Impromptu 50k - Arcadia Edition

I had last week sorta off from work (I was at home and sent a bunch of emails but I didn't have to go up to the office).  It occurred to me that this would be a great opportunity to put in a truly long run.  And that I mean a distance of at least 50k.  It's something I've thought about for a while but injuries got in the way and it would have taken up an entire day on the weekend which would have been tough from a family perspective.  I hadn't run an ultra since November 2015 and it felt like this would be good training for long adventures in 2017.

So I planned it out.  Wednesday would have been the better day temp wise (in the 40s) but other obligations got in the way so I went with Thursday. The temp would be in the 20s with a potentially frigid wind gusts as well.  An out and back seemed a waste of the effort - surely 31 miles demanded a loop of some sort.  I mapped out a bunch of variations, some using the beaches and Wakefield and others venturing more towards the Arcadia/Hope Valley area.  Ultimately I decided that running from my house would have involved a lot of dull miles I was already sick of running.  To that end I made my decision to park near the Richmond dump and head into Arcadia via the North/South trail.  I would follow the N/S all the way through Arcadia and then take roads back to the car in a long meandering loop.

I went with cold compression gear and my running vest.  I also carried my 24 oz handheld and refilled it from the two bottles on my vest.  This worked well.  Food wise I didn't have gels so I just grabbed some granola bars and snickers.  I threw an extra pair of gloves in the pack as well as some socks, into which I stuff my phone.  I hoped it would keep the phone warm enough to avoid shutting down (nope).

As I got out of my car heavy snow flurries began which were quite magical.  It quickly covered the trail and was a nice intro to the run.  By the time I crossed under Route 95 and entered Arcadia proper the flurries had ended and the trail was nearly snow free.  The 13 miles of the North/South trail went quickly and the woods helped keep the wind at bay.  I wasn't cold and I enjoyed connecting the North and South sections of Arcadia in one long stretch.  Indeed an impressive course could have been made just amongst the Arcadia trails but I had decided that trying to run all 31 miles on trails would have been too exhausting and time consuming.

Finally I reached Hazard Road and the end of my trails.  I had intended to take the Shetucket Turnpike, which looked like an unmaintained stretch of dirt road/trail that eventually gave way to old pavement.  But I went left instead right and ended up heading down Escoheag Hill Road.  I knew I missed it but at that point I just went with it and made my way towards Beach Pond.  I wanted to use the map on my phone but as soon as I pulled it out of my pack it died.  I wasn't familiar with this area but I could see the pond in the distance and a combination of roads and trails got me to Route 165 soon enough.

I took this picture after finishing the trail section.  Just
as well as the phone died from the cold soon after.

Now I had to look forward to a long stretch of busy road. In retrospect if I did more planning and had more familiarity with the area I would have chosen a different route.  The next seven miles were comprised of two main roads, Routes 165 and 138.  At the time it was an easy way to add miles and avoid getting lost.  However the roads were very exposed to the wind which began to increase in gusts.  This was especially true as I passed Beach Pond.  I was running against the wind on Route 165 and my hands were beginning to chill. I knew of some side roads that would have gotten me to 138 sooner but I didn't want to "cut the course" as I already wasn't even sure if my route was going to hit 31 mile, an admittedly arbitrary goal.

After seemingly forever I reached Route 138 and soon made a detour into the woods to reassess.  I ate the last of my snickers as they were beginning to harden up and were tough to chew as it was.  The nipple on my water bottle was frozen so from this point I had to unscrew it to get a drink.  I donned my second pair of gloves and got back on the road as standing still wasn't doing me any favors.  One good thing was that with my compression top I hadn't had any of the chaffing issues on my neck/chest that I've previously experienced with the vest.  And being able to carry so much in my little pack turned out to be crucial.

I was 20 miles in and beginning to tire.  Luckily much of Route 138 was downhill.  I pushed the pace as best I could in order to generate some body heat.  This seemed to work and I was able to keep the chill at bay.  Finally after four miles of slogging down 138 I turned off onto the dirt Grassy Pond Road.  Here I encountered a hill that made me walk briefly for the first time.  After that I came upon a long flat stretch of dirt road along farmland which was welcome.  The dirt road gave way to pavement and I continued to shuffle my way down the country roads, not entirely sure where I was but with a general sense that it would lead me back to Hope Valley.

And so it did.  I shambled into "downtown" Hope Valley with 29 miles under my belt.  Had I arrived with less I would not have cared a whit about hitting 31 for the day.  The last two were unpleasant and the urge to walk was too great to resist, especially on the very last mile which found me utterly spent.  But of course I had to run past my car to ensure that my watch ticked off 31 miles for the day.

Overall a great success.  I managed a decent pace for much of the run which is very encouraging.  The first half of the run through Arcadia was obviously much more enjoyable.  I grow less and less fond of running on roads especially when I have to deal with wind and cold.  If/when I do something like this again, it'll be comprised of much more trail.  The following day my knees hurt dreadfully going down stairs but the day after that the pain was completely gone.  Very pleased with my recovery from this jaunt and looking forward to 2017!

A good day.  Don't let the time fool you - it was about 5 hours and change
with breaks.

RI 6 Hour Ultra 2015

40.5 miles in 5:42:57.  4th overall. 3rd male.  Results here.

Up until now I had drifted through 2015 without any marquis long distance event in mind.  I spent the winter/spring building up mileage again after last fall's knee injury.  I continued to up mileage through the summer, hitting a nice groove of 50 mile weeks.  But I was running without a goal in mind and my long runs were sporadic and usually topped out at 14 miles.  I was running more than ever but date conflicts and nervousness about the state of my knee kept me from committing to a long fall race.  As we entered October I began to think about Bob Jackman's RI 6 Hour Ultra.  The idea of running a 2.7 mile pavement loop for six hours sounded terribly masochistic and was not my cup of tea.  Ultimately I decided to pull the trigger a week prior.  I was feeling good about my fitness and liked that I could go into this race with no real goal other than to just run and see how everything felt.  With the short loop format I wouldn't have to worry about fuel or clothing, instead relying on the aid table and a nearby drop bag.

