Prep race #1 Pittsfield Peaks 50 miler

To you all,

First off I would like to deeply thank you all once more for all the donations. Your support means a lot to me and Team TFL!

Pittsfield Peaks (53.75 miles, 14,000 feet of total ascent or 2.65 vertical miles, 24 hour cuttoff)

Exciting times. On Friday it's off to Pittsfield, Vermont. It is a 50 miler as ultramarathoners call it casually. It is my first preparation race for November's 200 miler. The course on Saturday will be a part of the 200 in November but this section will be run in the opposite direction. Temps should be bearable in the 80s. There will be aids stations spread every 6-7 miles on the trails. Crewing for me will be Kevin Cowser (appointed Crew Chief). I would like to extend a big thank you to you Kevin for all the fantastic help and support you have given me in getting ready for this event. What would have been long and lonely training nights (10:30pm start) became many times great conversational nights, me running and you biking through Stamford, Greenwich, Wilton, Pound Ridge, Vista, Norwalk and other places.
It's what Team TFL is all about, coming together to support a great cause.

Below is a quote from last year's race:

"The Race Directors have put together an amazing course which will take those brave enough to challenge the 53 Mile Course, over 14,000 + feet of elevation, through rivers and streams, over boulders, through briar/thorn bushes and through hungry swarms of black flies and mosquitoes. If thats not enough... add some humidity and heat to the equation and your race just got tougher. While some races in our country claim to be the toughest such as Zane Grey and Squaw Peak 50 Milers... Pittsfield Peaks is proving hands down... that this is the new home of America's Toughest 50 Miler. More elevation than many 100 Milers and enough obstacles to make you cry for mercy."

Thank you all once again and a race report will follow shortly.

Carl
http://www.timeforlyme.org/join-donation.html