From Spring 08 Issue of Piers Magazine:If one were judging solely on appearances, then the petite 8-year Sports Center member Chrissie Evans doesn’t seem the type to participate in grueling 150+ mile multi-stage races across some of the most unforgiving terrain and environmental conditions on earth. Yet, this soft-spoken articulate young woman with a slight build, delicate features and short blond hair has completed eight official multi-stage races, in regions including the Sahara and Gobi deserts, Corsica, the Rockies, Egypt and Australia.
Though, in full disclosure, the multi-race in the Rockies was shortened to about 120 miles for insurance reasons because, “there was too much bear activity.” But, the multi-stage unpredictability is one aspect that attracts Chrissie, who finds herself more relaxed in these competitions where “there are so many unknowns, so much out of your control.”
Chrissie began her foray into endurance events in high school when she competed in long distance swims. In college, she played tennis and continued to swim.Her first ultra-long run was in 1997 when she ran across the trapezoidally-shaped landlocked South Asian country of Nepal… and then back again. But, it was only 5 years ago, at the age of 27, that Chrissie began officially participating in multi-stage races.
Most of the stages consist of 26.2 (a full marathon) mile days with one “long” day averaging between 50 and 70 miles. Some of these multi-stage races are deemed “self- sufficient,” which means that runners are required to carry all of their gear with them, provided only with water along the course and a tent at night. But, with experience, Chrissie has gotten the weight of her pack down from22 to 16 pounds, a significant advantage for a 150-mile trek.
As one might imagine, training for such exhaustive endurance events requires a great deal of dedication and commitment. Chrissie trains at the Sports Center health club 4-6 times a week, revealing that “It’s my peaceful time of day, particularly with the natural light.”
While Chrissie takes advantage of all that the Sports Center offers, including strength training equipment and classes such as Interval Box with Pam and Ab Lab with John, you’ll rarely see her running.
In order to prevent injury, she maintains a schedule of heavy cross training and relatively low mileage. And, the mileage she does is mostly on park trails, such as at Rockefeller Park in Sleepy Hollow. According to Chrissie, the terrain on the trails most simulates the multi-stage races, saying that, “You need strength. You need stability on the trails.” She also trains with a pack to further imitate racing conditions, explaining, “I love how strong I feel [with the pack].My core gets very strong and I don’t want to run without it.”
While the Sports Center is ripe with a variety of group classes and programs for team training, its large open atmosphere is also conducive to individual focus. Training is Chrissie’s “quiet time,” as she explains, “I like to train alone. I don’t thrive under the bootcamp mentality.”
It is the solitude and tranquility of multi-stage races that draws Chrissie to the experience, as she describes parts of the Sahara as a “lunar landscape” and to be there is “like you’re on the moon.”
The scenery might be beautiful, but Chrissie admires it on the run. Although she loves the races, she readily admits, “I want the stage to be over, especially when it’s 128 degrees!”
For those who know distance runners, modesty is a commonly shared trait and Chrissie’s demeanor doesn’t deviate from this suitable stereotype. In fact, she claims that running a multi-stage race is “easier than a marathon because the marathon is about speed.”
As one of the few females who competes in multi-races at a high level, Chrissie says that these races are “more about mental strength and I’m better in tougher situations. I take a couple of days to get going.”Multi-races are undoubtedly arduous endeavors that require a mental and physi- cal tenacity that a select few, including Chrissie Evans, possess.
The Sports Center provides a place where Chrissie can cultivate the strength she needs to complete these races and an environment where she finds the calm to complement her disposition.