Of course I had think about a distance goal.  Based on last year's Pineland 50k and my current mileage, forty miles seemed a reasonable distance to cover in six hours.  I figured if I could cover 50k in around 4:20, that would give me an hour forty to cover nine miles - a reachable goal no matter what state I was in.  I didn't have any doubt I'd cover the time, the question was how long before the suffering began. I had run 2 hours 45 minutes of trails with Muddy two weeks prior.  The last half hour of that had been tough.  I had a couple 2+ hour runs back in August but you had to go back to April to find another 3 hour run.  How long would my legs hold out?

It was cold when I arrived but was forecast to get up to the 50s for perfect running weather.  I arrived with plenty of time to set up my own chair/race bag next to the aid station.  The nice thing about this race was that with the short loop format I'd have plenty of opportunities to change clothes/shoes or patch up my body if necessary.  I was able to just dump a bunch of everything into my bag and not worry too much about the particulars.  I decided to go with the Hoka One One Mafate Speed.  They had been serving me well lately but I brought the Asics Cumulus as back-up.

My green chair sits quietly next to the aid station.
No, I didn't sit in it until afterwards.

Race Director Jackman called us over and went through the pre-race spiel.  Then we were off, moving along the bike path at a reasonable pace.  I was determined to keep the first mile over 8 minutes.  I started running next to a guy and we chitchatted for much of the first lap.  I finished the first lap in 21 minutes.  The loops continued and I was in the 20-22 minute range for the first ten loops.   These first couple hours felt good.  Pace was in the 7:30-8:00 range for the first 25 miles.  I was grabbing water/heed and bananas every loop.  Salt tabs at miles 15 and 27.  A couple port-o-john stops as well.

I had never been to Warwick Park and was surprised how large it was.  As the loops accumulated, I mentally separated the course into three sections.  The first was along a series of baseball fields. These fields seemed to go on forever and mentally wore me down. The next section was along the rolling road and gave you a chance to see up ahead.  This was followed by my favorite section of the course, along the water.  This part was the hilliest with some fun rollers.  They weren't much at first but as the loops wore on, the hills began to slow me down.  By mile 34 or so I started walking some of them.  These hills made it hard to pin down the distance to the finish.  I kept thinking I was farther along than I was.

After mile thirty the going got tougher.  I was now four hours in and my legs were feeling pretty sore. I hit my goal of a 4:10ish 50k so I knew I was in good shape.  I caught Jackman around this time and he told me I was third.  Not long after I was passed the woman's leader Maddy Hribar along with another guy who wasn't racing.  She's won this race several times and has 100 milers and such under her belt.  I hung with then for about a mile.  I enjoyed the conversation but it was hard to keep that pace and I finally dropped back.

From here my pace fell slowly and surely.  I was really feeling the work and forward momentum felt more like a shuffle.  I appreciated having so many people on the path.  I would latch onto runners and have them pull me along for a minute before passing them and moving on to the next.  In addition to the runners, there were plenty of folks just out walking.  I was friendly with them early on but by the later loops I began to ignore them.  Just obstacles to avoid.  By mile 35 I was five hours in.  A true shuffle began.  There were short periods of walking, especially as I exited the aid station.  I passed Crutchley for the last time and I felt beat.

I really like this breakdown by lap as it gives a good overview of the race.
The first ten laps were consistent.  Then the slow decay began...

Let me say at this point that the aid station crew was great.  They greeted me by name on every lap and were most helpful, always willing to fill my bottle (I began to carry it and sip constantly for the last couple hours).  I probably should have known their names so I apologize for that.  They all were very encouraging, especially towards the end when I wasn't in great spirits.  As I shuffled into the aid station for the last time I was tired but feeling positive since I had 45 minutes to complete one more lap.  I downed a couple cups on Coke.  Normally I don't go for soda but I needed a jolt.  That seemed to help and I didn't feel so bad on the last lap.  I was moving pretty well considering how I felt and in fact I finished 70 seconds ahead of the previous lap.

I finished with 17 minutes to spare.  I'm thankful I didn't have enough time to consider another lap (I watched poor Mr. Crutchley come in a minute after the race ended - he had put in a hard fought effort on that last lap!)  For third place I got a cool stick guy trophy and some cash.  Can't beat that!  By the time the awards were presented I was already starting to hobble around and it would be several days before I could walk down the stairs unassisted.

I'm really thrilled with how everything unfolded.  I wasn't sure how the legs would hold up but they got me to the 50k only a few minutes off my Pineland time.  The knee wasn't an issue at all and I never thought about it.  The narrow Hokas began to aggravate my pinkies with two hours to go - I ignored this and it never became an issue.  Overall this race gave me a lot of confidence about my endurance and now I can start thinking in earnest about a big spring race.  Thanks to Bob Jackman and all the volunteers but putting on this event - it's a fun time and the six hours goes faster than you'd think!

3-Day Pemi Loop Attempt - October 8-10, 2015

Several months ago Amanda and I booked a stay at the Greenleaf Hut on the slope of Mt. Lafayette for October.  I was going to take us over the very popular Franconia ridgeline hitting all the summits from Lafayette to Flume.  Things change and Amanda was no longer going with me so that prompted me to expand this trip and turn it into a longer solo adventure.  With the hut stay on a Friday night, I thought why not try to tackle the whole Pemi Loop?  Not wanting to stay at the Guyot Campsite on a Saturday night (I heard it gets crazy busy) I decided I would do the loop counter clockwise, hiking to the Bonds and staying at the Guyot Campsite on Thursday night, following the Garfield ridgeline to the Greenleaf Hut for Friday and then finishing with the Franconia Ridgeline on Saturday.  The weather was forecast to be clear and beautiful for Thursday and Saturday but it looked like rain was definitely coming on Friday.  I was prepared to forge ahead anyway and trust that my gear was sufficient.

