1.9 Mile Hike at Ann Lee Pond
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Plans Just Keep On A' Changin'
No NIPMUCK for Me
Friday, May 30, 2008
Up until this morning, I had planned to go to NIPMUCK on Sunday and run as far as I could before DNF'ing. If nothing else, it would be a fun run with a great bunch of people and more experience on the course, even though I know there isn't a prayer that I can run a marathon right now and go the distance.
This morning, though, I put together all the pieces of this weekend - especially the many hours of work I need to do to get closer to being able to wrap up my 2007-08 classes - and in light of that considered (1) getting up at 3:30 AM Sunday morning, after a week of very little sleep, (2) putting in roughly 5 hours on the road (and not even counting the 4-6 hours I'd be running), and (3) spending $30-$40 on gas and tolls... just to go run a race I know I won't complete. And where I'll probably feel substantially bummed out that I didn't get off my backside and train enough to finish.
So maybe I'm making a sensible well-reasoned decision or maybe I'm wimping out... but in any case, I'm going to stay closer to home on Sunday and maybe even sleep in a bit!
There's always next year... sigh.
JMH
No NIPMUCK for Me
Friday, May 30, 2008
Up until this morning, I had planned to go to NIPMUCK on Sunday and run as far as I could before DNF'ing. If nothing else, it would be a fun run with a great bunch of people and more experience on the course, even though I know there isn't a prayer that I can run a marathon right now and go the distance.
This morning, though, I put together all the pieces of this weekend - especially the many hours of work I need to do to get closer to being able to wrap up my 2007-08 classes - and in light of that considered (1) getting up at 3:30 AM Sunday morning, after a week of very little sleep, (2) putting in roughly 5 hours on the road (and not even counting the 4-6 hours I'd be running), and (3) spending $30-$40 on gas and tolls... just to go run a race I know I won't complete. And where I'll probably feel substantially bummed out that I didn't get off my backside and train enough to finish.
So maybe I'm making a sensible well-reasoned decision or maybe I'm wimping out... but in any case, I'm going to stay closer to home on Sunday and maybe even sleep in a bit!
There's always next year... sigh.
JMH
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
1 Mile Walk in the Pine Bush
Thursday, May 22, 2008
While the temperatures are still a bit chilly for this time of year, the sight of sunshine when I left work convinced me that I wanted to get outside for a bit before teaching karate tonight. I started out by heading over to a section of the Pine Bush I've never visited before - the Kings Highway Barrens, which shows a 1 mile long trail on the official Pine Bush map. Unfortunately, after making my way through several busy interesections, I found the trail there closed due to habitat restoration (ie. large scale removal of invasive plants, mainly black locust trees.) So instead I headed back to the Discovery Center and the trails in the Karner Barrens.
There's still a lot of construction work going on at the Discovery Center. The new access trail is apparently in use (though it will look a lot nicer when they finish the work and the plants grow back) so I took that up to the main trails under the eyes of several soaring turkey vultures. They seemed be be enjoying the windy day. I haven't been on the Karner Barrens trails much in the last year, and when I walked there back in March one section was closed for habitat restoration, so I headed over to that trail today to see what had been done. I had hoped to walk the entire length of the trail, but time was getting short so I ended up taking a connector trail instead, which took my right past the area they'd been working on during my last visit. The effect on the trails seemed minimal, which was nice - I hadn't been looking forward to walking through a desert.
So a short walk, but still a pleasant one... I think I'll have to get over there for a run sometime soon!
JMH
Thursday, May 22, 2008
While the temperatures are still a bit chilly for this time of year, the sight of sunshine when I left work convinced me that I wanted to get outside for a bit before teaching karate tonight. I started out by heading over to a section of the Pine Bush I've never visited before - the Kings Highway Barrens, which shows a 1 mile long trail on the official Pine Bush map. Unfortunately, after making my way through several busy interesections, I found the trail there closed due to habitat restoration (ie. large scale removal of invasive plants, mainly black locust trees.) So instead I headed back to the Discovery Center and the trails in the Karner Barrens.
There's still a lot of construction work going on at the Discovery Center. The new access trail is apparently in use (though it will look a lot nicer when they finish the work and the plants grow back) so I took that up to the main trails under the eyes of several soaring turkey vultures. They seemed be be enjoying the windy day. I haven't been on the Karner Barrens trails much in the last year, and when I walked there back in March one section was closed for habitat restoration, so I headed over to that trail today to see what had been done. I had hoped to walk the entire length of the trail, but time was getting short so I ended up taking a connector trail instead, which took my right past the area they'd been working on during my last visit. The effect on the trails seemed minimal, which was nice - I hadn't been looking forward to walking through a desert.
So a short walk, but still a pleasant one... I think I'll have to get over there for a run sometime soon!
JMH
Ride of Silence
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
While I was off enjoying myself at Olana State Historic Site last night, cyclists around the world were taking part in the Ride of Silence, an annual ride in memorial of local cyclists killed while riding. Albany's ride started at the Corning Preserve and made its way along a 12 mile loop that passed by three white-painted "ghost bikes" marking the locations of three fatalities. Approximately 100 riders participated in the ride. Write-ups can be found at the Capital News 9 and at the Times Union web sites; the Capital News 9 article also includes a link to video coverage.
If I hadn't been at Olana I probably would have ridden... while I don't have any strong ties to the local cycling community, I think it's important to support their efforts, and this is an especially good cause to support. Drivers need to be much more aware and willing to share the ride with cyclists (and on the flip side, cyclists need to be aware and ride legally and responsibly.) And I probably would have spent a lot of the time tearing up (which might make it tough to ride) at the thought of the riders who are no longer with their families or the rest of us.
