2 Mile Walk in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, April 30, 2009
After getting my car's NYS annual NYS inspection I ended up with very little time before I needed to be at class... so I decided to go for a short walk rather than spend time gearing up for an equally short run. Stopped at the Pine Bush Karner Barrens (near the Discovery Center) since it was on the way to class and walked a couple of less-travelled paths through the woods. Trees and bushes are starting to green up, which is nice to see after months of brown and grey, and the ferns are starting to unfurl. The weather folks around here have been saying we've had a very dry spring so far, and I had lots of evidence of that... spots that are often flooded this time of year were either dry or just a bit muddy, and one of the ponds I passed has become more of a wetlands with a stream along one side.
Surprisingly little wildlife today... though I did see a couple of ducks back in the woods and caught a brief glimpse of some of the first ducklings of the season before mother duck hustled them way.
JMH
Sunday, April 26, 2009
TURTLE ON THE ROAD, Part 4
Driving Across Southern NH and VT
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Other than being on the road for 4 1/2 hours, I enjoyed the drive back from Wolfeboro... the drive down to Concord reminded me of driving in the Adirondacks, though a bit more populated, and it's incredible how many lakes there are in the part of New Hampshire. Route 9 across southern NH and VT is very scenic, passing through mountains and along streams. Other than for a few short stretches, I didn't even get stuck behind any slow-moving traffic.
Unfortunately, the fast pace of driving makes it tough to stop and take pictures when I see something cool. And often there isn't a convenient spot to turn around and backtrack (or even a safe spot to shoot a picture from.)
Passing by Woodford State Park, I really wished I had more time to stop and explore the park a bit when it isn't covered by snow and ice. Amazingly, there were still patches of snow in the woods that were visible from the road... but maybe that's not as surprising as it might otherwise be, since temperatures through the southern Green Mountains were refreshingly cool after the record heat of the past few days.
JMH
Driving Across Southern NH and VT
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Other than being on the road for 4 1/2 hours, I enjoyed the drive back from Wolfeboro... the drive down to Concord reminded me of driving in the Adirondacks, though a bit more populated, and it's incredible how many lakes there are in the part of New Hampshire. Route 9 across southern NH and VT is very scenic, passing through mountains and along streams. Other than for a few short stretches, I didn't even get stuck behind any slow-moving traffic.
Unfortunately, the fast pace of driving makes it tough to stop and take pictures when I see something cool. And often there isn't a convenient spot to turn around and backtrack (or even a safe spot to shoot a picture from.)
Passing by Woodford State Park, I really wished I had more time to stop and explore the park a bit when it isn't covered by snow and ice. Amazingly, there were still patches of snow in the woods that were visible from the road... but maybe that's not as surprising as it might otherwise be, since temperatures through the southern Green Mountains were refreshingly cool after the record heat of the past few days.
JMH
TURTLE ON THE ROAD, Part 3
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #4
Muddy Moose 14mi Trail Race
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Short Version: Ugh! Between the heat, the mud, and the hills this race kicked my backside good and hard. I should have been able to do much better than I did, but instead I ended up draggin' my sorry butt across the finish in 3 hr 38 minutes... sad, sad, sad for a 14 mile race that was mostly on dirt roads and wide snowmobile tracks. (But did I mention the heat... and the mud? Both were brutal.) I suspect I'm going to have to go back someday and redeem myself.
The Long Version: coming soon
2009 Event Totals
Run 48.6 mi, 11 hr 55 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #4
Muddy Moose 14mi Trail Race
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Short Version: Ugh! Between the heat, the mud, and the hills this race kicked my backside good and hard. I should have been able to do much better than I did, but instead I ended up draggin' my sorry butt across the finish in 3 hr 38 minutes... sad, sad, sad for a 14 mile race that was mostly on dirt roads and wide snowmobile tracks. (But did I mention the heat... and the mud? Both were brutal.) I suspect I'm going to have to go back someday and redeem myself.
The Long Version: coming soon
2009 Event Totals
Run 48.6 mi, 11 hr 55 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Saturday, April 25, 2009
TURTLE ON THE ROAD, Part 1
Jeez It's HOT!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
It felt more like July than April! Very tough keeping hydrated... especially since I foolishly didn't pack any water for the drive...
