Vermont Sports May, 2019

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RUN YOUR BEST 26.2 EVER | ARE ZERO-DROP SHOES FOR YOU? | NEW GEAR

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INSIDER'S GUIDE TO EXPLORING MT. WASHINGTON

TRUE CONFESSIONS

OLYMPIC TRIATHLETE

SARAH TRUE

ON TRAINING — FOR LIFE

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Be dominant under the boards again.

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BE YOU AGAIN. THE RIGHT SPORTS MEDICINE PROVIDER CAN HELP. Our team provides comprehensive sports medicine care, no matter how complex the injury.

Patients receive a course of treatment that’s ideally suited for them and built around the most advanced options available—whether operative, non-operative or a combination of both. If you live in the Burlington area, make an appointment with The University of Vermont Health Network’s sports medicine specialists at UVM Medical Center.

To make an appointment, call 802-307-1017.

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NEW ENGLAND’S OUTDOOR MAGAZINE ON THE COVER: Ultra runner Kathleen Cusick on the Vermont 100 course.

Photo by Ben Kimball

PUBLISHER

Angelo Lynn - publisher@vtsports.com

EDITOR/CO-PUBLISHER

Lisa Lynn - editor@vtsports.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Abagael Giles abagael@vtsports.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Shawn Braley

MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. Nathan Endres, Dr. David Lisle, Dr. James Slauterbeck —University of Vermont Robert Larner College of Medicine; Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation; Jamie Sheahan, M.S., R.D.

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Mohr, Phyl Newbeck, Leath Tonino

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Lisa Lynn | (802) 388-4944 ads@vtsports.com

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In May, you can spend the morning skiing corn snow on Mt. Washington and afternoons paddling the clear waters of the Saco River.

Photo courtesy New Hampshire Tourism

Greg Meulemans | (802) 366-0689 greg@vtsports.com Wilkie Bushby | (646) 831-5647 wilkie@vtskiandride.com Dave Honeywell | (802) 583-4653 dave_golfhouse@madriver.com

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Vermont Sports is independently owned and operated by Addison Press Inc., 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, Vt. 05753. It is published 9 times per year. Established in 1990. Vermont Sports subscriptions in the U.S.: one year $25. Canada: (US funds), please add $5 per year postage.

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VERMONT SPORTS IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

5 The Start

Why Buy Local?

A new coalition of Vermont's outdoor brands will tell you why.

7 News Briefs

Vermonters Attempt Long Trail FKTs

Can these endurance athletes set new fastest-known- times?

8 News Briefs

The New Run Fests

Want to run a new trail? Check out these new trail fests.

9

Featured Athlete

The Police Chief Triathlete

13 Nutrition

Bananas vs. Bacon

Nutritionist Jamie Sheahan helps sort out what foods to eat and which to skip at your next race.

17

Fitness

Run Your Best Marathon

Physical therapist Lee Stanton on how to make your next run a win.

18

Gear

Is Zero-Drop For You?

There's a trend toward low-drop running shoes but before you make the switch, here's what to know and which shoes to try.

25

Weekend Away

High Season on Mt. Washington

Head to Mt. Washington to ski­ but be prepared to stay to bike, hike, paddle and climb.

30

Feature

Training for Life

Olympic triathlete Sarah True on training in the Upper Valley and dealing with depression.

35

Calendar

Race & Event Guide

42 Endgame

The Botanist Adventurer

After an accident, Burlington's Brandon del Pozo is back on his bike.

How this Vermonter collected more than 12,000 species of plants.

ADVERTISERS! The deadline for the June issue of Vermont Sports is May. 18. Contact ads@vtsports.com today to reserve your space!

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 3

Proud sponsor

THE START

Waterbury Waterbury

WHY BUY LOCAL?

BEYOND BUYING VERMOT KALE AND ALES, WHY NOT CONSIDER SHOPPING LOCALLY FOR YOUR OUTDOOR GEAR?

Chelsea Camarata, founder of Kaden, is making MTB apparel for women.

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pring is a time when Vermonters connect to the land and celebrate all things local in a way few other states can or do. We sign up for CSAs, start to shop at farmers markets and explore the new summer ales from the brewery down the road.

Which got me to thinking, why don’t we take the same “local first” approach to buying our outdoor gear?

Don’t get me wrong: many of you do. In fact, in our most recent survey, we found that more than 82 percent of our readers buy their gear from a local outdoors shop.

But what gear do you buy? And do you seek out Vermont brands? Last winter in our December issue we featured seven up and coming apparel brands in our article “Just Sew.” These were all Vermont start-ups ranging from Mana Threads active wear to Kaden’s mountain bike apparel for women. We also listed more than 30 other Vermont brands.

Recently, the Vermont Outdoor Business Association has emerged to help network, grow and raise awareness of the diverse brands, large and small, that help make Vermont a leader in outdoor recreation.

“We’re working to educate Vermonters about outdoor recreation and engage businesses in growing our state’s vibrant outdoor recreation economy,” says Josh Pombar, chair of VOBA and the marketing director of Turtle Fur. Executive Director Kelly Ault added: “VOBA is dedicated to strengthening, expanding, attracting, and retaining outdoor recreation economy businesses in Vermont.”

As states such as Colorado and Utah

Photo by Ashley Rosemeyer

have focused on growing their outdoor recreation sectors, Vermont has an opportunity to highlight and support the many businesses that do business in the state, as well as to attract new ones.

Businesses supporting VOBA range from apparel manufacturers such as Skida and Turtle Fur, to retailers such as Outdoor Gear Exchange and WND&WVS, to recreation facilities such as Bolton Valley and Trapp Family Lodge. Vermont Sports is a member, as are a number of other media companies.

VOBA formed following a January 2018 recommendation from Governor Scott’s Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, or VOREC, and in June, the state, working with VOBA, will help bring a small cluster of emerging Vermont brands to Outdoor Retailer, the giant tradeshow of outdoor products in Denver.

“Together, these businesses are an important sector for our Vermont lifestyle and our economy,” says Pombar.

Nationwide, the outdoor recreation industry accounts for 2.2 percent of the nation’s GDP and, according to a report by OutdoorIndustry.org, “American consumers spend more on outdoor recreation than they do on pharmaceuticals and fuel.”

And the more we spend those dollars locally, the more we support brands that also contribute to organizations such as the Catamount Trail Association, the Green Mountain Club, and the Vermont Mountain Biking Association.

In other words, there’s an entire local ecosystem that we can support if we shop locally—not just for kale and ales but also for your bike kit or other gear.

—Lisa Lynn

@prohibitionpig @prohibitionpig

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 5

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NEWS BRIEFS

THE BATTLE FOR THE FASTEST-KNOWN-TIME LAST YEAR, ALYSSA GODESKY SET A NEW SUPPORTED FASTEST-KNOWN-TIME ON THE LONG TRAIL. THIS YEAR, TWO VERMONTERS AIM TO SET NEW FKTS. BY ABAGAEL GILES

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his summer, ultramarathoner Aliza LaPierre plans to make her first attempt at a fastest-knowntime (supported) on her home turf by running Vermont’s 273-mile Long Trail.

Last July, professional triathlete Alyssa Godeskey, 33, of Charlottesville, Va. broke the women’s supported fastest-known-time for the Long Trail shattering Nikki Kimball’s longstanding record of five days, seven hours and 42 minutes. Godeskey ran the trail in five days, two hours and 37 minutes.

Williston's LaPierre is now eyeing that record. “I was born and raised in Vermont and I take pride in that,” she says. “I often train on the Long Trail and I feel most myself when I’m running in the Green Mountains.”

LaPierre has been running ultramarathons on trails since 2004, when she tackled her first: the Vermont 50. She’s competed on the Ultra-Trail World Tour and was the secondfastest woman in her first 100-mile race in 2010. Though she’s never thru-hiked the Long Trail, she’s run some serious sections of it (like the 26mile stretch between Camels Hump and the summit of Mt. Mansfield) and has been hiking it her whole life.

This summer, it looks like the timing will finally be right for her.

“I’ve been dreaming of going after the FKT for years now. In all honesty, I haven’t tried it in the past because I’ve lacked the confidence,” says LaPierre, who has raced all over the world and tackled hundred plus mile races in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Alps and beyond. “The overall length of the trail and the elevation gain and loss is manageable for me, but where the difficulty lies is in the terrain. Rocks, roots, mud and the straight up and down nature of it make a lot of those miles laborious and slow-going.”

When asked why now, she said, “The trail’s not getting any easier and I’m not getting any younger.”

LaPierre plans to tackle Godesky’s supported record in June. She hasn’t yet made her FKT known online because she says those plans could change if she doesn’t get the weather window she needs. “Lining up a supported attempt means coordinating with other people’s schedules. If for some reason I’m not ready, I could miss that. If I have to delay, I’ll likely go unsupported.”

This, says LaPierre, will be especially challenging. “Every ounce counts and in Vermont, you have to carry certain gear to be prepared for weather,” says

Left, Aliza LaPierre has competed on the Ultra-Trail World Tour. Right, Eli Burakian on his first attempt at the unsupported FKT for the Long Trail in 2017. Photos courtesy Aliza LaPierre and Eli Burakian

LaPierre, adding that balancing a minimal base pack weight with enough calories to fuel means runners in this category usually go without much food. If you are forced to borrow gear or bail to get gear, your unsupported attempt is disqualified. The same goes for accepting food. “You have to set a daily fueling plan and stick to it even if you are still hungry,” said LaPierre.

“It’s literally you and the trail and you have to push yourself and at the same time regulate yourself. It becomes a very fine line and once you cross that line, it can be hard to come back.”

Since 2018, those records have been compiled on the website fastestknowntime.com, where athletes compete for “FKTs” in three categories: unsupported, self-supported and supported. An unsupported FKT requires that a runner or hiker have no external support of any kind, requiring they carry everything they need from start to finish except for water. For a self-supported FKT, a runner may cache or purchase supplies along the way, but not receive any pre-arranged assistance. In a supported FKT attempt, a runner is met by a crew along the way which can range from a team accompanying the runner the whole way to one person offering assistance one time over the course of the run.

AN UNSUPPORTED FKT

Currently, there is no women’s unsupported fastest-known-time for the Long Trail. For men, there have been four known attempts at an unsupported fastest-known-time. The record was set by Travis Wildeboer in 2010, who finished the trail unsupported in six days, 17 hours and 25 minutes.

This June, Eli Burakian, 40, of Brownsville, Vt. is planning his second attempt at the mens’ unsupported record.

Burakian, a father of two, made the switch from backpacker to ultrarunner in 2015.

“I no longer have the ability to take three or four weeks to go on a backpacking trip, so now I just turn them into day trips,” he says. When not running, he writes guidebooks for Falcon Guides, among them Climbing New Hampshire’s 48 4,000 Footers and Best Easy Day Hikes in the Green Mountains.

Burakian describes himself a slow runner but a fast hiker. “I’m not fast but I’m good at suffering,” he says, though he’s finished in the middle of the pack in several 100-mile races.

“The dirty secret of ultrarunning in the mountains is that most of it is walking. You speed hike the ups, run the downs and flats. If you’re breathing hard at all, you’re going too fast to keep it up.”

He’s also working on a masters’ thesis at Dartmouth about the culture around fastest-known-times.

According to Burakian, the term was invented in 1998, by Colorado runners and backpackers Buzz Burrell and Peter Bakwin, who started ticking off records on long-distance hiking trails across the United States. They called them “fastest-known-times” because they couldn’t verify their accuracy.

Today, trail-runners declare their attempts on fastestknowntime.com, which Bakwin and Burrell helped establish and still moderate. To score one officially, runners must provide as much documentation as possible of their progress, with most using GPS locators like the SPOT Tracker or Diamond InReach to give live updates from the trail.

Burakian says, “I call the unsupported FKT a journey into starvation. I expect to burn 10,000 to 12,000 calories a day while carrying only enough food for 3,000 to 4,000 calories per day. You really have to pare down and be willing to suffer.”

His strengths? Running while sleepdeprived and hungry. “There are so many factors that contribute to your success with an unsupported attempt that have nothing to do with athleticism.” His last attempt in 2017 was thwarted when he had to accept headlamp batteries.

He finished in eight days, 14 hours.

It’s for this reason that LaPierre is hoping to tackle the trail supported.

Her support crew is still in flux, but she plans to have Vermont runner Josh White serve as the commander, with her husband George LaPierre and other training partners pacing and supplying her with food along the way.

She’ll continue racing 100-mile races through June and then switch to running long days back-to-back on the Long Trail combined with sleep deprivation to mimic the conditions she’d encounter in a supported FKT attempt.

When asked if she holds any other fastest-known-times, LaPierre said, “maybe for eating a pint of ice cream!”

OFFICIAL FASTEST KNOWN TIMES FOR THE LONG TRAIL NAME

FROM

FKT ATTEMPT

TIME

DATE

Jennifer Pharr-Davis

Ashville, N.C.

Female Self-Supported

7d 15h 40m

08-15-2007

Jonathan Basham

Lynchburg, Va.

Male Supported

4d 12h 46m

11-09-2009

Travis Wildeboer

Winter Park, Colo.

Male Unsupported

6d 17h 25m

09-13-2010

Alyssa Godesky

Charlottesville, Va.

Female Supported

5d 2h 37m

07-31-2018

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 7

NEWS BRIEFS

THE NEW RUN FESTS

THERE’S BEEN AN EXPLOSION OF NEW RUNS AND RUNNING FESTIVALS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE. NOW SOUTHERN VERMONT RAMPS IT UP. Ultrarunners Adam Schalit and Eliza Hamm of Nor'East Trails. Photo courtesy Nor'East Trails

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s runners from around the country jostle through the streets at the end of the month in the Vermont City Marathon, others are looking forward to running on packed dirt, the sound of wind moving in the branches above and the chance to run some of the most beautiful trails in New England.

Trail races and festivals have become to running what gravel rides are to cycling: a less-competitive, safer and more scenic way to burn some calories—and Vermont is at the epicenter of this trend.

On June 22, the Salomon Running Festival comes to the Trapp Family Lodge as part of the sixth running of the Catamount Ultra 25K and 50K trail races, put on by Will Robens’ Ironwood Adventures.

The course—one or two laps—runs over the grassy forest trails of the Nordic network with von Trapp Brewery beers at the finish and clinics and demos put on by Salomon.

Runners return to the Trapp Family Lodge trails on August 24, when Outdoor Gear Exchange and the Catamount Trail Association team up for the second annual Vermont Trail Running Festival, a prelude to the Run to the Top of Vermont race. And over Labor Day, the eighth Jay Peak Running Festival takes place, with seven races over two days, including a 53.2K ultra that features 9,000 feet of vertical.

Last year, southern Vermont jumped into the running festival scene with the new Dorset Running Festival.

Organizers Eliza Hamm and Adam Schalit met while they were living out West. Hamm was a California native, while Schalit had grown up in Dorset. Both were ultra runners.

“From the moment we met,” she recalled, “he was telling me about

what a magical place Vermont was for running and when I came here, I agreed.” The two relocated to Vermont and vowed to do more for the running community. “There were a lot of people running in southern Vermont but not many organized events,” Hamm said.

“We wanted to bring people to see this incredible beauty and grow southern Vermont as a running destination.”

In 2017, the couple launched the Bennington-based Nor’east Trail Runs, hosting two fixed time ultra races and other events which ran the gamut from a 5K to a 50K. “We had 226 participants ranging in age from 9 to 83. They ran a cumulative 7,500 miles,” Schalit said.

Runners came from 20 states plus Washington D.C. as well as Canada and Germany. Races were attended by some world-class athletes including Ann Trason, a California runner who holds nine ultra course records. The motto for their series is “any runner, any distance.”

This summer, the Dorset Running Festival kicks off with a one-mile uphill race on Friday, August 23 and includes an ultra, the Lost Cat 50K on August 24.

When Schalit was young, the family’s indoor cat disappeared for several months before making a muchappreciated return and the Lost Cat 50K is named after the wandering feline. A portion of the funds raised goes to the Second Chance Animal Shelter. The weekend concludes on the 25th with a trail run with multiple mileage options on a rolling hill loop.

Both Schalit and Hamm have worked aid stations and crewed at events, but last year was the first time either have been involved in organizing races.

“We really wanted to make southern Vermont a running destination,” Schalit said.—Phyl Newbeck

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who he was. I didn’t at first, but then my phone rang and he picked it up and said, “Brandon, it’s your wife. I’m going to answer this for you.”

FEATURED ATHLETE

THE POLICE CHIEF TRIATHLETE

What were your injuries? Had you ever experienced something like that before?

I wound up with 10 broken bones on my left side, including four ribs, a fractured skull, a partially collapsed lung and a concussion. I kept my helmet, which saved my life, in my office. It’s cracked clean through in a couple places and you can see where it compressed. That lines up with where I fractured my skull.

Name: Brandon del Pozo Age: 45 From: Brooklyn, N.Y. Lives in: Burlington Family: Wife, Sarah Carnevale; Sons Rex, 6 and Zane, 11.

Occupation: Burlington Police Chief Primary sports: Triathlon, rock and ice climbing

S

ince becoming Burlington’s Police Chief in 2015, Brandon del Pozo has earned a reputation for his progressive stances on policework and the opioid crisis in Vermont. But when he’s not in uniform, you can find him rock or ice climbing in Smugglers’ Notch, teaching his sons to rock climb, chasing his wife on long bike rides and doing triathlons. A Dartmouth grad with a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard, he’s currently working on his Ph.D. in Philosophy and coming back from a serious injury he suffered last summer, when he crashed on his bike in Lake Placid while training for a half Ironman.

