Vermont Sports 2023 May Edition

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VERMONT SPORTS

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ON THE COVER: Runners in

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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.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

David Goodman, Brian Mohr, Phyl Newbeck, Leath Tonino

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5 The Start

The Volunteers We Count On

What it means to lose a mountain search and rescue team.

6 News The Best Long Runs

Put these runs on your ‘to do’ list. Plus, Vermont’s marathon stars, new wake boat rules, and a goofy world record.

10 Weekend Away

Spring in Woodstock

Run with pros, fly-fish, explore. Here’s a recipe for a great weekend.

13 Health Build Stronger Bones

Staving off stress fractures is about more than just milk.

16 Feature Mad About Mushrooms

One woman’s search for new fungi.

20 Feature Who Do You Call?

It’s been a wild few weeks for Vermont’s search and rescue teams. Here’s what’s going on.

25 Featured Athlete

The Rescuer

John Wehse on what it takes to be on Stowe Mountain Rescue.

28 Gear

Gear to Feel Good About Long-term investments for spring.

30 Calendar Race & Event Guide

34 Endgame

The Hate/Love Relationship

How a runner got her groove back.

the Green River Marathon which goes from

Photo by Ben Kimball

When Jen and Kip Roberts took over Montpelier’s Onion River Sports in 2018, they inherited a special customer. The New Yorker cartoonist Ed Koren was an avid cyclist and he did a number of drawings for the shop over the years, often trading for bike gear. This cartoon, however, was a welcome gift to the Roberts. Koren passed away in April. By Ed Koren.

THE START

WE COUNT ON WHAT IT MEANS TO LOSE A SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM.

VOLUNTEERS

There’s a saying in Vermont that if you are ever lost in the woods, just follow water and you will come to a town. That may be true: technically, the even the highest mountain rivulets eventually end up in Lake Champlain or the Connecticut River. Chances are that before they do, they pass by some form of civilization, ideally one with a warm fire, cold beer and cell service.

However, said rivulets can also lead to hollows or bogs, down steep ravines or over cliff faces — places where a slip can have sudden consequences. And if you are cold and wet and darkness is setting in, an afternoon hike can turn into something unforeseeably frightening.

I’ve been lost in the Vermont woods –on skis and on foot – but never in a situation where I’ve had to call for help.

But I have known of people, even some of the most experienced outdoors people, who have. These include former ski racers who got caught in a blinding snowstorm atop Mt. Mansfield, hikers who were borderline hypothermic, and a mountain biker who broke his neck riding alone, offtrail, in an empty section of state forest.

Vermont search and rescue teams have a well-deserved reputation as some of the best in the country. While some, such as the members of the Vermont State Police or EMTs, take on search and rescue as an extension of (and in addition to) their regular jobs, many others work strictly as volunteers. Vermont also has a paid position, mandated by the legislature in 2012 and now filled by Drew Clymer, that can pull together statewide resources when a search is called for.

But even for volunteers, being a part of a technical or backcountry search and rescue team, (as Stowe Mountain Rescue team member John Wehse explains in his interview with Phyl Newbeck on page 25) demands time, responsibility and

sacrifice. To join a team takes serious fitness, strong skills, hours of training and a willingess to go whenever a call comes in.

The town of Killington recently moved its fire department, EMS and search and rescue teams under a new paid municipal fire chief. The new fire chief was right to raise the issue of certifications and standards.

Yet for him to mandate that search and rescue personnel and their gear and record-keeping meet National Fire Protection Association and other standards, without first understanding the culture and history behind Vermont’s mountain rescue teams, seems absurd.

By definition, technical search and rescue teams have to travel into the backcountry, sometimes for miles, on foot. They need to carry climbing, not fire safety, ropes and often must travel light and fast. There’s no fire truck to carry gear or to back them up.

The Killington Selectboard supported their new fire chief, as our story explains on page 23. Yet in the process, they lost one of the best-trained teams in the state: By March 20, 17 of the 18 former Killington Search and Rescue (KSAR) volunteers either were let go or had resigned.

Teams like that don’t come together overnight. “We’re like a family,” said former KSAR member Joel Blumenthal, a volunteer from Rutland. Even after the KSAR team resigned, they kept on training on their own. “We’re just about people trying to help other people,” Blumenthal said.

I’m not going to give away the end of this story (see page 22) but there is good news.

That’s a huge relief for the growing numbers of us who hike, bike and ski in Vermont’s backcountry.

—Lisa Lynn, Editor

In April, Killington Search and Rescue disbanded. This could have been a huge loss for the state. Courtesy photo.

THE BEST LONG RUNS YOU’VE NEVER DONE

Burlington. Leaf Peepers. Covered Bridges. Trapp’s many marathons… Vermont’s classic marathons and half-marathons are so popular they are often sold out. But if you want gorgeous scenery, great after-parties and interesting courses (many are off-road or on dirt roads and several are point to point), each of these delivers. And all are good ways to discover new parts of the state. So start training.

OVERLAND TRAIL RUN, WEST WINDSOR, MAY 6

The Overland Grand Prix has become one of the nation’s top gravel races, attracting pros from as far as California and Colorado. Last year, Overland race director Ansel Dickey introduced the Overland Trail Run. This spring the 15-mile (or 6-mile) race takes runners across all types of terrain at Ascutney Trails. With some major sponsors, the event now offers a $5,000 prize purse for the top 5 men and women on the long course. Vermontoverland.com

DANDELION RUN, NEWPORT, MAY 20

We’ve written about this race before. We’ve also run it and no joke, this

should be on everyone’s list, whether you do it as a half-marathon (as well as shorter distances). Do it for the fields of dandelions you pass, the fiddlers who play along the route, the goofy lake-side awards ceremony and party. Anything race organizer Phil White of Kingdom Games puts on (think the February Lake Memphremagog swim races) is always a bit zany. Kingdomgames.co

MAD MARATHON, WAITSFIELD, JULY 9

This classic marathon (it’s celebrating 12 years) is one that folks training for spring or fall races tend to overlook. Covered bridges, rolling pastures with grazing cows, classic Vermont barns

and mountain views are some of the reasons to run this, one of the most scenic marathons in the state. It’s also U.S. Track and Field sanctioned and the course is USATF-certified. There are also shorter routes, from a 1 mile to a 13.1 race, and a relay option. Madmarathon.com

SLATE VALLEY SCRAMBLE, POULTNEY, AUG. 12

Slate Valley Trails have quickly become known among mountain bikers as the “Southwest Kingdom,” for their wide variety of singletrack and sometimes gnarly terrain. The Slate Valley Scramble is a half-marathon (or 8-mile) running race on those same trails. After, cool off or camp out at nearby Lake St. Catherine State Park. Slatevalleytrails.org

GREEN RIVER MARATHON, MARLBORO, AUG. 27

Most runs in Vermont involve a lot of running uphill. The Green Mountain Marathon is unique in two ways: for starters, there’s a net 1,400 foot elevation drop from start to finish. That drop helped the marathon earn a rating as the fastest in New England and one of the top 20 fastest courses in the U.S. It is also one of the few that crosses a state border: start in Marlboro and follow Green River Road much of the way (including crossing a covered bridge) to the finish in Greenfield, Ma. newenglandgreenrivermarathon.com

WESTMORE MOUNTAIN CHALLENGE, ISLAND POND, SEPT. 23

Though it’s billed as a 26-miler, the key word in this event is “challenge.” The point-to-point course covers five mountains with a 5,912 ft elevation gain.

Summit all five (Mount Hor, Mount Pisgah, Haystack and Bald Mountains) or take one of the half-leg or 20-mile shuttles. Start is at Moose Mountain and finish is at the NorthWoods Center. northwoodscenter.org

FLY TO PIE, NEWPORT, OCT. 7

Another way to see the Northeast Kingdom at the height of fall foliage is this point-to-point marathon (with options for a 17-mile, half-marathon or shorter distances) that starts near Newport and finishes at Parker Pie in Glover with an all-you-can eat pizza fest and Hill Farmstead beer on tap. Kingdomgames.co.

CHAMPLAIN ISLANDS MARATHON, SOUTH HERO, OCT. 22

Flat, fast and USATF-certified, this is the marathon (or half-marathon) to run if you want to set a PR. The course

starts near the home where seven-time Boston Marathon winner Clarence DeMar once lived and runs along the west shore of South Hero past orchards, farms and Lake Champlain. One of the longest-running events in the state, this will be the 52nd edition of the race. gmaa.run

MIDDLEBURY MAPLE RUN, MIDDLEBURY, NOV. 5

Going into its 14th year, this USATFcertified half-marathon moved from spring to fall so it serves as a perfect finale of the running season . The course goes through the heart of Middlebury and past rolling and scenic farmland. Best of all? Winners get a sweet prize, maple syrup, and all finishers are treated to a post-race pancake breakfast. Middleburymaplerun.com

Runners at the inaugural Overland Trail Race at Ascutney. Photo by Ansel Dickey

THE VERMONTERS WHO LEAD THE BOSTON MARATHON

In 2018, Putney’s Alicia Dana won the women’s handcycle division in the Boston Marathon. It was her first time competing in that race. In April 2023, Dana, a three-time Paralympic medal winner not only did it again, but she set a new course record. She finished in 1:18:15, just seven minutes behind the winning man, Zachary Stinson, 33, and knocked nearly 17 minutes off the previous women’s record. This year, for the first time, Dana, 54, was also eligible for prize money which was newly allocated to para athletes.

“The only problem is Alicia had to catch a plane to compete in Europe at the Paracycling World Cup so I don’t think she got to receive her trophy or prize money,” said Edie Perkins. Perkins, 52, who lives in South Burlington, Vt., also medaled at the race.

The roster in the handcycle division (a recumbent bike where arms power the wheels and gears) was small — just seven women competed— but fierce. Dana, who won two medals at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, blazed ahead. The Putney native had been a competitive high school athlete before a fall from a tree. Since then, she has handcycled across America and become one of the world’s leading para athletes.

In second place for much of the race was Devann Murphy, 43, who hails from Keeseville, NY, just across Lake Champlain. In 1991 at age 11 Murphy was told she had cancer in her hip and had six weeks to live. Her family sought second and third opinions. Murphy

underwent chemo and had her hip and femur removed and rebuilt. She first tried a handcyle in 2015 and then went on to medal or win the handcycle division multiple times at the Boston Marathon, New York Marathon and Vermont City Marathon. Murphy, who uses crutches, has also completed six Spartan Races.

Perkins was struck by a car in 2017 while riding her bike. In addition to multiple other injuries, her spinal cord was crushed. Before the accident, Perkins had been a competitive runner and cyclist. In 2005 she completed

the New York Marathon in 2:52 and was among the top 25 finishers at the Boston Marathon.

The 2023 Boston Marathon was Perkins’ second time at the Boston race using a handcycle. “It’s much easier to do this on a handcycle than running or using a wheelchair, because you have gears,” Perkins admits. “Going downhill you can hit 40 m.ph., but going up the hills is hard.”

As the field moved into the second half of the race, Perkins overtook Murphy and crossed the finish line two minutes ahead of her for a time of 1:47.

For Perkins, the executive director of the Kelly Brush Foundation (the Burlington-based organization that helps people with spinal cord injuries resume and active life) training here in Vermont can be a challenge.

“Most of the winter when the roads are snowy, I just train alone in my basement,” she admits. Now that the snow is gone, she tries to get out. “I’d love to have people to train with. I prefer to ride with a cyclist as being so low to the ground it’s hard to see cars and to be seen,” she notes.

For Perkins, a highlight of the year is the annual Kelly Brush Ride.

The 2022 event brought 40 adaptive riders and a total of more than 900 riders to the start in Middlebury, Vt. for the September ride. It raised over $1 million, a record. The event was started by Charlotte native Kelly Brush and her family after Brush was paralyzed in a ski racing accident in 2006. “This level of fundraising puts the Kelly Brush Ride among the top charity rides in the country,” said Brush.