On the plus side, having driven over into eastern MA/southeastern NH half a dozen times in the past six months... I feel like I'm getting to know that part of New England a bit better. (Or at least the highway through that part...)
I had originally hoped to stop at Quabbin Reservoir on my way out... but I got off to a late start and wouldn't have been able to stop anywhere else if I had. So that's a visit that I'll have to do another time...
JMH
Jeez It's HOT!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
It felt more like July than April! Very tough keeping hydrated... especially since I foolishly didn't pack any water for the drive...
On the plus side, having driven over into eastern MA/southeastern NH half a dozen times in the past six months... I feel like I'm getting to know that part of New England a bit better. (Or at least the highway through that part...)
I had originally hoped to stop at Quabbin Reservoir on my way out... but I got off to a late start and wouldn't have been able to stop anywhere else if I had. So that's a visit that I'll have to do another time...
JMH
Friday, April 24, 2009
ANOTHER LIGHT WEEK...
Friday, April 24, 2009
... at least in terms of running. I had every intention of doing 6-10 miles this evening... but a tough week at work has left me beat, and in the end I opted for an earlier dinner instead. Guess it's a good thing I didn't end up going to the National Duathlon Festival in Virginia! (Maybe next year...)
Bit of a shame really, given that it's a gorgeously warm evening. Oh, well.
Hopefully this just means I'll be well-rested for Muddy Moose on Sunday... rather than the Moose stomping me into the mud...
JMH
Friday, April 24, 2009
... at least in terms of running. I had every intention of doing 6-10 miles this evening... but a tough week at work has left me beat, and in the end I opted for an earlier dinner instead. Guess it's a good thing I didn't end up going to the National Duathlon Festival in Virginia! (Maybe next year...)
Bit of a shame really, given that it's a gorgeously warm evening. Oh, well.
Hopefully this just means I'll be well-rested for Muddy Moose on Sunday... rather than the Moose stomping me into the mud...
JMH
Thursday, April 23, 2009
ANOTHER EAGLE
12.2 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spotted another bald eagle today during my ride along the Hudson River in the Corning Preserve... unfortunately, he had caught a tailwind and went soaring upriver very quickly, so I was only able to snap two quick photos of him.
Chilly day for a ride, mainly due to the very brisk wind (perhaps a precursor of this weekend's warm spell moving into the area.) Even so it was good to be out on my bike for a bit before I had to head back to work for one of the many end-of-the-year functions that occur in late April and throughout May. It was particularly gratifying to see buds on many of the trees - spring is definitely on its way!
When I arrived at the parking area under 787 I initially thought I might have to go elsewhere... the first section was blocked off and filled with various trucks, a couple of tents were set up nearby, and fairly obvious security folks were wandering around, with several news vans in evidence. But I managed to make my way around the obstruction and found a parking spot... didn't manage to find out what was up until today, when I checked the local news and learned that Albany is host to a film crew for the next week or so, filming scenes for a new Angelina Jolie movie called "Salt." Guess I won't be heading back to the Corning Preserve until that's over... should make things interesting for the annual St. John's/St. Ann's Spring Run-Off 5k/10k races down there on Saturday morning.
JMH
12.2 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spotted another bald eagle today during my ride along the Hudson River in the Corning Preserve... unfortunately, he had caught a tailwind and went soaring upriver very quickly, so I was only able to snap two quick photos of him.
Chilly day for a ride, mainly due to the very brisk wind (perhaps a precursor of this weekend's warm spell moving into the area.) Even so it was good to be out on my bike for a bit before I had to head back to work for one of the many end-of-the-year functions that occur in late April and throughout May. It was particularly gratifying to see buds on many of the trees - spring is definitely on its way!
When I arrived at the parking area under 787 I initially thought I might have to go elsewhere... the first section was blocked off and filled with various trucks, a couple of tents were set up nearby, and fairly obvious security folks were wandering around, with several news vans in evidence. But I managed to make my way around the obstruction and found a parking spot... didn't manage to find out what was up until today, when I checked the local news and learned that Albany is host to a film crew for the next week or so, filming scenes for a new Angelina Jolie movie called "Salt." Guess I won't be heading back to the Corning Preserve until that's over... should make things interesting for the annual St. John's/St. Ann's Spring Run-Off 5k/10k races down there on Saturday morning.
