Wild Wings at Mendon Ponds Park
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Wild Wings site
After packing up my gear and grabbing some food, Ann and I headed out of the park in search of a better meal (there really wasn't much left, by the time I got to the post-race picnic.) I decided to take her along the bike course, which surprised her - since she hadn't seen it before, she was a bit impressed at the distance and the hills. As we looped back around to the southernmost entrance to the park, I turned back into the park to visit the Nature Center.
We walked a very short trail, enjoying the trees and flowers, and then went into a gift shop which turned out to be part of the headquarters for Wild Wings, an organization which provides a home for raptors and other birds and animals which wouldn't survive if they were released back into the wild. While we were in the gift shop, one of the Wild Wings guides came through with a kestrel on her wrist, and answered some questions about the little guy.
Then we headed out into the viewing area, where we saw two hawks and a barn owl. I tried to get photos of them, but unfortunately I haven't yet read up on how to manually focus my camera and it kept focusing on the link fencing at the front of their habitats.
After that we went back through the gift shop, and made a couple of small purchases to help support the work they do. As we were heading back out into the park, I realized there was another section of habitats that we hadn't seen, and we walked back through to see a bobcat (actually, a bobcat's ear, sticking up over the edge of the hammock he was relaxing in), a great horned owl, another hawk, a bald eagle, a turkey vulture, and two golden eagles. All I can say is - what magnificent creatures! I can only hope that we manage to get our collective act together to provide even more protection for birds and animals in the wild, so that places like Wild Wings aren't the only spots where we can see them.
In any case, I strongly encourage anyone interested in birds and wildlife to visit Wild Wings at Mendon Ponds Park, and perhaps even donate some money to the cause... they're doing good work!
JMH
Sunday, September 30, 2007
LONG DISTANCE 2007, Race #19
Rochester Autumn Classic Formula 1 Duathlon
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Rochester Autumn Classic Festival info
2007 RAC F1 Duathlon results
photo slideshow
A great day at the races! I PR'd for the RAC F1 Du by just about 6 minutes, finishing in 2 hr 28 minutes, mostly due to a major PR during the runs, averaging under 10 1/2 minute miles! Wahoo!
Ann surprised me by coming over to the park for the entire race - I had suggested that she could use some of the time to work out while waiting for me, but didn't think she'd actually go for it. We pulled into the parking lot and found it even more packed than in the past, possibly because the nice folks at Yellowjacket Racing have added two trail races to the race options. I managed to get my usual parking spot under the trees, looking out at the pond, so I was happier than some of the folks I saw driving around trying to get the best possible spot...
After doing five of these duathlons, I have the drill pretty much down... picked up my race number and shirt, then stopped at the entrance to the transition area to get my timing chip. I was a bit disappointed to see that one volunteer who'd been at every other spring and fall du wasn't there this time - I had fun joking around with him as I plodded in and out of transition during the race. Dropped everything off at the car, then took the bike and my bag of race gear (bottles of water and gatorade, plus my helmet and gloves) over to transition. After that I changed clothes and then wandered around for a bit until we got the call to head over to the start.
Boots had the usual pre-race things to say, though we did have a new warning this time around - apparently the town recently resurfaced a short stretch of road we'd be on with oil and crushed stone. Ugh. Fortunately, it was only about a mile or so, and much of it was uphill... still, that had to be frustrating for the fast riders. Once the clocks were set up, he gave us the signal, and it was time to run!
I ended up at the back of the pack very quickly, running with another fellow in the eye-jarring combination of an olive green shirt and pink shorts. We kept up a reasonably good pace, chatting occasionally - the trails were in great shape, with very little mud. The first hill, up the road from the boat launch, was tough as always, but then the rest of the first mile is level, until the course comes out to the road - then there's a long uphill along the road and through the woods. It was along here that the first of the sprinters started passing us. I stopped for a cup of water at the aid station, and lost my running partner - didn't see him again until the end of the race. But I did keep up a good clip up the steep hill and then across the field and down into transition. In fact, I was more than a bit surprised when I finished the first two miles in 20:37, or just slightly over 10 minutes per mile!
Zipped through transition pretty quickly, walking the bike out and mounting up in the parking lot, then trying to get my legs to work for riding. All the hills right at the start didn't help! Turned onto the recently-resurfaced road, and while it took some concentration, traffic had worn enough bare tracks through the crushed stone that it really wasn't too bad to ride. It took me a while to get warmed up, but once I did I managed a pretty good clip on the bike. Got passed by a few sprinters, but toward the end I also managed to pass a few folks who were struggling up the many hills on the 10 mile loop... I'm not that fast on the flats or the downs, relatively speaking, but I'm a moderately strong climber, probably my my quads being strengthened by running up hills. Along the way I also passed a rather confused-looking deer, who was standing in someone's front yard watching the bikes go by. Made it back to transition in 41:11 - I originally thought that was a PR for the bike leg, but it turns out I've ridden just a tiny bit faster in the past. Still, a pretty darn good time, considering that I didn't ride as much this summer as I wanted to.
As always, getting my legs moving for the 2nd run was tough... I really should do bricks (training sessions where you ride and then run immediately afterwards) to maybe make that a little easier. Felt like I was crawling through the entire two miles, so I was surprised when I made it back to transition in 21:03 - definitely the fastest pace I've ever done for that middle running leg!
The rough thing about the 2nd ride was the hills got tougher and tougher as my legs ran out of gas... but the nice thing about it was the knowledge that once I got back to transition, all I needed to do was another two mile run. Pushed as hard as I could on that ride, and hit some downright scary speeds (for me) on a couple of downhills (roughly 30 mph.) Thought I was going to end up in a crash at the bottom of the driveway, just before the dismount - the course marshalls were uncharacteristically inattentive and several folks started to walk out in front of me, until they finally heard my repeatedly bellowing "HEADS UP!!!!" Jogged the bike into transition, and managed to finish that leg in 41:38 - a great time, as far as I'm concerned.
From there, all that was left was the last run, albeit without a whole lot of oomph left in my legs... once again it felt like I was crawling, but I guess I managed to push a pretty good pace, because I came over the last hill (which always feels great, as the view opens up and I can see the finish line off in the distance) and made it across the finish in less time than either of the other running legs - 20:28! Best of all, that (plus hustling in transitions) gave me a total time of 2:28:09 - a PR for the course, and under 2 1/2 hours, which was better than I had hoped for!
After that, I lugged all my gear over to the car, marvelled at the $2000-$3000 bikes that were leaning against other folks' cars while they attended the award ceremony (my bike was locked up, and it's not worth anywhere near that!) and then headed over to try to rustle up some food. The pickings were slim, but I managed to stave off the immediate threat of starvation, before Ann and I hopped in the car to go looking for something more lunch-like.
