Thursday, December 31, 2015

SO LONG 2015

APPROX TOTALS:

RUN 643.5 mi
RIDE 1552.4 mi
SNOWSHOE 62.9 mi
HIKE/WALK 516.1 mi
PADDLE 22.5 mi
XC SKI 0 mi
DAYS OUTDOORS 359/365
MONTHS BIKED 12/12

Event Totals

Run 239.6 mi, 60 hr 1 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states/provinces visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT

8 snowshoe races
29 trail races
3 road/trail races
2 road races
2 duathlons
1 paddle triathlon

2.1 Mile Walk at Onondaga Lake Park
Thursday, December 31, 2015

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

1.8 Mile Walk to Bash Bish Falls
Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

WINTER STRIKES WITH LOUSY WEATHER...
1 Mile Walk at Five Rivers
0.8 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
WINTER STRIKES WITH LOUSY WEATHER...
No Polar Dip & Dash for the Turtle
Tuesday, December 29, 2015

... as in a bit of snow (not so lousy) followed by sleet and freezing rain (bleah!) And the tomorrow is also supposed to be rainy.

Problem is, I had planned to head to Portland, ME, for the Polar Dip & Dash on December 31... a 5k run followed by a quick dip in the ocean. In and of itself it sounds like fun, but it also had the added attraction of giving me a last minute (almost literally) race in Maine for 2015, and also the opportunity to take Ann to some nice parks and wildlife refuges along the seacoast.

The lousy weather makes the driving fairly unattractive, and the rainy forecast means any walking we'd do would be fairly unpleasant (not to mention, if it rains Thursday morning it would be an unpleasant 90 minutes or so for Ann while I run and wade in the ocean.) So I've made the decision to cancel the trip. In the grand scheme of things it's no big deal... but I'm still disappointed that the weather is once again getting the last laugh.

JMH

Monday, December 28, 2015

0.9 Mile Walk at Washington County Grasslands State Forest
1.5 Mile Walk at the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve
Monday, December 29, 2015

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Weekly Activity Summary
12/20/2015 - 12/26/2015

running (3) - 22.0 mi
riding (2) - 28.0 mi
walking/hiking (4) - 7.5 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 12/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, December 26, 2015

1.4 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Saturday, December 26, 2015

Friday, December 25, 2015

QUITE THE WARM CHRISTMAS...
6 Mile Run on the Erie Canalway Trail
Friday, December 25, 2015

Thursday, December 24, 2015

SHORTS & A T SHIRT ON CHRISTMAS EVE?!!!
8.1 Mile Run at Thacher Park
Thursday, December 24, 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

RAIN AGAIN...
2.2 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN...
12 Mile Ride Through the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Monday, December 21, 2015

A GREY CHILLY WINTER SOLSTICE
16 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Monday, December 21, 2015

Sunday, December 20, 2015

2.7 Mile Walk at Trustom Pond NWR
Sunday, December 20, 2015
7.9 Mile Run at Burlingame State Park
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
12/13/2015 - 12/19/2015

running (3) - 11.7 mi
riding (1) - 15.3 mi
walking/hiking (6) -8.6 mi

outdoor activity  6/7 days
months ridden 12/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, December 19, 2015

0.7 Mile Walk at Brenton Point State Park
2.6 Mile Walk at Sachuest Point NWR
Saturday, December 19, 2015
2.7 Mile Run at Old Mountain Field
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #32
Old Mountain 5k Trail Race 
Saturday, December 19, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 239.6 mi, 60 hr 1 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT

Friday, December 18, 2015

CHILLY AGAIN...
1.4 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Friday, December 18, 2015

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

15.3 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

6 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Sunday, December 13, 2015

1.3 Mile Walk on the Genesee Riverway Trail
0.6 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
12/6/2015 - 12/12/2015

running (2) - 11.1 mi
riding (1) - 16.3 mi
walking/hiking (7) -11.6 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 12/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, December 12, 2015

1.8 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #31
0 Degree WTF 5mi Trail Race 
Saturday, December 12, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 236.5 mi, 59 hr 13 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
1.6 Mile Walk at Powder Mills Park
Saturday, December 12, 2015

Friday, December 11, 2015

1.5 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Friday, December 11, 2015

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

16.3 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

6.1 Mile Run at the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve
Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Finally got out for a run tonight... between sore knees, tired legs, and overall exhaustion running just didn't happen over the last week and a half. It was nice to get back to the Vischer Ferry Preserve, though I wish I'd gotten up there when it was a bit warmer and nicer, when maybe there were some waterfowl other than mallards and Canada geese hanging around...

