust.. the loud roar of the motorcycles was enough to bust an ear drum (I thought I had at one point). But as I hobbled to the pass... I was elated to be there. SO MUCH JOY went through my veins that I had even made it THAT far. I could have ended the day then.. but I carried on with the mindset... "It's all down hill from here."
The down hill felt GREAT at first. After all.. I had just ran the TRUE heart break hill.. over 26 miles of UPHILL running. As I rounded the turn into the Hairpin turn.. I saw the team waiting with checkpoint supplies. My knees were KILLING me and my feet hurt worse. They asked how I was and I muttered a muffled "ok."
After leaving the turn.. I headed for Otter Rocks. I was getting light headed, tunnel vision and a slight blackenning of my peripheral vision.. I was crumbling hard. As I got down to Greely Ponds I turned to my brother law and said... "I think at Otter Rocks, I'll call it a day." My plan was to run all the way to the Lincoln Visitors center and be there for 3 pm. I was running out of time, steam and the ability to struggle through the pain. He then asked, " well, you've come this far so.. why don't you ride the bike into town and I'll run until I can't run anymore?" I thanked him for hsi support and quickly rememberd WHY EXACTLY I had such a great TEAM. It's because we are JUST that through thick and thin.. a TEAM working together to make a difference.
At Otter rocks.. after 28.8 Miles of pounding pavement.. I hopped on the bike (which killed the chaffing that sent blood dripping down my legs) and followed Mike as he ran to Loon Mountain. At Loon he called it a day with his own respectible 15 Miles and then I carried on into Lincoln. I asked the team to make Steve Smith's store a checkpoint.. as I showed up.. I fell off the bike and went in to say hi to Steve who has been a great friend and supporter.. of which I could never repay him. He said, "It's only .3 to the end.. might as well run it." He was right.. I started running.. I'll finish running. I thanked him and walked out of his store. The team was holding my bike up and tried assisting me onto it. I declined and told them I would be running to the end.
They loaded the bike onto the car and I VERY SLOWLY hobbled down the road on tender feet and sore feet and hamstrings. People stared as I grimmaced by them at the ever so healthy McD's and as I rounded the turn into the Visitor's center, there was mom snapping pictures and with tears in her eyes. I ran up to the car and let out a huge sigh.. and mom told me how proud of me she was. I thanked her with a hug and threw my shoes off to rest my feet. It was 3PM.. right on time. I fell to the ground and quickly began stretching and getting more food in me to offset the fatigue of miles earlier. I had run a CRAZY 31.2 Miles and biked 7.6 of my 38.8 Mile trek.
Crazy? YES! Would I do it again? Yup... I need to run what I set out to run... Conway to Lincoln.. the whole way. And it will be just as painful.. yet just as fun but next time.. with less Traffic.