Needless to say, I'm very pleased with how today went... my runs were not only fast (for me) but also consistent, where in the past my pace always crept up to 11 and 12 minute miles during the 2nd and 3rd runs. My riding was as good as it's ever been... at this point, I suspect the only things that might help that improve would be to put in a lot more miles on the bike (tough to do, when I'm putting in lots of miles running) and to drop some weight from both the bike (ie. buy a lighter, faster bike) and the rider (a never-ending battle.) In any case, as much as I sometimes think the Rochester Duathlons can get a bit boring (after all, in a given year I see the run course 6 times and the riding course 4) - at this point they're old friends, and I have a tough time imagining not doing them. Besides, the folks at Yellowjacket are consistently great, and the volunteers are fantastic. I may take an occasional break from the Rochester Du's to be able to try some other races... but I can't imagine giving them up completely, at least for the foreseeable future.
Next up: the Monroe Dunbar Brook 10.5 Mile Trail Race, at beautiful Monroe State Forest in the northwestern mountains of Massachusetts. Two years ago the roads there and the course were under water, and the stream crossings were raging rivers... it will be interesting to run it under less extreme conditions!
JMH
2007 EVENT TOTALS
Running 217.9 mi, 50 hr 43 min
Cycling 46.2 mi, 3 hr 18 min
Snowshoe 31.3 mi, 9 hr 11 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, VT
Rochester Autumn Classic Formula 1 Duathlon
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Rochester Autumn Classic Festival info
2007 RAC F1 Duathlon results
photo slideshow
A great day at the races! I PR'd for the RAC F1 Du by just about 6 minutes, finishing in 2 hr 28 minutes, mostly due to a major PR during the runs, averaging under 10 1/2 minute miles! Wahoo!
Ann surprised me by coming over to the park for the entire race - I had suggested that she could use some of the time to work out while waiting for me, but didn't think she'd actually go for it. We pulled into the parking lot and found it even more packed than in the past, possibly because the nice folks at Yellowjacket Racing have added two trail races to the race options. I managed to get my usual parking spot under the trees, looking out at the pond, so I was happier than some of the folks I saw driving around trying to get the best possible spot...
After doing five of these duathlons, I have the drill pretty much down... picked up my race number and shirt, then stopped at the entrance to the transition area to get my timing chip. I was a bit disappointed to see that one volunteer who'd been at every other spring and fall du wasn't there this time - I had fun joking around with him as I plodded in and out of transition during the race. Dropped everything off at the car, then took the bike and my bag of race gear (bottles of water and gatorade, plus my helmet and gloves) over to transition. After that I changed clothes and then wandered around for a bit until we got the call to head over to the start.
Boots had the usual pre-race things to say, though we did have a new warning this time around - apparently the town recently resurfaced a short stretch of road we'd be on with oil and crushed stone. Ugh. Fortunately, it was only about a mile or so, and much of it was uphill... still, that had to be frustrating for the fast riders. Once the clocks were set up, he gave us the signal, and it was time to run!
I ended up at the back of the pack very quickly, running with another fellow in the eye-jarring combination of an olive green shirt and pink shorts. We kept up a reasonably good pace, chatting occasionally - the trails were in great shape, with very little mud. The first hill, up the road from the boat launch, was tough as always, but then the rest of the first mile is level, until the course comes out to the road - then there's a long uphill along the road and through the woods. It was along here that the first of the sprinters started passing us. I stopped for a cup of water at the aid station, and lost my running partner - didn't see him again until the end of the race. But I did keep up a good clip up the steep hill and then across the field and down into transition. In fact, I was more than a bit surprised when I finished the first two miles in 20:37, or just slightly over 10 minutes per mile!
Zipped through transition pretty quickly, walking the bike out and mounting up in the parking lot, then trying to get my legs to work for riding. All the hills right at the start didn't help! Turned onto the recently-resurfaced road, and while it took some concentration, traffic had worn enough bare tracks through the crushed stone that it really wasn't too bad to ride. It took me a while to get warmed up, but once I did I managed a pretty good clip on the bike. Got passed by a few sprinters, but toward the end I also managed to pass a few folks who were struggling up the many hills on the 10 mile loop... I'm not that fast on the flats or the downs, relatively speaking, but I'm a moderately strong climber, probably my my quads being strengthened by running up hills. Along the way I also passed a rather confused-looking deer, who was standing in someone's front yard watching the bikes go by. Made it back to transition in 41:11 - I originally thought that was a PR for the bike leg, but it turns out I've ridden just a tiny bit faster in the past. Still, a pretty darn good time, considering that I didn't ride as much this summer as I wanted to.
As always, getting my legs moving for the 2nd run was tough... I really should do bricks (training sessions where you ride and then run immediately afterwards) to maybe make that a little easier. Felt like I was crawling through the entire two miles, so I was surprised when I made it back to transition in 21:03 - definitely the fastest pace I've ever done for that middle running leg!
The rough thing about the 2nd ride was the hills got tougher and tougher as my legs ran out of gas... but the nice thing about it was the knowledge that once I got back to transition, all I needed to do was another two mile run. Pushed as hard as I could on that ride, and hit some downright scary speeds (for me) on a couple of downhills (roughly 30 mph.) Thought I was going to end up in a crash at the bottom of the driveway, just before the dismount - the course marshalls were uncharacteristically inattentive and several folks started to walk out in front of me, until they finally heard my repeatedly bellowing "HEADS UP!!!!" Jogged the bike into transition, and managed to finish that leg in 41:38 - a great time, as far as I'm concerned.
From there, all that was left was the last run, albeit without a whole lot of oomph left in my legs... once again it felt like I was crawling, but I guess I managed to push a pretty good pace, because I came over the last hill (which always feels great, as the view opens up and I can see the finish line off in the distance) and made it across the finish in less time than either of the other running legs - 20:28! Best of all, that (plus hustling in transitions) gave me a total time of 2:28:09 - a PR for the course, and under 2 1/2 hours, which was better than I had hoped for!
After that, I lugged all my gear over to the car, marvelled at the $2000-$3000 bikes that were leaning against other folks' cars while they attended the award ceremony (my bike was locked up, and it's not worth anywhere near that!) and then headed over to try to rustle up some food. The pickings were slim, but I managed to stave off the immediate threat of starvation, before Ann and I hopped in the car to go looking for something more lunch-like.
Needless to say, I'm very pleased with how today went... my runs were not only fast (for me) but also consistent, where in the past my pace always crept up to 11 and 12 minute miles during the 2nd and 3rd runs. My riding was as good as it's ever been... at this point, I suspect the only things that might help that improve would be to put in a lot more miles on the bike (tough to do, when I'm putting in lots of miles running) and to drop some weight from both the bike (ie. buy a lighter, faster bike) and the rider (a never-ending battle.) In any case, as much as I sometimes think the Rochester Duathlons can get a bit boring (after all, in a given year I see the run course 6 times and the riding course 4) - at this point they're old friends, and I have a tough time imagining not doing them. Besides, the folks at Yellowjacket are consistently great, and the volunteers are fantastic. I may take an occasional break from the Rochester Du's to be able to try some other races... but I can't imagine giving them up completely, at least for the foreseeable future.
