Paul Smith’s College makes impact at recent US Collegiate National Snowshoe Championships
LEADVILLE, Colo. – Paul Smith's College snowshoe racers made their presences known in early March at the United States Collegiate National Snowshoe Championships with a trio of top three results and another event with four athletes in the top 10. The events, featuring over 200 snow shoers, were held at an altitude above 10,000 feet in Leadville, Colo. on the campus of Colorado Mountain College. (The event was US Snowshoe Nationals. This year's event also included a collegiate division for the first time)
In the women's 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) event, Kelly Bosloper and Margret Montag placed second and third, respectively, while Samuel Finger was third in the men's 5-kolometer (3.1 miles) race.
"There was no way I could truly acclimate to the altitude, but I tried to be active all semester before we left for Colorado, by doing races almost every weekend, as well as going hiking and to the gym on a regular basis," stated Montag. "It really helped to arrive in Colorado early to begin to get acclimated and do physical activity. We hiked a couple of days in the mountains when we arrived, and this helped me prepare mentally and physically for dealing with the elevation.
"It is tough to keep your mind in control, when your body wants to run at the same pace you would back in the east, and the Colorado runners seem to be unaffected by the altitude," added Finger, who became Paul Smith's first-ever Collegiate All-American. We have enjoyed several snowshoe runners from Paul Smith's College who earned a spot on the US National Team since 2004. This was the first year there was a distinct category for Collegiate All American status.
Zachary Sprott-Scribner took fifth in the men's 10-kilometer national race.
"Zack felt confident going into the event, knowing he had solid performances in some 15K (9.3 miles) races," stated Jim Tucker, Paul Smith's College Director of Athletics. "He was able to rely on his experience backpacking at high elevations in India to mentally prepare for the exertion and effort it takes to compete and work at such high elevations."
All four were named Collegiate All Americans for their top five performances. The Bobcats 4 by 2.5-kilometer (1.55 miles) relay team raced to a silver medal.
In addition to the sheer numbers (? I am guessing that this is reference to the number of races our PSC crew competed in prior to heading to CO. Hand counting, I can see that they raced ten times in the six weeks leading to the trip to CO. "Normal" competitors would not have raced this many races in such a short time span.) in the various competitions, such exertion at elevation was a major factor. Nicholas Ferrara placed sixth for Paul Smith's in the 10-K, finishing one spot from being named a U.S. Collegiate All American. "I have hiked the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks, but I have never been at this type of elevation before this trip. Breathing at 10,000 feet is no joke. I drew upon my teammates, as they always push me to work harder."
And there was Matt Frye, who finished eighth behind Ferrara. In addition to the altitude, Frye was able to cope with blistered feet, incurred at an event two weeks earlier.
"Throughout the race, there were many times I wanted to just give up because of the pain I was going through," admitted Frye. "Thoughts kept running through my head telling me to quit now and it will all be over. The thoughts that ran through my head sounded good at the time, but then I quickly realized that I wasn't just doing this race for me. I was racing for my teammates, my coach, and my family. I didn't want to let anyone down, so I pushed myself probably the hardest I ever pushed myself before to cross that finish line."
All seven of the Paul Smith's College runners received medals from the U.S. Snowshoe Association for their top 10 finishes in their respective collegiate events.
About Paul Smith's College
At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. We are the only four-year institution of higher education in the Adirondacks. Our programs - in fields including hospitality, culinary arts, forestry, natural resources, entrepreneurship and the sciences - draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. For more information, visit paulsmiths.edu.