Richard Starrrace struck out Saturday in the first leg of the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race, a race up and down Mount Pisgah. The Star Race completed the 12.22 course around the village in one and a half hours. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
SARANAC LAKE — Despite the recent winter weather, participants in Saturday's Saranac Lake 3P Race were able to complete all three P's: pole, pedal and paddle.
At 9 a.m., 140 racers lined up at the base of Mount Pisgah. Some race as individuals, while others run as teammates in different legs of a multisport race.
After skinning and snowshoeing up Pisgah, they skied or ran down the mountain, then hopped on their bikes and set off for Mount Dewey, 4.4 miles away. There wasn't much snow, so we ran instead of cross-country skiing around the Dewey course.
After biking down Beaver Park, they hopped on a boat and rode down the Saranac River to the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club, where they rode overland and back up the mountain to the finish line at the base of the Mount Pisgah ski area. Ta. hill.
Racers approached the 19.22-mile course exhausted, with their tongues sticking out of their mouths and with big smiles on their faces as they completed the challenge.
The Snow Bunnies (Eden Ellsworth, Walter Greene, Lucy Joyner, Eliza Lynch and Marley McKim) race to the finish line of the Kids 3P Race on Saturday. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Dozens of spectators lined the trails, roads and river bridges, wildly waving cowbells and honking their horns, cheering on the racers and heckling their friends and teammates.
This year there was also a children's 3P race around the Mount Pisgah area, with 35 young racers taking part.
“This kind of aligns with the overall purpose of why we do this.” said Scott McKim, one of the event organizers. “It benefits local youth recreation.”
I thought the temperature had gotten warmer recently, but the temperature at the start of the race was 33 degrees.
Mount Pisgah was closed to skiing the week before, McKim said.
Jasper Wiesch of Team Beat Kogut slowed down after racing down Mount Pisgah in the first leg of the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race on Saturday. His team, made up of Saranac Lake High School students, was trying to beat Nordic coach Keith Kogut. Kogut won this competition for the second consecutive year in a solo race. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
“(Mountain manager) Andy Testo really pulled a rabbit out of a hat.” McKim said.
The event was successfully completed with the help of 60 volunteers. McKim said he is excited to be able to host this type of event at Saranac Lake. 3P racing is more common on the West Coast. McKim said Saranac Lake is the only official lake he knows of currently active east of the Rocky Mountains.
“I think we really came up with something.” He said.
It's a tough time of year because of the change in weather, he said. Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has ended. Paddling season hasn't started yet. Also, if the weather is unstable, skiing or cycling can be unstable.
Threesomes get people outside and active, even in bad weather, he said. It gives them a reason to go out and enjoy sports, even in unfavorable situations.
Elizabeth Grice of Team Above Average Mediocrity crossed the finish line of the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race on Saturday, relying on a donut dangling in front of her as motivation to keep going. Her shirt says, “She hates running, but she loves dessert.” (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
–
two-time winner
–
Keith Kogut, Nordic ski coach and band director at Saranac Lake High School, finished the race in first place for the second year in a row, surpassing the world's best. “Defeat Kogut” A team of his students assembled to overturn his title.
His finishing time was 1 hour 13 minutes 20 seconds, 2 minutes 17 seconds faster than the next finishers, a team of forest rangers from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Jeremy Evans paddles down the Saranac River during the penultimate leg of the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race on Saturday. Evans completed the 12.22-mile course in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 35 seconds. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Kogut said he doesn't train for the 3-pointer itself.
“I think it's a lifestyle issue.” He said. “We have a variety of events throughout the year. …This feels like a good test of the Adirondack lifestyle.
“I always tell my students, 'If you want to live happily here, you have to do something.'” Kogut added. “If you want to sit on a couch or lie down on the beach, this is not the place to go. Go out and do it. And the more you do that, the happier your life will be.” .”
He was excited to take first place again, but said he was more excited about the growth of the event.
“It’s nice to see some of the same faces and some new faces.” Kogut said.
Julia Goren of Team Crazy Ladies crossed the finish line of the Saranac Lake 3P Multisport Race on Saturday, besting the two-member team's time on the 12.22-mile course to 1 hour, 48 minutes, 30 seconds. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
He said there was fierce competition on the course.
“I knew that (German biathlete) Andrea Henkel was coming up behind me… It's not every day you get chased by a gold medalist.” Kogut said. “She's a monster. She kept looking over her shoulder.”
Kogut said he will continue to play as long as Saranac Lake's 3-pointer is held. He plans to try a three-peat next year, but he doesn't want to count the chickens until they hatch.
Etta Neal of the Pisgah Pixies team was all smiles as she set off for the bike portion of Saturday's 3P multisport race for kids. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Adam Karl of Team Summit Sirens raced down Mount Pisgah on Saturday in the first leg of the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Chelsea Hamilton of Team Butt Sweat and Beers ran down Mount Pisgah in the first leg of the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race on Saturday. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Jack Burke of the “One Mexican, One German, Two Gringos” team finished his run on Dewey Mountain in the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race on Saturday. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Della Schwartzberg of Team Blue Mustard won the Nordic ski portion of the 3P multisport race for kids on Saturday. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Andrea Henkel-Burk of the “One Mexican, One German, Two Gringo” team races toward the finish line in the Saranac Lake 3P multisport race on Saturday. The German Olympic biathlete and gold medalist carried a Mexican flag, a German flag and a gringo flag. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
Keith Kogut took a breather after finishing the 12.22-mile 3P multisport race on Saturday at Saranac Lake in 1 hour, 13 minutes, 20 seconds. The state Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers were the fastest of the 130 racers, 2 hours and 17 minutes faster than the next team to the finish line. (Corporate photo — Aaron Marborn)
