Runner Comments and Stories
Note: 2012 was a cool year with rain that ended
by 8:30am. For many runners it was a day for personal records and
breakthrough performances. For another extreme, please read the
stories
from 2011, a year of near-record temperatures.
Paul O'Connell (Brookeville, MD) - 8:33:22 for 50
miles, first ultra, bib 152
Thanks for a great event. My first
ultra went better than expected. Set a pace for myself to finish in 8:20 with
the goal of not going longer than 9:00. Finished in 8:33. Here is a short
video of my race day experience:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmhP_zcj_rQ
Neil Berg (Toronto, Canada) - 9:47:29
for 50 miles, bib 104
I am a 52 year old Torontonian. I've been racing for 12 years. I have to tell
you that this is the prettiest race I've ever run! The Lake, The Mountains, The
Foliage, The beautiful homes. So peaceful. So idyllic. When you're on the road
running for 10 hours you also get to meet great people. A small pox researcher,
A corning glass engineer, a lawyer for the navy, a female singing bass player
who raised money for charity running on a treadmill for 24 hours, a girl running
50 miles in ballet flats and a girl running her first race of any distance so
sure, 50 miles would be a great start! That's not to mention the NYU Grad
student who drove in at 1:30 a.m. the night before the race and the countless
other amazing people I met along the road. The race was well organized. The
volunteers were friendly and helpful. It would be hard to find anything that
could have been done any better. Thank you for stopping the rain at the start of
the race. Thank you for my 10 hour goal and 9:47 finish. Thank you for a great
experience.
Sarah Almodovar (New Haven, CT) - 8:34:34
for 50 miles, bib 101
I just wanted to thank you for organizing
yesterday's race(s). The support (from volunteers, fellow runners and their
support crews) was wonderful, especially for a solo runner, and the views along
the course were stunningly beautiful. I was especially grateful for the vegan
food (beans and veggie wraps) at the finish.
This wasn't my first ultra but after stepping
away for years I almost felt like a novice again. I couldn't have chosen a more
welcoming event to return to the sport and look forward to participating again
next year.
Thank you again for your hard work--
Valerie Lalor (Sparta, NJ) -
9:44:01 for 50 miles, first ultra, bib 135
I just got back from Canandaigua, New York and, boy, are my legs tired!
Seriously folks, the one word that comes to mind when I think about the 50 miler
I completed on Saturday is “Wow”. Wow, what scenery. Wow, what great course
markings. Wow, what great volunteers. Wow, what great fellow runners. And, of
course, wow, I actually finished!
Click here for more...
Maria Monaco (Grand Island) - 9:38:22 for 50
miles, first ultra, bib 219
Race day had finally arrived and I found myself at the start,
waiting….nervous that I might not be able to find those “white course arrows” in
the dark and rainy surroundings. Comfort came, as the shadows of the runners
were illuminated by a head light that another “Early Start” runner had worn. I
remember training, running long runs in the humid, hot, summer sun; praying for
a rain cloud to come over head. Months later, at my first ultra, the rain cloud
finally came. I had waited with anticipation for this day to come, so puddles
and rain did not intimidate me in the least.
My goal was to finish, however, after completing
the 50 miles, I realized I had accomplished so much more. I went into the Can
Lake 50 enjoying “running,” but I left with an even greater appreciation for the
sport. I can now say.... I love to run. From the race director and volunteers,
to the new and veteran ultra runners, I could not have been in a friendlier
place. The support that was provided was better than that at any other race or
marathon I have ever participated in. I had initially wanted a “handler” present
in fear that the race course aide stations would not meet my needs, but early
into the race, I realized the aide stations would have been more than enough-
fluids, food, and support.
Click here for more...
Sylvie King (Ottawa, Canada) - 10:20:41
for 50 miles, bib 213
As most of you know, 2012 was the year of 50’s:
1) Running Boston on my 50th Birthday – awesome!
2) Doing my first 50 km in June in Niagara Falls – another awesome run!
3) Doing my first 50 miler in October at Canandaigua Lake – and here’s the tale:
Training went well, with some great
running, and not too much pressure – did some shuffling around of the schedule
as life dictated, but got 95% of the runs done (from a pretty aggressive
schedule), so I was feeling positive, strong and ready to take on the 50-mile
challenge I had set for myself.
Click here for more...
Michael Weldon (Rochester) - 7:11:47
for second overall in 50 mile, bib 180
My Day Chasing Daven Oskvig Around Canandaigua Lake.