JMH
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
While I was off enjoying myself at Olana State Historic Site last night, cyclists around the world were taking part in the Ride of Silence, an annual ride in memorial of local cyclists killed while riding. Albany's ride started at the Corning Preserve and made its way along a 12 mile loop that passed by three white-painted "ghost bikes" marking the locations of three fatalities. Approximately 100 riders participated in the ride. Write-ups can be found at the Capital News 9 and at the Times Union web sites; the Capital News 9 article also includes a link to video coverage.
If I hadn't been at Olana I probably would have ridden... while I don't have any strong ties to the local cycling community, I think it's important to support their efforts, and this is an especially good cause to support. Drivers need to be much more aware and willing to share the ride with cyclists (and on the flip side, cyclists need to be aware and ride legally and responsibly.) And I probably would have spent a lot of the time tearing up (which might make it tough to ride) at the thought of the riders who are no longer with their families or the rest of us.
JMH
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
LONG DISTANCE 2008 - Race #6
Olana Star Loop 6mi Trail Race
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
That was fun! I wasn't sure I'd go down to Olana for tonight's run, since the weather forecast called for possible rain and the temperatures have been fairly chilly. But after packing my gear this morning and making it through a frustrating day of giving exams, I decided that no matter what the weather I was going, if for no other reason than to get out of town into the woods for a while.
Drive down was uneventful, and I got there early enough to park fairly close to the registration/refreshment/starting area... not that this run gets all that many people, even if I'd arrived at the last minute I wouldn't have had to park too far away. Wandered a bit taking pictures and then got my gear together to wait for things to begin. The Catskill Mountain Series is fairly informal... low fee ($2), no numbers, no prizes... just a bunch of crazy people running up and down hills. So the RD had a few brief words for us regarding the trail, gave us a "ready" and then a whistle, and off we went.
Much of the pack took off fairly quickly, but since there are several out-and-back stretches to this course I saw them again at various points. The trails were mostly wide, well-kept carriage roads, except for one stretch that took us along the edge of a steep hillside and then down a short bushwhack back to the carriage road we'd run in on, and another section that was once a well-kept carriage road and is now leaf-covered rocky rooty technical trail. Along the way we ran through lots of woods, around a pond, along the road up to Olana, and on the grounds just below the house itself. Most of the course was either up or down... there was very little that was actually flat.
I ran moderately well, running a lot of the uphills and trying to put on some speed on the downhills. (According to my Garmin, I succeeded... it clocked me at a maximum speed of something like a 5 1/2 min mile, but that looks like it may have been a glitch and my max speed was more like 7.5 - 8.5 min miles, mainly on the long downhill stretches toward the end.) Knowing the course a little better this year and not being too concerned about NIPMUCK helped... Didn't pass anybody, but after the first mile I wasn't passed by anybody either. Along the way I took a few photos, mostly either when I stopped to walk or when I passed a view that was simply too good to not take a picture (though the best views were to come after the race was over.) I made it to the house in just over an hour, which was a little bit disappointing - I thought I'd been running better than that - then poured it on all the way to the finish to cross the line with feet flying in 1 hr 11 min.... almost exactly the same time as last year. A little bit disappointing, since I thought I was pushing harder this year, but the wonderful surroundings more than made up for it.
After I regained my breath, I noticed that the sky was looking a bit bright and colorful... apparently the clouds had parted sufficiently to let the sun through for a very nice sunset. So I hiked up the road to the house to get some photos. First I was treated to the sight of a very nice rainbow off to the east, and when I finally reached the top of the hill I had a great view of the river and the mountains lit by the setting sun. What a great way to end the run! Well... not quite the end, because I still had to get back to my car... so I jogged back down the hill as the race organizers were breaking everything down, changed into dry clothes, and reluctantly headed back to the noise and constant activity of Albany.
I don't know what kind of shape I'll be in after my run at NIPMUCK in a week and a half, but with luck I'll be feeling good enough to try to 2nd run in the Catskill Mountain Series, High Rock to Indian Chair, a 2.25 mi ascent up a rocky, steep carriage road with 1300 ft of elevation gain. This is a fun group to run with, and that sounds like a fun place to run (well... probably hike, in my case!)
Next up: A highly-likely DNF at NIPMUCK.
JMH
2008 Event Totals
Run 49.5 mi / 11 hr 7 min
Bike 20 mi / 1 hr 32 min
Snowshoe 45.7 mi / 13 hr 19 min
states visited: MA, NH, NY, VT
Olana Star Loop 6mi Trail Race
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
That was fun! I wasn't sure I'd go down to Olana for tonight's run, since the weather forecast called for possible rain and the temperatures have been fairly chilly. But after packing my gear this morning and making it through a frustrating day of giving exams, I decided that no matter what the weather I was going, if for no other reason than to get out of town into the woods for a while.
Drive down was uneventful, and I got there early enough to park fairly close to the registration/refreshment/starting area... not that this run gets all that many people, even if I'd arrived at the last minute I wouldn't have had to park too far away. Wandered a bit taking pictures and then got my gear together to wait for things to begin. The Catskill Mountain Series is fairly informal... low fee ($2), no numbers, no prizes... just a bunch of crazy people running up and down hills. So the RD had a few brief words for us regarding the trail, gave us a "ready" and then a whistle, and off we went.
Much of the pack took off fairly quickly, but since there are several out-and-back stretches to this course I saw them again at various points. The trails were mostly wide, well-kept carriage roads, except for one stretch that took us along the edge of a steep hillside and then down a short bushwhack back to the carriage road we'd run in on, and another section that was once a well-kept carriage road and is now leaf-covered rocky rooty technical trail. Along the way we ran through lots of woods, around a pond, along the road up to Olana, and on the grounds just below the house itself. Most of the course was either up or down... there was very little that was actually flat.
