Its been 7 days since I last wrote in my blog and I apologize for the delay but there really wasn't much to write about. Since I feel down The Wittenberg, I could barely walk let alone train. It was quite scary, I feared that all that I had worked for for the last 6 months was lost. I finally went to an Orthopedic Sports Medicine expert for knees and he gave me a good once over and said my knee was banged up good but there was no permanent damage and I run as much as I could take the pain. I finally got up the nerve after days of just doing strength work and non-impact elliptical aerobic workouts for 30-45 minutes a day. My knee was swollen, bruised nicely, cut right over the kneecap from the rock's impact and full of fluid. It ached when I sat, and the tendon over the kneecap was tight as a rubber band that was overstretched when I walked. Going down stairs was excruciating!
Finally I felt slightly better on Friday the 25th so I decided to go out for a run at the park after work. I got 5.8 miles in at a decent pace... 7:58 per mile and iced my knee heavily when i got back. It really swelled up that night but the next morning I decided to drive to Sleeping Giant park the next morning to run hill repeats on the 1.5 mile trail from the base to the summit. I felt actually pretty good, and the compression sleeve I wore on my knee seemed to help. I got 6 miles in (2 loops) before heading off to my daughter Erica's band camp concert.
Today I took off from running but I did do 30 minutes on the old elliptical at a fast pace. Tomorrow I'll be at the lake doing speed intervals and Wednesday will be a hard speed workout at Wachusett Mtn in MA... I can't wait! Pain is still there but... I'm baaaack! :-)
Today was a great morning at church at Monroe Congregational Church too. I announced that to help MCC's own Sound Coalition Habitat team, I would disburse the Habitat portion of any MCC members (or friends & family) getting involved in my journey to the Sound Coalition. With the city of Bridgeport, CT now auctioning off building lots (booo!!!) instead of giving them to Habitat, the cost of a new Habitat house has risen dramatically, so we must raise $30K as our contribution to our adopted house this year. Many people came out to get involved and once again I learned so much by speaking to the good people! The total I have raised now over $3,100!!! Wow!
I'll write more next weekend after I return from PA and the NASCAR PA 500 race and a run in the Pocono Mtns!
LiveSTRONG my friends!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Day After Slide Mtn
Well I usually like to go out for a short, slow run a day after a big workout to prevent the lactic acid from settling in my muscles and making them even sorer and less responsive but when I got up this morning I knew there would be none of that today. My left knee, the one I gashed right on the top of it in my fall, is swelled up some and very stiff. It bends without much pain when there is no weight on it but I have a LOT of pain bending it when I put weight on it too. Today is going to be a day of nursing it back to health so I can get back to running by Monday... I'm within 4 weeks now and I need to capitalize on runs like that.
I did my strength work today on my whole body (weight training) but was very light on leg presses. I normally go as high as 320 lbs on my legs but today I went no higher than 120 lbs. No use in making a moderate injury into a real bad one. I also spent 15 minutes on my elliptical loosening both knees up and they felt much better afterwards, my sore muscles also appreciated it by burning off some of that lactic acid.
I made my second to last cutom shirt today with all of the recent names that were added. The next one I do will be the final one before we head to CO in early August. Anyone wanting to add a name will need to do it before August 3rd so that I can make the last shirt before we leave on the 5th. We decided that we'll also make 3 more shirts, one for Jan, Derek and Erica to wear as my crew on race day. I think that'll be neat! The best support crew a guy could possibly want!
I was interviewed by the Monroe Courier Friday and I'll be in this week's edition so those of you who live in town, keep an eye out for me this week!
LiveSTRONG my friends!
I did my strength work today on my whole body (weight training) but was very light on leg presses. I normally go as high as 320 lbs on my legs but today I went no higher than 120 lbs. No use in making a moderate injury into a real bad one. I also spent 15 minutes on my elliptical loosening both knees up and they felt much better afterwards, my sore muscles also appreciated it by burning off some of that lactic acid.
I made my second to last cutom shirt today with all of the recent names that were added. The next one I do will be the final one before we head to CO in early August. Anyone wanting to add a name will need to do it before August 3rd so that I can make the last shirt before we leave on the 5th. We decided that we'll also make 3 more shirts, one for Jan, Derek and Erica to wear as my crew on race day. I think that'll be neat! The best support crew a guy could possibly want!
I was interviewed by the Monroe Courier Friday and I'll be in this week's edition so those of you who live in town, keep an eye out for me this week!
LiveSTRONG my friends!
Redfern 3 - Mountains 1
Yesterday (Saturday) I had the longest, toughest training run of the year and dare I say, the toughest run I have ever done in my life. I know I need to run mountain trails from here on out in order to prepare for the climbing and dirt trail aspect of the Pike's Peak Ascent so each week I have been finding good runs within a 3-hour drive from my home to do on Saturdays. And each week I have been getting progressively more aggressive with my choices.
