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Acadia Cross Island - May 18, 2024

Acadia Cross Island - (ACI) - May 18th, 2024

So here we are, the highly unofficial and certainly not an "official" race... the Acadia Cross Island 2024 race.  Year 8!

Date: Saturday May 18th, 2024

Cost: $0

No Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram please. Strava is the most public attention we can give this, even then only use ACI not the full written out description to keep it somewhat coy.


The Route: (GPX File emailed separately)
​
West to east, the most direct route from Seal Cove road to the finish at Gorham Trailhead. It's 31 miles, 11.5K+ in elevation gain. The fastest run times have been between 7:42:59 (2019 CR) by Jeff Rome and Dylan Brann 7:48 (2020.). The last runners took 12:30 to finish it.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2378780888/overview

The Stagger Start

We start people based on their expected time on course. So the runners that finished in 12:30 started almost 2 hours ahead of the winner.. From the earliest starter to the last starter, everyone else starts at different times based on their expected pace. This ideally creates a situation where a back of the back runner can be competing for the win with the upfront runners. The last two years Jeff Rome (2019) and Dylan (2020) ran us all down but several others made it really tight with super strong performances. I think with more tweaking and data from each year we can get it even closer and more runners within sight and chasing each other down that final Champlain descent.

First runner to reach Fabbri wins. Not the shortest amount of running time. First runner to the finish line.

How are the start times created?
I make them up. Sort of.

I use strava times, anecdotal reasoning, bias, judgement, guessing, and some good old fashioned math. Without data for the course (besides Tom and I over the years doing it more casually,) we didn't have an idea of just how fast someone would, or many people would, run it. Now with more data from 2019 and 2020 we'll be able to dial it in (hopefully) with more accuracy for the 2021 race. So every couple weeks I'll send everyone a pace chart update based on nagging injuries, training logs on Strava, or generally just as we tweak it from your feedback. You all get a chance to make your case, but I'm a firm believer of aggressive start times instead of sandbagging with an easier start time. The idea is for everyone to push themselves, not hold hands at the finish. There are plenty of ultras to do that. This isn't it. Go out harder than you think you should. When you get tired, run harder.  That means something different for everyone, but if you're the first runner out the gate, you need to hustle to keep people from catching you.  Run it like a race and run it hard.  

In 2019 we had 9 runners, with 8 of those that came back in 2020 (winner Jeff Rome now lives in Colorado.) New additions in 2020 were Peter Philbrook, Darron Collins, John Rodrigue, Brandon Chase and Daniel Cortes. 2021 version we hope to start with 16 runners, up from 12 in 2020. As runners are spread out over several hours, there are only 1-2 runners heading out together at the same time and everyone is spread over the 31 miles.  We have twenty on the entrants list now and we can start with 20, but my assumption (and experience directing races over the years) is that some people will have to pull out or otherwise "life" will keep them from doing it. But most people have this on their list as their "A" race for the season and barring injuries, I think we'll have a solid 16+ starting.  


ACADIA NATIONAL PARK DISCLAIMER
Obviously we all live here and the park is our home and we don't want to do anything that irritates the park with what they might deem a "commercial" event or large groups that don't fall into their approved requirements.  We are allowed by park rules to have up to 20 people doing the same event.  So for that we keep the runner list limited within that number.   I have also talked to several of the ANP Rangers about the event and unless we broke the 20 person threshold, created traffic congestion or otherwise were a group that was creating destruction, litter, or doing things that none of this group would do, we are an accepted "under the radar" event each year.  It's the best worst kept secret on the island.   We need to maintain a positive influence on the park and keep our areas clean, parking lots clean and safe (no illegal parking to see a runner, crews can create issues for us if they are not careful) and remaining polite to everyone we encounter.  Easy stuff right? 

Until then, here's a ton of stuff to read, digest, and dive into when you have time.

Strava Flyby 2019- (Make sure you check the boxes for Tom, Dylan, Jeremy, Rebeccah, Brad, William)
https://labs.strava.com/flyby/viewer/#2378474150?c=drzkh9dd&z=E&t=1Su14U&s=AO

Video of 2019 run:
https://youtu.be/dex-AIXcPaA

Relive route video from 2019:
https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qVMoXxY76
​

Most Updated Pace Chart - 2019-2021 Actuals

2019-2021 actuals with 2021 fastest times ranking, relative effort ranking and 2021 winning time standings.  
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PDpPm9URYzVURu5MHeb63ZLwsJSfoiNx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113685285402396230170&rtpof=true&sd=true
​
Picture
acadia_cross_island_invitation_2020_pace_chart_actual_01.25.2021.xlsx
File Size: 95 kb
File Type: xlsx
Download File