The funds raised by the foundation have now provided more than 1,400 grants for adaptive equipment for people in 49 states.

The 2023 Kelly Brush Ride is scheduled for September 9. The Vermont Adaptive Charity Ride, which raises funds to create opportunities and programming for people of all abilities, is June 17 in Killington.

Putney's Alicia Dana keeps adding to her medal wins. In April, she set a course record and took home prize money at the Boston Marathon.

Burlington's Edie Perkins, on her way to a silver medal at the 2023 Boston Marathon.

A NEW COMMISSIONER TO LEAD FORESTS, PARKS & RECREATION

In April, Gov. Scott made it official: Danielle (Danny) Fitzko of Stowe will take over as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR). Fitzko has served as interim commissioner since January 2023, and has worked at FPR since 2003, including as director of forests for the past four years. She replaces Michael Snyder, who served as FPR commissioner for 12 years.”Danny has demonstrated a deep commitment to

Vermont and our natural assets over the course of her two decades of service to the Department,” said Governor Scott. “I’m confident she’ll continue that good work leading FPR.”

Fitzko will lead FPR’s 130 full-time employees across four divisions, and over 400 seasonal workers that mainly operate the Vermont State Park system. The agency has also been instrumental in developing the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative

and its Community Grant Program.

“Danny’s vision, energy, and optimism for the future of Vermont’s forests and the role forests can play in making Vermont more resilient to the effects of a changing climate were among the reasons she was selected for the role,” said Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore. “She has a proven record of setting a clear vision and establishing effective pathways to implementation.”

MIDDLEBURY STUDENT SETS NEW WORLD RECORD

“On a weird day of scrolling through the internet,” as she describes it, Emily Jones came across one particular record in the Guinness Book of World Record that sparked her interest. In a word, she said, it was “goofy.”

It was so goofy that the Middlebury College senior – who also serves as a Middlebury Fire Department volunteer firefighte — set out to break it.

On April 18, Jones ran a mile at the Middlebury College track — four laps around the oval — wearing 60 pounds of firefighting turnout gear, all while breathing through a respirator. The gear alone weighed more than half of Jones’ own body mass, and she lugged it with a limited air supply.

Jones ran the mile in eight minutes and 25 seconds, a full two minutes and 35 seconds faster than the previous Guinness world record of 11:00 minutes for a female runner. The event was recorded on video and submitted to Guinness which will certify the record. More than 120 people, including her college water polo team and fellow firefighters, cheered her on.

“To be honest I didn’t let myself have it until the last straightaway,” she said. “I was pretty nervous I was going to puke into the mask.”

Middlebury Fire Chief David Shaw said that fear was not unrealistic, although he believed Jones’s air supply would last if she paced herself. But he estimated the maximum time for respirator use, depending on effort and body mass, to be around 15 minutes.

BEFORE YOU MAKE WAVES, READ THIS:

The Lakes and Ponds Program of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has been drafting a rule that would, if enacted, regulate wake boats on certain public waters. The draft rule is in response to a petition that has been trying to limit use of wake boats on Vermont lakes out of concern for safety hazards and environmental damage on lakes of a certain size.

Wakeboats intentionally create large waves that can be jumped or surfed, however those wakes tend to wash onto the shoreline, contributing to erosion and leading to murkier, muddier waters.

Over the last year, the DEC has been developing the draft rule, which included two public meetings, receiving and reviewing over 300 written comments, and engaging in 10 meetings with affected recreational user groups and business associations.

The draft rule would allow wake boats to engage in wake sports on public waters under the following

three conditions:

1) On lakes, ponds, and reservoirs with a minimum of 50 contiguous acres that are 500 feet from shore on all sides and 20 feet deep (eligibility rule)

2) Wake boats must be 500 feet from shore at all times while engaging in wake sports (operating rule)

3) A wake boat must stay in one lake per calendar year unless boat is decontaminated by a DECapproved entity (home lake rule)

Under this draft rule, wake boats can engage in wake sports in 31 inland lakes in Vermont, as noted in this chart. However, as lake depths vary, only a portion of each lake would be open for wake boating.

DEC’s draft rule is based on review of legal precedent, the Use of Public Waters Rules, a review of wake boat regulation in other states, operational and safety considerations, and studies in the scientific literature about wake boat wave height, wave energy, and related impacts on shoreline erosion.

“If she consumes all of her air, she’s done,” he said as Jones was warming up.

Jones was thrilled with the result, shaving two and half minutes off the record.

“I don’t know if I had a time in mind. I was just excited to be out here and to have the crowd out here helped a lot, obviously,” she said “So, yeah, it exceeded my expectations.”

Her water polo teammates broke into song when she completed her run.

About 15 members of her other team, the fire department, also showed up. Chief Shaw said the college volunteer program has been a success over the years in bringing in energy and new ideas.

Jones explained why she signed on with the fire department two years ago.

“I’ve always been interested in service, and I like discipline. I was interested in applying to military schools,” Jones said. “Once I got here it seemed like a cool opportunity to blend all those interests. They treat me great. It’s an awesome department. I’m really lucky.” —Andy Kirkaldy/The Addison Independent

Jones, wearing 60 lbs. of gear and a respirator as she runs.

Woodstock Weekends

WOODSTOCK MAKES A GREAT BASECAMP FOR LONG RUNS, FLY-FISHING AND HIKES.

There are a lot of things we don’t like about spring and mud season. It’s a time to keep off most trails – on foot or by bike. The weather is unpredictable. It’s too cool to swim.

Then there are the things we love about it, too. Rivers are running fast for paddling. Fly-fishing is in prime season, and May is a month when the Vermont towns that are typically crowded with visitors are empty.

In short, it’s a great time to spend a weekend in Woodstock. Whether you check into the elegant Woodstock Inn (once home to Laurance Rockefeller) and indulge in a spa treatments, use Woodstock as a base to ride or run the trails at Ascutney or Killington, or gear up for fly-fishing, there’s more to do in this area than a weekend has time for. Plus, the village has dozens of great little shops and restaurants as well as small inns.

RUN WITH THE PROS

On most weekends, there’s an informal run, the Tour De Woodstock where you can pace yourself against some of

the top runners in the country on the area’s most beautiful routes.

Organized by Ben True, who holds the American record for the 5K and placed 7th overall at the New York Marathon in 2021, it’s an informal run put on by his Northwoods Athletics team (which also includes star runners Eric LaPuma and Dan Curts). It’s open to anyone and all abilities.

The weekly runs are posted on Strava and northwoodsathletics.com has updates. Post-race many of the runners gather for a strong brew at the single-origin specialty roaster, Abracacabra Coffee Co.

On May 6, though, bet that most local runners will be headed to Ascutney Trails for the second annual Overland Trail Run, a 15- or 6-mile trail run with $5,000 in prize money.

Woodstock’s most famous running race, the Covered Bridges Half Marathon, starts out of the Saskadena 6 base area on June 4 and sends runners through some of the region’s scenic covered bridges. The 2023 race is capped at 2,300 entrants and

already sold out but you can sometimes sign up to run with one of the event’s fundraising partners.

CAST A LINE

Some of the biggest, hungriest trout in the state can be found in the pools of the White River, Black River and Ottauquechee River in May. But to catch them, you need to know where to go and have the right equipment. The Woodstock Inn & Resort Fly Fishing Shop is the state’s only Orvis-authorized dealer and a good place to start.

In addition to flies, rods, waders and other gear, it’s a place where you can sign up for a fly-fishing lesson. Or, book a half or full day session, with a guide such as Shay Berry, the lead flyfishing guide, who has also coached the men’s basketball teams at St. Michael’s College and Dartmouth. One of the prime guided trips he leads is a sevenhour float trip down the White River.

The fishing is dependent on the river flow so May and early summer are your best chances. A full-day guided

fishing excursion is $449 for two and $99 for an additional person.

PADDLE THE WHITEWATER

If you are comfortable in whitewater and have all the right gear, May is the time to paddle the rivers around Woodstock. Join in the Peavine Whitewater Race which starts out of Stockbridge on May 7, or paddle or float at your leisure there or on the Ottauquechee.

SKI OR MTB KILLINGTON

Don’t put away the skis just yet. Killington often stays open through June for skiing and the parking lot scene is a giant party on weekends. If the snow is gone from Superstar, that usually means the downhill mountain bike trails are open.

PLAN A MTB TRIP

The VMBA chapter, the Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association usually asks that folks don’t ride the extensive network of mountain bike trails until June 1, when they are fully

Fly-fishing on the White River with Orvis-certified guides. Photo courtesy Woodstock Inn and Resorts

dry and that you check Trailforks.com to make sure they are. But come June, the trails of Mt. Peg, the Aqueduct Trails and those at Saskadena Six and the Knox Meadow skills park make for some of the most varied terrain in the state. And they are a short ride from the town center. You can also rent bikes or book a guide through the Woodstock Inn and Saskadena 6.

TRY A SKILLS PARK, HIT A JUMP JAM

Where can you ride dirt in May? The new skills park at Ascutney Trails, in nearby West Windsor which will host a Jump Jam on May 14 with group rides and prize categories for men, women, kids, open and “Big Shot.”

SEARCH FOR ORCHIDS

In spring, the Eshqua Bog Area in nearby Hartland is one of the best places to see Vermont’s orchids. Spring is a consecutive show of yellow lady’s slippers, showy lady’s slippers, northern bog orchids and green orchids

and depending on the weather, the orchids can bloom through June. The bog area, a fen that’s a holdover from when glaciers retreated some 10,000 years ago, is co-owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy of Vermont which put in a 460-foot accessible boardwalk as well as benches.

LEARN ABOUT FALCONRY

Falconry has been called the sport of kings, in part because in the 1600s “laws of ownership” governed which social rank and dictated who would be allowed to fly which types of birds. While it’s no longer an exclusive activity focused on putting food on princes’ banquet tables, it is rare to find places where you can learn about falconry. Chris Davis became the first Master Falconer in the U.S. who is allowed to offer hands on falconry education. He and others offer introductory sessions handling and training trained Harris hawks through the Woodstock Inn.

HIKE/RUN VERMONT’S NATIONAL PARK

Vermont has just two National Parks, small ones but good ones. In Woodstock, the Marsh-BillingsRockefeller National Historical Park spans about 550 acres and comprises 20 miles of trails. While some of these can be closed due to mud, the carriage trails (open to horses but closed to bikes and motorized vehicles) are often a great place to run. Run or hike to the small pond known as The Pogue. The Carriage Barn Visitors’ center doesn’t open until Memorial Day but you can download maps online.

BRING THE KIDS

Sheep shearing, visits with draft animals, cheese making and quilting are just some of the activities at the Billings Farm and Museum. The historic farm and estate showcase the traditional agriculture and innovations made by Frederick Billings in the 19th century.

DINE OUT

There are dozens of classic Woodstock favorites such as The Worthy Burger, the award-winning gourmet dinners served at The Lincoln Inn and Cloudland Farm’s prix-fixe dinners (Friday and Saturday nights, only) that feature ingredients grown on the farm (and on other nearby organic farms.

Starting in June, the farm-to-table Red Barn Dinner series at the Woodstock Inn’s Kelly Way Gardens starts up on Wednesday nights with family-style seating.

Farmhouse Pottery founder Zoe Zillian opened Au Comptoir in 2022. The stylish eatery and features craft cocktails and small bites.

Last, you can’t go wrong picking up a picnic or dinner to go at the Woodstock Farmer’s Market, just outside of town om Route 4, or making the trip to Quechee for a meal at Simon Pearce’s restaurant, located in its store and mill, overlooking the Ottauquechee.