I drove up to Dover, NH on Wednesday and stayed with my friend Rob.  He was actually planning to do some hiking in the Whites on Saturday as well so we arranged for him to meet me at the Greenleaf Hut on Saturday morning.  He'd have to leave pretty early to make it from Dover to the hut at a reasonable hour but I knew Rob was the sort of stubborn guy to get it done.

Thursday morning I left Dover at 6:30 AM, stopped at the White Mountain Visitor Center to get a week parking pass and was told by the old ladies there that it was going to be crazy packed with tourists this weekend.  Good thing I'm heading in early.  I parked at the Lincoln Woods lot which is a few miles down the road on the Kangamagus Highway.  I had a few false starts as I kept forgetting bits of gear in the car (I had already crossed the bridge when I realized I didn't have my sunglasses) but finally I was off and hiking by 9:15 AM.  

Lincoln Woods Bridge

Pemigewassett River runs along the trail for several miles

Peak foliage was in full effect

The first five miles were on an easy railbed

Some folks ride bikes for the first four miles which makes perfect sense
since these miles are mild and dull

Taking a break for twizzlers

The Lincoln Woods/Wilderness trail that begins the trip is very wide and gradual but it got boring after a while.  I dropped my pack off at an intersection to do a quick run up to Franconia Falls which was a nice break.  The pack weighed about 35 pounds but wasn't an issue, at least not yet.    I took breaks as needed and mostly just enjoyed the beautiful fall day.  Finally around mile five the trail changed direction and the climbing began.  I started to see folks descending at this point and was still making good time.  After four hours I finally reached the summit of Bondcliff and it didn't disappoint.  The views were incredible as was the famous profile of Bondcliff (being alone I did not get a shot of my feet dangling over the cliff and I doubt I would have had the stones to do so even if there was the opportunity).  

I took a long break here and had some lunch.  The climb from here to Mt. Bond was short but steep.  I took another break at Bond and a passerby snapped a picture for me.  I also had phone reception and was able to send out a text to my wife to let her know my first day was almost done.  Then it was an easy descent to the Guyot campsite where I was still paranoid about scoring a tent platform.  That fear proved to be unnecessary as the place was completely deserted - even the caretaker tent was gone.  I had planned to stay at Guyot because I was nervous about camping by myself and yet here I was.  Luckily a group of three showed up an hour later so I wouldn't be completely alone.

Happy to see this sign

Tricky to scale this with a heavy pack

Incredible views from Bondcliff

Just imagine I'm standing there on the cliff

Cairns

View from Mt Bond - Washington and the Presidentials in the background

With my tent set up I ventured back up the trail to tag West Bond and enjoy the sunset over Franconia ridge.  I mistimed it badly and had to spend 45 minutes up there before it set.  But the views were enchanting and my synthetic coat kept me warm.  It also gave me time to reflect.  Then I returned to the darkening camp and made dinner in the "kitchen" using my whisperlite stove and one of those rehydrated backpacker meals (Beef Pho - good!)  With my belly full and complete darkness achieved at 7:30 PM I decided to turn in since it was going to be a cold night (28 degrees!)  I can't say I slept all that well.  I woke up every hour or so due to the cold and used some well placed hand warmers to keep my feet warm.  But overall I wasn't freezing and got a decent amount of rest.

I awoke at 6 AM as the first drops began to hit my tent.  I supposed I could have pulled up shop right away to avoid a wet tent but I was in no mood to rush.  Instead I cooked some breakfast (okay, I boiled water and poured it into a bag) and then spent a relaxing hour under the porch of the shelter, chatting with an older fellow who clearly has done a ton of backpacking over the years.  He and his son were also doing the Pemi Loop but as I set out their plan was to head for the 13 Falls Campsite instead.  I packed up under the cover of the shelter and by 9:30 AM made my way out into the steady drizzle.  While my start time was similar to yesterday, I didn't realize I was in for a longer day.

A long way from anything except the campsite

The Guyot Campsite Shelter

The "kitchen" (the tarp was helpful in the morning)

The spring was conveniently right next to the kitchen

Going into this trip I was nervous about bears and these signs did not help.
Glad to use the bear box rather than attempt to hang my food though.

I had my pick of the tent platforms

A very successful Day 1

The trails were flooded, almost all had standing water or streams.  I was moving slow but I was comfortable and the 50ish temp was no issue.  The wind above treeline was intense and nearly blew me over at times.  The summit of South Twin was crazy-windy and I was already feeling the effects.  From last year's trip I knew that it was a steep descent to the Galehead Hut and it took me a while to make my way down the slippery rocks.  I could hear the hut's windmill going crazy and I arrived at the hut two hours after I left the campsite, wet and with shaky legs.

I anticipated baked goods at the hut and I ate them (coffee cake and a mint chocolate bar).  The place was empty save for a couple kids playing checkers and a few croo members cooking.  Outside the weather vane was howling and a glance at the weather forecast predicted 65-90 mph gusts late in the day.  It was 6.6 miles from the hut to the summit of Mt Lafayette.  I was going to have to reach that and then descend a mile to get to the Greenleaf Hut.  It felt very far away and much of my clothes were already quite wet.  I found their AMC Guide and began to read trail descriptions, feeling nervous about the journey ahead and worrying about wet clothes, food and conditions near the summit.  There would be about two miles of exposed trail that I would have to traverse on Lafayette.  Finally after 40 minutes of hemming and hawing I decided I had to press on.   Rob was going to meet me in the morning and I frankly had planned to eat the dinner/breakfast at Greenleaf so my foodstores were slim.  I would venture forth and if necessary, I could stop at the Garfield Ridge Shelter or take one of the trails out of the mountains.

The rain had pretty much stopped when I left the hut but the trails were still very wet.  The Garfield Ridge Trail is long with many short steep ascents and descents which made for slow going.  Not for the first time I thought about how amazing it is that some cats can do this entire loop in just over six hours.  Despite the dampness I was very comfortable.  Anytime I stopped I could feel the chill wanting to come on so I kept moving as best I could.  The climb up towards Garfield featured a very steep section with lots of scrambling.  I took a brief detour to the Garfield Ridge Shelter to check it out and sign their log book but I knew I'd be continuing on.  I was tired but otherwise in good spirits.  Another brutal climb was in store before I reached the summit of Garfield.  Very high winds were present, as well as a group of five guys, smoking cigarettes and preparing to head to Galehead for the night.