JMH
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
7.7 Mile Run Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I had hoped to run more like 10-12 miles tonight... but it's been a rough week at work and my body argued otherwise, especially when I hit the hills near KAPL and GE in Niskayuna. So I settled for running to Blatnick Park and back.
Other than a few green-winged teals, wildlife was limited to the usual suspects... though it seems the wood ducks are multiplying, or else I'm just a lot more observant these days. It's good to have the herons back... actually, it's nice to hear lots of birds in general, after the somewhat bird-light winter months.
JMH
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I had hoped to run more like 10-12 miles tonight... but it's been a rough week at work and my body argued otherwise, especially when I hit the hills near KAPL and GE in Niskayuna. So I settled for running to Blatnick Park and back.
Other than a few green-winged teals, wildlife was limited to the usual suspects... though it seems the wood ducks are multiplying, or else I'm just a lot more observant these days. It's good to have the herons back... actually, it's nice to hear lots of birds in general, after the somewhat bird-light winter months.
JMH
Monday, April 20, 2009
BOSTON
Monday, April 20, 2009
As in the Boston Marathon, of course... which had its 112th running today. Anyone who's read this blog for a while should have a pretty good idea of my disdain for cities... I have no desire to even visit NYC again, much less run a marathon there. But for some reason Boston holds an allure... some of it may be from repeated viewings of a somewhat obscure movie called "Saint Ralph", about a teenager who latches onto winning the Boston Marathon as the miracle which will bring his sick mother out of a coma (trust me, it's a much better movie than that sounds!) It may also be the prestige that Boston has... so much so, that it can actually require runners to meet a qualifying standard (a 3:20 marathon for me, currently) and sell out year after year.
I don't know that I'll ever qualify time-wise... though a 4:45 marathon might be a lot more doable when I'm 70, if I'm still able to run... but it's also possible to run as part of a fundraising group. So it's always possible that someday I may be writing about having run Boston instead of just thinking about it.
(As a side note... numerous runners in the various local groups I follow ran today... many of them doing quite well indeed.)
JMH
Monday, April 20, 2009
As in the Boston Marathon, of course... which had its 112th running today. Anyone who's read this blog for a while should have a pretty good idea of my disdain for cities... I have no desire to even visit NYC again, much less run a marathon there. But for some reason Boston holds an allure... some of it may be from repeated viewings of a somewhat obscure movie called "Saint Ralph", about a teenager who latches onto winning the Boston Marathon as the miracle which will bring his sick mother out of a coma (trust me, it's a much better movie than that sounds!) It may also be the prestige that Boston has... so much so, that it can actually require runners to meet a qualifying standard (a 3:20 marathon for me, currently) and sell out year after year.
I don't know that I'll ever qualify time-wise... though a 4:45 marathon might be a lot more doable when I'm 70, if I'm still able to run... but it's also possible to run as part of a fundraising group. So it's always possible that someday I may be writing about having run Boston instead of just thinking about it.
(As a side note... numerous runners in the various local groups I follow ran today... many of them doing quite well indeed.)
JMH
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
MORE "HABITAT RESTORATION"
6.3 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, April 16, 2009
After too many lazy days I finally got out for a run tonight before class... hit the Madison Avenue Pinelands/Great Dune trails. The first few miles were tough... legs felt full of cement and I just couldn't quite catch my breath, possibly because of the warm (60's) temperatures... but it was still great to be out in the sunshine and warmth!
There was a sign at the trailhead that the Great Dune trails will be closed until the end of May for "habitat restoration" and on my way back to the car I passed the logging equipment... I wonder how much they'll be stripping this time. I'm beginning to think they intend to make that section match its name... I felt a bit sad as I ran through some of the woods, wondering if it was one of the last times I'd be doing so...
On my way out I passed a large noisy group of runners... guess I got out just in time! While I definitely enjoy running with friends every now and again, there's no question that solitude is my greatest preference for running!
JMH
6.3 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, April 16, 2009
After too many lazy days I finally got out for a run tonight before class... hit the Madison Avenue Pinelands/Great Dune trails. The first few miles were tough... legs felt full of cement and I just couldn't quite catch my breath, possibly because of the warm (60's) temperatures... but it was still great to be out in the sunshine and warmth!
There was a sign at the trailhead that the Great Dune trails will be closed until the end of May for "habitat restoration" and on my way back to the car I passed the logging equipment... I wonder how much they'll be stripping this time. I'm beginning to think they intend to make that section match its name... I felt a bit sad as I ran through some of the woods, wondering if it was one of the last times I'd be doing so...