Next up: the Monroe Dunbar Brook 10.5 Mile Trail Race, at beautiful Monroe State Forest in the northwestern mountains of Massachusetts. Two years ago the roads there and the course were under water, and the stream crossings were raging rivers... it will be interesting to run it under less extreme conditions!
JMH
2007 EVENT TOTALS
Running 217.9 mi, 50 hr 43 min
Cycling 46.2 mi, 3 hr 18 min
Snowshoe 31.3 mi, 9 hr 11 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, VT
Friday, September 28, 2007
5 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Friday, September 28, 2007
Headed over to the Rensselaer Lake/Rapp Barrens section of the Pine Bush for a short run before class tonight... after a cool, sunny day, the clouds moved in and naturally the rain started coming down pretty heavily as I was getting out of the car!
I haven't been through that part of the Pine Bush since spring, so it was nice to run through there today... and the rain added an extra element of fun, plus it meant that I didn't run into anyone else on the trails!
JMH
Friday, September 28, 2007
Headed over to the Rensselaer Lake/Rapp Barrens section of the Pine Bush for a short run before class tonight... after a cool, sunny day, the clouds moved in and naturally the rain started coming down pretty heavily as I was getting out of the car!
I haven't been through that part of the Pine Bush since spring, so it was nice to run through there today... and the rain added an extra element of fun, plus it meant that I didn't run into anyone else on the trails!
JMH
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
FIRST NIGHT RUN OF THE FALL
9 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Today was beastly hot and humid, so I scratched my plans to go for a run right after work and waited until it was almost dark to hit the Pine Bush trails at the Madison Avenue Pinelands. That was definitely a good choice... once the sun went down the air temperature was actually something approaching bearable...
I got to watch the full moon rise as I ran, which was fairly cool. The woods were extremely noisy for September - lots of insects and peepers making quite the racket! I also spotted a couple of deer (or at least, their eyes!) and saw lots of wolf spiders out hunting along the paths (their eyes glow like little turquoise jewels.)
At one point I saw a pair of glowing eyes in the bushes and wondered if it was a racoon or bobcat as I crept up on it... in the end it turned out to be a housecat! He ended up being quite a friendly little guy, and even ran along with me for a bit when I started up again, but gave up after an eighth of a mile or so and presumably went back to his moonlight prowl.
So, not the quickest run, and not quite as far as I'd hoped to run tonight, but still a nice visit to the Pine Bush and probably a preview of many night runs to come over the next 5 months or so...
JMH
9 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Today was beastly hot and humid, so I scratched my plans to go for a run right after work and waited until it was almost dark to hit the Pine Bush trails at the Madison Avenue Pinelands. That was definitely a good choice... once the sun went down the air temperature was actually something approaching bearable...
I got to watch the full moon rise as I ran, which was fairly cool. The woods were extremely noisy for September - lots of insects and peepers making quite the racket! I also spotted a couple of deer (or at least, their eyes!) and saw lots of wolf spiders out hunting along the paths (their eyes glow like little turquoise jewels.)
At one point I saw a pair of glowing eyes in the bushes and wondered if it was a racoon or bobcat as I crept up on it... in the end it turned out to be a housecat! He ended up being quite a friendly little guy, and even ran along with me for a bit when I started up again, but gave up after an eighth of a mile or so and presumably went back to his moonlight prowl.
So, not the quickest run, and not quite as far as I'd hoped to run tonight, but still a nice visit to the Pine Bush and probably a preview of many night runs to come over the next 5 months or so...
JMH
Monday, September 24, 2007
18.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Path
Monday, September 24, 2007
Notes to self:
Monday, September 24, 2007
Notes to self:
- No matter how sunny and warm it is when you leave work, it will get chilly very quickly once the sun starts to go down! (But I suppose it was good practice for the Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon next Sunday... we're supposed to be back to more seasonable temperatures by then!)
- It gets dark early, and riding a road bike in the dark, even on the bike path, is scary! (But at least it was only for the last two miles or so...)
I've either got to get out riding earlier (not too likely) or very soon I need to break out the lights and my ATB to ride the bike path at dusk and in the dark (the much more likely option!)
JMH
Sunday, September 23, 2007
LONG DISTANCE 2007, Race #18
Pfalz Point 10 Mile Trail Challenge
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Pfalz Point Trail Challenge info
2007 Pfalz Point results
photo slideshow
What a great day for a race in the 'Gunks!
The Pfalz Point Trail Challenge is run as a fundraiser for the Mohonk Preserve, a private organization that manages 6500 acres on the Shawangunk ridge. I ran the race in 2005 and was a bit disappointed with the course - most of it is through woods and fields, lacking the wonderful views that the races in nearby Minnewaska State Park Preserve have in adundance. I also missed a turn about 1 1/2 miles into the race, and ended up adding roughly an extra mile to my run... and I popped my right knee, badly, with 2 1/2 miles left to run. Combine that with not knowing whether or not I'd have recovered from the marathon the previous Sunday, and initially I wasn't sure I was going to run it again this year... but after spending the day at Minnewaska in late August, I decided I really wanted to have an excuse to visit the 'Gunks again and sent in my registration. Definitely a good choice
The drive down was great - other than the sun rising a little while after I left Albany, another sign that fall is here. I arrived at the Spring Farm trailhead early enough that I actually got to park near the race HQ, instead of almost half a mile away like last time. Picked up my packet and then wandered around taking photos and waiting for the race to start. What a cool, sunny, glorious day! The trees were just beginning to turn, so there was a hint of color, and there was a clear view of the Catskill Mountains off to the west.
The start was typical - a huge crowd of runners clustered at the start line, I found my place at the back, the RD said a few words (mostly about being careful on the more technical parts of the course, though he also said something about there being a few hills...) and then - off we went!
The first two miles took us along a dirt road and around the edge of a field before we hit rolling singletrack through the woods. We had a decent-sized crowd running at the back of the pack. I hit the first mile marker in just over 11 minutes and decided to take it relatively easy on the singletrack - didn't want to run out of gas too early, and I also didn't want to lose a knee!
At about 2 1/4 miles we came out of the woods and I actually got to run past my car! Fortunately the run was going well so there was no temptation to hop in and drive home. From there we ran along the edge of a field and then headed steeply uphill on singletrack again... I ended up walking a lot of that, until we finally came out on the carriage roads. And then - it was time to really run!