Top row: The Woodstock Inn anchors the town and serves as a base for weekly Red Barn Dinners, often featuring fresh produce from Kelly Way Gardens. Bottom row, left to right: Ben True (in orange) and his team of elite runners hold weekly Tour de Woodstock runs Ascutney's Jump Jam is May 14; downtown's classic red brick buildings. Photos top row courtesy Woodstock Inn and Resort. Bottom, by Ansel Dickey, Zach Wallace and Angelo Lynn

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HOW TO BUILD STRONGER BONES

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

Got milk? If you lived through the 1990s you’re all too familiar with that question splashed across ads with images of athletes, celebrities, and even politicians sporting the now-iconic milk mustache. The importance of milk for building strong bones and teeth was the focal message of the dairy industry’s hugely successful ad campaign during that time period.

These days the response to “got milk” is far more complicated. Are we talking soy milk? Oat milk? Hemp milk? The definition of milk has changed quite a bit since “got milk” posters covered the walls of seemingly every school cafeteria. What hasn’t changed is the importance of strong bones, especially for athletes.

Considering the constant pounding we athletes put our bodies through, you’d think we would give a little more time and thought to supporting the structures that literally support us. Stronger than concrete or even steel, the 206 bones that make up the human body provide structure and make movement possible.

Despite that strength, bones are not immune to injury. Stress fractures are the most common bone injury sustained by athletes. Commonly described as an “overuse” injury, they begin as a stress reaction in response to repetitive force. If activity is not discontinued or modified to reduce stress on that bone then eventually a tiny crack forms, resulting in a stress fracture. Recovery can include everything from avoiding impact and weight-bearing activities to immobilization in a cast or splint depending on the location and severity of the injury.

Stress fractures account for up to 20% of all sports medicine clinic injuries, but overuse isn’t always entirely to blame. Poor bone health increases the risk for developing stress fractures even from everyday activities, let alone from regular exercise. Therefore, a top priority for athletes should be to optimize bone health, to prevent both stress fractures and

the potential long-term complications of poor bone health in the form of osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of bone health is how much is already determined by the time we reach adulthood. I think many of us may not have made the smartest decisions in our childhood and adolescence. Fortunately, many of our daily habits at that age don’t have long-terms consequences. That’s not the case for bone health. That’s because bone is a dynamic tissue: as new bone is being made, old bone is being broken down constantly. Peak bone mineral density, or the maximum density bone can attain, is established at a relatively young age since during these years new bone is made faster than it is broken down.

By age 20 to 30 our ability to increase bone mineral density is gone and bone loss begins to occur. Bone is made up of a matrix of protein and minerals like calcium and the denser a bone is, the better able it is to handle every step, jump, and impact we put it through. How to build and maintain these dense bones is not as simple as Serena Williams rocking a milk mustache would lead you to believe.

A RECIPE FOR GOOD BONES

There are factors that influence bone density that aren’t under our control. Genetics, body size, gender, ethnicity and age, all play a role in establishing peak bone mineral density. While we

may not have much of a say in those things, when it comes to bone health it’s not all just luck of the draw. Diet and exercise are the two most significant modifiable factors in building and maintaining strong bones.

Calcium is often the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about diet and bone health. But the interplay between the calcium in the foods we eat and the calcium in bone is rather complex.

This is because calcium is needed throughout the body for numerous vital functions and structures other than just bone. Bones serve as a proverbial calcium bank storing 98% of the calcium in the human body. So when levels of calcium in the blood fall too low, the body has no choice but to “withdraw” calcium from bone. Without adequate consumption of calcium, these continuous withdrawals cause bone to become less dense and consequently weaker over time.

This can be exacerbated in athletes due to losses of calcium in sweat. To prevent this, it is recommended that adult men and women consume 1,000 mg of calcium per day. That increases to 1,200 mg per day for women over age 50 and men over age 70.

This might seem like a lot, but look no further than our “A Better-Bone Diet” chart on the following page to see how much calcium even non-dairy foods pack in.

Of course, a calcium supplement can help meet your needs. But more

isn’t necessarily better when it comes to calcium supplementation. There may even be a link between high-dose calcium supplementation and risk of heart attack and prostate cancer. There is no definitive ruling on either because evidence is mixed; however, it is advisable to avoid exceeding the recommended daily intake of calcium from supplements alone.

JUST ADD…. SUNSHINE?

There’s far more to eating a bunch of calcium-rich foods to optimize bone health. Chugging a gallon of milk would have little impact on our bones were it not for vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is necessary for calcium to be absorbed, making it a major player in bone health. Vitamin D isn’t naturally found in many foods, but it can be made in the human body when the skin is exposed to direct sunlight. Although that sounds simple, ask anyone in the northern hemisphere in January and they will tell you that the idea of getting significant daily exposure to sunlight is laughable. Even on the sunniest of days, UV light from the sun is too weak to allow for the conversion of vitamin D. Trying to catch some rays in a bathing suit in the winter in Vermont is a surefire way to get frost bite, but not vitamin D. Getting vitamin D from the stronger sunlight in the summer months can prove just as challenging considering that sunscreen can reduce vitamin D absorption by more than 90%. It is

To avoid stress fractures , osteoperosis and loss of bone density, pay attention to the nutrients in your diet. When levels of calcium in the blood fall too low, the body has no choice but to “withdraw” calcium from bone. Photo by Nastassia Yakushevic Adobe Stock

THERE’S MORE TO STAVING OFF STRESS FRACTURES AND OSTEOPOROSIS THAN JUST DRINKING MILK.

also more difficult for the elderly and those with darker skin pigmentation to make vitamin D from the sun, putting them at a higher risk for deficiency. Fortunately, we aren’t totally reliant on the sun to meet our vitamin D needs.

Trout, salmon, sardines, mushrooms exposed to UV light, and egg yolks all contain vitamin D. However, fortified foods provide the majority of vitamin D in American diets. Dairy milk, plant-based milks, ready-to-eat cereals, and orange juice are commonly fortified with vitamin D. Raw milk, however, does not have it.

The RDA of 600 IU of vitamin D for adults can be met through a combination of whole foods, fortified foods, and supplementation. IA serving of milk delivers 100 IU, for instance. But it is important to mention that the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), or the maximum amount unlikely to cause negative health effects, is 4,000 IU per day. So, if you are relying on fortified foods or supplements, be cautious not to exceed this amount.

While other vitamins and minerals play a less significant, albeit still important role in building and maintaining healthy bones, there are two other dietary factors that are of the upmost importance for athletes in particular: protein and energy intake.

PROTEIN AND POWER

Athletes tend to think about the need to consume protein purely for building and repairing skeletal muscle; however, its structural functions extend to bone as well. Protein comprises about 50% of bone volume and forms the framework that gives bones their strength.

How much protein is needed to build and maintain this framework though, has been an area of major debate. The acid-ash hypothesis states that a diet high in acidic foods prompts the body to degrade bone in order to release calcium to help buffer this acidity. Animal proteins just so happen to be one of these “acidic” foods. Considering that the recommended protein intake for athletes is higher than for sedentary individuals, if the acid-ash hypothesis is correct, then athletes would have to walk a tightrope to give their body enough protein to support skeletal muscle growth and recovery without having so much that it could compromise bone health.

Fortunately, recent studies indicate that higher protein diets are unlikely to negatively impact bones and, in fact, could be a boon for bone health. Higher protein intake has been shown to increase the amount of calcium absorbed from foods, offsetting any potential calcium loss from bone.

Additionally, protein intake

TRY A BETTERBONE DIET

When it comes to meeting the daily recommended intake for calcium of 1,000 mg, a glass of dairy milk is a good place to start, especially since it has 7 grams of protein and is fortified with 100 IU of vitamin D. However, it’s not the only good source. You can also try fortified milk alternatives or orange juice. Also consider adding these foods to your meals.

raw, 1 cup

a lot of energy and if enough energy isn’t supplied by the diet to meet those demands then serious complications can arise. These complications are most commonly known as the Female Athlete Triad.

LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY

The Female Athlete Triad describes the relationship among decreased bone density, menstrual dysfunction, and low energy availability (LEA). LEA can be due to disordered eating or due to individuals unknowingly failing to consume adequate calories to support their level of activity. Clinicians still aren’t entirely sure how these components interrelate, but it seems that LEA affects hormones that regulate menstruation and bone metabolism.

Which brings us back to how paradoxical exercise is when it comes to bone health. Even with the wellestablished benefits weight bearing exercise exerts on bone, those benefits are negated when LEA is present. Studies estimate anywhere from 22% to 50% of high-level female athletes have osteopenia and up to 50% have osteoporosis. Compare that to just 12% and 2.3% in the average population respectively. This isn’t just a “female problem” either. Only recently it has come to light that male athletes are not immune to the negative effects of LEA.

increases levels of certain hormones that facilitate bone formation. Therefore, it appears that consuming protein in the recommended amounts for athletes is just as important for bones as it is for muscle. You can also opt for plant-based proteins or consume higher amounts of calcium.

The most impactful dietary factor when it comes to bone health is energy availability. Energy availability is defined as the amount of energy left over and available for the body’s physiological functions after subtracting the energy used for exercise. Essentially, how many calories are left over after we run, bike, hike and engage in all of the other activities we do as part of competition, training, and enjoyment.

This can make exercise a bit of a Catch-22 for bone health. Highimpact, weight-bearing exercise as well as resistance training has long been established as osteogenic, or bone building. Activities like walking, hiking, running, jumping rope, tennis, dancing, and lifting weights all stimulate more calcium to be deposited and prompt new bone to be formed.

Although non-weight-bearing activities like cycling and swimming are great for cardiovascular health, they do not have the same osteogenic effect. In fact, athletes participating in high-impact sports have a 5% - 30% higher bone mineral density compared to sedentary individuals and those who participate primarily in non-weight bearing sports.

However, all that movement requires

Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) is a relatively newer term that recognizes the broader impact LEA has on health and functionality in both male and female athletes. Although studies on the prevalence and impact of LEA on bone health in males is limited, there is evidence that LEA results in hormonal changes that negatively impact bone mineral density in male athletes. Male endurance cyclists, in particular, appear to be at a much higher risk of developing low bone mineral density due to LEA combined with the non-weight bearing nature of the sport. Thus, regardless of gender, the importance of consuming adequate calories to support bone health cannot be underscored enough.

Building strong bones may not be as simple as those “Got Milk” posters led us to believe, but they did get one thing right; much of our bone health is up to us. Consuming adequate calcium, vitamin D, and protein as part of a balanced diet that provides sufficient calories along with engaging in weightbearing and resistance exercise is crucial for athletes to build bones that can withstand whatever we put them through now

Mad for Mushrooms

THREE YEARS AGO, MEG MADDEN KNEW LITTLE ABOUT MUSHROOMS. THANKS TO A HOBBY SHE PICKED UP DURING THE PANDEMIC, SHE JUST PUBLISHED A BOOK AND IS HELPING DEVELOP VERMONT’S FIRST STATEWIDE CATALOG OF MUSHROOMS.

BY ELSIE PARINI AND LISA LYNN | PHOTOS BY MEG MADDEN

Growing up here in Middlebury, I would always run out into the woods. I walk a lot more slowly now,” says Meg Madden.

It’s spring and during a walk in Wright Park, Madden, 49, stops numerous times. She kneels down next to a tree trunk that is riddled with the small fungi. On another side of the trunk, she points out a brittle pheasant back mushroom. “That’s from last year,” she notes.

When the pandemic locked everything down in March 2020, Madden and her daughter (then age 9) started going on walks into Battell Woods behind their house in Middlebury.

“We got to see the entire forest wake up, species by species,” said Madden, an artist and jewelry designer. “I was out there every day.”

What did they find? Mushrooms.

“At first I was terrified to even touch the mushrooms,” she says. “I grew up like many people do, being somewhat afraid of mushrooms. My parents weren’t foragers and I didn’t even dare eat a mushroom I found, even if I was 100% sure of what it was,” she said.