Last week I ran up and over Mt Greylock in MA with a total ascent of 5,306'. This week I knew was going to be tougher but I wasn't sure how much tougher. I did not have detailed topo maps of the trail, but I did know that Slide Mtn was the highest peak in southtern NY at 4,186' and to get to Slide I had to run over two other 3,500' peaks (and back over them again to get back to my car). The other two mountains were Mt Wittenberg (3,780') and Cornell Mtn (3,860').
One thing I learned when I got there was that the real cool backpackers of the Catskills call Mt Wittenberg, The Wittenberg. So from now on I'm going to be cool and call it the same!
As usual I got up at 3:30am and was on the road for Phoenicia, NY at 4am. I arrived at the trailhead in Woodland Valley at about 6:30 and by the time I packed my running backpack and used the luxurious flushing toilets at the campsite one more time it was 7am before I was running for the hills. There were black bear warnings all over the place but since they are predominantly herbivores I wasn't concerened, I just needed to make sure I didn't surprise one or end up close to a cub if I even came across one at all. My plan would be to ascend The Wittenberg, run across the Bruins Causeway and ascend Cornell Mtn then descend the saddle and ascend Slide Mtn... rest... and return the way I came. I gave myself 2.5 hours to get to Slide Mtn and if I didn't get there I'd turn back.
The trail started out immediately steep and treacherous. Not treacherous like danger to life and limb, but more because the path was filled with narly roots jutting out of the ground and jagged rocks sticking up out of the ground at all angles... both of which made it easy to catch a toe and trip, and falling in this stuff would be disasterous. Running was very slow because I had to be very careful with foot placement. I remembered reading in the trails.com brief on this course about all of the rocks and boulders on the way up The Wittenberg so I assumed this is what they were talking about. The trails.com document also spoke of the many sheer ledges that had to be scaled along the way... literally climbing up near vertical walls of rock... COOL! I got to the intersection of the red trail (my trail) and the yellow trail and it was another 1.3 miles to the summit of The Wittenberg. My assumption was wrong, as I continued up I ended up in a literal boulder field where I had to climb over and around very large boulders on a steep slope. At the top of the slope I was quite tired and my legs were fatigued, I saw a big ledge ahead of me and I thought to myself... "I hope that's not one of the ledges I must scale since I'm already pretty tired from ascending the boulder field." I really didn't expect to climb it and truly expected the trail would go around it, but it didn't. I spent a minute or two planning out the best path based on hand/toe holds and cracks I could use hand-jams in. I climbed up the 10' ledge and continued on, but it was exhilarating having scaled a wall without ropes!
My pace was slower than I'd like but I was fully convinced this was going to be GREAT training since I knew I needed to strengthen my thighs and hip flexors after the Mt Washing race caused them to cramp up. The constant step ups over the boulders on steep slopes was going to be a great workout for the legs. It would also prepare me for the many water bars that I'd have to step over on the Barr trail up Pike's Peak.
When I got to the summit of The Wittenberg, I came across a group of hikers who had slept out on the ledge at the summit over night after hiking over Slide from the NJ side of the backcountry. Sounded like a blast! They slept under the stars with no tents and were making pancakes on their pocket rocket stove for breakfast. We spoke for a bit while I ate my energy bar and then I was off for Cornell Mtn. The view off the ledge must have been fabulous when the haze wasn't thick, I could only see outlines of the many Catskill peaks in the distance. I was surprised how far the descent was to the Bruins Causeway before climbing up to Cornell. I had read that this climb had the biggest ledges to scale, I looked forward to it with great anticipation. I got to the ledge and indeed there were two successive ledges that were nearly vertical. The first was a crotch so it was fairly simple to get holds while using the other wall for support. The second was higher and open but had plenty of handholds to scale it. A few minutes and I was over them both and on my way to the summit. I did not stop here since I was on a mission to get to Slide.
As I descended Cornell, I came to clearing and was absolutely blown away at what I found. As I looked out to the west I saw Slide Mtn and it was considerably higher than Cornell... 350' makes a surprisingly big difference. What was more shocking was the depth of the valley I had to desend into before climbing Slide! I though at that point that there was no way in the world I was going to be able to descend into and out of the valley to the summit of Slide in 40 minutes to make it under my self-imposed 2.5 hour limit. I decided to head on and see how far I could make it in those 40 minutes.
I was motivated... I kept pushing on down Cornell but it seemed to go on into the valley forever. Finally I started going up Slide and I was pushing harder than ever but feeling good, but time was running out. I checked my watch and I had 25 minutes. I kept on going past mud bogs, rocks and ledges towards the summit. Finally my time had run out, I saw a clearing ahead so I decided to climb to the clearing, rest and head back. To my surprise, the clearing was the summit! I made it to Slide Mtn in 2:31.
