A Very Bradbury Weekend

Saturday, I was ready for 20 with Mindy...or so I thought.  It's amazing what humidity brings to the party.  At 7 am, hoping to beat the heat, Mindy, Nate Augustine, and I started out on the 40 loop.  I don't think we were too far in before Mindy confessed she wasn't feeling it.  Well, not too much longer and I was really feeling it - the humidity, that is.  Yikes.  The loop went along with our normal constant profound conversation (don't ask Nate about the profundity; I'm sure in the swamp air he wouldn't recognize that was what he was hearing), but we were all drenched at the end.

In the parking lot, we refueled.  Mindy expressed a little concern about a Breaker loop.  I assured her I was more than good with walking the climbs.  That was all it took.  Meanwhile, Joe Wrobleski came running into the lot.  He was trying out some gear for the 100 Mile Wilderness run.  A brief conversation before we all headed out; Joe on his route, Nate, Mindy, and me on ours.

I decided the first real climb was the ideal spot to empty my shoe; I'd had something in there for a while.  Mindy told Nate to go ahead and run his run.  From then on, no one else got to hear our profundities.  I think this side of the mountain may have had the worst of both the humidity and the deer flies.  Ugh!  Still we kept running and got to enjoy the fruits of our labor on the Switch Back.

Back in the parking lot, we got to commiserate with Ian and Blaine who came running in from their battle with the humidity and flies.  Ian was pretty impressive with the drippage from his hat!  Nate, Tammy, and, maybe, Joe showed up, too.  It would have been easy to stay and talk, but we still had running to do.  Mindy and I headed back across the street for our last loop on the 40.

The humidity was moving out.  The air was moving and feeling wonderful.  Mindy might not have felt it at the beginning or even during  a lot of the run, but she didn't show any evidence of that in the last lap.  In fact, I think she seemed pretty strong.  The funny part was the weird areas of swamp air.  All of a sudden, we'd run from wonderful air into the worst of the tropics.

Oh!  I almost forgot about the newt.  Probably less than two miles before we were done, I saw something orange that moved while I ran over.  I yelled to Mindy to watch her step.  Because of me, she practically landed on the poor guy.  Seriously, I think her Inov8 (which kinda went nicely with the amphibian's orange) was less than a millimeter from the little guy's nose.  We helped him off the trail and wished him well.

When we finished the run, we recovered a bit at a picnic table before heading for well-deserved refueling at E&L's.  Almost like they were just for us, E&L had rocking chairs.  Good job, us!

Today, Rick and I tackled the last loop of the Breaker.  The park was kind of over run with mountain bikers, but they were all staying on the east side.  The air was great.  I was still a bit drained from yesterday, but enjoyed our run.  I was happy to show Rick the work Ian, Mindy, and I had done on the Switch Back. Good recovery run.

Breaker Loop with a FAST Finish

Mindy working hard

Ian kept thinking it was Scottish games day

Not to be outdone...

Ian, Mindy, and I pretty well tamed the mess that was the Switch Back Trail.  In the process, we got very sweaty, dirty, and, more importantly, hungry.  Plans had been to get some miles in, but I think we all would have keeled over.  So, being very intelligent people, we opted for E & L's.

The trail

Can't miss it

Try to get lost

That meant I would have to drive by the park entrance to go home....I couldn't do it without running there.  So, I did a modified Breaker loop (skipped South Ridge and went right to the summit from the Boundary).  We did such a bang up job on the Switch Back that I was able to run faster than some stretches of the Terrace Trail.  It was pretty fun : )

Empty Nest, Hell....

It'll be the end of the Summer of Awesomeness that will be hard for me!  But for now, I'll just enjoy : )  Mindy and I met up at the Brad with plans for eight miles.  Since the Breaker is coming quickly, I suggested a lap on the mountain side to be followed by Mindy's three mile loop she scoped out on the east side.  Mindy was all for it.

There may have been more mosquitoes with the recent rain, but, other than that, conditions were pretty perfect.  Mindy and I had a lot of catching up to do; after all, it'd been five days since we last ran the Brad together!  By the time we popped out on the summit, the clouds had started clearing and the view was pretty nice.  I took a few shots and Mindy suggested trying a few for my blog header.  I've wanted to change it to a Bradbury shot for quite some time now, but couldn't quite get the right one.  What you see at the top was the best yet.  The exposure is a bit off, but good enough till a better shot comes along.

After our run, we, of course, headed to E & L's.  It pays to be regulars.  Sabrina surprised us with the special mustard pickles to accompany our yummy sandwiches.  She even made sure she was in the dining area to witness our appreciation of them!  YUMMMMM!

