Check out Skatey-Mark’s report from Athens to Atlanta: it’s a long report, just like A2A, and Mark tells the story with great detail- A2A 2008 Race Report - A Breakthrough Year for Skatey-Mark!-
A2A is more than just skating. It’s an 87-mile balancing act. You have to pace yourself properly. You have to eat. You have to drink. And you have to make sure you have the supplies you need to get from checkpoint to checkpoint. You have to have a plan, a strategy. Now, some of that comes from experience. This being my 8th A2A (7 if you don’t count 2005), I know the course well enough to have a plan for completing it. I don’t necessarily *know* the course (where to turn, etc) but I know the important bits. Unfortunately, the turn sheet on the website is majorly out-of-date. It still lists water stops that don’t exist, the 6-mile stretch of gatorback, etc. So if someone planned their race according to the turn sheet, they’d be in for some unpleasant surprises.
We dashed through the twisty turns of the neighborhoods leading us to Peidmont Park. There were 4 of us in close proximity, but I wouldn’t really call us a “pack”. We broke apart often and weren’t really working together anymore. It was every man for himself. As we neared the park entrance, I found myself getting dropped. I struggled to keep close as we rounded the turns. I resigned myself to fourth place and we came up on the final turn. But the guy in 3rd place had slowed significantly. I had to try to pass him. Some quick, hard pushes and I got around him. He didn’t try to catch me. We approached the finish line and saw that it indeed had been moved further up the hill, as Henry mentioned in the Saturday-night-rant. It didn’t look like much, but that extra 30-40 yards was tough! My pace slowed, but I kept pushing and crossed the line right around the 5:34 mark. I think I can honestly say I couldn’t have done it any faster. My legs, which had served me well all day, were now dead.
Filed under: Reports, Roller, Skaters, Ultra Distance