You’re a triathlete, a skier, an ice climber, a hiker—what do you consider to be your main sport and why?

I love to ride my bike, but I’ve never been one of those people who spends the winter in the basement on a trainer.

To me, that’s when it just makes sense to be out skiing. In the fall, I do a little rock climbing and cyclocross. In the winter, I ice climb and I ski.

I think of myself as an endurance athlete. I get a lot of joy from being at something for hours that requires technical mastery.

What do you love about recreating in Vermont?

I enjoy being seasonal and I’m trying to raise kids with that sense that your athletic life has those rhythms.

Vermont has terrain and scenery that supports that: hiking, rock climbing and riding your bike in the summer and ice climbing, skiing and hiking in the winter. On a bike, whether you’re riding mountain gaps or going north to south, you can put mileage on and never get tired of what you’re seeing.

10 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo leads the Green Mountain Stage Race Kids' Crit.

What do you like about triathlons and how many have you raced in?

I really like the idea that even the shortest triathlon requires you go full tilt for over an hour. When I was a young cop in the 1990s, I didn’t have the patience for endurance. I started in earnest in 2009 when my wife got into it. She’s a really excellent triathlete.

I’ve now done a couple dozen Olympic and sprint triathlons, as well as one half Ironman in Lake Placid, which involves a 1.2-mile open water swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1mile run. One of my favorite races is the Colchester Triathlon. I love that the whole community turns out to have fun, and anyone can line up with some really talented athletes.

What’s your strongest leg?

I’m a cyclist through and through. The running leg is just the punishment you pay for a nice swim and bike ride. I also

Photo courtesy Brandon del Pozo

love how committing the open water swim can be when you’re out there in a crowd of elbows and feet.

You were in a bike crash in June 2018 that put you in the Intensive Care Unit. What happened?

I was training for a half Ironman and was about 51 miles in to a 56-mile training ride in the Adirondacks. I was coming down Cascade Pass to that beautiful view and I got the speed wobbles when I hit about 45 miles per hour. I was riding a used bike and I’d never gotten it up to that speed before.

My last memory was of coming up out of the aero position and saying calmly, “I have to slow this bike down.” I woke up 15 or 20 minutes later with a vague memory of being embarrassed that I was blocking the road. A couple kindly sat with me in the back of their car while the ambulance came, and a Forest Ranger friend asked me if I knew

What was it like to get back on your bike after something like that? Did it change the way you ride or work out?

I first went to the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake and was airlifted then to Burlington, where I was treated in the intensive care unit. I got back to work full time on Aug. 20, two months after the accident.

I’d never had an accident like this before. I snapped my patellar tendon on Camel’s Hump almost ten years ago, but that’s about it. I knew I had to get back on a bike and I did a few weeks after the accident. It was hard. This fall, I did a lot of gravel riding. I wanted my body to heal before getting back on the road and going really fast. That was great! You can really punish yourself going uphill.

I skied this winter and was fortunate to be able to work with a personal trainer twice a week along with physical therapy right after the accident. Both have helped me make huge gains in power and flexibility.

When do you plan to hit the road and what are your goals this summer?

I got back on my bike seriously for the first time in almost a year the second week in April. It was amazing. I’m planning to do the Colchester Triathlon on July 28 and am training for a half Ironman in Lake Placid in September.

I’m really looking forward to getting back out with the Green Mountain Bicycle Club for their Wednesday night rides. They’re serious about road etiquette, but it’s a really supportive community. But the thing I’m most looking forward to is leading the Green Mountain Stage Race’s Richard Tom Kids’ Crit in downtown Burlington on Labor Day. I’ve done that for the last four years (except last year) and it’s great to see kids that are six, seven, eight years old discover the joy of racing on bikes. Someday I’m sure one of them is going to beat me. I’d be lying if I said I’m not a little worried about that.

How did you go from growing up in Brooklyn to being a mountaineer?

When I was applying to colleges in the early 1990s, New York was a pretty crime-ridden place. At 17, the idea of spending four years in a bucolic place like New Hampshire was pretty compelling. When I was accepted at Dartmouth I fell in love with hiking in the two surrounding mountain ranges: the Green Mountains in Vermont and the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

After graduation, I joined the New Hampshire Army National Guard. I was working for NYPD and living in New York City, but I loved training up at the Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vt. That was what turned me on to climbing rock and ice. I took both the summer and winter courses they offer to earn my Ram’s Head Device [a special skill badge that certifies members of the armed forces who have undergone training in mountain warfare]. I ended my career as a course developer for the Vermont Army National Guard in 2004.

How do you feel that experience shaped you as an athlete?

That was what really turned me on to climbing ice and rock and it gave me a great community of people to go

“My last memory was of coming up out of the aero position and saying calmly, 'I have to slow this bike down.ʼ”

out and practice and learn with. I also learned to ski there. They put us all on ancient randonnee gear with leather boots and sent us out touring in the Green Mountains. I loved it. My friends

joke that it took me 21 years to get a real ski setup. I still love the idea that you could have one pair of skis that you use to do everything: ski the trees, the resort, tour.

I really get a kick out of striving for technical mastery in the things I do.

I’d rather climb at a lower grade with finesse than push myself beyond my limits. The same goes for skiing. I’m all about fine tuning and improving my turns in technical terrain over ripping down the groomers.

How hard do you climb and what are your favorite spots in Vermont?

I keep it pretty mellow and am more focused on teaching my kids to climb than pushing grades these days. I don’t lead above my ability, where I think I could fall and tend to stick with 5.7s when climbing trad. On ice, I love a good gully climb in Smugglers’ Notch.

I’ll lead WI4 on ice. Some of my favorite climbs in Vermont are Hidden Gully and Elephant Head Gully. To look up at those cliffs from the Notch road in the winter and say, “I was up there,” just gives you such a close connection to that place.

Last winter, I had a day in the Adirondacks that was really amazing.

I skied to Avalanche Lake with my ice climbing gear, stowed my skis on my

pack and climbed the Trap Dyke on Mt. Colden, then made the descent on skis.

That was the perfect adventure in my mind, but I’d gladly sacrifice intensity to spend the day outside with my kids.

Ever had to use your mountaineering skills as a cop?

I’ve climbed through a few windows and onto some sketchy roofs here and there but the biggest way I use them is to stay mentally fit. When you’re leading a climb, the whole world exists right in front of you. I really value that, juggling my job, life and family.

Policing is a stressful job. As chief, you have to make difficult decisions every day that affect people’s lives.

Being physically fit helps you stay mentally fit. It’s great to live in a place where you can do a sport any season of the year in a world-class environment.

That helps you cope with the challenges of policing on a day-to-day basis.

What is your proudest athletic accomplishment?

When I was in my 20s working as a cop on the streets in New York, I never lost a foot pursuit. That’s something I’m still proud of. One time, I even ran down a guy who was on a bike. I think those days are behind me, but I still strive to be a well-rounded athlete.

—Abagael Giles

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 11

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acon!” If you had asked me the morning of the Kalamazoo Marathon what I would be thinking as I reached the halfway point, I can guarantee it would not have been “bacon.”

Yet as I heard the satisfying beep from my watch confirming that I had logged 13 miles, that is exactly what came to mind. I thought my eyes must be deceiving me as I witnessed a sixfoot-tall strip of bacon dancing in the street ahead of me. Could this possibly be a hallucination? No, this was the fanfare that awaited all the racers at the Kalamazoo Marathon’s official “Bacon Station.” That’s right—an aid station serving up strips of bacon to runners.

Now that’s commitment.

Sports drinks, gels and gummies are pretty standard fare at most races. But bacon? Although it smelled delicious, the thought of running another 13.1 miles with a stomach full of bacon was enough to cause my stomach to churn.

Still, what about the other random and sometimes unconventional foods that races or spectators offer up to runners? Just call me the “diet detective” as I take a closer look at what race foods you might run across (pun intended) and whether they could fuel you to a strong finish or leave you making a beeline for the bathroom.

Bacon: The aroma of sizzling bacon may be hard to pass up, but unless you’re competing in an ultramarathon, bacon won’t provide the quick energy needed for shorter and faster races.

Bacon packs in plenty of fat and protein, but with no carbohydrates to speak of, it takes a long time to digest and thus provides no readily accessible energy.

Bananas: Bananas and running are hardly a novel pairing. Many races distribute bananas as a natural food option, meant to provide energy and stave off cramps. Studies comparing ingesting bananas versus sports drinks have found that bananas provide similar benefits in terms of endurance performance. In fact, bananas beat out sports drinks in reducing exerciseinduced inflammation. That being said, researchers have noted that the ideal rate of consumption (half of a banana every 30 minutes) is largely impractical and results in significant bloating. This makes bananas a good option as a complement to your other fuel choices, but not a good option as an exclusive fuel source. Another tricky element: the ripeness factor. Riper bananas contain

BANANAS VS. BACON?

WHAT’S AT THAT AID STATION COMING UP? HERE’S A NUTRITIONIST’S GUIDE ON WHAT TO GO FOR AND WHAT TO SKIP IF YOU WANT TO ADD POWER TO YOUR RUN OR RIDE.

BY JAMIE SHEAHAN, M.S. R.D.

VS

Should you reach for the bacon or the banana?

The answer may depend on how long your race is and how strong your stomach is.

more simple sugars whereas greener bananas are higher in starch. Simple sugars are the way to go while running so if you opt for bananas, be choosy when you approach an aid station.

Beer: Enthusiastic spectators routinely offer up a beer long before it’s time to truly celebrate a successful race finish.

In case you’re considering getting your post-race party started early, think again. Contrary to popular belief, beer isn’t loaded with carbs. In fact, one can of beer only contains approximately 13 grams of carbohydrates and light beers even fewer with about 7 grams. And from a hydration standpoint, studies have shown that the alcohol content of beer must be less than 4% by volume or the dehydrating affects of alcohol offset the fluid taken in. Few beers clock in that low. Also be aware that carbonation can be tough on even those with an iron stomach.

Chocolate: It seems only fitting that the Hershey Half Marathon has a chocolate aid station on, of all places, Chocolate Avenue.

One Hershey’s chocolate bar provides 44 grams of carbohydrate, putting it in the range of what an endurance runner should consume in an hour. Unfortunately, those “carbs” also come with a lot of fat that can delay digestion time. So instead of a quick hit of sugar, you are more likely to end up with a stomach cramp. Save the chocolate for after the race in the form of chocolate milk

to get the carbs and protein needed to optimize recovery.

Gummy Bears: Sure they’re cute, but can they help you power through a race?

Composed mostly of sugar, one serving will provide you with the recommended 30 grams of carbohydrate. The major negative is their lack of electrolytes.

Other candies that are routinely passed out such as Twizzlers and Swedish Fish fall into the same boat. However, as long as you are smart about supplementing with other fuel sources that contain electrolytes, then there’s no harm in giving in to a candy craving.

Maple syrup. This Vermont staple has recently caught on as a popular fueling option for endurance sports.

Companies like Vermont’s own UnTapped sell it in packaging similar to other gels with an option that includes added caffeine.

Spectators at the Vermont City Marathon routinely hand out “shots” of syrup to runners and at May’s Middlebury Maple Run, maple syrup goes to every finisher. Maple syrup delivers on a quick hit of sugar, but is lacking in electrolytes so be sure to also use an electrolyte replacement if you are fueling yourself off syrup.

Orange wedges: A hit of citrus may be just what you need to provide some hydration even if oranges don’t fully deliver on carbs. One orange delivers 15 grams of carbohydrates so one wedge won’t make a big dent in your fueling

needs. However, oranges are packed with vitamin C, which acts as a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce postexercise muscle soreness.

Pretzels: Even those with a sweet tooth can find themselves craving something salty midway through a race. Fortunately, pretzels aren’t a bad option considering what they offer up.

Normally, refined carbohydrates would be a negative for nutrition, but during runs the low fiber content makes those carbohydrates easier to digest and absorb. Pretzels also pack plenty of sodium for hot weather when you’re likely to lose sodium through sweat.

Watermelon: Chunks of this summertime snack staple are regularly handed out in warm weather races.

In addition to its high water content, another perk of consuming watermelon is its significant concentration of L-citrulline. Studies have shown that L-citrulline can improve aerobic performance and reduce post-exercise muscle soreness. However, at 90% water, one cup of watermelon has only 11 grams of carbohydrate. Consuming at least three cups of watermelon per hour while running? Not the most practical option. If you happen to get offered a piece of this tantalizing fruit, just remember that while it won’t hurt you to have a bite, it is better for quenching your thirst than it is at actually providing the energy you need for endurance.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 13

MY TOP 5 OTHER FUELS

If the aforementioned fueling options aren’t for you there are plenty of products that should fit the bill. The challenge can be the overwhelming so check out my top five fueling products:

Clif Shot Bloks: Many runners who dislike or can’t stomach gels prefer Clif Shot Bloks. I’m a fan because not only do they provide simple sugars and electrolytes, but they also have options with added caffeine to boost performance. Just three pieces provide 24 grams of carbohydrate so you can keep popping these in your mouth for sustained energy intake.

GU Energy Gels: Coming in at 23 grams of carbohydrate per gel, GU has the widest array of flavor options with everything from French Toast to Salted Watermelon. GU gels also have varieties with added caffeine, electrolytes and even branch chain amino acids.

Huma Chia Energy Gels: The company’s founder based these gels off what the Tarahumara Indians, known for long distance running, fuel off of. They include an all-natural mix of chia seeds, lime juice, fruit puree, evaporated cane juice, coconut water,

brown rice syrup and of course chia seeds, plus electrolytes from coconut water and sea salt. With 22 grams of carbohydrates, these gels also deliver on amino acids with the option for added caffeine.

Science In Sport (SiS) Go Isotonic Energy Gel: These gels are a great option due to their ideal ratio of carbohydrate to water. This means unlike most gels that need to be consumed with water, SiS gels can be consumed on their own with no cause for concern about digestive distress.

Skratch Labs Energy Chews: With 40 grams of carbohydrate per package, these chews use two types of simple sugars to optimize absorption to give you a boost of energy that can power you through long runs. Skratch provides a more natural option by eliminating a lot of the excess ingredients like artificial colors and wax used in many sports snacks.

As the Director of Nutrition at The Edge in Burlington, Jamie Sheahan, M.S., R.D. works closely with athletes to develop customized fueling plans.

Sheahan is also an adjunct professor of sports nutrition at UVM and has completed more than 20 marathons.

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14 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

SOUTHWESTERN VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER

ORTHOPEDICS

“I could have gone anywhere but I chose to have my surgery at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. I am delighted with the results.”

— Deborah Slaner Larkin

Deborah Slaner Larkin lives tennis. When she broke her wrist training for a national tournament, she wanted the best care possible and found it locally. She turned to the board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) Orthopedics to fix her fracture. Together with the physical therapy experts at SVMC Outpatient Therapy, she’s back at the top of her game.

Whether you need care for a sports injury or fracture, a joint replacement, or wrist or shoulder surgery, SVMC Orthopedics’ goal is to get you back to the activities you love as quickly—and painlessly—as possible.

Dr. Suk Namkoong, SVMC orthopedic surgeon, with patient Deborah Larkin

PA R T N E R S H I P I S P O W E R F U L M E D I C I N E

TM

332 Dewey St., Bennington, VT 05201 | 802-442-6314 | svhealthcare.org

FITNESS

RUN YOUR BEST (NOT YOUR FASTEST) MARATHON USE THESE TIPS ON HOW TO TRAIN FOR A GREAT RACE AND STAY INJURY-FREE.

BY LEE STANTON, P.T.

F

or years I lived by the clock. My best race was determined by the clock, or how I placed. As I matured as a runner, I realized that running your best marathon is not about running as fast as you can, but doing as well as you can on any given day.

After all the training that you’ve put in, it’s hard not to have some expectations when race day rolls around. Your goal may be to finish, to run the whole thing without walking, or to break a time mark. There are thousands of articles that will guide you to run your fastest marathon, but let’s get real: sometimes, running your fastest marathon just isn’t reasonable or safe.

The marathon will present you with a lot of variables that are out of your control. I’ve run in marathons in the high 80s in April, and in the low 40s in May. There is no way to predict the weather—but running your best marathon is about managing what happens that day so you can do your best with the conditions handed to you.

That all starts with good preparation: training, a plan, and a good pair of shoes.

YOUR SHOES

Shoes are the most important piece of attire that any runner has and are not a place to skimp! One of the most common ways runners are injured is by improper footwear. Go to a local shoe store that specializes in running shoes and get a gait analysis. If you are working with a physical therapist, bring your shoes to your visits. Your PT can help you select the right running shoe for you.

The amount of mileage a runner can expect to get out of a shoe varies runner to runner and between shoe types. A common rule of thumb is that a running shoe will have about 500 miles of life in it. I encourage my runner clients to start breaking in a new pair of running shoes about six weeks before the marathon.

That way, the shoe doesn’t have too much mileage on race day (I like mine to have about 100-200 miles). Also, having your feet get used to the seams on the shoe reduces the risk of blisters, a common problem for runners.

Assuming a moderate-to-long stride of just over three feet, a runner would be taking 1,700 steps per mile.