“It took me about a year to try my first foraged chanterelle,” she says. She now has favorite stashes of chanterelles and other edible species. “Never ask a forager where their stashes are,” though, she says with a laugh.

BEYOND BEAUTY

What drew Madden in was the beauty of mushrooms. “They are the fruiting bodies or reproductive structures of fungi,” she notes. “The scarlet elf cup was my gateway mushroom,” she remembers. “My daughter pointed them out and I couldn’t believe they were so such a rich color of red.”

Madden started posting photos of

mushrooms to Instagram along with short descriptions. “All of a sudden my feed started getting a lot of interest,” she says. By December 2020 she had about 1,000 followers.

Just four months later she was on her way to 10,000 followers. Her Instagram, @megmaddendesign, as of April 2023 now has nearly 50,000 followers.

Madden’s curiosity quickly became more than skin-deep.

“I’m such a nerd,” says Madden, who has also worked as a mosquito

biologist. “I became fascinated with fungi,” she says. She now gives talks, leads mushroom walks and talks and in March 2023, Madden published This Is A Book For People Who Love Mushrooms, an illustrated introduction to mushrooms that even her daughter could appreciate

“It’s not like I can go out, find mushrooms and not then try to learn everything about them. I can’t believe the amount of diversity you can find here. People think brown and white when they think about mushrooms, but

I’ve seen mushrooms in every color in our woods,” she says.

As we walk, she points to a broken stick on the trail that has a teal tinge to it, like it has been dipped in a stain. We kneel down and under the magnification of an iPhone, she points to tiny green elf cups that have colonized the broken edges of the wood.

A MUSHROOMING SCIENCE

Madden has an iNaturalist.com account (myco_mama_vt) and in January 2022 started the Fungi of Vermont page on

An artist and jeweler, Meg Madden was drawn in by the beauty of mushrooms. She will now, she admits, forage for edible ones like this hen of the woods.

that website — a place where anyone can post their findings. Since then, nearly 2,000 people have identified more than 1,300 macro fungi. Madden herself is responsible for 318 ids, including several that only have a few observations listed in New England, such as the purple edged lute and a ballerina waxcap.

Madden’s work has caught the eye of people who are drawn by more than the beauty of her images.

Suzanne Gifford who has been leading the Green Mountain National

Forest’s Long-term Ecosystem Monitoring Project, a 50-year project that is hoping to inventory forest species and monitor the impacts of climate, soil health, air and water quality, noted the quality and depth of Madden’s work in both photographing and documenting fungi.

“Meg has really helped out with our BioBlitzes,” she says, referring to the events where citizens help identify species in their areas. “When it comes to fungi, we have so little solid data about what’s here, it’s really helpful to

have folks out in the field helping to identify what they see.

Everett Marshall, a biologist with the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, invited Madden to be part of a special advisory group for fungi for the Endangered Species Committee for Vermont.

“With mushrooms, it’s hard to know if something is threatened or endangered or if it’s just underobserved because there aren’t a lot of people working to catalog species,” Madden says. Adding to the difficulty is

the fact that mushrooms are dependent on both weather (they like rain and moisture) and timing. “They don’t come up every year or even in the same place. It takes a lot of energy for a fungus to make a mushroom,” she says.

“Only 5% of the earth’s fungal species are known to humans,” Madden notes in her book. “Fungi are an important part of the ecosystem we are just starting to really understand and appreciate,” she says.

“It’s pretty exciting because mycology is still a relatively new field,”

Madden photographs mushrooms using an iPhone and a snap-on lens and posts to Instagram. These beauties are (clockwise from top): splitgill, turkey tail, violet coral, indigo milk cap and velvet chank

she notes. “Fungi were just lumped in with plants until the 1960s. For instance, one edible mushroom that is fairly common in Vermont, Bear’s Head Tooth, was only officially described to science in 1984.

THE ROLES OF FUNGI

Madden also points out some of the roles mushrooms play in forest ecology. “Saprotrophic mushrooms help wood decay. Without them trees that have died would still be here,” she says. Common examples of this type include oyster

mushrooms, turkey tails and shiitake.

Mycorrhizal mushrooms, such as chanterelles, have beneficial relationships with host trees or other plants, acting as an extension of the root system and helping them access water and nutrients.

Parasitic mushrooms such as chaga or honey fungi feed off a host tree (or even insects or animals) and can eventually kill the host.

Madden also points to the medicinal value of mushrooms. “So many of our modern medicines, including penicillin, come from mushrooms,” she notes. “I often take lion’s mane in supplement form to help with nerve damage.”

Madden is careful to not offer positive identifications or to answer when people ask her if a mushroom is edible or not. “There’s too much liability,” she says. She cautions foragers: “We have some common mushrooms here that could either make you sick or kill you with one bite.”

Instead of focusing on the foraging, Madden has chosen to educate instead. “Part of my mission is to connect folks with nature in a meaningful way. If people have an increased awareness of their surroundings, then they’re more likely to be respectful and take care of their environment,” she says.

A Mushroom Primer

Meg Madden’s new book, This Is A Book For People Who Love Mushrooms, $16, is a great beginner’s guide to mushrooms. This pocketsized, 120-page hardback was published by Running Press in March 2023 and includes a fascinating layman’s introduction to mushrooms followed by illustrated profiles of some of the most commonly seen species. The book also includes a chapter on foraging and describes popular edible varieties such as black trumpet or hen of the woods, their fruiting season, habitat and ecology.

Mushrooms often live up to their names, as these bleeding fairy helmets do.

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

WHO DO YOU CALL?

The timing of when Drew Clymer gets a phone call can mean the difference in life or death.

The last week of March 2023 was a particularly busy one for Clymer, the Search and Rescue Coordinator for the Vermont Department of Public Safety.

On Friday afternoon of March 24, Eric Loyer, a 31-year-old Bristol native, led police on a high-speed chase from Waterbury north on Route 100, before ditching a car he allegedly had stolen on a dead-end road in Stowe’s Nebraska Valley. As darkness fell and temperatures began to drop, Loyer disappeared on foot into deep snow in an area abutting the

Mt. Mansfield State Forest.

The following day, Saturday, March 25, Clymer got the call.

He headed to the staging area in Nebraska Valley as Stowe police resumed the search on Saturday. “In this case, the search was fairly straightforward and the police could follow Loyer’s tracks in the snow,” Clymer says. “Stowe Mountain Rescue was on alert, as were ambulances and first responders but the police found him.” Loyer was brought out alive around 2:00 pm that day and taken to a hospital before being charged with larceny.

Just a few days later, Clymer was called to help coordinate a search for Rebecca

Ball in Middlebury. Ball, a 17-year-old with autism, left an appointment in town around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29 without her jacket, hat, gloves or cell phone. She was seen headed toward nearby Wright Park, a 150-acre park with trails that border the Otter Creek.

The next day Clymer got the call.

“I jumped in my car and headed to Middlebury. We searched all night,” says Clymer. “In Vermont, we are fortunate that the resources the state can bring to the table are remarkable. In such a situation I can call in search and rescue personnel from around the state, including drone teams, dive teams, Wilderness First

Responders, the Air National Guard, New England K-9 Search and Rescue and more.”

For six days, search and rescue personnel, along with state and local police, trained rescue dogs and their handlers searched the area while drones and helicopters buzzed overhead.

“We had one K-9 search and rescue team member drive from Portland, Me., with her dog to join the search,” said Clymer. “Like many of our search and rescue personnel, she was a volunteer. You literally can’t pay people to do this job – they do it out of a sense of civic duty and compassion. It’s something that in

IF SOMEONE IS LOST IN VERMONT’S BACKCOUNTRY, THERE ARE DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP, AND ONE PERSON WHO CAN SET THEM ALL IN MOTION.

BY LISA LYNN

your inner core you are just called to do.”

Ball’s body was found in the park by a canine team on Tuesday afternoon, April 4. She showed no signs of self-harm or foul play.

“This was purely an accident,” Middlebury Police Chief Tom Hanley later told The Addison Independent. He noted Ball had a history of walking off. Temperatures had dropped below freezing on the first few nights she was missing and light snow had fallen.

“Our searches always find people,” says Clymer. “Often when we do, there’s a sense of exilharation when we locate them. Not with this one, though. This one

THE STATE OF SEARCH & RESCUE

was very hard,” he said quietly. Clymer still has a picture of Ball pinned to his office wall.

A SENSE OF DUTY

“When I started doing search and rescue, I felt like I had found the thing that I was called to do. It’s a job I truly love,” says Clymer, who moved to Vermont in 2008 and joined Stowe Mountain Rescue in 2017. When he first applied for the rescue team role, he didn’t have the specific rock climbing or medical skills that many seasoned search and rescue personnel have, but he had put in years of public service.

Clymer had been president of the Stowe Trails Partnership mountain bike club, and served on Stowe’s Development Review Board, as well as in other volunteer roles. “I just feel a sense of duty to my community. My wife calls me a ‘chronic volunteer,” he says.

Clymer was also an avid hunter, angler, mountain biker, backcountry skier and snowboarder. “There’s a rigorous process to join a search and rescue team and I loved learning every bit of it. It’s my dream job,” he says. Clymer, who has worked in project management ,says that his best skill is simply this: “I try to fix things.” Organizing, managing

and communicating with various teams is key in coordinating searches.

In July 2022, Clymer, now 55, took over from Neil Van Dyke as the Search and Rescue Coordinator for the state of Vermont. Van Dyke had held the statewide position since it was created by the legislature in 2014, prompted by a tragedy.

An avid runner from Addison County, Levi Duclos, 19, was reported missing at 8 p.m. on January 9, 2012 after heading .out for a trail run that afternoon.

State troopers found Duclos’ car at the Emily Proctor trailhead in Ripton that evening but did not have the skilled

Vermont's search and rescue teams include climbers, backcountry skiers, EMTs and those trained in swiftwater rescue.

personnel to conduct a backcountry search for him until the following day. Duclos body was found three miles from the trailhead. He had succumbed to hypothermia.

The statewide position was created to help coordinate searches, particularly in the backcountry, that go beyond the normal purview or skill sets of regional safety offices such as police or fire departments.

“We’re fortunate to have so many search and rescue teams throughout the state,” says Clymer. “We have the Vermont State Police, Wildernss First Responders, National Guard and the Army Mountain training school in Jericho and a half-dozen organized backcountry search and rescue teams,” says Clymer. Nearly all are staffed by volunteers. “Often, a search might involve someone in an urban or suburban setting who has simply wandered off,” Clymer adds.

A majority of Clymer’s role is to know which experts to call and when. There are teams that specialize in swiftwater rescues and in dive rescues, such as Colchester’s Technical Rescue Dive Team. Often, these specialized teams will

how Killington Search and REscue defected

In March, the town of Killington lost 17 of the 18 members of Killington Search and Rescue (KSAR). Members of the volunteer team, many of whom had been working together for nearly a decade or more, either resigned or let go.

As of press time in late April, the town was still trying to fill their roles.

The mass exodus came after the new fire chief, Chris LaHart, asked the KSAR team to stand down on a day when a call for help came in from a lost Pico skier. Chief LaHart stated the team did not have the certifications or training records needed to satisfy fire department insurance mandates. He also noted that KSAR’s ropes and other equipment (lighter gear, designed for nimble backcountry rescue) did not meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, a standard one SAR expert quipped stands for "Not For Practical Application."

The town had only recently tapped LaHart to occupy a new paid position overseeing what had been all-volunteer fire fighting, EMS First Respone and SAR teams. The new fire chief moved from North Carolina with 32 years of fire fighting and military experience.