On my way out I passed a large noisy group of runners... guess I got out just in time! While I definitely enjoy running with friends every now and again, there's no question that solitude is my greatest preference for running!
JMH
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #3
Northern Nipmuck 16mi Trail Race
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The short version: Well, Northern Nipmuck did kick my backside, but it didn't make me cry like a baby (though there may have been some non-baby-like swearing involved - only the trees and rocks really can say...) On the positive side, it didn't kick my butt as badly as in 2006 and 2007... though Mother Nature did her best to help that infernal section of the Nipmuck Trail, dropping increasing amounts of rain during the whole 2nd half of my run with falling temperatures to boot (there was snow mixed in with the rain as we were waiting for Bill and Konrad to finish.) Fortunately I had a jacket and gloves with me, so any hypothermia I suffered was minor. Finished in 4 hrs 54 min... not a PR for the course, but I felt like I ran much more consistently throughout the course than in 2006 and 2007 (when I ran the first half fairly well and then dragged myself up and down all the hills back to the finish.)
The long version: coming soon...
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run 34.6 mi, 8 hr 16 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NY, RI, VT
Northern Nipmuck 16mi Trail Race
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The short version: Well, Northern Nipmuck did kick my backside, but it didn't make me cry like a baby (though there may have been some non-baby-like swearing involved - only the trees and rocks really can say...) On the positive side, it didn't kick my butt as badly as in 2006 and 2007... though Mother Nature did her best to help that infernal section of the Nipmuck Trail, dropping increasing amounts of rain during the whole 2nd half of my run with falling temperatures to boot (there was snow mixed in with the rain as we were waiting for Bill and Konrad to finish.) Fortunately I had a jacket and gloves with me, so any hypothermia I suffered was minor. Finished in 4 hrs 54 min... not a PR for the course, but I felt like I ran much more consistently throughout the course than in 2006 and 2007 (when I ran the first half fairly well and then dragged myself up and down all the hills back to the finish.)
The long version: coming soon...
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run 34.6 mi, 8 hr 16 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NY, RI, VT
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
6.2 Mile Run Along the Streets of Albany
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Almost didn't go out for a run tonight, but then I noticed sunlight out the window and decided to put in a few miles after all. Tough run... legs felt like they were made of concrete and only started to loosen up a bit over the last mile or two.
On the plus side, I caught glimpses of a very colorful sunset and had the full moon shining down through hazy clouds as I headed back toward home... I also did a loop around Buckingham Lake, which is always a nice touch of nature in the middle of Albany...
JMH
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Almost didn't go out for a run tonight, but then I noticed sunlight out the window and decided to put in a few miles after all. Tough run... legs felt like they were made of concrete and only started to loosen up a bit over the last mile or two.
On the plus side, I caught glimpses of a very colorful sunset and had the full moon shining down through hazy clouds as I headed back toward home... I also did a loop around Buckingham Lake, which is always a nice touch of nature in the middle of Albany...
JMH
Monday, April 06, 2009
Snowshoeing in April?
Monday, April 6, 2009
Apparently there's enough snow at Woodford that it's a possibility for next Sunday morning... Bob Dion of the absolutely fantastic Dion Snowshoes has posted a run for 9 AM. If I have anything at all left in my legs after Saturday's Northern Nipmuck torture sesssion, I may head over there to plod through the snow, just for the novelty of snowshoeing in April...
JMH
Monday, April 6, 2009
Apparently there's enough snow at Woodford that it's a possibility for next Sunday morning... Bob Dion of the absolutely fantastic Dion Snowshoes has posted a run for 9 AM. If I have anything at all left in my legs after Saturday's Northern Nipmuck torture sesssion, I may head over there to plod through the snow, just for the novelty of snowshoeing in April...
JMH
Sunday, April 05, 2009
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #2
Spring Forward Distance Run 15k
Sunday, April 5, 2009
2009 Spring Forward 15k results
The Short Version: A sunny tour of the hills, hills, and more hills of Mendon provided by the wonderful crew at Yellowjacket Racing. I managed to run a "smart" race... took it easier for the 1st half (in part because my legs were feeling tight and tired) and then picked up the pace for the 2nd half once I had warmed up, passing about a dozen runners who'd passed me earlier along the course. Crossed the finish line in 1:43:38, knocking almost 10 1/2 minutes off my time from last year! Definitely a good morning!
