North Face Endurance Challenge Washington, DC

Claudia O

There's a reason it's called the Endurance Challenge!!

On Saturday, June 4th, with a high of 84 degrees, I ran the North Face Endurance Challenge Washington DC – 50 miles in eleven hours twenty nine minutes and finished 163/239 (250 started the race).

The cut off time was 13 hours but my personal goal was to do it in less than 12 hours. My previous 50-miler time was 10:05 but it was a much easier course and in perfect 60ish degree weather. In my limited experience, in most cases the marathon course can change your time by minutes, may be even a half-hour, but in an ultra or trail race it can mean hours. It is not easy to compare your performance because of the differences in technical difficulty, elevation, etc; except you run the same race or one with very similar ratings. My previous 50 miler was on a hilly course but on the road. This time, it was a totally different experience.

The race runs through the Algonkian Regional Park, the Great Falls Park woods, and along the cliffs of the Potomac River in Sterling, VA.

Potomac River Along the Course

The course has difficulty ratings as follows: 3 out of 5 stars for “elevation change,” 2 out of 5 stars for “technical terrain,” and 3 out of 5 stars for “overall difficulty.”

The course consists of 50% single track, 30% dirt or gravel double track, 10% gravel carriage road and 10% paved road. The Great Falls sections are highlighted by some intense elevation changes, with steep-but-runable climbs up to 300 feet. The River Trail covers what is widely viewed as the marquee section the event: up to three miles of tip-toeing and hopping along bluffs high above the Potomac River. This race featured 50 miles of some of the prettiest trails I’ve ran.

The Start

The event started pretty early for the 50 miler group. It was dark and we were required to wear a headlamp for the first 2 hours. Failure to carry it could automatically disqualify you. While getting ready to start, I looked at the other runners wondering who will be the winner. I am not very familiar with ultra athletes so I couldn’t recognize any face other than Dean Karnazes, who was a guest. He didn’t run but he was there all day to host the event. I noticed that many runners were his friends, and also many others seemed to know each other. I felt like a baby runner in between all those ultra marathoners and I wished there were some Flyers there with me!

Alien Invasion?  Head-Lamped Runners Heading Out

Miles 1-15: Dark and little chilly at first but soaked after just 30 minutes!!

When I stepped out of my hotel at 3:20 AM it wasn’t really very hot or humid. Actually, it was a little chilly. By 5:30, having been running for only half an hour in the dark, I was drenched in sweat.

In previous ultras my strategy has always been to start at the end of the pack. Usually, I start passing people after about 20 miles. This time I wanted to try something different and I went out faster. The first section of the race was easier than the rest and that was one of the reasons why I changed my strategy. Also, I noticed there were very fit and competitive athletes doing this race and I needed to push hard if I didn’t want to be the last one!

The first 2 hours were fairly quick, on a narrow single path with hundreds of runners that were all in line. You could see all the headlamps aligned on the path. Soon after this section the trail opened up to a wide gravel path, I was running a little faster than my marathon pace but I knew I was going to slow down in the more technical section. At this point some of the runners in the back started to pass me. I can’t lie…I didn’t like that feeling at all!! I knew this was going to happen but still I didn’t like it. I have to admit that I like the other strategy more – passing people is much more fun than being passed!!

I tried to keep my pace and didn’t let the anxiety trick me. It was only mile 8 and there were 42 more miles to go!

Started the Race at a "Blistering" Pace

These miles were uneventful, with the exception of a blister that I felt developing on my right foot, and my crashing to the ground just after the 5:00 am start when I tripped on a root – while trying to take a picture for this blog post! – and landed hard, resulting in a bruised arm (lesson learned: take pictures only when you can see where you are running and along flat, safe sections of the race course!).

We ran some quiet trails along the river and every runner was just trying to get into their pace before arriving to mile 15 where the difficult part of the race was awaiting us.

Miles 16-35: 7 mile loop - Breathtaking, challenging and fun (the first time)

The most difficult part of the race was a seven-mile loop that took us right along the Potomac River, where we literally had to jump from rock to rock, about five feet from the edge of a hundred-foot cliff that dropped straight down to the Potomac River. When we were not on the cliff we were running through huge rocks, hills and stairs!!! Yes, there were some wooden stairs on the way!! Anyway, the first time this was fun and unexpected.

On the Cliff: Don't Look Down....

By the second time you started to think “ a single false step could quite literally kill me” and the cute stairs became “ Oh god, the stairs are coming soon!!”.

Some people were much too aggressive when passing other runners along this section. Hello!! Let’s try to survive first!!! You can pass me after the cliff!!!!