From mile 3 to mile 5, the course goes non-stop uphill on carriage roads... which are absolutely wonderful to run, in my opinion! I started passing folks along this stretch who were walking up the hill, presumably because either the almost non-stop hills or the distance was beating them up. I was having a great time cruising along on the easy-to-run paths. Stopped briefly just before the halfway point to take in the view, and then the path turned downhill and I could really begin to cruise... I was sure many of the folks I'd passed on the way up would overtake me along here, but very few actually did.
Between miles 6 and 7 we ran through some fields and had a wonderful view of the cliffs off in the distance. Then we hit the mile-long uphill between mile 7 and 8... that was no fun, and I ended up walking the steep bits (that was also the stretch where I blew my knee two years ago!) Of course, coming out at the top of that hill is great, because from there the last two miles are mostly either level or downhill, though the footing is a little rough in spots.
I opened it up as best I could and blew down the hills and along the level stretches (well... blew down them for me) Passed a few more folks, but definitely began feeling the strain in the last mile... there was no question I was low on gas, and my legs decided to remind me at everything even vaguely resembling a hill that I'd run a marathon a week ago! Had one or two folks pass me in that final mile, and had someone almost literally breathing down my neck for the last quarter mile, but I managed a good finishing kick and held him off, crossing the finish line in 1 hr 53 minutes even... substantially better than the 12 minute miles I was hoping for!
After that I enjoyed a delightful plate of salad, bread, rice, and chili while enjoying the relative peace-and-quiet near my car. Toyed with the idea of staying down there for a while longer, but given the amount of work waiting for me at home I decided instead to do a little driving around the area to get some pictures of the ridge (including some nice shots of Sky Top) and then after a break to treat myself to some TCBY frozen yogurt, it was time for the very pleasant drive back to Albany on a beautiful September afternoon.
So in the end I'm definitely glad I did this one... after last week's slow plod to the finish, this was a nice boost to my running self-esteem, between running a bit faster than I expected to and actually passing a few folks during the race. Not to mention the excellent surroundings and getting to be out in the woods on a fantastic first day of fall.
Next up: the Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon, put on by the wonderful folks at Yellowjacket Racing. This will be my 3rd Autumn Classic and my 8th Du with Yellowjacket... should be a fun morning!
JMH
2007 EVENT TOTALS
Running 211.9 mi, 49 hr 41 min
Cycling 26.2 mi, 1 hr 55 min
Snowshoe 31.3 mi, 9 hr 11 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, VT
Pfalz Point 10 Mile Trail Challenge
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Pfalz Point Trail Challenge info
2007 Pfalz Point results
photo slideshow
What a great day for a race in the 'Gunks!
The Pfalz Point Trail Challenge is run as a fundraiser for the Mohonk Preserve, a private organization that manages 6500 acres on the Shawangunk ridge. I ran the race in 2005 and was a bit disappointed with the course - most of it is through woods and fields, lacking the wonderful views that the races in nearby Minnewaska State Park Preserve have in adundance. I also missed a turn about 1 1/2 miles into the race, and ended up adding roughly an extra mile to my run... and I popped my right knee, badly, with 2 1/2 miles left to run. Combine that with not knowing whether or not I'd have recovered from the marathon the previous Sunday, and initially I wasn't sure I was going to run it again this year... but after spending the day at Minnewaska in late August, I decided I really wanted to have an excuse to visit the 'Gunks again and sent in my registration. Definitely a good choice
The drive down was great - other than the sun rising a little while after I left Albany, another sign that fall is here. I arrived at the Spring Farm trailhead early enough that I actually got to park near the race HQ, instead of almost half a mile away like last time. Picked up my packet and then wandered around taking photos and waiting for the race to start. What a cool, sunny, glorious day! The trees were just beginning to turn, so there was a hint of color, and there was a clear view of the Catskill Mountains off to the west.
The start was typical - a huge crowd of runners clustered at the start line, I found my place at the back, the RD said a few words (mostly about being careful on the more technical parts of the course, though he also said something about there being a few hills...) and then - off we went!
The first two miles took us along a dirt road and around the edge of a field before we hit rolling singletrack through the woods. We had a decent-sized crowd running at the back of the pack. I hit the first mile marker in just over 11 minutes and decided to take it relatively easy on the singletrack - didn't want to run out of gas too early, and I also didn't want to lose a knee!
At about 2 1/4 miles we came out of the woods and I actually got to run past my car! Fortunately the run was going well so there was no temptation to hop in and drive home. From there we ran along the edge of a field and then headed steeply uphill on singletrack again... I ended up walking a lot of that, until we finally came out on the carriage roads. And then - it was time to really run!
From mile 3 to mile 5, the course goes non-stop uphill on carriage roads... which are absolutely wonderful to run, in my opinion! I started passing folks along this stretch who were walking up the hill, presumably because either the almost non-stop hills or the distance was beating them up. I was having a great time cruising along on the easy-to-run paths. Stopped briefly just before the halfway point to take in the view, and then the path turned downhill and I could really begin to cruise... I was sure many of the folks I'd passed on the way up would overtake me along here, but very few actually did.
Between miles 6 and 7 we ran through some fields and had a wonderful view of the cliffs off in the distance. Then we hit the mile-long uphill between mile 7 and 8... that was no fun, and I ended up walking the steep bits (that was also the stretch where I blew my knee two years ago!) Of course, coming out at the top of that hill is great, because from there the last two miles are mostly either level or downhill, though the footing is a little rough in spots.
I opened it up as best I could and blew down the hills and along the level stretches (well... blew down them for me) Passed a few more folks, but definitely began feeling the strain in the last mile... there was no question I was low on gas, and my legs decided to remind me at everything even vaguely resembling a hill that I'd run a marathon a week ago! Had one or two folks pass me in that final mile, and had someone almost literally breathing down my neck for the last quarter mile, but I managed a good finishing kick and held him off, crossing the finish line in 1 hr 53 minutes even... substantially better than the 12 minute miles I was hoping for!
After that I enjoyed a delightful plate of salad, bread, rice, and chili while enjoying the relative peace-and-quiet near my car. Toyed with the idea of staying down there for a while longer, but given the amount of work waiting for me at home I decided instead to do a little driving around the area to get some pictures of the ridge (including some nice shots of Sky Top) and then after a break to treat myself to some TCBY frozen yogurt, it was time for the very pleasant drive back to Albany on a beautiful September afternoon.
So in the end I'm definitely glad I did this one... after last week's slow plod to the finish, this was a nice boost to my running self-esteem, between running a bit faster than I expected to and actually passing a few folks during the race. Not to mention the excellent surroundings and getting to be out in the woods on a fantastic first day of fall.
Next up: the Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon, put on by the wonderful folks at Yellowjacket Racing. This will be my 3rd Autumn Classic and my 8th Du with Yellowjacket... should be a fun morning!