The Long Version: Actually, I don't know how much longer the long version will be. Since I'd picked up my number and shirt yesterday, I left the house a little later than usual and found myself snagging one of the last parking spots along the exit road to the beach lot at Mendon... this race is a little big for that parking lot, and this year they had a record turnout for it. Hustled over to the shelter to get my timing chip, then back to the car to figure out what to wear. Initially it was darn chilly (ok, downright cold) but in the sunshine it didn't feel too bad... so in the end I opted for shorts (I saw a lot of tights and pants out there, but I decided to be tough... grrr!) and my cycling windbreaker over a long-sleeved shirt. I was mostly worried I'd freeze when I left the park and was more exposed to the wind whipping across the Mendon fields...
One plus to where I parked... it was about a 30 second walk to the starting line, where we all stood around and waited for the fun to begin. The snippets of conversation are always interesting, especially at the back where many of the runners are first-timers to what they think of as long distance. Eventually we had a few words from the RD and then off we went... uphill. Yup, Spring Forward starts with a gentle uphill climb for a bit before the long downhill past Lost Pond and then onto the road out of the park.
Legs felt rough at first... tired, stiff, and slow. I decided to run smart and take it easy during the first few miles... always tough to do when the other slow folks are passing me left and right. But I'd rather warm up gradually and have a strong second half than go out fast and crash and burn. One plus, there was a group of runners with a very vocal member who just would not shut up... I was initially concerned they'd be running at near my pace the whole time, so I was happy when they passed me and ended up a quarter mile or so ahead of me for much of the race.
One of the features of the Spring Forward course is hills, hills, and more hills. None of them killers, at least if you're slow like me, but they're pretty relentless. At least it turned out to be a great sunny day for a run... a heck of a lot better than yesterday's rain and snow. I was a little worried as I hit mile 4... about 46 minutes, or 11:30 miles, definitely off my goal of 11 min miles, but somewhere after that my legs starting feeling pretty decent and I picked up the pace a bit.
From then on I kept to a pretty consistent pace and even continued to pick things up a bit as the end drew near... and best of all, managed to pass pretty much everybody who'd passed me earlier in the race. I was awfully pleased to see the entrance to Mendon Ponds Park, and even more so to reach to top of the last major hill... not only was it mostly downhill for quite a while after that, but even the remaining climbs were pretty minor. Best of all was finally turning onto the dirt road leading down to the finish... ran it in as hard as I could and finished in 1:43:38, wahoo!
After that I stumbled around trying to regain my breath and keep my legs working, then made my way into the lodge and around all the folks standing around to snag some food before slowly heading back to the car to change into dry clothes. Sat on the front of my car eating and marvelling at what a nice day it had turned out to be - warm and sunny! Then it was time to head back home and spend some time with my sweetheart before getting on the road back to Albany.
So two good races in two weekends... unfortunately, both are pretty darn easy compared to next weekend's trek through the hills of northeastern CT. I fully expect Northern Nipmuck to both kick my butt and have me crying like a baby...
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run 18.6 mi, 3 hr 22 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: MA, ME, NY, RI, VT
Spring Forward Distance Run 15k
Sunday, April 5, 2009
2009 Spring Forward 15k results
The Short Version: A sunny tour of the hills, hills, and more hills of Mendon provided by the wonderful crew at Yellowjacket Racing. I managed to run a "smart" race... took it easier for the 1st half (in part because my legs were feeling tight and tired) and then picked up the pace for the 2nd half once I had warmed up, passing about a dozen runners who'd passed me earlier along the course. Crossed the finish line in 1:43:38, knocking almost 10 1/2 minutes off my time from last year! Definitely a good morning!
The Long Version: Actually, I don't know how much longer the long version will be. Since I'd picked up my number and shirt yesterday, I left the house a little later than usual and found myself snagging one of the last parking spots along the exit road to the beach lot at Mendon... this race is a little big for that parking lot, and this year they had a record turnout for it. Hustled over to the shelter to get my timing chip, then back to the car to figure out what to wear. Initially it was darn chilly (ok, downright cold) but in the sunshine it didn't feel too bad... so in the end I opted for shorts (I saw a lot of tights and pants out there, but I decided to be tough... grrr!) and my cycling windbreaker over a long-sleeved shirt. I was mostly worried I'd freeze when I left the park and was more exposed to the wind whipping across the Mendon fields...
