A Message from the President

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I’ve been heavily involved in Nordic skiing since my freshman year in high school in 1997. My older brother had just taken the job as head coach of the BFA high school ski team, so I joined it, not having any clue how much that decision would impact my life. Since that moment, I have invested an enormous amount of time, money, and physical, mental, and emotional effort into this sport. Some would say an absurdly foolish amount, but I don’t regret any of it. This sport has kept me healthy, it has brought many great people into my life, and it’s just a lot of fun.

Most of that time, I have invested in making skiing enjoyable for myself, but over the last couple of years, I have discovered that making it more enjoyable for others is even more gratifying, and I’m in love with the sport more now than ever. I discovered something else in my efforts to help out. I learned that when you only have a handful of people with virtually no money, and few resources, it is impossible to build something great.

As long as I have been involved in nordic skiing, the St. Albans ski community has almost entirely revolved around the high school program. Coach Scott Magnan has done an amazing job building up that program since he took over 20+ years ago, but the students in that program are the only people in the community who get any real support. Most of the students who arrive in that program have never skied before, and a lot of them rarely, if ever, ski again after they graduate. We see the same thing with their parents, where they get involved by volunteering or participating, but then they disappear when their children leave because there’s nothing to be involved with outside the high school team. This is not a recipe for sustainable growth.

We are here to change all of that. Our central mission is to broaden that community, so people have a place to go and enjoy the sport from the day they are born to the day they die. We want a community where everyone can enjoy skiing at their own level, whether they want to be an elite competitor, or slowly plot around the fields with their family, or anything in between.

Please support us in our efforts. Subscribe to our newsletter to get trail updates, learn about new programs, and hear how we are making this community stronger. Click the big green Donate button to help us. Every little bit helps, even if it’s just $5.

Thank You,

Tyler Magnan
President of St. Albans Nordic

Record Breaking Fall Trail Running Series

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This year’s Fall Trail Running Series at Hard’ack was a tremendous success. The course options were somewhat limited because the meadows are still super muddy from the wet weather of summer and fall, but that didn’t slow us down. Well, technically it did, because the woods trails are much harder to run, but each Sunday brought clear weather, mild winds, and a great group of runners.

Week one brought 46 runners, just shy of our previous record of 48. In week two, we had 34 runners, which meant we only needed 32 in week three to top our annual attendance record. It looked a bit questionable with the forecast calling for some snow and rain Sunday morning, but race day brought sunny skies, and the runners showed up in full force. We set a new one day record of 51 runners! We’ve been chasing that 50 mark for 5 years, and I’m so pleased we finally broke through.

Congratulations to Andre Bolduc, Sarah Pribram, and Roy Sargent for reaching the 10 race milestone this year, and earning their special 50k Hoodies. These are awarded to anyone who has completed 10 races to show our appreciation for their continued support of the series. There are a LOT of people within reach next year.

Lastly, I just want to say a big Thank You to everyone who participated this year. Given the amount of time I have poured into getting St. Albans Nordic off the ground and growing it into something useful for the community, I often find myself questioning whether it’s worth it, or whether I’m crazy. This trail series is just a small part of what we do, but days like today, where you showed up in record numbers, and loved it, and thanked me, it really means a lot. We raised around $1500 from the series, and though I can promise you I wouldn’t do it for free, it’s the people that matter more to me than anything. Knowing that I can bring a little more joy into your lives through some outdoor exercise is the reason I do this.

Thanks again, and hopefully we’ll see you on the snow this winter!

Tyler

Snow Fence Is Up!

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Thanks to our generous donors at the end of last season, we were able to purchase 500 feet of snow fence. Sunday, November 13th, we installed it at Hard’ack thanks to our handful of rock star volunteers. These same volunteers worked in the rain the previous sunday to do some trail trimming. We are getting close to being ready for snow. There’s so much work that goes on behind the scenes to provide high quality local skiing, and so much more that could be done if we had the resources. Still, we are set up better than ever, so get your skis ready because we’re ready to make the most out of whatever the weather brings us!

We Got Snow Fencing!

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Thanks to the generosity of our donors over the past month, we were able to purchase 450 feet of high quality wooden slat snow fencing with heavy duty steel posts. We could use about 4 more batches like that, but it’s a good start, and should make a big impact.