JMH
2007 EVENT TOTALS
Running 211.9 mi, 49 hr 41 min
Cycling 26.2 mi, 1 hr 55 min
Snowshoe 31.3 mi, 9 hr 11 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, VT
Saturday, September 22, 2007
14.7 Mile Ride in Clifton Park & Vischer Ferry
Saturday, September 22, 2007
I wanted to get in a short ride on the Dawes today, after replacing the front brake pads and front tire last night, so I decided to head up to Vischer Ferry and ride part of the bike course for the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway Duathlon which I'm planning to do in mid-October. I parked at the main entrance to the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve and first rode down Riverview Road toward the area where the race will start, then back out on the rest of the course.
The weather today was more mid-summer than September - hot and hazy. Rode through some nice countryside and the small town of Vischer Ferry, which reminded me of some of the small Berkshires towns I used to ride through back when I lived down there.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
I wanted to get in a short ride on the Dawes today, after replacing the front brake pads and front tire last night, so I decided to head up to Vischer Ferry and ride part of the bike course for the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway Duathlon which I'm planning to do in mid-October. I parked at the main entrance to the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve and first rode down Riverview Road toward the area where the race will start, then back out on the rest of the course.
The weather today was more mid-summer than September - hot and hazy. Rode through some nice countryside and the small town of Vischer Ferry, which reminded me of some of the small Berkshires towns I used to ride through back when I lived down there.
The bike course is definitely challenging - lots of hills! Some of the roads are also tricky to ride, because there's no shoulder, but since the traffic wasn't bad today I don't expect it will be any worse early Sunday morning. And if the leaves haven't all dropped by then, it should be a beautiful ride!
Just before I got back to the Preserve, a snapping turtle was hustling across the road in front of me, so I stopped and watched him for a bit. He was much more mobile than the last one I saw - as I moved around him he circled to keep me in sight, and after a couple of minutes he picked himself up and continued on his way into the weeds and, presumably, the swamp just beyond them.
A good ride, all told... though given how tired my legs were on the climbs, I suspect I'm in for a slow time at the Pfalz Point Trail Challenge tomorrow morning!
JMH
Just before I got back to the Preserve, a snapping turtle was hustling across the road in front of me, so I stopped and watched him for a bit. He was much more mobile than the last one I saw - as I moved around him he circled to keep me in sight, and after a couple of minutes he picked himself up and continued on his way into the weeds and, presumably, the swamp just beyond them.
A good ride, all told... though given how tired my legs were on the climbs, I suspect I'm in for a slow time at the Pfalz Point Trail Challenge tomorrow morning!
JMH
Friday, September 21, 2007
6.5 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Friday, September 21, 2007
After five days of no running, it felt great to be out in the woods again! My legs are still feeling some of the aftereffects of Sunday's marathon, but I still had a pretty good run (other than catching my foot on a fallen branch at one point and taking a fall on the path... at least it was nice soft dirt.) I haven't been on the Columbia Circle trails in ages... I think the last time was early in the summer, on my ATB.
Ran to the top of blueberry hill west twice, and had gorgeous views of the setting sun and the Heldebergs off in the distance. The second time I ran down from the top, I could feel the temperature drop down in the hollow below the hill and could see the moisture in the air condensing into mist...
Paths were getting a bit dark for the last mile or so... a reminder that soon my trail runs will mostly be in the dark, by the light of my headlamp... fall is here!
JMH
Friday, September 21, 2007
After five days of no running, it felt great to be out in the woods again! My legs are still feeling some of the aftereffects of Sunday's marathon, but I still had a pretty good run (other than catching my foot on a fallen branch at one point and taking a fall on the path... at least it was nice soft dirt.) I haven't been on the Columbia Circle trails in ages... I think the last time was early in the summer, on my ATB.
Ran to the top of blueberry hill west twice, and had gorgeous views of the setting sun and the Heldebergs off in the distance. The second time I ran down from the top, I could feel the temperature drop down in the hollow below the hill and could see the moisture in the air condensing into mist...
Paths were getting a bit dark for the last mile or so... a reminder that soon my trail runs will mostly be in the dark, by the light of my headlamp... fall is here!
JMH
10.1 Mile Ride Along the Back Roads of Colonie
Thursday, September 20, 2007
I must admit, I'm feeling like a serious slacker this week... no running (other than the little 26 miler I did on Sunday) so far and only two relatively short rides... of course, riding is going to get tougher and tougher with sunset creeping up earlier and earlier. (Before long it'll be time to break out the lights and ride the bike path on my ATB in the dark...)
After running a few errands, I hit the road for a short ride before classes started... rode my short loop out Albany Street and over toward the Pine Bush. I haven't been out on those roads since spring... I typically ride there when I'm pressed for time on a class night, and that's generally not an issue during the summer. Kept up a pretty good pace, motivated by wanting to be back before class started.
My legs were feeling pretty good on the level stretches and downhills, but as soon as I hit an uphill they reminded me that we'd done a marathon on Sunday... guess I'm still recovering!
Just before getting back to Rt 155, I passed a yard with a flock of turkeys wandering through... it's incredible how those guys have come back over the last 15 years or so.
JMH
Thursday, September 20, 2007
I must admit, I'm feeling like a serious slacker this week... no running (other than the little 26 miler I did on Sunday) so far and only two relatively short rides... of course, riding is going to get tougher and tougher with sunset creeping up earlier and earlier. (Before long it'll be time to break out the lights and ride the bike path on my ATB in the dark...)
After running a few errands, I hit the road for a short ride before classes started... rode my short loop out Albany Street and over toward the Pine Bush. I haven't been out on those roads since spring... I typically ride there when I'm pressed for time on a class night, and that's generally not an issue during the summer. Kept up a pretty good pace, motivated by wanting to be back before class started.
My legs were feeling pretty good on the level stretches and downhills, but as soon as I hit an uphill they reminded me that we'd done a marathon on Sunday... guess I'm still recovering!
Just before getting back to Rt 155, I passed a yard with a flock of turkeys wandering through... it's incredible how those guys have come back over the last 15 years or so.
JMH
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
20.5 Mile Ride on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Legs were still too tired for a run, so I took the bike over to Lock 8 and rode the bike path west of Schenectady. Headed out to Scrafford Lane first, and found the tracks blocked by a train, so then I headed back down the path and down Mabee Lane to Route 5S. Rode down 5S through Rotterdam Junction and took the short stretch of path along the old Erie Canal back, then retraced my ride out back to the lock.
Started out with a wonderfully warm day, but since it was getting late in the day there were a lot of spots which were in the shade and a bit chilly. In fact, by the time I was on the last few miles to the lock it was downright cold!
Along one stretch of the old canal I startled a group of wood ducks, who of course headed for cover as I stopped and got out my camera. Surprisingly, I actually managed to catch a shot of one under the brush on the far side of the canal.
I was all set to finish when I got back to the car, but it turned out I had one of my rain jackets in the car (in hi-vis yellow) so I pulled it on to cut some of the cold and rode the path down to SCCC and back. On the way back I had some great views of the moon and the sunset... what a great evening!