Garfield Ridge Shelter (built in 2011)

This was as dry as the trails got

Tired but nearing the alpine zone of Lafayette

The Alpine sign I'd been waiting for.  Getting close!

At the summit of Lafayette, exhausted but happy

My destination, the Greenleaf Hut, shrouded in fog

From here it was a true slog of three miles on up and downs along very wet trails.  Other than those Garfield smokers, I would see no one all day.    A light rain began to fall.  My pack began to feel really heavy.  I would trudge along and take breaks when it felt necessary.  Then the endless climbs to Lafayette began in earnest.  I was very happy to see the sign for the alpine zone as it meant I was finally close (or closer, I suppose).  Once I got above treeline, I was energized because it's so cool up there, even in the heavy fog.  But the fog disguised several false summits which grew dispiriting after awhile.  And as I went higher, the wind became more powerful.  Still I was close now and motivated.  I reached the summit around 4:20 and shouted for joy!  But I still had another mile of slippery descent to the hut.  Would I get there by 5 PM?  Was dinner at 5 PM?  The thought of missing dinner was horrifying.

When the heard the manic weathervane of Greenleaf I was beyond happy.  I emerged into a packed hut filled with comfortable people chitchatting and playing games.  I looked wet and haggard (several people confirmed this later).  After checking in (dinner was at 6 PM, yay!) I went to claim my bunk and get into dry clothes.  Unfortunately a great deal of my garb was wet.  The bunkroom was in the 40s and was only going to get colder.  There would be no drying tonight. Pretty much everyone at the hut was in the same boat with regards to wet clothes.  Thankfully I still had enough dry stuff to wear and my synthetic jacket survived the journey unmolested.  I enjoyed a hearty dinner and played cards for a couple hours with some funny folks before retiring for a mediocre night's sleep.  

We awoke to a frozen landscape.  Snow and frost covered the outside world and the summit was hidden behind grey clouds.   The weather report indicated that there were heavy winds at the summit with potentially a -5 degree windchill.  They weren't sure when the cloud cover would break.  We all enjoyed a filling breakfast but no one was in any hurry to leave the hut.  The volunteer trail steward who was supposed to head up to the ridge for the day opted to stay at the hut and recommend to hikers to avoid heading to the summit.  Much of my gear was still wet and my expectations were low.  At this point I had pretty much given up on completing the loop but was hoping to still do much of the ridgeline.  Now I wasn't sure of even that.

My friend Rob, aka the Manchild

I picked up this REI jacket on clearance a couple weeks back.
It was a lifesaver on this trip and kept me very warm.

The top 2000 feet were frost and ice

Powerful winds buffeted us as we neared the top

The summit sign is a little harder to make out a day later

We made it!

Then my friend Rob suddenly appeared.  He strove in through the kitchen, wearing a raincoat and shorts.  I think he shocked people.  Well he's a shocking man.  With his arrival I knew we would at least try for the summit of Lafayette.  Buoyed by his energy, I packed up my gear, bought a dry hat from the hut store and we set out.  It wasn't too bad under the cover of trees but once we made it about 1/3 of a mile we felt the full effects of the wind.  The rocks with snow provided some traction but there were many covered in ice that were very treacherous.  It was a slow climb and the wind was very powerful.  Finally after about an hour we reached the summit.  There were a couple folks already up there.  Once we got up there I made the decision that we should head back down rather than tackling the ridge.  I was wearing my old Cascadias and while they were performed dutifully up to this point (even in yesterday's rainfest) I could feel my feet begin to get cold and I was very nervous about almost two miles of exposed ridge in these conditions.  Rob hesitantly agreed and we descended.  

There was a steady train of folks that we passed, most of whom had stayed at the hut last night.  After about fifteen minutes of descending, the clouds finally cleared and we were afforded incredible views of the ridge and valley.  Curses!  We should have done the ridge after all.  Rob was really bummed and so was I but I know it was the right call at the time.  We returned to the hut which was now mobbed with people.  Day hikers had packed the place in our absence.  Still wanting to hike, we decided to take the Greenleaf Trail down and perhaps hike up Cannon Mountain instead.

The views finally came 15 minutes too late

Our great regret: not attempting the ridgline to Mt Lincoln

Cool rocks on the Greenleaf Trail

2.5 miles of flatness to go

The Greenleaf trail was pretty steep near the top and over the course of it we passed maybe 25 people, a decent amount but nothing like the madness of the Bridle Path trail.  By the time were were halfway done we scrapped the Cannon idea as I was exhausted after three days with the heavy pack and Rob's knee was giving him issues.  The Greenleaf trail is actually really cool with some huge rock formations to enjoy.  We finally reached the highway but had another 2.5 miles to walk to Rob's truck.  This was a mix of bike path and the mild Pemi trail.  Franconia Notch was an absolute madhouse with leafpeepers.  Every parking lot was overflowing, people were parked all over the sides of the highway and there were several miles of traffic to get into the Notch.  Crazy.  The town of Lincoln turned out to be even worse but we braved it to get burgers and beer (also it was the only way to get to my car at Lincoln Woods).

After Rob dropped me off I ended up doing another couple miles of easy hiking along the Pemi River in the hopes that the traffic towards Lincoln would ease up.  It didn't and as the sun set I joined the masses for the slow ride to my motel.  But I didn't care.  At this point I was exhausted and completely pleased with my journey.  I didn't complete the loop as I had planned but between the weather and the state of my legs I have no complaints.  Overall I was happy with the gear I brought and learned a few lessons for next time.  Four more peaks are now checked off my 4000 footer list which brings my total to thirty (eighteen to go).  Looking forward to my next adventure!