Tom on the west side 2018
2018 descent off Penobscot
Jordan Pond in 2018’s running
Tom St. Germain coming out of the woods on Mansell
Jeremy & Dylan in 2019
The Starting 9 of 2019
Finisher awards courtesy of children learning to spray paint.
Jeff Rome receiving his 1st overall award.
Dylan & Tom coming up Razorback’s north side
While on the summit of Bald Peak we could see Tom summiting Gilmore
The Two Idiots who forgot their packs for the start of a 31 mile mountain run
The finish.
The Western side.
Brad coming into Flying Mountain (mile 13) to pick up his pack, and daughter!
The stats of 2019.
The winners of 2019’s ACI. Jeff Rome (1st), Dylan Brann (2nd) and Rebeccah Geib (3rd)
Brad looking off into what was.
Tom & Dylan coming out of a notch on the west side early on.
Wet and rooty in on Bernard.
The finishers of the 2019 ACI. Tom finished and went straight to work and missing in the photo. DJ (far right) was our volunteer for the kayak portion.
Making finisher awards out of old retired lobster buoys.
Kristin coming into Gorham parking lot.
Race prep by Dean and Maggie.
Jeremy’s pack...sitting in William and Kristin’s car. Who just departed down the trail...
The Champlain descent at sunset
Dropping off Penobscot
Descending down Kirk Dietrich Trail into the Tarn.
Looking down onto Somes Sound we could see Tom kayaking across. We had to still drop down Valley Peak, then up Flying Mountain, then down and then kayak the sound to catch up to this point.
Jeff Rome, 1st overall. Sub 8 hours.
The back side of Parkman, gnarly and wet.
Jenn and Brad caught us on Bald Peak.
Our kayak aid station volunteers, Maggie, Dean and Jojo.
The final big climb going up the west side of Champlain.
Jumping into the kayaks for the 1 mile crossing of Somes Sound.
The Perpendicular Trail.
Jen caught us going out of Flying Mountain as she was going in with Brad. They caught back up to us as we reached Bald Peak.
The 1st overall’s award.
William and Kristin head out before everyone else, leading the way for the day.
Acadia.
Parkman
ACI’s elevation profile.
Jeff Rome’s CR win in 2019.
Dorr Mountain descent in 2018.
Parkman Mountain
The 2018 running of ACI.
2018 ACI.
Records fell in 2020
Forested fog early on in the 2020 running on the west side
Perpendicular Trail 2020
Catching Rebeccah on her injured ankle near Acadia in 2020. She’s go on to stop at Flying Mountain.
Bernard Mountain Tunnel early in the 2020 race
2020 Strava Flyby
Full sprint finish in 2020. Dean is not impressed.
Dylan Brann finishing hard in the 2020 race.
The Philbrook Family comes to play!
Val & Aaron, volunteer champs of the 2020 race!
Tom headed out for his fourth ACI.
Brandon Chase headed out in 2020
Bradford riiiiiight before he got off trail and had to drop.
The last 7 of the 2020 entrants to head out.
Highly official race results done by a 7 year old.
Peter Philbrook, the 2020 Champion receiving his trophy.
Darron Collins headed out for the 2020 ACI.
The 2020 Winners Trophy
​
You're only tired because you think you're tired. Keep going.
  • Get Out. Get Lost.
  • ACI UPDATES
  • ACI - Acadia Cross Island
  • The Acadia Round
  • Past Races, Hikes & Adventures
    • Barnhardt Loop Trail 2008
    • Cascade Crest Classic 100 Mile Endurance Race
    • Copper Basin 50K 2010
    • Crow Pass Crossing 2010
    • Elephant Mountain 35K 2013
    • Flagstaff 50K 2010
    • Kahtoola Race Series 2010
    • Mazatzal Wilderness 18M 2010
    • Mesquite Canyon 50K 2010
    • Mesquite Canyon 50k 2011
    • Mesquite Canyon 50K - 2013
    • Mountain Mist 50K 2010
    • Mt. Lemmon 50M 2011
    • Pass Mountain 50k
    • Phoenix Summit Challenge 2009
    • Ragnar Relay del Sol 2010
    • R2R2R 2009
    • R2R2R October 2010
    • R2R2R June 2011 - Another Notch on the belt of Humility
    • San Tan Scramble 50K 2011
    • Superstition Wilderness 50 Mile Adventure Spring 2011
    • Tucson Marathon 2009
    • Tucson Marathon 2013
    • Zane Grey 50M 2010
    • Zane Grey 50M 2011
  • Bucket List
  • Contact Me
    • Contact Me