Slow going, knees were grumpy, hopefully that will improve if I'm nice to them while I keep working the legs. Needed my headlamp for the last mile and a half or so... unfortunately, it ran out of juice about half a mile from the end, and being a dummy I hadn't brought a backup light. Fortunately, the trails are gentle enough and I have enough miles running in the dark that I was fine, but it did remind me to take a spare light with me if I haven't put new batteries in (or in this case, recharged the battery) right before I need the headlamp.

JMH

Sunday, December 06, 2015

COLD & FOGGY
3.1 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
11/29/2015 - 12/5/2015

running - 0 mi
riding (2) - 35.9 mi
walking/hiking (5) - 9.5 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 12/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, December 05, 2015

21.1 Mile Ride on the Erie Canalway Trail (Fort Hunter - Randall)
Saturday, December 5, 2015

That ended up being a lot tougher than I expected, in part because of a headwind as I headed west to Randall, but mostly because the path was much softer in most spots than the other times I've ridden on it... I'm not sure if that's because of the damp weather we've had recently or if the state has put more stone dust down over the last couple of years. In most spots it took a lot of effort to maintain forward motion, and I really appreciated the short stretches of pavement I got to ride on.

As I was riding I found myself once again thinking of the Canalway Trail End-to-End program... I had tentatively thought I might do it this past summer, in recognition of my 50th birthday, but then decided I didn't want to spend a week doing little more than riding my bike. Today I was thinking that maybe I'll tackle it this coming summer, but in shorter stretches of a day or two at a time. Logistically it's a bit tricky because I have to either arrange transport to where I'm starting or from where I'm finishing - or both. (I usually ride out-and-back's along the trail, but I really don't want to do each segment twice...!) But it might be a bit easier to work all that out of I'm doing shorter segments... have to give it some thought and also talk it over with Ann to see what she thinks.

On a different note, today's ride is significant because it means I have once again ridden every month this year. This year it was a definite challenge to get out and ride all winter - I know I only rode once in February, fairly late in the month! - but I managed to do it, and most months I rode a good deal more than once.

JMH

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

DOZENS OF DUCKIES IN THE DARK
2.1 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Monday, November 30, 2015

14.8 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Monday, November 30, 2015

Sunday, November 29, 2015

1.9 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
11/22/2015 - 11/28/2015

running (2) - 14.3 mi
riding (4) - 44.8 mi
walking/hiking (4) - 7.6 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 11/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, November 28, 2015

8 Mile Run at Mendon Ponds Park
Saturday, November 28, 2015
0.8 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
Saturday, November 28, 2015

Friday, November 27, 2015

Brief Visits to Hamlin Beach & Ganondagan
3.8 Mile Walk at Mendon Ponds Park
Friday, November 27, 2015

Thursday, November 26, 2015

A SLOW RUN IN THE MOONLIGHT
6.3 Mile Run on the Erie Canalway Trail & Through Greece Canal Park
Thursday, November 26, 2015

Plenty to be thankful for, as always, but warm weather and a chance to run (albeit very slowly...) this evening while a full moon rose from just above the horizon to high in the sky... very thankful for that! I haven't run in about a week and a half, since I woke up last Thursday with my right knee hollering at me. Tonight Ann was working a shift on the ambulance, and the weather was gorgeous (temperatures in the mid-50's after sundown in late November... woo hoo!) so I decided it was a good time to see how well my grumpy knees would hold up to some running. Followed the canalway trail from Henpeck Park in Greece down to Long Pond Rd, then headed back west to Greece Canal Park and ran most of the roads in the park. Knees were grouchy at times but manageable, as long as I kept the pace slow.

What a blast to be running in shorts and shirt-sleeves in late November under a bright full moon!

JMH

 


1.5 Mile Walk on the Erie Canalway Trail (Palmyra)
Thursday, November 26, 2015

We had time for a short walk on the way to Ann's parents' house today... stopped at the canal park in Palmyra and headed east on the canalway trail. I like this section a lot because on one side of the path there's a short section of the Old Erie Canal with water in it, and on the other side is a large wetland. Between the warm temperatures and the sunshine I thought we might see a turtle or two but no... just a few ducks, a lot of squirrels, and a multitude of geese resting at Lock 29.

JMH

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

10 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Another very chilly day. Headed west past Lock 7 and then up the hill along the old landfill... climbing that was tough enough that I turned around shortly after that. Stopped for a little bit at Blatnick Park to look at the several hundred geese that were crowded around the little pond there, then it was back down the hill and fighting the wind all the way back to the car. I had originally planned to ride more today, but between the wind, the chill, and wanting to get home so I can get stuff together and get on the road before it gets too late - I decided to wrap things up early.