Until next time New Hampshire

Weekly Log: 8.10.15-8.16.15

Monday - Seekonk, MA - 8 miles

205 push-ups standard/wide) 45/40/40/40/40

Another week is upon us and I considered taking the day off but I don't like to start Mondays off on a bad note.  I wasn't sure where to run but came upon a good idea to hit up the Caratunk Preserve but duck out onto nearby roads after a few miles.  Weather was beautiful and the wildflowers in the preserve were in rare form.  I hadn't planned on the summer overgrowth and had to do a bit of bushwacking to get to pavement.  After about four road miles I ducked back into Caratunk to finish up with another mile on the trails.  Fun run.

Tuesday - Charlestown, RI - 4.3 miles

I was working from home on what turned out to be a very rainy day.  I had no intentions of running but the afternoon drizzle looked appealing so I laced up for a few very easy miles.  I decided to see what shape the Narragansett Trail was in.  Answer: not great.  Besides the heavy summer growth, there were lots of trees down from last week's superstorm.  I'd estimate probably about 10-12 big trees I had to navigate around.  An enjoyable rainy run nontheless.

Wednesday -Seekonk, MA - 9.2 miles

200 push-ups (standard/military/diamond) 35/30/20/35/30/20/30

I was bored and needed a new route to inspire me.  I crafted one that began at the Seekonk High School and ventured south along country roads, some that I had traveled before and some which were new to me.  It was 80 but not steamy and after a slow first mile the pace creeped down to around 7:15 and stayed there for the duration.  I brought a printout of my route which proved wise as I got turned around in a neighborhood which added about 1/2 mile to the run.  The only shitty part was the last two miles, which were on a busy road with little shoulder.  Otherwise a fine run on country roads.  I'm pleased with the pace too.

With my run out of the way, I finally got back to Providence Power Yoga for a lunch session.  Good stuff!

Thursday - Johnston, RI - 7.2 miles

With Amanda working at home, I had the opportunity to run before work.  But where?  Finally I settled on the Snake Den - I wanted to explore the dirt bike trails that run along 295.  I made a beeline for the powerline side of the Den and after a quick visit to the best vista, I explored the trails.  Lots of twisty single that is very reminiscent of the stuff behind Fidelity - Jonny would love these trails.  A good run but the deer flies were a pain.  They'll be gone soon enough though.

Friday - Providence, RI - 6.4 miles

200 push-ups (wide/diamond/decline) 40/20/35/40/25/40

First of all, I've sort of chumped it over the past few weeks with regard to push-ups and Ab Ripper.  I'm glad I got back into the swing of things with push-ups this week, though I think I'm due to mix up some other cross training as well.

As for today's run, I was pretty blah about it.  I was the only one in the office today and went out for a quick one at noon across to the East Side.  No real motivation or route, just meandered around the hills that I had so recently destroyed my legs on.  I was happy when it was over but pleased I got it done at all.

Saturday - 0 miles

Sunday - Charlestown, RI - 16.1 miles

For my long run, I didn't get an early start so I decided to just run a big loop from the house to avoid driving time.  I brought a handheld and a couple gels as it was a hot humid day.  First I ventured over to Richards Trails at the corner of Narrow Lane and Route 2.  There's an old trail that goes through indian territory that I had attempted to follow once before.  I was hoping that the summer vegetation would make the trail more discernible.  It did...for awhile.  But deep in the woods the trail is all but gone and I had to do some bushwacking to locate its remnants.  Finally it become more visible and it led me to exactly where I hoped it would - the corner of Old Church Rd and Old Post Rd.

I explored some side streets off of Old Post Rd before spending a few miles on the Carter Preserve trails.  At this point I was starting to get pretty hot and thirsty.  I had about half a bottle left but I was taking a couple short breaks in the shade.  When I came out of the woods at Charlestown Elementary, I scouted for an outdoor water fountain but no dice.  Then I decided to venture down towards Shannock Village as I knew there was access to the Pawcatuck River where at least I could cool off.  Dunking my head in the river was very refreshing and gave me renewed energy as I passed the "village."  Once back across Route 2, I snuck around an empty office building until I found the hose.  I used this tap to cool off again and fill up my bottle.

Satisfied with a gut full of water I made my way home.  My calves were very tight at this point and my pace was plodding.  I threw in an extra side street near the end as I wanted to hit 16 miles.  Pretty brutal run by the end but I'm glad I got it done.

Weekly Mileage: 51.4 miles
Year to Date: 1200.3 miles

Mileage is getting there.  If I run 40 miles a week for the rest of the year I'll hit 2000.

Bimbler's Bluff 50k 2014

Official Time: 5:13:09.  9th overall.  3rd in Age Group.  Results here.

A few months ago, after hemming and hawing over several options for big fall races, I decided on the Bimbler's Bluff 50k despite the fact that it was held only two weeks after the NipMuck trail marathon.  It was pretty close, pretty cheap and seemed like it would provide a suitably more difficult challenge after the fast trails of Pineland.  On that last point I was definitely correct.

The lead up to this race didn't go as planned.  A knee injury cropped up three weeks ago - I battled it at NipMuck and did little running in the aftermath, hoping it would heal up for Bimbler's.  It didn't, the knee persisted in feeling "off" and I went into this race worried about how it would hold up.  I knew it would be an issue and turn the race into a slog.  I just hoped it wouldn't derail the race in the first few miles.

I left the house at 6 AM and enjoyed the drive west, racing the sunrise as the sky slowly lightened.  I got to the parking lot with about 40 minutes to go, feeling pretty good, until a series of self-inflicted calamities made me question yet again my decision to run this race.   First of all, it was pretty damn cold.  All I brought was a t-shirt.  I hadn't considered hats and gloves (luckily I warmed up quickly on the course.)  I also forgot my powder, useful for keeping my feet blister-free.  Too late now, I thought.  No point in worrying about it.  Let's just put the trail shoes on and have at it.  Wait.  Where were my trail shoes?  I started searching through my bag but I already knew the truth - I had left them at the house.  All I had were my Asics Cumulus - a shoe with 625+ miles on them which had been relegated to my everyday work shoe.  Welp, it was 20 minutes until race time and it was either those or my birkenstocks.  Guess they were getting brought out of retirement.