Snow fencing allows us to catch the snow that gets ripped off the open meadows at Hard’ack, so we can use it to our advantage and build up the snowpack on the trails where we want it. It also provides some shelter from warm winds that melt it down. I’m really excited to see what it can do for us next winter.

Keep an eye out for notifications in the fall calling for some volunteers to help set it up!

Hard’ack Fall Trail Running Series Wraps Up.

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The third and final race of the 2021 Hard’ack Fall Trail Running Series took place on Saturday under cloudy skies with a moderate southeast wind and temps in the 40s. While it wasn’t a beautiful day for running like week 2, it was still generally pleasant conditions for mid november. Over 3 years, we have had 9 races, and while we’ve had some wet days and some cold, snowy days, we have somehow lucked out, and missed the really miserable weather that comes around this time of year. This year, we just dodged the high winds and drenching rain of the previous day.

There was a very noticeable wind coming out of the southeast as Tyler showed up to set up the course in the morning. A quick adjustment of the course was made to keep runners sheltered in the woods a little longer and spend less time in the fields. This made the course a tad shorter, but I didn’t hear any complaints.

There were many new faces on course today, mixed with those who have become regulars. As someone who has been involved with the running and skiing communities for over 20 years, it’s always great to see people I’ve never met joining in. The enduring strength of our running community is dependent on fresh faces mixing in with the folks that have been carrying it along for years.

As we grow nearer to winter, the nordic skiers made a strong appearance. Kasie and Eli Enman came up from Huntington to support this event, and show the locals how it’s done, with Kasie winning overall in a scorching time of 17:18, and Eli not far behind in 17:58. These two run the Sleepy Hollow Inn in Huntington, and are really dedicated to making their vast trail network the best it can be. With snowmaking, lighted trails, and a dedication to quality grooming, it’s a fabulous place to go for skiing in the winter. If you’re not a skier, their great network of running and mountain bike trails is just as good in the warmer months. Another Chittenden county skiing couple, Eric Darling and Sarah Pribram came up for the 2nd week. After winning last week, Eric had to take a back seat to the Enmans, finishing 3rd, while Sarah also took 3rd for the women. We also had Perry Bland in attendance. This man has a C.V. in the running and skiing world that is matched by few, and a positive attitude that is matched by almost nobody. We also had Scott Magnan, who has done the vast majority of the heavy lifting to keep skiing alive in this area over the last 25 years. It was great to see Rich Dickinson come out with some of his family. Richie was a standout skier for BFA, and his family has been a tremendous source of support for the local ski community for at least 30 years. Andre Bolduc, part of another clan that has a rich history of running and skiing here, came out to do all three runs. Running isn’t his favorite, he’s more comfortable on his bike and skis, but he came out to support the event and the trails. Nordic skiing is a tough sport in so many ways, but it’s also beautiful, elegant, rewarding, and humbling, and absolutely nothing beats it for building health and fitness. We need more of you, so if you’re not a skier, please stay in touch with us, and we can help you fall in love with it as we have.

I want to give a shout out to everyone who did all 3 races. Brendan Ellis, Roy Sargent, Jackson Sargent, Andre Bolduc, Ashley Burghardt, and Evan Fortune. And a big thanks to Tom Cleveland, my lone volunteer for running registration and timing.

Remember, there is a little lapse in the fun until we get snow, but we will be doing Tuesday night ski races at Hard’ack this winter, Dec 14th to March 14th, anytime we have enough snow coverage to do so. We’ll have use of the lodge for warmth before and after, with hot post race food and beverages. Headlamps will be required as we work on getting lights on the trails, and we’ll have some for use.

Thanks, and we hope to see you on the ski trails this winter, but if not, we’ll see you on the running trails next year!

Week 2 of the 2021 Trail Running Series at Hard’ack

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Beautiful sunny skies took the place of the cold rains of halloween weekend, and 32 runners showed up to enjoy some fun in the sun. In addition to more forgiving weather, this week’s course was more forgiving as well, spending some time in the flat meadows and winding back through the woods with some moderate hills.