The new freewheel is definitely working well, but the bike still feels sluggish. I think the next thing to try is regreasing the wheel bearings... I didn't do that this year, so they're definitely overdue.

JMH

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

TRYING OUT A NEW FREEWHEEL
15.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Lately I'd noticed that my freewheel didn't seem to be rotating as freely as it's supposed to when I'm not pushing the pedals, and closer inspection revealed that it was making some very mild grinding sounds... perhaps one of the reasons I've been finding pedaling tougher, though that's probably mostly due to my not putting in enough miles this year and especially this fall. Anyway, I installed that freewheel nine years ago and it's got something like 10k miles on it - so I don't know that it's all that surprising it's starting to act up a bit. Replacements are inexpensive, so the only catch was I had to order some tools (a 1" deep socket and a racthet that could extend to 18" for lots of torque) but once they arrived yesterday, it turned out to be relatively easy to unscrew the old one and put on a new one. And since I left work while it there was still daylight, it seemed like a good time to test it out.


Rode the bike path between SCCC and Rotterdam Junction - I would have liked to have hit the short section of path on the west side of RJ, but as has been the case every time I've been there recently, there was a train parked on the tracks at the crossing. Heading west was challenging because of a slight headwind, and this was probably the coldest ride I've done this fall. There was even a thin layer of ice on some parts of the old canal. 


The freewheel worked fine and seems quieter than the old one when I'm coasting. I can't tell yet if it's making a difference in the effort needed to pedal - maybe that is going to turn out to be just me being in lousy riding shape.


JMH

Sunday, November 22, 2015

TOUGH RIDE ON A GREY DAY
12.4 Mile Ride on the Zim Smith Trail
7.2 Mile Ride on the Ballston Bike Hike Trail
Sunday, November 22, 2015

Today was an even tougher ride than yesterday. Started out with at best hazy sunshine and that soon turned into mostly grey... not very motivational. The ride out of Shenantaha Creek Park toward Round Lake wasn't too bad, but that was mostly because it's pretty much all downhill.

Of course, that means uphill all the way back, and to add insult to injury - a headwind. Once I got back to the park it was very easy to convince myself to skip the Zim Smith trail in the opposite direction - pedaling three miles uphill into the wind held no appeal - and instead I drove over to the parking area at the north end of Ballston Lake and rode the bike-hike trail. It was still tough going, but at least the wind wasn't quite so direct, and it seemed to be more at my back on the way back.

Tomorrow, I think, will be a day off from the bike.

JMH 
Weekly Activity Summary
11/15/2015 - 11/21/2015

running (1) - 11.0 mi
riding (2) - 34.9 mi
walking/hiking (5) - 8.4 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 11/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, November 21, 2015

21.8 Mile Ride on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
Saturday, November 21, 2015

It's been over a year since I rode the entire length of the Ashuwillticook Trail, though Ann and I rode a lot of it this past August. Since my plans to run in Maine this weekend fell through (actually, my plans to run, period, fell through) it seemed like a good opportunity to ride the trail, especially since it's not at all clear I'll have another chance before next spring.

My legs were definitely feeling my recent lack of riding... even with the overall downhill into Adams, it was a struggle at times to keep going. At least the path wasn't particularly crowded... one advantage to riding at a time of the year when more and more folks are staying indoors.

Actually, the real struggle was the trip back to the parking lot at the edge of the Berkshire Mall. Uphill most of the way (with a good climb out of Adams, followed by a gentle uphill grade for about six miles after that) and my legs let me know they weren't pleased. Fortunately I wasn't looking to set any speed records - just plodded along and was really happy to see the end of the trail when I finally got there.

It would have been nice to get in a walk somewhere on the way home, but by the time I got my act together, headed over to Pittsfield, and rode for a little over two hours, I would have been walking in the dark, and I didn't feel like doing that this time around. So after a side trip to Price Chopper (oops, I mean "Market 32" - apparently they've been rebranded already, and I continue to think the new store exteriors are hideously ugly) I made the same drive home that I've done a couple of hundred times before, and was reminded of how much I miss spending time over in the Berkshires. I love some of the places right near Albany... but sorry, in the end there's just no comparison.

JMH

Friday, November 20, 2015

2 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Friday, November 20, 2015

Thursday, November 19, 2015

DUCKIES IN THE DARK
2 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Thursday, November 19, 2015

I had originally planned to go for a run tonight and see where my legs are at after last weekend's Stage Race and before this weekend's much less strenuous Turkey Trot... except this morning when I woke up my right knee was griping up a storm from something I did to it during the night (seriously... it was fine when I went to bed.) So all running in the immediate future is questionable (most likely I'll cancel my planned brief trip to Maine for the Sanford Turkey Trot) and I ended up walking three laps around Buckingham Pond in the dark instead. Only saw a couple of other people, which was nice, and it was interesting listening to the ducks and catching glimpses of them out on the water. They've definitely reclaimed the pond after being mostly absent this summer.