That translates to 44,450 steps in the marathon. Doing anything that many times could predispose someone to getting hurt, which is why shoes are so important.

Running a successful marathon is about a lot more than endurance and fitness. Photo courtesy Hoka One One

The best way to avoid blisters is to wear a good pair of dry shoes on race day. There are lots of other products out there that can help as well. Some runners will put Vaseline or other lubricants on their feet. I prefer a double layer sock called Wright socks.

Whatever you decide, practice your plan before race day. Use your long runs as an opportunity to see what works best for you. If you have a pair of socks you want to wear on race day, wear them on your long training runs and in various weather conditions as well.

YOUR TRAINING PLAN

When selecting a training plan, choose one that will give you the amount of miles necessary to achieve your goals while minimizing the risk of injury or overtraining. Runners should look for training programs that have a welldefined structure and that build slowly over time. Frequent rest/recovery weeks (every 2-4 weeks) have been shown to reduce risk of injury while training. If you’ve run with a given program in the past and it hasn’t worked for you, don’t be afraid to try something new the next time around. Every runner is different and no program is perfect for everyone.

YOUR COACH

If you decide to use a coach, do not be swayed by their personal results.

Instead, ask your coach to show you some examples of past athletes they have trained. Ask questions like how frequently their athletes get injured

and how often they achieve or surpass their goals. A good coach will be happy to share this information with you.

MANAGING YOUR INJURIES As you train, you may get hurt. Annually, 65-80 percent of runners develop an injury. The difference between those who recover quickly and those who do not is how you manage your injury.

An easy rule to follow is that if you have pain when you are running and it doesn’t stop within 30 minutes after your run, take a day or two off. Early use of ice is an easy and effective way to diminish some of the inflammation that can occur with training. If your symptoms persist after that point, contact a physical therapist to assess your injury. Work with a therapist with whom you already have a good rapport, or seek out a therapist who specializes in running-related injuries.

WEATHER If you keep your ears open at any marathon expo, weather is the most commonly talked about topic. It’s also a factor that is completely out of your control. It is best not to waste too much energy worrying about it. Instead, plan ahead: Don’t be afraid to over pack your bag if you are traveling—better to be over-prepared. A runner hoping to have his or her “best day” shouldn’t have to worry about weather because they have a plan: “If it is sunny and hot, outfit A; if it is cold and rainy, I wear outfit B.”

YOUR NUTRITION PLAN

Messing up your race nutrition can be a painful and humbling lesson. Focus on taking in modest amounts of calories (100-300 cal/hour depending on pace and how well your stomach manages eating). Marathon nutrition plans should be practiced many times prior to race day, and once an effective plan is established, it is best not to deviate from it. Practice your breakfast plan so that you don’t experience GI distress several miles into your run.

RACE DAY!

On race day, keep your wits about you.

There should be few surprises because you have thought through as many variables as possible. Stick to your race plan and avoid the temptation to be sucked into racing too hard too early (even if that guy next to you has had a heart rate monitor beeping for the past hour). If you still feel good after 18 miles, then go ahead and start racing.

The runners around you at that stage of the race have earned the right to race you, and you to race them. In short, practice your race plan, stay flexible, and enjoy your race.

Lee Stanton, PT, is a physical therapist at the UVM Medical Center’s Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Center.

He specializes in running mechanics and running-related injuries as well as multi-trauma injuries and total joint replacement.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 17

GEAR

W

hen Teage O’Connor runs, whether in shoes or barefoot, he runs with an enviable fluidity and ease.

In 2017, the Burlington-based educator broke the world record for most continuous miles logged barefoot: 100 kilometers. The same year, he won the Vermont City Marathon.

Of the nearly 3,000 miles he logged that year, about 1,000 were barefoot.

O’Connor learned to run barefoot because he wanted to improve his running form. “I was doing a lot of tracking for work, and when you look at animal footprints, you can see pressure releases, the places where a foot slips and indicates an inefficiency in the stride. I watched the way coyotes ran, forward, on their toes, moving lightly.” Ten years later, he’s earned PRs barefoot and hopes to qualify for the Olympics in marathon.

Barefoot running is nothing new— elite track athletes and marathoners have been running barefoot or in ultralight, minimalist racing flats since the early part of the twentieth century.

This sparked fascination among some ultramarathoners and in 2004, Vibram came out with the FiveFingers, a rubber-soled shoe with separate toe compartments designed to protect the pads of your feet while simulating the experience of running barefoot.

After Christopher McDougall’s bestselling book Born to Run launched running barefoot or with minimalist shoes into the mainstream in 2009, even recreational runners began looking to minimalist shoes as a way to run faster and with fewer injuries.

Altra launched its first minimalist shoe in 2010, coining the phrase “zerodrop,” which refers to the difference in elevation between where a runner’s toes sit in a shoe and where their heel sits. In contrast, a traditional running shoe has a drop of about 12mm, with the heel sitting higher than the toes.

Unlike the Vibram FiveFingers, Altra’s shoes kept a more traditional shape except for a wider toe box, to let runners spread their toes and increase stability when landing on the ball of their foot.

The same year, Hoka One One launched its first low drop shoe, the Mafate, calling it a “maximalist” running shoe. With a drop height of less than 5mm and a revolutionary stack height (the height in millimeters at which a runner’s foot sits above the ground in a given shoe) of nearly two-inches, it was designed to be lightweight and to offer extra padding for running long distances.

18 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

IS ZERO DROP FOR YOU? IS THE TREND TOWARD MINIMALIST OR ZERO-DROP SHOES FOR YOU? HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE MAKING THE SWITCH.

BY ABAGAEL GILES

Hoka One One set out to make shoes with extra cushion and rocker in the midfoot to encourage a more efficient striking pattern and gait cycle with a little extra cushioning for runners tackling ultra distances. Photo courtesy Hoka One One

Ten years ago, only industry nerds would know those terms. Today?

Stack height and drop are labeled next to almost every shoe on the wall in Vermont’s leading retail stores.

But are these shoes for everyone?

After ten years of dominating the market, new research sheds light on just this.

HOW DID WE START HEEL STRIKING AND WHY ARE WE STILL DOING IT?

“When McDougall’s book was published in 2009, most running shoes on the market were designed to cushion the foot and eliminate what is called pronation, or the way in which your foot rotates on impact,” says Kyle Darling, footwear buyer for Skirack in Burlington and a 15-year

HOW TO MAKE THE ZERO DROP SWITCH • Get a gait analysis: A physical therapist can teach you about the latent biomechanical tendencies that affect your gait and how they do or don’t make you more prone to certain injuries and what type of shoe you should look for. “I like to recommend a 100,000-mile checkup to the athletes I work with. Kind of like an oil change,” says Davis. And it’s a good idea to get instruction from a pro—a coach or a physical therapist—who can guide you as you embark on re-learning how to run.

• Take it slow: If you are a heel striker, expect it to take longer. “The transition should take three to six months,” says Stanton. He recommends track workouts, such as hundred-meter intervals, alternated by days with long walks. “Then begin to run very gradually on trails or other soft surfaces, as if you were starting from scratch.” Wait for a lull in your running schedule to make a change to your form.

• Start with a low-drop shoe: Consider starting out with a low-drop shoe with a little stack height to help you ease into longer runs without injury.

veteran of the running shoe industry.

“The running boom of the 1970s and 1980s was, in many ways, facilitated by the advent of what we think of today as the modern running shoe,” says Darling. Back then, the focus was on protecting runners’ feet and joints against pavement— which was increasingly the surface Americans were living their lives on.

“Companies started building shoes up and developing new designs to adjust for various biodynamic deficiencies,” says Darling. Shoes were made to be heavily cushioned with an elevated heel, stiff midsole and lots of arch support.

In essence, shoe companies saw that as more Americans were becoming interested in jogging, the way to keep them interested was to design shoes that allowed them to run on the surfaces available to them—in most cases, pavement— with comfort. One study published in Physical Therapy in 2015 found that 75 to 80 percent of runners wearing shoes use a rearfoot strike, something that was rare before the advent of modern running shoes in the 1970s.

But placing extra cushioning around the heel yielded unintended consequences, says Lee Stanton, a physical therapist at the University of Vermont Medical Center who has run eight marathons and four Ironman triathlons and specializes in treating running injuries.

“These shoes really allowed people to run with not great mechanics,” says Stanton. “When you think about running in a shoe with a heel, there is a tendency to lengthen out your stride and heel strike more.” In theory, a shoe with less padding will prompt a runner to land on their forefoot or midfoot, creating a more efficient stride.

But heel striking isn’t necessarily a bad thing, says Stanton, especially for recreational runners. “I don’t believe the problems people see running are about footwear—I think it’s the surface we are running on,” says Stanton.

“Pavement is relatively new for humans. We’ve only encountered it for one or two generations and our feet are not adapted to that. A good running shoe mitigates that. If you’re switching to a shoe that takes that away and you aren’t practiced at running in the style required to do that successfully, you can get into trouble.”

And, Stanton says, it’s not clear that running with a zero drop or lower drop shoe or even running on your mid or forefoot reduces just any runner’s propensity for injury.

5 NEW MINIMALIST SHOES FOR 2019 THERE’S A NEW CROP OF ZERO DROP AND MINIMALIST SHOES OUT FOR THIS SEASON. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, THOUGH, IS THAT THEY FIT WELL.

ALTRA SOLSTICE (Road shoe, Drop: 0mm, Stack height: 23mm, Price: $90) New for 2019, this is a top recommendation for people who want to experiment with running on their midfoot or want to use an affordable zero drop shoe for occasional workouts to improve their running form at the track.

HOKA ONE ONE EVO REHI (Road shoe, Drop: 4mm, Stack height: 13mm, $140) Hoka One One is known for their lightweight maximalist shoes. The EVO series is designed to be responsive enough for racing, have a more minimalist stack height and to be waterproof.

ON-RUNNING CLOUDSWIFT (Road shoe, Drop: 7mm, Stack height: 23mm, Price: $149) What Skirack’s Kyle Darling calls a “minimalistmaximalist” shoe, this model uses brand new Helion superfoam, which provides lightweight cushioning in the form of pods that flex underfoot.

CAN ZERO DROP MAKE YOU FASTER?

Sam Davis is a running coach for Craftsbury Outdoor Center who has completed more than 30 marathons (his fastest was in 2:32:00) and coaches O’Connor. “The thinking is that if you have more contact with the ground, as is the case with a minimalist runner or even a barefoot runner, you’re going to land more efficiently because you won’t land in a way that hurts,” he says.

In the gait cycle, Davis says heel striking requires the runner to break before launching into their next step—an inefficiency most elite runners eliminate from their stride.

“Imagine you are hitting your heel and then getting your body up and over your foot rather than having it directly below you as you land. If you land on your midfoot or forefoot, it allows for more of a smooth transition to take off into your next step.”

As a coach, Davis tries to help runners find a form that is sustainable and efficient. “The best running form is the one that doesn’t get you injured,” he says. “World-class runners will be sleek because they are efficient at what they do. They will have excellent running economy, meaning they don’t put out

TOPO ULTRAVENTURE (Trail shoe, Drop: 5mm, Stack height: 25mm, Price: $130) Topo was founded by Tony Post who helped launch Vibram FiveFingers. New for 2019, the Ultraventure features a Vibram sole and a wide toebox with a narrower heel than most Altra models. It's suitable for someone who heel strikes on pavement but wants a lower drop shoe with a lot of control for running on their mid or forefoot on steep, mountain trails.

It’s also compatible with gaiters. One reviewer said, “If Hoka One One and Altra had a baby, this would be it.”

XERO TERRAFLEX (Minimalist trail shoe, Drop: 0mm, Stack height: 2-5mm, Price: $99.99) This minimalist shoe is made of vegan materials and has a 5,000-mile sole warranty. Built on the same model as Xero’s popular Prio, this features 3mm lugs, 3mm of foam padding and a removable 2mm insole.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 19

CATAMOUNT ULTRA MARATHON

wasted effort.” The result? “You don’t see a lot of heel striking in the Olympics.”

One study published in 2012 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, examined injury rates among competitive collegiate cross-country runners and found that runners who habitually rearfoot or heel strike have “significantly higher rates of repetitive stress injury than those who mostly forefoot strike.”

However, another study published in Sports Medicine in 2013 found that the benefits of running barefoot or in minimalist shoes were only available to people who had good running form to begin with. “While barefoot running may benefit certain types of individuals, differences in running stance and individual biomechanics may actually increase injury risk when transitioning to barefoot running.”

And in 2014, Vibram was forced to settle a class action lawsuit for $3.75 million after a group of runners sued the company, alleging it had deceived customers by claiming in advertisements that its FiveFinger shoes could reduce foot injuries and strengthen foot muscles without scientific evidence to support those claims.

But the fad has left its mark on modern running shoes. According to Darling, most brands now make at least one shoe with an unconventional drop—anything less than 8mm. Ten years ago, most shoe manufacturers were creating stability shoes with drops in the 12-13mm range. Last year, Skirack’s bestselling shoe was the Men’s Hoka One One Speedgoat 3, which has a 4mm drop. “That’s a pretty big shift,” says Darling.

Melissa McNeil, who oversees running footwear for Outdoor Gear Exchange said that five years ago the store stocked two zero drop shoe models. Now, they stock five.

shoe with some level of support.

Changing that level of support is going to affect not only our foot mechanics but also our knee and hip mechanics.”

Common overuse injuries associated with the transition to zero drop and minimalist shoes include stress fractures, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, tendinopathies and blisters.

“If someone is going to switch to a minimalist or zero drop shoe, they really should take the time to learn to run the new way,” says Stanton.

“The transition should take three to six months, like it would if you were starting to run for the first time.”

Stanton also cautioned against treating zero drop and minimalist shoes as a catch-all cure for running injuries and ailments. “There is just not enough research yet to say that injury rates are reduced. That’s not to say it’s not there, but these shoes have not yet been proven to improve performance or reduce the risk of injury.”

Sam Davis recommends that runners who are interested in improving the efficiency of their gait consider shortening their stride before changing shoes. “Just because you land on your heel doesn’t mean that you are more susceptible to injury. It just means you could be more efficient,” says Davis, who recommends runners focus on where their weight is centered over their foot rather than which part of their foot they strike with.

“Whether you are landing on your heel, your forefoot, or your midfoot, you want to land so that your center of gravity is directly over your foot. If you are planting your foot out in front of you, more times than not, that’s heel striking and it means you are probably over-striding.” His tip for correcting this? Get on the treadmill at the gym and have a friend film your feet while you run, or find a treadmill by a mirror and practice shortening your stride.

“If a person comes to us in physical therapy with a running injury, we go through a detailed history and examination of their running injury, lower extremity biomechanics and evaluation of running form," says Hannigan. "A running shoe recommendation should be made considering a runner’s biomechanics, running pattern, distances they typically run and injuries they are prone to. I don’t think recommending the current trend in running shoes is the answer, but rather piecing together all the pieces of the puzzle to make a more informed recommendation for each runner in particular.”

Photo by - Dom Daher

catamountultra.com

JUNE 22, 2019 Stowe, VT

CATAMOUNTULTRA.COM

20 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

SHOULD YOU MAKE THE TRANSITION AND IF SO, HOW?

“I think runners need to first ask why they want to switch,” says Alexis Hannigan, a physical therapist at Rehabilitation Therapy in South Burlington. “If your current running shoe has been working for you and you’ve been able to train essentially injury free, then why would you change?”

According to Hannigan, when minimalist shoes first came on the market, her firm treated a lot of runners who had switched without allowing their bodies time to practice and adapt to a new style of running.

“It is important to consider that most runners, especially recreational runners, have been running in what we consider a more traditional running

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High Season on Mt. Washington EACH SPRING, THOUSANDS OF SKIERS FLOCK TO TUCKERMAN RAVINE TO SKI BIG MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. BUT THERE’S MORE TO DO THAN JUST SKI: BRING A BIKE, AND PLAN TO CLIMB, HIKE OR PADDLE AS WELL. BY ABAGAEL GILES

On a sunny spring Saturday when the conditions are just right, hundreds of skiers flock to Tuckerman Ravine. Photo by Andrew Drummond

U

nder an expansive blue sky, Andrew Drummond takes a deep breath, savoring something rare: still, warm spring air at 5,000 feet on Mt. Washington.

He locks his heels down in his alpine touring tech bindings and surveys his surroundings: the expansive white of the mountain’s upper snowfields and the Bigelow Lawn. Ahead of him, the white disappears over a rolling lip: the headwall of Tuckerman Ravine— with lines as steep as 55 degrees, it’s one of the longest pitches in the East.

With one big pull and a nod to his ski partner, he launches over the edge into nearly 600 feet of soft corn snow below.

At the bottom, he’s met with a wall of sound: cheers, laughter and hoots from fellow skiers wearing everything from bathing suits to Gortex and tutus.

It’s May and at Lunch Rocks, a pile of boulders conveniently located about halfway up the cirque, the annual pilgrimage to Tuckerman is in full swing, with crowds basking in the spring sun. There are sleds, inner tubes and volunteer ski patrollers.

You can smell balsam and despite the activity, it never feels crowded.

David Goodman of Waterbury, Vt., author of Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast, calls Tucks “a place of pilgrimage for East Coast skiers, where

ordinary folks shed their workaday personae and, for a moment, live large.”