I met a nice older man from PA on the summit who likes to hike the Catskills during the summer as a rereation. We chatted while I drank, he took a picture for me and I wished him well and set on my way back to the car... down Slide, up Cornell, down Cornell, up Wittenberg and down Wittenberg to the trail head... YIKES!
By the time I reached the summit of The Wittenberg, I was exhausted. I ate my last energy bar, took a last picture and headed down. I had done all the climbing for the day and all I needed to do was decend the 3.6 miles back to the trailhead and my car. I ran down the mountain and could feel the exhaustion causing me to be less careful than usual, I still felt good mentally and bounding down the rocks and ledges was actually fun. At one point a group of much younger hikers cheered me on as I made quick work of the last ledge between me and the trailhead. That felt good and I kept up the quick pace. I was thinking about the name of my blog for the day... it would be "Redfern 3 - Mountains 0" since I hadn't had one fall today! Around about the time I was at the divergence of the yellow and red trails though, my exhaustion got the better or me, I hooked a toe on one of those jagged rocks I spoke of on the way up and crashed onto the rocks hard. My left knee was bleeding and gashed, my right knee was scraped, my hip was sore and scraped as was my right elbow, forearm and both palms. Immediately every muscle below my hips went into severe cramps and I was wrenching around on the ground to keep them from tightening up. I forced myself up fairly quickly because keeping moving in this type of situation is the best way to work out the pain and cramps and keep from getting completely immobilized. I knew nothing was broken so I just had to suck it up and get moving again.
Unfortunately moving in the right direction is always the best idea and that's not what happened. I ended up in a clearing that I was not familiar with and could not find the way out the other side, I limped back to where I entered the clearing and realized that I had wandered down the yellow trail... but for how long? I walked back up the trail slowly to make sure I did not miss the turn off... I walked about 0.2 miles before finding it. I was now very sore, very stiff and could not run on this treacherous rocky, rooty path. If I fell again I would surely get hurt even worse the second time so I decided I would have to walk the 2 miles back to the trail head. I did run when I found clearings from the rocks and roots but they were short-lived and very far and few in between. I have to say, that 2 miles was the longest, most excruciating 2 miles I have ever walked, ran or hiked! The terrain stunk and made it horrible for me. What had been a euphoric (yet exhausing) run for 11.3 miles had quickly degraded into pure misery for 2 miles. As I neared the trailhead I crossed a refreshing spring where I sat down, soaked my pack towel in the ice cold water and cleaned my wounds. The cold felt good on my throbbing knees.
Upon arriving at my car I cleaned myself up, ate the fruit and drank the FRS sports drink I had packed in a thermal bag, then put the ice packs on my knees while totaling up the days accomplishments, and what a day it was:
* 5 mountains summitted (Wittenberg and Cornell twice each and Slide)
* 13.3 miles traveled (the same as Pikes Peak!)
* 7,587 feet of climbing (wow! I'll be climbing 8,000 on Pikes Peak!)
* At least 5 ledges scaled in both directcions
* Tons of bounding over big boulders to strengthen those leg muscles!
* And one spectacular wipe out!
It was not a comfortable ride home for 3 hours and I was eating everything in site. I burned a ton of calories on that run and it was now time to replenish them!
Alas, I had to change the name of my blog entry from "Redfern 3 - Mountains 0" to "Redfern 3 - Mountains 1" Oh well...
Last week I ran up and over Mt Greylock in MA with a total ascent of 5,306'. This week I knew was going to be tougher but I wasn't sure how much tougher. I did not have detailed topo maps of the trail, but I did know that Slide Mtn was the highest peak in southtern NY at 4,186' and to get to Slide I had to run over two other 3,500' peaks (and back over them again to get back to my car). The other two mountains were Mt Wittenberg (3,780') and Cornell Mtn (3,860').
One thing I learned when I got there was that the real cool backpackers of the Catskills call Mt Wittenberg, The Wittenberg. So from now on I'm going to be cool and call it the same!
As usual I got up at 3:30am and was on the road for Phoenicia, NY at 4am. I arrived at the trailhead in Woodland Valley at about 6:30 and by the time I packed my running backpack and used the luxurious flushing toilets at the campsite one more time it was 7am before I was running for the hills. There were black bear warnings all over the place but since they are predominantly herbivores I wasn't concerened, I just needed to make sure I didn't surprise one or end up close to a cub if I even came across one at all. My plan would be to ascend The Wittenberg, run across the Bruins Causeway and ascend Cornell Mtn then descend the saddle and ascend Slide Mtn... rest... and return the way I came. I gave myself 2.5 hours to get to Slide Mtn and if I didn't get there I'd turn back.