JMH

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

OWL CALLS ON A COLD CLEAR EVENING
13.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Sunday, November 15, 2015

SLOW GOING...
1 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Sunday, November 15, 2015
GOING FOR THE HOODIE...
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #30
Dirt Cheap Stage Race Part 3:
Epic 11mi Trail Race
Sunday, November 15, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 231.5 mi, 57 hr 55 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Weekly Activity Summary
11/8/2015 - 11/14/2015

running (4) - 25.8 mi
riding (2) - 23.1 mi
walking/hiking (6) - 7.6 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 11/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, November 14, 2015

BRRR...
0.5 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
1.2 Mile Walk at Turning Point Park
Saturday, November 14, 2015
GOING FOR THE HOODIE...
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #29
Dirt Cheap Stage Race Part 2:
Devil's Bathtub 5mi Trail Race
Saturday, November 14, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 220.5 mi, 55 hr 9 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Friday, November 13, 2015

GOING FOR THE HOODIE...
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #28
Dirt Cheap Stage Race Part 1:
3.3 Mile Trail Time Trial
Friday, November 13, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 215.5 mi, 53 hr 57 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Thursday, November 12, 2015

A NIGHT RIDE... INTO A MONSOON!
11.7 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, November 12, 2015

The rain seemed to be holding off and it was still fairly warm (at least for November) so I loaded the bike on the car and got over to the bike path around 7 PM. My first night ride of the season, and the first time I actually needed a light. I lucked out and had a tailwind on my way over to Lock 7 and the base of the old landfill... of course, that meant I was heading into the wind all the way back, and I was getting spattered with occasional raindrops too. I turned around at Onderdonk Ave and was enjoying a fairly pleasant ride back to the car... until about a mile and a half out it started to rain harder... and harder... and harder...! When I pulled into the parking lot it started coming down in buckets... I pretty much tossed the bike on the rack and strapped it down, then jumped in the car without taking anything off, pretty well drenched. Good thing I had worn cold weather gear - even wet it kept me warmer than I would have otherwise been on the ride home. Riding in the rain isn't much fun under the best of circumstances... riding in a downpour at night in November isn't even remotely the best of circumstances. But at least it held off until I was almost done...

JMH

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

11.4 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
4.4 Mile Run at Thacher Park
Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Sunday, November 08, 2015

Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #27
After the Leaves Have Fallen Half Marathon
Sunday, November 8, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 212.2 mi, 53 hr 8 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
1.5 Mile Walk at Minnewaska State Park
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
11/1/2015 - 11/7/2015

running (2) - 18.1 mi
riding (2) - 35.1 mi
walking/hiking (5) - 10.8 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 11/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, November 07, 2015

3.3 Mile Walk at NorthWest Park
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #26
Airline Trail Ghost Run Half Marathon
Saturday, November 7, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 199.1 mi, 49 hr 53 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Friday, November 06, 2015

THE DUCKS HAVE RETURNED...
1.4 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Friday, November 6, 2015

Actually, there have been increasing numbers of ducks at the pond for the last few weeks... a bit of a surprise after seeing very few of them there this summer. There's a pair of what I suspect are domestic ducks (they're a good deal larger than the mallards, and have slightly different colors and calls) hanging out with the oodles of mallards, but the big surprise today was a male wood duck mingling with one of the groups, initially snoozing on the shoreline but then swimming a bit later. It will be interesting to see if he sticks around... given how nervous wood ducks tend to be, I won't be surprised if he's gone the next time I go there.



 





JMH

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

WARM & WINDY
19.5 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Monday, November 02, 2015

2.9 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Monday, November 2, 2015

Sunday, November 01, 2015

15.6 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #25
Fall Back 5mi Trail Race
Sunday, November 1, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 186.0 mi, 46 hr 57 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Weekly Activity Summary
10/25/2015 - 10/31/2015

running (3) - 17.8 mi
riding (3) - 35.6 mi
walking/hiking (3) - 6.1 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 10/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, October 31, 2015

UP & DOWN THOSE SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE HILLS...
8.9 Mile Run at Mt Washington State Forest
3 Mile Run at Jug End State Reservation
Saturday, October 31, 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

2.9 Mile Walk at Thacher Park
Friday, October 30, 2015

Thursday, October 29, 2015

FRESH PAVEMENT, SUNSET, & A BEAVER AT DUSK
15.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, October 29, 2015

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

SHINE ON, HARVEST MOON
5.9 Mile Run at Thacher Park
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Monday, October 26, 2015

12.6 Mile Ride Through the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Monday, October 26, 2015

Sunday, October 25, 2015

1.4 Mile Walk at Ann Lee Pond
Sunday, October 25, 2015
A BIT TOO WINDY...
7.9 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, October 25, 2015
SIGH... NO GORILLA FOR THE TURTLE
Sunday, October 25, 2015



And I was really looking forward to running the Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon (or Squirrelly Six, if I didn't make the time cutoff at 5.75 miles) again.