In a letter to The Mountain Times, the former

KSAR volunteers wrote “the team has expert institutional knowledge of the local area and is trained and experienced in a variety of wilderness situations, all weather, and available on a 24/7 basis, 365 days per year.”

travel to another part of the state to help out in specific emergencies. “We’ve had our Stowe swiftwater team go to Southern Vermont to help out in some flood cases,” says Clymer.

While Vermont is a relatively small state, the need for these teams has become more and more crucial, especially as the number of people accessing the backcountry on skis, bikes or on foot, has risen. “The last couple of years, our call volume at Stowe Mountain Rescue has gone through the roof,” says Clymer.

“When I first joined the Stowe Mountain Rescue team, we clicked along at maybe 25 calls per year. Covid came along and we bumped up to nearly a 50% increase in calls – 42 calls in 2020. Then in 2021 we saw calls in the mid 60s, then in 2022 we were getting calls in the high 60s. Last July, there was a period when we were called out 13 of 15 days and it was not uncommon for us to have two rescues a day,” he says.

As Clymer notes, the number of calls to his state office have increased as well. However, as he notes, “My role at the state is “search” and much of what I am doing is helping locate people who are

The volunteers also noted that Chief LaHart had summarily dismissed two female leaders of the group and that he had “created a toxic intimidating environment for female members.” The volunteers suggested that KSAR be removed

Killington Search and Rescue's annual budget had been $5,000 and much of the equipement they used was their own. Photo courtesy KSAR.

Drew Clymer, left, takes over the role of Search and Rescue Coordinator for the state from Neil Van Dyke.

Photo courtesy Stowe Mountain Rescue.

lost or missing. The rescue teams are the ones who are responding to say folks who know where they are but may have broken a leg or in a situation where they can’t get out. The job I do depends entirely on the many good people Vermont has out there on the ground."

THE RISE OF SEARCH & RESCUE

In 1980, Neil Van Dyke, at the time a local innkeeper and outdoorsman in Stowe, formed Stowe Mountain Rescue to help with the increasing number of accidents and rescues among skiers, ice climbers and hikers in the rugged terrain in Smuggler’s Notch.

Thanks to its rigorous training and highly experienced volunteers, the organization has since earned a reputation for being one of the best in the country. It often gets called to assist with other rescue operations, even those out of state, such as a search in the Adirondacks. It operates alongside Stowe’s other public safety offices and is funded by the town and through donations.

Other search and rescue teams operate under different structures around the state, many providing the administrative

and insurance that volunteer groups need to operate.

The non-profit Rescue Inc. was formed in 1966 in Brattleboro by EMT volunteers and now serves as an umbrella organization for many rescue teams, including technical wilderness rescue, around southern Vermont.

The Upper Valley Wilderness Rescue, works with authorities in both Vermont and New Hampshire when someone is missing in the wilderness. The

from Chief LaHart’s oversight and operate independently. The former members of the KSAR team also asked that the equipment that Chief LaHart had deemed inadequate, be returned.

On March 20, the situation was discussed at a meeting of the Killington Selectboard, which sided with Chief LaHart. Chief LaHart offered to reinstate members who could provide documents showing they had the certifications he felt they needed.

In a letter that was read aloud at that meeting, Neil Van Dyke (who founded Stowe Mountain Rescue in 1980 and who served as the Vermont Search and Rescue Coordinator for 10 years) wrote: “It appears they are evaluating KSAR using NFPA standards, which not a single wilderness backcountry SAR team in the country uses as a standard. If memory serves well, there’s even language somewhere in the NFPA standards that say ‘these do not apply to wilderness rescue.”

Van Dyke’s successor, Drew Clymer, who attended the meeting in person, noted: “There’s high technical rescue and there’s backcountry search and rescue,” Clymer said. “Those are completely different skill sets and I think they’re becoming conflated. The gap that’s currently existing in your re-

organization began in 1995 as a student community outreach program set up by students at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. It wasn’t until 2019 that the program reorganized as a 501c3 non-profit in New Hampshire.

For nearly 10 years, Killington Search and Rescue operated largely independently, in conjunction with the local volunteer fire department. However, the town reorganized the fire department and search and rescue services and in January 2023 placed the municipal entity under the supervision of a newlyhired paid fire chief, Chris LaHart. After a dispute with the new chief, 17 of the 18 volunteer members of the search and rescue team left.

“The challenge in building mountain SAR teams is there is a rigorous training process,” says Clymer. “While they may not need all the skills, certifications and equipment that a municipal fire or police team need, they do need to know how to negotiate the backcountry and get people out of there safely.”

Finding volunteers who have those skills and are prepared to do extensive training such as the three-times a month

gion is backcountry rescue.”

He also noted that there were at least six skiers who had been lost in the Killington backcountry since KSAR team was deactivated. “There’s a glaring hole in backcountry rescue right now,” said Clymer.

At the meeting, Chief LaHart called for “100 volunteers to give 4 to 5 hours of their time." He offered to train them.

In a letter to The Mountain Times, the Killington Selectboard and town manager Chet Hagenbarth wrote: “Killington Search and Rescue has suspended operation temporarily due to the lack of certification and training.”

The letter also stated “Killington Search and Rescue is currently accepting member applications and has a goal of being active around June 2023. Training for new members has been scheduled and the Town welcomes all applicants, including former members.”

In the meantime, the former KSAR members were still meeting and training on their own. In late April they announced their team would join the Brattleborobased Rescue Inc. but continue to serve the Central Vermont community, including Killington. As of press time, the town had yet to respond.

trainings that Stowe Mountain Rescue does, is increasingly difficult.

“Historically, mountain towns are where there have been strong search and rescue teams,” says Joel Blumenthal of Rutland. Blumenthal was a long-time member of the disbanded KSAR team.

“Killington’s team was like a family and we all trained together because we loved the work,” he said. “But there are more and more people going out in the backcountry at Brandon Gap and on the mountain bike trails at Poultney or in Rochester. Those towns don’t have the critical mass or insurance to set up search and rescue teams of their own.”

Is the answer a paid team of search and rescue personnel? For Clymer, the answer is a clear “no.” “The people I know who do this, do it out of a sense of duty and love for what they do. You could never pay them enough to do this – it’s an on-demand job,” he says.

“My wife and friends know that if I get a call in the middle of dinner say at a a friend’s house, that I leave. My phone is never ‘off.’ You get the call and you go. It’s just like that,” says Clymer.

Killington's fire chief claimed that the KSAR equipment, specifically their climbing ropes, did not meet National Fire Protection Association standards. Photo courtesy KSAR

Clymer, near the top of Mt. Mansfield. Courtesy photo.

THE RESCUER

Name: Jon Wehse

Lives in: Stowe

Age: 56

Primary Sports: Skiing (alpine, tele and backcountry touring), mountain biking, trail running, kayaking, and ice climbing.

Occupation: IT service provider, Stowe Mountain Rescue volunteer

Jon Wehse has spent the last 30 years in the IT industry, but he comes alive in the mountains. He has lived and played in Stowe since 2007. In 2016 he joined Stowe Mountain Rescue. He’s been the Team Chief for the last two years and credits former chiefs Neil Van Dyke and Doug Veliko for mentoring him.

What made you decide to join Stowe Mountain Rescue?

I’ve been on the team since 2016. Each of us comes to SMR with some sense of giving back to the community. We all love to recreate in the backcountry, and we all recognize that accidents happen there. It takes a special person with special skills to commit to a Search and Rescue squad (SAR). It can almost be described as a calling and requires a huge heart and a sense of selflessness. When you join SMR, it’s a full commitment.

That said, you don’t just join; you have to be selected. We have a rigorous process which starts with a lengthy application and culminates in a boardstyle interview. If you pass, you start a three-month observation period followed by a six-month probationary period.

It’s a little like trying out for a sports team except in this case, social skills are just as important – maybe more so – than technical or medical skills.

The nine-month process is intended to ensure that candidates have the right attitude, desire, and wherewithal to join an elite mountain rescue team.

For me, it was a multi-year process, as I needed to convince myself I was capable of being on the team. In contrast to most of the team at that time, I was not a rock or ice climber, and that part was really uncomfortable for me. I had a huge learning curve, but I was strong and willing to support the team any way I could, even if my sole role was to be a pack mule.

What do you have to do to become a member?

We tend to accept candidates who love the outdoors, but specifically the backcountry, are extremely physically fit, have a local’s awareness of terrain primarily in the Stowe area, are good natured and team-oriented, and have a willingness and desire to learn. We don’t require medical certificates although we do require people to become medically qualified.

We also don’t require rope work or rock or ice climbing skills. We can train almost anyone for any situation, but the key is you have to really want to be part of the group. We have 15 active members, and the team is super tightknit and hyper-focused on helping those in need in the backcountry, any time of the day or night, and in any weather.

Many SAR teams have a similar mission, but we are the only fully certified Mountain Rescue Association team in New England which is a pretty big deal. We choose to keep our team small, and mandate high participation based on the technical nature of our calls. It takes a long time to become a full member, so we ask everyone to commit to five or ten years.

Neil Van Dyke was an outlier because he was on the team for 42 years, but we have a number of people who have been with us for over ten years. However, we’ve also had some turnover so now half the team has been with us for eight years or less. They may have less experience, but they have good skills.

How many and what kind of accidents do you respond to in a typical year?

On average, we get maybe two backcountry ski or snowboard accidents with leg or hip issues, two to three lost skiers or snowboarders who need assistance, 20 to 30 litter extractions with leg issues, four or five water events involving flood support or swimming hole accidents, and five to ten hikers who need assistance because they are either lost or poorly equipped.

Our primary jurisdiction is Stowe, but we’ll go wherever we’re asked and that can include the Cambridge side of the Notch and the western side of Mt. Mansfield. Three to five times a year we get called to Waterbury or Camel’s Hump and occasionally there will be a random call further afield like Montgomery. Every once in a while, the Vermont State Police will call us for a big search, so last fall we sent people to the Breadloaf Wilderness and several years ago we were helicoptered into the Adirondacks to find a missing kid.

What are the essentials that you carry for winter rescues?

Let’s start with what we wear. GoreTex jackets and pants, mountaineering boots, gaiters, spare hats, several pairs of gloves, and spare undergarments and middle layers for ourselves. We also bring warm and dry clothing for the person we are helping, including boots if we know that they’ve been out in the cold for a long time. We bring warming

devices ranging from hand-warmers to body blankets, some kind of fire-starter, a litter, headlamps, food, and water. Depending on the situation we may also bring crampons, micro-spikes, or snowshoes, as well as ropes, harnesses, and helmets for high alpine cliff work.

What about summer rescues?

You need some of the same gear minus the snow and ice equipment. Remember, it can still get quite chilly in Vermont, particularly at high altitude so you still need warm and dry clothing. However, you also need to carry lots of water and electrolyte packets. In both seasons we carry small emergency shelters as a last resort if we have to stay on the mountain overnight.

What are the challenges for rescues in both seasons?

Probably the most challenging issue is dealing with a dynamic event, regardless of the season. What starts out as a pretty benign incident can quickly go sideways due to subject’s health or condition, the weather, or the distance from an ambulance. Wet hikers in the winter can become hypothermic very quickly if they stop moving so a simple walk out can become an extended stay with a fire to warm the subject. A person experiencing mild chest discomfort can become a cardiac event in the blink of an eye. We don’t have the tools to treat cardiac issues in the field, so we work very diligently at rapid extractions.

Do different team members have different assignments or is everyone capable of performing all the duties?

We come from diverse backgrounds and interests and have different but overlapping hobbies and skill sets. Some of our members are big rock and ice climbers, some are more backcountry hikers and skiers, and some are really comfortable in moving water. The common element is that each of us can survive in the backcountry without needing too much assistance and we apply our physical abilities and skill sets to the rescue skills.