At 37, Drummond, a native of Conway, N.H., and the founder of the backcountry shop Ski the Whites, has skied the headwall hundreds of times in both winter and spring conditions. He’s skied steep lines in Alaska, worked on oil rigs, run 100-mile trail races and in April won his fifth Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon, a race that challenges competitors to ski the headwall, bike, run and hike through the Whites and then paddle the Saco River in a day. At 12, he tomahawked several hundred feet down the Tucks headwall, something he calls a “rite of passage.”

He’s kept coming back for more since.

“The thrill comes from the fact that you can’t see what’s below you. It is the steepest section of terrain in the White Mountains and the only one that requires you to drop in on a blind roller.

The thrill of that still gets me every time.”

But on a good day, when the snow is soft and stable, Tuckerman Ravine can be a friendly place. “It can feel like a blue square ski run if the conditions are right,” says Drummond.

There are plenty of events to draw skiers and climbers to Mount Washington year-round: Mount Washington Valley Ice Fest happens in early February and the Mt.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 25

With 1,400 feet of vertical drop, Hillman's Highway is the longest ski run in the ravine. It’s also a good place to access the remote and more moderate gullies in Oakes Gulf, at the edge of the Dry River Wilderness. For the technical ski mountaineering lines named in Chris Davenport’s 2010 book 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America" head to Huntington Ravine.

“Every year, you’re waiting for that one classic spring day at Tucks,” says North Conway local and former Volkl East Coast Race Coordinator Alex Leich. “Starting in early April, it’s a good idea to just keep an eye on the weather. Be willing to go up to the base and choose not to ski if the conditions aren’t what you hoped for.

Have a back-up plan in the valley.”

Rick Wilcox, who owns the gear shop International Mountaineering Equipment and has guided rock and ice climbing and skiing in the White Mountains for more than 30 years, suggests looking at the forecast for Jackson, N.H. “You want it to be about 50 degrees in the valley and to have hovered around freezing overnight. You also want there to be relatively little wind and plenty of sun,” says Wilcox.

Check the Mt. Washington Avalanche Center forecast for avalanche danger and other hazards like crevasses, falling ice, bulletproof ice and glide cracks.

“When I go up to ski Tucks and time it right, it’s like a reunion. I see all my industry friends, pals from ski racing in high school. Think end-of-season party at a West Coast ski resort but in the New Hampshire backcountry,” says Leich.

Skiers eye a late season gully descent on Mt. Washington after the auto road has opened, taking advantage of "slackcountry" season. Photo courtesy the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Washington Backcountry Ski Festival runs annually in March and in April.

But May is when the biggest party happens. Slackfest is an annual impromptu barbecue held on the East Snowfields over Memorial Day weekend, when the Mt. Washington Auto Road typically is open. Expect grills, lawn furniture, straw hats and scrappy skiing on a makeshift slalom course. In June, skis get switched out for running shoes in the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race, held June 15 this year. Held August 1718, the 47th Annual Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is known as the toughest hillclimb in the U.S..

But with the snowpack what it is, this month, it’s all about the skiing.

ALL ABOUT THE TIMING

Historically, May is when the skiing on Mount Washington is best—in large part because the winter’s snow has consolidated into a dense base that softens into perfect corn when the sun warms it to above freezing temperatures by mid-morning. Mt. Washington’s variable weather can still create unstable snow conditions for wet slab avalanches (see sidebar: "Staying Safe on Mt. Washington")—but stable conditions are more frequent than in mid-winter. This year’s snowdepth of more than seven feet at the bowl’s base should have skiers skiing late into June.

“You want to catch routes while they are in the sun so they’ve corned up by the time you get to the bowl,” says Drummond. This means getting to the base of the headwall between 8 and 10 a.m. It takes about two hours to get there from the trailhead at Pinkham Notch Visitors’ Center. “Right Gully is

26 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

Skiers form a line, climbing a popular ski descent in Tuckerman Ravine. By spring, deep bootpacks often form in the ravine's steep gullies. Photo by Andrew Drummond

the most south facing and gets light first,” says Drummond. Skiers climb by bootpacking up their intended route of descent and it’s common for snow staircases to form in the ravine.

However, late afternoon shade can make for dangerously icy conditions conducive to a long fall. Crampons are recommended. “Nothing good happens after 3 p.m. in Tuckerman Ravine,” warned Drummond.

Once the Mt. Washington Auto Road is open, skiers can gain quick access to routes on the East Snowfields off of Mt. Washington’s summit. For advanced skiers, Airplane Gully in the Great Gulf Wilderness is a popular late season run on a good snow year.

Narrow, steep and rocky, it is most easily approached from the Auto Road in May. On the west side of Mt. Washington, if you skin up the path of the cog railroad, it’s just a two-mile approach to access Burt and Ammonoosuc Ravines.

The cog railway path sees far less traffic

“The thrill comes from the fact that you can't see what's below you...You drop in on a blind roller.

That still gets me every time.”

— Andrew Drummond than Tuckerman Ravine but can offer some great corn snow skiing. From 2003 to 2006, the cog railroad operated into the winter, bringing skiers and hikers a mile up the mountain. Today, it operates during the summer only.

BRING BIKES, ROPES AND BATHING SUITS

May and June, when the temperatures are cooler and the area is less crowded, are also great months to get on some of North Conway’s world-famous granite slabs and massive buttresses.

It’s one of the few places in the East where you can find multi-pitch granite dome climbing that lets you follow one crack system for hundreds of feet.

At Cathedral Ledges in North Conway, there are more than 60 established rock climbs, among them classics such as Thin Air, a 4-pitch 5.6 traditional crack climb on Cathedral’s 500-foot exposed granite face.

The adjacent Whitehorse Ledge is to slab climbing in the East what Cathedral is to crack climbing. “It all depends on the year, but you can often climb the Standard Route on White Horse Ledge by early April. With nine pitches, at 5.5, it’s a real classic,” says Cheyenne Chaffee, an AMGA Certified Rock Guide for Eastern Mountain Sports School in North Conway. For sport climbing in May and June, head down the road to Humphrey’s Ledge. A perk

Above, hanging out on the deck at the caretaker's cabin at Hermit Lake is a rite of passage (and of spring). Left, a kayaker makes the most of high spring flows on the Wildcat River, which flows into Jackson, N.H. Top photo by Andrew Drummond of Ski the Whites, left photo courtesy Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.

of climbing early? “It’s a slow time of year here and tends to be less crowded,” says Chaffee. Rick Wilcox adds that bug spray is necessary starting in midMay. Pick up the latest edition of North Conway Rock Climbs at I.M.E., the go-to gear shop for mountaineering on Main Street with an epic consignment section.

O

Hire a guide at Eastern Mountain Sports Schools, Northeast Mountaineering, International Mountain Climbing School or Cathedral Mountain Guides.

Every summer, thousands of people flock to Pinkham Notch to hike Mt. Washington. At 6,288 feet, it’s the tallest peak in the Northeast and

STAYING SAFE ON MT. WASHINGTON

n Thursday, April 11, a skier was buried by an avalanche on Mt. Washington. According to a report by Frank Carus, the U.S. Forest Service’s Lead Snow Ranger and Director of the Mt. Washington Avalanche Center: “A solo skier, skiing Raymond’s Cataract triggered a wind slab above the waterfall zone as the terrain rolls over. The victim was buried about a meter deep." Webcam footage indicates the slide occurred at about noon, but the snow rangers were only notified that a skier may have been involved at 1:30 p.m.

Though he was freed by about 2:20 p.m., he was buried for just over two hours. "We dug him out and he was breathing, but cardiac arrest soon followed. We worked on him at the scene with vigorous CPR.” The skier, Nicholas Benedix, 32, died before he could be transported to a hospital.

Though the avalanche conditions had been described as “moderate” that day, Raymond’s Cataract, as Carus went on to describe it, “is a classic terrain trap— you can see where debris funnels down." The crown of the avalanche was 130 feet wide and a meter thick, triggered at a convex, 39 degree bulge.

Carus described the snow conditions as “pencil-hard windslab over softer snow.”

Avalanche warnings have been posted on many days this spring. The day prior, on April 10, a smaller slide slid down higher terrain. Earlier this spring, larger slides swept the ravine. According to Randi Minetor, author of Death on

offers access to more than 20 miles of hiking above treeline. Nicky Pizzo, trails director at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch Visitors’ Center, recommends the 2.8mile Liebeskind’s Loop out of Pinkham Notch if you’re looking for a moose encounter or quiet early season hike.

Mount Washington: Stories of Accidents and Foolhardiness on the Northeast’s Highest Peak, published in 2018, 13 people have died in avalanches on Mt. Washington since 1849, when data first was recorded regularly.

Chris Joosen, the U.S. Forest Service’s former lead snow ranger and head of the Mount Washington Avalanche Center until his retirement in 2016, posted this to the Center’s blog in 2013: Of the nine avalanche fatalities I have dealt with since 1991, 6 climbers died primarily due to trauma while the 3 skiers died due to a combination of asphyxiation and trauma. New Hampshire, and more broadly northern New England, leads our nation in the percentage of avalanche deaths that result from trauma. Our terrain and generally low snowfall create scenarios that bring us into rocks, over cliffs, into the trees more often as we hunt for areas to pursue our sports. Our ability to ski tour in open terrain or stick to low angle slopes in avalanche terrain is near impossible in most cases. Of the nine aforementioned avalanche deaths on Mount Washington, four occurred under a Moderate or Moderate moving towards Considerable rating and two under a High rating in Tuckerman and Huntington Ravines. The remaining three fatalities occurred in the Gulf of Slides, where avalanche advisories are not issued. In the two incidents leading to these three deaths the avalanche danger in Tuckerman and Huntington was posted at High.

While avalanche conditions tend to lessen later in the spring, other hazards such as crevasses and moving streams hidden by snowpack, emerge. Carus and Ryan Matz, Backcountry/Wilderness Manager at WMNF have this advice for anyone who plans to hike or ski the high country.

The trail moves through lush woods and over two small peaklets to Lila’s Ledge, which features an amazing view of the Presidential Range, and Brad’s Bluff. If you’re looking to get above treeline and still lose the crowds, try hiking through the Great Gulf Wilderness from Pinkham

Know the snow conditions and forecast.

Get the latest forecast at mountwashington.org or at the front desk at the AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitors’ Center. Know that it will likely change. If you are heading to elevation, check mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org to get the latest information about avalanche danger, snowpack and current hazards in the ravine. Check the WHIVCH bulletin again when you get to the caretakers’ cabin for any changes to the reported conditions and be prepared to change your plans.

Be prepared for avalanches.

Be prepared with avalanche gear (transponder beacon, probe and shovel) and know how to use it. Visit kbyg.org for more about how to stay safe in avalanche terrain.

Carry the essentials.

Make sure you have maps and a compass, headlamp, sun protection, insulation (think layers), a headlamp, first aid kit, a fire source, knife, food, plenty of water and emergency shelter.

Wear a helmet and carry an ice axe and crampons.

Protect against falling rocks, snow or a fall in the ravine. Know how to self-arrest in the event of a sliding fall.

Be aware of falling ice, glide cracks and waterfall holes.

Hike up your intended line of descent so you can see any crevasses before you put your skis. Waterfall holes are especially prevalent in the lip of the ravine, where they can be invisible from above. Be aware of the potential for ice fall.

Listen for running water under the snow to avoid snow bridges.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 27

Notch to Low’s Bald Spot. This 4.4mile roundtrip hike offers views of some of the highest peaks in the East.

The Great Gulf is a deep and narrow wilderness, walled by the steep ridges that culminate in Mt. Washington and Mt. Madison. It has lush waterfalls, great wildlife and sees few hikers. “This year, snow will linger into May, so call the local ranger station or Appalachian Mountain Club for a trail and weather report before setting out,” says Pizzo.

Starting Memorial Day weekend, Saco River Tubing Center and Saco Canoe Rental Company offer inner tube rentals, canoe and kayak rentals and shuttled trips on the sandy Saco River, which flows through North Conway. Ask them for the latest beta on the river’s many rope swings. The water is cool but clear and has great fishing. Some sections offer whitewater riffles, the perfect place to try your hand at whitewater canoeing.

And you may want to bring your mountain bike. “Unlike in most of the Northeast, it can be mountain bike season and backcountry ski season at the same time in the Mt. Washington Valley,” says Leich, who is also vice president of the White Mountains New England Mountain Bike Association chapter. “Our soils tend to be made of decomposing granite, so they drain water better than in Vermont.” He recommends exploring the East Side trails in North Conway for cross-country riding in May and June.

North Conway has become known for steep trails that wind through lush forests. They tend to be technical and rooted, with granite slabs that offer plenty of thrills. The Twilight Zone, accessible from the Walmart parking lot, is one of the first trails to dry out in early May. It drops for two miles of singletrack along the southern ridge of Rattlesnake Mountain to connect with Outer Limits, a 5-mile trail of oldschool singletrack featuring twisting narrow sections and some climbing.

Over in Gorham, check out the newly developed trails at Moose Brook State Park created and maintained by the Coos Cycling Club. It has more than 20 miles of riding plus access via the Presidential Rail Trail to new beginnerfriendly trails along the Androscoggin River at Power Island and Pine Mountain. Download trail maps at nemba.org/chapters/wmnemba.

ENDLESS ADVENTURE

“On those days when the snow is good, it’s almost less about skiing the headwall and more about socializing,” says Drummond. “When the conditions are right and you get that spring hero snow, the terrain becomes less intimidating. You see all skier abilities getting out there, from novices to experts dropping huge cliffs.”

28 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

WHERE TO EAT, DRINK AND TUCK IN

P

lan to spend a weekend at Mt. Washington and you’ll discover big mountain terrain right next to villages supported by local farms, packed with mountain town culture and new places to eat, drink and stay.

In North Conway, try the malty Headwall Alt at Tuckerman Brewing Company, where from June through August, you can catch live music outdoors in the brewery’s field on select weekends, with food trucks and lawn games. For another North Conway classic, check out Moat Mountain Brewing Company for locally sourced pub fare like the Long Horn Nachos, which feature house-smoked local brisket. If you’re looking for the locals late-night scene, head to The Red Parka Steakhouse in Glen.

Table + Tonic, which opened in North Conway in June 2018, offers “Garden to Glass” craft cocktails and farm-fresh food. Owners Heather Chase and Russ Van Deursen source many of the herbs and berries that go into their house-brewed liqueurs, bitters and syrups on their farm in neighboring Intervale, called Mountain Flower Farm. They also own the health food store in town, The Local Grocer. For more upscale farm-totable dining head to Thompson House Eatery in Jackson, home to the outdoor Jackson Farmers’ Market on Tuesday evenings. Since 2017, chef-owner Jeffrey Fournier and his wife and co-owner Kate have used locally-sourced ingredients to shape their creative menu, which features dishes like the southern-style shrimp and grits with pickled green strawberries, North Country kale, cheddar and parmesan and Abita Turbodog beer.

For breakfast, check out the homey Stairway Café on Main Street and order the elk sausage with your eggs while you peruse their collection of vintage White Mountain guidebooks. Other well-loved diners include the Sunrise Shack in Glen, and in North Conway, Priscilla’s, Peach’s Restaurant and the Old Village Bakery. At 27 North, which just opened in North Conway in December 2018, try one of the house-infused Bloody Marys while you tackle “The Sinner,” an egg scramble with homemade corned beef hash, chunks of bleu cheese and bacon or take on the Garden of Eatin: eggs hollandaise with Portobello mushrooms, broccoli, feta and scallions. You can even get Lobster Benedict, topped with asparagus and cheekily named “The Saco.”

For coffee that will kick you in the pants and free wifi, head to Frontside Grind in North Conway. Glen Beverage Co. is the place to pick up craft beer for your post-Tucks parking lot reward, with more than 300 brews in stock.

There’s so much to do, you may want to make a weekend out of it and find a place to stay. If you’re skiing Tuckerman Ravine, you can skip the early morning 2.4-mile approach via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail by reserving a spot in one of the eight leantos at the Hermit Lake Shelters ($15 per person per night, outdoors.org) operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. Come spring, it’s a great place to meet fellow skiers, learn about conditions and swap stories and beers. Be sure to catch the alpenglow on the headwall at sunrise from the deck of the caretaker’s cabin, affectionately known as “HoJo’s.” In Pinkham Notch, the AMC’s Joe Dodge Lodge has shared and private rooms for $83 to $95 per person per night.

At White Mountains Hostel in downtown North Conway, bunk down for as little as $22 per night in a room likely shared with other climbers and skiers. In the summer, take a walk to the Saco River and check out the rope swing.

In Gorham, 20 minutes from Pinkham Notch Visitors’ Center, stay in a yurt (open Memorial Day through October) or the main lodge at HubNorth ($90-$360 per night), which opened in 2017 and is located on a 20-mile network of mountain bike trails— ranging from advanced singletrack to rail trail, developed and maintained by the Coos Cycling Club at Moose Brook State Park. Grab an apres-ski beer at SAaLT Pub. The new Glen House ($99-$400 per night) opened in September 2018 across from Great Glen Trails, at the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road. The big main lodge features views of Mount Washington, exposed wooden beams and a big fireplace.