I ran moderately well, running a lot of the uphills and trying to put on some speed on the downhills. (According to my Garmin, I succeeded... it clocked me at a maximum speed of something like a 5 1/2 min mile, but that looks like it may have been a glitch and my max speed was more like 7.5 - 8.5 min miles, mainly on the long downhill stretches toward the end.) Knowing the course a little better this year and not being too concerned about NIPMUCK helped... Didn't pass anybody, but after the first mile I wasn't passed by anybody either. Along the way I took a few photos, mostly either when I stopped to walk or when I passed a view that was simply too good to not take a picture (though the best views were to come after the race was over.) I made it to the house in just over an hour, which was a little bit disappointing - I thought I'd been running better than that - then poured it on all the way to the finish to cross the line with feet flying in 1 hr 11 min.... almost exactly the same time as last year. A little bit disappointing, since I thought I was pushing harder this year, but the wonderful surroundings more than made up for it.
After I regained my breath, I noticed that the sky was looking a bit bright and colorful... apparently the clouds had parted sufficiently to let the sun through for a very nice sunset. So I hiked up the road to the house to get some photos. First I was treated to the sight of a very nice rainbow off to the east, and when I finally reached the top of the hill I had a great view of the river and the mountains lit by the setting sun. What a great way to end the run! Well... not quite the end, because I still had to get back to my car... so I jogged back down the hill as the race organizers were breaking everything down, changed into dry clothes, and reluctantly headed back to the noise and constant activity of Albany.
I don't know what kind of shape I'll be in after my run at NIPMUCK in a week and a half, but with luck I'll be feeling good enough to try to 2nd run in the Catskill Mountain Series, High Rock to Indian Chair, a 2.25 mi ascent up a rocky, steep carriage road with 1300 ft of elevation gain. This is a fun group to run with, and that sounds like a fun place to run (well... probably hike, in my case!)
Next up: A highly-likely DNF at NIPMUCK.
JMH
2008 Event Totals
Run 49.5 mi / 11 hr 7 min
Bike 20 mi / 1 hr 32 min
Snowshoe 45.7 mi / 13 hr 19 min
states visited: MA, NH, NY, VT
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
5.5 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
I almost didn't go out today - another work day that left me pretty drained, and the weather wasn't particularly inspiring - but in the end better sense won out and I headed over to the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead to spend some time on some familiar trails.
I realized a while back that I have almost a year of running on my Saucony trail shoes... so even though the soles aren't looking too badly worn, the cushioning is probably shot, and I broke out another pair of Saucony's I had stored in the closet. One of the nice things about Saucony's is that they fit me well enough that they're typically comfortable right out of the box (the Adidas Supernova's I run in generally feel tight until I've broken them in.) So it felt good to be running on a new pair of shoes. I also used this run as an opportunity to test out my new GoLite Hydrosprint waist pack.
I decided to do a perimeter run, in part to see how long it is (three cheers for my Garmin ForeRunner) and also becuase I didn't want to overdo the distance and hills, seeing that I'm hoping to run the Olana Star Loop 10k tomorrow and it's a very hilly course. I got out late, which had the advantage of cutting down on the number of people on the trails (didn't run into anybody!) and the disadvantage of the possibility of my finishing in the dark (so I put my headlamp in the pocket of my shorts.)
Overall it was a good run... the new pack worked great, it was indeed virtually bounce-free and very comfortable once I got used to it. I was delayed a bit by a detour when I reached the cleared dunes in the farthest reaches of the trails - the sunset was looking pretty darn cool, so I hiked out to the highest point to get some photos. My legs felt a lot better than they did during my short run last Thursday.
At the end I was briefly tempted to extend the run by another mile or two, but the late hour and the prospect of a hilly run tomorrow won out and I settled for a relatively short 5.5 miles. Hopefully tomorrow's run will feel as good as tonight's!
JMH
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
I almost didn't go out today - another work day that left me pretty drained, and the weather wasn't particularly inspiring - but in the end better sense won out and I headed over to the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead to spend some time on some familiar trails.
I realized a while back that I have almost a year of running on my Saucony trail shoes... so even though the soles aren't looking too badly worn, the cushioning is probably shot, and I broke out another pair of Saucony's I had stored in the closet. One of the nice things about Saucony's is that they fit me well enough that they're typically comfortable right out of the box (the Adidas Supernova's I run in generally feel tight until I've broken them in.) So it felt good to be running on a new pair of shoes. I also used this run as an opportunity to test out my new GoLite Hydrosprint waist pack.
I decided to do a perimeter run, in part to see how long it is (three cheers for my Garmin ForeRunner) and also becuase I didn't want to overdo the distance and hills, seeing that I'm hoping to run the Olana Star Loop 10k tomorrow and it's a very hilly course. I got out late, which had the advantage of cutting down on the number of people on the trails (didn't run into anybody!) and the disadvantage of the possibility of my finishing in the dark (so I put my headlamp in the pocket of my shorts.)
Overall it was a good run... the new pack worked great, it was indeed virtually bounce-free and very comfortable once I got used to it. I was delayed a bit by a detour when I reached the cleared dunes in the farthest reaches of the trails - the sunset was looking pretty darn cool, so I hiked out to the highest point to get some photos. My legs felt a lot better than they did during my short run last Thursday.
