Endless Trails Runners' Weekend
Endless Trails Runners' Weekend
October 26th-28th, 2018
$370 pp. shared room / $420 pp. private room
Rate includes two nights of lodging and meals. Guests will arrive Friday afternoon and depart after a post-run brunch on Sunday, with breakfasts and activities included on both weekend days.
Want to get away and devote a little time to your trail-running training?
Why not take advantage of cooler fall temperatures and the wilds of the Katahdin Woods and Waters area and make a weekend of it? Whether you are just looking for some exercise or training for an Ultra Marathon, runners of all experience levels are welcome!
Join Mike Downing, co-owner of Mt. Chase Lodge, and his former teammate Rob Gomez, of Eastern Shore Training and a RRCA-ceritified running coach, for a full weekend of running adventure. Arrive mid-afternoon on Friday to join him and your fellow adventurers for a shake-out run followed by a gourmet lakeside dinner. Following dinner there will be a roundtable discussion to introduce everyone, determine what people would like to get out of the weekend, and decide how many groups we may need split up into during runs. Afterwards, relax on the outdoor patio or stretch in the lodge that evening to be ready for the next day’s scenic run.
Saturday will include a healthy breakfast, a group steady-state run, and an afternoon of hiking, kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding. Bag lunches will be included for Saturday. Expect break-out discussions about nutrition, stretching methods, cross training, and how to make the most of your training time.
Sunday morning will include a light breakfast before the weekend’s longest jaunt. All starting together, we will set out on a run with scenic views of the surrounding mountains and eventually split up to meet everyone's long run goals. After the long run, cool off in Upper Shin Pond and celebrate with an ample brunch before you pack up to head home.
All participants will be expected to complete a brief questionnaire to determine experience levels.
Ready to run? Grab some friends or come solo - just book soon to reserve your spot!
Mike Downing
Chef-Host-Leader
A marathoner and former Bates College runner, Mike Downing has been running competitively on Maine's trails since he was 6 years old. He has kept his love of running alive as he and his family have taken over his wife's family business at Mt Chase Lodge. His marathon PR from his early twenties is 2:35, though these days he’s most interested in completing races without hurting himself. Currently training for the Caribou Marathon, Mike has a wealth of running knowledge and enthusiasm to impart. With a tendency to overdo things, Mike has overcome pretty much every running ailment and injury. It helped to have his own personal Physical Therapist, who also happened to his Dad (who is also a runner himself). When he’s not in the kitchen making gourmet meals for guests, Mike can be seen squeezing in runs on logging roads and area trails (and trying to convince his little dude, Walter, that you have to crawl before you can run).
Bio Photo Credit: Peter Freeman, Capture27 Photography
Rob Gomez
Eastern Shore Training and a RRCA-ceritified running coach
Rob Gomez established Eastern Shore Training (EST) in 2014 and is a RRCA-certified running coach.
After competing at high levels in both cross country and track in high school and then in college, Rob spent a number of years away from running. It was his return to racing with the completion of the 2007 Chicago Marathon when he re-discovered his appreciation for running. Since then, Rob has been able to channel this passion into a number of successes in road racing, most notably the New England Runner Magazine's Maine Runner of the Year in 2013, a win at the 2013 Maine Marathon, two top-40 finishes at the Boston Marathon and a total of six marathons in under 2:25.
In addition to individual successes, Rob has been able to contribute to the Maine running community in various ways. In particular, he held positions as vice president and then president of the board between 2011 and 2014 for Dirigo Racing Club, Maine's premier road racing club. He was also head coach of the girls' and boys' cross country teams at Biddeford High School in 2009 and 2010.
Since 2014, Rob has been able to share what he has learned over his 15+ years of successful running and racing with clients of all ages and ability levels. Whether you're aiming to finish your first 5k or looking for your next marathon PR, a training plan from EST will help you get where you'd like to go!
Rob is also responsible for getting Mike one of his first cooking positions at the Bates Den back in 2003. Perhaps starting Mike on his path to cooking and baking at Mt Chase Lodge.
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