For a true great camp experience, especially if you plan to ski the cog or any of the routes on the West side of Mt. Washington, stay at the Omni Mt. Washington Resort at Bretton Woods ($190-$500). Since 1902, the grand hotel has hosted presidents, poets and celebrities and earned a reputation for fine dining, its spa, beautiful architecture and stunning views. It sits at the base of Mt. Washington, just minutes from the Cog Railroad in the summer and the trailhead for the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail, a challenging but stunning ascent to the AMC’s Lakes of the Clouds Hut.

Head into North Conway for a killer cup of coffee at Frontside Grind (top) or head to The Shovel Handle Pub (middle) in nearby Jackson for the locals' apres-ski scene and live music. At bottom, a mushroom soup with pickled farm-fresh vegetables from Table and Tonic in North Conway. Photos by the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, Abagael Giles and Michelle Phillips.

For Drummond, that atmosphere is representative of the valley where he grew up. “It’s a rare moment to be up on Mt. Washington with thousands of people, all skiing the same terrain

together." And it marks the start of something new: summer. “There is so much to do in the White Mountains.

The access is incredible and it’s there for all of us who live in the Northeast.

Between the incredible trail running and hiking, the mountain biking, you could spend a lifetime trying to explore these mountains.”

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If you see someone blow by you on a time trial bike in one of the small towns of the Upper Valley, chances are it's Sarah True, the Hanover, N.H. Olympian who stormed the pro podium in her first Ironman.

30 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

training for

life O

n a rainy Monday in April, Sarah Groff True makes the short drive from her home near Hanover, N.H. to meet me for lunch in White River Junction. It’s the day of the Boston Marathon and her husband Ben True, the first American man to win the New York Half Marathon, is home watching the race coverage on TV. A two-time Olympic triathlete and Ironman contender, Sarah, 36, is unmistakable. Wearing a fitted hoodie with the name of her sponsor “Specialized” emblazoned across it, she is lean and strong and moves with the light, coltish gait of an athlete.

A former Middlebury College All-American swimmer, Sarah is articulate and thoughtful when she speaks. Her blue-green eyes light up as she smiles, which she does a lot, often laughing out loud. Her Twitter feed is both inspiring and hilarious—witness posts such as “The best lessons in body acceptance come from many hours of sharing a locker room with senior citizens.” “Humor is what saves me,” she says as we order.

Funny, smart, strong and strikingly beautiful, Sarah True is one of the very best triathletes in the world.

But what she wants to talk about now is depression.

“I think the low-point came about a year after the Rio Olympics, in July 2017,” she says as her voice lowers.

“Ben and I were driving over to King Arthur Flour to get a sandwich and I pulled into a parking spot and I just broke down. I told Ben I’d been having suicidal thoughts.”

Depression was something she’d been battling off and on since

she was a teenager. “I think he knew that, but he didn’t know how deep or how bad it had become.”

In 2016, Sarah and Ben True were being touted as a power couple among elite athletes. Sarah had finished fourth at the Olympic Games triathlon (1.5K swim/40K bike/10K run) in London in 2012—with a time that was just 10 seconds shy of the bronze medal. She was a favorite for the Rio games. Ben, who ran a sub-four-minute mile while he was at Dartmouth and has won the 15K nationals, was on pace to make the Olympic track team.

IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, OLYMPIC TRIATHLETE SARAH TRUE HAS HAD MORE THAN THE USUAL CHALLENGES TO FACE AS SHE’S TRANSITIONED TO RACING AS AN IRONMAN PRO. THE HANOVER, N.H. NATIVE OPENS UP NOW ABOUT HER STRUGGLES WITH DEPRESSION.

BY LISA LYNN | PHOTOS BY ANSEL DICKEY

But at the 5000-meter Olympic trials, Ben finished fifth, 0.48 seconds behind third-place finisher Paul Chelimo, who went on to win the silver medal in Rio. Sarah, who was second in the 2014 ITU World Series, already had an Olympic spot.

“I was fit, and I was ready,” she said.

But in Rio something happened. As she got out of the water from her swim, her leg began to spasm and cramp. Eventually, she had to walk her bike off the course.

“I felt at the time that I had failed everyone—myself, Ben, my country, my federation,” she remembers. That

was the start of two long, dark years—a time of struggle that she finally started to talk about on social media.

THE LOW BLOW

“Athletes come in different packages.

Like with anything, if you learn how to manage your depression, there's no reason you can't succeed," Sarah posted on Twitter in September 2017.

Since then, fighting depression has become a cause she has embraced.

“As professional athletes, posting on social media is written into our contracts. When I went through a

Though she started out as a swimmer and was an All-American at Middlebury, Sarah True's runs are smoking fast. At Ironman Frankfurt she posted the fastest marathon time: 2:54:48.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 31

period of deep depression, social media was actually a trigger for me as it’s so comparative. I was constantly thinking ‘I’m horrible, my life is horrible and this is just making me feel worse.’

When I came out of it, I decided I had a choice to write my own narrative.

I now see it as a privilege: I have a platform to share my story and there’s almost an obligation to show the other side. As athletes we’re not perfect, it’s not always happy and wonderful. And it’s a chance to share the skills that I acquired [to deal with depression].”

In recent years, athletes ranging from Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to former pro mountain biker Julie Furtado have started to talk about their depression and suicidal thoughts. In March, cyclist Kelly Catlin, an Olympic silver medalist, a graduate student in engineering at Stanford and an accomplished violinist who was fluent in Chinese, killed herself. A year before, she had suffered a concussion, and this was her second suicide attempt. She was 23.

“In the past year, I’ve also had a handful of aquaintances who are elite athletes or former athletes commit suicide,” says Sarah— among those, Australian cyclist Jonathan Cantwell. “There are so few resources to help athletes get through this. While I was depressed, I Googled ‘Resources for athletes with depression’ and there was nothing.”

As Sarah acknowledges, there is also no hard evidence that elite athletes are any more prone to depression than the rest of the population. “It’s not an athlete thing, it’s a human thing,” she says.

A 2016 meta review by New Zealand researchers of more than 60 studies concluded that “athletes experience a broadly comparable risk of high-prevalence mental disorders (i.e. anxiety, depression) relative to the general population.” And a recent study by Harvard-affiliated researchers (published in January 2019 by the journal JAMA Psychiatry) found, conversely that among a general population “physical activity is associated with reduced risk for depression.”

Yet, as Sarah says, “In elite sports, there are a lot of triggers for depression and it's especially hard when athletes retire or face an injury. Suddenly, something their whole life has been focused around isn’t there anymore.

Plus, there’s the stress that we face on a daily basis with our bodies, the pressure to perform and to be role models and, of course, the hormones. When your body is stressed it impacts serotonin levels.”

"I never count calories, I just like to eat good, local healthy food," says True.

up around 7 a.m., brew coffee, make oatmeal or toast with peanut butter and check my emails before I start my workouts. Ben then wakes up two hours later and does his thing,” Sarah says. The couple don’t train together and because of their schedules, only get to watch a handful of each other’s races. For a while, the Trues were both working with two-time Olympian and Boston Marathon winner Des Linden and her husband Ryan on a brand of coffee, linden + true, but recently they’ve stepped away and are starting their own coffee roastery.

Now that she has switched to training for Ironman distance races, (2.5-mile swims, 112-mile bikes followed by a 26.2-mile run) ‘workouts’ for Sarah mean training 25 or 30 hours a week.

She swims five times a week, often doing 5,000 yards. She does 45 minutes of strength training twice a week and runs track or distances five days. Her bike rides, five times a week, often take her deep into the backroads of Vermont.

Sarah works with a German coach who sends her workouts online. On rainy cold days like Vermont has seen this spring, she just gets out there,

whether she’s dealing with depression or not. “It’s my job, I have to,” she says.

“But there are some days I just tell my coach – you know that workout you gave me? Well, we’re doing it indoors today.

Training as an elite athlete in the Upper Valley is not always easy. “I can ride with guys and always be challenged,” says Sarah, “but for Ben it’s harder. There are only a handful of people in the world who can keep up with him,” she says.

Ben has tried to recruit Kenyan runner Sam Chelanga to come live near them. “It was pretty funny to see Ben, who is over 6 feet, running the back roads with this 5-foot, 2-inch Kenyan.” Chelanga ended up moving elsewhere so Ben is still looking for a training partner, “he’s even offered to pay a salary,” says Sarah.

The couple spends time in the winter training in Arizona, but they always return to the Upper Valley, where Sarah was born. Her parents have a farm nearby and her brother, Adam Groff lives nearby. Her sister, the award-winning author Lauren Groff (best known for Fates and Furies), spends summers in New Hampshire. “When I was going through depression, I spent a lot of time with my family and that helped," she said Ben returned to the area in 2010.

They were set up on a date by Sarah’s friend and former agent and were

A DAILY GRIND

Life in the True household is, in some ways, no different than that for any other working couple. “I usually get

32 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

"I love that we have so man options to ride and run dirt roads," says Sarah. After trying her hand at cyclocross, this spring she signed up for the gravel race, Rasputitsa. "I may or may not yhave a Prince costume planned," she said a week before the event, which features a rock-music theme.

married in 2014. “We love living here, being able to train on these beautiful, quiet roads and having so much great, farm-fresh food around,” says Sarah, who loves to cook. “Even more so, here we can just be ourselves. In Boulder, where I lived for a while, you’re always identified as an elite athlete. Here, a few years back this guy on a bike ride recognized me, but he said ,'Oh, you’re the girl who brings the blueberry bars to the bike shop.’ It was only later on that he was kind of embarrassed and said, ‘I had no idea you were an Olympic athlete.’ I love that, I want to be known as the blueberry-bar girl.”

“As an athlete you

get accustomed to discomfort and if you start trying to translate that to mental health it’s easier to accept it.”

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Sarah was in her 20s and training in Colorado Springs, Colo., when her coach came up to her after a workout one day. “He was someone who had battled severe depression and he took me aside and instead of saying ‘there’s something wrong with you’ he said, ‘there’s this thing that you have, and I have had it too, but you can work through it. It’s going to be ok and you’re going to be successful.’ I don’t think he realized the impact he had on me.”

Sarah began working with a therapist and, in her words, chipping away at it.

“It’s easier now that I can recognize it,” she says. “I have two mantras. One is ‘these are just thoughts’ and the other is ‘this too shall pass.’ As an athlete you get accustomed to discomfort and if you start trying to translate that to mental health it’s easier to accept it. It’s like any other injury or medical condition, you just have to train around it.”

After the Rio Olympics Sarah didn’t dial back on her workouts but she changed the intensity and began to focus on endurance, rather than speed, with an eye to switching to distance and competing in her first Ironman, the European Championship in Frankfurt, Germany. “Coming into it, I really wasn’t sure if I was ready,” she recalls.

“I’d never run or biked those distances.

I asked my coach what pace I should be at and he just shrugged and said, ‘you won’t know until you’re there and in it.”

On July 18, 2018 in Frankfurt, almost exactly a year after she had pulled into the parking lot, sobbing, Sarah had what she describes as one of the happiest moments in recent years. “Coming into the finish line and knowing I just did something I didn’t think I could do was awesome,” she says beaming. “I finally felt joy again.” What she doesn’t mention is that in her first Ironman she blew the triathlon world’s mind by finishing second among seasoned pros (Daniela Ryf, the four-time Ironman World Champion, won). Sarah posted the fastest swim (53.09) and the fastest marathon time, (2:54:48). In October, she competed at the Ironman Worlds

Sarah often trains alone, riding her time trial bike deep into the hills of Vermont. "You can't escape hills here," she says. "And that's just good for training."

in Kona, Hawaii and finished fourth.

“Suddenly, racing distances it wasn’t so much about competing against someone else but just proving to myself that I could do this,” Sarah said. “And I got so much inspiration from seeing all the other people out there on the course—regular people who were older or overweight or were

also just doing something they didn’t think they could do. When I was racing the Olympic-distance pro circuit it was just the same 70 women at events around the world. Seeing everyone else out there on the course was inspiring.”

Doing things she didn’t think she could do and competing without an expectation of winning is one of

With each competing at the highest level of their respective sports, Sarah and her husband Ben, a runner who came just shy of qualifying for the Rio Olympics, have to make the time for each other.

Sarah’s new goals. “I tried cyclocross because I thought it would be fun,” she says. It wasn’t. “I couldn’t believe how seriously everyone took it,” she says.

She was looking forward to her first gravel race, the Northeast Kingdom’s Rasputitsa. The theme of that race, this year, was Prince. “I LOVE Prince and I just may or may not have a costume,” she said with a sly smile.

The race is a benefit for Vermont’s Olympic mountain bike racer Lea Davison’s Little Bellas program for girls.

“I have so much respect for Lea, she’s just one of the warmest, kindest people and I think my life would be better if I’d gotten to know her more when we were both at Middlebury College. I admire how she’s found a cause, something greater than herself to give back to."

As we finish lunch, I point out that now, in speaking out about depression, Sarah has too. She shrugs.

“Going through the Ironman training process gave me hope for my future. Looking forward, now there’s uncertainty but it’s not scary. It’s not a void, just a blurry image—but those edges will sharpen, and things are starting to come into perspective.”

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 33

VERMONT

SPORTS LISTING YOUR EVENT IN THIS CALENDAR IS FREE AND EASY. VISIT VTSPORTS. COM/SUBMIT-AN-EVENT OR E-MAIL EDITOR@VTSPORTS.COM. ALL AREA CODES ARE 802. ALL LOCATIONS ARE IN VERMONT, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. FEATURED EVENTS, IN YELLOW, PAY A NOMINAL FEE.

RUNNING/HIKING MAY 4 | 41st Green Mountain Athletic Association Pump it Up 5-Miler, Jericho This rolling 5-mile race follows Old Pump Road and is an out-and-back in the foothills of the Green Mountains. gmaa.net 5 | Middlebury Maple Run, Middlebury Catch Vermont’s sweetest half marathon, split it up as a team of 2 or try the three-mile race at this annual favorite. Finishers get a pancake breakfast and free maple syrup. middleburymaplerun.com 5 | 41st Annual Steve Zemianek Bennington Road Race, Bennington This Southern Vermont tradition starts with a half-mile run for kids followed by 3.8-mile and 10-mile races for adults. parkmccullough.com 5 | Annual 5K Run/Walk for Jim, St. Albans A memorial 5K run for Jim Bashaw to support Grand Isle and Franklin County residents suffering from catastrophic illness. runforjimbashaw.com 9 | Spring Wildflower Walk, Vergennes Vermont Fish and Wildlife botanist Bob Popp will lead an easy walk in search of rare wildlflowers at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area. register-ed.com/events/ view/141364 10-11 | Peak Bloodroot Ultra, Pittsfield Race through the rugged foothills of the Green Mountains in the 100-miler on Friday, followed by the 50-miler, 30-miler, 10-miler and kids’ hike on Saturday. peakraces.com 11 | Adamant Half Marathon and Relay, Adamant This scenic figure eight course runs past the hills and ponds of Calais and East Montpelier. Part of the Central Vermont Runners race series. cvrunners.org

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RACE & EVENT GUIDE 11 | Girls on the Run Central Vermont 5K, Castleton An event to promote girls in sports. gotrvt.org 11 | LCMM Half Marathon and 5K/10K, Ferrisburgh Run from Basin Harbor Club with lake and mountain views along the way. racevermont.com 11 | Road to the Pogue, Woodstock Race 6.1 miles along the carriage trails of Mount Tom at the Marsh-BillingsRockefeller National Historic Park, paced by Icelandic ponies. roadtothepogue.com 11 | 10th Annual Spring into Health 5K, Townshend Run 3.1 miles on paved road to finish at the Townshend green. gracecottage.org 12 | Persist 5K Run/Walk, Burlington Choose between 3.1-mile and 1-mile courses on the Burlington Bike Path. persist5k.com 15 | Maple Leaf Marathon, Springfield Run eight laps of a 3.3-mile course for a full marathon or four laps for a half marathon. newenglandchallenge.org 16 | 36th Annual Vermont Corporate Cup Race, Montpelier A 5K team running/walking event open to businesses, government organizations and non-profits. vcccsar.org 18 | Barre Town Spring Run 5K, Barre Central Vermont Runners host this race which starts at the Barre Town Recreation facility. cvrunners.org 18 | Champlain Bridge 5K, Crown Point, N.Y. Join the La Chute Running Club in supporting free nutritious snacks for Crown Point School students in this scenic 5K race on trails. lachute.us 18 | 6th Annual Craft Brew Races, Stowe Run a 5K, then participate in a craft beer festival featuring more than 40 Vermont breweries. craftbrewraces.com 18 | Kingdom Games Dandelion Run, Derby Choose between a half marathon, a 10K, a four-mile, a two-mile, or a one-mile run or walk through dandelion fields in the hilly Northeast Kingdom. kingdomgames.co 18 | Girls on the Run 5K, Brattleboro Support girls participating in sports with this fun 5K for adults and kids. gotrvt.org

