NFCA Athlete for Awareness has “resounding success” in North Face Endurance Challenge.
On May 5, 2012, NFCA Athlete for Awareness Peter Bronski ran the North Face Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain, NY. The 50-mile race was grueling, but Peter came out on top, setting a personal record of 10 hours, 17 minutes and 23 seconds – nearly 1 ½ hours faster than his previous best time!
The race is one of a series of ultramarathons that Peter will compete in this year, including the 3rd Annual Ultramarathon Challenge in September, which Peter is racing as a fundraiser for NFCA.
Peter shared his experience from Bear Mountain on his blog, No Gluten, No Problem. Here are some highlights:
On race-day fuel
“…we baked fresh gluten-free banana muffins, peeled oranges, and sliced apples.”
“…as a gluten-free athlete, I don’t like relying on aid station nutrition … I like to be self-reliant. No need to worry about the GF status of the foods they offer.”
On early start times
“The plan was to be in the car and on the road by 3:00am, so we’d arrive at the race site by 4:00am in preparation for the race start at 5:00am. Such early starts are a hallmark of ultra running. Some sports kick off their events by day, or under the bright lights of a stadium packed full of people. Ultra races start quietly, in the wee, dark, quiet hours of the very early morning, with runners milling about, fiddling with headlamps, and some loyal, dedicated family members ready to cheer you off into the night.”
On the rough terrain
“Once at the height of Timp Pass, all the major climbs were behind me, but one last major difficulty remained: the descent of the Timp Pass Road. To call it a road is a bit of a misnomer, and a big one. Though at one point in the distant pass [sic] it may have provided passage for early pioneers or miners or whomever, today it provided some of the most miserable footing of the day for trail runners. Imagine baseball- to watermelon-size rocks. Make them irregularly shaped with sharp edges. Then douse them in water. There you have it.”
Peter finished 41st out of 232 starters, which places him in the top 18%. Congratulations, Peter!
Peter’s next ultramarathon is a 50K in Finger Lakes National Forest on June 30, 2012. Stay tuned for more training updates, and please donate in support of his fundraiser: Peter Bronski’s Fundraising Page
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