So finally I'm ready to go and I realize I can't find my car key.  It had fallen between the seats and I spent five minutes looking for it.  15 minutes.  Time to go!

Despite these boner moves I made my way to the starting area in my tractionless Asics and chatted with TNT Pat Quinn who also had just completed NipMuck.  Everyone lined up, we got some announcements and then we were off on a quick loop through the field in order to spread the field out before the singletrack.

Once more unto the breach dear shoes!

My goal was to take it easy from the get go and run my own race.  I wanted to keep my knee in check for as long as possible.  The first couple miles were technical and then the course switched to some wide dirt trails with some big slow climbs/descents.  I did my usual power-hiking the hills and was surprised how compact the 6-10 guys were at mile 6.  We were all within a couple hundred yards of each other.  A few big hills seemed to drop most of them back and by mile 9 I was in 7th with a Yellow Shirt guy up ahead and no one in sight behind me.

The course has a lollipop shape, with about 8 miles north along the "stick" followed by a clockwise loop up around the Bluff before taking the stick back to the finish.  Though a 50k in name, it's actually around 33 miles - a fact I'm glad I was aware of prior to the race.  The aid stations were well stocked but sporadic and race instructions made note of the significant distance between some of them.   I downed a cup of gatorade at each of them, while filling my water bottle and eating some candy and salted potatoes.  Then I'd grab a couple bananas for the trail.  I took a gel every 45 minutes or so.

The climb up the Bluff at mile 10 was very steep and not runnable.  Finally there were a few short flatter sections but then I'd hit another hill and powerhike.  Once it leveled off, I was able to take in the views which were quite impressive.  Yellow Shirt hadn't stopped at the aid station at the base of the bluff but I managed to pass him on one of the these climbs and move off ahead of him.  Unfortunately by mile 12 my knee was beginning to ache and make itself known.  The pain escalated quickly and by mile 13 it really hurt.  It seemed to be coming from the side of my knee and along up my thigh - my IT band?  I began to hike much more moderate hills as the pain was significantly less when I walked and then suddenly a guy in a black shirt passed and quickly put distance on me.  A few moments later I stopped to take a leak and Yellow Shirt went by.  I expected that I'd be passed more and more as the race wore on and I tried not to worry about that.  Realistically I was looking at a very long day on the trail so I took some tylenol and continued on at a run/jog, taking it one foot at a time.

Thankfully miles 14-17 were downhill which seemed to help the leg.  Yellow Shirt was off in the distance but I could still see him here and there.  At one point the trail passed somewhat near a house and a woman and her teenage kids had come out to watch the race.  But they just stared at me with their big dead eyes as I passed.  No clapping or cheering.  Nothing.  It was pretty creepy.  Moving on and I eventually the course came upon an actual paved road and the aid station at mile 17.  I really appreciated the break here and I stayed probably 90 seconds, drinking and snacking.  The volunteers here (and at every aid station) were super friendly and helpful.  Finally I detached myself from the buffet and resumed my run.  I was only halfway done.

The climbs out of this aid station were pretty brutal and I did a lot of walking in this section before resuming my shamble run.  The next few miles were part of a woodland park which was clearly much-used, with lots of nice signs and well groomed trails.  I came upon a goodly number of people here - mountain bikers, couples with dogs and children - all pleasant diversions to distract me from my misery.  Up until now the course, infamous for its dearth of trail markings, had not led me astray.  The course had veered from one trail to the next but the orange flags and banners were used appropriately and did a good job of keeping me on track.    But I was about to finally take a wrong turn when luckily another runner overtook me at just the right time and pointed out the correct one.  Then he sped off ahead at a pace I envied while I resumed my powerhike.

My leg pain had somewhat subsided by now and I found myself in a good rhythm.  My pace was never in danger of breaking 9 minutes and the hills slowed my movement considerably but I was still pushing forward all the same.  10 minute miles didn't seem that bad, considering the discomfort I was dealing with.  When I reached the mile 20 aid station, I was delighted to see they had S-tabs.  I ate one and pocketed one for mile 25.  I also grabbed some gels even though I didn't need them.  Because I am a greedy packrat.

Now began the long lonely return trip on the "stick."  Thankfully this was generally downhill with some wide dirt roads/trails.  A good thing too because my form was going to shit and I was stumbling as it was.  While dirt roads made the running easier, they were very draining mentally.  On the way out I had other runners around me.  Now there was nothing but long stretches of road in either direction.  Only the occasional wispy orange ribbon tied to a branch reminded me that I was still on track.  The course veered back into the woods and I began to covet the last aid station with a deep, dark yearning.  I knew that it signaled two miles to go.  But where was it?  Endless singletrack was wearing me down and my slow plod continued as I slipped and struggled over the rocks.  Finally up ahead I saw people ringing cowbells.  Motivational Signs had been laid next to the trail.  I emerged into a parking lot that had been transformed into a wonderland of people, food and drink.

With more snacks and the enthusiastic crowd cheering for me I was ready to finish this thing.  The last two miles were tough as the dreaded muscle cramps finally made themselves known.  I could feel the quads ready to seize if I looked at them funny.  The last mile was the final test.  At one point I stopped and had to search for about 30 seconds to find the trail.  And then I had to navigate a terrible rock garden which finally caused my left quad to begin the charlie horse dance.  After a moment it loosened enough that I was able to continue.  Finally the road and buildings came into sight beyond the trees.  As I came out of the woods I was surprised to see Yellow Shirt up ahead, crossing the finish line.    I hadn't seen him since mile 17 but I almost caught him again!

Nice swag and the best bib number courtesy of my last name

So I finished in 5:13:09.  An incredible time considering the knee issue I battled for the majority of the race.  I had feared that I was going to end up walking much of it but the discomfort became manageable and the last 10 miles were moderate enough to allow me to finish "strong."  The Asics held up their end of the bargain and I emerged from the race blister-free.  For my troubles I earned an abnormally large pint glass and a voucher for a free beer at a local pub.  I promptly went over for a beer and a burger before making the trip home.