We recently revamped our training curriculum, but the basic elements haven’t changed. Members typically fill a support role which requires supervision for the first two to four years. They need to have basic rope skills, and the ability to handle the litter in a team environment and drive a truck. More advanced skills are required to be considered a full rescue team member. These skills typically fall into the category of

John Wehse, training for water rescues this past April. Photo courtesy John Wehse

managing complex rope system tasks without supervision or handling a litter on a cliff. There is an advanced skills element for our more senior members, where designing systems to fit the situation are paramount. Lastly, we have a leadership element where we train for mission lead roles. Each mission is different, so when we plan roles for that mission, the mission leader takes into account each responding member’s skills and capabilities and builds the response plan as necessary.

Running a team is more than just showing up for the mission. We have a vehicle officer responsible for keeping all vehicles (two trucks, two trailers and three ATVs) operational, an equipment officer who’s responsible for ensuring our ropes and technical gear match our mission and are mission-worthy, a terrific public affairs/communication officer who does a fantastic job relating our activities to our social media followers, a guy who does data analysis, and a training team that ensures we have the right skills to meet the mission and prepares monthly trainings that push us out of our comfort zone and have us continuing to explore the local area. As I said before, it’s a team sport.

What are some of the most rewarding rescues your crew have performed?

In December 2022, two 20-year-old

college students left the Barnes Camp parking lot for an aggressive six-mile round-trip hike with 1,400 feet of elevation gain to Sterling Pond up in the Notch. They were long-distance runners and extremely fit, but they decided to walk on the pond, and one fell through the ice up to her knees. With drenched boots, they decided to head directly to the top of Spruce Peak, but the lifts weren’t running, and no one was there.

Their iPhone sent them down via the Long Trail which had deep, unpacked snow. An hour after they’d gotten wet, panic began to set in. They called a friend who called Stowe Ski Patrol but that didn’t help because they didn’t know where they were. They saw the Mountain Road below them and tried to go straight down to it and got stranded on a cliff over a gully. By the time we got involved they had been walking for nearly two hours, and one was in bad shape.

One of our teams went in from below and another went from the top off Spruce. The women were found hanging onto trees on the edge of a 40-foot cliff. The one with wet feet had taken her socks and shoes off and was in a semi-lucid state. The team immediately repositioned them to a safe space under a cliff face, built a fire and stripped them of their wet clothing. Neither one was appropriately dressed. Three hours later, a new set of boots arrived, and the

team was able to extricate both women on foot back up the ravine with some limited rope systems.

The women bounced back quickly because they were physically fit but their errors included poor route planning, inadequate clothing, and not calling for help earlier. We had been considering a Plan B where we would have placed each woman in a litter, hauled them over the cliff via complex rope systems and then slid them out of the gulley for about 900 vertical feet but luckily, we didn’t have to execute that plan.

What about winter rescues?

I also have vivid memories of my first year on the team when there was a man in his 70’s skiing the Bolton/Trapp trail on a very cold day with drifting snow. He called his wife to say he was going slowly because he was breaking trail but that he’d be home by 5:00. At 7:00 pm he still wasn’t home, so she called the Vermont State Police, and they dispatched us.

We went in on snowmobiles from Nebraska Valley and snowshoed from there. The snow was so deep that I dumped our sled at least four times on the way. It was the middle of the night and with the trees full of snow, sound doesn’t carry well. We found him about 100 yards off the trail. Exhausted, he was lying in the snow and told us he had said his prayers and shut his eyes, fully expecting not to wake up. We were very

lucky to wake him and have him respond to us after 15 minutes of yelling. Having such a potentially life altering event on my first year was a gift.

Have there been any rescues that didn’t end well, and would you be willing to discuss them?

Unfortunately, we deal with one or two fatalities each year. They fall into three categories: One is typically an extremely unhealthy person who experiences a cardiac event on a hike, another is often a young, energetic person who made a split-second decision that didn’t turn out so well, and finally, there are those who did something relatively routine, but the conditions changed resulting in a very detrimental situation which they couldn’t survive.

We had to deal with a swimmer who drowned at Bolton Potholes because the water was aerated and running fast and he couldn’t surface, a snowboarder who suffocated in a snow well at Stowe, a Stowe skier who took a wrong turn and fell off a cliff and someone who slipped after turning back from jumping off a rock at Bingham Falls.

What should hikers carry with them at all times?

Knowledge of their intended route and the surrounding area, a map which can include a smartphone app as long as there is also an external battery charger,

John Wehse, at right in short sleeves, and Stowe Mountain Rescue assist Waterbury, Camel's Hump and Huntington backcountry SAR teams on what became a 5-mile overnight evacuation of a hiker from Camel's Hump.

a headlamp, warm clothing, rain gear, more water than you think you need, and a small insulation pad.

What about skiers? What should they carry if they are going to go off trail?

Pretty much the same except that knowledge of terrain is probably more important. A hiker can usually just turn around, but a skier or snowboarder can’t always climb back up the terrain. The small insulation pad is more critical in the winter. It’s going to be a while before we get there, so keeping the patient away from snow is important.

What are some of the common mistakes that skiers and hikers make that get them into trouble? Inadequate planning such as starting too late, adventuring, too big, and not heeding the weather by packing the wrong gear. Poor decision making causes a lot of trouble and includes things like not understanding the inherent risks. This is particularly true for skiers and snowboarders in challenging terrain. Other bad decisions are not recognizing

when it’s time to go home, and following ski or snowboard tracks into the woods without knowing where they are going. This year, SMR had to rescue two snowboarders on a steep pitch at Spruce and had to talk a guy back into skiable terrain after he ventured into the backcountry.

Poor clothing choices are also a problem. Cotton kills in the winter and some synthetics aren’t great because they can freeze and stick to your body. Keeping your feet dry and wearing proper footwear is critical. We typically buy shoes with Gore-Tex. Another common mistake is not calling for help soon enough. We might be able to help someone over the phone but if they wait too long, they can get into more trouble and need physical assistance.

Should we charge people for rescues?

The legal answer is that Vermont has a statute that allows people to be charged if their actions willfully put their rescuers in a high-risk position. The truth is that 99% of the people we help just got in over their heads and need assistance. If

we were to charge people, there is a fear that they wouldn’t call for help and they might die. Three weeks ago, we pulled three kids out of the woods on Spruce, and they admitted they had hesitated before calling us because they didn’t know how much it would cost them.

Seventeen members of the Killington Search and Rescue team recently submitted a letter to the town saying they had no confidence in the town fire chief. Any comment?

I don’t have first-hand knowledge of the recent leadership and personnel issues facing KSAR, but I have worked with that team and know they have passion. They are truly mission-oriented, care greatly for the subjects they help in the backcountry, and they are good at what they do. I’ve never heard of any personnel issues affecting their team prior to this.

It takes a tremendous amount of energy and time to develop a backcountry SAR team—each member must be willing, able, and motivated to perform the mission—and it takes years to develop to a mission-ready state. To

have that capability eliminated over personnel issues within a span of a few months is a shame. The loss of a team in such dramatic fashion over the issues presented is rare and hurts the Vermont SAR community greatly.

What makes doing this work so gratifying?

First and foremost, the team environment. This is not an individual sport; we don’t succeed unless we perform as a team. We train constantly, at least once a month, so we practice technical skills and teamwork regularly. The members of the team are truly some of my closest friends. It has to be this way because we will literally put our life in each other’s hands when we execute some of our maneuvers.

Gratitude from the people we help is also part of it. Not everyone is in a lifeor-death situation, but most people are extremely grateful that we helped them out of a bad situation, and many don’t even know we exist, particularly since most are from out of town or even out of state. —Phyl

Newbeck

Spring into Action!

Warmer temperatures will take us outdoors, toning and tuning to be ready for adventures from hiking and biking to water and rock sports.

Whether it’s the Green Mountains or your family vacation, the team at Mansfield Orthopaedics is here for you, offering expert care to get you ready for every adventure.

Don’t let injuries or chronic pain keep you from being active – let us fine tune your orthopedic needs. Expert orthopedic care close to home.

802.888.8405

Our team of specialists include: Nicholas Antell, MD; Brian Aros, MD; Ciara Hollister, DPM; John Macy, MD; Joseph McLaughlin, MD; Kevin McNamara, DPM and Bryan Monier, MD.

Orthopedic Surgeon Brian Aros, MD (center) with Copley Radiology Technologists Denny and Hannah at Copley’s Gravel Moxie.

A SHELL FOR RUNNERS AND HIKERS

April showers don’t always bring May flowers. In Vermont, they can often bring um… more showers. The new Arc’Teryx Norvan Men’s LT Hoodie ($400) isn’t cheap, but it’s a jacket you’ll find yourself either wearing or packing through three seasons. It’s good for running in spring showers or serving as a windproof shell that’s loose enough so you can layer it over a fleece or puffy when hiking to the summit. Designed for runners, the LT Hoodie is waterproof without being clammy and is exceptionally breathable. Many jackets of this kind tend to feel like plastic bags, but this one is made with N13p 3L Gore-Tex with a C-Knit backer which lets it repel water but also breathe It’s slightly heavier material than previous Norvan jackets from Arc’Teryx but it still weighs in at 6.9 ounces and packs into its own pocket. The men’s jacket comes in four colors: yellow/black, blue/black, graphite

GEAR TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR GEAR THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD FOR YEARS TO COME, CONSIDER THESE NEW ITEMS.

black and a shade of purple Arc’teryx aptly calls “Groovie.” The women’s version of this jacket is scheduled to drop mid-summer.

A TRAIL-BUILDING WATER BOTTLE

There are a few good reasons why using Bivo’s new stainless steel VMBA x Bivo water bottle ($44) should make you feel good. The first is that for each bottle sold, $4 ($2 from Bivo, $2 from the retailer) will be donated to the Vermont Mountain Bike Association to support their efforts to improve and expand trail riding. Another is that the bottle’s logo is etched on by students at Vermont Technical College (VTC). The company is carbon neutral and on top of that, the stainless steel bottle keeps plastic out of the landfill and avoids that moldy, plasticky smell old water bottles tend to get. Lastly, in addition to the patented flow system that lets you easily draw however much liquid you need from it, the bottle won’t crack or break. Drink up.

A RECYCLABLE SLEEPING BAG

Another product to feel good about: Nemo’s Forte Endless Promise™ ($179.00- $199.99)sleeping bag is not only made of 100% recycled material but because it is mono-polymer, it is also 100% recyclable. In fact, customers who buy it can return the bag to Nemo when they are done with it and get either a gift card for the resale value or, if it is not in good enough shape to resell, a $20 Nemo gift card. The initiative is part of Nemo’s goal to cut its emissions in half by 2020. Using Zero-Fiber PCR insulation, the bag comes in versions rated for temperatures of 20F or 35F. Thermo-grill vents with a multistage zipper system make it easy regulate the heat. There’s also a full-length doubleslider zipper so you can zip two bags together, though note that they are spoon-shaped – wider at the elbows and knees – which is ideal for side sleepers. The bag comes in two sizes, regular and long. The regular size weighs in at 1.3 kg

and packs to a 29 cm x 23 cm diameter. It’s not the lightest or smallest of bags but is a good, affordable choice for short summer adventures or to send a kid off to camp with.

THE PORTABLE MASSAGE ROLLER

The pain of plantar fasciitis. A tight IT band. That ache in your lower back you just can’t reach. A sore neck. All of these are reasons to get a massage. Or to invest less than it usually costs for an hour of body work and purchase a Proto Vibrating Roller ($59.99) from, NJOIE. The compact, peanutshaped roller is wrapped in sturdy silicone. It measures a little over 6 inches long with a 3.5 inch diameter, making it fit the contours of a calf or neck and easy to pack if you are traveling. It has four vibration settings. The battery is rechargeable, via a USB cable and the product comes with a two-year guarantee.