Thank You, Thorncrag

I really didn't want to run in the fields.  The hay is getting high again.  I didn't have time to go to Bradbury (what I really felt like doing).  Fortunately, one of my errands was Hannaford.  It took me a bit to realize that I could just squeeze in a run at Thorncrag.

I was surprised to find only two other cars in the lot.  Perhaps the chance of rain kept people away - fine with me.  I hadn't run there in a while.  I always wonder why I don't go there more often.  I felt pretty strong on the hills.  After a while, I remembered I had my camera.  I was glad to have it in hand when I came across a very happy tree.  I wondered if the trail markers got in trouble; it is sort of tree graffiti.  It would have been hard to resist painting that smile; I'm not so sure I wouldn't have done the same.

So I squeezed in four miles on beautiful trails that definitely give an excellent work out.

Mt. Washington should be framed by the clearing, but it's too cloudy

Whale Rock in summer

Home on the Way to Home

Friday I went to NH to help my friend after her bunion surgery.  It might not sound like a big deal, but, last summer, when she had her first one done, it was a very big deal.  First, she missed a pain pill and got behind the pain and couldn't quite get it under control.  Then she had migraines.  AND of top of it all, the foot became infected.  It was quite miserable.  I went down when the migraines started.  With that in mind, and knowing that this foot required much more invasive surgery, I headed down to be there when she got home.  Fortunately, this time, the doctor prescribed something stronger and we made sure she took them on time.  Her boys are doing a good job of tending to things.  All and all, I felt okay about coming home today.

As eager as I was to get home and see my people (that includes my pets), I knew I needed a run.  Bradbury is practically on the way so....I wore my running clothes and stopped for a fairly quick 5.2 miles.  It was still hot (started the run at 4:40 pm), but the humidity had pretty well vanished.  Hell, even the deer flies seemed to have vanished!  Even though there were quite a few cars in the lot, I only crossed paths with one mountain biker.

I liked my loop.  I started on the Scuffle, but crossed over to the Bruiser course where the Scuffle is closest to where you pick up Ginn West from the Snowmobile Trail.  Ran the rest of the O-less Bruiser back in.  Then I was more than ready to go home!

PS.  I used the "ps" cause this is an edit; I had already posted without the following:  Did they break the beaver dam at Bradbury???  Maybe the lack of rain with all the heat is responsible, but it seemed too much of a change for to have happened in that short time.  The water is nearly dried up where the bridge goes over it.

Home Field Hell

It's funny.  I ran the same route that I did on Easter.  That was a heavenly run.  By about 2 miles into this one, I was thinking how it was more like hell.  Then my big hawk, that I haven't seen in a long time cause all my runs have been at Bradbury, screeched at me.  Okay, cool.  Then, I noticed beautiful purple water flowers all along the river.  Was there even a breeze?  Across the street, going up the hill, I was starting to feel like it was indeed hell again.  At the top, a grove of trees made some very welcomed, cooling shade.  That faint breeze was there too.  I was thinking I'd spend all day there if I could put myself in some kind of screened outfit (damned deer flies!).  Well, I startled and was startled by a family of turkeys who must of found the spot delightful, too.  I felt badly for disturbing them, but loved seeing the teeniest turkey fly into the tree.  I have seen the little ones fly before, but never thought one this young would be able to.  Some of them just ran out into the field on the other side of the trees.  The mom made the sweetest sounds to them, perhaps trying to keep everyone together.  Never heard that sound from a turkey before.  Okay, I know I was smiling for the next mile.  To top it off, Jerry greeted me at the top of the drive with an ice-cold Coke!

Kind of Hard

Since I'm likely not to run this weekend (I'll be at a friend's helping after her surgery), I decided to do a longer run than I normally would for a Tuesday.  I figured a loop of the Breaker (the next race) plus a 40 loop would give me pretty good mileage.  Because I've only been doing LSD, really, I also decided to try to push the pace a bit.  Well, I was a bit disappointed at how hard that was for the pace I did, at first.

Then, the rationalization machine kicked in. Was it the three and a half hours....

It's eight hours since I started this post on yesterday's run.  Since then, I ran with Mindy at the Brad.  I think it proved my run yesterday was more than kind of hard.  Everything seemed fine to start and Mindy and I enjoyed our normal easy conversation.  We were running the Brad/Pineland Connector.  Since Mindy had 8 on her schedule, we decided 4 out and 4 back worked.  Well, it would have if we could have found the trail heading back off the power lines.  With all the work CMP is doing on the line, the terrain looks different.  Well, that and Mindy and I were enjoying our normal easy conversation : )  We didn't even notice that we'd gone by it and spent lots of times looking for it after it was already behind us.