The third time around was done in survival mode!! The cliff wasn’t that breathtaking anymore, with no desire to see that waterfall ever again in my life!!! The only good thing about the third loop completing it meant that we were close to 15 miles from the finish and back to the shaded part of the trail.

I was feeling really good and I was now passing people that had passed me before. PACE YOURSELF! That is the key to run ultras. I am slow but I ran steady and I don’t do much walking on my ultras. Many people run ultras as fast as they run marathons but I’m also not fast running marathons! I hope to get faster as I get more experienced running ultras, but for now I try to be realistic about my time goals and the main objective is to finish STRONG. I wouldn’t like crossing the finish line walking. I like to finish strong and smiling. I love running ultras and I want to push myself but I also want to enjoy it. I don’t want to say “never again” after finishing!

The terrain was difficult, rocky and with many ups and downs. I started to feel pain in my ankles for all the jumping in the rocks and the down hills. But with 15 miles to go I was really having fun!

Rocky Roads (not the Ice Cream :)

When I run short races and even marathons I always feel I will be able to finish it and the biggest concern is whether I will get a personal best or not. In an ultra my biggest doubt is whether I will finish or not. I don’t want to say that this is the same for everyone but I think this may be true for most people.

There is a point where you know you will make it. Mine was around mile 32. There is not a logical explanation as still so many things can go wrong, but you feel excited, energized and unstoppable!! This is the moment when you say out loud: “Yes, I am having a great race and I have no doubt I will finish this!” You don’t think that much about your time yet; this comes later.

Miles 36-50: Sometime things are not as you remember. The down-hills are now up-hills

At mile 35 aid station, we started our way back to the finish line. It was a nice feeling to know that there were only 15 miles ahead and that I already knew the course. Or at least that was what I thought.

I remembered some nice flats and downhill trails from the morning. I guess there are so many things going on your head when you are running for so many hours that you can’t think straight!! ……now we were going uphill!!...nice!!

At this point I started to think about the 13-hour cut-off time, my pace, and how many miles per hour I was going to be able to run. GPS watches die after 5 or 6 hours so this time I decided to use my Garmin just as a watch.

When you have been running in 80 degrees for more than 8 hours, even the most simple equation becomes impossible without a calculator!! I began to panic!!

I started to think I was not going to be able to cross the finish line on time, that I was running too slow, that I didn’t have my headlamp and I was going to be in the woods at night etc….your mind can trick you! I told another runner about this and he laughed. “OMG, you have plenty of time!! Look how you are running at mile 35 while others are walking!” I guess he was right, I was running, I was feeling well and I had just 15 miles to go!!

A little more than 2 loops in the park…come on I know I can run two loops in the park. I kept telling myself.

By mile 37 I had no water as there were a huge gap between the 35 mile aid station and the next one at mile 42. It was a hot day to run all these miles without water. In this case, 5 miles it is not 1 hour of running. And it was pretty hot!

Where'd That River Go?  I'm Thirsty!!

I was dying for water and I had no idea how far I was from the next station. In ultras there are no miles markers on the course as in a marathon. The aid stations are your reference for the miles. I think this was the worst part of the ultra, not only for me but for other runners, too. It was here where I saw many people walking for miles! Many runners that looked really “fit” were not running anymore and we were all asking each other the same question “ Do you know how far we are from next station?”

When I got to the aid station, I was the happiest person in the world!! One of the volunteers filled up my bottle with iced water!!! It was the best thing ever. So fresh, so cool, so …water!!!! It was like a boost of energy!!! I didn’t even eat anything and just started running again …happy with my cold water…I could hear the tick tick of the ice cubes while running and felt refreshed!!

With only eight miles to go I decided to keep running without stopping. I was certain that I was going to finish this thing. I ran almost the entire remaining distance, stopping only two times in the aid stations for more water.

It was at the 45-mile aid station where a couple told me that they were dying and couldn’t run anymore until they saw me passing by….they said I inspired them to run again. It is nice to inspire people and I felt good that they said that. We ran together for one mile and them I left them behind. Later I saw them finishing just 10 minutes behind me.

Mile 48.5 

The moments just before you achieve something pretty spectacular that you've been working for a long time it's surreal and indescribable. I looked at my watch and I knew that even if I had to crawl to the finish line I was going to make it before the cut-off time. I started to run faster.

Another runner approached me. We passed each other several times during the day and he finally started to speak with me. It was an Asian man in his fifties. He told me that he had run the race 5 times already and that he was training for his fifth 100-miler. I told him about my dream of one day be able to run a 100-miler, too, and he told me he was sure I will and that he saw me running very strong all day. He said “you should go for it!!” As if I need more people encouraging me to do crazy things!!! LOL

As we approached the final quarter-mile I could hear the music and the crowd cheering. I cried. He looked at me and said…let’s go!! Keep up!! Run faster!!!

