2014 TARC 100 - Volunteer report

It was a long, long day. Up early, no sleep, out in the hot sweltering sun, long periods on boredom interspersed with moments of excitement, panic, and the inability to think straight. It seemed to go on and on with no end in sight, but ending up being an incredibly rewarding experience with amazing camaraderie,  new friends, and people doing amazing feats of mind and body. And I didn't even run.

I volunteered last year at the TARC 100, working the midnight to noon shift at the Gun Club aid station. It was a great time and I had so much fun that I decided to up the ante a bit this year and work a full 24-hour shift. My wife Monica had a very important commitment on Monday that included getting a reasonable amount of sleep over the weekend, so she planned to work an 8 hour shift during the day on Saturday. Our assignment to start the day was manning a road crossing on a blind curve where cars were flying by and the runners would be sitting (or slowly moving) ducks. We arrived at 6:00 AM to find the tent and table with water already in place and met Mark who had started setting up the traffic cones in the road. We quickly sussed out the scene, set up our decorations (Hawaiian themed, left over from a Jimmy Buffett adventure) and arranged ourselves to watch for cars. When the first runners came through at 7:50 the day had already started heating up - it was going to be brutal out there.

The first group of 100 milers came through sporadically; one every 10 minutes or so. And then every 2-3 minutes and eventually in small groups. We had a few spectators joining us as well which made for a festive little gathering. Around 10:00 Erica joined us to make us a three person crew, which was much better for runner wrangling as the leaders were coming back after the loop out to the Farm aid station. Runners everywhere! TARC had supplied big jugs of water and Tailwind for the runners but we weren't an official aid station. I had brought some Twizzlers and snack mix that seemed to go over well but the heat was causing the runners to take much more water than expected. We ran out of water at one point - it was heartbreaking to have to tell the runners that we were out as they looked at their empty bottles. Fortunately Josh came by with a full jug, and we had a few more deliveries to make sure that didn't happen again.

As the day wore on the initial excitement of seeing the runners faded and instead we were inspired by the runners working though the incredible heat and difficult course.  For runners looping back from the Farm they had under 2 miles back to the Start-Finish line so there was a big incentive to keep moving and they all did. The 100 milers started at 5:00, the 50 milers at 7:00, so by now they'd been out there for long enough that all reserves had been burned off. We started seeing the first of the 100 milers coming back through at mile 42 - it still blows my mind. Amazingly, nearly everyone had a smile on their face, even if only for a brief instant. Most were in good spirits and even enjoying themselves. Things don't have to be fun in order to be fun.

At 2:00 our shift here was over. Monica had to head out so I packed up the Hotel Subaru and headed up the road to the Trading Post aid station, which sat at mile 5 of the 25 mile loop. This was the worst heat of the day and runners were enjoying the hose, the ice, and the watermelon. This aid station was luxury compared to last year at the Gun Club Road station - we had electricity, running water, refrigerators, and even a couch for brief naps. The able staff running the Training Post (Linnea and Jill) had things working like a fine-tuned machine so it was easy to slip in and help out where needed. It was also set up well for taking photos of the runners coming down the steep incline from the ridge. By now the runners were spread out all over the course so we didn't get real waves of runners but a semi-steady stream coming in. At times we had up to 5 or 6 athletes there, most other times just 1 or none.













The weather, course and distance were taking their toll on the runners. We had a handful drop with stomach, knee, and feet problems, but they all seemed to take that in stride.  As the sun went down the temps cooled off but ice was still our number one seller, and people were still asking to get sprayed down with the hose. But soon they were asking for the grilled cheese sandwiches (thanks to Curry and her mad grilled cheese sandwich skills) and ramen noodles. Alas, the mashed potatoes weren't a big hit. As night fell and the headlamps came out the mood changed dramatically. Runners retreated into their own worlds, illuminated by a solitary cone of light containing feet, roots, and rocks. The rest of Hale Reservation retreated into the distance.

Most of the runners on their third lap had pacers and it was fascinating watching the dynamic between the two. People don't sign up for the job of pacing, they take a solemn oath. They are bonded together, not as a team but as a single unit - connected by emotion, devotion, and dedication to serious suffering. And headlamps. We spent quiet stretches in scattered conversation watching into the gloomy night for the flicker of light that signaled the arrival of a runner. We sprang into action with the clang of cowbell, clapping, cheering, and the standard question "What can we get for you?" Water, ice, Tailwind, Gu, grilled cheese, soup, watermelon, salty things, sweet things, we had it all. They would grab their food, attend to gear issues, talk to us a bit, and then off into the night leaving us alone and waiting for the next arrival.

The crew at the aid station drifted off to take our naps; most had been working 20+ hours so an hour or two nap did wonders. I used the Hotel Subaru, and heard some fireworks from the beach as I drifted off to dreams of endless trails and a bottomless bowl of mashed potatoes. As one worker awoke another headed in for a nap, we really only needed 2 people on duty to handle the occasional runner. Around 4:00 the sky started to brighten imperceptibly and quickly turned to full on dawn. There were only a handful or runners left on the course so we slowly started breaking down the station; putting away the food items, packing up the stove, cleaning the dishes. The last runner I saw came through just around 5:00, and we went through the same routine before they headed off into the new day.

It was an amazing experience, one that gives you a much greater appreciation for the work required to put on a race. And it's extremely rewarding. You are on the receiving end of the most heartwarming smiles, grateful appreciation, and have a front row seat to watch amazing athletes of all shapes and sizes push themselves to their limits and beyond. I never saw anyone cross the finish line in triumph but I saw a thousand little victories along the way.

Sleep is for the weak.

Pinelands 50K trip report - 5/26/2013

Finishing

The runners in front of me were negotiating a stream crossing as I picked out my footing in the ankle deep mud so I didn't pay much attention. At water's edge I tried skirting around the left side but the water quickly rose up to my knees as my feet sank in the mire. Pulling my left leg out I was gratified to see my shoe came with it. Back on to firmer ground I walked a dozen paces to let the majority of the muck drain out and started a slow trot up the next hill. The runners ahead of me slowly but steadily pulled away. Six kilometers down, just 44 left to go.