Unfortunately, the bug that hit me on Monday didn't care, and while I'm no longer running a fever and my sinuses are much clearer than they were during most of the week - I'm still spending a lot of time trying to cough up a lung or two, and running a race today doesn't make sense under those conditions.

Maybe I can get out on my bike for a short easy ride this afternoon, and hopefully I will be able to go for a run in another couple of days. At least next weekend's race is a short one... hopefully I can get back on track for the series of tough weekends that follow after that.

JMH
Weekly Activity Summary
10/18/2015 - 10/24/2015

running - 0 mi
riding - 0 mi
walking/hiking (7) - 10.8 mi

outdoor activity  5/7 days
months ridden 10/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, October 24, 2015

GREY & GLOOMY
0.9 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Saturday, October 24, 2015

Friday, October 23, 2015

1.8 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Friday, October 23, 2015
A Chilly Morning Working at Buckingham Pond
Friday, October 23, 2015

Sunday, October 18, 2015

0.7 Mile Walk at Labrador Hollow State Unique Area
Sunday, October 18, 2015
SNOW???? SNOW.
2.5 Mile Walk at Filmore Glen State Park
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
10/11/2015 - 10/17/2015

running (4) - 26.5 mi
riding (2) - 40.6 mi
walking/hiking (5) - 9.3 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 10/12

YRG - WakeUp (4)

JMH

Saturday, October 17, 2015

2.4 Mile Walk at the Beaver Lake Nature Center
Saturday, October 17, 2015
2.6 Mile Run Through Saratoga Spa State Park
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #24
The Great Pumpkin Challenge 10k Road Race
Saturday, October 17, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 181.0 mi, 45 hr 53 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Friday, October 16, 2015

1.6 Mile Walk at North Woods Nature Preserve
Friday, October 16, 2015

Thursday, October 15, 2015

7.2 Mile Run on the Albany County Rail Trail
Thursday, October 15, 2015

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

COLD & WINDY...
20.5 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Monday, October 12, 2015

A GORGEOUS FALL DAY
20.1 Mile Ride on the Zim Smith Trail
Monday, October 12, 2015

Sunday, October 11, 2015

TOO NICE A DAY TO GO INSIDE...
0.7 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Sunday, October 11, 2015
2.4 Mile Walk at Woodford State Park
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #23
Monroe Dunbar Brook 10.5mi Trail Race
Sunday, October 11, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 174.8 mi, 44 hr 38 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Weekly Activity Summary
10/4/2015 - 10/10/2015

running (3) - 23.8 mi
riding (2) - 37.4 mi
walking/hiking (4) - 6.0 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 10/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, October 10, 2015

TIRES UPDATE
Saturday, October 10, 2015

A trip to Mavis Discount Tire after the race took only an hour (yay!) and revealed that the front tire had a hole (big surprise) but nothing was wrong with the back one (so why did it lose a dozen PSI by the time I reached Kingston?) They plugged the front, and the back seems to be holding its pressure just fine. But I think I'll keep a couple of cans of Fix-a-flat in the trunk anyways...

JMH
1.9 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #22
Rosendale Runs Half Marathon Road/Trail Race
Saturday, October 10, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 164.3 mi, 41 hr 12 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Friday, October 09, 2015

ADVENTURES IN TRAVELING
One Flat & One Slow Leak
Friday, October 9, 2015

Took my bags out to the car for the drive down to Rosendale - and the front passenger side tire was totally flat. Given all the construction zones I've been driving through, not a huge surprise, but still - bleagh. Twenty sweaty minutes later I had the temporary spare mounted... given that I couldn't stay home without forfeiting both the race fee and (more expensively!) the cost of tonight's hotel room in Kingston, I decided it was worth the risk of driving down with no backup if another tire went flat. And hopefully I could find somewhere to get the tire repaired after the race tomorrow morning.