After 50 miles running in silence, there were people cheering, clapping and screaming for us.

Fifty Mile Finish Line!

I cried again and felt a knot in my throat. I was going to make it. I was going to catch my dream again.

Indescribable Feelings!!

When people ask me why I like to run ultras I always wish they would feel what I felt the few seconds before crossing the finish line. I cannot find the words to describe it.

After 4 months of hard training I crossed the finish line and it was over.

Claudia O.

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Flyers Social Networking

Amanda R

Happy June, Flyers! Now that the weather’s getting toasty, Flyers are getting ready for exciting new programs, such as the Fall Marathon Training Program. To kick off the summer season, we have a few other developments in store.
Social Networking

Some of you may have noticed that other clubs, such as the Asphalt Green Tri Club, recently have switched from a Facebook “group” to a Facebook “page.”  Other organizations, such as Central Park Track Club, New York Road Runners, JackRabbit Sports, Fred’s Team, and ING NYC Marathon have used the “page” format for quite a while. Using a “page” format, as opposed to a “group” format, allows for greater flexibility when it comes to marketing, branding, and of course, socializing. So now it’s our turn. Look out for our new Facebook page, to be launched this month!

How will I know when and how to join?

If you’re already a member of the Flyers Facebook group, you will receive a notification to “like” the page when it launches. If you are not a member, search for The New York Flyers and join the fun! The current Facebook group will be discontinued 6-8 weeks after the launch of our new page to give Flyers time to transition over. Remember, all you have to do is click “like” to become a fan of the new page. It’s that easy. When new Flyers join the club, they will immediately be invited to “like” us, too.

Why are we switching?

As a running club, some of our key objectives when it comes to a social networking platform are to:

• Facilitate interactivity – build community and give recognition; allow for photo tagging and publishing

• Enable push marketing – market events and volunteer needs

• Provide an early engagement tool – get new Flyers involved

• Create an acquisition tool – attract new members

• Drive viral marketing by reaching all of our individual networks

A “page” can better accomplish many of these things. It enables stronger engagement with “fans,” greater scale, and more visibility. A group is joined by search or direct invite, whereas a page allows for a more viral effect… When a user “likes” a page, it notifies all of their friends through publication to their news feed, thereby driving referral traffic. We can reach people who weren’t directly looking for us. The New York Flyers will also show up in your “activities and interests” on your profile page. People will be able to see that you’re a “Flyer” when they look at your profile. With “likes,” we also can potentially provide incentives to non-Flyers to become a “fan” of a page and "like" us, too. On the social side, you will be able to post photos and tag your friends so that more of our events are publicized to our non-Flyer networks.

Finally, content can be delivered from the page itself so that a Facebook post doesn’t have to be linked to an individual. A post can come from “New York Flyers,” which will help foster a brand identity.

What content can we expect?

Most content will drive to the web site for sign up or ticket purchase, so that our channels can be integrated. Feel free to contribute to this content where applicable!

• Better club description, with a drive to the web site to join

• Race/club updates

• Club event notifications/sign up

• Volunteer needs

• Special performances after races

• Club points/wins

• Awards notifications

• Photos posted by event

• News of interest (feel free to add links to articles!)

So, look out for our big announcement in June, and show all of your friends on Facebook that you “like” the Flyers!!

And when it comes to our running programs…

Look for some new developments to be announced soon… we’re currently working on publishing an updated schedule of weekly club runs. We’re also investigating possibilities for starting a Flyers-sponsored race. Let us know if you’re interested in joining this team. It’s also almost time for the Flyers to pace-lead the NYRR Long Training Runs.  And of course, don’t forget to check out the MTP… it’s not too late to sign up for our inaugural Fall Marathon Training Program!

Happy Running!!

Amanda R
NY Flyers Vice President

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Coping with Injury



Jim S

 The Flexor Hallucis Longus tendon.  Anyone ever watch the musical, “The Music Man?”  There is a song called, “Ya Got Trouble," sung by Robert Preston in the movie version.  Tear your flexor hallucis longus and as the lyrics of the song warn, “ya got trouble my friend,” only this time it starts with a capital "FHL" instead of a "T."

The Injury

This injury is usually a result of repetitive stress of the tendon.  So it is like many other conditions, like plantar fasciitis, that onset as a result of repetitive stress.  In my case there was no sudden “pop” or sharp pain.  I was just doing some running one night in late December on a treadmill and the area on the inside lower left ankle became sore.  The soreness became worse as I tried to continue to run for the next few days.  The pain became more intense and it spread all the way to beneath my big toe.  At this time, in the middle of January, I began to think I had a significant injury and I sought the help of an orthopedic surgeon.

