Chasing Times in Challenging Times

FKT and ADK 46

By Linda Waxman Finkle

Silver linings – that’s what everyone looks for these days as we try to navigate a world gripped by pandemic and civil unrest. More time with the kids, learning new skills, and increased bicycle and kayak sales are some of the positives. But what if you’re a professional athlete who thrives on competition, looks to set new records, and craves being pushed to your limits?

That’s when the other now familiar term, reimagine, comes into play. As the first-quarter of 2020 saw one event after another canceled, athletes were left wondering how to fill the void, and fastest known times came to the fore – sounding like the perfect description of our planet’s current state. According to guidelines on fastestknowntime.com, a route must be “notable and distinct enough so that others will be interested in repeating it.” It can be on any surface, and of any distance or time duration, but must be focused on hiking and running. And, while there are categories for Female, Male, Non-Binary and Teams, there are no age groups. Lastly, there are three levels of assistance – Supported, Self-Supported and Unsupported – to break things down further. 

In a year of calamitous surprises, serendipity finally intervened, and Sarah Keyes and Alyssa Godesky, independently chose to attempt a supported female FKT for the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks, starting within hours of each other.

Sarah, who runs for La Sportiva and Julbo, grew up in Paul Smiths, the family drawn there by her father’s love of canoeing. “We spent a lot of time outdoors, even eating lunch on the water. My mom biked, and my sister and I were in rec softball leagues, but I got anxious with other sports.” After high school, she entered AmeriCorps, where 15 minutes of physical fitness a day was part of the program. When that ended, she kept it up on her own, eventually completing a marathon relay with friends, trying a half-marathon, and then turning to trail running because she could cover more territory – and because she was “looking for solace in the mountains.” 

Alyssa, sponsored by Smashfest Queen and Nuun Hydration, recalls a childhood full of competition. “My dad was always putting together a ragtag group of us to walk a mile or throw a shotput.” At that point, the family lived in Maryland, and Alyssa wanted to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. “I never worried about my odds, and even though I didn’t get in the first time I applied, my mom just said that we’d make a plan and take it a step at a time. We never looked at things through the lens of success or failure.”

As a local, Sarah, who also works part-time as a nurse, had been thinking about the FKT for several years. “I started running small peaks, and met endurance athlete, Jan Wellford of Keene Valley, who he encouraged me to do my first 50-miler, and then I started doing 100-mile races around the world. I knew that this effort would take a lot.” Alyssa, with 33 Ironmans [PR: 9 hours, 33 minutes] and 45 ultramarathons under her belt, had spent quite a bit of time in the Adirondacks and felt at home here. “I’m always interested in trying something that will test me both physically and mentally, to find out how far I can push myself. After my FKT on the Vermont’s 273-mile Long Trail [2018 female/supported: 5 days, 2 hours, 37 minutes], I found the confidence to pursue other adventures in the mountains.”

Both understood the importance of building robust crews, with Alyssa choosing endurance adventure racers who understood navigation. “They have more relaxed personalities when things go wrong. And, because of Covid-19, people weren’t racing themselves, and had more time to be there to help me with this.” Sarah also knew that she needed strong athletes, and was fortunate to have great friends, like endurance racer Aaron Newell of Queensbury on her crew, who could run with her for almost 100 miles. “One of the takeaways is from the organizational side,” Sarah said. “I’ve never done anything with this much detail, and we could have benefited from having another driver.”

In addition to pursuing the FKT, Alyssa ran in support of Alice Green’s Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers of Color (see Athlete Profile, June 2020), which gives authors an opportunity to work on their craft in a rustic cottage on the shores of Lake Champlain. On her GoFundMe page [For website: www.gofundme.com/f/running-46-adk-high-peaks-for-the-paden-institute], Alyssa spoke of knowing how important representation is, as a female professional athlete. She mentions Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren and Megan Rapinoe, when asked about who she looks up to, but says that her real heroes are her mom and sister. “They live normal lives and have given me so much love and support to help me reach my goals.” She also mentions her coach, Ironman champion Hillary Biscay, who’s inspired her to go into coaching because, “…she pours her heart and soul into helping people achieve their dreams.” 

Sarah’s focus was the Adirondack Mountain Club, highlighting stewardship and sustainability, and also bringing an awareness of women’s history in the Adirondacks. On her Facebook page and Instagram, she highlighted Grace Hudowalski (Grace Peak), the first woman to summit the 46 High Peaks in 1937, as well as Esther McComb, (Esther Mountain) the first woman to reach a high peak in 1839 at the age of 15. Sarah considers these women to be her heroes, and also looks to Joe Stone, the first quadriplegic to compete in an Ironman, and to late singer-songwriter John Prine, for inspiration.