It wasn't easy, it wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't fast but I completed the goal I set for myself; run a 50K race before my 50th birthday. Several friends recommended Pinelands as a well run race with a nice course and good footing to try for my first ultra so I signed up in December and started training in earnest. The winter is a tough time to train, especially for trail running and I developed a pain in my left heel that left me unable to run at times. Plus, winter is ski season and Monica and I went to Austria for a week in the middle of February, so my training really didn't pick up until March. There were a lot of long runs, including a 22 miler and a few 19 milers that left me feeling adequately prepared, if not really on top of my game.

Why yes, there was some mud

A week before the race the forecast looked great, then things started going downhill. It was going to be pouring rain all week, including Saturday when the 5K races were all being run. The organizers posted that the course might be a big muddy. Monica and I headed up to a hotel in Freeport on Saturday night after Peter and Anne's wedding and it rained the whole way. We had every conceivable piece of clothing available for possible conditions during the race; me for running and Monica for crewing. Off to Dunkin Donuts for a breakfast sandwich and then to Pinelands to meet up with friends and get things started.

When we arrived it was raining lightly but it seemed much nicer than it could have been. The 50 Mile runners were already on the course and you could see things were going to be slick. As we walked over to the sign to take a group shot several of us were picking our way to avoid the deep water. Foolish humans. In the first 100 yards of the race all of our feet were soaked and caked with mud, and it never let up for the entire course. I started running a bit faster than I should have, trying to keep pace with the folks I'd started with. My left heel was a bit touchy already, I wasn't sure how it was going to handle the day. By the time we reached the second aid station (the Yurt) we were all covered in mud and willing to stop, eat, and drink. It had sunk in that I wasn't going for any particular time, just trying to survive.

Monica was at the Yurt aid station and I'd see her there twice more on the first lap. The sections though the fields were pretty horrific. The grass had been mowed to a 8 foot wide path, but the footing was an unrelenting mess. There were trampled paths on the sides or down the center, but it was only firm ground in comparison to the slop everywhere else. Mud squished out on every step, sometimes sending you sliding down an incline or stumbling while the suction tried to remove a shoe. Parts were nearly impossible to run and when we hit the drier sections I was too tired to run up most hills. It drained me physically and emotionally.

The end of the first yurt loop

There were two loops coming back to the yurt and I ate and drank each time. By the second loop I'd lost all the people I'd started with and settled into a slow but mostly steady pace. It was clearly going to be a long day. My left heel was throbbing slightly, letting me know it hadn't forgotten about me. At the Valley aid station Monica gave me my MP3 player and the music really helped. I had to fast forward through two songs as the day went on; Stairway to Heaven and The Long and Winding Road. As the loop took us past the start/finish area I saw the hoard of 25K runners starting their run. My main goal at this point was to avoid being passed by any of them. Looking at the finish times I think I mostly accomplished that goal.

The last third of the loop was much drier but had more hills. I remember a very depressing sign that had an arrow pointing one way for "Last Chance Cut Off" and one pointing the way we were going labeled "Gloucester Hill". I spent this time mostly alone, running where I could and walking lots on the steeps. This was definitely the low point of my spirits and thoughts of dropping at the end of the lap came unbidden to my head. Monica was there at the start/finish which brightened my spirits, and just the act of completing the lap made me keep going. Everything was going to be familiar terrain after this - I knew what to expect at least. Finally, every step was bringing me closer to the finish which is an amazing psychological boost.

The loneliness of the long distance runner

At the starting line I was wearing shorts, calf sleeves, Dirty Girl gaiters, a long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve, a running jacket, gloves and baseball cap . Before the gun I handed the jacket to Monica as it was clearly too hot for it. At one of the aid stations I peeled off the long sleeve shirt and gloves since they weren't needed. Later I took my running vest from Monica and used that for the rest of the race. By the end of the race everything but the hat was covered with mud; I'm not sure the shoes will ever be the same. The socks went right into the trash.

Most of the second lap is a blur - lots of slogging in the mud, holding out until the end of a song before taking a walking break, being passed by 50 milers, and lots of encouraging words from runners, spectators, and volunteers. As I approached the start/finish line, which meant I had less than 10K left, it dawned on me that I was really going to finish. I wasn't wearing my GPS watch and couldn't do math in my head but I think my pace finally picked up near the end. I could do enough math to figure when I'd passed the 26.2 mile marker and that felt real good. I ran without seeing other runners for long stretches as the kilometers clicked down. As I pulled into the Last Mile aid station I saw a woman who had passed me about 5 miles earlier and I used her as motivation to run the final stretch. I actually passed her about 100 yards from the finish line, expecting to run in with her but she held back so I finished solo. I made it look good for the remaining spectators - Monica was cheering me home and that was the best part.

TARC!

The best crew ever

This was an amazing experience, both the race itself and the training. I've gotten encouragement and well wishes from lots of athletes, many of whom were there that day running along with me. It's a goal I set for myself two years ago after finishing the Boston Marathon and there were times of injury and pain when I thought it was never going to happen. My biggest support is Monica, who gave up lots of weekends up north because I had to train, or was recovering from training, or was blathering on about training and my injuries. Seeing her 10 times on the course meant the world to me. I have no idea if I'm going to run another ultra. Certainly not for a while as too many things have been on hold while I pursued this goal. We have other plans for the summer and while I'm sure I'll be running quite often I am enjoying the freedom that comes with no deadlines.

Training Log - Week ending 4/6/2013

Sunday 3/31 - 3.55 miles @ 10:40 - Recovery run day after longest run of the year. Very slow.

Monday 4/1 - Rest day plus painful but helpful sports massage.

