LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – “Do you believe in miracles?
“Yes!”
Those were the iconic words uttered by sportscaster Al Michaels at the conclusion of the USA’s “Miracle on Ice” 4-3 Olympic ice hockey win over the Soviet Union way back in 1980.
The Americans would go on to capture the gold medal two days later with a victory over Finland.
In retrospect, that quote by Michaels could still apply to today’s sports scene in and around the booming little town in upstate New York.
It’s incredible how the spirit of one athletic feat could inspire so many and keep alive the essence of what sports are all about.
When it comes to active participation sports such as running and cycling, it doesn’t get much better than this.
You have miles and miles of both on- and off-road running and cycling. Even though Lake Placid is best known for hosting the semi-frigid Winter Olympics (1932, 1980), it’s actually the warm-weather months which bring out the recreational athletes here in droves.
Plus you have the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon event which is held each year in July. When I say ironman, I mean ironman. It’s tough enough to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 and run 26.2 on any moderate course but when it’s around and through the challenging Adirondack Mountains, conditions are about as demanding as they get.
The cool thing is just about any athletic-minded person can jump on a bike or lace up a pair of running shoes and travel over segments of the ironman course at a comfortable pace.
On most days in late August the weather conditions are just about perfect. The temperature almost never reaches 80. For the most part, humidity is reasonable.
One of our favorite bike rides takes us along the Ausable River via Route 86 on the way to Whiteface Mountain. It’s about 35 miles round tip and offers spectacular scenery. Another more formidable ride begins in Saranac Lake (about 10 miles north of Lake Placid) and winds up at Blue Mountain Lake. If you feel really ambitious, you can rent a canoe and paddle across one of the most breath-taking bodies of water in the Eastern United States.
Two hours of steady two-person paddle-work will get you around the lake’s nine-mile circumference.
Back at Lake Placid, a great morning run is a swing over the road surrounding Mirror Lake. Start at the Olympic oval (site of Eric Heiden’s speed skating heroics), then turn around as you reach the business portion of town. The whole trip is slightly under four miles.
Another cool thing to try is paddleboarding. If you don’t have one, they’re available to rent. Just an amazing full-body workout. One trip across Mirror Lake and you’re ready for an afternoon nap!
When you’re not exercising, there’s plenty to do, including visiting all the cool USA Olympic headquarters and so forth. For history buffs, be sure to stop by the John Brown Farm State Historic Site.
Brown, a radical abolitionist against slavery, taught farming to African Americans prior to the Civil War. Later, he was captured, tried and executed by the Commonwealth of Virginia for a raid and incitement of a slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry in 1859. He is buried at the historic site in the town of North Elba, of which Lake Placid is incorporated.
By all means, visit the Olympic Center if time permits. There you can find basically everything you need to know about United States hockey as it pertains to the Winter Games.
Once you come upon the storied 1980 ice rink surface, you will know Al Michaels was right. Sports miracles do happen, as they continue to do now, and Lake Placid’s time-honored place in American athletic lore is proof of that.
Race calendar
Saturday, Sept. 7: 55th annual Mill Street Run 5K, 8:10 a.m., Contact www.runsignup.com