The trail started out immediately steep and treacherous. Not treacherous like danger to life and limb, but more because the path was filled with narly roots jutting out of the ground and jagged rocks sticking up out of the ground at all angles... both of which made it easy to catch a toe and trip, and falling in this stuff would be disasterous. Running was very slow because I had to be very careful with foot placement. I remembered reading in the trails.com brief on this course about all of the rocks and boulders on the way up The Wittenberg so I assumed this is what they were talking about. The trails.com document also spoke of the many sheer ledges that had to be scaled along the way... literally climbing up near vertical walls of rock... COOL! I got to the intersection of the red trail (my trail) and the yellow trail and it was another 1.3 miles to the summit of The Wittenberg. My assumption was wrong, as I continued up I ended up in a literal boulder field where I had to climb over and around very large boulders on a steep slope. At the top of the slope I was quite tired and my legs were fatigued, I saw a big ledge ahead of me and I thought to myself... "I hope that's not one of the ledges I must scale since I'm already pretty tired from ascending the boulder field." I really didn't expect to climb it and truly expected the trail would go around it, but it didn't. I spent a minute or two planning out the best path based on hand/toe holds and cracks I could use hand-jams in. I climbed up the 10' ledge and continued on, but it was exhilarating having scaled a wall without ropes!
My pace was slower than I'd like but I was fully convinced this was going to be GREAT training since I knew I needed to strengthen my thighs and hip flexors after the Mt Washing race caused them to cramp up. The constant step ups over the boulders on steep slopes was going to be a great workout for the legs. It would also prepare me for the many water bars that I'd have to step over on the Barr trail up Pike's Peak.
When I got to the summit of The Wittenberg, I came across a group of hikers who had slept out on the ledge at the summit over night after hiking over Slide from the NJ side of the backcountry. Sounded like a blast! They slept under the stars with no tents and were making pancakes on their pocket rocket stove for breakfast. We spoke for a bit while I ate my energy bar and then I was off for Cornell Mtn. The view off the ledge must have been fabulous when the haze wasn't thick, I could only see outlines of the many Catskill peaks in the distance. I was surprised how far the descent was to the Bruins Causeway before climbing up to Cornell. I had read that this climb had the biggest ledges to scale, I looked forward to it with great anticipation. I got to the ledge and indeed there were two successive ledges that were nearly vertical. The first was a crotch so it was fairly simple to get holds while using the other wall for support. The second was higher and open but had plenty of handholds to scale it. A few minutes and I was over them both and on my way to the summit. I did not stop here since I was on a mission to get to Slide.
As I descended Cornell, I came to clearing and was absolutely blown away at what I found. As I looked out to the west I saw Slide Mtn and it was considerably higher than Cornell... 350' makes a surprisingly big difference. What was more shocking was the depth of the valley I had to desend into before climbing Slide! I though at that point that there was no way in the world I was going to be able to descend into and out of the valley to the summit of Slide in 40 minutes to make it under my self-imposed 2.5 hour limit. I decided to head on and see how far I could make it in those 40 minutes.
I was motivated... I kept pushing on down Cornell but it seemed to go on into the valley forever. Finally I started going up Slide and I was pushing harder than ever but feeling good, but time was running out. I checked my watch and I had 25 minutes. I kept on going past mud bogs, rocks and ledges towards the summit. Finally my time had run out, I saw a clearing ahead so I decided to climb to the clearing, rest and head back. To my surprise, the clearing was the summit! I made it to Slide Mtn in 2:31.
I met a nice older man from PA on the summit who likes to hike the Catskills during the summer as a rereation. We chatted while I drank, he took a picture for me and I wished him well and set on my way back to the car... down Slide, up Cornell, down Cornell, up Wittenberg and down Wittenberg to the trail head... YIKES!
By the time I reached the summit of The Wittenberg, I was exhausted. I ate my last energy bar, took a last picture and headed down. I had done all the climbing for the day and all I needed to do was decend the 3.6 miles back to the trailhead and my car. I ran down the mountain and could feel the exhaustion causing me to be less careful than usual, I still felt good mentally and bounding down the rocks and ledges was actually fun. At one point a group of much younger hikers cheered me on as I made quick work of the last ledge between me and the trailhead. That felt good and I kept up the quick pace. I was thinking about the name of my blog for the day... it would be "Redfern 3 - Mountains 0" since I hadn't had one fall today! Around about the time I was at the divergence of the yellow and red trails though, my exhaustion got the better or me, I hooked a toe on one of those jagged rocks I spoke of on the way up and crashed onto the rocks hard. My left knee was bleeding and gashed, my right knee was scraped, my hip was sore and scraped as was my right elbow, forearm and both palms. Immediately every muscle below my hips went into severe cramps and I was wrenching around on the ground to keep them from tightening up. I forced myself up fairly quickly because keeping moving in this type of situation is the best way to work out the pain and cramps and keep from getting completely immobilized. I knew nothing was broken so I just had to suck it up and get moving again.
