Runner Comments and Stories
Christine Torres (London, Ontario) - 7:40:23 for 50
miles
I want to thank-you for organizing such an amazing race. You are
by far one of the most interactive, friendly and funny race directors I have
met. The Can Lake 50 is definitely big city organization with small town charm.
A big thank-you to all the volunteers who put up with heat, the sweat and I'm
sure some tears. They were so helpful at the aid stations (which by the way
offered everything a runner could need, except for a new pair of legs).
Thank-you to the Inn on the Lake for a delicious dinner the night before the
race. Thank-you to Wegman's, my post race sandwich, fruit and pop hit the spot.
Thank-you to the town of Canandaigua for hosting the race and thank-you to Lake
Canandaigua for offering some of the most spectacular views I have seen and some
crazy ass hills!
I will be back!
James Richard (Jaffrey, NH) - DNF in 50 miles
I am sorry I screwed up your finish statistics for first time Ultra runners. I
started to cramp at 30 miles and after seeing a few stars at mile 31 I called it
a day. I cramped after Bopple but stretched it out and kept going. I was going
to push it but for once in my life I erred on the side of caution... I have
only been to 10 races but yours was overall by far the best. I am very honest
and I don’t think you or anyone at the race could have done anything better.
The pre-race dinner was awesome and my wife and I made some new friends.
Normally there is mass confusion on race day but things were very organized from
parking to time chips to drop bags to the actual start of the race. The aid
stations were well stocked and the people at the aid stations were super
friendly and helpful. The course was well marked and I liked the inspirational
words along the run route. Your race shirts are by far my favorite from the
color to the design. The people on the course not running were also very
friendly and encouraging.
Mo Hourihane (Buffalo) - 9:05:46 for 50 miles
Thanks so much for a GREAT race. Thanks to all the volunteers doing everything
they could bar carrying us to get us done. Really they were all enthusiastic,
quick good humored. Particular thanks to a gentleman who drove back
proffering water to the racers and very kindly gave me a gatorade that never
tasted so sweat.
Organization was flawless. Thanks again for an awesome race. It inspires
many more than just the runners but our families and friends too.
Todd Baum (Fayetteville) - 7:14:12 for 50 miles
Too many great things to mention; I had a good time, and your event was top
notch. If you contact any of your volunteers, please let them know Jim, Bill and
I were very impressed by all the support throughout the race from pre-race
dinner to post-race meal. The aid stations were awesome and key to Jim and Bill
finishing their races.
Daven Oskvig (Amherst) - 7:04:27 for 50 miles
As sunlight began to pierce the morning sky in what would
promise to be an unseasonably warm day, the assembled runners took a last easy
stroll up and down the stairs at FLCC for the bathrooms prior to a few last
minute remarks by RD extraordinaire Tom Perry. Without too much delay, he wished
us well and off we went for this trek around Canandaigua Lake.
The Can Lake 50 is often the first
foray into ultras for many with its complete road access for handlers/family
complemented by incredible aid stations and support. You add in magnificent
scenery with nature putting on its best fall show around this weekend and its
easy to understand why so many make the foray into ultra territory with the Can
Lake. This was the case for me just one year prior leading to a then respectable
4th place finish. I’m not sure I imagined being back a year later racing for the
outright win, but I set off feeling deceptively good. I knew the day was
predicted to get into the low 80s and perhaps I was just hopeful to get ahead of
the heat.
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Stacey Arnold (Webster) -
9:53:01 for 50 miles, first ultra
Tom Perry, the race director of the CanLake 50
mile, was calling for racers to line up to start and there I stood, about to
begin my first ultra marathon on an unseasonably warm autumn morning. My nerves
were in high gear and the looks on the faces of my fellow runners told me I was
not the only one who was greeting this experience with some trepidation. With
the sound of a cowbell, I began my journey. The lake view and fall foliage of
the first few miles made me wish I had brought a camera, but the hills to follow
made me wish I had brought a second pair of quadriceps.
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Travis Money (Canandaigua) -
9:13:43 for first 50 mile
The entire week leading up to the race I was a bit more nervous
than usual. I think this was mostly because it was my first try at this distance
but also because every time I checked weather.com the high for Saturday kept
increasing from 72 to 80 degrees over the course of the week. Quite the
difference from the 40 degrees we had the weekend before and from the typical
race-day conditions.
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Andrew Suppo (Victor) -
4:55:59 for 50k, first ultra
Since running my first marathon in 2006, the
Canandaigua Lake 50km was always an event that intrigued me and seemed like the
most logical next step up from a marathon. It was a local event and an
absolutely gorgeous area to run a race in. However, unlike most cool fall days
in the northeast, forecasted race time temperatures were expected to reach 80
degrees! In the days leading up to the race, I really didn't know what to expect
given the temperature.
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Greta Ledgerwood (Penn Yan) -
8:26:19 for 50 miles
I am deeply grateful for everyone and everything that made October 8th an
amazing race day....the dedication and hard work from Tom Perry RD and staff, so
many volunteers, family and friends' support.
Tapering is not my favorite thing. I
was feeling anxious leading up to race day. Running relieves that, so it was
bottled up and ready to go! The expected heat and a nagging ITB was also on my
mind. A little self doubt always creeps in....keeps you humble.
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Steve Harris (Niskayuna) -
10:45:38 for 50 miles, first ultra
I decided to do an ultra because I turned 60
this year and it was something new and challenging. I had run several marathons
and had gradually worked up to this over about the last year. My longest
training run/walk was 31 miles, so the idea of running a full 50 was an unknown.
I had done hills repeats once a week for most weeks, and so thought I was ready
for the hills :-). I am not a fast runner so my primary goal was to finish,
although I had hoped that a finish under 10 hours would be possible.
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Bill McGovern (Marathon) -
8:05:49 for 50 miles, fourth finish
Last year Tom Perry wrote about making this a destination race. I believe he is
on his way to achieving that goal. I was cheered on by license plates from as
far away as Iowa! The pre-race dinned new to this years race was awesome. The
food was great. A big thank you to all the many volunteers on the course.
I don't remember there being this many people out there in previous years.
The weather certainly wasn't fall like. I remember saying before the the race
"heat, I like heat". Well.......
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