At the end I was briefly tempted to extend the run by another mile or two, but the late hour and the prospect of a hilly run tomorrow won out and I settled for a relatively short 5.5 miles. Hopefully tomorrow's run will feel as good as tonight's!
JMH
Monday, May 19, 2008
To NIPMUCK...
Monday, May 19, 2008
... or not to NIPMUCK... that is the question. (Apologies to Will Shakespeare.)
There's no question as to whether or not I'll be able to complete NIPMUCK this year. I won't. I haven't put in the training time, and as this past weekend shows, I don't have the natural ability to be able to fake it.
So do I go to NIPMUCK, run the 1st 12 mile out-and-back, and then run a shorter out-and-back at the start of the 2nd half, for what amounts to essentially a supported long run and a DNF? Or do I run somewhere else that weekend (like at the Tortoise-and-Hare 10k at Buttermilk Falls State Park in Ithaca)?
Running even part of the NIPMUCK course would be good experience for a future running of the marathon... and there was that rumor that this might be Nipmuck Dave's last year as RD...
On the other hand, if I know I haven't a prayer of finishing... maybe it would be better to use the weekend to run a race I wouldn't otherwise have the chance to do, since typically my plan is to run NIPMUCK the first Sunday in June.
Sigh. I know that if this is the toughest decision I have to make in the near future, I've got it pretty darn good... but that still leaves me wondering what to do...
Stay tuned.
JMH
Monday, May 19, 2008
... or not to NIPMUCK... that is the question. (Apologies to Will Shakespeare.)
There's no question as to whether or not I'll be able to complete NIPMUCK this year. I won't. I haven't put in the training time, and as this past weekend shows, I don't have the natural ability to be able to fake it.
So do I go to NIPMUCK, run the 1st 12 mile out-and-back, and then run a shorter out-and-back at the start of the 2nd half, for what amounts to essentially a supported long run and a DNF? Or do I run somewhere else that weekend (like at the Tortoise-and-Hare 10k at Buttermilk Falls State Park in Ithaca)?
Running even part of the NIPMUCK course would be good experience for a future running of the marathon... and there was that rumor that this might be Nipmuck Dave's last year as RD...
On the other hand, if I know I haven't a prayer of finishing... maybe it would be better to use the weekend to run a race I wouldn't otherwise have the chance to do, since typically my plan is to run NIPMUCK the first Sunday in June.
Sigh. I know that if this is the toughest decision I have to make in the near future, I've got it pretty darn good... but that still leaves me wondering what to do...
Stay tuned.
JMH
Sunday, May 18, 2008
2 Mile Hike at Tinker Nature Park
Sunday, May 18, 2008
A grey rainy day... Ann surprised me by wanting to get outside for a while. We were a bit limited in terms of time, so we needed to go somewhere nearby with relatively short trails... we ended up heading over to Tinker Nature Park, because it not only met those requirements but also because there was a very good chance we'd see some wildlife...
No surprise, only one other car in the lot... though we did pass several other walkers out on the trails. Along the way we also saw several deer, a group of very vocal geese (complete with a couple of cute fuzzy goslings), and a number of mallards back in the swampy woods (complete with tiny ducklings.) Other than occasional traffic noise, it was pretty peaceful, and I enjoyed seeing how much greener it was than when I walked there back in March!
Probably the coolest wildlife sighting was a bluebird that spent a few minutes perched in the huge oak tree right near the entrance to the trails - even though bluebirds are the New York State bird, I've never actually seen one before. That alone made it well worth the visit... and wandering through some quiet woods with my sweetheart was also a major plus!
JMH
Sunday, May 18, 2008
A grey rainy day... Ann surprised me by wanting to get outside for a while. We were a bit limited in terms of time, so we needed to go somewhere nearby with relatively short trails... we ended up heading over to Tinker Nature Park, because it not only met those requirements but also because there was a very good chance we'd see some wildlife...
No surprise, only one other car in the lot... though we did pass several other walkers out on the trails. Along the way we also saw several deer, a group of very vocal geese (complete with a couple of cute fuzzy goslings), and a number of mallards back in the swampy woods (complete with tiny ducklings.) Other than occasional traffic noise, it was pretty peaceful, and I enjoyed seeing how much greener it was than when I walked there back in March!
Probably the coolest wildlife sighting was a bluebird that spent a few minutes perched in the huge oak tree right near the entrance to the trails - even though bluebirds are the New York State bird, I've never actually seen one before. That alone made it well worth the visit... and wandering through some quiet woods with my sweetheart was also a major plus!
JMH
Saturday, May 17, 2008
LONG DISTANCE 2008 - Race #5
Rochester Spring Classic Duathlon
Saturday, May 17, 2008
2008 Spring Classic Du F1 results
2008 Event Totals
Run 43.5 mi / 9 hr 56 min
Bike 20 mi / 1 hr 32 min
Snowshoe 45.7 mi / 13 hr 19 min
states visited: MA, NH, NY, VT
Rochester Spring Classic Duathlon
Saturday, May 17, 2008
2008 Spring Classic Du F1 results
2008 Event Totals
Run 43.5 mi / 9 hr 56 min
Bike 20 mi / 1 hr 32 min
Snowshoe 45.7 mi / 13 hr 19 min
states visited: MA, NH, NY, VT
Plans Change Again
Saturday, May 17, 2008
And another doubleheader weekend bites the dust. My original plan was to come out to Rochester, do the Spring Classic Duathlon, spend the afternoon/evening with Ann, and then Sunday morning drive to Highland Forest in Fabius for the Highland Forest 10 or 20 miler. After a fairly busy week marked by little-to-no training and culminating in a 2:30 AM arrival in Rochester... I'm ditching the Highland Forest race. I'd love to run the trails there and see what they're like when they aren't covered in snow, but at this point it's more important to me to get some extra sleep tomorrow morning and then spend some extra time with my sweetheart.