JMH
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Legs were still too tired for a run, so I took the bike over to Lock 8 and rode the bike path west of Schenectady. Headed out to Scrafford Lane first, and found the tracks blocked by a train, so then I headed back down the path and down Mabee Lane to Route 5S. Rode down 5S through Rotterdam Junction and took the short stretch of path along the old Erie Canal back, then retraced my ride out back to the lock.
Started out with a wonderfully warm day, but since it was getting late in the day there were a lot of spots which were in the shade and a bit chilly. In fact, by the time I was on the last few miles to the lock it was downright cold!
Along one stretch of the old canal I startled a group of wood ducks, who of course headed for cover as I stopped and got out my camera. Surprisingly, I actually managed to catch a shot of one under the brush on the far side of the canal.
I was all set to finish when I got back to the car, but it turned out I had one of my rain jackets in the car (in hi-vis yellow) so I pulled it on to cut some of the cold and rode the path down to SCCC and back. On the way back I had some great views of the moon and the sunset... what a great evening!
JMH
Monday, September 17, 2007
BAD PLANNING
Monday, September 17, 2007
For anyone who needs an example of bad planning (or just plain boneheadedness on my part) I offer the following:
Yesterday I ran, walk, staggered, hobbled, and otherwise finished a marathon under my own power. Today I had scheduled lab exercises for three of my five classes that involved going outside to take distance and time measurements. My classroom is on the third floor. On a normal day I need to go up and down the stairs twice - arriving/leaving, and for lunch. Today, I walked up and down those stairs five times. My hip is quietly grumbling at me right now... I think it's saying "Idiot... idiot... idiot..."
So far, the aftereffects of the marathon are a certain degree of fatigue, general overall soreness with some more acute aches in my legs and hips, and the possibility that I'm fighting off a bug of some sort. Not too bad, really. If all goes well I'll be going out on the bike tomorrow for any easy ride... I'll probably do very little running this week, just to give my running muscles time to recover. Then - it's back to work, to see if I can get ready for the Mendon 50k trail race in early November!
JMH
Monday, September 17, 2007
For anyone who needs an example of bad planning (or just plain boneheadedness on my part) I offer the following:
Yesterday I ran, walk, staggered, hobbled, and otherwise finished a marathon under my own power. Today I had scheduled lab exercises for three of my five classes that involved going outside to take distance and time measurements. My classroom is on the third floor. On a normal day I need to go up and down the stairs twice - arriving/leaving, and for lunch. Today, I walked up and down those stairs five times. My hip is quietly grumbling at me right now... I think it's saying "Idiot... idiot... idiot..."
So far, the aftereffects of the marathon are a certain degree of fatigue, general overall soreness with some more acute aches in my legs and hips, and the possibility that I'm fighting off a bug of some sort. Not too bad, really. If all goes well I'll be going out on the bike tomorrow for any easy ride... I'll probably do very little running this week, just to give my running muscles time to recover. Then - it's back to work, to see if I can get ready for the Mendon 50k trail race in early November!
JMH
Sunday, September 16, 2007
LONG DISTANCE 2007, Race #17
Adirondack Marathon
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Adirondack Marathon info
2007 Adirondack Marathon results
course map
photo slideshow
I signed up for the Adirondack Marathon in 2002 and 2006 and both times DNS'd (Did Not Start) - in 2002 due to my lack of training and Ann being sick, and in 2006 due to the Crash. So the big question today was - would the 3rd time prove to be the proverbial charm?
The short version -
Adirondack Marathon
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Adirondack Marathon info
2007 Adirondack Marathon results
course map
photo slideshow
I signed up for the Adirondack Marathon in 2002 and 2006 and both times DNS'd (Did Not Start) - in 2002 due to my lack of training and Ann being sick, and in 2006 due to the Crash. So the big question today was - would the 3rd time prove to be the proverbial charm?
The short version -
- Did I finish? Yes, in 5 hours 41 minutes
- Which of the possible outcomes was this? Somewhere between #1 (victory!) and #2 (truce) - I ulimately ran at the average pace I expected to and found the course to be quite tough. If I got off my butt and trained more I might be able to achieve a more decisive victory. But right now I'm leaning toward a truce somewhat tilted in my favor.
- Will I do this one again? Probably not, for several reasons. But I won't say it will never happen.
- How was the course? Hills. Hills. Hills. And then, for a change - hills. Even the so-called flat sections were mainly very gradual uphills! (there was some downhill... but that mostly set us up to run more uphills!)
- Any last words? Ow. Ow. Ow. Can I go to sleep now?
The long version -
Be forwarned - I ran 26.2 miles and was out on the course for almost 5 3/4 hours. So the long version may end up being very long.
I've always heard that it's not how well you sleep the night before a race that's important, it's getting rest on the previous nights that makes the difference. Today's race definitely put that to the test, since last night my idiot college student upstairs neighbors decided to throw one of their parties and I ended up getting very little sleep due to all the racket. (I suppose my homicidal thoughts also contributed a certain amount to keeping me awake.) Note to self - in the future, stay at a motel close to the race site the night before a marathon!
Today's race was also interesting to pack for because a cold front moved into the area, bringing us temperatures much closer to the ones I ran in during March and April rather than the past month. I broke out long sleeves and my fleece vest for this one... and hoped I wouldn't regret leaving the tights at home!
The drive north to Schroon Lake had the advantage of taking place early enough that there was little other traffic on the Northway. The drive through the Adirondacks is always beautiful; today was different, however, in that shortly after entering the Park I hit a fog bank that stayed with me most of the way to Schroon Lake (and wasn't that a source of stress, as I imagined running 26.2 miles unable to see more than 10 feet or so in any particualr direction.) Made it into town, passing aid station tables and mile markers along Rt 9, found a good parking spot, and picked up my race packet (thankfully, the line for the marathon was much shorter than the line for the half!) Then I found a convenient pair of Porta-Potties (empty the first time I visited them, but a short line the 2nd time) and wandered around taking pictures of the lake and town before gearing up for the long run ahead of me. There was even a loon swimming around the boat docks, but he kept diving whenever I tried to take his picture.
In the end, I decided to just go with a long-sleeved shirt and no vest... it was moderately comfortable before the race, and in theory it would get warmer as the day progressed. Then I went down to the starting area to wait for things to begin.
About a dozen minutes before the marathon was scheduled to start, the three wheelchair athletes moved to the starting line and prepared for their race... and I was struck by how fortunate I am, to be walking and running and riding on my own two legs. If I ever lose the use of them - I can only hope to have a fraction of the spirit these guys have, to be wheeling themselves up and down some of the steep hills I ran today. Ten minutes before the marathon, the wheelchair racers got the signal to start and disappeared up the road to a great deal of cheering. And then we lined up and waited for the fun to begin.