It was around the five mile mark where I started feeling not right.  I walked a few hills, but couldn't seem to recover.  It was like I couldn't breath.  OK, lets go over the things that I was going to use as my reasons for yesterday's run seeming so hard.  There was the fact that I was trying to push the pace.  Normally not a good sleeper, I have been setting records even for me.  Sunday night, I might have gotten 3.5, but not in one stretch.  It's been wicked hot and humid and that is draining when not running.  Oh, and I ran 53.74 miles last week.  Still, the run itself was pretty solid.  I got in 12.4.  I was amazed that I looked as sweaty as during the 50 at Pineland.  I don't think I took care of myself when I got home, neither eating or drinking enough.

I think it was when we were actually back on the Boundary Trail that I sat down on a rock.  I needed to catch my breath and not feel so lightheaded.  I'd tried to encourage Mindy to run ahead and finish up.  I almost had her talked into it at one point, but she never left, instead doing her best to make me feel okay about having such a rough day (she's very good at it : ).

Even back in the parking lot, I didn't feel right.  Even ordering our TBLTs at E&L's, I was still off.  The yummy, salty food with more to drink helped.  I came home and hit the recliner for a bit.  I may have nodded off for a little before showering.  I decided to weigh myself.  Even with all the food and fluids, I was still a few pounds down.  I knew how I felt, but, somehow, having the numbers to back me up, made me feel a little better.

Bradbury, BRADBURY, Bradbury, Then Breather

Friday, Rick and I hit Bradbury for a loop of the Breaker, the last loop, to be precise.  It was hot and humid.  Neither of us felt particularly spry after this past week.  Poor Rick has barely gotten to run.  First he was putting in extremely long hours at work and then dealing with the death of his mom.  I'd like to say the Brad worked its magic, but...At least he was glad to get out and run.

Saturday was a day of long runs for lots of Monsters.  To beat the heat and finish with some day left, we met up at 7 am.  A group, mainly made up of 100 Mile Wilderness runners, were looking to do the Ultra-Xtreme Badass run (all the Bradbury Series races PLUS three miles to make 30).  Mindy had 21 on her training plan.  I wanted to do at least 18 of those and perhaps hang on for all of them.  Since the Ultra group needed an extra three and Mindy's planned route started with three, we all started out together.  I think it was Ian, Emma, Jeremy, Nate H., Julia, Nate A, Mindy and me.  Sorry if I left anyone off the list.

The three turned out to be more like 3.5, but nobody minded, better that way than short!  The larger group headed off on the Scuffle, while Mindy and I set out on her 40 loop.  It might seem like running it so often would get old, but somehow it doesn't.  We still see new stuff and there's always the little wildlife sightings.  Mindy made a great save from what looked like was going to be a nasty fall.  Her core must be pretty strong cause she looked almost Cirque du Soleil-like in being able to recover her footing after being nearly horizontal.  I wasn't so lucky later in the run when my toe caught a root big-time.  Fortunately, I managed a fairly nice landing and only my toes suffered any pain.  At the end of the run, the toes just blended in with my normal foot pain.

After the short loop and two loops of the 40, Mindy expected to need another 3 miles.  According to her Garmin it was more like two.  My Garmin had me at 19.5.   I decided to at least get to 20 miles.  We headed back out the link;  Mindy would just do an out and back on the snowmobile trail.  I went slightly longer than the 20 and had 20.35 back in the parking lot.  Later, on the computer, it would show that I'd gone 21.1.  Who knows?!  Linda was waiting at the picnic tables.  She'd come later to work on the Breaker course.  Mindy and Julia (who was not doing the entire Utlra-X) finished up nearly at the same time.  After a little hanging out to cool down, we all headed over to E&L's.  I think we were all happy with ourselves and our runs.

Sunday, Rick and I headed back to the park.  We didn't see any other Monsters, but only waited till a little after 9am.  Instead of the  loop we did Friday, we ran the Boundary to the Connector, turned around before the road crossing, back to the Boundary, straight to the summit, then down the Terrace.  Ian and Emma's car was parked next to us when we got back.  I read they did a nice 10 mile recovery run.

Today is a rest day that I'll fill with lots of errands.