And now - it's time to get ready to freeze my backside off at the du!
JMH
Saturday, May 17, 2008
And another doubleheader weekend bites the dust. My original plan was to come out to Rochester, do the Spring Classic Duathlon, spend the afternoon/evening with Ann, and then Sunday morning drive to Highland Forest in Fabius for the Highland Forest 10 or 20 miler. After a fairly busy week marked by little-to-no training and culminating in a 2:30 AM arrival in Rochester... I'm ditching the Highland Forest race. I'd love to run the trails there and see what they're like when they aren't covered in snow, but at this point it's more important to me to get some extra sleep tomorrow morning and then spend some extra time with my sweetheart.
And now - it's time to get ready to freeze my backside off at the du!
JMH
Friday, May 16, 2008
National Bike to Work Day
Friday, May 16, 2008
May is the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Month, with a variety of events scheduled all over the country to promote interest in riding. Today in particular is Bike to Work Day. The New York Bicycling Coalition has put together a pretty extensive support network for the Albany area, including a rallies at the state capitol. While I can't take part in those (they kind of expect me to be at work!) I can definitely ride to work! (Actually, I should ride to work every day, but this year I've been too lazy to get going early enough to do so - while the ride takes about the same amount of time as my driving there, I need an extra 5-10 minutes to change clothes once I arrive. Maybe today will help convince me to leave the car at home and take my bike to work more often, in the few weeks of school that are left this year.)
********
Ended up leaving the house later than I'd wanted (in part because I had to reassemble the Dawes after doing some work on it Wednesday night) so the morning ride was rushed, especially at work when I changed clothes. But the ride in felt pretty good (other than my legs once again feeling like they were full of concrete) - I always enjoy getting some fresh air on the way to work and typically find myself wishing I could keep riding when I get there.
Had some light drizzle on the way home, but nothing too bad, and the riding felt even better than it did in the morning. If not for the necessity of driving to Rochester tonight (since I need to be at Mendon a little before 8 AM to check in for the Spring Classic Du) I might have dropped off my bag and gone out for a few more miles.
So I'm glad I rode to work today - it reminded me of how much I enjoy doing that (other than changing clothes when I get there and before riding home.) I'll have to try to get my backside in gear a little earlier for the rest of the year and see if I can manage to ride in more often.
JMH
Friday, May 16, 2008
May is the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Month, with a variety of events scheduled all over the country to promote interest in riding. Today in particular is Bike to Work Day. The New York Bicycling Coalition has put together a pretty extensive support network for the Albany area, including a rallies at the state capitol. While I can't take part in those (they kind of expect me to be at work!) I can definitely ride to work! (Actually, I should ride to work every day, but this year I've been too lazy to get going early enough to do so - while the ride takes about the same amount of time as my driving there, I need an extra 5-10 minutes to change clothes once I arrive. Maybe today will help convince me to leave the car at home and take my bike to work more often, in the few weeks of school that are left this year.)
********
Ended up leaving the house later than I'd wanted (in part because I had to reassemble the Dawes after doing some work on it Wednesday night) so the morning ride was rushed, especially at work when I changed clothes. But the ride in felt pretty good (other than my legs once again feeling like they were full of concrete) - I always enjoy getting some fresh air on the way to work and typically find myself wishing I could keep riding when I get there.
Had some light drizzle on the way home, but nothing too bad, and the riding felt even better than it did in the morning. If not for the necessity of driving to Rochester tonight (since I need to be at Mendon a little before 8 AM to check in for the Spring Classic Du) I might have dropped off my bag and gone out for a few more miles.
So I'm glad I rode to work today - it reminded me of how much I enjoy doing that (other than changing clothes when I get there and before riding home.) I'll have to try to get my backside in gear a little earlier for the rest of the year and see if I can manage to ride in more often.
JMH
Thursday, May 15, 2008
RETURN OF THE CYBORG TURTLE
3 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Didn't have a lot of time between getting home from work and getting to class, especially since the other instructor who would be there tonight is a bit under the weather (so I didn't want to show up late.) And that time was decreased even more by the discovery of a box from REI on my porch... a box containing my new Garmin Forerunner 205.
I've been looking at getting some type of GPS device for a while now - it gets frustrating at times to not really know how far I'm running when I'm on trails, and whether my estimates are high or low. While GPS's are not without their glitches, the Garmin 205 has gotten enough positive reviews and was on sale for a low enough price that I just couldn't resist adding it to my bundle of toys. And I'm very confident that I'll use it more often than I've used the inexpensive heart rate monitor I bought at the end of last summer...
Fortunately it came with a sufficient charge that I was able to test it out tonight... first on the drive over to the trailhead, and then during my very short run. And so far it works great! I've read a few reviews from folks who had trouble getting a satellite lock in the woods, but I had a clear signal for the entire run, and the distance it registered was almost the same as I would have estimated from the Pine Bush map. The pace readout may also come in handy, especially if I'm doing a run like last Saturday where I'm trying to beat a time cutoff.
Also fortunately, the Garmin worked better than my legs, which felt like they were filled with concrete for the duration of my run. Too bad, because it was a gorgeous afternoon... but then again, if my legs had been feeling good I would have wanted to run more, and that just wasn't an option...
When I got home after class I loaded the Garmin software into my PC and downloaded the data from the Forerunner... don't know how much I'll use the training data (speed, pace, and so on) but I really like the map of my run. The basic map in the Garmin software is fairly primitive, so I also imported my data into the MotionBased site, where I was able to see my track on a much more detailed Google map... way cool!