Tuesday 4/2 - 4.01 miles @ 10:30 - Slow but productive run

Wed 4/3 -60 minutes on the exercise bike

Thursday 4/4 - 4.15 miles @ 10:30- Trail running from work with hills

Friday 4/5 - Rest Day

Saturday 4/6 - 11.03 miles @ 12:03 - Trail run in the Fells, some foot pain during and after

Total Mileage -22.8 Miles
Less mileage, slower pace this week, but 100 miles in the last 4 weeks. Ended the week with some foot pain. 7 weeks to Pinelands.

Training Log - Week ending 3/30/2013

Sunday 3/24 - Telemark skiing at Cannon. New boots, binding problems, and watching Monica's nephew race cut down on the number of runs but I could still feel my legs.

Monday 3/25 - 5.1 miles @ 10:00 - Solo lunch run, wasn't planning on much but felt good enough to extend to 5. No watch or music, just me and the road.

Tuesday 3/26 -Rest day

Wed 3/27 -3.6 miles @ 10:00 - Hill repeats, my first time trying these at a hill near the office, 4 laps

Thursday 3/28 -Rest day

Friday 3/29 - 4.6 miles @ 10:38 - Legs felt like lead, but glad to have accomplished it

Saturday 3/30 -15.5 miles @ 12:46 - 2 laps of the Fells Reservoir trail, plus a little extra. That's 25K, just have to do that twice at Pinelands.

Total Mileage -28.8 Miles
Three weeks in a row of increased mileage. 8 weeks to Pinelands.

Training Log - Week ending 3/16/2013

Thought I'd write down the training log from last week. It was my first full week back and it was a big mileage week to ramp up.

Sunday 3/10 - 5.07 miles @ 9:55 pace - Squeezed in a run before dark thanks to Daylight Saving Time

Monday 3/11 - rest day

Tuesday 3/12 - 5.00 miles @ 10:00 pace - Early morning run from home, finished before sunrise

Wed 3/13 - 45 minutes on the stationary bike at the gym

Thursday 3/14 - 4.15 miles @ 9:40 pace - Another morning run but this time in daylight

Friday 3/15 - 30 minute on the stationary bike at the gym

Saturday 3/16 - 10 miles @ 12:15 pace - Long trail run in the Fells with Robyn and Max

Total Mileage - 24.22 miles
My longest week in a long time, 10 weeks out from Pinelands

10 in the Fells

The last time I ran 10 miles was almost exactly a year ago. My foot has been bothering me the past several months and we took a ski vacation in Europe in February so my training for the upcoming Pinelands 50K trail run has lagged behind schedule. I'm not going to be as well prepared as I hoped, but as long as I stay healthy I will make it to the starting line. I can't be sure what will happen after that but I'm concentrating on getting some good long runs in and staying healthy.

I met Robyn and Max at the Bellevue Pond parking area at the Fells on a cold but clear morning. The temperature was 32 degrees so we all had hats and gloves on. I was wearing my trail shoes with my new orthotics that the podiatrist gave me. I've been having pain in my left heel that seems related to my plantar fasciitis but x-rays also showed some heel spurs. The doctor assured me that everyone my age has some heel spurs but that it wouldn't explain the pain. He told me to stretch every day, take some Ibuprofen to get the inflammation under control, and wear the new orthodics. So far it's been pretty good and I was able to ramp up to over 20 miles this week. The highlight of my training plan was a long trail run in the Fells, and my hope was 8-10 but I was aware that I hadn't done a really long run for a long time.

We started at a pretty slow pace as we warmed up. Robyn has been working in India for a while so she hasn't been able to run much, and Max started running more recently and had a little foot pain, so our little trio had moderately low expectations. The snow was mostly gone but we encountered a bunch of wet and icy conditions that kept us on our toes. The loop is 7.5 miles and we kept a pretty steady pace between 11 and 13 minute miles. We kept on the easier footing with some occasional bits on the Skyline trail with more rocks. I felt pretty good as we got back to the cars but I had my mind set on 10 miles so I told them I was headed back out for a little more. Knowing Robyn's competitive nature it was like shooting fish in a barrel and she agreed to head back out. Poor Max didn't know what hit him.

The last 2.5 miles sucked, frankly. We were tired and chose a rough trail and nothing is fun when you're a slave to a GPS watch. We finally got to a trail with better footing and guessed at the point to turn around to ensure exactly 10.  Our mood improved dramatically as we turned around and our estimate was pretty much dead on. We had to run a hundred feet past the cars until the watch clicked over 10 miles and we were all happy to be done.

I had some discomfort in my foot but no pain. That in itself was a victory. To finish 10 trail miles was the first real indication that I might be able to do the 50K in May. It's still an uphill battle (pardon the pun) but I'm headed in the right direction.

Garmin track of the run

50/50 Split

This past weekend I heard that TARC was holding their Fells Trail Ultra (5 laps of the 8 mile Skyline Trail) and it's just a few miles from home so I figured I'd stop by.  Kristina was running and Ryan was going to be pacing her for some of the laps so I could visit, hang out and take a few photos.  I got there a few minutes after the start unfortunately so I wasn't going to see the runners for another hour.  Ryan and I chatted for a bit and I took a walk around some trails a bit, going gingerly on my sore ankle.  The falling snow made for some nice photography, as well as cold, wet running.  Eventually the runners started showing up and I started taking pictures, one of my favorite things.


All the runners looked like they were having fun despite the steady snow and cold temps. I waited for Kristina to arrive, smiling like always, and near the front of the pack.  I felt the need to stay and photograph the entire field, because that's what photographers do.  I really like trail running and I really like pushing myself, and observing the race made me more committed to my goal of running a 50K before my 50th birthday next year.  Right now I'm planning on the Pinelands Farm 50K up in Maine on Memorial Day weekend.  That should give me enough time after the end of ski season to get in some long runs and not miss too much skiing.  I'm thinking that the TARC Spring Classic would be the right tune up race as well, and I'd love to run a TARC event.