This course was a new one for the trail running series, and almost certainly never been run by anyone before. The tightly packed trail network at Hard’ack with intersections everywhere allows for lots of creativity in creating race courses, and race director Tyler Magnan likes to mix things up. The start line was near the bottom of the entrance to the Gratton fields. Runners then headed straight up towards the woods, and did a sweeping right turn around the massive dirt pile created by the pool construction project. One racer inquired about taking a short cut over the top of the massive pile, and the race director allowed it, but nobody decided that was the best route to take. Racers then hugged the woods and headed straight north through the meadow, enjoying a light tail wind, which hopefully allowed some to forgive Tyler for sending them into a nasty headwind last year on the same stretch. After a loop around the furthest meadow, racers then ducked into the woods onto the rolling terrain and wound their way back south before popping out on the sledding hill, and heading back down to the meadow. 5k racers did two laps, and a few opted for just one lap.

As runners came around for lap one, it was apparent that a lot of people were buddying up, running with friends or family, something we like to see at a small community event like this. Damian and Jessica Bolduc came through the first lap together, with Damian edging away towards the finish. The next couple to come through were Tania and Jason Storms, eventually finishing together. Our third couple pairing was Laura and Barry Gould. Then we had Roy Sargent and son Jackson running together, with Roy eventually edging ahead of his son this week after Jackson beat him last week. Ashley Burghardt returned this week, and brought her son Aiden, both doing the one lap race together this week. We also had John and Owen Leggett taking on the 5k course. Garry Settaedel and Todd Perry buddied up and ran the whole thing together as well. Jenn Magnan was teamed up with Sara Heth as the two were chatting away coming through lap one.

At the front of the race, there was a pretty hot battle for top honors among both men and women. For the men, Eric Darling took the front and held off a strong challenge from Joe Frost, winning in a time of 18:35 with a 30 second margin. For the women, Jessica Bolduc pulled away from Sarah Pribram on the 2nd lap to win by 40 seconds in a time of 22:30. These two are good friends who hadn’t seen each other in 18 months, but I’m sure they were both trying hard to beat the other one. This is just a small race in a small town, but this is what I love about the running and ski racing communities, that competitiveness mixed with friendship and respect.

In the one lap race, Liam Heth took top honors with a great time of 12:36 as a 4th grader. Lane Fortune, who was apparently inspired by his brother Evan’s first ever 5k last week, decided to jump in to do the 2.5k this week. He took a bit of a wrong turn, but we got him back on course and he did a great job, coming in at 15:25.

Those that ran in week one seemed pleased to get a little reprieve from the tough hills of week one. Add in that the week one course is a hair over 5k, and this week was a hair under 5k, plus the better weather conditions, and most people ran 2 to 3 minutes faster than last week. The nice weather made for some great post race conversations as runners could mingle with friends and enjoy the raffle prizes, many of which were donated by race participants, another great aspect of our running and skiing community. The vintage tractor trophy made its 2nd annual appearance, donated by the Bolducs. Apparently the supply of these trophies is still healthy, but limited, so don’t miss out next year. You don’t have to win the race to get one. You just have to impress the race director somehow with your running. This year’s trophy went to Evan Fortune for completing his first 5k in week one on a really tough course in wet conditions.

Thanks to everyone for coming out, and we hope to see you on Saturday for the 3rd and final race. The course will likely be similar in difficulty to this one.

Week One of Hard’ack Fall Trail Running Series

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Halloween weekend had a dreary look to it as mother nature looked to bring down some cold autumn rain on Northern Vermont. It was a busy weekend for the running community in Vermont with many other events going on, including the VT high school championships where a lot of local runners looked to shine. 12 hardy runners showed up to take on the challenge of the hills at Hard’ack.

The runners took on course number 1, which is now the traditional week one course. This course avoids the flat meadows, and instead opts for the main loop in the woods section of the trail system. It is almost never flat, and certainly not conducive to a PR, but the perfect course for those who like rugged hilly terrain. Runners were dressed for cold, dreary rain, but by race time, the rain had cleared, and temps were around 50 degrees. It turned out to be fantastic running conditions, though most runners were overdressed and trying to shed layers as they ran.

There was a one lap option, but all runners opted for the full 2 lap 5k. Evan Fortune, a 5th grader from Georgia middle school who didn’t want his season to be over chose this race for his first ever 5k, a great accomplishment on a tough course. It was nice to see some familiar faces, as the Sargent family returned to the course, and Jackson, the youngest, ran away from his father Roy this year to better his time by 2 minutes!