Just on a whim I checked the other tires after lugging my bags into the hotel room - and found the rear passenger tire much softer than it should have been. Aaargh! So I broke out the Fix-a-flat air pump I bought a few years ago, eventually figured out how to use the thing to actually pump sealant into the tire, and then drove over to Walmart to pick up a few more cans of Fix-a-flat, in case it's low again in the morning (or after the race.)

So right now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the back tire will hold air well enough to get me to Rosendale and then to someplace where I can get both tired checked and repaired as needed. It made it from Albany to Kingston without going flat, so it's not an unreasonable hope. And I guess if worst comes to worst I'll finally use my AAA membership for something other than hotel discounts.

JMH
RAINY DAY
1.5 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Friday, October 9, 2015

Thursday, October 08, 2015

16.3 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & Through Colonie Mohawk River Park
Thursday, October 8, 2015

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

4.5 Mile Run on the Albany County Rail Trail & Through A Bit of Delmar
Wednesday, October 7, 2015

A shorter run than I'd planned on, due to workers still doing their thing on the bridge over Delaware Ave a little before 6 PM. My guess is that with the good weather window rapidly closing, they're working as late as they can to try and get things done... but it meant that I couldn't continue down the trail like I would when they're not there. I did do a short out and back on the sidewalks along Delaware, just to see how the Vasques felt on pavement - it's been a while since I've run in them, and never in this particular pair, and I'm going to need them for the combination of roads and rough rail trail on Saturday.



I wish the trail had been more pleasant to run... but a lot of it has a layer of gravel that it's really uncomfortable for me. I guess the pavement that will eventually be put down will be preferable to that... though I really would have liked a nice stone dust surface, since almost all the trails around here are now paved.




In the end, I suppose the shortened run may have been a blessing in disguise... a bit of rest before Saturday's half marathon is probably good for my legs. I'm pretty sure they're going to be grumbling up a storm by the time this weekend is over.




JMH

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

21.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Sunday, October 04, 2015

QUITE THE DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...
1.4 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Sunday, October 4, 2015
SOMETIMES IT PAYS JUST TO SHOW UP...
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #21
Running with the Angels 10k Road/Trail Race
Sunday, October 4, 2015



2015 Event Totals
Run 151.2 mi, 37 hr 57 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Weekly Activity Summary
9/27/2015 - 10/3/2015

running (2) - 16.4 mi
riding (2) - 25.0 mi
walking/hiking (6) - 9.8 mi

outdoor activity  7/7 days
months ridden 10/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, October 03, 2015

COLD & RAINY
1 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
2.6 Mile Walk at Mendon Ponds Park
Saturday, October 3, 2015

Friday, October 02, 2015

TOUGH DAY FOR A RIDE...
11.4 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, October 2, 2015

Cold, windy, and grey. Fought a headwind all the way out, though at least that meant I had a tailwind on the way back.

Temperature is funny and oh so relative... if it was in the 50's in March I'd be enjoying the heat wave. But today, I had no desire whatsoever to keep going once I got back to the turnoff to the park where I'd left the car.

JMH

Thursday, October 01, 2015

'TIS THE SEASON TO PACK A HEADLAMP...
6.4 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, October 1, 2015

... at least if I'm going to run trails after work. By the time I wrap up anything longer than 3-4 miles, it's getting dark in the woods...

Lots of changes to the Pine Bush trails over the last few years... some of the sections I ran tonight felt like old friends, and some seemed brand new. Given that the Pine Bush is one of the few places I can run trails in the dark around here - I suspect I will become much more familiar with many of the newer trails over the next few months.

JMH

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

3 TURKEYS & 7 DEER...
13.6 Mile Ride Through the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Tuesday, September 29, 2015

... and blessedly few people, which is probably why the deer and turkeys were out and about.

Caught a short break in the rain, so I popped down to the Corning Preserve for a short ride. Light rain kicked back in as I was heading over the Schuyler Flatts, but only enough to make the 2nd half of the ride damp rather than soaked and uncomfortable.

In some ways the path through the preserve is really nice, with the Hudson River alongside and a fair amount of nature and occasional wildlife. Unfortunately, the constant drone of traffic on I787 does make it a little less pleasant, and some of the sections of pavement really need to be replaced - there's a lot of root buckling. But it does have the advantage of being relatively close and a fairly easy ride.

JMH

Monday, September 28, 2015

1.5 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Monday, September 28, 2015

Sunday, September 27, 2015

SUPERMOON LUNAR ECLIPSE
Sunday, September 27, 2015

Tonight's lunar eclipse of the harvest "supermoon" (the harvest moon being the 1st full moon after the fall equinox, and the "supermoon" being a full moon when it's closest to the Earth in its orbit and thus appears slightly larger than usual) was a common topic on the radio over the last two days. If I were more ambitious (and less tired and sore) I'd drive over to the bike path where it's a bit darker to take a look. As it stands, I'm settling for walking over to nearby Ridgefield Park before and during the eclipse to take a look and a few photos, despite having to put up with the Albany lights.