I'm not sure why I've latched onto the idea of a 50K for my 50th, but it's pretty firmly set in my brain.  It's not much more than a marathon distance, but there's something about being able to call myself an ultramarathoner that has great appeal.  It's the internal challenge, since at my pace I clearly don't care about time. The discipline, the self-control, the drive to work through pain and setbacks; those all have a strong pull as I approach a milestone birthday.  Yes, it's just a number but if  nothing else it give you pause to reflect and make plans.

So that's my plan; 50 by 50.  I'll be the first to admit it's not the best plan but it's mine and I'm sticking to it.  Unless the ski season is fantastic and I have no time to train, then I'll pick another 50K.

The Art of Getting Lost

As Douglas Adams said, "The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."  Translated into trail running, the knack lies in learning how to get lost while knowing where you are.  In the past few trail runs I've managed to get turned around, doubled back, and confused, and yet was never worried about getting back. Most of the places I run, the the Fells, Waldon Pond, and Great Brook Farms, are bounded by roads, rivers, or obvious barriers.  As long as I can determine which way to go when I hit the barrier I'm good. 

When Amy, Bonny, and I ran in Walden recently the started at the pond and that was pretty straightforward.  Well, except for AAA replacing Amy's car battery in the parking lot and Bonny locking her keys in her car, but that's another story. The first loop was simple, around the the pond and back to the restrooms.  We guessed at a few trail intersections but Rt 2 is a pretty big barrier to miss.  From there we went to trails none of us had been on but we had a map so what could go wrong?  Bonny's knee started hurting her so we figured out a route for her to head back along a road and we continued on.  At one point Amy recognized the road to the Gropius House so we turned that way and entered the woods again.  We came across some railroad tracks which were on the map and that led us back to the trail next to the road which we followed almost back to the car.  At the last minute we followed some trails we came in on and then missed a turn so we ended up climbing up the one hill on the map. 

When we hit the road on the other side of the hill we pulled out the man and realized that we had missed the turn we were looking for.  We knew exactly where we were, but it wasn't where we wanted to be.  So, back up over the hill turning our 6 mile run into a 7 mile run.  On the other side we got headed back the direction we wanted and chose to drop out to the road to avoid another additional section.  Back at the cars we took stock of the situation, Bonny was still locked out but we could handle that.  It was a long run, longer than we had planned but we had everything we need, and were never far from where we wanted to be, which is all you can ask from a run.

This morning I went to the Fells, the location of my one seriously lost episode.  I was trying a new area which would hopefully give me a shorter loop.  The parking area at Bellevue Pond was full so I parked just up the road and took a trail I'd never seen to the Mountain Bike Loop.  From there I ran on familiar trails, but in the opposite direction than I usually run. Fortunately, there are some unmistakeable landmarks to make sure I was in the right place.  But I ran a section of the Reservoir trail that I rarely use, and managed to get turned around enough that when I hit Molly's Spring Road I turned the wrong way.  Fortunately I saw a sign for a parking area that, to my mind, was pointing the wrong way so I followed it out to the road to check where I was, figured out my location on the map and headed back in the right direction.  It took all of 5 minutes to get back on the right path, but it was 5 minutes well spent.  The rest of the run was uneventful and I made it back right on schedule.

I enjoy getting lost occasionally.  It sharpens the mind, quickens the pulse, and keeps me engaged in an otherwise ordinary run.  In full daylight there's no real danger, but I'll try to avoid it near sunset.  On both of the runs described here I had everything I needed, food and water, cell phone, and a general idea of where I was. I'm not sure I would feel the same way if I was in a brand new area, but close to home it can't be beat.

First run of Autumn

It was a weekend full of activity, a perfect way to Fall Back.  It started with a mountain bike ride down in Wompatuck State Park with Jeff on a somewhat drizzly Saturday morning.  Unknown to us there was a road cycling fundraising ride being run out of the park so we had to park at some random side area but it was a small detour.  We road a good chunk of the course Monica and I road a few weeks ago, and explored a few new areas as well.  Both of us had our share of falls; I managed to pull a muscle in my chest and get scrapes all up my left arm, but it was worth it.  After watching Jeff trying to handle some of the rockier sections on his hardtail, I'm happier than ever with my full suspension 29'er.

Sunday we met a few friends for Dim Sum in the morning, then did a bunch of housework before heading to the Fells to take advantage of this great Fall weather.  This was the first run in my Brooks Cascadia 6 trail shoes and they worked great.  No foot pain, great traction, and they go really well with my Lime Gatorade Hurl Dirty Girl gaiters.  It was Monica's first real trail run.  We had done running as part of some long hikes along the Wilderness Trail but this was the first time we set out for the purpose of running.  She used her Camelback pack with mixed success; I used my Nathan belt.

Fortunately, my sore ribs really didn't bother me much.  I felt pain when I needed to take a jarring step or twisting motion, and when I tripped and went down it wasn't an entirely pleasurable experience, but for the most part I was fine.  On the easy footing flats especially things felt pretty close to normal so that bodes well for some runs this week.  We did a modified Reservoir Loop of about 5.75 miles, which is a great way to end the weekend and start the Fall.

Garmin Track of the run - Ignore the elevation numbers, at one point it had us at 184 feet below sea level

Owl's Head dayhike

Another of the long hikes remaining for Monica's 48 was Owl's Head, the much maligned and often lamented walk in the woods.  We had just done a 20 miler 5 days ago but the weather was too good to pass up and, frankly, we were in a groove.  I was a bit worried about the blister on my heel, but I had run the day before and it survived so we decided to go for it.

Early morning start

Owl's Head, by the standard route, is 8 miles of flat, 1 mile up, 1 miles down, and 8 more miles of flat.  Unless you miss the turnoff to the slide path, but more on that later.  We left Boston early and managed to arrive at the trail head and get on the trail before 8:00 AM.  We decided to start off by running the Wilderness Trail and get some miles under our belt quickly.  After a few minutes finding the start of the Franconia Brook trail (don't ask) we alternated running/walking until we got to the Lincoln Brook trail junction.  Aside from a few muddy sections the footing was fine and the ground level.