One plus to where I parked... it was about a 30 second walk to the starting line, where we all stood around and waited for the fun to begin. The snippets of conversation are always interesting, especially at the back where many of the runners are first-timers to what they think of as long distance. Eventually we had a few words from the RD and then off we went... uphill. Yup, Spring Forward starts with a gentle uphill climb for a bit before the long downhill past Lost Pond and then onto the road out of the park.
Legs felt rough at first... tired, stiff, and slow. I decided to run smart and take it easy during the first few miles... always tough to do when the other slow folks are passing me left and right. But I'd rather warm up gradually and have a strong second half than go out fast and crash and burn. One plus, there was a group of runners with a very vocal member who just would not shut up... I was initially concerned they'd be running at near my pace the whole time, so I was happy when they passed me and ended up a quarter mile or so ahead of me for much of the race.
One of the features of the Spring Forward course is hills, hills, and more hills. None of them killers, at least if you're slow like me, but they're pretty relentless. At least it turned out to be a great sunny day for a run... a heck of a lot better than yesterday's rain and snow. I was a little worried as I hit mile 4... about 46 minutes, or 11:30 miles, definitely off my goal of 11 min miles, but somewhere after that my legs starting feeling pretty decent and I picked up the pace a bit.
From then on I kept to a pretty consistent pace and even continued to pick things up a bit as the end drew near... and best of all, managed to pass pretty much everybody who'd passed me earlier in the race. I was awfully pleased to see the entrance to Mendon Ponds Park, and even more so to reach to top of the last major hill... not only was it mostly downhill for quite a while after that, but even the remaining climbs were pretty minor. Best of all was finally turning onto the dirt road leading down to the finish... ran it in as hard as I could and finished in 1:43:38, wahoo!
After that I stumbled around trying to regain my breath and keep my legs working, then made my way into the lodge and around all the folks standing around to snag some food before slowly heading back to the car to change into dry clothes. Sat on the front of my car eating and marvelling at what a nice day it had turned out to be - warm and sunny! Then it was time to head back home and spend some time with my sweetheart before getting on the road back to Albany.
So two good races in two weekends... unfortunately, both are pretty darn easy compared to next weekend's trek through the hills of northeastern CT. I fully expect Northern Nipmuck to both kick my butt and have me crying like a baby...
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run 18.6 mi, 3 hr 22 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: MA, ME, NY, RI, VT
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Early Morning Owl Prowl at the Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center site
What an absolutely miserable morning to be out and about... during the drive to Rochester last night my car was repeatedly slammed by heavy winds, and then we woke up to find that rain and snow had joined in for even more fun... it was cold, it was wet, and it was nasty, and on the way over to the Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center trailhead I wondered out loud if anyone else was going to show up for this morning's owl prowl, including the guide. But there were a couple of cars there when we pulled up, and by the time we got going we had three guides from BBRRC and 14 folks following them around the flooded trails in the Owl Woods in hopes of seeing some owls...
One of the reasons Ann and I decided to do the owl prowl was to find out just what we should be looking for (beyond just going out and looking up into the trees) as well as where and when we should be looking. I'm happy to say the head guide was excellent and gave us all sorts of useful info to help us find owls in the future (things like - know where they like to hang out, look for signs they've been hanging out like droppings and pellets, and be thorough - often an owl will only be visible from a few angles.) He also gave us tips about when owls were most likely to be moving through the area (sometime over the next several weeks, usually after a warm night with a good breeze out of the southeast.) And we learned a good deal about how the BBRRC catches and bands all sorts of owls and raptors, so tromping around in the mud and water was well worth it just for that.
Much of the time was taken up wandering through the pine and spruce groves looking for owls. Overall we didn't have a lot of luck... it's still a little early in the season, and apparently there haven't been a lot of owls coming through yet - and the weather last night was pretty lousy (though on the plus side, that meant there was a good chance that any owls that had come in several days ago would still be there.) My hands and feet got very cold - I know there's no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing choices, but unfortunately I didn't bring out any thermal socks and I left my warmer gloves in the car, and unlike when I'm running we were moving slowly and standing around a lot, so I was bloody freezing before too long (fortunately I'd packed a rainjacket, so only my hands and feet got wet.)
