PULASKI, NY – Luke Tighe, an eleventh grade student at Pulaski Academy and Central School, took first place honors in all three snowshoe racing events that he entered for the winter 2022 WFRA racing season.
Going head to head with older, more experienced athletes, Tighe showed the way and put in an impressively consistent performance on the snow covered trails of Winona Forest. Competing in the Norway 5k, an event run for the first time on a brand new trail this season, the Stonewall 5k/10k, and the SnoFat Shu Duathlon, Tighe managed to maintain a fitness level across several contests that brought success.
Tighe stays very active all year, running fall cross country for the Pulaski Blue Devils, swimming in the winter on a combined team, and competing on Pulaski’s track team in the spring. During the snowshoe racing season, he swims every day after school, but still manages to get a run in almost every day as well.
“Now I am doing a lot of speed work with track practice, so I am probably in better shape now than I was in the winter,” Tighe said.
Tighe said that his nutritional approach to fitness is fairly simple, not going to the length of vegetarianism, but that he tries to avoid processed food as much as possible.
As the summer winds down, the first few cold fronts cross the North Country, the lake effect machine cranks up, and Tighe’s thoughts turn to the upcoming snowshoe racing season and the soon to be snow covered trails of Winona Forest. He said that he really looks forward to the WFRA sponsored events that give him a chance to run during a time of year that running races are rarely available.
“Winona forest is a nice area…nice and hilly,” Tighe said. “In the end it’s nice to know that I am doing well in the races, but it’s really just about enjoying the outdoors.”
Winona Forest Recreation Association President Matt Westerlund has watched Tighe compete and raced against him for several years, and has high praise for the young athlete. Westerlund said that Tighe has much potential and could use his talents in many different ways, and that he is looking forward to following a young person with such a great fitness base develop as a competitor.
“He is the reason why we do what we do,” Westerlund said. “It’s exciting to see today’s youth blasting through the snow on snowshoes…this stuff is hard, but kids like Luke keep showing up.”
Westerlund said that he hopes to see more young people follow Tighe’s example, noting that the areas available natural resources, such as the Winona Forest Trails, are “amazing.”
“Luke exemplifies the vision of our organization…I hope in the years to come we see many more like him, local kids involved in outdoor competition,” Westerlund said.
Although the winter racing season is over for 2022, the WFRA is planning several warm season events to allow enthusiasts to continue to enjoy the massive trail system. Westerlund said that the trails are becoming more and more accessible in the spring, summer and fall.
June 18 will see the first running of the Bikes, Brews and Burgers Poker Run. Anyone with a bike is welcome to attend, with participants collecting poker chips at checkpoints as they explore the forest. No poker experience is necessary, and a barbecue for all will follow the ride. Registration and information can be found here.
The annual Deerfly Trail run is planned for August, along with the inaugural and highly anticipated 24 hour trail event, where solo runners and teams will run as much or little as they choose for 24 hours, completing as many laps as they can. There are only a handful of 24 hour events similar to this in existence.
Additional information regarding spring and summer events can be found at www.winonaforest.com, or on the WFRA Facebook page.
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