Unfortunately moving in the right direction is always the best idea and that's not what happened. I ended up in a clearing that I was not familiar with and could not find the way out the other side, I limped back to where I entered the clearing and realized that I had wandered down the yellow trail... but for how long? I walked back up the trail slowly to make sure I did not miss the turn off... I walked about 0.2 miles before finding it. I was now very sore, very stiff and could not run on this treacherous rocky, rooty path. If I fell again I would surely get hurt even worse the second time so I decided I would have to walk the 2 miles back to the trail head. I did run when I found clearings from the rocks and roots but they were short-lived and very far and few in between. I have to say, that 2 miles was the longest, most excruciating 2 miles I have ever walked, ran or hiked! The terrain stunk and made it horrible for me. What had been a euphoric (yet exhausing) run for 11.3 miles had quickly degraded into pure misery for 2 miles. As I neared the trailhead I crossed a refreshing spring where I sat down, soaked my pack towel in the ice cold water and cleaned my wounds. The cold felt good on my throbbing knees.
Upon arriving at my car I cleaned myself up, ate the fruit and drank the FRS sports drink I had packed in a thermal bag, then put the ice packs on my knees while totaling up the days accomplishments, and what a day it was:
* 5 mountains summitted (Wittenberg and Cornell twice each and Slide)
* 13.3 miles traveled (the same as Pikes Peak!)
* 7,587 feet of climbing (wow! I'll be climbing 8,000 on Pikes Peak!)
* At least 5 ledges scaled in both directcions
* Tons of bounding over big boulders to strengthen those leg muscles!
* And one spectacular wipe out!
It was not a comfortable ride home for 3 hours and I was eating everything in site. I burned a ton of calories on that run and it was now time to replenish them!
Alas, I had to change the name of my blog entry from "Redfern 3 - Mountains 0" to "Redfern 3 - Mountains 1" Oh well...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Beautiful, just Beautiful!
Last night was a fantastic hill workout! While in Boston on business I decided to add a new place to my list of mountains climbed. I drove out to Wachusett Mtn in Princeton, MA that evening for a few repeats up the access road.
For my first run up, I decided I would run up the "Up Summit Road" the one-way road leading up to the summit and the longest way to get there so that I could add some miles on as well get some hill work. I got there much later than expected so I was going to be pushing it to get in multiple runs to the summit before sunset. I headed up for my first one at about 7:45 and was surprised to learn that the paved summer park access road actually bisects many of the ski trails at Wachusett Mtn Ski Area. My run to the top wasn't as tough as I expected but I did get another surprise... as I was nearing the summit I noticed that in one area there was a scenic lookout and lots of people were sitting on the edge of the road looking straight back behind me over the lookout. While continuing up I glanced back to see the most incredible red sunset materializing in the west! I ran backwards for a few seconds to take in the beautiful gift of nature and sped up to get to the summit in hopes of a better view while taking a quick rest. Not to be disappointed, the view at the summit was just as spectacular! There where couples perched everywhere to take in the romantic sunset. Wow! What a great treat!
I was burning daylight though and I had another repeat to get in so I headed back down after about 2 minutes rest. As I wrapped around the other side of the mountain I was treated to a different perspective of the sunset and it too was spectacular.
I rested at the base for a few minutes, drank the last of my Propel and headed back up the mountain but this time I decided to save time by going back up the "Down Summit Road" which was about half the distance but the same elevation (obviously) so it was a steeper run up. It was getting dark now and in the tree covered areas, quite dark. I started seeing the people walking down whom I had seen on the way up or at the summit and they were looking at me in disbelieve that I was on my way back up a second time (I love that look they give me!). When I arrive at the summit it was well past sunset and darkness was setting in... I looked over at the fading red, orange and purple hues of the sunset lost and turned to head back down when I was treated to another spectacular treat. There was a full moon rising in the east as big as a frying pan held out in front of you! It was magnificent and bright and it's reflection shone on the surface of a lake or river way down on the plains below. Boy what I would have given to have had my trusty camera that night!
The run back down was a little trickier in the dark. The moon provided the light, but not enough to illuminate the frost heaves and dips in the pavement so I had to be careful. The challenge descending fast in the dark was well worth the views I was treated to that night! Boy, the simple pleasures I have been treated to through my journey have been things I'll remember for a lifetime!
All in all, a good 8-mile hill workout and some beautiful scenery to boot... just beautiful!