Prior to the race Bimbler's wore heavily on my mind.  I wasn't sure if I was going to even start it, let alone finish it.  I knew that there would be pain and suffering - and there was - but I'm so pleased that I completed what I set out to do.  Now it's time to let my leg heal properly so that I can look forward to beating the hell out of myself again in 2015.

NipMuck Trail Marathon 2014

Official time: 3:51:59.  4th overall.  1st in Age Group.

Time again for the NipMuck trail marathon.  This would be my third year in a row running it.  I had an incredible race last year and afterwards I was ready to take a break from this race but I netted myself a comped entry so once again I found myself towing the line in the middle of Nowhere, Connecticut.  Unlike last year, we wouldn't be running in the chilly rain, though 's Saturday's weather did mean that there would be some slick leaves underfoot.

The previous weekend I had some pain appear in my right knee out of nowhere and I had taken it easy leading up to this race.  Two weeks after NipMuck I was scheduled to run Bimbler's Bluff 50k so I didn't want to completely trash my legs in this race.  And the knee issue had me worried that I might not finish at all.  So while I had great plans to keep it in check and treat this race as a hard training run, I also knew that a race is a race and I'd probably be trying my damndest regardless and that's exactly what happened.

It was clear and cold at the starting line and I thought Jonny, Muddy and I were making a statement standing around in our little singlets until Sam Jurek sauntered up, shirtless and looking like a damn GQ model. Race Director Dave Merkt casually shouted "Go" and we were off.  I was in third entering the woods and Jonny/Jurek took off ahead.  Muddy soon passed me and surged to join them.  By mile 1 I had already put distance on most of the field, save for one guy in a yellow Shenepsit Strider jersey who was sticking right to me.

WTAC well represented - Photo by Mike Crutchley

The newfallen leaves hid the trail well in places and there were a few spots where I had to slow/stop and look up to find the blazes.  For most of the first leg (the course is two out-and-backs which I think of as four legs) I was able to see my teammates' singlets off in the distance which helped me stay on course.  The three frontrunners had just left the aid station turn around and I wasted little time there, only grabbing a banana bite before heading back.  Yellow shirt seemed to linger a moment longer at the station and I found myself alone.

I was surprised how much time was between us and sixth place.  It seemed to take forever before I passed him.  In fact, there was a lot of space between me and the top ten.  I didn't think I was working too hard, my only concern was my knee which was feeling fine so far.  Soon I was passing throngs of runners which is always helpful to keep one's mind off the slow ascent in the second leg.  After passing the last few folks, I missed the blue blazes and followed an old dirt road off course.  I came out on a road and saw the volunteers about 100 yards away.  So I just ran down to them and continued on.  All-in-all the trail section I skipped made a direct line towards the volunteers while I basically just ran a right angle so I don't feel like there was any advantage to my wrong turn.

Crossing the start line at 12.5 miles, I was beginning to feel it.  The volunteers at the start, as with all the aid stations, were great and quick to offer assistance or a kind word.  They commented on my singlet - WTAC was well represented today and all the aid stations noted how we made up 3 of the top 4 spots.  The hills start almost immediately in the third leg and I adopted my usual powerhiking method.  I was looking forward to the downhill dirt road section around mile 15 but as I approached it I realized my knee was beginning to ache from the effort.  The smooth road section was appreciated but as I pulled into the Iron Mine station my knee was pretty uncomfortable and I knew the rest of the race would be unpleasant.  I just hoped I wouldn't completely fall apart.

Post Iron Mine the course is tough with big climbs with reduced me to a walk.  I was moving pretty well on any downhills but I also knew I was slowing down from the knee.  After the last of the painful hills there's a nice gradual downhill towards the aid station.  Here Jurek passed me, looking very strong and with a sizable lead over my teammates.  Jonny and Muddy passed me a couple minutes later - they were still running together which I envied.  I took my time on the stairs heading down to the aid station and grabbed some more bananas and M&Ms before beginning the final leg.

Unlike last year when I felt great (when I passed him I had told Crutchley that I was "running out of my mind") this final seven mile stretch was very tough.  My right leg hurt now - I realized I wasn't extending that knee as much and now my quad began to ache as it attempted to compensate.  I passed yellow shirt followed closely by another guy - I estimated I had about five minutes on them.  Would it be enough?  Soon I passed more and more folks - they were all very supportive and I appreciated their comments.  I tried to give 'em back as best I could.  But now I was in grunt mode and wanted to be done.

I was dreading the climb back up the dirt road and I walked each of the hills.  I was able to keep a jog on the long slow climb next to the llama farm and I was still passing folks heading out on these last few miles.  I didn't feel my knee now - it was all quad pain.  With about a mile to go I made a slight sidestep and my right calf almost seized up.  I stopped briefly to massage it but I could tell that both legs were ready to lock up completely if I made a wrong move.  Tentatively I began running again, hoping my legs could hold together for one last mile.  They did, but it was a difficult mile and there were final hills that I walked slowly up.

I almost took a digger on the final descent down to the finish but managed to avoid wiping out.  This was a very tough race and I was so glad to be done.  There were some impressive performances today with Muddy finishing 2nd in 1:31 and Jonny finishing 3rd, taking four minutes off his time from last year.  At the time I didn't think much of my performance - I was just beat, dog-tired and happy to be finished.  Now a couple days removed, I can look back at finishing 4th and with a near minute PR and I'm very happy with how it all played out. Here's a good breakdown of the four legs:

I wasn't 100% in 2014 but I still shaved almost a minute off last year's time

I knew I wasn't as fast on the last leg as 2013 but a little post-race analysis showed me that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought.  I was four minutes slower this year but considering that I was battling the janky knee/quad for the last seven miles I'm very pleased with this time.

After the race I changed into dry clothes and did my old man walk over to the food table where I gorged on vegetarian chili, cookies and twizzlers.  Then we sat around for a while, applauding the runners as they trickled in before we made the drive back to Rhode Island.  Another fine NipMuck adventure was in the books and it was a great day for WTAC as we took 2nd, 3rd and 4th place.  Props to Mike Crutchley for delivering me my new WTAC singlet and for snapping some good pics.  Not to mention finishing his third NipMuck Trail Marathon.  Badass.  Will I be back in 2015 to make it four in a row?  We'll see.