Brendan Ellis took the win with a time of 26:10, followed by Laurie Orzech, taking the top female honors and 2nd overall with a time of 27:54. It was a small crowd, but a great crowd. We had some familiar faces, and I always love to see some new faces I’ve never seen before. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to run! See you next week!

What a Great Season!

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We may still be in for some late season snow, but spring has arrived, and it’s time to reflect on the winter we had. It was a pretty dismal start to the year, as we didn’t get any early snow. Those of us who’ve been around the sport a long time knew not to get spoiled by the great mid november skiing we had in 2018 and 2019. This year was particularly late in coming around, as the first real snow fall didn’t arrive until New Year’s day. Spirits were lifted that day with the arrival of the new snow, but on that same day, spirits were deeply heartbroken by the sudden passing of Mike Cain. If you haven’t yet done so, please check out our community collection of thoughts honoring Mike Cain, and message us if you would like to add something.

After that first snowfall, something amazing happened that even the most optimistic skier would not have dared predict. We had two months of uninterrupted packed powder conditions, with little accumulations continually piling up and making the skiing better and better. I’m not sure how often a Blue Moon happens, but I’m pretty sure getting that kind of streak in the Champlain Valley is rarer. We then survived a little warm weather, and made it to March 10th before the trails finally gave way to the warm south winds.

In addition to the wonderful help from Mother Nature, the St. Albans rec department purchased some extensions for our groomer with the money we raised from the fall trail running series. This changed it from 4 feet wide to 6 feet wide, and it provided a much cleaner result. It was also a HUGE improvement to have Hard’ack open from 9 to 5 every day.

On February 28th, we were able to host a ski race open to anyone. Hosting a ski race is always stressful because the weather can destroy the best laid plans, and it was a little hairy going into it, but we hit the perfect weather window, and had warm sun and perfect skiing conditions. We had 38 racers, a mix of all abilities including former NCAA all americans, former VT high school state champions, and some people who normally stick to touring in the fields. There were smiles all around, and it really put us on the map in the wider ski community, so we can attract people for future events. In addition, we raised another $850 for future trail improvements.

I knew not to get spoiled by great mid-november skiing, and I know not to get spoiled by the unusual run of good snow we had this winter. Plans are in the works to do some trail work this summer to help us endure the meltdowns we typically get. Next winter, we hope to have some snow fences and harvest some snow to beef up the trails. If you want to contribute to this effort, just send us a donation with a note that says “grooming.”

Thanks to everyone that got out there and enjoyed the trails this winter. As the man responsible for grooming, it warms my heart to see people using them!

Tyler Magnan

Our Improved Groomer

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The excellent grooming at Hard’ack this winter was due to a number of factors, not least of which was a lot of help from Mother Nature. The photo below is a picture of the Tidd Tech groomer we use most of the time. Using some of the rec department funds that we raised from the fall trail running series, we purchased some extensions to turn a 4 foot groomer into a 6 foot groomer. It not only widened it, but also did a much better job. Thanks to the rec department and everyone who supports the fall trail running series for making this happen!

Groomer, the bright yellow pieces are the new extensions.

Honoring Mike Cain

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On New Year’s Day, Mike Cain passed away unexpectedly in his home. Mike was a tremendous advocate and steward for numerous local trail networks. He was also the main groomer for the nordic ski trails at Hard’ack. He put in thousands of volunteer hours to improve our local trail networks, and worked with youth of all backgrounds and abilities to get them outside on the trails for work and for recreation. Mike was an incredible asset to our community, and he will be greatly missed. Below is a collection of remarks from members of the community to honor Mike’s memory.

You can find the obituary from the family here.