Nemo Forte Endless Promise

VMBA x Bivo water bottle

Arc’Teryx Norvan Men’s LT Hoodie

Proto Vibrating Roller

HALF MARATHON, RELAY & 3-MILE FUN RUN

SUNDAY NOV 5, 2023

MIDDLEBURY, VT

What makes it so sweet?

• Beautiful, scenic routes with views of the Green Mountains and Adirondacks.

• A mix of trail (10%), paved (45%), and dirt roads (45%) for the half marathon; all paved for 3-mile fun run.

• USATF-certified course that is well supported, with rolling hills and foliage views.

WELL ORGANIZED, GREAT SWAG, INSPIRING MUSIC ON COURSE, POST-RACE BREAKFAST

TOP FINISHERS RECEIVE VERMONT MAPLE SYRUP! Sweet socks for ALL registrants!

RACE & EVENT GUIDE 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 NOTED. FEATURED EVENTS, IN YELLOW, PAY A NOMINAL FEE.

RUNNING/HIKING MAY

6 | Overland Trail Run, West Windsor

Run the 6-mile or the 15-mile all-terrain course on Ascutney's trail network. There's even $5,000 in prize money that will be allocated to the top 5 men and women in the 15-mile event. The race is put on by the same team that puts on the Overland Grand Prix gravel race (Aug. 26). Enter both for a chance to win the Overland Trophy. vermontoverland.com

6 | Shelburne 5K/10K/HalfMarathon, Shelburne Half marathoners leaving Shelburne Field House run south past the Shelburne Museum, Meach Cove, vineyards, an orchard, and through gorgeous countryside before heading back north through Meach Cove, past Shelburne Farms to the Field House along the historic Ti Trail. The 5K/10K portion of this race will be an out-and-back along Harbor Road. Racevermont.com

6 | Genny Teny, Craftsbury

The 5th edition of this popular pointto-point dirt road running race links the communities of Craftsbury and Albany, VT. New in 2023, a 5k option as well as the traditional 10-mile distance. craftsbury. com/events/23gennytenny

7 | Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race, Richmond

For its 10th running of this trail race, it moves (temporarily) to Cochran's Ski Area. Race is 6.4 to 7 miles of steep trails and is part of the USATF-NE Mountain Running Series. sleepyhollowmtnrace.com

7 | 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

11 | 40th Annual Vermont Corporate Cup & State Agency Race, Montpelier

Bring your team and run the streets of the capital for a race that starts at 6:00 pm. This is a 5K team running/walking event open to businesses, government and non-profit organizations in Vermont. It promotes physical fitness within the workplace and at home by bringing employees together to enjoy and experience the benefits of fitness. vcccsar.org

8-18 | Peak Bloodroot, Pittsfield

Race through the rugged foothills of the Green Mountains in the 500-miler on Wednesday, a 100-miler on Friday, followed by the 50-miler, 30-miler, 10-miler and kids’ hike on Saturday. peakraces.com

12 | Maple Leaf Marathon, Lake Morey

Run eight laps of a 3.3-mile course for a full marathon or four laps for a half marathon in the Boston Marathon USATF qualifier at beautiful Lake Morey. newenglandchallenge.org/maple-leaf-marathon

13 | Tulip Trot, Bennington Green Street School hosts its free 11th annual 5K and Sprout Sprint 1/2 K. tuliptrot5k.com

14 | Vermont Sun Half Marathon, 10K & 5K, Lake Dunmore

Starts and finishes at Branbury State Park on Lake Dunmore, a spectacularly beautiful and pristine place to run. Amenities include digital photos, post race food and music, aid stations every 1.5 miles. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

13 | Road to the Pogue, Woodstock

It's back after a Covid break. Race 6.1 miles along the carriage trails of Mount Tom at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park. roadtothepogue.com

18-28 | Infinitus Trail Races, Ripton

Infinitus is again at Silver Towers Camp. Start dates vary for this 8-mile, marathon, 88k, 100 Mile, 250 Mile, Penta, Deca, 888K relay, or 888k races held on trails. Races 8 miles to 88K held on Saturday, and longer races start earlier. Endurancesociety.org

20 | 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 the dandelion fields and the hilly but beautiful Northeast Kingdom. kingdomgames.co

20 | Barre Town Spring Run 5K, Barre Central Vermont Runners hosts this race from the Barre Town Recreation facility. cvrunners.org

28 | Vermont City Marathon, Half Marathon & Relay, Burlington The marathon is back with a full course! Run the streets of Burlington and out the bike path to return with views of Lake Champlain. runvermont.com

JUNE

5 | 30th Covered Bridges Half Marathon, Woodstock Run 13.1 miles through scenic covered bridges, starting at Saskadena 6. Currently sold out unless you run for a participating charity team cbhm.com

11 | 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

15-17 | Vermont 100, West Windsor

Limited to 450 runners, and 70 horses, this cross-country endurance race for runners and equestrians covers 17,000 vertical feet over 30 hours and benefits Vermont Adaptive. vermont100.com

17| Birdland 5K, Montpelier

Enjoy the beauty of Montpelier's North Branch Park as you run across rolling singletrack, lush forested hills, and babbling brooks. Ttwo fully stocked aid stations and HOKA running shoe demos available before or after! In the spirit of conservation, this race will be cupless. Top three finishers in each category will receive ORO gift cards and top three overall will receive a unique prize. onionriver.com/events/birdland-5k/

18 | 20th Annual Basin Harbor

5K & 10K A 5K and 10K at beautiful Basin Harbor – a spectacular seasonal resort on the shores of Lake Champlain. Racevermont.com

18| Solstice Trail Run, Charlotte

Try out new terrain in a fun yet challenging 5K or 10K trail run through fields on singletrack and old sugaring roads. gmaa.run

18 | Mt. Washington Auto Road Race, Pinkham Noth, N.H.

Elite runners and those who won their spots in the lottery compete on this sold-out 7.6 mile course up the Mt. Washington Auto Road sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. mtwashington.com

25 | Catamount Ultra, Stowe

Run a 25K or 50K trail race on wide, hard-packed dirt trails that roll through highland pastures and hardwood forest at Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center. The 50K course is two laps on the 25K course. catamountultra.com

JULY

4 | 40th Clarence DeMar 5K Race, South Hero

A flat and fast 5K on paved roads of South Hero, starting at Folsom Elementary School. gmaa.run

4 | Harry Corrow Freedom Run, Derby

A 10-mile, 10K, 5K, and 1 mile run and walk on the Newport-Derby Bike Path and the Memphremagog Ski Touring Foundation Trails. kingdomgames.co

9 | Mad Marathon, Waitsfield

A USATF-certified marathon and halfmarathon, this has been dubbed one of the most beautiful marathons in the U.S. Run it as a relay of up to 5 people or as a half marathon. New for 2023: a 5K and 10K too. madmarathon.com

14-16 | Vermont 100 Endurance Race, West Windsor

Featuring unrelenting rollers that add up to 17,000 feet of climbing, the VT100 trail race winds its way over country roads, through forested trails, and alongside breathtaking views of the southern Green Mountains. Part of the Grand Slam of ultrarunning, this event is open to horseback riders. It benefits Vermont Adaptive. Vermont100.com

BIKING

MAY

6 | Onion River Outdoors Bike Swap, Montpelier

Bring a bike by from April 29 to May 5 then show up on May 6 to find kids bikes, road bikes, full suspension and gravel bike. onionriver.com

6 | Skirack Bike Swap, Burlington. Need to offload one of your bikes and want to earn money for it? Want to purchase a used bike? skirack.com/bike-swap

7 | 15th Annual Waterbury Gravel Grinder, Waterbury

Ride a 28-mile route with 2,800 feet of climbing and lots of dirt or try the 47-mile route with 4,900 feet of climbing and gravelly goodness. Proceeds benefit the Waterbury Trails Alliance. Wata.org

13 | Ride For Mo, Burke

Mo Wilson, a resident of Burke, a Burke Mountain Academy graduate and an elite cyclist, was killed on May 11, 2022 .The 25-mile and 50-mile rides in her memory begin at 10 a.m. Traverse a handful of roads in Burke, go past the Burke Mountain Academy which Moriah attended, and

then come into Kirby before heading to the Wildflower Inn for a gathering. It’s not a race; it’s a ride and the number of participants will be capped at 250. mowilsonfoundation.org/rideformo

20 | Richard's Ride, Richmond

Ride to celebrate Richard Toms' life and promote safe riding. Powered by VBT the ride has something for everyone: from short family rides, to mountain bike trail rides, to road rides from 15 to 70 miles and a gravel option. All start from Cocrhan's. richardtomfoundation.com

20 | Black Fly Ride or Run, Westmore Run or ride your way around the NEK and experience stunning views and comradery. There's a 47.3 mile gravel ride, 5K trail run and a half-marathon trail run. After kick back at the barn dance party at The Little Farm at Willoughby.crosscycleadventures. com/dirt/theblackfly.html

JUNE

10 | Black River Grand Prix, Craftsbury Outdoor Center

A celebration of fast racing, big loops, varied terrain, and fun on bikes in the woods. The format is simple: Sunday is a mass start on one big lap. This ain’t XCO, this is VT mountain biking - flow, tech, jank, doubletrack, and even a dirt road or twothere’s something for everyone. craftsbury. com/events/2023-black-river-grand-prix

10 | The Moose, Derby

A 103-mile "timed event" on wide open, "car hungry" roads through Moose Country in Essex and northern Caledonia Counties. We start with our hands on the bar and finish with our hands on the bar, Mike's Tiki Bar with 30 beers on tap. It's not a sanctioned race: you have to stop at all stop signs, but, hey, there are only three during the entire ride. We encourage teams of 3 to 10 riders to compete for the Moose Wheel. The fastest three times in each team determine the winner. kingdomgames.co

10-11 | The Ranger, Tunbridge

The Ranger offers multiple ride distances and a gravel-enduro format, so while it’s not a race, there’s competition available for those seeking it. Sunday’s ride options include a 5-mile family/Junior Ranger; an 18-mile course with a community no-drop group-ride option; a 42-mile gravel enduro; and a 62-mile gravel century. Camping available onsite. therangervt.com

13-14| Ascutney Trails Association

Jump Jam, Brownsville

Head to the new skills park at Ascutney for its first Jump Jam. Open to mountain bike riders of all levels with categories for Kids, Male, Female, Open, and Big Shot. Plus group rides and open ride time. ascutneytrails.com

17 | Bike for the Lake, North Hero

The 13th annual bicycle ride through the Champlain Islands and along the Vermont and New York shores of Lake Champlain with routes from 30- to 100- mile options. Proceeds support the Friends of Northern Lake Champlain. friendsofnorthernlakechamplain.org

17 | Vermont Adaptive Charity Challenge, Killington

Enjoy the beauty of Vermont through cycling, mountain biking, paddling, and hiking, all while raising funds for the state’s largest nonprofit organization committed to providing sports and recreation to people with disabilities. Multiple road bike ride routes loop through Central Vermont. Or you mountain bike, hike, paddle, or do a gravel ride. The monies raised from this event support the adaptive programs and athletes of Vermont Adaptive year-round. charityride.vermontadaptive.org/

17 | Onion River Outdoors Birdland 5K, Montpelier

Rain or shine, enjoy the beauty of Montpelier's North Branch Park as you travel across rolling singletrack, lush forested hills, and babbling brooks. The Birdland 5K will have two fully-stocked aid stations and Altra running shoe demos available before or after. All ages and abilities welcome! onionriver. com/events/birdland5K

17 | VT Monster, Stratton

This is a challenging ride primarily on quiet gravel roads, with plenty of climbing, flowing descents and epic vistas. Monster is best attacked with a gravel bike (70% of the long course is gravel) and a good GPS, though road, mountain or fat bikes can handle the courses: 45, 78 or 100 miles of epic riding Vtmonster.com