BEFORE:
A nice bright full moon... unfortunately, the only big patch of clouds in the sky is right around the moon. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll drift away before the eclipse hits totality.




DURING:  
Cool... the clouds moved off. I got back to the park about 20 minutes after the eclipse started, and found several groups of people there watching the show, as well as groups out on the sidewalk and upstairs porches along the way. Guess people are interested in this... unfortunately, night shots are always iffy, and this batch didn't come out as good as the earlier ones.





 In about another 40 minutes the moon should be completely in the Earth's shadow...

 When I went back out 30 minutes later the moon was mostly eclipsed, with just a sliver still lit.




And after half an hour - the eclipse is darn near total, and I've have enough. Time to go home and go to bed (since the moon won't start coming out of the Earth's shadow for another hour or so... too late for me to stay up and watch tonight!)

  
  JMH
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #20
Pfalz Point Challenge 10mi Trail Race
Sunday, September 27, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 145.0 mi, 36 hr 39 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Weekly Activity Summary
9/20/2015 - 9/26/2015

running (2) - 12.7 mi
riding (3) - 45.0 mi
walking/hiking (5) - 8.8 mi
paddling - 0 mi

outdoor activity 7/7 days
months ridden 9/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, September 26, 2015

2.4 Mile Walk on the Hurley-Marbletown Rail Trail
Saturday, September 26, 2015
PERHAPS FALL IS HERE TO STAY...
10.67 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Saturday, September 26, 2015

Friday, September 25, 2015

CHIPMUNKS EVERYWHERE...
15.0 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, September 25, 2015

Thursday, September 24, 2015

2.6 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Thursday, September 24, 2015

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

19.4 Mile Ride on the Hurley-Marbletown Rail Trail
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
4.7 Mile Run at Greenport PCA
Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Monday, September 21, 2015

DEFINITELY TIRED LEGS...
1.6 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Monday, September 21, 2015

Not nearly as bad as I expected them to be after 14+ miles of races over two days, but maybe that's because I "fast hiked" so much (since the single track was often too gnarly or too hilly for me to run with my grumbling knees.) Being on my feet at school wasn't bad, but walking around Buckingham was definitely work. I may have to change my plan to do an easy run tomorrow to an easy ride.

Buckingham was quieter than the last two times I went there. I'm surprised at how few ducks there are (three today.) I did spot a huge orange carp feeding right near shore... eventually I think he realized I was standing there and headed for deeper water.

JMH

Sunday, September 20, 2015

1 Mile Walk on the Branford Trolley Trail
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #19
Trails for a Cure 8mi Trail Race
Sunday, September 20, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 135.0 mi, 34 hr 24 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT
Weekly Activity Summary
9/13/2015 - 9/19/2015

running (2) - 15.2 mi
riding (1) - 24.9 mi
walking/hiking (8)- 16.0 mi
paddling - 0 mi

outdoor activity 7/7 days
months ridden 9/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, September 19, 2015

3.5 Mile Walk at Sessions Woods WMA
1.4 Mile Walk at Trustom Pond NWR
2.0 Mile Walk at Barn Island WMA
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Regaining Distance 2015 - Race #18
Run for the Woods 10k Trail Race
Saturday, September 19, 2015


2015 Event Totals
Run 127.0 mi, 32 hr 19 min
Bike 54.0 mi, 4 hr 6 min

Snowshoe 33.4 mi, 8 hr 56 min
Kayak 3.0 mi, 56 min

states visited: CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VT

Friday, September 18, 2015

OFF TO CONNECTICUT!
1.4 Mile Walk at Ooms PCA
Friday, September 18, 2015

Thursday, September 17, 2015

2.2 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Thursday, September 17, 2015

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

TURTLES, TURTLES, & MORE TURTLES...
24.9 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

2.4 Mile Walk at the Crossings of Colonie
Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Monday, September 14, 2015

9.0 Mile Run on the Appalachian Trail (South Egremont - Sheffield)
Monday, September 14, 2015

Sunday, September 13, 2015

2.5 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Weekly Activity Summary
9/6/2015 - 9/12/2015

running (2) - 12.7 mi
riding (4) - 47.2 mi
walking/hiking (4) - 7.3 mi
paddling - 0 mi

outdoor activity 7/7 days
months ridden 9/12

YRG -

JMH

Saturday, September 12, 2015

10.3 Mile Ride Through the Corning Preserve
Saturday, September 12, 2015

Thursday, September 10, 2015

5.7 Mile Run Around Albany & Buckingham Pond
Thursday, September 10, 2015

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

9.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & Lock 7 Rd
Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

1.3 Mile Walk at Buckingham Pond
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
15.2 Mile Ride on the Zim Smith Trail
Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Monday, September 07, 2015

Finally Watched The Hobbit Theatrical Trilogy
Monday, September 7, 2015

Or rather, I finally finished watching The Hobbit. I started two days ago.

