Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday Means Gorham
Practically a repeat of Tuesday. Got in seven miles on the x-country course in Gorham...or at least what was the x-country course in Gorham. It's funny, I'd hate doing 1 mile loops on roads, but so far have no trouble with them on a chewed-up, ugly off-road loop. Gonna check out the trails behind the college again next week. I wonder if I still have that map Ian gave me... Although the trails aren't really well enough traveled to follow the map.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Cut Short
Bethany and I headed to Bradbury late in the morning hoping to run an O-less Bruiser. We found it surprisingly humid. A few miles in the sun came out making the roots play hide-and-seek in the mottled sunlight. Somewhere before the end of the Fox East portion of the run, it clouded back up and the sky spit a little rain. Heading up the Snow Mobile Trail, we were surprised by a fairly loud rumble of thunder. All of a sudden it was very dark.
I apologized to Beth, but said that was where I drew the line - no running needlessly in a T-storm. She was happy enough to head back. When we realized it was almost 2:30, we were both glad to have been stopped. Somehow the day had gotten away.
Still good to be on the trails!
I apologized to Beth, but said that was where I drew the line - no running needlessly in a T-storm. She was happy enough to head back. When we realized it was almost 2:30, we were both glad to have been stopped. Somehow the day had gotten away.
Still good to be on the trails!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Twisted
Sam is still a few hours away from having all the necessary driving time to go for a license; I'm still required for the Gorham commute. So I planned on running the Gorham X-country team's course that Dora had introduced me to. As I headed onto the trail, I was stunned; the woods had been devastated. It looked like a very bad job at logging or perhaps they were going to develop the property. It was so sad running there, but I could sort of figure out where to run following a bulldozed path.
On my second lap, I ran into a woman walking a huge, off-leash pit bull/staffordshire terrier type dog. She called to him, but he kept coming my way. She yelled that he was friendly. After a timid beginning, he warmed up very quickly. What a happy boy! I asked her if she knew what was going on with the land. As soon as she mentioned a storm, I remembered hearing about a twister in Gorham. I was much happier that it was a natural disaster rather than a man-made one.
I got in about 7 miles.
On my second lap, I ran into a woman walking a huge, off-leash pit bull/staffordshire terrier type dog. She called to him, but he kept coming my way. She yelled that he was friendly. After a timid beginning, he warmed up very quickly. What a happy boy! I asked her if she knew what was going on with the land. As soon as she mentioned a storm, I remembered hearing about a twister in Gorham. I was much happier that it was a natural disaster rather than a man-made one.
I got in about 7 miles.
Split Personality
Saturday I headed to Bradbury for my long run. The expectation was it would be a very wet run due to Earl. I hoped for good puddles and a nice rain to stay cool (a treat after this past week's heat and humidity).
A fairly large group of Monsters assembled: Jamie, Julia, Nathan, Ian, James, Jeremy, Jeff, Erik and his pup, Christine, Alan, Karen, Mary and myself (I hope I didn't forget anyone). Karen, Christine, and Mary were going to run the last half of the Bruiser. The rest of us headed out on the beginning. I was towards the back, knowing my pace would be slower than the rest. After getting rear-ended by Django, I dropped right to the back. Django seemed to stay ahead of Erik, so, if I was behind, no more dog run ins! It was really where I belonged. Normally I would stick with that group for a few miles, but, planning on 18, I wanted to be slower the entire run.
It was obvious from the first step that the humidity had not left. I think the dew point was 70 and the temperature about 74. Yuck! We did have puddles at least, but the weather was a big disappointment and would make the miles much harder.
Erik soon had dropped to my pace and I enjoyed his company for about 5 miles before he headed back. He skipped the Bat Cave loop so I did, too. I was going for miles, not the Bruiser course; I'd already planned on skipping the O. By not running the Bat Cave, it put us just ahead of the faster group. They caught us and stayed with us till the snowmobile trail where Erik peeled off to head back. The group was out of my sight pretty quickly. Now it was just me and the trail.