Saturday, if all goes well I'll be heading off again at 4am, this time to the Catskill Mountains of NY to do a 15 mile run up Slide Mountain. It is the tallest mountain in the Catskills at 4,180 feet and will be a very tough workout! One spot includes a sheer rock ledge that I will need to scale before proceeding! Wish me luck!
For my first run up, I decided I would run up the "Up Summit Road" the one-way road leading up to the summit and the longest way to get there so that I could add some miles on as well get some hill work. I got there much later than expected so I was going to be pushing it to get in multiple runs to the summit before sunset. I headed up for my first one at about 7:45 and was surprised to learn that the paved summer park access road actually bisects many of the ski trails at Wachusett Mtn Ski Area. My run to the top wasn't as tough as I expected but I did get another surprise... as I was nearing the summit I noticed that in one area there was a scenic lookout and lots of people were sitting on the edge of the road looking straight back behind me over the lookout. While continuing up I glanced back to see the most incredible red sunset materializing in the west! I ran backwards for a few seconds to take in the beautiful gift of nature and sped up to get to the summit in hopes of a better view while taking a quick rest. Not to be disappointed, the view at the summit was just as spectacular! There where couples perched everywhere to take in the romantic sunset. Wow! What a great treat!
I was burning daylight though and I had another repeat to get in so I headed back down after about 2 minutes rest. As I wrapped around the other side of the mountain I was treated to a different perspective of the sunset and it too was spectacular.
I rested at the base for a few minutes, drank the last of my Propel and headed back up the mountain but this time I decided to save time by going back up the "Down Summit Road" which was about half the distance but the same elevation (obviously) so it was a steeper run up. It was getting dark now and in the tree covered areas, quite dark. I started seeing the people walking down whom I had seen on the way up or at the summit and they were looking at me in disbelieve that I was on my way back up a second time (I love that look they give me!). When I arrive at the summit it was well past sunset and darkness was setting in... I looked over at the fading red, orange and purple hues of the sunset lost and turned to head back down when I was treated to another spectacular treat. There was a full moon rising in the east as big as a frying pan held out in front of you! It was magnificent and bright and it's reflection shone on the surface of a lake or river way down on the plains below. Boy what I would have given to have had my trusty camera that night!
The run back down was a little trickier in the dark. The moon provided the light, but not enough to illuminate the frost heaves and dips in the pavement so I had to be careful. The challenge descending fast in the dark was well worth the views I was treated to that night! Boy, the simple pleasures I have been treated to through my journey have been things I'll remember for a lifetime!
All in all, a good 8-mile hill workout and some beautiful scenery to boot... just beautiful!
Saturday, if all goes well I'll be heading off again at 4am, this time to the Catskill Mountains of NY to do a 15 mile run up Slide Mountain. It is the tallest mountain in the Catskills at 4,180 feet and will be a very tough workout! One spot includes a sheer rock ledge that I will need to scale before proceeding! Wish me luck!
5 Weeks to Go and Counting!
I am getting more edgy and anxious by the day… maybe even a little nervous. This weekend I crossed 5 weeks before the big day. After the Mt Washington race I changed my training dramatically and I feel it was for the better. Unfortunately I’m not sure my training error was discovered early enough to be really ready for Pike’s Peak… okay truth be told I’m not I’d ever be really ready for Pike.
Since NH I have abandoned the hill training on my treadmill, I have abandoned the thought that I need to train myself to run slower in the mountains and I have abandoned the distance runs on my local streets and I still needed to take about 5 pounds off my frame. In their place I have begun doing all my hill workouts on real hill trails like the Tower Trail to the summit of Sleeping Giant State Park; I have focused on speed once a week… I do 0.8 mile repeats at 6:00/mile pace (I realized on Mt Washington that the size of the hill automatically slows me down); I drive somewhere every weekend to do a long mountain trail run like Mt Greylock on Saturday; and I have brought my weight down to near 145 lbs. I am very fatigued so I go to sleep earlier (that’s good) and am eating much better (tons of fruits and veggies) to combat that issue. The fact that my muscles are regularly sore and I am fatigued tells me I am again making positive progress towards getting ready.
Last week I ran hill repeats at Sleeping Giant and the people walking the Tower Trail thought I was crazy. I passed some of them 5 times in their walk up and back down and they would just shake their heads as I’d pass again. It was very good hill work and since it was on dirt trails it was good practice for making sure I was making good choices of foot placement… you can easily roll an ankle or fall (done it many times) on a rocky trail filled with erosion ruts and potholes.