If you would like to add your own comments, please email admin@stalbansnordic.org

Submitted by Tyler Magnan: Although Mike and I have both been involved in the local ski community for 20 years or more, we were mostly just passing acquaintances until recently. In the past 3 years, I have become more involved, and consequently, I have gotten to work a lot with Mike, gotten to know him personally, and learned how much he does for this community and what a great man he was. Mike liked to fly under the radar a bit. He preferred to be out in the woods doing the hard, dirty work rather than sit in planning meetings. He was the main steward of the Fairfax town forest trails, and contributed a lot of work to the St. Albans town forest and the Hard’ack trails. He was also the main groomer for the nordic trails at Hard’ack, and helped out the BFA St. Albans nordic team. That’s just the stuff I know about. The amount of volunteer work he put in rivals what many do at their full time jobs. Mike was not just devoted to supporting the development of outdoor activities like nordic skiing and mountain biking. He was devoted to making the community a better place for all of us, and he always practiced his devotion with grace, honesty, and humility. I’m incredibly grateful that I got to know a man with such great character and generosity. Mike embodied everything about the good side of humanity, and he will be greatly missed. Rest in peace Mike. Your spirit will live on inside all of us and make us stronger.

Submitted by Mike Mashtare: Where does one begin to reminisce about a man who had such a lasting impact on so many people. Mike Cain lived to help all, two of his greatest loves were working with kids and teaching them how to cross country ski.

Mike and I coached the BFA Nordic program together for 13 years. Mike came on board when the Skating Technique was new. At the time we had no home course to train on, and we spent way too much time skiing up and down the ski hill at Hard’ack. Mike struggled to pick up the technique himself, but he managed to encourage and get the team to pick it up. His positive, laid back approach was exactly what first year skiers needed. When we finally were able to ski on a flatter surface, Mike was able to pick up the technique, but Classic skiing was always his go-to technique.

We had the time of our lives coaching together. Mike would often say, “ Can not believe they pay us to ski and share our passion with kids!” We were both new coaches, neither of us skied in high school or college – here’s some of our stories:

Early on in our coaching days our bus broke down on the way to the Northern District Ski Championships. We had some strong skiers who should qualify for the State Championship race. So as we got there, the race had already started, we made a quick decision to change the bibs around to give our top skiers a chance to qualify. Of course this was against the rules and we got our skiers disqualified……lesson learned.

In our early days at BFA, coaches drove the buses. One snowy day on our way to a race at Craftsbury, the bus slid off an unplowed dirt road. We were about 2.5 miles from the race site. It looked like we were going to miss the race. Mike quickly suggested that I stay with the bus, I was the driver, and he take the team and ski to the race on the snow covered roads. They made it, they were plenty tired, but they made the race.

Mike and I always enjoyed skiing in the Craftsbury Marathon. We would take our top skiers and have them ski the half marathon, 25K, while we skied the 50K. One year it was so cold our blow torch, to apply Klister wax, froze on us. We used the tailpipe of our car, to heat up our Klister, and unthaw the blow torch. It was a long cold ski that day!

We have skied in ditches at Champlain Country Club, enough snow had drifted in so we could ski back and forth and get a workout in. Skied on the Rail Trail with limited snow, but plenty of strong winds. Finally, after years of having no home course, the Wolf Run Golf Course opened in Bakersfield and had trails in the winter for skiing. It was a haul each day, but groomed trails were too good to pass up. 

Hot waxing skis took forever the day before races. We would use Mike’s woodshop in Diversified Occupations. The kids would clamp their skis in the woodshop vises, use a hand iron with a blow torch to heat it up, to melt the wax into the skis.

Submitted by Perry Bland: The most remarkable thing was his consistent enthusiasm for the sport , the team and the whole outdoor lifestyle. He ALWAYS thought the weather was perfect and wasn’t it great that we would be skiing in it.

Submitted by Erynn Ferraro: Coach Cain was an amazing man. He was always there to support me and give advice. Coach Cain was such an inspiration to everyone on the Nordic team and it was always a good practice when he was there. He was the one who didn’t let anything you do go unnoticed and he made sure everything and everyone was recognized. Coach Cain has definitely made a positive impact on my life and that will always be remembered. 

Submitted by Olivia Ferraro: Coach Cain was always the man behind the curtain, he did so much for our team day after day and never took any credit. Without him out  grooming trails or helping wax skis, no one’s success on the team would have been made possible. In regards to my technique and lengthening my stride he always told me to “look at Perry so I can look like Perry”. He shaped me into the skier I am today with his constant advice and support. He was a great coach and I’m sure everyone he came into contact with can agree, when I say his commitment to the sport was undeniable. He will be missed by so many, and I’m grateful for the impact he had on my passion for Nordic skiing. 