After a lot of nothing - success! I wandered under some spruce trees, looked up - and there was a long-eared owl looking back at me. Maybe I should have tried for a photo, but instead I signalled to Ann, and as she and another owl prowler came closer he took off down the trail. After that we moved as a group to where the guide thought the owl might have gone, and - more success, not only did we spot him again but he also stayed put long enough for us to get a good look at him. My one photo is a bit disappointing - between the branches in the way and trying to keep my camera lens as dry as possible, it was tough to get a good shot.
After a bit he decided he'd had enough of us and flew off, probably back to the grove where I first spotted him. At least I got a good look at him before he flew off the first time... and I had the good luck to be the first person in the group to spot an owl (the first owl spotted on an Owl Prowl in 2009.)
I suspect Ann will try to go back sometime over the next few weeks to see if she can spot any more owls; maybe we'll head back together at the beginning of May, though the guide seemed to think the numbers coming through would have dropped way off by then. Ann is also thinking about going to some of the Birds of Prey Days events at the end of April... if I wasn't heading to NH to run the Muddy Moose trail race I'd go out too, but that may be a little too much driving for me that weekend... we'll see...
All in all, despite the lousy weather this was time well spent - I strongly encourage anyone interested in birds and especially owls and raptors to give an Owl Prowl a try!
JMH
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center site
What an absolutely miserable morning to be out and about... during the drive to Rochester last night my car was repeatedly slammed by heavy winds, and then we woke up to find that rain and snow had joined in for even more fun... it was cold, it was wet, and it was nasty, and on the way over to the Braddock Bay Raptor Research Center trailhead I wondered out loud if anyone else was going to show up for this morning's owl prowl, including the guide. But there were a couple of cars there when we pulled up, and by the time we got going we had three guides from BBRRC and 14 folks following them around the flooded trails in the Owl Woods in hopes of seeing some owls...
One of the reasons Ann and I decided to do the owl prowl was to find out just what we should be looking for (beyond just going out and looking up into the trees) as well as where and when we should be looking. I'm happy to say the head guide was excellent and gave us all sorts of useful info to help us find owls in the future (things like - know where they like to hang out, look for signs they've been hanging out like droppings and pellets, and be thorough - often an owl will only be visible from a few angles.) He also gave us tips about when owls were most likely to be moving through the area (sometime over the next several weeks, usually after a warm night with a good breeze out of the southeast.) And we learned a good deal about how the BBRRC catches and bands all sorts of owls and raptors, so tromping around in the mud and water was well worth it just for that.
Much of the time was taken up wandering through the pine and spruce groves looking for owls. Overall we didn't have a lot of luck... it's still a little early in the season, and apparently there haven't been a lot of owls coming through yet - and the weather last night was pretty lousy (though on the plus side, that meant there was a good chance that any owls that had come in several days ago would still be there.) My hands and feet got very cold - I know there's no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing choices, but unfortunately I didn't bring out any thermal socks and I left my warmer gloves in the car, and unlike when I'm running we were moving slowly and standing around a lot, so I was bloody freezing before too long (fortunately I'd packed a rainjacket, so only my hands and feet got wet.)
After a lot of nothing - success! I wandered under some spruce trees, looked up - and there was a long-eared owl looking back at me. Maybe I should have tried for a photo, but instead I signalled to Ann, and as she and another owl prowler came closer he took off down the trail. After that we moved as a group to where the guide thought the owl might have gone, and - more success, not only did we spot him again but he also stayed put long enough for us to get a good look at him. My one photo is a bit disappointing - between the branches in the way and trying to keep my camera lens as dry as possible, it was tough to get a good shot.
After a bit he decided he'd had enough of us and flew off, probably back to the grove where I first spotted him. At least I got a good look at him before he flew off the first time... and I had the good luck to be the first person in the group to spot an owl (the first owl spotted on an Owl Prowl in 2009.)
I suspect Ann will try to go back sometime over the next few weeks to see if she can spot any more owls; maybe we'll head back together at the beginning of May, though the guide seemed to think the numbers coming through would have dropped way off by then. Ann is also thinking about going to some of the Birds of Prey Days events at the end of April... if I wasn't heading to NH to run the Muddy Moose trail race I'd go out too, but that may be a little too much driving for me that weekend... we'll see...