18 | 1st Annual Grace “Happy” Race 5K and Family Fun Run, Bennington A family-oriented fun run and race through town. gracechristian.net 19 | Race Around the Lake, Barnard Run or walk a 5K or run a 10K around Silver Lake at Silver Lake State Park. Both courses feature wooded trails, back roads and scenic paths, followed by live music and a free catered lunch for participants. barnarts.org 19 | Vermont Sun Half Marathon, Lake Dunmore Choose from a half marathon course and a 5K and 10K course near the shores of Lake Dunmore starting at Branbury State Park. Free photos, drinks and snacks for contestants. vermontsuntriathlonseries. com 20 | Shoefly Trail Running Series, East Burke These biweekly trail runs include one-mile, 5K and 10K distances. Runs take place at Kingdom Trails and Littleton, N.H.’s Regional Trails. shoeflytrailrun.org 25 | 18th Annual Timberlane Dental Mini Marathon, Burlington Half marathon and one-mile fun runs, as well as a two-mile timed event for kids 4 to 14 leading up to the United Bank Vermont City Marathon and Relay. runvermont.org 26 | Great Elfin Lake 5K, Wallingford A scenic 5K run or walk that begins on a country road, winds along a brook and takes conservation trails to the lake. runsignup/Race/VT/Wallingford/ GreatElfinLake5K 26 | Vermont City Marathon, Burlington An annual marathon through downtown Burlington that finishes at Waterfront Park. vermontcitymarathon.org

JUNE 1 | The Endurance Society’s Infinitus Race, Goshen Choose from an 8-mile, a marathon, an 88K, a 100-mile, a 250-mile race, a DecaMarathon (ten marathons in ten days) and an 888K race on a marked trail loop at the Blueberry Hill Outdoor Center. endurancesociety.org

1 | Colchester Causeway Race, Colchester Choose a 5K, 10K or 15K. The race begins at Airport Park and follows a gravel trail out onto the Causeway to finish at Airport Park. colchestervt.gov/358/Causeway-5K-10K-15KRace 1 | Girls on the Run 5K, Essex Junction This is the northern Vermont iteration of this special series to promote girls running and getting involved with sports and an active lifestyle. girlsontherun.org 1 | 7th Annual West River Trail Run, South Londonderry Run 11 miles on exciting terrain on a one-way trail from South Londonderry to Jamaica State Park along the West River. thecollaborative. us/westrivertrailrun 1 | Race to the Top of Bradford, Bradford Take on a 3.5-mile trail race to the top of Wrights Mountain or a 1.5-mile kids fun run on wooded trails. bradfordconservation.org/race 1 | Craftsbury Beer Run, Craftsbury A point to point trail and dirt road half marathon from the Craftsbury Outdoor Center to Hill Farmstead Brewery. craftsbury.com 2 | Covered Bridges Half Marathon, Woodstock Run 13.1 miles through scenic covered bridges starting at Suicide Six Ski Area. cbhm.com 3 | 40th Annual Vermont Milk Run, Enosburg Falls A 6.2-mile course that runs through the heart of dairy country, along the Missisquoi River with moderate hills. Part of the Franklin County Triple Crown and the Vermont Dairy Festival. vermontdairyfestival.com 4 | Five Fifty Fifty Run/Walk for Mental Health, Burlington Run or walk a 5K. One of 50 five-kilometer races being held in each state over 50 days to raise support for mental illness. fivefiftyfifty.com 7 | 23rd Annual Kids Track Meet, Montpelier All central Vermont kids in pre-school through 6th grade are invited to compete in this fun, free track meet, with events ranging from the mile run to the 100-meter dash as well as softball throw and long jump competitions. cvrunners.org

8 | 42nd Annual Capital City Stampede, Montpelier Central Vermont Runners hosts this 10K road race out and back, half on paved roads and half on dirt. cvrunners.org 8 | Ascutney Mountain Race, Brownsville Part of the USATF New England Mountain Running Circuit, this 3.7-mile race gains 2,300 feet up Mt. Ascutney. northeastuphillmountainseries.blogspot. com 15 | NH-VT Covered Bridge Half Marathon and Relay, Colebrook, N.H. Choose between a half marathon, a 16.2-mile race and a 5K, all on the same scenic course in northern Vermont and New Hampshire.

Food and live bluegrass music at the finish. nhvthalfmarathon.com

9 | The Peak Death Race, Pittsfield This race claims to be the most difficult race in the world—not only for its physical challenge but for its propensity to confuse and delay racers. Expect thousands of burpees, endurance crawls under barbed wire and the unexpected. peakraces.com 13 | Paine Mountain Trail Race, Northfield Run a half marathon or a 10K on the singletrack, forest roads and abandoned ski slopes of Paine Mountain, starting at Norwich University’s Shaw Outdoor Center. ironwoodadventureworks.com 13-14 | Ethan Allen 24, Bennington Nor’East Trail Runs hosts this fixed-time track race, with categories for 6-hours of running, 12-hours of running and 24-hours of running. netrailruns.com

16 | 9th Annual GMAA Equinox Trail Race, Charlotte This fun but challenging 5K trail race follows fields, single track and old sugaring roads. gmaa.net

20 | The Vermont 100 Endurance Race, West Windsor This beautiful run winds over country roads and through forested trails. vermont100.com

20-22 | Sine Nomine, Mendon The Endurance Society hosts a secretive endurance race of unspecified length held in rural Vermont at a location disclosed only to the entrants. endurancesociety.org

27 | 40th GMAA Round Church Women’s Run 5K and 10K, Richmond Run out and back on Cochran Road on pavement with a few rolling hills. Courses start and end across from the Round Church. gmaa.net

22 | 6th Annual Salomon Catamount Ultra 25K/50K Trail Race, Stowe Run on rolling, hard-packed dirt trails through highland pastures and hardwood forest at the beautiful Trapp Family Lodge trail system. Followed by the Salomon Running Festival with free demos, local food and beer. 50K is two loops. catamountultra.com 22 | 18th Annual Basin Harbor 5K and 10K, Vergennes Catch the children’s fun run before the races which wind along the lake, boat docks and golf course. racevermont

JULY 4 | 37th Annual Clarence DeMar Road Race, South Hero Run a scenic 5K out and back on South Street in South Hero. Don’t miss the ¼-mile kids race in the schoolyard before the 5K. gmaa.net 4 | Montcalm Mile, Ticonderoga, N.Y. Run downhill for one mile into downtown Ticonderoga before the 4th of July parade in this fun road race. lachute.us 7 | 38th Annual Stowe 8-Miler and 5K, Stowe Take to the roads for a fun summer race and celebrate your finish with Island Homemade Ice Cream and beer from Harpoon. stowe8miler.com

17 | 27th Annual GMAA Scholarship Trail Race, South Burlington Run 5K entirely on dirt trails with views of Lake Champlain at Red Rocks Park. gmaa.run 24 | Lost Cat 50K, East Dorset Choose from a 13.1-mile run, a 26.2-mile run and a 50K on this rugged trail race over Dorset’s Mount Aeolus, through forests and past historic marble quarries. netrailruns.com 24 | 2nd Annual Vermont Trail Running Festival, Stowe Head to Trapp Family Lodge for clinics about training, nutrition, trail running and for group runs. catamounttrail.org 25 | Delta Dental Race to the Top of Vermont, Stowe Run, bike or hike the 4.3-miles up the toll road on Mt. Mansfield, with 2,564 feet of climbing. rtttovt.com 25 | Dorset Hollow Road Race, Dorset Run 5K or 10K on a scenic loop through Dorset Hollow, with sweeping mountain views and steep trails. netrailruns.com

ALPINE SKIING/RIDING MAY

28 | Mansfield Double Up, Stowe Gain 5,000 feet over 11 miles on Vermont’s most technical terrain as you race across the state’s highest peak. nativeendurance.com

1 | May Day Slalom, Killington Show your stuff on corned hero snow at this super fun, spectator-friendly ski race. killington.com

28 | Barre Heritage Festival 5K, Barre A 5K race through the granite quarries and Barre Town Forest on single track. cvrunners.org/page_id=379

25 | Peace Pipe Rail Jam, Mount Snow Mount Snow’s Carinthia Parks hosts a free end-of-season rail jam complete with music and complimentary weenies on the deck. Hike and ride the park for free. mountsnow.com

AUGUST 10 | Kingdom Run, Irasburg Tackle a half marathon, 5K or 10K outand-back race on scenic dirt roads in the northeast kingdom. Walkers are welcome and the race is followed by live music, free lunch and blueberry sundaes. kingdomrun.org 10-11 | Smugglers Mountain Race, Jeffersonville Try your hand at the 25K trail run and the Madonna Mountain Vertical Challenge. A weekend of extremely challenging sky-run-style mountain races on the trails of Smugglers’ Notch Resort. ironwoodadventureworks.com 17 | The Vermont 100 on 100 Relay, Stowe Starting at Trapp Family Lodge, this team race covers 100 miles on Route 100 to Ludlow over covered bridges, Vermont landmarks, rolling fields and epic scenery.

100on100relay.com

BIKING MAY 4 | 2019 Waterbury Gravel Grinder, Waterbury Join the Waterbury Area Trails Alliance for a rugged a 25-mile course or a 40-mile course on a mixture of dirt roads and their trails. waterburytrails.com 4 | The Vermont 200K, Middlesex Mix stunning scenery with varied terrain with some enjoyable control stops along the way with breakfast all day long. 20 percent dirt roads and no trails, but wider tires are recommended. nerandonneurs.org 5 | Cranko de Mayo, Waitsfield This gravel grinder, hosted by Lawson’s Finest Liquids from their new brewery and taphouse, features 32 miles of riding in the Mad River Valley, with 3,900 feet of vertical and two covered bridges on class IV roads. madriverriders.com

11 | Human Powered Parade, Bristol Show your dedication to human-powered transportation and the environment at this zany bicycle parade. livingtreealliance.com 11 | Spring Trail Work Day at Cady Hill, Stowe Join Stowe Trails Partnership for a day of trail work followed by food and local libations. BYO work gloves, boots and water. stowetrails.org 11 | Bikes and Beers, Stowe Take on a scenic 15- or 30-mile ride that departs from The Alchemist Brewery.

Refreshments offered half-way. All those who complete earn a pint glass and two free beers, plus free live music at the brewery post-ride. alchemistbeer.com 11 | 4th Annual Spring Roll, Moretown Join Velo Vermont for this mixed-surface bicycle ride. Expect to cover about 35 miles with 3,311 feet of climbing. velovermont.bigcartel.com 11 | Trail Work Day at Sunny Hollow with Fellowship of the Wheel, Colchester Clean up trails for spring to prepare for a new skills park and adaptive mountain bike trail upgrades. facebook.com/fellowshipofthewheel 12 & 18 | Hell Hill Swell Trail Day at Eurich Pond, Warren Join the Mad River Riders and build a new trail to replace Hell Hill and Purgatory. madriverriders.com 18 | 4th Annual Richard’s Ride, Cochran’s Ski Area A metric century ride through Cambridge and Fairfax, mountain bike rides at Cochran’s Ski Area and a short kids' ride. richardtomfoundation.com 19 | Get it Ready at Camel’s Hump State Park, Huntington Join the Mad River Riders for a day of clearing winter debris from trails, maintaining drainages, reshaping damage from spring closure violations and a short preview of Evolution II, a new trail scheduled to be built in mid-June. madriverriders.com 13 | Green River Rip G03, Dover 30 miles of competitive riding with the potential for 100-mile views. Descend into the Green River Valley on gravel roads. bikereg.com 17 | Kelly Boe Memorial Ride, Middlebury A police-escorted 8-mile ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling, including Middlebury’s Kelly Boe for whom the ride is named. localmotion.org

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 35

18 | Crank the Kanc Time Trial, Conway, N.H. This epically scenic hill climb is hosted by Mt. Washington Valley Bicycling Club and carves its way through the White Mountain National Forest on paved roads, with 2,340 feet of elevation gain over 21.3 miles. mwvbicyclingclub.org

26 | Coyote Hill Classic-NECS XC Series Race, Bradford Mountain bike races for kids and adults on the trails at Coyote Hill Mountain Bike Camp. coyotehillcamp.com 31 | Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race, Lake Placid, N.Y. This USATF-certified course covers 11 miles of road riding at more than an 8 percent grade up the Veteran’s Memorial Highway. whiteface.com

19 | 3rd Annual Guilford Gravel Grinder, Guilford Join 545 Velo for this fun, challenging race which runs almost entirely on rural dirt roads. Expect a 40-mile ride with 4,800 feet of climbing. 545velo.com

JUNE 1 | Everyday Biking Workshop with Local Motion, Hinesburg Join Local Motion for free coffee, pastries and all the tips and tricks you need to commute or travel by bike safely. RSVP online. localmotion.org

21 | Fellowship of the Wheel Women’s Ride Series Kickoff, Huntington Head to Sleepy Hollow Inn, Ski & Bike Center for a group ride. Open to all with pronouns she/her/hers. facebook.com/fellowshipofthewheel

7-9 | Tour de Kingdom, Burke Choose from a series of rides, including a century, The Moose (a 200-mile ride) and a ride around Lake Memphremagog—or opt to ride all three days of this epic cycling festival. kingdomgames.co/june-tour

25-26 | Intro to Mountain Biking at Cricket Hill, Hyde Park Local pros will offer free beginner and intermediate mountain biking clinics for kids. bikereg.com/mtbclinic 25-27 | 23rd Annual Killington Stage Race, Killington Join the Green Mountain Bike Club for three days of road races, with distances ranging from 11 miles to 160 miles. killingtonstagerace.com

8-9 | Farm to Fork Fondo: Hudson Valley, Warwick, N.Y. Choose between an 83-mile gran fondo, a 50-mile medio fondo, a 35-mile piccolo fondo and a 10-mile ramble through rolling farmland starting and ending at Warwick Valley Winery. farmtoforkfondo.com/hudson-valley

28-29 | NEMBAFest, Kingdom Trails, East Burke The biggest Mountain Bike Festival on the East Coast with over 90 vendors, over 4,000 attendees and over 100 miles of trails for all abilities. Camp and make it a weekend. kingdomtrails.org

9 | Tour de Heifer, Brattleboro Choose between 3-, 15-, 30- and 60-mile rides, all on the dirt roads of Southern Vermont. strollingoftheheifers.com

2 | Mud Pond Trail Day with Fellowship of the Wheel, Williston Join Fellowship of the Wheel and VMBA for a day of volunteer trail work at Mud Pond. facebook.com/fellowshipofthewheel

25-26 | Bike Park Opening Weekend, Burke Mountain Bike park hours run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. skiburke.com

22-23 | Vermont Adaptive Charity Ride, Bridgewater Corners Choose from 100-, 60- and 40-mile loops followed by a barbecue with live music at Long Trail brewery and raise funds to support adaptive athletes. killington.com

9 | The Ranger, Tunbridge Features 32 miles and over 4,000 feet of climbing on class IV roads followed by free beer and a slice of pizza from the NOFA-VT wood-fired oven. thrangervt.com

1 | New England Randonneurs VT 200K and 300K Brevet, Burlington Open to all NER members, this event will feature challenging but scenic riding in the Champlain Valley. nerandonneurs.org

24 | Bike Ferry Opening Day 2019, Colchester Opening day for the Local Motion bike ferry, which allows cyclists to travel from Colchester to the Lake Champlain Islands via the causeway. localmotion.org

8 | The VTMonster Gravel Grinder, Ludlow A 70-mile ride with 9,000 feet of vertical gain on dirt and gravel roads that will “loosen your fillings and crush your legs.” ridinggravel.com/event/vt-monster

7 | 18th Annual Pat’s Peak Mountain Bike Festival, Henniker, N.H. Features downhill races, cross-country races and 24-, 12- and 6-hour riding challenges at Pat’s Peak. patspeak.com

12 & Weekly | Onion River Outdoors Women’s Intermediate Mountain Bike Clinics, Montpelier A fun, supportive clinic for intermediate women and non-binary riders. Includes on-trail time and an evening of bike maintenance at the shop. Repeats Aug. 7. bikereg.com/womens-mtb-clinics 12 & Weekly | Onion River Outdoors Women’s Beginner Mountain Bike Clinics, Montpelier A fun, supportive clinic for beginner women and non-binary riders. Includes on-trail time and an evening of bike maintenance at the shop. Repeats Aug. 7. bikereg.com/womens-mtb-clinics 15 | Adirondack 540 Gran Fondo, Wilmington, N.Y. Take on 136 miles of epic Adirondack scenery on mountain roads near Whiteface Mountain. adkultracycling.com 15-16 | Switchback Bike for the Lake, North Hero Choose an 80-mile, 60-mile ride, or 30-mile ride to raise funds to support Friends of Northern Lake Champlain. friendsofnorthernlakechamplain.org

Come test ride the 2019s Smuggler Carbon GX, Scout GX and Sentinel Alloy NX 49 Brickyard Lane, Putney Vermont

36 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

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Transition Bikes are in the house!