The FHL tendon does three functions for us.  It flexes the big toe, elevates the arch, and assists with pointing the toes away from the body.  It attaches at two points, beneath the distal phalanx, or the end bone of the big toe, and runs along beneath your arch and over your inner ankle bone to insert into the FHL muscle about five inches above your ankle.  The FHL muscle is the most powerful of the deep muscles of your lower leg.

After my x-ray and MRI examinations were completed, my doctor identified tears to the flexor hallucis longus tendon, along with the adjacent posterior tibialis tendon.  There was a great deal of fluid present in the area around the two tendons and my Achilles tendon.  As a result, he had to wait for the excess fluid to dissipate before he could administer a cortisone injection.  He advised me at the time that my condition was found more commonly in ballet dancers.  It has even been called, “dancer’s tendonitis.”  It results from repetitive push-off movements of the forefoot while dancing or running.

Since I am a severe over-pronator, I am more prone to incur this type of injury because the constant inward rolling motion of my feet puts more stress on my arches than for those fortunate enough to have a neutral running stance.  So a quick yell out to the rest of you over-pronators out there, those super-cool vibram toe shoes are not for you.  Even with the use of an orthotic it is possible to suffer an injury to the FHL tendon or the posterior tibialis tendon.  Make sure that the orthotic you do use also has a posted heel.

Healing and Recovery

In the meantime, about twelve weeks, I had to stop all running and limit my workouts to a stationary bike.  I also used the R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) rehabilitation regime in order to bring down the inflammation and speed the healing of the tears.  This injury was the most frustrating running injury I have ever suffered.  I could walk daily with almost no pain, but trying to run for only a span of thirty seconds would bring the pain level up to excruciating.  Any activity that would require an impact of my left foot on any surface would bring an instant pain reminder that all was not well.

Many of us are often tempted to try to reduce our recommended rehab time in these kinds of cases.  Do this at the risk of making your condition a chronic and lifelong source of pain.  Be very conservative and follow your doctor’s orders.

Finally, on my birthday, the levels of fluid had reduced enough for me to get the cortisone shot.  Then it was another two-week ban from running before I could resume any regular training. 

Resuming Training

Once you resume running it is best to start from the beginning with runs on a treadmill or some other softer surface.  Limit your time to ten to fifteen minutes. As long as you are not feeling any pain you can then add time at the rate of about ten percent per week.  So I am now back on the treadmill and back to running along the Hudson River with my dog, Brooke.  I am up to one hour now and looking forward to running a marathon this fall.

Good luck to the rest of you and I hope to see you someday on the Saturday morning NY Flyers group run that I co-lead with Scott S, or on some other occasion.

Jim S

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Interesting Races in Interesting Places - Shanghai

Mike C

In April I had an unexpected business trip to Shanghai.  I was a little bummed as I was looking forward to another Central Park 10K.  I did some quick research and was surprised to discover that the New Balance Jinqiao 8K was on the weekend that I was in Shanghai.  This is one of only two annual Shanghai races (the other is the Shanghai Marathon). The only problem was getting into the race since it was sold out.

I took along my Flyers singlet just in case I managed to find myself in the race.  When I arrived I checked with a colleague in the Shanghai office who told me he had no idea how to get me in.  Yet on the evening before the race, this same colleague called me to let me know that a friend of his was too ill to run the race and that I could use his number.   Needless to say I declined another glass of wine at dinner and took the bib.



The morning of the race I navigated my way on the subway to Pudong for the race. I arrived rather early just to make sure I didn’t miss this epic 8K.  Shanghai is not known for its clean air and the city didn’t disappoint on this day. You could almost taste the country continuing its rapid growth.

Shanghai Smoggy Skyline

At the start there was no corralling so I stood near the start line with other runners, and those who I would refer to as fast walkers.  When the gun went off the first kilometer was spent navigating around the walkers and those who could not quite finish the first kilometer. 

New Balance Jinqiao 8K Road Race

During the next 5 kilometers of the race, I was able to find my stride.  At around 6K, the full impact of the pollution started to take its toll (or was it the wine the night before?), and I was really struggling despite the flat course.  I managed to cross the finish line where I was handed a 54th place card for the men.

After the race there was the usual Chinese Lucky Draw and a hot dog eating contest.  I asked a few local experts how they kept up with their running and they said it was very hard with a lot of miles on the treadmill, especially when the air is really bad.  I'll try to remember those words and my experience if I'm ever tempted to complain about the heat and humidity running in bucolic Central Park this summer!

Mike C.

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