ELIN ANDERSON "Mount Washington Road Race. Where do I begin? It sure was an experience different than the rest. This was my first time "running" up that ONE hill. To say I came unprepared is an understatement, especially after a hectic week with too many commitments. I find myself in overall good shape and can make most shorter race distances work with some regular training. I recently ran a half marathon in just over 1:40. I had been told the time it took to run MWRR would be comparable to that. That was not the case. Early on I realized that my one hill repeat workout was not sufficient. I had anticipated some walking but not as much. After about a mile, I came to terms with the fact that this race would be more like a power walk. I alternated jogging and walking, and made time for photos, water stops and moments to simply enjoy the experience. The race started off muggy and I felt overdressed. Clothing restricted but I was happy to have had the different layers once we got to higher grounds as the weather swiftly changed. In the end it was extremely windy, cold and wet, but I felt energized and finished in just over 2 hours with a sprint. The weekend was magical. Fun with friends and acquaintances, enjoying a new type of adventure. I learned so much and regained the respect for the unpredictability of the weather, and the breathtaking but at times brutally challenging landscape. Mt. Washington and the White Mountains haven't seen the last of me, I'll be back."
JASON BARBIERI "The Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race was an absolutely amazing first-time experience for me. Despite the crazy 51mph winds at the summit, it was an incredible day! I'm so grateful to have shared this experience with all my MVS friends and looking forward to hopefully having the opportunity to do it again. Thank you to all my fellow MVS Runners and Volunteers that were out there with me! This race has always been one of my many bucket list races. I'm so happy to have shared this adventure with all of you!"
EMILY CONDON "During this race you really find out what you are capable of. This year was so great until mile 5. I no longer recognized my red puffy face in selfies and I’m so sorry I forgot all your names. Everything hurt at the end; I wasn’t sure if I was going cry, throw up, or eat 5 whole turkeys. It was awesome."
RITA COSGROVE "I'm done doing the Mount Washington Road Race. This is my 6th and final time. I will never do this again". There is video proof of this, but do we believe her?
ANDY & LOUISE CUMMINGS "To those of you who said ‘one and done’ I hope you don’t judge this epic event by this year’s conditions. Mt Washington weather can be dangerous, if not deadly. It can also be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Andy and I were lucky enough to be able to run it for the fifth time. Funny story, while waiting for me to finish (yes, it was quite a while), he ordered 2 slices of pizza, nachos, Mac & cheese, a Whoopi’s pie, and 2 hot dogs. Oh, and of course a coffee. My dear friend Diane was running with me at the start and was going to stay with me, so fortunately I made her skedaddle and she finished with a 2nd AG! The best part about the harsh conditions was how much we supported each other. Many many thanks to the volunteers and drivers!"
GINA FERRANTE "I channeled my inner, Ted Lasso's Roy Kent, during the last mile and a half with "Faaaack".
STEPHANIE GUYOTTE "Around 6 miles in or so, I met a woman named Laura from Wellesley. She was also a first timer, she caught up to me and said "you want to finish together? There's no one else around us." The fog was so dense I could only see about 10 feet in front of me. The wind was whipping and it was raining sideways. We power walked together and just kept climbing. No stopping. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we saw a mile 7 marker and soon heard cow bells from an amazingly energetic volunteer who propelled us to the end. I crossed the finish line and heard the volunteers yell, "I got her," as they wrapped me in a blanket and medal. It was a humbling experience. Having so many MVSers there - runners and volunteers - made it truly special."
JULIA HARDY "This was my second try at this feat, and my first time reaching the summit. My first attempt was last year, when the organizers placed the finish line at the halfway point due to inhospitable conditions at the summit. I knew this would be a hard task, but I took this effort as carefully, methodically, and persistently as I could, because I knew that even after the first half, the second half wouldn't get any easier. During this arduous hike up the Mount Washington Auto Road, I encountered fog, steady winds, and rain, but still, I endured, and conquered the mountain. It is impossible to describe or to imagine the deep and blissful sense of relief and elation that I felt when I saw the finish line through the fog at the summit after that last steep push. This year, I felt like I really earned my medal. This event is an experience in and of itself. If I ever do it again, I hope it's on a day with better weather!"