JMH
3 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Didn't have a lot of time between getting home from work and getting to class, especially since the other instructor who would be there tonight is a bit under the weather (so I didn't want to show up late.) And that time was decreased even more by the discovery of a box from REI on my porch... a box containing my new Garmin Forerunner 205.
I've been looking at getting some type of GPS device for a while now - it gets frustrating at times to not really know how far I'm running when I'm on trails, and whether my estimates are high or low. While GPS's are not without their glitches, the Garmin 205 has gotten enough positive reviews and was on sale for a low enough price that I just couldn't resist adding it to my bundle of toys. And I'm very confident that I'll use it more often than I've used the inexpensive heart rate monitor I bought at the end of last summer...
Fortunately it came with a sufficient charge that I was able to test it out tonight... first on the drive over to the trailhead, and then during my very short run. And so far it works great! I've read a few reviews from folks who had trouble getting a satellite lock in the woods, but I had a clear signal for the entire run, and the distance it registered was almost the same as I would have estimated from the Pine Bush map. The pace readout may also come in handy, especially if I'm doing a run like last Saturday where I'm trying to beat a time cutoff.
Also fortunately, the Garmin worked better than my legs, which felt like they were filled with concrete for the duration of my run. Too bad, because it was a gorgeous afternoon... but then again, if my legs had been feeling good I would have wanted to run more, and that just wasn't an option...
When I got home after class I loaded the Garmin software into my PC and downloaded the data from the Forerunner... don't know how much I'll use the training data (speed, pace, and so on) but I really like the map of my run. The basic map in the Garmin software is fairly primitive, so I also imported my data into the MotionBased site, where I was able to see my track on a much more detailed Google map... way cool!
JMH
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Campmor Rocks!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ann and I looked at paddles when we were picking up the kayaks at EMS and all the ones they had were very expensive... while I concede that paddles are important, neither of us is planning to race or go on a long expedition, so we don't really need the latest carbon-fiber ultra-lightweight paddle designed by engineers who used to work for NASA or JPL. Especially at something approaching 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the kayaks...
I checked Campmor, a fantastic source for outdoor supplies and found paddles with an adjustable shaft for a very affordable price. Ordered them yesterday morning, paid a very reasonable $7 shipping, and came home today to find them on my porch.
Now do you see why I say Campmor rocks?
(As an aside - are you listening, Nashbar and Performance Bicycle? Your service is great, your sale prices can be a real bargain... but $9 or so for shipping that takes 1 1/2 weeks leaves a lot to be desired.)
Don't know that I'll want to use this paddle forever... it's feels bulky and the three-part shaft (that's what makes it adjustable) adds what I suspect is a good deal of weight. But it will be fine as a starter paddle, and I can upgrade later on if I find myself spending a lot of time on the water.
Now if only I could find an affordable roof rack that actually fits a Honda Civic... so far the only ones that might work will end up costing more than the kayak did. Sigh.
JMH
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ann and I looked at paddles when we were picking up the kayaks at EMS and all the ones they had were very expensive... while I concede that paddles are important, neither of us is planning to race or go on a long expedition, so we don't really need the latest carbon-fiber ultra-lightweight paddle designed by engineers who used to work for NASA or JPL. Especially at something approaching 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the kayaks...
I checked Campmor, a fantastic source for outdoor supplies and found paddles with an adjustable shaft for a very affordable price. Ordered them yesterday morning, paid a very reasonable $7 shipping, and came home today to find them on my porch.
Now do you see why I say Campmor rocks?
(As an aside - are you listening, Nashbar and Performance Bicycle? Your service is great, your sale prices can be a real bargain... but $9 or so for shipping that takes 1 1/2 weeks leaves a lot to be desired.)
Don't know that I'll want to use this paddle forever... it's feels bulky and the three-part shaft (that's what makes it adjustable) adds what I suspect is a good deal of weight. But it will be fine as a starter paddle, and I can upgrade later on if I find myself spending a lot of time on the water.
Now if only I could find an affordable roof rack that actually fits a Honda Civic... so far the only ones that might work will end up costing more than the kayak did. Sigh.
JMH
Monday, May 12, 2008
Beavers?
11.9 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Monday, May 12, 2008
I had originally planned to go for a run but my stomach didn't feel totally up to it, so I ended up taking the Dawes out to the bike path for a short ride. One plus to actually getting out there while it was still light out - I was able to check out the possible beaver dam in the swampy stream next to the path, and it does indeed look like a beaver dam. There's even a large structure behind it that could be a lodge. So unless the muskrats have taken a note from the beavers' book - go beavers go beavers go!
Rode out to the base of the big hill up the side of the old and spent a few minutes watching the swallows that were perched on the wires overhead. Then I headed back the other way, turning around at the entrance to the water treatment plant. When I got back to the park I stood on the deck of the old railway station for a while... watched some muskrats swimming and listened to the birds and peepers calling. It was a bit chilly, so no bats tonight, more's the pity.
JMH
11.9 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Monday, May 12, 2008
I had originally planned to go for a run but my stomach didn't feel totally up to it, so I ended up taking the Dawes out to the bike path for a short ride. One plus to actually getting out there while it was still light out - I was able to check out the possible beaver dam in the swampy stream next to the path, and it does indeed look like a beaver dam. There's even a large structure behind it that could be a lodge. So unless the muskrats have taken a note from the beavers' book - go beavers go beavers go!