Since NH I have abandoned the hill training on my treadmill, I have abandoned the thought that I need to train myself to run slower in the mountains and I have abandoned the distance runs on my local streets and I still needed to take about 5 pounds off my frame. In their place I have begun doing all my hill workouts on real hill trails like the Tower Trail to the summit of Sleeping Giant State Park; I have focused on speed once a week… I do 0.8 mile repeats at 6:00/mile pace (I realized on Mt Washington that the size of the hill automatically slows me down); I drive somewhere every weekend to do a long mountain trail run like Mt Greylock on Saturday; and I have brought my weight down to near 145 lbs. I am very fatigued so I go to sleep earlier (that’s good) and am eating much better (tons of fruits and veggies) to combat that issue. The fact that my muscles are regularly sore and I am fatigued tells me I am again making positive progress towards getting ready.
Last week I ran hill repeats at Sleeping Giant and the people walking the Tower Trail thought I was crazy. I passed some of them 5 times in their walk up and back down and they would just shake their heads as I’d pass again. It was very good hill work and since it was on dirt trails it was good practice for making sure I was making good choices of foot placement… you can easily roll an ankle or fall (done it many times) on a rocky trail filled with erosion ruts and potholes.
Getting "Lost" on Greylock on 7/12
Saturday was an awesome day of running! I got up at 4am and headed to Williamstown, MA to run up and over the highest peak in MA… Mt Greylock. I arrived at the trailhead at 7am and was on the trail by 7:12. It was desolate, humid and cool as I headed up the “hopper.” The hopper is a steep 3-walled valley between 3 mountains and the Money Brook trail heads up the crotch between two of them. The canopy over the trail was extremely thick and I could barely see the sky above. The rain from the previous day left the trail muddy and slick with no sunlight to evaporate it.. it also made the insects all the more vicious. When I came to Money Brook Falls I wanted to take a few pictures so I stopped quickly, took pictures (see web site) and headed on up the trail. It was so incredibly steep that I was scrambling up on all fours and slipping in the dirt and mud… until I realized that the reason it was so steep was that I got off the trail about ¼ mile back and was running up a path created by rain runoff! After doubling back it was a much better run!
I continued on up the trail and finally hit the summit of Greylock’s sister mountain Mt Williams at 2,915 feet. I had climbed 1,800 feet in that first 5 miles and wanted to take a short break to look out of the lookout area and take a picture or two (check out my web site) when I headed back out from the lookout area to the trail I discovered a problem. I had not noticed this but the trail down and trail up came in nearly parallel to one another and I was not sure which one I came up on. I thought I knew and headed out on the other trail, but the trail looked slightly familiar and I was heading downhill. Keep in mind that with the thick canopy, and heavy brush around the trails everything looked VERY similar. I stopped and looked at my map but it was too high a level to show the inflection. I pulled out my compass but the trail was heading east-west instead of north-south as the overall trail heads so that did not help me either. I went back to the Mt Williams summit and oriented my map and when that was not decisive given the detail on the map, I decided to head back on the other trail and look for tracks from my shoes since they make a very distinctive mark. I did not think I found any so I decided to head out on this trail for a bit… it headed downhill too. I stopped one more time to look at the map, use my compass, orient the map and think again. I had now used my Scouting experience numerous times… STOP (stop, think, observe and plan). I knew that I was not lost, taking the trail one way would get me back to my car, taking it the other way would get me up to the summit. I one more time I checked everything and decided I was on the right trail. I needed to head south to get to the summit, and since I was still going more west I decided to run with my compass and keep checking for a bit. As I ran, noticed that my direction was steadily turning south and then heading back uphill… I was back on track after about 15 minutes of wandering!
It was a steady rise to Greylock’s summit 2 miles away. It was very quiet up there since the summit road is closed for the year for a complete overhaul and all summit house operations were shut down so only hikers were around. I took some pictures and headed down the trail back to my car. I took the Overlook trail since it was longer and since it must mean that there was a really cool scenic overlook on it… NOT! The trail was heavily overgrown, treacherously rocky and those rocks were covered with slime from rain, condensation and no sunlight. I took a spill very shortly after getting onto the trail when I hit a big rock that was slippery as ice. I got up and continued running at the same pace descending the hill. I again stepped on a rock in the shadows that was very slippery and fell, got back up and continued on at my same pace. A few minutes later, once again I hit some rocks that were very slippery and I took a bad fall, scraping both legs, bruising my hip and butt and putting a nice long cut and bruise on my arm to boot. It was then that I smartened up and decided to gingerly descend until I got to drier, more stable trails.
As I descended, I again found myself in a spot which was poorly marked. I came out of the Hopper Trail onto an abandoned campground and saw sign for the hopper trail point down a road so I headed in that direction. 100 yards down the road I observed a sign for the Hopper Trail pointing back up the road! I decided that I must have missed the turn off from the road and headed back up the road. It took me a frustrating 20 minutes to find that darned turnoff and it was way down into the campgrounds. Once past there, it was a fast, easy run back to my car. The trail was steep but it was wide with great footing and only smaller rocks so it saved my ankles! In hind sight, the better option would have been to go up the Hopper trail and then come back down the Money Brook trail since the hopper trail was wide, a steady incline and more conducive to running.