On the slide

The Lincoln Brook trail isn't as easy to run so we hiked along at a good pace until we reached the first stream crossing.  It's the biggest one of the trip and we spend a good 15 minutes scouting out the best crossing point.  Even with that Monica slipped on a wet rock and got her shoes and socks wet.  We dried them as best we could and kept an eye on any potential blisters but it wasn't going to change our plans.  We ran into our first other hikers of the day, coming out from 13 Falls, as they were crossing the opposite direction by wading across.  The second crossing is short way away, and we made it across this one after another 15 minutes of searching but without significant incident.

On the summit

There are two more stream crossings along the way but they're a bit smaller so we didn't spend any time scouting those. After the 4th crossing the Owl's Head slide path takes off to the right, but we managed to walk right past it.  I got a feeling that we had done so but we wanted to make sure before reversing course so we went 25 minutes past the crossing before deciding to turn around and look again.  Sure enough we spotted the path easily on the way back and only lost 45 minutes or so.  Up we went, picking our path through the rocks and scree.  We got some nice view from the slide and tried to keep a steady pace while climbing.

The next step wasn't a good one

Once at the top of the slide followed the well worn but too long trail to the old summit, where a rock arrow pointed us to the new summit.  I'd never been there before, my previous two trips were to the old summit so this was new terrain for me.  There are several herd paths but they all generally lead to the right place.  We had a nice lunch of prosciutto and provolone wraps and a well earned apple and a bit of a rest before heading back down.  The slide wasn't bad on the way down, and we ran into a guy with two big loveable black labs heading up for the night.

Once down we filled up water at the first stream crossing and added iodine purifier.  The trip out was pretty uneventful except for me falling off a rock on the third crossing and getting a wet foot.  We both used our water shoes for the final crossing and the cold water on our feet and legs felt great.  From the Franconia Brook trail junction we ran most of the way, walking a few times but keeping up a good pace. The last 2 miles on the Wilderness trail always suck, but knowing there was a cold beer in the car waiting for us helped.  The trip took just under 10 hours, surprisingly a few minutes longer than the Bonds traverse but I think a lot of that was the water crossings.  Only 5 left for Monica's 48; only 1 left for my 3rd round.

Bonding

Monica is working on her 4000'ers and a Bonds traverse would give her 4 peaks in one big day hike.  We've been working on longer hikes and this trip is close to 20 miles so it would be a great test of our stamina and fitness. The forecast looked OK, with some possible thunderstorms in the afternoon that we'd have to look out for.  On the drive up Friday night we witnessed a car right in front of us veer off the left lane, hit the end of the guardrail, and explode in a fluffy of car parts before coming to halt on the shoulder.  As we approached the car to render aid a second car pulled up with an EMT and a nurse so we backed out and continued on our way as the police arrived.  Good way to start the weekend.

Tracy, Randy, and Quinn at Zealand Hut

Our plan was to get an early start so we could avoid the heat of the day for our climb.  We parked at the Zealand trailhead and were on the trail by 6:20 AM.  There was another group heading for the Bonds as well, and we quickly caught up with them and left them as we started to mix some easy jogging on the flat sections before the hut.  When we arrived we ran into Randy and Tracy (with Quinn) who were also headed for the Bonds.  Quinn was so happy to see us he followed us right into the hut, leading Randy where he wasn't headed.  Sorry about that. :)  We each drank two large glasses of water because water was going to be a concern all day and continued on.

Monica on Zeacliff

Up the Twinway towards Zeacliff in the cool of the morning.  We didn't see anyone  the whole way up, and had the views to ourselves.  I'd forgotten how flat the terrain is above the cliffs and we had some great discussions and enjoyed the quiet as well. Fairly quickly we found ourselves at the spur trail to Zealand, and then at the summit, our first of 4 for the day.  We took a break, had a snack, applied sunscreen, and got ready for the climb down and up to Guyot.  There were a few other hikers coming through now, either from the shelter or Galehead hut and it was beginning to get warm.

Crossing Guyot

At treeline by the summit of North Guyot we spotted a large group on South Guyot so we gave them a few minutes to pack up and move on.  They were a camp group that had stayed at Guyot Shelter and were headed for Ethan Pond, part of a large crowd (over 60 people) at the shelter/campsite Friday night.  We paused again briefly at the summit of South Guyot, pointed out our next destination of West Bond, and talked about whether we wanted to drop down to the water source.  We elected to conserve water and save the elevation and headed to West Bond.  We had the peak to ourselves again and took a well deserved rest.  The views were spectacular and the breeze felt great.  After a few minutes and some photos we headed back to the ridge.

Blueberries!

The trip up to Bond went quicker then we expected and we had another time to rest and take a bunch more photos of Bondcliff, and then the final push of the day.  The trip down to the col is the roughest rock of the trip, but the reward was lots and lots of blueberries along the way.  Monica went into summit fever mode and I followed along eventually, my hands stained blue.  After the full set of photos from Bondcliff we attempted to eat our very unappetizing lunch and failed.  We weren't very hungry but knew we needed some food so we ate what we could and finally packed up for the trip out.

The classic pose

From Bondcliff it's 9 miles out, mostly easy downhill and flat but 9 miles is still 9 miles.  There was no water at the first two stream crossings as expected, and we filled the extra bottle we had at the third crossing, but our purification tablets were the wrong ones that take 4 hours.  Oh well.  We ran the bottom of the Bondcliff trail, then started running out the Wilderness trail.  After the crossing at Franconia Brook Monica decided to run the rest of the way, I alternated walking and running due to a blister on my left heel.  About a mile remaining I ran out of water but grunted it out, arriving at the parking lot about 5 minutes behind Monica.