Rode out to the base of the big hill up the side of the old and spent a few minutes watching the swallows that were perched on the wires overhead. Then I headed back the other way, turning around at the entrance to the water treatment plant. When I got back to the park I stood on the deck of the old railway station for a while... watched some muskrats swimming and listened to the birds and peepers calling. It was a bit chilly, so no bats tonight, more's the pity.
JMH
Sunday, May 11, 2008
KAYAKS!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) has been advertising their big 20% off everything sale for the past week. I let Ann know about it because she's been looking to buy a kayak as another way to get otudoors and get some exercise this summer. We found one that looked like what she was looking for, at a nice price, so she went to the store, checked it out, and liked what she saw. So Friday she ordered two of them and today we went and picked them up.
Why two? Apparently one is my early birthday present, so that she won't have to go paddling alone this summer.
Is she great or what?
We still need to pick up paddles and life jackets (even with 20% off, the prices at EMS on those were a little too steep for us.) And I need to work on transport to and from Albany... roof racks are bloody expensive! So right now the kayaks are stored in a corner of her garage. The more subdued blue boat is hers, and the whackier blue patterned one is mine.
Sometime in the next couple of weeks I have no doubt we'll get them out on the water... woo hoo!
JMH
Sunday, May 11, 2008
EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) has been advertising their big 20% off everything sale for the past week. I let Ann know about it because she's been looking to buy a kayak as another way to get otudoors and get some exercise this summer. We found one that looked like what she was looking for, at a nice price, so she went to the store, checked it out, and liked what she saw. So Friday she ordered two of them and today we went and picked them up.
Why two? Apparently one is my early birthday present, so that she won't have to go paddling alone this summer.
Is she great or what?
We still need to pick up paddles and life jackets (even with 20% off, the prices at EMS on those were a little too steep for us.) And I need to work on transport to and from Albany... roof racks are bloody expensive! So right now the kayaks are stored in a corner of her garage. The more subdued blue boat is hers, and the whackier blue patterned one is mine.
Sometime in the next couple of weeks I have no doubt we'll get them out on the water... woo hoo!
JMH
Saturday, May 10, 2008
A Bit O' Driving for a Sunny Afternoon
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Despite the weather forecast it turned out to be a fairly nice afternoon after all.
Started out heading down into Ithaca, with a stop for some lunch and a visit to the local Borders, where I found a nice set of Finger Lakes Trail maps with a small guidebook... one of the cool things about Borders is that they often stock local products like that, which is why I decided to stop by in the first place.
From there I headed up along the western shore of Cayuga Lake. Since it was only a mile out of the way, I made a short side trip to the overlook at Taughannock Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in New York... not a tremendous amount of water going over the falls, but it was still fairly nice. I briefly thought about doing the gorge hike (about 3 miles round trip) but decided that I wanted to get out to Ann's sooner rather than later.
Eventually I made my way over to the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, hoping to see some white deer inside the old Seneca Army Depot along route 96a... no luck, but I did stop to photograph a flock of sheep and I saw a coyote running though a field next to the road (I would have stopped to photograph him, but there was a car right on my tail.)
I can definitely think of better ways to spend a nice Saturday afternoon besides riding in a car... but at least I got to drive through some pleasant countryside on a nice day.
JMH
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Despite the weather forecast it turned out to be a fairly nice afternoon after all.
Started out heading down into Ithaca, with a stop for some lunch and a visit to the local Borders, where I found a nice set of Finger Lakes Trail maps with a small guidebook... one of the cool things about Borders is that they often stock local products like that, which is why I decided to stop by in the first place.
From there I headed up along the western shore of Cayuga Lake. Since it was only a mile out of the way, I made a short side trip to the overlook at Taughannock Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in New York... not a tremendous amount of water going over the falls, but it was still fairly nice. I briefly thought about doing the gorge hike (about 3 miles round trip) but decided that I wanted to get out to Ann's sooner rather than later.
Eventually I made my way over to the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, hoping to see some white deer inside the old Seneca Army Depot along route 96a... no luck, but I did stop to photograph a flock of sheep and I saw a coyote running though a field next to the road (I would have stopped to photograph him, but there was a car right on my tail.)
I can definitely think of better ways to spend a nice Saturday afternoon besides riding in a car... but at least I got to drive through some pleasant countryside on a nice day.
JMH
Friday, May 09, 2008
Plans Change...
Friday, May 9, 2008
Well, I just cancelled my not-so-luxurious New Hampshire motel room... instead of heading northeast to Woodstock VT tomorrow morning for the Mt Tom Road to the Pogue 10k trail race, I'll be heading west to Dryden NY for the Thom Bugliosi 13/26k trail races, so that afterwards I can go out to Rochester and spend some time with my sweetheart. The only possible glitch I'm seeing is if I don't finish the 1st 13k loop in 1:45 or less, because then they won't let me continue and I'll need to stop somewhere else along the way and run another 8 miles or so...
JMH
Friday, May 9, 2008
Well, I just cancelled my not-so-luxurious New Hampshire motel room... instead of heading northeast to Woodstock VT tomorrow morning for the Mt Tom Road to the Pogue 10k trail race, I'll be heading west to Dryden NY for the Thom Bugliosi 13/26k trail races, so that afterwards I can go out to Rochester and spend some time with my sweetheart. The only possible glitch I'm seeing is if I don't finish the 1st 13k loop in 1:45 or less, because then they won't let me continue and I'll need to stop somewhere else along the way and run another 8 miles or so...
JMH
DISTRACTION
Friday, May 9, 2008
I walked to work this morning, having left the car at a shop to have the exhaust system repaired (no more noisy car soon!) I was expecting rain, but it actually turned out to be a very pleasant morning, cool with bits of sun barely peaking through the clouds.
