Slick trails a stern test for ultra athletes at Vermont 50
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By JARED PENDAK Valley News Staff Writer - Published: September 29, 2009
BROWNSVILLE — One competitor at a time Sunday, the Vermont 50 mountain bike race and ultramarathon left its mark on both runners and mountain bike riders.
Racers crossed the finish line drenched and covered in mud at Mount Ascutney Resort after trudging through 50 miles of slick trails, partially flooded dirt roads and muddy farmland. It was the 22nd installment of the popular event, which had approximately 1,250 competitors pre-registered to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, a volunteer organization founded by West Windor's Laura Farrell that provides programs and equipment to disabled athletes.
Traversing public and private land in Brownsville, West Windsor, Windsor, Hartland, Woodstock and South Woodstock, the mountain bike race caps participation at 650, spots that fill online each year within minutes. To accompany the traditional 50-mile individual run, a 50-mile relay and 50-kilometer run have been added in recent years to extend the race's reach.
"We wanted to start introducing our event to a new population of people," said Farrell, who at age 57 coped with bad knees while running the 50K. "We wanted to get more people open to ultra-running and long distance running. Some people might want to start at the lower levels and build up to the 50-mile race, or some older people may have degenerative conditions or injuries that prevent them from going 50 miles, but they still want to get out there."
The Vermont 50 has raised nearly $650,000 for VASS since its inception. Its scope continues to broaden, though the number of no-shows and "did not finish" racers was predictably high yesterday in a steady rain. Those who did finish generally had times slower than usual as competitors battled clogged gears, slippery terrain and plenty of puddles.
Etna native Will Letendre was able to win his Expert/Veteran division and placed second overall to Bethel, Conn.'s, Jesse Jakomait (4:43.00), but not without being hampered by the elements.
"The dirt roads had a quarter-inch of water on them and the horse holes were pretty tough," said Letendre (4:47.51), the overall winner in 2006 and '07 before he finished second last year. "The trickiest part was just how slick the roots were on the trails, but I didn't see anyone fall on them."
Plenty of people did spill, and some of them didn't return. Four people were taken to Mount Ascutney Hospital for minor injuries, including mountain biker Andreas Eisenberger, who needed 12 stitches in his knee after a fall on the opening stretch.
"I lost my grip on the handle bars and took a pretty good spill," said Eisenberger, who traveled from Belvidere, N.J. His friend, Jeff Bressler, also called it a day when Eisenberger went down.
"It was my fourth or fifth time (at the Vermont 50) and my first did-not-finish," Bressler said. "Basically, I wimped out because it was so slippery and cold."
Some paid the price for their endurance. Two-time Canadian road racing Olympian Lyne Bessette stopped for encouragement from landowners along the course and crossed the finish line in tears after more than seven hours.
"It was just so hard and so muddy; I never thought it would take so long," Bessette said.
"I've been training for the Toronto Marathon and my achilles are very sore."
Dartmouth College mountain biking club riders Noah Harwood (7:33.20) and Tom Flynn (7:33.22) finished unscathed by injury, but their high finish times reflected a different issue.
"We took a wrong turn and ended up on about a 10-mile detour," said Harwood, who first biked the Vermont 50 as a youngster competing on the Eastern Fat Tire Association circuit. "That probably cost us an hour."
Flynn, the Dartmouth Outing Club president, raced in the event for the first time and had mixed feelings about the terrain.
"There was some really good riding, but some of the roads I wouldn't care to see again," he said.
Yesterday's trying conditions are unlikely to stop most competitors from coming back.
The course features extensive elevation shifts and goes through the property of 66 landowners, many of whom allow organizers to alter or create trails on their property.
"It's a really good cause and there are really good people involved in the race," said Bruce Merritt, who has offered part of his land in Hartland since the race's inception.
"It's rare that you hear people complain about wear and tear on their property, because I think we enjoy that it's a community event."
This year's turnout raised roughly $40,000, race director Mike Silverman said. The money will allow VASS to help disabled people of all ages.
Middlesex native Phil Beard said VASS's presence is felt at the state's ski resorts, many of which feature its programs.
"I ski and snowboard at Sugarbush, and you always see the Vermont Adaptive people out there having a blast," Beard said. "I see blind skiers with guides doing a whole lot better than I am. It's a unique course and a great course, but when you see stuff like that it makes you feel good."
Valley Residents in the Ranks: Letendre wasn't the only elite runner from the Upper Valley to finish yesterday's Vermont 50. Molly Housman of Cornish Flat won the 30-39 female class of the 50-kilomter run in 4:53.53, while Norwich's Nicole Yokum (5:00.36) won its 20-29 grouping. David Cahill of Norwich was third overall in the male 50K run, finishing in 4:21.38. Thetford's Brent Mellen (15th overall) placed third in the Expert/Senior Male II division, followed by Lebanon's Clinton Angwin (eighth in Senior Male II) with a time of 4:57.07. West Windsor's Bobby Farrell (5:57.40) placed second in the Expert Senior Male I class, 15-year old Zeb Leister of Hartland won the Sport/Junior Male division in 7:22.05 and Hanover's Chad Denning (6:21.17) placed second among Sport/Senior II males.
Complete race results will be posted today at www.vermont50.com.
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