Green Lakes Endurance Run (GLER)100K
In 2015, I volunteered to help at some race at a local park that I only vaguely knew about. A vast majority of the time I’d spent at Green Lakes was making a fool of myself on the golf course. When I contacted the RD, I knew nothing about endurance running or ultramarathons but by the end of the day and for the following weeks my mind was engulfed with curiosity and wonder! Shortly after my volunteer experience I resolved to run the 100k in 2016 and I could hardly contain my excitement for the day when registration would open for race! Keep in mind that prior to this point, I had not run for more than 13.1 miles but I was committed and resolved to running 62!
My training and preparation went pretty well, I did get injured and had to stop for a few weeks but I’d say for running my first ultra I did a good job of sticking to the plan. On the nutrition front, I was well prepared and probably a little over prepared as well. Knowing what would be provided at the two Aid Stations on the course I made some salt potatoes and pasta and planned on eating them during the race. I did not eat either!
The race takes place at the idyllic Green Lakes State Park outside of Syracuse, NY usually in late August each year, which means there’s a good chance it’s going to be hot and humid! The course is about 7.75 miles and covers a large portion of the trail system and includes various types of terrain and forest. Each loop includes about 700 feet of gain and the 100k takes 8 loops to finish. The best part of the race is the early start, with a 6 am start, there is nobody at Green Lakes and the sights and sounds are stunning. If the running doesn’t take your breath away the view of the lakes and morning dew certainly will.
My goal going into the race was 10-12 hours which I really thought was attainable. The entire course is runnable and I’m a slightly better than average athlete so my goal seemed realistic. Running laps can be tough mentally so I kept track by saying something to the effect of “1 down, 7 to go.” And then “2 down, 6 to go.” And so on. There’s a larger group running the much more reasonable distance of 50k (4 loops) so for most of the day there are people to run with which makes the race go very quickly! I finished half of the race in 6 hrs, which I was thrilled with! It gave me some confidence that I could be done in less than 12, which would have been awesome! However, as the race went on, I became more and more tired and therefore had to walk a fair bit of each loop. Even the smallest of inclines felt like giant mountains and my legs were shot by that point. It was frustrating but I didn’t give up, only kept counting, 5 down, 3 to go! 6 down, 2 to go!
The support from the aid stations was incredible. From my volunteer experience I knew it was going to be but I was amazed at how good it felt each time I came through. The food and folks manning their posts always gave me a boost of energy! Since the course is a little under 8 miles there’s only a need for two aid stations. Main aid, is at the start/finish and then Midway, which sits towards the end of the Serengeti portion and is aptly located about midway through the loop! During the heat of the day, the pop-up tent, buffet of food and drink are an oasis because the Serengeti can be unrelenting as the sun beats down and the grass reflects the heat back up it becomes a bowl of heat and humidity as the runner gets hit from both directions!
The Race Director (Tim Hardy) and Co-Director (Pat McHenry) do a great job marking the trails, creating a wonderful experience for all the runners, crew, and volunteers. They have their stuff together and greet runners by name as they make their way through the race. Tim also keeps a close eye on runners as they make their way through the race and then makes sure to greet them as they cross the finish line at the Old Admin Building!
I really enjoyed this race and will always support it as best I can. It’s a great way for someone who’s new to the ultra-world to dip their toes into ultramarathons because it has everything you need to test yourself. Changing elevation, terrain, support, a runnable course and a beautiful setting.