If it wasn't so time consuming I'd walk more often... while I generally dislike the city, I do enjoy listening to the birds and looking at the trees and flowers. But between the extra 40 minutes a day walking would take and the fact that I'd have to leave 20-30 minutes earlier each morning, that's not likely to happen.
Today, as always, I was struck by all the folks out on the street who had headphones or a cell phone going. I just don't get it... I enjoy being aware of what's going on around me, and while I may not find much pleasure in the sound of traffic, there's almost always something natural to listen to. But sometimes I think I'm one of the few people actually listening... so many people are distracted by non-stop noise of their own making, whether yacking on a phone or listening to an MP3 player.
I just don't get it.
JMH
Friday, May 9, 2008
I walked to work this morning, having left the car at a shop to have the exhaust system repaired (no more noisy car soon!) I was expecting rain, but it actually turned out to be a very pleasant morning, cool with bits of sun barely peaking through the clouds.
If it wasn't so time consuming I'd walk more often... while I generally dislike the city, I do enjoy listening to the birds and looking at the trees and flowers. But between the extra 40 minutes a day walking would take and the fact that I'd have to leave 20-30 minutes earlier each morning, that's not likely to happen.
Today, as always, I was struck by all the folks out on the street who had headphones or a cell phone going. I just don't get it... I enjoy being aware of what's going on around me, and while I may not find much pleasure in the sound of traffic, there's almost always something natural to listen to. But sometimes I think I'm one of the few people actually listening... so many people are distracted by non-stop noise of their own making, whether yacking on a phone or listening to an MP3 player.
I just don't get it.
JMH
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Monday, May 05, 2008
16.3 Mile Ride on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Path
Monday, May 5, 2008
I knew I wouldn't be up to anything too strenuous after yesterday's exertions, but it was just too nice an evening to stay indoors and work, so I took the Dawes over to the bike path for some easy riding... besides, the Spring Classic Du is just around the corner and I haven't put in anywhere near enough time on that bike.
Headed east, to the top of the big hill, then back west to the Lions Park, where I picked up a jacket - it was getting pretty chilly. Along the way I passed lots of folks walking, skating, and riding, including a short paceline of "real" riders (I may wear the bargain version of the silly clothes, but I doubt I'll ever be anything more than a recreational rider... albeit at times a hardcore recreational rider!) From the park I headed over to Lock 7, where I found the Niskayuna Fire Department setting up for some type of drill. That kept me from lingering for too long, so I headed on my way a little further west, stopping partway up the big hill along the old landfill.
From there I had a pretty good view of the NFD pumper periodically shooting a stream of water out into the river... perhaps they were practicing using open bodies of water as a water source, or maybe they had targets they were aiming for, I couldn't tell. I also heard some type of very noisy boat, and on my way back I found out why - they were also practicing water rescues, with one lucky fellow floating in the water as the victim and the others on what I would call a swamp boat (though I think it's officially called an airboat.) I stood on the shore and watched them go through a water rescue, snapping pictures all the while... pretty interesting stuff, all told. I'm hoping to put the pictures I took on a CD and mail them to the NFD... some of them came out pretty well, considering it was getting fairly dark by then.
Once they finished up I headed on my way, stopping once to check out what looked like a dam in the stream alongside the path, just before the red bridge. I've spotted a large lodge-like structure in there before... wonder if some beavers have moved in? From there I headed back to the park, where I spent some time on the deck of the old railroad station looking out at the river and listening to the insects, birds, and frogs... and muskrats - one came swimming up while I was there, then headed off further along the river. I also spotted two bats zipping around reducing the bug population (hurray for bats!) I can think of much worse ways to end the day...
JMH
Monday, May 5, 2008
I knew I wouldn't be up to anything too strenuous after yesterday's exertions, but it was just too nice an evening to stay indoors and work, so I took the Dawes over to the bike path for some easy riding... besides, the Spring Classic Du is just around the corner and I haven't put in anywhere near enough time on that bike.
Headed east, to the top of the big hill, then back west to the Lions Park, where I picked up a jacket - it was getting pretty chilly. Along the way I passed lots of folks walking, skating, and riding, including a short paceline of "real" riders (I may wear the bargain version of the silly clothes, but I doubt I'll ever be anything more than a recreational rider... albeit at times a hardcore recreational rider!) From the park I headed over to Lock 7, where I found the Niskayuna Fire Department setting up for some type of drill. That kept me from lingering for too long, so I headed on my way a little further west, stopping partway up the big hill along the old landfill.
From there I had a pretty good view of the NFD pumper periodically shooting a stream of water out into the river... perhaps they were practicing using open bodies of water as a water source, or maybe they had targets they were aiming for, I couldn't tell. I also heard some type of very noisy boat, and on my way back I found out why - they were also practicing water rescues, with one lucky fellow floating in the water as the victim and the others on what I would call a swamp boat (though I think it's officially called an airboat.) I stood on the shore and watched them go through a water rescue, snapping pictures all the while... pretty interesting stuff, all told. I'm hoping to put the pictures I took on a CD and mail them to the NFD... some of them came out pretty well, considering it was getting fairly dark by then.
Once they finished up I headed on my way, stopping once to check out what looked like a dam in the stream alongside the path, just before the red bridge. I've spotted a large lodge-like structure in there before... wonder if some beavers have moved in? From there I headed back to the park, where I spent some time on the deck of the old railroad station looking out at the river and listening to the insects, birds, and frogs... and muskrats - one came swimming up while I was there, then headed off further along the river. I also spotted two bats zipping around reducing the bug population (hurray for bats!) I can think of much worse ways to end the day...
JMH
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