Bradbury Magic

I'd slept four nights on a love seat and made the nine hour trip to and from NJ; my body was sore.  I think my mind was sore, too.  Driving to the Brad, I had to make myself notice the beautiful day.  July days do not get much nicer.  Mindy and I ran her 40 loop.  The trail worked its magic on my body and soul.  It is good to be home.

Flat Stages...

in the tour de life. 

Saturday was a day off from running; we drove to NJ via Providence (to pick up Ryan).  I heard it was hot up in Maine.  I bet it was hotter down there.  I'm kind of lucky I don't need much sleep.  It provided me with the opportunity to run, which I definitely needed to help with the hard days.  Besides getting my run in, I was able to have alone time, another precious commodity.

I ran 8.5, 9, and 6.5 miles on Sunday, Mon, and Tues, respectively.  Since I was never sure exactly when the house would awaken, I didn't drive anywhere to find off-road running, but just headed out the door.  The terrain is very flat with the bridge over the Pt. Pleasant Canal providing the only hill.

my only hill

                                      

view from the top

 

other side

Sunday, I told Rick that I think I annoyed the other runners by saying hello.  It was like they didn't know how to handle it.  New Jersey.  Well, that's what you get for just using one data point for an evalutation; Monday, all the runners and walkers said hi and some even greeted me first.  It was pretty much the same on Tuesday.  Could it be the weekenders or vacationers that were unfriendly?  Or maybe they were just stressed knowing they were headed back.  Who knows?  It was interesting.

little guys like this one were everywhere

I saw lots of wildlife.  Well, lots of the same wildlife.  Bunnies.  They were pretty well over run with cottontails.  They weren't too very scared of people it seemed.

ran to the beach, but not on

thanks to running, this sign did not apply to me : )

The runs were hot, flat, and on roads.  So what.  They were great. 

Rough Week

My running wouldn't indicate it, but it has been a very rough week.  Rick's mom passed away today.  We pretty much knew since Tuesday that she was already gone.  I am very thankful to be part of Rick's life.  We've been together for nearly 31 years.  I am thankful for our children.  I am thankful for our families.  I am thankful for Mindy and all the Trail Monsters.  I am thankful I have found trail running to enrich my life and help me cope with life all at the same time. 

I have very warm memories of Rick's mom sitting on the floor with our kids trying to follow whatever weird variation they invented of whatever game they were into at the time.  She loved her people no matter what.  She'll leave a big hole.

Thank you all for your support and kind words.

Bradbury and Then Bradbury

Saturday, I met up with Mindy early to get in a long run at the Brad.  I was slightly late getting there cause the old kitty I was looking in on required more attention than I had allotted time for.  Fortunately, she followed the rules and didn't die on my watch!

I thought one of Rick's work buddies was gonna show up at 8 and Mindy didn't mind cutting the first loop short to get back for then.  Well, Steve didn't show, but the parking lot was full of runners, Blaine, Erin, Christine, Julia, David, Martin, and Brent to name a few.  They were planning to run the Scuffle and were waiting on us.  Though we appreciated being waited for, we sent them on their way; we were gonna take some refueling time and didn't want to run the Scuffle.

Not that it was ever mentioned, but I think Mindy and I both planned on running the 18 using 3 loops.  Since our first one was cut short, Mindy suggested running the next one a little long so we had less on our last loop.  So we did the Bruiser minus Island and O.  I'm surprised with all our chatter we can still be startled by wild life...Not that we can be startled, but that any stay around to startle us!  We had lots of squirrel/chipmonk run-ins, but the biggest reaction came from me when I nearly stepped on the littlest, tiniest snake.  It was on one of the bridges and quickly disappeared between the slats.

It wasn't a very hot day, but the humidity was building in the entire run.  I was feeling thirsty even though I had two Fuel Belt bottles with me and drank fluids on the first loop and at the car.  Both of us started to catch toes on small obstacles, but no real falls.

Setting out on the last loop, I realized I was pretty badly chafed.  Both the seems from sleeves down to the sports bra had rubbed the skin raw.  Nothing to do about it right then, but complain.  Turns out it is way worse than even the chafing from the 50 miler, perhaps the skin hadn't totally healed.

My frequent (um...obsessive?) running of Bradbury allowed me to pick a course that got us exactly our 18.  After which, we felt totally justified and deserving of our visit to E & L's.

Today, Rick and I headed back there to run the Scuffle.  We didn't expect to be the only runners there.  The humidity was evident immediately.  Even though I'd covered some of my rubbed spots with gauze, I still ended up running half the miles with my hands akimbo to stop any more irritation.  I felt like I was one of the Riverdance.  Still, we had a great run.