After a few words about the course and an admonition to wait for the starting siren and not just go when the start clock hit 9:00, the race started and we headed off up the street, with a brief detour around the local school (I'm guessing the bring the course to exactly 26.2 miles) I was near the back, with a few folks running behind me. Hit the 1st mile marker at just under 11 minutes and realized that I was in for serious trouble if I continued at that pace, so I slowed up a bit and watched folks pass me. Ended up being paced by a really nice fellow named Bob who it turns out is from out near Wellsville and used to be on the organizing committee for the Ridgewalk & Run which I'm signed up to do in late October! We ran along at a pretty comfortable pace, about 12 minute miles, and chatted about all sorts of things as the surroundings got a bit more rural. Turns out he's currently working on a degree in psychology, with the potential goal of becoming a school psychologist... another educator! It was definitely nice to have such pleasant company those first few miles.
At about mile 4 I stopped to relieve an overfull bladder, and Bob disappeared up the first of the long hills. From then on I was running alone most of the time, though much of the time I had other runners (and later walkers in sight.)
Only one word is needed to describe miles 4 to 12: HILLS. If there was a level stretch in there it didn't last long enough for me to notice. In many ways it reminded me of some of the road runs I've done over in Slingerlands and down in the Berkshires - woods all around and mile after mile of climbing up and running down hills. There were several water stops along the way, all staffed by fantastic volunteers - one of those stops was the first one where they checked my race number as I approached the stop and cheered me on by name as I came through... that was pretty cool. There was also a small group of school band students who were enthusiastically playing and cheering as I ran by. But the highlight had to be the Burlington Taiko drummers who were set up and drumming away along one hill between miles 11 and 12. Drumming always gets my blood flowing, and taiko even more so! I ran up that hill with extra energy in my step and a big smile on my face, resisting the temptation to yell out "Yoi! (Good!)" as I ran by.
Around mile 12 or so the big hills finally started to wind down as I came to the center of the town of Adirondack. While I'd been able to catch brief glimpses of the lake during the previous miles, the next 4 to 5 miles ran along the lake shore, offering some great views of the water (as well as lots of houses with private beaches!) I ran through the halfway point and half marathon start at 2hr 39 min... a pretty good time all told, but also an indication that I was slowing down a little bit from the 12 minute miles I'd been running for much of the first half.
Other than the views of the lake and the mountains off in the distance, miles 12.5 to 17 were not quite as scenic as the woods I'd been running in for much of the first half. Also, while many of the volunteers had talked about how the course is flat once you get past mile 12.5, in reality it was mostly a very gradual uphill, which in many ways is much more difficult to run consistently than short steep hills. Toward the end of this stretch I could definitely feel the miles (and my insufficient training) taking their toll - running definitely was starting to hurt, and my pace was definitely slowing. Also, it was along here that my digestive system starting acting up, and I ended up in a certain amount of discomfort because of gas buildup. Unfortunately, it wasn't until around mile 20 that I was able to find an available port-a-john and get some relief (there was one just as I rounded the southern end of the lake, but it was occupied and I was worried my legs would lock up if I stood around waiting for it!)
One of the things that was truly strange about this race was running along roads that were almost totally devoid of traffic, because all the local roads were closed for various durations during the race. This became the most evident when I turned onto route 9 and began the almost 9 mile slog to the finish. Half the road was blocked off by orange traffic cones, and periodically a state trooper would go through leading a small caravan of cars, but other than that the only traffic was race, emergency, and police vehicles. If not for the water stops and occasional folks waiting by the roadside to cheer us on, it would have been like one of those disaster movies where the majority of people are gone and everything is abandoned. Running along route 9 with no traffic was a very strange feeling.
The last 9 miles along Route 9 were a long, slow plod... much of it uphill, some gradual and some less so. Fortunately there were water stops at pretty much every mile marker, which gave me something to look forward to as I walked the uphills and slowly ran the level stretches and the downhills. Passed four folks walking along this stretch - two gals who seemed to be doing pretty well, and two fellows who seemed to be having a really rough time of it. Also found myself getting a bit chilly as the wind whistled down the open roadway. At one point I passed the studio of someone who does chainsaw sculptures - those were quite interesting and even a bit spectacular. Initially there were some nice views across the lake, but after that the main thing I saw was the seemingly endless road stretching out before me...
I pulled into the last water stop at mile 25 at 5 hrs 26 minutes, and asked the somewhat grumpy volunteer to snap a photo of me... he seemed quite happy that he had only 4 minutes left of what was no doubt a very boring job waiting for runners and walkers to come through. With only a mile and a quarter to go, I decided to pick up the pace, and did my best to run the rest of the distance, albeit very slowly. When the road re-opened and traffic starting coming through, I moved from the shoulder of the road up onto the sidewalk, and as I came into town I found myself occasionally needing to dodge pedestrians. But I also got a lot of encouraging comments from people walking by or hanging out along the sidewalk, which was good to hear and definitely helped keep me running.
I wish I could say that when I made the last turn for the final tenth of a mile to the finish line that I broke into a strong run and powered across the finish line, but the truth is, I unclipped my waist pack (in case there was a race photographer at the finish... my waist packs invariably make me look even heavier than I am) and continued my very slow run toward the finish line. As I got closer I heard the race announcer call out over his PA system "We have a someone coming in who's having a really tough time of it, he's had some really bad cramping problems, let's give him a lot of encouragement to finish!" and I wondered why he was saying that... then I realized there was a runner staggering toward the finish a little ways ahead of me. The announcer read off his name and watched him cross the finish line, then looked up and saw me approaching the finish. He called out "Hey - are you finishing?" and when I nodded yes said "OK, you're just sauntering up so casually I couldn't tell..." I think he read my name off after that, but I'm not positive because his comment ticked me off a bit - it may not have been obvious, but I was running as hard as I could after over 5 1/2 hours on the road. In any case, I crossed the finish in 5 hrs 41 min - I had finally completed the Adirondack Marathon on my third attempt!
After that I ditched my timing chip, got my finisher's medal, and tried to secure the thin foil "space blanket" around my shoulders while I collected some food to munch... ended up dropping it in the trash can instead, it was just too windy and eating was more important to me at that point. Checked out the T-shirts (they didn't have any in my size) and then slowly made my way back to the car to change into dry clothes. Along the way I decided that the announcer's comment at the end really bugged me - after encountering so many positive people on the course, having him make a comment that at least seemed mocking and belittling as I crossed the finish line really rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I misinterpreted what he said, maybe he was just trying to be funny... but in the end, that comment left a sour taste in my mouth, and that means I'll probably never run the Adirondack Marathon again.