22 | Fellowship of the Wheel Trail Day, Hinesburg Help get trails cleared after the winter timber harvest at the Hinesburg Town Forest. facebook.com/fellowshipofthewheel 22 | The 200-on-100 Double Century, North Troy This is a single-day double-century that travels the length of Vermont, from the Canadian Border to the Massachusetts state line, primarily following VT-100. 100-200.org

29 | 5th Annual RAS Gravel Adventure, Peru Ride 41.6 miles of mostly gravel roads with 4,000 feet of climbing and the famed JHR Climb, with a 21 percent grade. support4shane.com 29 | Vermont Gran Fondo, Bristol Test yourself in this ridiculously challenging, mountainous road race with options for a 108-mile ride, a 65-mile ride, a 77-mile ride and a 39-mile ride. vermontgranfondo.com 29 | 14th Annual Tour de Grace Bicycle Rally, Stratton Mountain Ride 19 miles through scenic southern Vermont to support Grace Cottage Hospital. gracecottage.org 30 | Central Vermont Cycling Tour, Montpelier Choose between a 13.6-mile ride, a 33.75mile ride and a 59-mile ride in this epic gravel grinder through central Vermont. crossvermont.org

JULY 6 | Gnar Weasels: Bubba Trophy Series #4, Brownsville This EFTA-sanctioned event offers a $400 prize for the first man and woman to finish this mountain bike race. bubbatrophy.com 12-13 | The 38th Annual Prouty, Hanover, N.H. Bike, walk, row or golf to raise funds for Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center. Cyclists choose between 20-, 35-, 50-, 77- and 100-mile routes as well as a 65-mile metric century gravel ride. theprouty.org 19-21 | Conquer the Kingdom, Lyndon A mountain bike skills building weekend of lessons, small group rides and instruction with Cannondale mountain bike demos. kingdomexperiences.com 20 | Raid Lamoille, Craftsbury Ride approximately 100K on mostly gravel roads through the rolling Vermont countryside. 6,000 feet of elevation gain. A 50K route is also available. raidlamoille.com

21 | Farm to Fork Fondo, South Hero A non-competitive cycling event where all riders enjoy aid stations with chef-prepared treats made from local farms’ ingredients. farmforkfondo.com/champlain-islands 27 | Lake Placid Smashfest: A Smile Train Fundraiser, Lake Placid, N.Y. Take on an 85-mile road cycling course or a 59-mile course with aid stations. thecyclingformula.com/smashfest 27 | The Irreverent Road Ride, Richmond Adventure through Central Vermont on a mountain bike route that has not yet been set with pit stops for ice cream, swimming holes and lots of time in low gear. shorthandledshovel.com 27 | Mount Washington Century+, Albany, N.H. Supported century ride that circumnavigates the base of Mt. Washington. An 80-mile course and a 40-mile course are also available. tinmountain.org 27 | The Ididaride, North Creek, N.Y. The Adirondack Mountain Club hosts this cycling fundraiser with a 23-mile offroad mountain bike course through the mountains, a 75-mile road course and a barbecue. adk.org

AUGUST 3 | Tour de Slate, Middletown Springs Choose between a 100K metric century road ride, a 36-mile ride, a 23-mile ride and an 8-mile ride on the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail. Stick around for chicken curry and a barbecue on the town green. tourdeslate.org 3 | The Kearsarge Classic, Warner, N.H. Choose between a 55-mile, a 35-mile and an 83-mile adventure route in this classic gravel grinder through the rolling farmland of the Mt. Sunapee region. grvlt.net/kearsarge-klassic 9-11 | The 2019 Vermont Gravel Camp, Stowe Head to the Round Hearth for a weekend of adventure riding on unmaintained historic roadways with Cycling Formula coaches and gravel racing legend Mike Barton. thecyclingformula.com

10 | The Point to Point, powered by VSECU, Brownsville Ride 100, 50 or 25 road miles or choose a 20-mile trail bike ride or a 28-mile gravel grinder or a trail half marathon. Catch live music and food trucks at the base of Mt. Ascutney. thepointtopoint.org

12THANNUAL 2019

20-21 | Eastern States Cup Sugarbush Showdown, Warren Catch high calibur enduro and downhill mountain bike races with a combined cash purse. sugarbush.com

10 | Farm to Fork Fondo: Finger Lakes Region, Burdett, N.Y. Choose from rides ranging from the 88-mile Gran Fondo to the 54-mile Medio, to the 37-mile Piccolo to the 7-mile ride at this weekend of food, drink and cycling in the Finger Lakes region. farmtoforkfondo.com/finger-lakes 10 | 10th Annual Bike ‘N’ Brew, Burke Catch live music, mountain bike rides, bike games and beer tastings at this epic celebration of bike season in Vermont. skiburke.com 15-18 | The Vermont Challenge, Manchester This year, this classic four-day tour will now offer 3 routes of varying distances for each day of the tour, with two group leaders for each ride. vtchallenge.com 17 | The Peak Woodsplitter 6-Hour Mountain Bike Race, PittsfieldSee how many times you can complete a 10+-mile marked loop within a 6-hour time limit on the Green Mountain Trails. peakraces.com

BEF

17-18 | Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, Gorham, N.H. With categories ranging from traditional road bike to unicycle, this is an epic race to the summit of New England’s tallest peak. mwarbh.org 24-25 | The JULBO Eastern Grind: Bubba Trophy Series #6, Williston Catamount Outdoor Family Center hosts two days of mountain bike races in this EFTAcertified event. bubbatrophy.com 25 | The Vermont Overland, Reading Challenge yourself to a 44-mile dirt road bicycle race featuring 5,700 feet of climbing, seven sectors of Vermont pave and magnificent scenery. vermontoverland.co 25 | 3rd Annual Clif Enduro Lite, Burke Created by the race pros at MAXXIS Eastern States Cup, this event offers riders an introduction to enduro racing in a stress-free environment. skiburke.com 23-24 | Farm to Fork Fondo: Pennsylvania Dutch, Ronks, Penn.

Choose between the 82-mile Gran Fondo, the 45-mile Medio, the 33-mile Piccolo and a 9-mile ride through rolling hills. Enjoy stops with local food. farmtoforkfondo.com

Visit Our Website

adirondackmarathon.org

k c a d n o r i d AMarathon Distance Festival Probably the most beautiful 26 miles, 385 yards you will ever run!

”This event is made possible, in part, through Warren County occupancy tax money regranted by the towns of Horicon and Chester”

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 37

WATERSPORTS/MULTI-SPORT/ OBSTACLE MAY 3 | West River Dam Release, Jamaica State Park, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers schedules regular controlled dam releases from the Ball Mountain Dam. This year, there will be two releases: on May 4 and Sept 21-22. Paddlers can enjoy class III-IV rapids on the West River. vtstateparks.com/jamaica 4 | Introduction to Trout Fishing with Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Waterbury Learn the basics of spin casting for Vermont’s native coldwater fish. vtfishandwildlife.com 5 | Otter Brook Canoe and Kayak Race, Roxbury, N.H. A 5-mile Class III race from the base of the dam on Otter Brook to the Route 12 bridge, just south of Keene, N.H. neckra.org 11 | Round the Mountain Race, Saranac Lake, N.Y. This 10.5-mile flatwater canoe race runs from Lower Saranac Lake to Bluff Island and onto the Saranac River, through the lower Locks, to Lake Flower. saranaclake.com 12 | Fiddlehead Slalom, Montpelier Slalom through suspended gates on the Winooski River’s class II and higher rapids in this event, which is part of the New England Slalom Series. nessrace.com 18 | Bolton Dome Opening Day Celebration with CRAG-VT, Bolton Ribbon-cutting ceremony, trail day and climbing followed by a pop-up backcountry taproom with Halyard Brewing Co. at the Bolton Quarry. facebook.com/cragvt 24-26 | Yeti Total Archery Challenge, Pico Mountain Three days of archery courses, competitions and more for all ages and abilities. totalarcherychallenge.com 28 | 29th Annual Champlain Valley Canoe and Kayak Series Begins, Jeffersonville Join fellow paddlers for ten weekly training and race sessions at various locations. Learn tactics, improve technique and discover new places to paddle. bertsboats.com 28 | Bird-Watching Paddle with VT Fish and Wildlife, Vergennes Join VT Fish and Wildlife staff for a group canoe and kayak trip in Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area. BYO boat and life jacket. register-ed.com/events/view/141372

38 VTSPORTS.COM | MAY 2019

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1 | Vermont Paddlers Club Whitewater Novice Clinic, Waterbury This two-day clinic will introduce beginning paddlers to the basics of boat handling, river reading and techniques for driving a boat through moving water. vtpaddlers.net

6 | Basin Harbor Sprint Triathlon, Vergennes Catch a fast race on a fast course that starts with a 500-yard swim from the resort’s beach and heads along the shore of Lake Champlain. Then, bike 12.2 miles and end on a 5K run. racevermont.com

1 | The XMan, Sutton, Quebec Head to Mont Sutton for this epic obstacle course race on foot through a wild and mountainous course. montsutton.com 2 | Onion River Race and Ramble, Bolton Canoe or kayak this 10.5-mile route on the Winooski River, from Bolton to Richmond. winooskiriver.org 8 | Valhalla Race, Sutton, Quebec This race involves teams of 3-4 people and is half obstacle course race and half a game of escape and adventure. montsutton.com 15 | XTrail 2019, Mont Sutton, Quebec Race by foot through mountain circuits of lengths TBD over mud, roots, rocks and streams on marked hiking trails. montsutton.com 22 | Lake Dunmore Triathlon and Vermont Sun Triathlon, Salisbury Swim 600 yards, bike 14 miles and run 3.1 miles in the Vermont Sun Triathlon, or try the Lake Dunmore Triathlon, with a 0.9-mile swim, a 28-mile bike leg and a 6.2-mile run. This is the Vermont Sun Triathlon series’ 34th season. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com 22 | Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal, Richford 6.5 miles of paddling down the Missisquoi River and 5 miles of cycling on the adjacent Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail.

Race or ramble with the whole family. northernforestcanoetrail.org 22-24 | Winni River Days, Franklin, N.H. Catch live music, duck races, whitewater paddling clinics, a silent auction & beer. Two days of various whitewater races, plus free morning yoga. millcitypark.com 23 | The Winni Slalom, Northfield, N.H. Race through suspended slalom gates in this class II whitewater race on the Winnipesaukee River. nessrace.com 30 | Brattle Paddle Canoe, Kayak and SUP Race, Brattleboro Choose between a 9-mile and a 3.5-mile flatwater course on the Connecticut and West Rivers. neckra.org

7 | The Great Race, St. Albans This family-friendly triathlon features a 3-mile run, a 12-mile bike ride and a 3-mile paddle in Lake Champlain. facebook.com/ thegreatracevt 13-14 | Vermont Paddlers’ Club Class II Clinic, Deerfield, Mass.

BYO equipment for this two-day whitewater paddling clinic. Expect to spend time in class II rapids building skills. vtpaddlers.net 14 | Vermont Sun Triathlon and Branbury Classic Triathlon, Salisbury Swim 600 yards in Lake Dunmore, bike 14 miles and run 3.1 miles in the Vermont Sun Triathlon or try the Branbury Classic: a 1.5mile paddle followed by a 14-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run. Part of the Vermont Sun triathlon series. vermontsuntriathlonseries. com 27 | 11th Annual Kingdom Swim, Newport Take on the 25K Border Buster, a 10mile swim, a 10K swim, a 5K swim or a 1-mile swim in Lake Memphremagog. kingdomgames.co 28 | Colchester Triathlon, Colchester Swim 500 meters or kayak 1.5 miles, bike 12 miles and run 3 miles. Start and finish at Bayside Beach. colchestertri.com

AUGUST 9-11 | North American Obstacle Course Racing Championships, Stratton Expect a 3K short course championship on Friday, followed by a 15K standard course championship on Saturday and conclude Sunday with the team relay event. stratton.com 11 | Lake Dunmore Triathlon and Vermont Sun Triathlon, Salisbury Swim 600 yards, bike 14 miles and run 3.1 miles in the Vermont Sun Triathlon, or try the Lake Dunmore Triathlon, a 0.9-mile swim, a 28-mile bike leg and a 6.2-mile run. This is the triathlon’s 34th season.

Part of the Vermont Sun triathlon series. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

GEAR SWAPS MAY 3 | Middlebury Bike Swap, Middlebury Drop off bikes and gear at Frog Hollow Bikes until noon on May 3. Swap starts at 3 p.m. at Cannon park. froghollowbikes.com 4 | Annual Montpelier Bike Swap, Montpelier Drop off your bike at Onion River Outdoors April 27 through May 3 during business hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Swap runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. onionriver.com 4-5 | Earl’s Cyclery and Fitness Bike Swap, South Burlington Drop off bikes May 2-3 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Must be in safe, rideable condition and of bike shop quality. Swap runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. earlsbikes.com 4-5 | Annual Skirack Bike Swap, Burlington Drop off bikes, wheels, car racks, baby joggers, trailers, bike shoes, bike parts, pumps and tools from 8 a.m. April 29 through 7 p.m. on May 3. Swap runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. skirack.com 11 | Waterbury Sports Bike Swap, Waterbury Drop your bike off anytime between May 6 - May 10th (no day-of drop off's please) cleaned and ready to sell. We can help with pricing if needed. You must choose either a check for 20% of the bike or a gift certificate for 100% of the bike. waterburysportsvt.com 11 | Annual Brattleboro Outing Club Canoe and Kayak Consignment Sale & Swap, Brattleboro Consign your SUP, kayak, canoe, rowing shell, rowboat on May 10 and early morning on May 11 at the Outlet Center at Exit 1, Vermont I-91. Swap runs from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, sale goes from 12-2 p.m. brattleborooutingclub.org

IKE SHOPS

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ALPINE BIKE WORKS

2326 US RT 4 Killington, VT 802-773-0000 | alpinebikeworks.com We offer bicycles from Giant, Liv, Ibis and Yeti for road, gravel, mountain and gravity, plus accessories and apparel from Giro, Troy Lee, Race Face, Alpinestars and others. We stock an extensive inventory of service parts from Shimano, Sram, Fox, K.S., to many others. Custom fitting with the Right Ride fit system. Our expert technicians offer everything from tune-ups to in-house suspension service. Mountain and DH rentals. Hours: Tues. – Sat. 10 – 5.

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1184 Williston ALPINE Rd., South SHOP Burlington, VT 802-862-2714 | alpineshopvt.com V

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In operation since 1963, we specialize in mountain bikes, hybrid, commuter and E-bikes from Norco, Felt, Devinci & Rossignol. Alpine Shop is a full-service bike shop with ample free parking and riding space. Rental and demo bikes available.

Stylish clothing for men and women plus gear, shoes & apparel for tennis. Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10 – 6; Sun. 10 – 5.

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BASIN SPORTS

2886 Killington Rd., Killington, VT 802-422-3234 | basinski.com Purchasing a bike is a big investment. This investment unlocks the door to adventure.

For the thrill seekers, boardwalk cruisers and tarmac chasers we’ve got a little bit of everything for you. Just below Killington Resort, we focus on all-mountain mountain bikes and downhill too. Carrying Specialized, Santa Cruz, Juliana, and Devenci we’ve got the perfect match for just about anyone, plus all the other gear and apparel you need to have fun on the road or trails.

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Battenkill Bicycles has been Manchester’s choice for bicycle sales, service and rentals since 1972. We offer the entire line of the latest Trek and Specialized bikes. Come in for a fitting and advice; each new bike includes one free tune up for a year. Our service department will work on all bikes and repair and maintain your bike in tip-top shape for the road and trail. We offer road, mountain and hybrid bikes and our staff enjoys sharing local knowledge about where to ride. Our shop has lots of parking, so please come park for the day while you ride and take advantage of our shower before going out to dinner in Manchester.

Check our website, Facebook or join our mailing list to find out about regular group rides. We look forward to serving you and your family for all your cycling needs.

BELGEN CYCLES

24 Bridge St., Richmond, VT 802-434-4876 | belgencycles.com Belgen Cycles offers custom and stock bicycles supported by 40 years of hands-on experience.

Focused on the right bike for you covering the spectrum from road to ‘cross and mountain to fat with selections from Salsa, Xprezo, Moots, Parlee, Litespeed, Lynskey and Soma. Full service maintenance and repair as well as fitting solutions. In business as Village Bicycle in Richmond for 20 years. Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10:30 – 6:30.

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BERKSHIRE OUTFITTERS

RR 8, 169 Grove St., Adams, MA 413-743-5900 | berkout@bcn.net We are a full-service bike shop at the base of the Mt. Greylock State Reservation. We also border a beautiful 12-mile paved rail trail. We carry Jamis, Rocky Mountain and G.T. We offer sales, repairs and hybrid bike rentals for the rail trail.

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BOOTLEGGER BIKES

60 Main Street Jeffersonville, VT 802-644-8370 | bootleggerbikes.com

A full-service shop near Smugglers' Notch. We offer new, used and custom bikes as well as custom-built wheel builds for mountain, road, gravel, fat bikes, bikepacking and touring. Rentals offered at our Cambridge Junction shop on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Bikes are a passion here.

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BRADLEY’S PRO SHOP SKI & SPORT

2012 Depot St. Manchester Center, VT 05255 802-367-3118 | bradleysproski.com Bradley’s Pro Shop Ski & Bike is the premier bike shop in Southern Vermont!

We are located in Manchester Center.

Always known as your go-to ski shop we are now your go-to bike shop. We have one of the best bike mechanics in Vermont on staff, Dan Rhodes. Many of you know of his reputation as a master bike mechanic. Dan runs all aspects of our bicycle operations. We carry the full lineup of Cannondale and GT bikes—mountain bikes, gravel, e-bikes, BMX and hybrids.

We are a full-service operation with sales, service, accessories and rentals including e-bikes. We always offer a great bike tuneup price so be sure to bring your ride in.

As always: THINK DIRT!

45 Bridge St. Morrisville, VT 802-888-7642 | chucksbikes802.com Putting smiles on people’s faces for over 35 years. Bikes by Jamis,Transition, Norco, KHS, Surly, Raleigh, Marin and Diamondback. Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 – 5:30, Sat. 9 – 3, closed Sundays.