Not long after this point, I realized the elastic in my shorts had finally given out (my favorite shorts, they'd been with me through 3 Pinelands and most of the Bradbury races). I was witness to a battle of forces; they were totally drenched and,thus, clinging to me, but gravity was working on them and though seemily saturated, they were getting heavier. Something to keep me amused and focused on! I was very happy I'd packed an entire change of running clothes. I had figured that I'd be soaked from rain and would change around half way through my miles. My feet seemed to be getting heavier, too. Though I didn't side step any puddles, I think the sweat dripping into them was keeping them wet and heavy.
As I headed past the O trail I saw Ian and Jamie somewhere in its grasp. I happily went by its head. When I pulled into the parking lot, several Monsters were there. I'm not sure if some ran really fast or just skipped the O or if it was a mixture. At any rate, it was nice to have chatter as I refilled my Fuel Belt. Checking the Garmin, I found I'd gone almost exactly 9 miles! A change of clothes (Yay, yay YAY!!!!!) and I was back out.
After already running nine, sweltering miles, it might seem like it would be hard to go out, but it felt like a completely different day. The humidity had been waning in the last mile or so of my first leg. Now, it felt like a totally different day even though the temperature was rising. My clothes were dry and my shorts were staying up without help!
I decided not to do any crazy looping. I ran the Scuffle course backwards till I got to the Snowmobile trail from Fox East and then headed up, like I was finishing the Bruiser. By the time I got to the part where Fox West is close to the Snowmobile trail again, I was starting to have to concentrate to not walk. I think I should have had some more fuel. My big toe joints were both very angry with any down sections. But, I was close to my mile goal. When I got back to the parking lot, I was 1/2 mile short. No way! I went out on the Northern Loop trail till I was sure I would have my 18 miles for the day. Done!
Sunday was a day off, mainly because we were hosting a small cookout and I had prepping to do. My college roommate had come up Saturday evening.
Monday I hit the fields shortly before noon. I hope I don't end up with poison ivy; a lot was growing back after being mowed. I didn't realize I was in it till it was too late. Besides that, I ran an enjoyable 6 miles.
A fairly large group of Monsters assembled: Jamie, Julia, Nathan, Ian, James, Jeremy, Jeff, Erik and his pup, Christine, Alan, Karen, Mary and myself (I hope I didn't forget anyone). Karen, Christine, and Mary were going to run the last half of the Bruiser. The rest of us headed out on the beginning. I was towards the back, knowing my pace would be slower than the rest. After getting rear-ended by Django, I dropped right to the back. Django seemed to stay ahead of Erik, so, if I was behind, no more dog run ins! It was really where I belonged. Normally I would stick with that group for a few miles, but, planning on 18, I wanted to be slower the entire run.
It was obvious from the first step that the humidity had not left. I think the dew point was 70 and the temperature about 74. Yuck! We did have puddles at least, but the weather was a big disappointment and would make the miles much harder.
Erik soon had dropped to my pace and I enjoyed his company for about 5 miles before he headed back. He skipped the Bat Cave loop so I did, too. I was going for miles, not the Bruiser course; I'd already planned on skipping the O. By not running the Bat Cave, it put us just ahead of the faster group. They caught us and stayed with us till the snowmobile trail where Erik peeled off to head back. The group was out of my sight pretty quickly. Now it was just me and the trail.
Not long after this point, I realized the elastic in my shorts had finally given out (my favorite shorts, they'd been with me through 3 Pinelands and most of the Bradbury races). I was witness to a battle of forces; they were totally drenched and,thus, clinging to me, but gravity was working on them and though seemily saturated, they were getting heavier. Something to keep me amused and focused on! I was very happy I'd packed an entire change of running clothes. I had figured that I'd be soaked from rain and would change around half way through my miles. My feet seemed to be getting heavier, too. Though I didn't side step any puddles, I think the sweat dripping into them was keeping them wet and heavy.
As I headed past the O trail I saw Ian and Jamie somewhere in its grasp. I happily went by its head. When I pulled into the parking lot, several Monsters were there. I'm not sure if some ran really fast or just skipped the O or if it was a mixture. At any rate, it was nice to have chatter as I refilled my Fuel Belt. Checking the Garmin, I found I'd gone almost exactly 9 miles! A change of clothes (Yay, yay YAY!!!!!) and I was back out.