Running out on the Wilderness trail

After a wait for our car we hitched into Lincoln and grabbed a booth at the Common Man for beer, bad food, and good company.  It was a big successful day, setting the tone for future big trips.

One's cross (training) to bear

In the past 7 days I've gone road running, trail running, hiking, and mountain biking.  Looking back another week and you can throw in road biking and weight training, and a little swimming a bit further back.  One of my goals for this year was to mix up my training in an effort to stay motivated and to avoid injury.  I've certainly been successful in the former, the latter is more of a mixed bag.

The biggest change has been the mountain bike which opens up a significant new level of activity.  The speed, full body workout, and potential for disaster keeps me motivated and alert.  While I love hiking and will never give it up, mountain biking is new and exciting.  There's so much to learn and experience, and I find new challenges each ride that are within my reach that I come away with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that I've missed recently.

Trail running has also been a fun activity, one that adds variety to my weekly running mileage.  I'm not convinced it has been good for my injury, since I often end the loop in the Fells with a sore hip but I think it has been a good experience in general.  I enjoy the need to think and react while running, instead of the steady plod of one foot in front of the other.  Once a week seems about right for me, and I get the added bonus of surprising deer on the trail.

It's hiking season and we're heading north most weekends now.  We've got a few longer hikes planned and there's nothing like that feeling at the end of a long day when you arrive at the car, exhausted but satisfied with a job well done.  I'm mostly hiking in trail shoes and when we can we run the flat stretches.  With our weekends up north we have been hiking one day and doing 1-3 hours of mountain biking the next which makes for an easy drive home without being exhausted.

I still run 3-4 days a week, trying to mix in some variety (hills, sprints, races) but my routine is usually to just go out for a run and see where it takes me.  I still have a group of runners at work but our regular Monday run has taken a beating due to a lot of travel.  With the heat this summer my pace has been rather slow and methodical, but miles are miles.

Weight training is the odd ball.  I have a gym at work that I use when running, and I occasionally do sets of exercises that I've done for decades, but I don't really have a plan or goal.  This is probably where I would get the most bang for my buck, but I don't really have the energy to set something up.  Any suggestions for a training plan that would help me as a runner/hiker/biker?

The only other thing I would consider adding is swimming with the hopes of a triathlon in my future.  The logistics are hard to figure out so I'm just putting that on hold for now.

I wonder if watching the Tour de France and the Olympics on TV counts for cross training?

Finding my Way

Last night I went back to the Fells in an attempt to regain my trail running stripes.  I took a few precautions this time to avoid the fiasco that happened last time; getting lost, coming out after dark without a light, no food or water.  This time I made a few changes:

• Started and ended at Sheepfold, which cut about 2 miles total from the loop
• Carrying my running belt with a map, flashlight, phone, and water
• Planned out my route before starting and stuck to it

The run went pretty well, about 5.5 miles averaging around 11:30 miles on some fairly rough trails, but I did end up with the same pain in my left foot that I need to address.  Right now I'm resting and icing it, but some stretches and exercises are probably in order.  This run was on the new Asolo trail running shoes, but I'm not sure they're ideal.  They offer more cushioning than the Innov-8s but I don't think they fit as well.  More tinkering is in order.

The weekly trail run is a nice addition to my cross training.  I now have a 5.5 mile and a 7.5 mile loop so I can tune it to how much time I have or how I'm feeling. One thing I am not using for the trail running is my MP3 player.  It's nice to listen to the sounds of nature, and it's good to be able to hear the mountain bikers coming up behind me.

Losing my way

When hiking in the Whites I rarely take a map with me.  I know the trails quite well and most of the major intersections have good signs so getting lost isn't really an issue.  Above treeline in the fog or snow I can use a compass and know enough to not head blindly in a direction without cairns, blazes, or a trailbed to keep me on track.  I always carry two light sources, even on a simple day hike, along with extra food and water.  But for some reason I abandoned all that knowledge and preparation for a trail run within earshot of a major highway and it led to a pretty hairy adventure.

I was meeting Robyn at on the Belleview Pond parking area on South Border Road in the Fells for a 7 mile trail run, basically following the mountain bike loop which I have run several times.  We started on the trail at around 5:45 which would have been enough time for the loop.  I was dressing in shorts, a long sleeve top, and carried only my car key.  Just before starting I drank water and had some food. We ran the first 1.75 miles before Robyn said that her knee was bothering her (she'd been having some problems with it, so we knew this was a possibility) and she turned around and headed back to the car.  I continued over to Sheepfold on familiar trails and ran the first 2/3 of the loop without problems.

Ignoring the choice to run without my pack (food, water, light) this is where I made my first poor decision.  I elected to follow the Reservoir trail instead of my usual Mountain Bike loop, thinking that they essentially parallel each other. This was probably less than two miles from the car, so close.  The Reservoir trail was a little rougher than I expected, and didn't seem to be crossing familiar terrain.  As it happens, the trail keeps turning left (east) instead of going straight (south) so I was headed in the wrong direction.  At mile 7 I started getting some pain in my left foot, probably just a bruise but it made me stop running and I had to walk and jog slowly the rest of the run.  I was at a dirt road here, but decided to continue following the Reservoir trail, probably not a great decision either.

So, on I went.  It was getting darker now, and I had the first glimmer of doubt creeping into my mind.  Still no familiar terrain and I-93 seemed closer than it should be.  I came across a trail junction but it gave me no additional information.  There had been no other hikers or bikers for about 30 minutes now, and because I was walking now the chill began to sink in. I stopped at one point and made a decision to navigate by I-93, which I knew was east of me and I could reliably head south which is where I wanted to go.  This was a good decision, and it was accurate.  However, since I was a bit turned around it meant that I ended up back on the Reservoir trail, headed in the other direction!  This freaked me out a bit and I admit that I had a little bit of panic.  I couldn't understand how I ended up back on the trail, even though I thought I was headed in the right direction.  (I was.)