Submitted by Tim Smith: The passing of Mike is a huge loss for Franklin County, he was such an asset to our community. In Mike’s non-retirement years he was a mentor to many high school students who may have struggled to find a place within BFA.  Mike was compassionate and knowledgeable when dealing with these youths.  In his free time, he was one hell of an athlete.  What I enjoyed most about Mike was his sense of humor and how he was always interested in making our community a better place to live.  Mike was, in my mind, a big picture type of guy who was not afraid to dig in and complete that picture.  Mike always went about his work in such a quiet manner but made a huge difference for those who came in contact with him and those who enjoyed the fruits of his labor i.e. trail making, grooming, coaching etc.  The passing of Mike Cain hits home on a lot of people and I am one of those that will not forget.  A couple of years ago I bought a bike from Mike and I will think of Mike Cain every time I ride it.  Rest in peace Mike Cain.     

Submitted by Jessica Frost: I met Mike through my work with RiseVT. When it came to the outdoors, nature, and youth, he was the biggest advocate. What made Mike special is that he truly gave from the heart, giving his time and knowledge without the expectation of recognition or compensation. He was always offering to lead a hike, do trail work or talk. Many of the largest turn out events that RiseVT sponsored he led. He just loved being outside and with our community. His easy-going personality and words of encouragement fueled me and my work, making me think about what else can be done, who else I can talk to and where is there potential to get more kids outside and loving nature the way that he did. The loss of Mike leaves a huge hole in our community. I did not get the chance to tell him, but RiseVT selected him for our “Rockstar” award this year, because that is what he was, someone who unselfishly gives above and beyond for the greater good. Someone with a heart for the community, trying every day to make it a little bit better.

Submitted by David Hutchinson: What a wonderful guy Mike was, a great friend and ally of so many of us. He made so many contributions to this community, perhaps particularly to the young people he mentored. His loss is huge. The days ahead will be a bit darker without his good humor, gentle wit, and generous spirit.

Submitted by John Holzscheiter: Mike’s passion, enthusiasm, spirit and commitment to the trails at Hard’ack/Aldis Hill and throughout our area was unrivaled and will be irreplaceable.  I always enjoyed my conversations with him and always knew what ever he was doing it was being done with great care, expertise and thoroughness.  He was one of the “Good Guys,” we will miss him dearly. 

Submitted by Matthew Allen: My interactions with Mike were limited but always appreciated. He was always so kind and was sincere in his caring for others. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that, almost every time I saw Mike, he was volunteering his time. For a while, he was helping lead one of the St. Albans City School walking school bus groups. He had no ties to City School that I’m aware of, but that didn’t matter to him. He saw an opportunity to help out and he took it. That’s the kind of guy he was. He was the kind of person we should all strive to be. A world full of people trying to be like Mike would be a better world for all.

Submitted by Preston Fuller: I have only recently joined the Hard’Ack team when I designed the new disc golf course. However, My family and I have enjoyed the fruits of Mike’s volunteer labor and spirit as we love to XC ski there. I never met Mike, but I was always surprised (and boasting to family who do not live in the area) that we have the most amazing groomed XC ski trails I have ever seen in a public and honestly, private trail system. I would hit the trails shortly after a storm and sure enough they were already beautifully groomed to my skiing delight. It truly is the volunteers of a community that make the magic happen and bring a town from being average to being a destination. While I never knew him, he brought my family joy. I know as pastor of St Paul’s UMC many did know him and he brought them joy and light as well.

Submitted by Cipperly Good: I have been skiing some Ks for Coach Cain since hearing of his passing.  He was always an advocate for putting in our kilometers (or K’s as he called them) to build up our endurance.  I remember him saying how he preferred the classic technique over skating because of his old hips- I totally agree with him. I could go for hours with the classic technique, but the skating technique is for those young folks.  His advocacy of those with developmentally differently-abled ensured that we trained with, and in turn, advocated for our fellow human beings.  Waxing in my basement will never compare to the time spent waxing in his workshop at BFA.  We may have overused the wax as novices, but by the end of our first year, we knew what to do and we had skills to sustain us as master’s skiiers when no one else is going to wax our skis for us.