10 CLAREMONT CYCLE 12 Plains Rd. Claremont, NH 603.542.

BIKE (2453) | claremontcycle.com We are always evolving to stay current with trends to meet our customers needs. With certain change, we always stay true to who and what we are: a true bike shop where customer satisfaction is the top priority and staff is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly. Everyone who walks through our door is welcomed into our diverse bike community. We bring people together from all walks of life and ages that share the same love and passion for cycling. Hours: Mon. 8:30 - 5:30, Tues. - Fri. 10:30 - 5:30, Sat. 10:30 - 4, closed Sunday.

11 COWBELL MOBILE BIKE SHOP

25-mile radius around Burlington and White River Junction 802-373-3411 | cowbellbike.com Cowbell mobile bike shop is Vermont’s first full-service bike shop in a van. No more waiting around for weeks to get your bike tuned up. Just book an appointment and Cowbell shows up and you ride the same day. Todd the owner and operator has 24 years of experience and arrives in the Burlington and Upper Valley areas with a van full of parts and accessories. More than just a rolling bike shop...Cowbell also offers corporate visits, ride support and bike maintenance classes.

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 39

IKE SHOPS

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advertising section

15 FIRST STOP

3-Color Option: BOARD BARN

12 EARL’S CYCLERY &

8474 Route 4, Killington, VT 802-422-9050 | firststopboardbarn.com

FITNESS

2069 Williston Rd., South Burlington, VT 802-864-9197 | earlsbikes.com

13 EAST BURKE SPORTS 439 Route 114 East Burke VT 802-626-3215 | eastburkesports.com We are the original home to Kingdom Trails. Located in the heart of town, we pride ourselves in expert knowledge while providing friendly customer service. A fullservice shop awaits you and your repair needs. We have 100 rental bikes with an enormous selection of clothing, parts, and accessories. Hours: 9 - 6 every day.

14 EQUIPE SPORT 8749 VT Rte. 30, Rawsonville, VT 802 297 2847 | equipesport.com With locations on the Stratton and the Mount Snow valleys, Equipe Sport offers a wide range of services including sales, rental and repair. We sell bikes from G.T., Santa Cruz and Rocky Mountain and have a rental fleet of Rocky Mountain bikes.

16 FROG HOLLOW

Website 1-Color Options:

Print Fonts: TRADE GOTHIC BOLD Crimson Text Crimson Text Italic

74 Main St., Middlebury, VT 802-388-6666 | froghollow bikes.com

22 OMER & BOB’S

2733 Main St., Lake Placid, NY 518-523-3764 | highpeaks cyclery.com

20 Hanover St. Lebanon, NH 603-448-3522 | omerandbobs.com

Lake Placid’s source for bicycling and outdoor gear since 1983! Sales, service, rentals and tours. Bikes by Intense, B.M.C., Salsa, Surly, Giant and Scott. Your information headquarters for Lake Placid and the Adirondacks for gravel road, mountain biking and road riding adventures.

Free maps. ADK80 and Ironman race info and course conditions. New! Basecamp lodges. Hours: Mon – Fri 9 – 6, Sun 9 – 5.

19 MALLETTS BAY BICYCLE & SKI

Killington’s authorized Cannondale and 2-Color Options: Trek dealer. We also carry: Fox, Giro, Shimano, FiveTen, G-Form, Pearl Izumi, Smith, Spy, Oakley and more. We’ve helped outfit first timers to world class athletes since 1979. We have a Service Center that can fix practically anything and a Rental & Demo Test Center that lets you try equipment before you buy. We have Gear Experts who can help you find the right gear, right now. If you’re not sure where to get started, give us a call or stop by—we’re open 365 days a year.

Earl’s Cyclery has been serving Vermont's cycling and fitness needs for more than 65 years. With over 12,000 square feet at the new location, Earl’s has the largest selection of bikes from Trek, Giant, Scott, Bianchi, Electra, Haro, and more. The service center at Earl’s has professionally trained technicians who are certified to work on all makes and models of bicycles, not just the ones we sell. Whether Logo Typface: you need a flat tire fix or a suspension Tracked +20, UPPERCASE DIN staff Bold is ready to help. rebuild, the service Estimates are always free! Check out the new location at 2069 Williston Rd, South Burlington, or call us.

18 HIGH PEAKS CYCLERY

Web Fonts: ROBOTO MEDIUM ROBOTO BOLD Georgia Georgia Italics

Take advantage of the most advanced and courteous service in our region, with quick turn-around time in our service shop downstairs. Upstairs in the sales room, we offer the best in new and used road, mountain, lifestyle, and children’s bikes and new gear. We carry brands that offer superior products that balance innovation and performance with reliability and value. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9:30 - 5:30, Sun. 11 – 4.

17 GREEN MOUNTAIN BIKES

105 N. Main St. Rochester VT 800-767-7882 | greenmountain bikes.com Located in the center of Vermont, in the heart of the Green Mountains, we are surrounded by terrain that calls to mountain and road bikers alike. Whether you ride twisting trails or back to back gaps, we service, sell, and rent all styles of bicycles, featuring Kona, Jamis, Juliana, Raleigh, Santa Cruz, Transition, and Hinderyckx bikes - hand crafted by our own Rochester boy Zak Hinderyckx. So STOP READING and RIDE YOUR BIKE! Hours: 7 days a week, 10 – 6.

794 W. Lakeshore 1-Color Options: Dr. Colchester, VT 802-863-2453 | mallettsbay bicycle@ gmail.com

Malletts Bay es�� ����

Bicycle & Ski

Service, rentals and sales. Located on the shores of beautiful Malletts Bay, our shop offers expert repairs, top quality rentals, a fine complement of accessories and new bicycles from KHS, Swix, Intense and Reid.

Rent a bike from our Airport Park location and be out on the Colchester Causeway, the ‘Jewel of the Island Line Trail,” in minutes!

20 MOUNTAIN OPS

Color(s): (Pantone, CMYK, RGB, HTML): Black, White, Orange Orange: Pantone 021 C R: 254 G: 105 B: 0 CMYK: 0 65 100 0 HTML: FE5000

4081 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 802-253-4531 | mountainopsvt.com

MountainOps offers bike sales and service, fast and friendly with no attitude. We sell a full like of Rocky Mountain bikes for all abilities and riding styles. You’ll find tons of clothing and accessories in our converted 1893 barn. Our techs have decades of experience with all types of bikes and our staff’s knowledge of local trails is awesome. We rent cruisers and performance mountain bikes for Stowe’s sweet collection of trails.

21 OLD SPOKES HOME 331 North Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT 802-863-4475 | oldspokeshome.com Old Spokes Home offers Vermont’s best selection of professionally refurbished used bikes and new bikes for touring, bike packing, commuting, fat biking, and simply getting around town. Named one of the country’s best bike shops by Outside Online for it’s “plain-talk advice and no-nonsense service.”

A non-profit as of January 2015, Old Spokes Home uses 100% of its revenue to run programs creating access to bikes in the community. And don’t miss their famous antique bicycle museum! Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10 - 6, Sun. 12 - 5.

The Upper Valley’s bike shop since 1964. We carry road bikes, mountain bikes and kids bikes from specialty brands including Trek, Specialized and Colnago. Featuring a full service department offering bike fitting, bike rentals and a kids’ trade-in, trade-up program. Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 – 6, Sat. 9 – 5.

23 ONION RIVER OUTDOORS

20 Langdon St. Montpelier, VT 802-225-6736 | onionriver.com

Gear, clothing and expert advice for all your hiking, biking, running, camping, outdoor adventures!

Friendly, knowledgeable bicycle and car rack sales and service. Check out onionriver.com to learn about all of our fun events and clinics. Hours: Mon., Wed., Thurs: 10 - 6; Fri. 10 - 6:30; Sat. 9 - 5, Sun. 10 - 4. Closed Tuesday.

24 OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE

37 Church St., Burlington, VT 802-860-0190 | gearx.com

OGE offers Burlington riders a premier bike shop with a knowledgeable, friendly, and honest staff. We have commuters and gravel grinders from Marin and KHS, mountain bikes from Pivot, Transition, Rocky Mountain and Yeti and a wide consignment selection as well as a demo fleet so you can try it before you buy it.

Our service department is capable of everything from tuning your vintage road bike to servicing your new mountain bike and offers full Fox shock service. Come on down and see us on Church Street! Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 10 – 8, Fri. – Sat. 10 – 9, Sun. 10 – 6.

25 POWERPLAY SPORTS 35 Portland St. Morrisville, VT 802-8886557 | powerplaysports.com North Central Vermont’s Trek and Giant Dealer. With over 200 new and used bikes, P.P.S. has a bike for everyone. Service and rentals too! Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 – 6, Sat. 8:30 – 5, Sun. 10 – 4.

26 RANCH CAMP 311 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 802-253-2753 | ranchcampvt.com Ranch Camp is Stowe’s mountain bike base lodge, and your hub for bikes, gear, and culture!

Ranch Camp offers a full-service mountain bike shop, tap room, and fast casual eatery, featuring sales and demo bikes from Ibis Cycles, Yeti, Rocky Mountain, Evil, and Specialized. Looking for top of the line mountain bikes and components?

Got ‘em. How about local brews from New England's finest purveyors of craft libations? You bet. And if you need a thoughtfully crafted grab-and-go meal for your ride, or a place to sit down and refuel afterwards, Ranch Camp has you covered.

Best of all, Ranch Camp is situated trailside with its very own public access entrance into Stowe’s iconic Cady Hill trail network and beyond.

27 SKIRACK 85 Main St. Burlington, VT 802-6583313 | skirack.com Locally owned since 1969, Skirack provides gear, clothing, expert fitting and accessories for all cyclists, with full service tuning and repairs...plus complete bike suspension service on most forks and rear shocks. Designated one of America’s Best Bike Shops, Skirack is blocks from Lake Champlain. Open 8 a.m. Mon. - Sat. for bike service, car racks and rentals.

28 STARK MOUNTAIN

9 RTE 17 Waitsfield, VT 802-496-4800 | Find us on Facebook Located at the lowest spot in the Mad River Valley so you can coast in when you break your bike on a ride! 20 years of advise, directions and fixing anything that pedals. You know you want a Yeti. Come try one of ours! Hours: Tues - Fri. 9 – 6*. Sat. 9 - 4, Sun. 9 - 1, closed on Mon. *Closes at 5 on Thursdays for Shop ride.

29 VILLAGE SPORT SHOP

511 Broad St. Lyndonville, VT 802-626-8448| villagesport shop.com

Established in 1978, we are a family-owned, passiondriven sporting goods store serving customers for four seasons of adventure.

Strongly focused on bike and ski, we have highly skilled knowledgeable technicians and sales staff to assist in all needs of purchase, rental and service. With two locations, one nestled trailside on the world-renowned Kingdom Trails, and the other in downtown Lyndonville, we’re here to make your adventures happen!

30 WATERBURY SPORTS 46 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 802-882-8595 | waterburysportsvt.com WBS sells Trek and Giant bikes of every flavor from high-end mountain bikes to kids, hybrids and cross bikes. Our service techs are among the best in northern Vt. We also rent and Demo from our downtown location right near the Perry Hill Trails. Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 10 – 6, Fri. - Sat 9 – 7, Sun. 10 – 4.

31 WEST HILL

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49 Brickyard Lane, Putney, VT 802-387-5718 | westhillshop.com Since 1971, the West Hill Shop has been a low-key, friendly source for bikes ‘n gear, service and rare wisdoms. We are known regionally as the go-to place for problemsolving technicians. Our bike fitters specialize in comfort without sacrificing efficiency. Recently, we’ve focused on stocking gravel road bikes, with awesome dirt road riding right out our door. Join us for our Annual West Hill Grinder in September. It’s truly a rural adventure with loops on scenic gravel roads or wily trails.

Hours: Mon. to Sat., 10 – 6.

DID YOUR SHOP GET DROPPED? TO JOIN THE BIKE SHOP DIRECTORY, GIVE US A CALL AT 802-388-4944 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO ADS@VTSPORTS.COM

NEW LOCATION! 2069 Williston Rd. www.earlsbikes.com (802)864-9197

MAY 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 41

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THE BOTANIST

AT 19, CYRUS PRINGLE BUDDED A SMALL APPLE TREE ON HIS MOTHER’S FARM IN EAST CHARLOTTE. BY THE TIME HE DIED, HE’D BECOME ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC PLANT COLLECTORS IN HISTORY. BY LEATH TONINO

ave you heard of Cyrus Pringle? I hadn’t until recently, which is a surprise, considering that we both are natives of Charlotte. But you know how it goes: we forget the old heroes, the old stories; rushing this way and that, we lose track of our history, of who lived on the farm across the way.

Here’s Bob Nicholson, manager of the Smith College Botanic Garden, introducing Pringle: “If Henry David Thoreau created the model for the New England activist-biologist, then perhaps its finest exemplar was a modest man from the hills of Vermont, Cyrus Guernsey Pringle, whose very name resonates with agrarian Yankee rectitude. Beginning in humble circumstances, Pringle went on to capture the attention of an American president, work with legendary Harvard botanists, and achieve a record of botanical fieldwork in Mexico that is unsurpassed today.”

A Vermonter in Mexico?

Pringle was born in 1838. He attended University of Vermont for a semester but quit school in order to help his widowed mother on the family farm.

By his early twenties, he was known as a gifted horticulturalist; he invented a Cyrus Pringle, hard at work documenting his beloved plant specimens while at home in Vermont. By the time of his death in 1911, he had documented about 20,000 species of plants. Photo courtesy the Pringle hybrid potato, the Snowflake, which Herbarium at UVM became extremely popular, and ran a down at Harvard and the Smithsonian mountains, the patient undefatiguable “bulb hospital” where people could send as a sort of genius. Commissions to [sic] gleaning after rare plants growing ailing plants. He was also a Quaker, go on collecting expeditions followed scattered, the obstacles interposed by as was his young wife, and when it (Maine, Quebec, et cetera) and by 1884 the storms, peculiar to these regions, came time to fight in the Civil War, he he was out West, preparing to plunge sometimes by wild beasts and rarely by refused. Imprisoned, tortured (staked the inhabitants of the country—all these to the ground on his back and left in into the unstudied wilds of Mexico.

Pause for a second and try to picture difficulties are forgotten, when the the sun for a day!), and threatened just how wild those wilds were back collector gets home at the end of the year with death, he was at last thrown into then. A letter Pringle wrote from Mexico with his stores of booty, but they rise in a Washington D.C. hospital. It wasn’t gives a taste: “My own troubles, during his way as he enters his field again.” until Abe Lincoln himself stepped my first years here and the several For 26 field seasons (up until the in to grant a pardon that Pringle failures of healthy young men coming last year of his life), Pringle traveled could return to his beloved plants. here with me [read: Vermonters he the Mexican deserts and mountains, But all of this is just backstory. The brought along who got malaria and had working between nine and noon, real narrative begins when Pringle to be sent home], may give you a hint—a eating the same lunch of bread, cheese, transitioned from breeding plants to slight hint—of the difficulty of living and and eggs, sheltering from monsoon collecting them. His wife separated traveling in this country and carrying on rains under a crumpled felt hat. On from him in 1872 (she wanted to the work which I have undertaken. The the way home, he collected as well. travel and do evangelistic work, and long marches under a tropical sun (one He was that classic Yankee of he wanted to botanize), and over the burdened with his necessary outfit of yesteryear: shy, tough, humble, precise, following years he covered pretty much food, water, etc. and with his increasing principled, nature-loving, workall of Vermont, from alpine summits collections), the laborious climbing and minded. He didn’t drink tea or coffee to rock-choked gorges, and was duly clambering over terrific, often perilous or alcohol, and never took a day off. His recognized by the famous scientists

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preference was to botanize alone, and yet he was known and respected across Mexico (The Mexican Herald referred to him as one of the most brilliant and scholarly men ever to grace the country with his presence). Above all, Pringle was obsessed. An associate once wrote: “He liked to boast—his only jest of this sort—that he could call over 10,000 plant acquaintances, and a few botanical friends, by their proper names—though he was not certain as to who the president in Washington might happen to be.”

Pringle was a true Vermont farm boy, a lifelong resident of the Champlain Basin, and yet his expeditions led him so, so, so far away; in a sense, he pursued a dual life, part North Woods, part South of The Border. At one point, he traveled 56,000 miles, by train and by burro and by foot, in four consecutive years. Every trip began and ended in Charlotte, just down the road from my childhood home. This famous botanist, and the preeminent expert on Mexican flora, launched his expeditions from the same patches of weeds that I romped in as a child.

Today, the Pringle Herbarium at the University of Vermont holds many thousands of dried, mounted specimens collected by the man himself, including hundreds of species that were new to science when he discovered them. It’s a world-class facility, a research hub, a library of plants ranging from New England to Oaxaca. And yet, as I said at the start of this essay: we forget the old heroes, the old stories; rushing this way and that, we lose track of our history, of who lived on the farm across the way.

Cyrus? A Vermonter in Mexico?

Let’s take a moment to remember.

Let’s close our eyes and see before us a neighbor collecting ferns in the mossy woods, climbing Camel’s Hump and Mt. Mansfield in search of alpine specimens, making his way to Arizona, to Mexico, making his way back home, always back home. During the last hour of his life, delirious, Pringle mumbled fondly of his adventures in Mexico. It’s a powerful image—the tropical flowers of a long career blossoming in the dying botanist’s imagination, New England springtime greening outside the window.

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