Athlete Race Recap: Lake Placid Classic & Army Ten-Miler

It was a weekend of running races for Full Circle Endurance athletes!

• Lake Placid Classic - Lake Placid, New York
• Army Ten-Miler - Washington, D.C.

Lake Placid Classic

Jean Carnese ran the Lake Placid Classic on Saturday, October 7, 2023 in Lake Placid, New York!

It’s been almost a full year since Jean has done any racing.  Jean is somewhat unique among endurance athletes in that she is motivated to keep active even without a race to target or looming on the horizon.  Jean only signs up for races that she’s excited about and that feel fun to her, and the Lake Placid Classic fit this bill for her this year!  

Jean and her husband Joe love Lake Placid, so getting to take a trip up there in peak fall foliage season was definitely exciting for them.  Unfortunately, race day conditions were absolutely abysmal, with extremely heavy rain in play throughout the entire race.

Jean was one of only a handful of athletes who faithfully went through her pre-run warm-up routine; most athletes stayed huddled in their cars or other shelters, trying to ward off the impending wetness and discomfort.  But not Jean.  Channeling the spirit of her former coach, Brendan Jackson, Jean bravely “embraced the suck” (a phrase Brendan used to say frequently) and headed out into the elements to take on this race.  She stuck to a run/walk strategy and hydrated and fueled for all 13.1 miles, which kept her running strong right through the finish line.

After she was done, Jean told me that she was not sure if she “has ever been that wet from rain.”  (Sadly, we do not have photographic evidence of said status.)  Bravo, Jean, for embracing the suck!

Army Ten-Miler

Leslie Smith ran the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, October 8, 2023!

The Army Ten-Miler is an annual staple for Leslie, as it is a race that she loves very much, especially since she comes from a military family.  She also is the captain of the corporate team every year for her employer, Lockheed Martin, making this a very special race for her all-around!

Coming off of an A-Race two weeks ago, the Army Ten-Miler was a C-Race for Leslie.  This meant that she approached with an attitude of fun, which really suits her well at a race that means so much to her.  She basked in the sunshine and enjoyed running through the streets of a city that she loves.  She felt strong and in control the entire way, which was truly the cherry on top of the Sunday.

Way to go, Leslie!