I regrouped a bit and headed out at a jog in the right direction on a dirt road for easier footing in the dark.  I did start seeing familiar sights again including a section of the Skyline trail I ran at around mile 3, so I knew pretty much where I was.  Finally I came across a trail sign that pointed to South Border Road, my destination!  A bit later there was a sign for Belleview Pond, even better!  After another 10 minutes (which seemed like an hour) I came to another dirt road that led to a gate on South Border Road and since I was having trouble seeing the ground on the Skyline Trail I elected to take that.  In two minutes I saw the cars on South Border, then the gate, turned left and soon came to my car parked alone and inviting.  It was now 8:10 PM, dark, and about 49 degrees.

It's a very unusual experience being truly lost, confused, and worried in the woods at night.  During the last hour of my run I could feel panic rising, could observe myself making snap decisions without stopping to reason, rushing around in the dark risking injury when I should have slowed down.  Even at the time part of me knew what I was doing and how I should calm down I really didn't act on those feelings. Headed down a trail I wondered if I had really read the last sign correctly, without heeding the desire to double check the signs and the intersection.  In retrospect I ended up making good decisions, but I could easily have made bad ones; a sobering thought.

Was I in danger of spending a night in the woods?  Possibly, but not likely unless I had gotten hurt.  You're never far from civilization in the Fells and there's always the sound of cars nearby.  My bigger concern was getting hurt by falling or twisting an ankle in the dark which could have led to an unpleasant night for sure. But seeing the cars on South Border road was still a huge relief; I could feel the built up tension release when I stepped out past the gate.  Even with the pain in my foot I was walking easier.

Lessons learned:

1. Never underestimate the woods
2. If you start out within 3 hours of sunset, bring a light source
3. Don't assume you know where trails go, check the maps
4. Don't panic - you have good woods skills so use them
5. Explore new terrain earlier in the day

 Here's the GPS track for the run. Replaying it I can feel the anxiety when I realized that I was looping on the same trail and back tracked.

It's spring, time for trail running

The last two weekends Monica and I have headed out to Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle.  She brings her spiffy new mountain bike, and I bring some trail running shoes.  I'll be getting a mountain bike soon so I can join her on rides, but for now I'm content to run some of the great double and single track available in GBF.  I haven't done too much trail running, but I'm enjoying it a lot these days.  The pace is generally slower, the ground is much more forgiving on my legs, and I don't have to deal with traffic lights.

I've been using my new small hydration pack, giving me some easily accessible water, a few Gu's, and a place to hold my wallet and phone. I've used a Nathan hip belt but with the twisty trails the backpack feels like it carries more smoothly and allows me to twist and turn more comfortably. It also looks cool.  For shoes I have two pair; Innov-8 and Asolo.  The Asolos are new and this past weekend was their first day out.  I bought the Innov-8s last year and they have been on a few long hikes and run in the Whites.  The only other trail running gear I use are my Dirty Girl Gaiters, in Lime Gatorade Hurl.  They also look cool.

The trails at Great Brook are a mix of farm roads, paths in fields, and single track.  I don't know the trails in detail but it's not very big and bordered by a few main roads so you can't get too far off.  The first time I ran there I just stayed on the wide paths and strung together a 4 mile loop without crossing my tracks.  The second time I tried more of the single track, such as Indian Hill (Tip: avoid trails with the word "Hill" in the name) and the Woodchuck Loop, then followed a trail I had never seen before which took me out to some town land called Thanksgiving Ground Forest.  It was just an out and back before hitting some more double track, crossing the road and taking the Tophet Loop, which is my favorite mountain bike single track, and working my way back to the car.  It rained for the second half of the loop but never too hard so it just made running in the woods more interesting.  People hurrying back to their cars under umbrellas gave me some odd looks.

The plan is to add at least one day of trail running a week, after work on my way home.  I can run a 7 mile loop in the Fells that offers some nice variety of single and double track, plus the occasional view of Boston from a tower.  That should add some variety to the week and make the longer runs easier on my knees.

Besides, anything that lets me wear the Dirty Girls is a good thing.

Jack London 10K Trail Race

I've been suffering from a bad cold since last weekend.  Thursday after work was the first time I felt reasonable to run, and that was a 3 miler on the treadmill which I survived, but didn't enjoy.  The Jack London 10K is a trail run up in Nashua NH's Mine Falls Park, my old stomping grounds from when I lived up there. Cathy organized a group of folks to run this, including Bob and Geri, Dani, Ryan, and Mike, so I really wanted to participate regardless of how I felt.  I figured it's only 10K, I can survive that, right?

It was fairly cold in the morning when Monica and I arrived at the parking area, maybe 42 degrees.  I was wearing tights and a long sleeve, along with hat and gloves, since I didn't want to get chilled in my current health state.  We found Bob and Geri right away, and headed over to register and meet up with the other runners.  I saw my friends Reji and Chrissy who were also running the race, and lots of fit people in lycra.  We milled about a bit, gathering our little posse until about 20 minutes before the start when we took off our outer layers and went for a warm up run.  I could tell it wasn't going to be a great day for me.

We lined up in the corral and the starting buzzer went off.  Ryan was up near the front, Bob ran away quickly, and Cathy stayed next to me for the first 1/3 of a mile before she pulled ahead.  I could run without coughing, but I could feel my legs already, not a great sign.  The first loop around the pond starts on fire road, before dropping to a single track on the return side.  People fell in line and ran at the pace of whoever was in front of them, passing occasionally at the few wide spots on the trail.  I kept up a good pace and locked in behind a girl in a tie-died t-shirt who would remain just in front of me for most of the race.  We came out to the road back by the start line, waved to Monica who was taking photos, and headed up towards the 2 mile marker down by the river.

