The Beast
"Runner discretion. Please use runner discretion. You will face adverse weather conditions, please use your discretion and keep yourself safe" That’s how the race directors start each pre-race meeting. What they fail to realize is that the discretion of many of these runners should be questioned...thoroughly. This race, which is really two races, is located north of Buffalo, NY. Unfortunately, all of the stereotypes about Buffalo weather hold true. We get snow. We get bitter cold. We get melting summers. And, in the minds of the two race directors, we get the Beast of Burden. The Beast, is run in both the winter and the summer. In order to get the coveted “Double Buckle” you must run both. In that order. In the same year. There are no exceptions. The Beast doesn’t want to know your sob stories or excuses. It sounds easy enough. The course is pancake flat. There is only one road crossing. The only other obstacle you will encounter is a