I waited for so long because I expected to want to sit down and pay fairly close attention. I really enjoyed The Lord of the Rings, so I figured this was a no-brainer.

In the end, I needed three days because they are bloody long movies (1st two almost 3 hours, last one almost 2 1/2 hours) - and I found myself needing to pause the DVD and take a break  periodically. And I mean a long break, not just a "pop off to the kitchen" type of thing. Took me most of a day to finally get around to watching each one.

There were definitely things I liked about the movies, but overall - it was too much of almost everything. This should have been one long movie (maybe just under 3 hours) or two short ones (90 min or so each.) Too much added material. Too many huge sweeping shots to show us how amazing this world they've created is (and yes, I do want to get to New Zealand someday.) Too many battles that went on and on and on. Too much tying everything into being a precursor to The Lord of the Rings. It seems like the filmmakers looked at all the cool stuff they managed to do in the previous movies and decided that everything had to be 10 times as amazing for this one... and instead a lot of it just ended up seeming over-the-top instead.


I'm not surprised that where each of the LOTR movies made more than its predecessor, each of these made less. And I'm really glad I waited to watch them at home, instead of going to the cinema... sitting through these in a movie theater would have been torture.

With The Lord of the Rings, I found the extended editions to be better than the theatrical - there was a little more room for some character development and for things to breathe a bit. In this case... I think it's going to be a good while before I watch the extended editions - and I'll probably see them separately, rather than back-to-back.

Oh, well. If I have the time and ability to grumble about a movie trilogy, I've got it pretty good. Especially since it's back to work tomorrow, with school starting for real on Thursday.

JMH
SLOW GOING IS BETTER THAN NOT GOING AT ALL...
7 Mile Run at Thacher Park
Monday, September 7, 2015

And very slow going it was, between being a bit tired and wobbly still, some gunk in my lungs that is still loosening up, and a left knee that was grumbling loudly during my walking warmup (but thankfully behaved itself during the run.)

I parked above the Haile's Cave picnic area and headed out on the northern trails - a bit of the ILTR15k course, then off to the old quarry and looping down past the High Point overlook and back on the Long Path and mountain bike trails. Spotted a few riders heading in as I was changing clothes, and passed a few hikers coming from the opposite direction in the first mile or so - but after that didn't see another person, just the way I like it.

The knee worries me a bit - it's acting like my right knee did a few years back, just before it went out completely and took the better part of a year before I could do much running again - in fact, in a lot of ways I'm still coming back from that injury (hindered by getting sick last fall and aggravating my knees repeatedly this summer doing non-running stuff like moving furniture and boxes around.) So I guess the lesson is - pay attention to it and do what I can to not have it end up like my right knee, even if that means further setbacks to my running plans this fall.

Despite that, it was great to be running at Thacher, especially considering the condition I was in less than a week ago.

JMH

Sunday, September 06, 2015

2.4 Mile Walk at Six Mile Waterworks Park & Through the Albany Pine Bush
Sunday, September 6, 2015

Lots of people at the park this evening, but almost no one over by the entrance to the Pine Bush (and on the mile or so of trails I wallked.) In the end, though, I think I'm better off running here, except perhaps in cold weather, when there are sometimes interesting birds on the lake.





JMH
LOTS OF HERONS & EGRETS
12.7 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, September 6, 2015

Only one heron in sight in the old canal on my way out, but when I got to the section on the west side of Rotterdam Junction, I spotted three herons and a trio of egrets. Of course, the latter means summer is truly ending, since I don't typically see many egrets around here until they migrate back through to wherever they go south for the winter.




On my way back east, there were two herons and a pair of green herons in the old canal. Not as many wood ducks in sight - I'm guessing that as they get more mobile (ie. can fly better) they spend more time under cover.





The "new" crossing at route 5S looks like it could actually be a big improvement - mostly because they've installed user-activated lights. Of course, drivers will still need to actually pay attention to the lights - and we'll see if they hold up to local vandals (because there's inevitably going to be those.)


Legs were grumbling after only a dozen miles of very easy riding... I'm definitely not healthy yet... but still much better than the past few days.

JMH