GRP Runners Seek Versatility in Racing

by GRP Trail Runner Nigel Bates

Variety is the spice of training, and most of us have dabbled in one form or another of cross training from time to time. Whether to build back from an injury, to add some low-impact aerobic volume, or simply to stay mentally fresh, incorporating non-running workouts into a training plan is often a key to sustainable success. Over the past few years, several GRP runners have taken their cross training to the next level by toeing the start line in a sport other than running. Here are a few of their stories:

Britta Clark

Credit: Phil Belena

Britta was a Nordic skier in high school and college, and she still turns to skiing to switch things up during the long New England winters. Britta has developed a unique approach to incorporating ski races into her training: the every-other-year method. “When I focus on skiing over the winter I miss running, and when I focus on running over the winter I miss skiing,” she says. “So my approach has been to alternate winters and hope that the snow is good in the years I focus on skiing. This year was a skiing year, so I lucked out!”

Lucked out may be putting it mildly! Britta took home the victory in the 30k skate at the Craftsbury Marathon this January, and she also competed in both the American and Norwegian Birkebeiners.

William McGovern

When William moved to Anchorage last year, he wanted to find as many ways as possible to enjoy the trail system in town, so the Tri-Flake Winter Triathlon was a natural fit. This unique triathlon combines snow running, fat biking, and Nordic skiing for the best of what an Alaskan winter has to offer. “Fat biking is crazy!” observed William after taking a couple tumbles during the race, which was only his second time ever riding on fat tires. Despite those mishaps, William acquitted himself well in the running and skiing portions of the race to finish a strong fourth overall.

Nigel Bates

I (the author) tried out a new sport and format this winter in the Last Nordic Skier Standing. In this race, competitors must ski an 8-kilometer lap within one hour, and then return to the start line at the top of the hour for another lap until only one person remains. Any extra time between laps is spent in camp resting and refueling. While I was far from being the Last Nordic Skier Standing, I completed 144 kilometers over the course of 18 hours, which was over three times farther than I had ever skied at once! I’m excited to apply the lessons I learned in this race to a backyard ultra (of the running variety!) soon.

Steve Kerr

Steve brings a spirit of adventure to even the most mundane training runs, so it’s no surprise that his second sport of choice is orienteering. Even though orienteering is still a footrace at its core, the added challenge of navigating with a map and compass makes an orienteering competition feel very different mentally than a trail race. “Orienteering is hard,” says Steve. “In the race I did last fall, I bonked and went in many, many circles. But it was a blast!”

Feeling inspired? The Craftsbury Mud’n’Ice Quadrathlon is coming up on April 5th!