Weekly Log: 9.15.14-9.21.14

And now begins three weeks of high mileage and hard training.  Suddenly it feels like fall and suddenly I feel completely unprepared for the Bimbler's Bluff 50k which is only five weeks away.  No point in worrying about it now.  I'm going to try to run as much as I can up until the NipMuck Marathon on the 7th and then I'll take my foot off the gas and coast all the way to Bimbler's.  Here we go!

Monday - Providence, RI - 5 miles

I had been meaning to incorporate some hill repeats over one of the College Hill roads for a while but I knew it meant driving closer to the hill in order to fit it in at lunch.  The east side of Providence is a goddamn mess with construction that's been going on for months - you never know which road will be ripped up and shut down.  Anyway, I finally drove over there and after a mile warm-up I reached Jenckes Road which has a pretty gnarly hill and a popular Strava segment.  I didn't think I had a shot at the segment so instead I just focused on honest efforts on this tough hill.  I had intended to do five but threw in one extra.  The first couple weren't bad but the 4th and 5th hurt.  I ended up 7th out of 37 for the Strava segment - there's definitely room for improvement there.

Tuesday - East Providence, RI - 7.5 miles

37 pull-ups w/ assists (4/3, 6, 6, 5/2, 7, 5/3, 4/4)
Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)

Big improvement with the pull-ups this morning - I tried to do them quicker which helped keep me from tiring.  The tricky part was avoiding too much momentum in my legs which pushed them closer to kipping pull-ups.  I didn't bother with assisted pull-ups for some of the sets since I was getting in so many real pull-ups.  Good stuff.

At lunch, I hit the roads with a vague idea of the area I wanted to explore.  Legs felt good and the pace was just over 7 minute miles.  Mostly I just ran through a bunch of East Providence neighborhoods, stopping briefly at a gas station to pick up a cliff bar.  Very positive run for me and an indication that Crutch and Greg were right a few weeks ago when they blamed the heat/humidity for bringing me down.  Upon review on Strava I learned there's a new mile segment near the office on a fast stretch of road.  I placed 5th.  This will not stand.

Wednesday - East Providence, RI - 5 miles

I wanted to run trails so I went over to the 10 Mile River Bike Path, intent on avoiding the path and only running trails if possible.  No issue with that, there's enough trails that run along and near the bike path to make it possible to reach Slater Park while barely touching pavement.

Thursday - 0 miles

220 push-ups (standard/military/wide) 40/30/40/40/30/40

Boss decided to buy us lunch to celebrate a colleague's birthday.  I can't say no to mexican so it looks like today'll be a zero.  I'm going to try to cram a shitload of miles into the next two days to see if I can hit 50 and take Sunday off.

Friday - Charlestown, RI/Seekonk, MA/Providence, RI - 18.7 miles

48 pull-ups (standard/chin-up) 6/8/5/8/6/9 - No assists!

Early morning dog jog in the dark.  Oliver wanted to stop and pee a lot.  Headlamp kept crapping out on me.  Otherwise fine.  Stretched it a little further since today's a big running day - 3.5 miles.

At lunch time, four easy miles in Caratunk Preserve.  Saw several couples wandering the trails, including a couple ladies deep in the swampy section.  You normally don't see any other folks back there.

After work I planned out a longer loop that took me through the East Side of Providence, up into Pawtucket and then back down into East Providence.  I had my eye on a couple segments.  The running path along Blackstone Blvd has several and while the top times were out of reach I still put in a hard effort on the path which netted me 7th out of 248 on a 1.6 mile segment.  Then I ventured over to the Riverside Cemetery and put in another hard effort on the nearly mile loop around the perimeter.  The cemetery dropped down towards the water which made the second half incline painful.

After that I was winded but kept the pace in the low 7s as I entered Pawtucket.  After I crossed the river and made my way back into East Providence I picked up the pace a bit.  I saw that my average pace was under 7 minutes and wanted to keep it that way.  I explored the roads on another cemetery before completing the run on familiar roads.  Fun run and the hard segments and overall snappy pace resulted in a great workout.

Saturday - Arcadia, Exeter, RI - 19.1 miles

Met up with Muddy at the Ranger Station at 6 AM to explore the trails of south Arcadia.  After 18+ miles yesterday and 5 hours of sleep I was just hoping to hang on and get through the whole 2.5 hour  run.  It was still pretty dark when we set out and as soon as we entered the woods the sighting was tricky.  I nearly bit it on a rocky section but stayed vertical.  After 15 minutes or so the visibility improved and we stayed on the North-South trail for a while, enjoying the rocky boulder section.  We explored a side trail that ran along Route 95 before returning the North-South/Yellow trail.  Then we took the long wooden walkway to the Browning Mill Pond Loop.  This was a fun loop - I had never been to this great little spot and will definitely need to bring the girls.

We returned to the Yellow trail and took it up to Route 165.  We were 1.5 hours in and I was still feeling pretty good.  But for how long?  We decided to set out on the Mt. Tom Trail and then take roads back down to the cars.  We followed the Mt. Tom Trail to where it crosses Route 165 and then took 165 back to Mt. Tom Road until we hit Blitzkrieg Trail (really a dirt road.)  We were at 15 miles and I was tired.  The next three miles of dirt road were at a sub 8 minute pace but I was ready to be done - my quads and hamstrings seemed prepared to revolt at any moment.  The last mile was Arcadia Road pavement but exhausting.  I was so glad to see the Smokey the Bear sign and our cars.  Fun run with great conversation though the last few miles were a grind.

Sunday - 0 miles

Calves are very tight after yesterday's long journey.  No running today for sure.  We went to see the Black Keys up at the Boston Garden.  Good show but getting home at 1:30 AM on a Sunday night is no bueno.

Weekly Mileage: 55.4 miles

Year to Date:  1,429.9 miles

Good week although cramming in 38 miles over two days really wore me out.  We'll see if I can keep it going for another week!