OK, I have to admit, grumbling about that aside -- there's a part of me that is tempted to run it again, and see if I can improve my finishing time. And someday that part may win out, because as I've already said, almost every other person I encountered on during the 26.2 miles was great... from race volunteers to folks standing at the ends of their driveways to middle school kids playing their instruments to pedestrians strolling through town as I was making my way along the last half mile or so. And I needed very bit of that positive support, because (1) this was a tough course, and (2) running at the back of the pack, I was lucky to even have other runners in sight after the first five miles... fortunately I'm very used to running by myself, but it was still mighty tough, and there were a few times when I found myself tempted to park it at an aid station and wait for a ride to the finish.
So I guess in the end, the question is - how does it feel to finally complete the Adirondack Marathon after 5 years, on my 3rd attempt. Two answers come to mind: It feels good. And, Ow. Ow. Ow. Can I go to sleep now?
JMH
2007 EVENT TOTALS
Running 201.9 mi, 47 hr 48 min
Cycling 26.2 mi, 1 hr 55 min
Snowshoe 31.3 mi, 9 hr 11 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, VT
Saturday, September 15, 2007
T MINUS 15 HOURS AND COUNTING...
14 Mile Ride in the Corning Preserve
Saturday, September 15, 2007
After a grey, rainy morning, we had a gorgeous sunny (but windy afternoon) - perfect for a short ride to get the blood moving in my legs. They felt pretty good, and I had to exercise a certain amount of self-control to not hammer out 20 miles or more... both because I felt like I had extra energy to burn (hope that's the case tomorrow!) and to relieve some anxiety over tomorrow...
It's interesting how the change in the weather can make a difference in how people spend their time... all the stores I went to this afternoon were fairly crowded, and the Corning Preserve was pretty quiet. The waterfront park was the most remarkable contrast of all - during the summer, it's always crawling with people having huge picnics and cookouts, while today it was practically deserted.
As I was riding, I think I finally figured out why I'm feeling a bit stressed about tomorrow's race (besides that nagging suspicion that I didn't train enough.) Ultimately, there are three possible outcomes:
14 Mile Ride in the Corning Preserve
Saturday, September 15, 2007
After a grey, rainy morning, we had a gorgeous sunny (but windy afternoon) - perfect for a short ride to get the blood moving in my legs. They felt pretty good, and I had to exercise a certain amount of self-control to not hammer out 20 miles or more... both because I felt like I had extra energy to burn (hope that's the case tomorrow!) and to relieve some anxiety over tomorrow...
It's interesting how the change in the weather can make a difference in how people spend their time... all the stores I went to this afternoon were fairly crowded, and the Corning Preserve was pretty quiet. The waterfront park was the most remarkable contrast of all - during the summer, it's always crawling with people having huge picnics and cookouts, while today it was practically deserted.
As I was riding, I think I finally figured out why I'm feeling a bit stressed about tomorrow's race (besides that nagging suspicion that I didn't train enough.) Ultimately, there are three possible outcomes:
- I conquer the Adirondack Marathon and cross the finish line having run most of the race at a reasonably good pace.
- The Adirondack Marathon and I reach an uneasy truce, I end up walking much of the latter part of the course, and stagger across the finish line after being on the course quite a bit longer than I wanted to.
- The Adirondack Marathon chews me up and spits me out, and the nice race people give me a ride to the finish so I can limp home to lick my wounds.
Of course, option #1 is what I'm hoping will happen! But options #2 & #3 are definite possibilities, and both would leave me with unfinished business in Schroon Lake... after three attempts to do this race, I guess in many ways I want to be done with it. I want to enjoy the experience (in a sick, torturous kind of way) and then move on to other goals and other races.
At least by this time tomorrow I'll know how it all turned out!
JMH
Thursday, September 13, 2007
6 Mile Run at Five Rivers
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center official site
photo slideshow
Originally I had thought to take part of my day off from school to go to Massachusetts, hike through Ice Glen, and then run the AT from Jug End to Sheffield Rd. But a little reflection helped me realize that I didn't want to spend 3 hours in the car... so instead I headed over to Five Rivers for my final easy run before the marathon on Sunday.
Another beautiful day today, and I guess lots of folks had the day off because there were quite a few people at Five Rivers. Fortunately, most of the trails I ran were off in the further reaches of the property, so much of the time there were no people around.
I started my run with the loop around the Beaver Pond, and wrapped it up the same way. The only wildlife in evidence the first time through were fish... but the second time I saw several painted turtles and the big snapping turtle. I spent quite a while standing on the bridge watching him cruise through the water... very cool indeed.
After that I walked through the visitors' area (in all the times I've been to Five Rivers, I've never been to the part most people go to see!) There was a butterfly garden with all manner of flowers (but no butterflies today) and, best of all, a bird feeder area with chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and several other birds enjoying the free meal. I sat there for a while watching them and taking pictures... what a great way to end the visit!
As I walked back to the car, I was struck by how peaceful it all was (a lot of the visitors had left by then) and realized that one of the things I miss most from being back to work is not being able to be outdoors whenever I want. I was fortunate this summer to spend a lot of time out in nature, and as much as I enjoy working with my students, I definitely miss that. Perhaps that also means I need to begin thinking about moving outside of Albany, so I can be a little bit closer to nature on a daily basis. I can't see myself moving too terribly soon, but there is no question that at some point in the future I need to get out of the city and into the countryside.
JMH
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center official site
photo slideshow
Originally I had thought to take part of my day off from school to go to Massachusetts, hike through Ice Glen, and then run the AT from Jug End to Sheffield Rd. But a little reflection helped me realize that I didn't want to spend 3 hours in the car... so instead I headed over to Five Rivers for my final easy run before the marathon on Sunday.
Another beautiful day today, and I guess lots of folks had the day off because there were quite a few people at Five Rivers. Fortunately, most of the trails I ran were off in the further reaches of the property, so much of the time there were no people around.
I started my run with the loop around the Beaver Pond, and wrapped it up the same way. The only wildlife in evidence the first time through were fish... but the second time I saw several painted turtles and the big snapping turtle. I spent quite a while standing on the bridge watching him cruise through the water... very cool indeed.
After that I walked through the visitors' area (in all the times I've been to Five Rivers, I've never been to the part most people go to see!) There was a butterfly garden with all manner of flowers (but no butterflies today) and, best of all, a bird feeder area with chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and several other birds enjoying the free meal. I sat there for a while watching them and taking pictures... what a great way to end the visit!
As I walked back to the car, I was struck by how peaceful it all was (a lot of the visitors had left by then) and realized that one of the things I miss most from being back to work is not being able to be outdoors whenever I want. I was fortunate this summer to spend a lot of time out in nature, and as much as I enjoy working with my students, I definitely miss that. Perhaps that also means I need to begin thinking about moving outside of Albany, so I can be a little bit closer to nature on a daily basis. I can't see myself moving too terribly soon, but there is no question that at some point in the future I need to get out of the city and into the countryside.
JMH
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