Race Report: BUS 6-Hour Race

April 6 saw the 2013 edition of the BUS 6-Hour Race, held in conjunction with the New York Ultrarunning Grand Prix awards brunch. This year we moved back to Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream, Long Island, and the beautiful 1.4+ mile course around the lake.

Start of the 6-hour

 The weather was a little cool, but a beautiful sunny day. With the 6-day race just two weeks ahead of me, I didn't want to push this race. I just wanted to run comfortably, run well, and maintain good technique and enjoy the day. After the start, Tommy Pyon quickly took the lead en route to a 49+ mile win. I was running a couple laps with Brian Teason before he took off, then I ran another few laps with Andy Costa before he took off, but I enjoyed chatting with both of them and hearing about their plans for upcoming races.

Me and Andy Costa

 Having missed the 6-Hour Birthday Run in October and Caumsett 50K in March, this was the first time in a while I'd had the opportunity to see some of the regulars on the New York/Long Island ultra scene. It was almost like a family reunion with people like Admas Belilgne, Andrei Aroneanu, Frank DeLeo, Grant McKeown, Al Prawda, Ruth Liebowitz, Lydia Redding, Helma Clavin, Charles Bifulco, Nick Palazzo, and on and on and on.

Mike and Marybeth Costello

 I am thankful to Mike and Marybeth Costello for giving me a ride, and for leaving me with the coolers that I bought for the 2009 Badwater race and left in Mike's mother's house in Henderson, NV, never expecting them to make their way back to me in NY!

Shannon McGinn pre-race

 In the end, I finished with 43.7 miles, as much as I would have wanted to run, which put me in 4th place behind Tommy, Brian and Andy. The women's winner was Shannon McGinn, who has really been doing some excellent running lately! But it was a close race with Amanda Toro and Jodi Kartes-Heino not far behind. For the 2012 New York Ultrarunning Grand Prix, the 2012 winners were first-time winner Aaron Heath and recurring winner Jodi Kartes-Heino. Congratulations to them! Overall, a great way to spend a Saturday!

Note: Thanks to Donna Sajulga-Tabios for pics #1, 2, and 5!

The lake behind me