MAK & SHILPA JOSHI
"It surely was a race for the memories. For a couple years now MVSers have mentioned how challenging yet special this race was. I wanted to see it for myself and we were fortunate that Shilpa and I got to run it together. Shilpa won the lottery and I am thankful to MVS for the bib. Not knowing exactly how to prepare, we simply used the Andover hills, and a few steep White Mountains hikes to get our legs and minds prepared (at least so we thought). Nothing could however really prepare us for the actual day which began with a lot of cheers and excitement at the start line. It didn’t take much long after the start to realize that our training was nothing close to what we were up to at the actual mountain. The cheering during the first few miles pulled us through the arduous climb of the first two miles. Along the way, I would often either be passed by or I would pass an MVSer and we’d share how challenging the so-called “only one hill” was. Soon enough it was clear that I needed to muster up inner strength and tap into past experience to conquer this hill, one mile at a time. Shilpa had gotten a head start over me early on and I was able to catch up with her just after the half-way mark. By then, it was starting to get cold, drizzle had become consistent, and visibility had gotten poor. I had heard along the way that miles 2 and 5 were the hardest and so, we set a short-term goal to finish mile 5. It was challenging for sure but once again, we ran into other MVSers; we walked/ran/walked together and it certainly eased the challenge. Soon enough, we were at the last mile and now the going had gotten pretty tough. We said to ourselves, this is what we had signed up for and we knew we could get it done. While the rain drops backed by strong winds were pelting us, we knew that every step was bringing us closer and while the poor visibility meant we could not see the top of the mountain, we knew it was getting near. The last hairpin turn I recall was one of the toughest climb I’ve ever walked up. In hindsight, it seems okay but on those tired legs, it was a great "learning" experience. Nevertheless, Shilpa and I crossed the finish line happy and with a smile – knowing that this is an experience we would cherish for quite a long time to come! Whether there’s another Mount Washington Road Race in our future – we don’t know, but at least we know now what the “only one hill” looks like 😊 and the 2023 medal on our medals’ rack will be a reminder of the challenge."
JIM LAPREL "I always said that Mt Washington is a different experience once you get above the tree line. Everything is on the table. We got the full menu with rain, wind, fog and temps in the low 40's. Every year is different. It took me 43 finishes before I was ever treated for hypothermia. We never know year to year with the weather".
SUSHIL MOTWANI "The Delta Dental Mount Washington Auto Road race was one of a kind that I have never experienced before. In spite of spending the last month and a half training on the treadmill for 75-90 minutes at 14 -16% incline at least once a week it did not prepare me for what I had to endure. From 54 degrees at the base to 41 degrees at the top with a windchill of below 30 degrees and blowing rain from mile 5 onwards. It was an experience that only can be endured, but never trained. Will I do it again? If you had asked me that question on that day, I would've said "never again". But now this has sunk in and it's great, it's fantastic, and an experience that everyone must do multiple times to really get the full experience of what it is to go up 7.6 miles and over 4500 feet in elevation at a grade of more than 14% on an average. Finishing the race in 2:31 was an accomplishment in itself and I hope that if I do get a chance to run this again, I will try to beat this by at least 10 minutes. After all, it's only ONE HILL!!"
YAIRA NUNEZ "This was my first Mount Washington race or as I now call it “beast mountain” race. A lot harder than I anticipated but with the help of the amazing Louise, we braved the crazy weather and conquered that ONE hill.
Thank you to MVS for the bib. Never in a million years did I think I was capable of doing anything like this and it’s because of this running club that I’m able to say I have."
JOSH PELLETIER "It was a great experience. I left everything out there on the “One hill”. Even through the wind and the rain still made it to the top. Beat the time I was aiming for so very happy. Great to see that all my fellow runners finished the race and enjoying their well-deserved turkey meal. On to next year!!"