All in all, despite the lousy weather this was time well spent - I strongly encourage anyone interested in birds and especially owls and raptors to give an Owl Prowl a try!
JMH
Thursday, April 02, 2009
13.4 Mile Run from Albany to Colonie & Through the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, April 2, 2009
What a gorgeous afternoon... even though it was fairly cloudy for a lot of my run, the weather was a nice reminder of what's on the way... warm, but not too warm. Shorts and T-shirt weather. Good weather for running...
I bailed on the long run last night due to exhaustion and lousy weather... I was fairly sure if I tried doing 12-13 miles I'd end up quitting after 6 or so. So I changed plans to do the run today, the only way I could... running from home to the karate school on Colonie, where I was scheduled to teach classes. That's about 8.5 miles in and of itself, so I also planned to take some detours in the Pine Bush to raise the mileage by 4 or 5 miles.
Initial stretch was annoying because for some reason my Garmin 205 just wouldn't pick up a signal. It finally kicked in after about a mile and a half. I headed out Western Ave, looped through the SUNY Albany campus, and hit Rennselaer Lake Park at about 4 miles. From there I spent much of the next 8 miles running through the Pine Bush - a welcome reprieve from pavement, though it did slow me down a bit. I followed the trails through the Rennselaer Lake section, then crossed the road and made my way through the Fox Run trailer park to the access road and trail heading into the Karner Barrens, near the Pine Bush Discovery Center. From there I spent about 4.5 miles running the trails on both sides of Route 155. Definitely a good time!
Eventually I left the woods (bummer) and ended up on 155 for the final mile and a half to the karate school. All I can say is wide shoulders are a wonderful thing on a busy road. Despite having run almost 12 miles to get to that point, the last stretch felt decent... if need be I could have kept going for a few miles more, though I suspect my pace would have dropped quite a bit. The first half of the run was tough at times - legs felt tired and sluggish - so I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to run as far as I did today. While the terrain was a lot easier than what I'll be facing in many of the long races I'm planning to run this year (almost half was on pavement, after all, and the Pine Bush trails are gentle enough that I was able to run on them in my road shoes without difficulty) today's run gives me hope that if I keep at it I'll be ready for some of the tough runs I'm hoping to challenge myself with over the next 9 months...
JMH
Thursday, April 2, 2009
What a gorgeous afternoon... even though it was fairly cloudy for a lot of my run, the weather was a nice reminder of what's on the way... warm, but not too warm. Shorts and T-shirt weather. Good weather for running...
I bailed on the long run last night due to exhaustion and lousy weather... I was fairly sure if I tried doing 12-13 miles I'd end up quitting after 6 or so. So I changed plans to do the run today, the only way I could... running from home to the karate school on Colonie, where I was scheduled to teach classes. That's about 8.5 miles in and of itself, so I also planned to take some detours in the Pine Bush to raise the mileage by 4 or 5 miles.
Initial stretch was annoying because for some reason my Garmin 205 just wouldn't pick up a signal. It finally kicked in after about a mile and a half. I headed out Western Ave, looped through the SUNY Albany campus, and hit Rennselaer Lake Park at about 4 miles. From there I spent much of the next 8 miles running through the Pine Bush - a welcome reprieve from pavement, though it did slow me down a bit. I followed the trails through the Rennselaer Lake section, then crossed the road and made my way through the Fox Run trailer park to the access road and trail heading into the Karner Barrens, near the Pine Bush Discovery Center. From there I spent about 4.5 miles running the trails on both sides of Route 155. Definitely a good time!
Eventually I left the woods (bummer) and ended up on 155 for the final mile and a half to the karate school. All I can say is wide shoulders are a wonderful thing on a busy road. Despite having run almost 12 miles to get to that point, the last stretch felt decent... if need be I could have kept going for a few miles more, though I suspect my pace would have dropped quite a bit. The first half of the run was tough at times - legs felt tired and sluggish - so I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to run as far as I did today. While the terrain was a lot easier than what I'll be facing in many of the long races I'm planning to run this year (almost half was on pavement, after all, and the Pine Bush trails are gentle enough that I was able to run on them in my road shoes without difficulty) today's run gives me hope that if I keep at it I'll be ready for some of the tough runs I'm hoping to challenge myself with over the next 9 months...
JMH
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