Submitted by Scott Magnan: My relationship with Mike Cain goes back pretty far, I joined the Nordic team in 1990 and quickly earned the title boss, which even though I shared the title with several of Coach Cain’s students, it still had a special meaning and with it some increased self confidence. There are many memories to share but a few stick out that i’d like to share. I remember very clearly challenging Coach to a race at Wolf run my freshmen year. I had started the season with a rough result and low confidence. I am not sure how the challenge happened, but we went head to head early and I was able to gain ground on the flats after a hard climb and never looked back, the rest is pretty much history, my confidence grew into a lifetime of racing and coaching. A few years back, I tasked Coach Cain with grooming for the impossible. We had received about 2 inches of rain on top of our snow base, followed by freezing cold weather which turned the race course into a skating rink. My determination to host would have turned most away, but he and my diligent if not partially crazy crew, acquired a Harley rake used to smooth out dirt and driveways, hooked it to a tractor with chains and he spent the good part of a day Harley raking snow for a race held later that day. Mike always rounded out our coaching staff with a leave no one behind attitude, he always managed to find a new boss each season, and I watched those bosses grow each and every time they acquired the title. In my last conversation with him, we were gearing up to build a canoe trailer to assist in helping kids who would not have otherwise had access to lessons of outdoor activity. Mike was a tremendous person and we should all be proud to carry on what we will miss most. 

Hard’ack Fall Running Series Week 3

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The third and final installment of this year’s series looked far different than last year’s. It was a more typical mid-november day in St. Albans, if there is such a thing. As opposed to last year’s sunny skies, cold temps, and ample snow that made it feel like a perfect february day, this year featured cloudy skies, but temperatures warm enough to comfortably run in shorts and a t-shirt. Even though the lack of early snow is a small disappointment to some skiers who have been spoiled the last couple years, the conditions were near perfect for those runners who loathe the heat and relish the opportunity to suck in that cool, crisp air while still running free from the restriction of cumbersome cold weather apparel.

40 runners took the start line today, with the usual wide variety of speed in the mix. A number of local high school runners came to utilize their good form from the running season before they make the transition into nordic ski training. It was great to see St. Albans Nordic board member Perry Bland make it out for the final race after he had to forgo the first two events to sell some of his fine produce at the local farmer’s market. A special shoutout to all those who attended all three races this year: Sara Heth, Brook Hodgeman, Melissa Seymour, Damian Bolduc, Jessica Bolduc, Bill Simmons, Scott Magnan, Kristofer Anderson, Jackson Sargent, Roy Sargent, Ashley Sargent, Deb Riopel, and Hillary Stine. All of you are All-Stars. It’s a shame the Westford Turkey Trot is not happening this year, those Westford hills would feel a lot easier after racing on the hills of Hard’ack.

This week’s course featured another new route. It was billed as a less hilly route than the previous two races, and it was to some extent, but it was not flat by any means. Still, if you had the energy left, you could punch up the shorter hills, and find time to recover before the next one. We got lots of positive feedback on this course, so be prepared to see it again next year!

I want to thank everyone who came out to race over the past weeks. It was very uplifting for me to be able to bring you all together for these events. I want to wrap up this series by trying to answer the question “Why do we run?” There are some obvious answers, like “It’s a healthy lifestyle”, or “It helps me clear my mind and reduce stress.” Those are perfectly good reasons to explain why an individual may run, but it still doesn’t answer the question of why WE run, why we show up to run together at a race like this. If you really think about it, to an outside observer, it’s extraordinarily odd for 40 people of such varying ages and abilities to put so much effort into congregating at one venue so they can put their body through pain and suffering while weaving through the woods and meadows with no apparent real purpose. Perhaps we just like to suffer, because suffering heals us and makes us stronger. Perhaps we’re competing to see who is the best, or how we measure up against the best or against our rivals. I would suggest there is another purpose, a subtle but important one that has only become clear to me recently. We run together for the same reason that we sing and dance and laugh together, to express ourselves and release our emotions through the art of running, to share a common bond with our fellow human beings, to experience the true humanity that brings meaning into our lives and helps us deal with the harsh realities of the world. To an outside observer, what we do may seem frivolous or pointless, and it may defy logic, but to me, and to many of you, it is an essential part of our existence.

Thank you all again, best wishes, and I hope to see you sooner rather than later.

Tyler Magnan

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