As of this morning, the Cock-a-Doodle-Shoe snowshoe races are good to go tomorrow. THERE IS NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION so if you aren’t preregistered you’ll need to find another opportunity to get outdoors tomorrow.

If anything changes between now and Sunday morning, it will be posted here, on our Facebook group, and on the CADS FB page.

Below is a copy of the RD’s post from last night:

I just finished marking the course a little while ago with some help from some great friends. Conditions are good. Most of the trails are firm packed. There are some larger rocks or stumps that poke through in places but they are pretty obvious and easily navigated around. Word is that we are to expect at least several inches of snow between now and race time so coverage will be ideal and I think we will see times that are a bit faster than the last two years. If you have done the race in the past markings will be a bit different. I have replaced the large arrows with survey flags. The 5k will be following FLORESCENT GREEN flags for the whole race. 10k runners will follow the same green flags until around mile 3 and then follow FLORESCENT PINK flags for the remainder of the run. There will be a volunteer at this junction and it will be clear that the 5K goes to the right and 10k to the left. I will quickly go over this again just prior to the start of the race while we are staging in “The Meadow.” For the start of all races there will be survey flags for runners to stand at to maintain social distancing. All runners are required to be masked up at the start and have said mask on them at all times. Masks need to be used for the start, passing, finish area, and anytime social distancing can not be maintained. Runners showing up without a face covering WILL NOT be allowed to participate. NO EXCEPTIONS AND NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN FOR FAILING TO OBSERVE THIS SIMPLE RULE. Kid’s run goes off at 10 with adults to start shortly after they finish. Please allow time to make it to the start as it is approximately a 1/2 mile from the parking lot. Lastly if you are at all feeling sick or have come in contact with anyone infected with COVID please stay home and we’ll catch you next time around. I appreciate your understanding as we try to put on a safe event for everyone involved. Good luck and we’ll see you Sunday!

Results from last Sunday’s 5k snowshoe race at the Gore Ski Bowl Nordic Center can be found here. Our thanks to the Gore Nordic Center staff and Underdog Timing for providing us with a fun time snowshoeing on a sunny January afternoon.

A quick reminder, if you participated in the race and want your distance to be included in the series, you’ll need to enter it into the spreadsheet for week 3. Race results will not be automatically entered this season.

We also have a race report from long-time series participant and organizer Laura Clark:

Everyone’s a Front Runner at Gore

by Laura Clark, with photos courtesy of Jen Ferriss

Remember those classic shots we used to see of runners crowded at the start line, bent over in starting gate position, fondly fingering their watches?  Back in the day, that is.  Back when things were as normal as things were ever going to be.  Well, Gore 5K Snowshoe Race in the year(s) of COVID was as far removed from this picture as you could imagine.

Because of COVID restrictions, Heidi Underwood of Underdog Race Timing, gave us a 20-minute start time frame. So there we were, milling around, unsure of what to do.  It was comparable to our Saratoga Stryders Saturday morning runs, when we all recognize that it is time to get going but no one wants to make the first move.  Moreover, it was a sunny almost 30ish afternoon and no one was particularly cold.  It was really quite pleasant just standing there, almost committed, but not quite. I grew impatient and shouting, “Yay, I’m first!” I dashed off. Actually, I wasn’t.  I eventually figured out that without fanfare, eventual winner Jeremy Drowne, had taken the early initiative.

The course consisted of five 1K loops around the Gore Mountain Ski Bowl.  Rather like one of those bike criterions.  The loops were supposed to have been longer, but some of the trails were closed for snowmaking.  At first, I thought that five times was rather a lot, but eventually I grew to appreciate the abridged route as each swipe of the circle seemed really speedy in comparison to the familiar Citizen’s Race course.  Made me feel like a winner.

Beforehand, I had tried to visualize the route, reminding myself that the first uphill, which always seemed the most difficult to me, was followed by a glorious downhill.  I remembered that the next uphill was steep, but brief, and never seemed to bother me that much. But this time the first one seemed easy and the second more difficult. With each go around I tried to hunt and peck the fastest trajectory but naturally didn’t figure it out until the final circle.