Cathy had taken us on what was supposed to be a dry run two weeks ago but the race course was much simpler and had less single track than what we practiced on.  Along the river some more, then under the highway.  For some reason, the pavement under the highway bridge made my legs feel like lead.  There was a water station there and as I grabbed a cup the woman said "Dave?"  It as Early Bird from VFTT, yet another connection.  Then back on the single track next to the highway, where at around half way Dani came past me.  I really didn't have anything in the tank to try to keep up so I just tried to keep her in sight.  During this stretch I was passed by 3-4 people each mile, a little depressing but it was fine with me, based on how I was feeling.  Back to the water station and now I knew there was around 2 miles to go.  Too early to kick, too late to care.

Mike passed me, then Chrissy right before the last loop into the woods.  I knew what was coming so I bidded my time.  There's one hill, maybe 20-25' of loose gravel and I managed to catch up to Chrissy at the top, just before we made the turn for home.  I could see the small crowd and heard them cheering as we pushed with whatever we had left for the finish.  My time was 52:15, which was far better than I had any right to expect.  Immediately upon finishing I went into a 15 minute coughing jag that left me feeling drained more than the run.  The human body is a curious instrument.

Everyone did exceptionally well.  Ryan came in 11th overall; Bob won his age group, Reji, Chrissy, Dani, and Cathy all finished in the top 3 in their age groups.  Geri ran in her first race ever and did great!  And Monica and Liza took some fantastic photos of the event.  A great time had by all, one I want to try again when I'm healthy and can enjoy it a bit more.

End of a long week

I've already run 25+ miles this week, including the half marathon on Sunday and the night trail run on Thursday night. Today I wanted to do some more trail running, but in the daylight this time. The Fells are close to home, have lots of interesting trails to choose from, and the standard loop is 7 miles which is just what I was looking for. After pottery in the morning I headed to Sheepfold but as usual, the parking area was full, so I parked over on South Border Road by Bellvue Pond. A quick look at the map reminded me of where the trails went and off I went.

Right away I could tell that my legs weren't feeling great. They were tired and so was I. Do runners think of their legs as separate entities? I picked my way though the usual trails, climbing over some downed trees and skirting some mud and running water. Ah, this was rugged. At Sheepfold I paused a bit to have a Gu and pet some dogs before headed back on the mountain bike loop towards the hill. I ended up in a warren of tiny trails before coming out on a yellow blazed trail that led me to the water tower where I got the first comments on my Dirty Girl gaiters. After a brief stop for the view and running into a friend who was out for a hike I started down to the mountain bike trails in the back corner of the Fells.

I finally got into something of a rhythm here, not a fast pace but a comfortable gait. The discomfort and soreness drifted into an inconsequential haze and my mind drifted to thoughts of friends running or rowing this weekend which made it easy to continue. Around the corner of the reservoir and some fun switchbacks then onto some fire roads again where I could pick up speed. At one point I noticed an orange and white station that looked like an orienteering marker and sure enough some fast young people in spandex carrying maps went running by. They were running in all directions through the woods and on the myriad of trails, which made my casual run a bit surreal.

After passing though the start/finish line and seeing dozens of orienteering participants I headed through some random woods until I caught my trail to Bellvue Pond. The finish felts strong but I didn't have any desire to go further, 7+ was fine. I had to rush back, get food, pick up my rebuilt bicycle wheel and head to the river to catch some of the Head of the Charles Regatta. It was a busy run, one that never completely clicked, but a good day to be out. It was good to push through a bad start and persevere. I'm sure the ability to do that will serve me well some day.

Semi-Rugged - trail running in the dark

This run was something different, for sure. Mines Falls park in Nashua has a great collection of trails and will be host to the Jack London 10K trail run in early November. A bunch of friends all entered the race and Cathy organized a run of the course so we'd be familiar with it even though we've all run at Mines Falls in the past. I pulled into the parking area at 5:50 to see Cathy and Bob already there. They'd never met but had seen pictures of each other online so had already introduced themselves. Dani was going to try to make it, but told us not to wait if she wasn't there yet. We dressed for the run (hats, gloves, headlamps) and started out on the first loop.

It was still light and Cathy thought we should take advantage of being able to see so she took off at a blistering pace. Bob and I wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. The first part of the course is good footing so we were able to keep up, just barely, we even saw a muskrat in the canal. Over the bridge and back towards the gate house we heard a yell "Cathy" from the other side and concluded it was Dani. We decided to wait at the gatehouse at the end of the first loop and on we went on the rougher trails. I was pressing hard to keep up with Cathy who knows every root and rock so was running with purpose. Dani was waiting for us at the gatehouse when we arrived and we pressed off into the woods as the light dwindled.

Soon after that I turned on my headlamp and was centered in the cone of light. My concentration was on the reflective patch on the back of Cathy's pack, her feet, and the trail. If I allowed anything else to catch my attention I stumbled so I was forced to focus. There were a series of downed logs that we had to jump over, so naturally I tripped on the flat ground in between them, no blood - no foul. Cathy and I were running a bit faster than Dani and Bob (who ran faster than me in the half marathon on Sunday) and unfortunately we lost them on the other side of the highway. Since Bob knew the trails I assumed they elected to stay on the better trails while I plunged on following the reflective triangles that darted and skipped past obstacles.

Night time trail running is challenging. I stepped on a few roots and rocks that threatened to twist an ankle but never did. I tripped once and caught myself on my hands with no damage (except to my pride) and slowed down a bit after that. We kept up a conversation the entire run in our two little cones of light. Back to the major trail and we headed back towards home. But the Jack London has a trick or two up its sleeve as we headed back to the river, down and up a nice hill that had me slowing down due to not being able to see far enough ahead. Cathy, knowing the route, could run with more confidence and she sped ahead. Back to the last turn and a sprint for the finish, where we met Bob and Dani who had run their own route.

I've liked the trail running I've done in the past, but night time training is its own special world. As winter is coming up and sunset is now before 6:00 this may be a regular option until the trails are full of snow and ice. It's definitely a way to break up some boring training runs, and have fun on what would otherwise be familiar trails. Next time, rain and mud! Rugged!

10/21/2010 - Mines Falls trail run by metsky at Garmin Connect - Details