After already running nine, sweltering miles, it might seem like it would be hard to go out, but it felt like a completely different day. The humidity had been waning in the last mile or so of my first leg. Now, it felt like a totally different day even though the temperature was rising. My clothes were dry and my shorts were staying up without help!
I decided not to do any crazy looping. I ran the Scuffle course backwards till I got to the Snowmobile trail from Fox East and then headed up, like I was finishing the Bruiser. By the time I got to the part where Fox West is close to the Snowmobile trail again, I was starting to have to concentrate to not walk. I think I should have had some more fuel. My big toe joints were both very angry with any down sections. But, I was close to my mile goal. When I got back to the parking lot, I was 1/2 mile short. No way! I went out on the Northern Loop trail till I was sure I would have my 18 miles for the day. Done!
Sunday was a day off, mainly because we were hosting a small cookout and I had prepping to do. My college roommate had come up Saturday evening.
Monday I hit the fields shortly before noon. I hope I don't end up with poison ivy; a lot was growing back after being mowed. I didn't realize I was in it till it was too late. Besides that, I ran an enjoyable 6 miles.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Stinky Run
No, really. I needed to do the fields again today. Heading into the neighboring farmer's field I was hit with the stench of garbage - garbage that has been hanging out in 95 degree weather. Whoa! I wasn't prepared for that. I couldn't imagine where the smell would be coming from; there aren't houses close by. By the time I reached the manure pile in the next field, the smell had improved. Yup, a manure pile in this heat was an improvement.
When it was time to head back, I'd almost forgotten about the smell till it hit me in the face again. Running this way, I did see the source. There was a new pile of something probably ready to be spread in that field. It was better than all the things that I was thinking. My top theory was that there'd been a fish kill in the river due to the high temps. If they spread that crap, I won't be running on that field any time soon.
The bright spot on the run was a bird encounter. I think I know where the Hollywood people came up for the sound of pterodactyls; king fishers make that sound and, in some way, resemble them.
When it was time to head back, I'd almost forgotten about the smell till it hit me in the face again. Running this way, I did see the source. There was a new pile of something probably ready to be spread in that field. It was better than all the things that I was thinking. My top theory was that there'd been a fish kill in the river due to the high temps. If they spread that crap, I won't be running on that field any time soon.
The bright spot on the run was a bird encounter. I think I know where the Hollywood people came up for the sound of pterodactyls; king fishers make that sound and, in some way, resemble them.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Not Pretty
Linda and I headed to Bradbury early this morning, hoping to beat some of the heat. Relatively speaking we did; it would have been much worse a couple hours later. About 5.5 miles in, Linda decided, wisely, that she should cut it short, but for me to continue. Her back was grumpy to start and the heat and humidity (and probably air quality) all combined to make her feel kinda bad. I told her I would finish, but skip the O. She tried to talk me into running it because she thought I was cutting my run short because of her. Not at all, the O would have been too much for the weather.
I tried to pick up the pace, knowing that I wasn't doing all 12. That went well for about 3 miles, but then I started to drag. I couldn't drink enough to offset all I was losing. If I didn't concentrate, I'd catch myself walking. I'm looking forward to running in the rain!
I tried to pick up the pace, knowing that I wasn't doing all 12. That went well for about 3 miles, but then I started to drag. I couldn't drink enough to offset all I was losing. If I didn't concentrate, I'd catch myself walking. I'm looking forward to running in the rain!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Five Field Miles
I needed to get out early today. It was smart because of the heat, but I would have put it off if I didn't have places to be later. I'm really not an early morning runner given the choice.
So, I thought at very least I would be rewarded with even more wild life running the fields in the early morning hours. Nope. The reward was that it wasn't in the 90's and I had some shade in spots. The closest I came to an animal encounter was to realize I was running in the footprints of a coyote....and one that hadn't passed through that long ago; I was running in its path through the dew. Where it went into the woods, I turned to hug the edge of the field.
So, I thought at very least I would be rewarded with even more wild life running the fields in the early morning hours. Nope. The reward was that it wasn't in the 90's and I had some shade in spots. The closest I came to an animal encounter was to realize I was running in the footprints of a coyote....and one that hadn't passed through that long ago; I was running in its path through the dew. Where it went into the woods, I turned to hug the edge of the field.
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