As a consequence of the staggered window, getting lapped lost its meaning.  Either someone who started just behind you was passing as in a normal race, or perhaps that person was on their first loop while you were pounding out your second.  It was like everyone was their own frontrunner, strangely liberated from the temptation of running someone else’s race.  And while we missed the snack bar and fireplace afterwards, it was just enough to be out there and to see our North Country friends once more.

On the drive home, the setting sun tinted the bare-brown trees purplish pink and I was reminded of my time in the Arizona desert.  Folks ask how I could stand to be without greenery, but the setting sun flashes rainbow colors against the sandy canyons, rather like it did for the stark winter trees, reminding me that every place has its special beauty and every outing, even if not quite like before, is more than enough.

—  Laura Clark is an avid snowshoer, trail runner, XC skier, race director, 2017 World Snowshoe Federation Championship 70-99 Female Age Group winner, and 2018 National Championship Half Marathon 70-99 Female Age Group winner

Week 3 of the 2020-21 Dion WMAC Snowshoe Series will run from Sunday 1/10/21 through Saturday 1/16/21.

The goal for this week is to run, walk, or hike at least 4mi (6.5k) with or without snowshoes. You can do the distance all at once or split it up over multiple outings. You can also do more distance if you’d like (or less if you’re not up to 4mi at this time.)

We had a good turnout at today’s race on the Gore Nordic Center in North Creek, NY with 33 participants out on the snow making multiple loops of the 1 km course. If you were there and want the distance you covered recorded toward your series totals, make sure you enter the information in the series spreadsheet below. (Don’t forget to include any warm-up or cool-down distance – that counts too!)

2020-21 Snowshoe Series

(If this is the first time you’re recording distance, enter your first and last name in the appropriate columns. For each week you will also find two other columns – under “week # ss miles” enter the number of miles you’ve snowshoed, and/or under “week # r/w/h miles” enter the number of miles you’ve run, walked, or hiked without snowshoes. You can do this once for the whole week or update your weekly mileage as needed throughout the week. You can also go back and update your totals for previous weeks at any point. The spreadsheet will update your series totals automatically.)

Of course you are always welcome to snowshoe/run/walk/hike at a location of your choice. We only ask that you choose a location where you can do so safely and while following all local rules, regulations, and guidelines, and that you take appropriate precautions to limit the spread of Covid-19. We miss seeing you all in person and want to get back to being able to do that!

If you have any photos from your outdoor adventures, please feel free to share them with us on our Facebook group by leaving them in a comment for this week’s post.

Any questions, shoot me an email.

Have fun and be safe!

VERY IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!!!

UPDATED INFORMATION FROM RD PAUL ALLISON 1/9/21

We are requiring all competitors to perform self screening tomorrow morning before traveling to the race.  The screening form must be filled out and brought to the race for drop off at the bib pick-up station.  No health screen, no participation.  We cannot perform screenings on site.  A couple notes regarding this form… Under “Agency”, please write “Gore” and under the “person being screened” and under “screener” write your own name.  Also print out, fill out/sign the Assumption of Risk form and bring to the race with you.

self screening form
assumption of risk form

A reminder that bib pick-up will be outside under the open pavilion.  If you intend to comptete in our Citizen race series beginning this Wednesday, please hold onto your bib.  To keep minimal contact, we would like tomorrow’s competitors to keep their bib for that series.  Bib Pick-up will begin at 1 pm, and racers can head up to the start line to begin their race any time between 2:00 pm and 2:30.  The timer will be at the line to start each individual (no mass start races this year).

The race course loop is 1.25K (not 1.5K).  Masters will do 4 loops for 5K and Recreational will do 2 loops.

Another reminder, no Lodge use and no spectators for any event at Gore this season.

-masks/face coverings must be worn when except while running/walking the race
-please observe proper social distancing at all times
-no use of lodge or indoor space

-restrooms attached to the open pavilion will be available
-portable toilets will be available outside
-paper bibs for timing purposes, please dispose off the venue after the race
-no awards ceremony or refreshments
-sanitize hands frequently

– if you are exhibiting any symptoms of being sick, please stay home