Spending seven hours in second place provides you with a unique perspective on
an endurance event. Especially when you haven’t seen your prey in five hours and
the person chasing you could be the breeze that you just felt breathing down the
back of your neck, but you don’t really feel like stopping to find out just how
much ground you are sacrificing as your feet slowly become one with the pavement
that you’ve been talking to for most of the morning and into the afternoon.
Click here for more...
Jen Werbitsky (East Aurora) - 5:21:03
for 50k, first ultra, bib 54
I registered for the 2012 Can Lake 50k while
sitting in an apartment in Manhattan over the summer, looking for some
inspiration to get me through an internship which was in the middle of an
overcrowded urban environment. Running was an escape from the long days sitting
in an office. From that day, I began to look forward to returning to upstate New
York, where I grew up, in the fall both for my final year as an undergraduate at
Cornell University and for my first ultramarathon. After having completed five
marathons, I wanted the experience of racing an intimidating distance once
again.
Click here for more...
Tim Clark (Batavia) - 8:52:08
for 50 miles, first ultra, bib 109
As a first time ultra participant, the Can Lake 50 mile race exceeded my
greatest expectations. What a day October 6, 2012 turned out to be. The day
started with a 4:00 AM wake-up to pouring rain and an immense feeling of nervous
anxiousness. My wife (Stefanie) and I departed our home in Batavia NY at 4:30 in
our fully-stocked mini-van, made a stop in Chili NY to pick up the rest of my
race-day crew (brother Jason and his wife Melissa), and arrived at FLCC moments
after the 6:00 early start racers began. Watching these racers make their way
through the start of the race in the downpour of rain was not the most uplifting
first sight of the event. Never the less, I entered FLCC to a lobby of fellow
runners full of adrenaline and anticipation. I checked in with my pacer waivers,
received my bib and timing chip, and was ready to get the race underway. Before
I knew it we were being directed back outside to line up for the start. Much to
my surprise, the rain had let up to a slight mist that would halt completely
minutes after the race started.
Click here for more...
Lindsey Hikes (Huntersville, NC) - 8:14:38
for 50 miles, bib 130
I started my running schedule in the summer
but my mental training for the 2012 Can Lake 50 mile race started on November
18th, 2011. The doctor told me in the hospital on that day that I could not run
for at least a month. I never would have imagined at the age of 29, about a
month after completing my first ultra marathon at the Can Lake 50 in 2011 that I
would develop a blood clot in my leg that traveled to my lung (pulmonary
embolism). After being told repeatedly but doctors that running does NOT cause
blood clots, it was hard to convince family, friends and coworkers that my crazy
ultra running hobby was NOT the cause. Coming back and running faster and
stronger than ever this year was my way of overcoming and becoming an ultra
runner all over again.
Click here for more...
Bill McGovern (Marathon) - 7:49:33
for 50 miles, fifth finish, bib 145
This year's race began at the finish line in 2011. After three consecutive gold
metal finishes I missed my goal time and brought home Silver. Last year's race
has been on my mind all year. Not just because I really love this race, but I
had to wait a year to get redemption.
I won't go into too many details, but 2012 hasn't
been a stellar year for training. A couple of injuries, change in jobs etc. I
was going into Can Lake under prepared just as I had done at Beast of Burden.
However, like the Beast I felt I could run on experience and be successful.
Click here for more...
Ted Thull (Macedon) -
7:54:57 for 50 miles, bib 175
Wow. I actually was able to finish my first
50 miler. Thank you all for doing what you do and helping make this race go off
without a hitch. Having run six Mendon Ponds 50k’s, I knew that 31 miles was
doable, but 50 miles? My training up to October was mediocre at best, so
expectations and goals were to just finish without too much pain and long
stretches of walking.
Click here for more...
Jillian Harrington (Binghamton) - 7:49:14
for 50k
As a person that writes incredibly boring books for a living, I'm far from good
at writing an exciting race recap, but I'll give it a shot! First I should
introduce myself – I've been a bit of a lurker on the UM listserv for quite some
time, but am a novice runner at best. I took up running a couple of years ago,
and my husband joined me a little over a year ago. I started with half
marathons, and then marathons, and my first ultra was Mind The Ducks earlier
this year which I thought was fabulous! I've tried a couple of others since
(Niagara and Wakefield) with minimal success. We are both members of the
Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics and race nearly every weekend, but neither of
us race for time – we're really more `social' runners, if there is such a thing.
We go out to have fun and stay healthy.
Can Lakes seemed like a great opportunity for my husband to
give an ultra a try, as he had not attempted one yet. We honestly both went into
the race with a goal of finishing under the 9 hour deadline. No time pressure,
just finish. As would be expected, pasta dinner was great. Well organized, easy
packet pickup, yummy food!
Click here for more...
