Beck, 26, finished her Adirondack 46ers last September before embarking on a world wide tour of cities, mountain ranges and pubs. Following her travels, Beck is rumored to be entertaining an offer to be camp's webmaster for the second summer session.
The two-time Patch Sprinter has made it a habit to run the course, despite participating as a trekker.
Getting to the top of Pok-O and spending hours enjoying the camaraderie of everyone who made it out to walk, run, hike and support the greatest camp in the universe via the Adirondack Scholarship Foundation. The sense of accomplishment and relief that I dont have to do that again for another year is huge.
You run the course, yet in the trekker division. What's the advantage of this?
I am, in general, a person who dislikes competition. By running the course in the trekker division I am able to challenge myself, without the pressure of racing against someone else. That was what last year's group, Team Fun, was all about, although we didn't stay together as a team, and if you saw me struggling up Pok-O, I certainly wa'snt having fun. But, overall, my philosophy is to have fun, which is what the trekker division is all about.
How do you train for the Patch Sprint?
The past two sprints, while residing in Willsboro, I had the advantage of hiking the mountains and running parts of the course regularly, and hiking half the course at a time in the weeks leading up to the race. This year, I have taken a slightly different approach. I am practicing my physical and mental endurance by spending 12 hour stretches on primitive busses through windy Andean passes while forced to listen to pan pipes play El Condor Pasa for the eighteenth time. My heart and circulatory system are also benefitting from the copious amounts of Chilean wine as well as the high altitude (I am writing this from over 12,000 feet!) Once I get back to the states I plan on running, running, and doing yoga and pilates.
You've been out of the country for awhile. What are you most looking forward to upon your return to camp and the Adirondacks?
The people, first and foremost. The mountains. Bunny. The Sportsmans. Darts. Fiona. Golf. The lake. Sharpe. I could keep going...
What is your advice to people considering their first Patch Sprint?
If you want to have a good time and challenge yourself, trek with someone at the same pace as you. If you're wary of the length, volunteer and be a sherpa up Pok-O - all the fun, much less pain! No matter what - just go for it!
Champion to miss race
Two-time defending Women's Masters Champion Eileen Sofield Leone will miss the 2008 Patch Sprint as a result of injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident this past winter. Leone writes:
Hi Patch Sprinters,
First off, I wanted to tell you how upset I am that I will not be able to compete in the Patch Sprint this year. I was planning on breaking 3 hours this year, winning the Women’s Masters division again; however, last month I was in a snowmobile accident while vacationing in Utah (see pic right). My partner in crime was my son Liam Leone (3rd place in 2007 Kindersprint) who was driving at the time. Fortunately, Liam was OK – I ended up with a black eye, a severely pulled right hamstring, and a big fat bill to pay for the snowmobile. Here we are one month later and although I am running (a little) and doing lots of hot yoga, there is no way I could finish the Patch Sprint. The up-hills would just about kill me.
I plan on coming back next year in 2009 to compete in the Women’s Masters division again…and I will break 3 hours.
Love to all, Eileen
With Leone's absence, the women's masters remains the only vacant division so far in 2008.