24 | 200 on 100, A Vermont Double Century, North Troy

First ridden in 1984, the 100/200 spans Vermont, north to south, following scenic Route 100. Dubbed “A Dump Truck of Awesome,” this ride presents an opportunity for experienced cyclists to sound the depths of their reserves. There are no fees, but registration is requested on our websit. 100-200.org

24 | Coyote Hill Classic, Bradford

Race your mountain bike 6, 12 or 18 miles on this crosscountry course. coyotehillcamp.com/special-events

24 | Vermont Gran Fondo, Bristol Born from a famous bucket-list epic 4-gap ride known by the locals as the LAMB ride. LAMB comes from the names of 4 gaps (Lincoln Gap, Appalachian Gap, Middlebury Gap, and Brandon Gap) which, when combined into a single ride, can easily top 100 miles and over 10,000 feet. Routes are 109, 80-plus or 42 miles. vermontgranfondo.com

JULY

5-7 | Outerbike, Killington

Tor three days, the world’s premier bike and gear manufacturers hold an expo at Killington. You can browse the latest innovations, and with a Full pass ($295) demo bikes and gear, get access to the lifts and bike park and enjoy lunches and post ride events and parties. killington.com

5 | Raid Lamoille, Craftsbury This gravel riding classic offers a 50-mile route as well as a 25-miler, both deliver the legendary Raid Lamoille elevation gain!The Women's No Drop Group Ride also makes its return. grvl. net

14-15 | The Prouty, Hanover, N.H. This fundraiser is back and in person. Ride 20, 30, 50, 77 or 100 miles on roads in the Upper Valley, or do the 50-mile gravel ride. Golf 18 holes, walk 3k to 10k, or even row 5-15 miles. The Prouty Ultimate consists of riding 75 or 100 miles on one day and then doing any of 6 activities (run, walk, bike, row, golf, etc.) the next day. getinvolved. dartmouth-hitchcock.org/site/TR?fr_ id=1931&pg=entry

23 | Maxxis Eastern States Cup, Sugarbush

Come try your hand at downhill racing along with the best in the East. Compete in Downhill, Enduro and Kask showdown. Camping will be available again this year. Seasternstatescup.com.

28-30| Flow State MTB Festival, Ascutney

Join us at Ascutney to celebrate all things mountain biking at this third annual evebt. We will once again have bike demos from the best brands in the industry, beer from Vermont’s legendary brewers, live music and fun for all. flowstatemtbfestival.com

29 | Grateful Gravel, Warren

The day begins with a 35 or 60 mile gravel ride starting from Sugarbush Resort's Mt Ellen that makes your legs scream louder than Donna Jean during a mid-70’s Playing in the Band. An epic after party at Mt Ellen follows the ride. Zach Nugent, one of the best to cover the Grateful Dead, will play. gratefulgravel.com

WATERSPORTS & OTHER MAY

7 | Peavine Whitewater, Stockbridge

A downriver race for whitewater boaters of all abilities! Paddle 3.3 or 5.5 miles of Class II soup with some Class III spice as you trace the route of the historic Peavine Railroad through the scenic White River Valley. This event benefits the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective. Ridgelineoutdoorcollective.org. PFDs and paddling helmets are required for all racers. ridgelineoutdoorcollective.org

14 | Fiddlhead Slalom, E. Montpelier

A one-day downriver race for whitewater boaters. Part of Saturday will available for full course practice runs. On Sunday meet at 8:30 AM, unless otherwise noted, for the two runs in both session A and then B. nessrace.com/ races/fiddlehead-slalom-bh47r-9k2gg-24ly9

26-28 | Total Archery Challenge, Pico Mountain

Billed as "the greatest outdoor 3D archery experience in the nation," this is a fun, family friendly environment lets everyone enjoy archery. totalarcherychallenge.com/events/ killington-pico-vt/

JUNE

4 | Onion River Race & Ramble, Bolton

A 10.5 mile paddle from Bolton to Richmond on the Winooski River that attracts serious racers and recreational paddlers alike. New to paddling? Take a recreational paddling class that day. After, head to Richmond Town park for lunch and live music. winooskiriver.org

17 | Saturday Club Haus Distance Swim Series, Newport

Find friends to swim with and learn from. Group open water-swims go to, and around, the islands of Lake Memphremagog's Derby Bay in progressively longer distances on Saturdays at 9 am. June 17, 24; July 1, 8, 15, and 22; August 19 and 26; Distances are 2, 3.3, 4, 6.5, 10 & 12 miles. kingdomgames.co

17-19 | LCI Father's Day Fishing Derby, Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain International's flagship event and a New England tradition. mychamplain.net/fathers-day-derby

18 | Vermont Sun Triathlon, Lake Dunmore, Salisbury

Race a 600-yard swim, then a 14-mile bike and a 3.1-mile run in this USAT State Championship Race. Race starts at Branbury State Park and course runs by beautiful Lake Dunmore. Awards for top 3, age group top 3 and relay teams. Event repeats on July 16 and Aug. 13. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com.

24 | Hope Row, Vergennes

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum hosts a so-much-fun row to New York - about 2 miles roundtrip. The Museum will provide 4-oar and 6-oar pilot gigs and life jackets Each gig will be assigned an experienced rower as coxswain. Register individually or as a team. projecthoeppner.com/hope-row

25 | Brattle Paddle, Brattleboro

Paddle a canoe, kayak, SUP or surfski either 9 miles or 5 miles in a races from the base at the Marina on the Water in Brattleboro in this river race for all skill levels. facebook. com/brattlepaddle/

ENDGAME

A HATE/LOVE RELATIONSHIP

SHE ONCE LOVED RUNNING, BUT IN HIGH SCHOOL CAME TO HATE IT. HERE'S HOW THIS RUNNER GOT HER

For about four years, my entire identity was centered around being a runner.

It started in seventh grade with a few laps around the community track. By the end of that school year, I was running track and I was hooked. From running the mile to racing cross-country courses with some of the best runners in Massachusetts where I grew up, I loved every second of it.

But as I progressed through my first two years of high school, I began to place more and more pressure on myself. My pre-race rituals, riddled with superstitions, had to be exact.

If I didn’t stretch extensively the night before, eat at the exact same times and have a plan for the race mapped out in my head, I feared the outcome before the race even started.

Instead of the excited and jittery feeling I once had before racing, I felt dread even thinking about the start line and would ruminate in my race anxiety. Even while running, I couldn’t wait for the race to be over.

I became obsessive and fixated on my race results. I soon found I would rather cheer my team on from the sidelines so I could escape the anxiety that accompanied racing.

The Yerkes-Dodson Law of Arousal and Performance outlines that a moderate level of arousal is optimal for performance, and if arousal levels are too high or too low, performance tends to suffer.

The levels of pre-race anxiety that I was feeling were not only affecting my attitude towards racing, but my physical ability to complete the race to my fullest potential.

THE SIDE BENEFITS OF LOCKDOWN

Then the pandemic hit. Soon, it was evident that spring track, along with many other aspects of normal life, would be put on hold.

As isolating and scary as the social distancing was, it was a chance to grow beyond running. I scratched the surface of some of my other interests, rekindling my love for music, art and cooking, as well as developing a new-found passion for sustainability and the environment. I gave running a break.

But as I entered my junior year at Marshfield High School, my anxiety around running returned as the college application process began. I had to choose whether or not to pursue

collegiate running.

People constantly asked whether I was going to run as an undergrad, I was afraid of what would happen if I didn’t continue to run in college. I also feared not being part of a team.

Though college sports are great for many people, deep down, I felt more stress than excitement at the thought of becoming a college athlete.

During my junior year in high school, I decided I wanted to study nursing. And after much back-andforth, I also concluded that I did not want to run competitively in college.

Starting my senior year of high school, I was aware that I only had three seasons left of high school running. With no plans to continue competitive running after graduation, I finally just wanted to allow myself to have fun with running.

REDISCOVERING JOY

My senior year my cross-country team was small, but a tight-knit group.

I noticed that the underclassmen had a fresh excitement for the sport, and it was quite contagious. They added a goofiness and liveliness to

every workout and recovery run. They helped me realize that the sport you choose is supposed to be fun and something you look forward to.

That team helped me shake up my pre-race rituals. As we laughed and chatted on the warm-ups, my chest felt a little looser. We huddled, exchanging positive affirmations and a little team cheer, stepping on the starting line excited to race together. We were speedy but I didn’t focus on my times.

I stopped putting so much of my worth in the numbers. Though I understand good athletes need to track stats such as time, number of goals scored and weights lifted, quantifying aspects of my activity was not for me.

I set myself up for success by visualizing the courses and staying present through my workouts and races. Before, during and after running I was in my own body, not yearning for the finish line or dissecting my value based on how the race went.

So much of my time practicing had previously been filled with negative thoughts and strict expectations

about how I should perform, leaving me to neglect enjoyment and the natural flow that accompanied running.

Getting into the flow of your workouts breaks up the negative thoughts, selfdemotion and over analyzing. It can also lead to optimal performance, according to a study by faculty at the University of New England in Australia.

In that study, one group of cyclists underwent mindfulness training. Both that group and the control group were then evaluated on aspects of well-being such as sport-related anxiety and flow occurrence. The group given the mindfulness training saw increases in mindfulness and flow and improved performance.

A CHANGED MIND-SET

Soon, I began to judge my races off how I felt and not off of strict paces and micromanaged milestones. I began setting my own aspirations.

By the spring track season, I wasn’t running as fast as I previously had, but I was happier and healthier. I started my races excited, finished satisfied with how I did and quickly moved onto the next part of my day.

Eventually, my senior track season ended and I took a long time away from running. After weeks of complete rest, I began exercising more intuitively and allowed myself to move my body in ways that felt good.

To love your sport again, you have to allow yourself to have space from it. You must find out who you are without it in order to realize that you are not your sport; that you are so much more.

Since my time off, I’ve reentered my running journey now at the University of Vermont. I started without tracking my running at all, just going for however long I felt.

Now, I wear a watch and track my mileage again — but in a healthier way.

In November of 2022, I felt ready to set some more goals around running and decided to train for a half marathon, something that I’ve always wanted to do. I am only a few weeks out from the Martha’s Vineyard Half Marathon, which I will be running in May.

At this point, I feel only excitement for that race day.

Olivia Langlan is majoring in Professional Nursing with a minor in Nutrition and Food Sciences at UVM She writes for the Vermont Cynic, where a version of this essay first appeared.

GROOVE BACK. BY OLIVIA LANGLAN.

Olivia Langlan, running for joy Photo courtesy the author.

HELP THE VERMONT FOODBANK FIGHT HUNGER!

Saturday, September 23, 2023, at the State House Lawn in Montpelier

Did you know that two in five people in Vermont have experienced hunger in the past year?

Register now for the Point to Point, powered by VSECU—an annual bike riding event and fundraiser for the Vermont Foodbank. There will be rides from 10 to 110 miles and music, food, fun, and games for everyone. We look forward to seeing you there.

Every dollar we raise provides a meal for a Vermont family, so sign up today to support a good cause and help us reach our $150,000 fundraising goal.

it’ssoeasybeing GREEN

Thelastpilesofsnowturntopuddles openingthemountainstosummerfun. Skitracksmorphinto mountainbikeadventures. Golf’sgreensgetgreen. Riversreclaimswimmingholes. Thesoundofmusicechosoverthehills. Localfoodandbeveragesfillthebelly.

PLANTHISSUMMER’SMOUNTAIN ADVENTURESATSUGARBUSHTODAY.

To-DO: GetSugarbush

‘23GolfCOurse ForePack

THURSDAYSPECIALS

$55greensfeew/cartafter11am &half-priceburgersatHogan’sPub

Register for Summer kids’ camps

Summer Mountain Activities start up June 24

- Ride the Mad River Valley

- Easter States Cup 7/23

- Mad River Riders’ Grateful Gravel 7/29