Sunday I went to Minnewaska State Park in the Shawangunk Mountains to run the After the Leaves Have Fallen 20K. Two major runs are held at Minnewaska annually: Fallen Leaves, and the Summer Solstice 15K. While I always run poorly at Summer Solstice, my performances at this late autumn run have been all over the place. Last year I got the date wrong and showed up to run a week late. The year before the race was snowed out. Snow, what a concept! That may be the last decent snow we've had.
This year, weather was near 50 degrees, overcast and windy. I wore shorts, a tee shirt and gloves. the mild temperature combined with strong wind made it hard to choose what to wear. The field formed no consensus. I would have changed into a singlet if I had time.
Like most races at Minnewaska, this one starts at a terrace overlooking Lake Minnewaska, with a good view of the white cliffs across the lake. We run down a short, steep hill to the beach. Then we climb back away from the lake. Both runs gain the same elevation, but this run up the Hamilton Point Carriageway always feels easier than the Castle Point Carriageway taken by the Summer Solstice Run. The Hamilton Point trail provides countless views to the south and west. While the agricultural Walkill Valley looks better on a sunnier day, the white November sky provides a perfect backdrop for the ravines and cliffs of the Gunks. Hamilton Point provides a good 270 degrees of view including our first view of Lake Awosting. There are also some considerable fissures in the rocks, so the viewing should be done carefully.
By the time we begin the descent towards Awosting, I have passed most of the runners who passed me early in the climb. As I reach Awosting, there are two runners well ahead of me. I am gaining on them, but it is antagonizingly slow. I am trying to ignore them and just run my pace, but with three or more runners latched onto my pace, it's hard to ignore the field. we maintain a good pace as we circumnavigate Lake Awosting. I don't mean to be, but on the uphills, I realize that we are pushing the pace.
I always find the carriageway from Awosting back to Minnewaska to be mentally challenging. The runners that have been following me for at least 5 miles pass me, and I don't hold on at all. I am free of rigor mortis, but my pace for the third 5K does not match that of the second 5K. Even the runner that I passed at the previous water stop passed me and built quite a lead.
Though I think of this trail as interminable, I hear cheering sooner than I expect. I've reached the beach. At Summer Solstice, we take the short way up the hill, and finish. This time we still have to run all the way around Lake Minnewaska. I blow off the water, but acknowledge the cheers of Geri, Kay and Claudia. Claudia is resplendent, walking around in her purple fleece coveralls. I point with my matching purple gloves and call out to her.
Still attending to business, as we climb away from beach level, I gain on the runner ahead of me once again. I expect this last section to be quite entertaining, but every time I get close enough to think about racing, he extends the margin. He runs very well in the roller coaster section at the southern end of the lake. As he continues to run strongly up the white cliffs, I fall back. The race is over.
I don't run this section of trail very often, and it is pleasant. Though pleasant, I eagerly welcome the finish. I finish strongly enough, and take my card which reads 18. My time was 1:28:28. When I got home, I saw that this was a middling time for me. This makes sense. Throughout it felt like a middling race for me.
After filling out my place card, I head down to the beach to watch runners go by, and be with Kay and Claudia. Two young women acknowledge Claudia and get a considerably bigger cheer than I did. Sometimes it pays not to be in such a hurry. Runners are still straggling by, but Claudia has been in one place long enough. We put her in the stroller, and climb back up to the start/finish area. This is my third time making the climb today. I wish someone could put me in a stroller and push me.
We enjoy the soup, bagels and cider, and leave just as the awards are about to be given out. It would be nice to stick around to thank the sponsors and volunteers, but I'm sure it's nap time.
Steven Cangemi
Annandale-on-Hudson, New York