Ascutney Mountain Run

 11th series - race 4 of 5

    Windsor, Vermont

Yes, it was a rather wet day

Some pictures from the day thanks to Cari Causey, Freddi Triback, Brian Walfield, Linda Usher and a very special thank you to Joe Vigor, for some of his great pictures. All follow the standings.

Joe, and crew, @ 2019 Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

We had some challenging weather! Overcast to start then a not cold, thank goodness, rain...but NO bugs.

Freddi Triback is sharing her race report with us, thank you Freddi!!!

6/7/25 Weekend Race Report - Ascutney Mountain, Windsor, VT

Race #4 in the Uphill Series, 

Race #5 in the Mountain Goat Series, 

Race #2 in the Delta Dental Mountain Challenge 

This morning, Brian and I met Don and John in Reading at 5:30 am and the four of us headed to Windsor, VT for the Ascutney Mountain Race for a 9:00 am race start. This 3.8-mile race, which kicked off in 2001, is the perfect tune-up for the Mt. Washington Road Race which is usually the following week. It’s exactly half the distance and the same average 12% grade. If it’s your first year running up Washington, this is a must-do race. It prepares you for exactly what you will be in for.

It was great to see race director Brando, his buddy Dan, and Dana, the timer who we haven’t seen since Winter Wild. There were so many mountain goats there which always fills me with joy. It’s the people that keep bringing us back to these races week after week and year after year. In reality, we only see them from race to race. This is why I treasure these races so much.

As we lined up to get our bibs, the rain started to come down. This makes 13 consecutive rainy weekends in New England. To be clear, that’s the first weekend in March to this weekend in June, so we are kind of used it. 

After warming up, it was GO time.

On your marks…get set…GO… here’s what I remember. Brando gave some shoutouts to the sponsors of the race followed by a 3,2,1 GO and Its really steep right off the bat. 

According to a video we watched of a cyclist going up the mountain, by the time you reach mile one, you’ve already climbed about 675 feet. It’s just a grind up the mountain, which I love. At about 1.6 miles, the total gain is about 1040 feet. At 2 miles, 1300 feet. At the 3 mile mark, 1930 feet. By the time we reached the summit at 3.8 miles, the total elevation gain was 2300 feet. 

This is half of the gain we will face next week. The first year I ran this race, I kept the race director in my sight. When she walked, I walked. I figured she knew the course really well so it made sense to me to follow her. In recent years, I’ve run the whole way, maybe taking a total of 20 steps. That last part to get to the finish line is a doozy. It’s seems really, really steep. 

My mantra for today…” just sit in it.’ Sit in the difficulty for as long as you can and then sit in it even more. The clock was ticking.

 

I made it across the line today in 48:14 minutes. This was slower than last year but while I was 17th female in 2024, this year I was 5th female overall. Christin D. took first overall, and Sharon A. was 2nd. 

To share the 50-59 age group podium with the incredible Christin, who is one of the kindest and most genuine people I know, and Sharon, who is having an incredible season, is truly an honor. 38/152, 5th female.

The Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race is next on Saturday, June 14th, the final race in the Northeast Uphill Mountain Series

                           https://mt-washington.com/mount-washington-road-race/

Yours truly 2008 finish


Congratulations to the winners David Sinclair & Christin Doneski

David approaching the finish

A happy Christin

  Points for the Ascutney Mountain Run: (153 finishers)

     1)      David Sinclaire   33M    29:53  100.00

     16)    Christin Doneski  54F     38:44   77.15

     27)    Jeff Gould           60M    45:35   65.56 (3rd 60 to69)

     36)    Freddi Triback     53F     48:14   61.96 (3rd 50 to 59)

     41)    Alissa Clark         51F     49:15   60.68

     44)    Ross Minkov       52M     50:16   59.45

     46)    Donna Smyth       65F     50:29   59.19 (1st 60 to 69)

     62)    Brian Walfield    63M    53:03    56.33

     69)    Trista Brown       54F     54:40    54.66

     78)    Darrel Lasell      67M     55:37   53.73

     113)  Fred Ross III       78M   1:03:02   47.41

     114)  Mary Sharkey     75F    1:03:18   47.21 (1st 70 to 79)

     122)  Elaine Dill          76F    1:05:36   45.55 (2nd 70 to 79)

     130)  Ed Varney         66M    1:07:29   44.28

     134)  Linda Usher       76F     1:09:00   43.31 (3rd 70 to 79)

     135)  Doug Usher       69M    1:09:01   43.30

   Points and standings after Ascutney

          

            1)   Jeff          283.11

            2)   Donna      255.74

            3)   Darrel      214.86

            4)   Jackie       202.50 (3)

            5)   Fred         197.03

            6)   Alissa        192.66 (3)

            7)   Freddi       192.29 (3)

            8)   Ross          188.63 (3)

            9)   Ed            186.28

          10)  Kevin        183.82 (3)

          11)   Trista       181.65 (3)

          12)   Brian        180.38 (3)

          13)   Elaine       154.19 (3)

          14)   Linda        142.43 (3)

          15)   Doug        142.42 (3)

          16)   Mary        141.53 (3)

Jeff, Donna, Darrel, Ed and I have already reached Mountain Goat statis. If Jackie, Alissa, Freddi, Ross, Kevin, Trista, Brian, Elaine, Linda, Doug and Mary...complete Mount Washington they will as well...Good Luck!!!

Pictures from race day...

Brandon & Dan, thank you for another great race!!!

Welcome aboard Alissa :)

Three Amigo's :)

Supreme Jumper, next to Freddi of course :)

Smile :)

Say "Cheese" :)

Ray is ultimate Mount Goat!

You da man Ray!

Capturing Christin about to leave

Joe taking my picture...

...as I'm taking his

A semi-rare picture with Joe

Rich easily won our 70-79 age group!

Several of us stop for a bite to eat @ Allen Bros in Westminster.

Still rainy heading home!

Thanks for your great pictures Joe, see EVERYONE this Saturday for the Northeast Uphill Mountain Series final race @ the Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race...will be EPIC!!!