Sarah and Alyssa chose different routes, with Alyssa ultimately ending up with the FKT in a spectacular 3 days, 16 hours, 16 minutes, just a few hours behind the top men’s record and almost equal to the second men’s number (Jan Wellford) set in 2008. Sarah’s time of 4 days, 22 hours, 15 minutes was also incredible, especially considering the tendinopathy she experienced when starting on the Great Range. “Realizing that I had a long walkout from the Dix Range was one of the worst times.” For Alyssa, it was at the start of Day 2, when, “… everything was cold and super wet at three in the morning, with rain expected that day, after raining the day before too. I didn’t think that it would be as cold, and should have been better prepared for cold nights.” 

For Alyssa, one of the most memorable moments was ending up on Allen Mountain on Day 1 right at sunset. She came away from the whole experience with a stronger belief in herself, and her ability to grow in the sport. Sarah recalls the confidence boost that she had at the top of Mt. Marcy with 100 miles in. She finished with an even greater appreciation for how special this community and the whole Adirondack region is. Both talk about wanting to give back, about getting young girls to the mountains, and about helping others invest in themselves.

Just recently, Nancy LaBaff, 59, and her friend, Claudia Warren, 61, completed the 46 peaks in 6 days, 22 hours, 4 minutes. Dedicating the hike to a mutual friend whom they lost to Covid, Nancy, a cancer survivor who lives in Parishville in St. Lawrence County, is ready to try again. With advances in technology, including 3-D printed prosthetics, better tracking systems, and more information on how best to train, will age no longer be a factor?

What’s next for these outstanding athletes? After taking a few weeks to heal, Sarah is thinking about a 24/24 event, that covers 24 peaks in 24 hours, and possibly a bikepacking trip of the Adirondacks. Alyssa would like to be on the podium for Ironman, and also gain more skills and aptitude in the wilderness, perhaps going after a self-supported FKT. Sarah writes, “In order to achieve goals you have to be willing to dream.” And, from Alyssa, “Journeys of this kind are teamwork, they are hard work, they are preparation, and they are a little bit of luck.” Whatever they choose, there’s no doubt that they will continue to challenge themselves to reach their highest levels, and, in doing so, inspire each of us to reach our own.

Sarah: 4 Days, 22 Hours, 15 Minutes – Mon, 8/17, 12:15am – Allen Mountain trailhead start, two quick trips to the bathroom and double check the tracker; Go! 12pm – Headed up Seymour. Tue, 8/18, 12am – Headed to Cascade trailhead for start of Day 2. 12pm – Headed up Street and Nye. Wed, 8/19, 12am – Finally asleep in the dirt near the Herbert Brook herd path off Marshall. 12pm – Having just finished Cliff and Redfield was at Uphill lean-to to change socks and resupply. Thu, 8/20, 12am – Descending the Wedge Brook trail from Lower Wolf Jaw, at this point in a lot of pain. 12pm – On Nippletop trying to remedy a knotted quad. Fri, 8/21, 12am – Finishing what seemed to be the longest herd path on Earth out from the Dix Range. 12pm – Finishing Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant and on our way to Whiteface and Esther for the finish. Finished at the Whiteface Memorial Highway tollbooth.

Alyssa:  3 Days, 16 Hours, 16 Minutes – Mon, 8/17, 4am – Seward trailhead off of Corey's Road, running in towards Seymour for my first peak! 4pm – On top of Marshall Peak. Tue, 8/18, 4am – Heading up to Santanoni Peak. 4pm – Descending off of Dix Mountain, finishing up a solo section and ready to meet up with crew again. Wed, 8/19, 4am – Climbing up Lower Wolf Jaw from Lake Road, getting psyched to start the Great Range! 4pm – Descending from Redfield, in good spirits after a crew member hiked in eight miles to bring me a Coke! Thu, 8/20, 4am – Somewhere in the bushwhack between Big Slide and Porter. 4pm – Driving over to the Giant trailhead to finish up my last two peaks, Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant!

Some of the numbers that both athletes needed to think about – Sarah’s metrics: two pairs of La Sportiva Mutants, 13 pairs of socks, three pairs of Smartwool wool underwear, 10 Tailwind vanilla rebuild shakes, 80 Tailwind hydration servings (8,000 calories), 2/3 family size bag of Sour Patch Kids, three pieces of pizza (on summits). Alyssa’s metrics: 160 miles total, 67,412 feet of elevation gain, 11 hours of sleep total, four Bushwhacking sections, four pairs of VJ Shoes, nine Smashfest Queen outfit changes, 13 pairs of socks, four tubes of Nuun hydration sport tabs, 300 calories an hour while moving (estimating 22,000 total).

Linda Waxman Finkle (lwf518@gmail.com) is a writer, kayak and wilderness instructor, and event manager living in the Capital Region. Besides kayaking, she enjoys running, cycling, skiing, Zumba, and tennis. Ultra is definitely in her future.