I really liked the run today… my “directional challenges” slowed my pace down but the hard work getting to the summit was a good workout. The hardest part was the 3-hour drive home right afterwards!
I continued on up the trail and finally hit the summit of Greylock’s sister mountain Mt Williams at 2,915 feet. I had climbed 1,800 feet in that first 5 miles and wanted to take a short break to look out of the lookout area and take a picture or two (check out my web site) when I headed back out from the lookout area to the trail I discovered a problem. I had not noticed this but the trail down and trail up came in nearly parallel to one another and I was not sure which one I came up on. I thought I knew and headed out on the other trail, but the trail looked slightly familiar and I was heading downhill. Keep in mind that with the thick canopy, and heavy brush around the trails everything looked VERY similar. I stopped and looked at my map but it was too high a level to show the inflection. I pulled out my compass but the trail was heading east-west instead of north-south as the overall trail heads so that did not help me either. I went back to the Mt Williams summit and oriented my map and when that was not decisive given the detail on the map, I decided to head back on the other trail and look for tracks from my shoes since they make a very distinctive mark. I did not think I found any so I decided to head out on this trail for a bit… it headed downhill too. I stopped one more time to look at the map, use my compass, orient the map and think again. I had now used my Scouting experience numerous times… STOP (stop, think, observe and plan). I knew that I was not lost, taking the trail one way would get me back to my car, taking it the other way would get me up to the summit. I one more time I checked everything and decided I was on the right trail. I needed to head south to get to the summit, and since I was still going more west I decided to run with my compass and keep checking for a bit. As I ran, noticed that my direction was steadily turning south and then heading back uphill… I was back on track after about 15 minutes of wandering!
It was a steady rise to Greylock’s summit 2 miles away. It was very quiet up there since the summit road is closed for the year for a complete overhaul and all summit house operations were shut down so only hikers were around. I took some pictures and headed down the trail back to my car. I took the Overlook trail since it was longer and since it must mean that there was a really cool scenic overlook on it… NOT! The trail was heavily overgrown, treacherously rocky and those rocks were covered with slime from rain, condensation and no sunlight. I took a spill very shortly after getting onto the trail when I hit a big rock that was slippery as ice. I got up and continued running at the same pace descending the hill. I again stepped on a rock in the shadows that was very slippery and fell, got back up and continued on at my same pace. A few minutes later, once again I hit some rocks that were very slippery and I took a bad fall, scraping both legs, bruising my hip and butt and putting a nice long cut and bruise on my arm to boot. It was then that I smartened up and decided to gingerly descend until I got to drier, more stable trails.
As I descended, I again found myself in a spot which was poorly marked. I came out of the Hopper Trail onto an abandoned campground and saw sign for the hopper trail point down a road so I headed in that direction. 100 yards down the road I observed a sign for the Hopper Trail pointing back up the road! I decided that I must have missed the turn off from the road and headed back up the road. It took me a frustrating 20 minutes to find that darned turnoff and it was way down into the campgrounds. Once past there, it was a fast, easy run back to my car. The trail was steep but it was wide with great footing and only smaller rocks so it saved my ankles! In hind sight, the better option would have been to go up the Hopper trail and then come back down the Money Brook trail since the hopper trail was wide, a steady incline and more conducive to running.
I really liked the run today… my “directional challenges” slowed my pace down but the hard work getting to the summit was a good workout. The hardest part was the 3-hour drive home right afterwards!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The next big run is planned!
As I was telling Jan today, I am running out of weekends for quality training runs with mountains, trails, distance and time mashed together. I can't believe I am not nearing 5 weeks to go before th big run... since a week of that is tapering (reducing the mileage in the prior week to build up some energy for the big day), I really only have 4 weeks (4 long runs) before the big day. I have to make every week count now. Every tempo run has to be hard, every hill workout needs to be tough, and every weekend needs to have a real doosy of a run!
This weekend I have decided to get up and out of the house on Saturday morning by 4am, drive to Williamstown, MA and do a really nice 13 mile run up Mt Greylock which is the tallest point in Massachusetts. It's only about 3,000 feet of elevation gain but combine it with the distance and it'll make for a nice workout if I keep up a good enough pace. It'll be rather hot so I want to be on the trail by 7am before the temp hits its high of 88 later in the day.
I am looking forward to it! Watch for pictures on the web site when I am done...
I am... Running for Other People's Lives!
This weekend I have decided to get up and out of the house on Saturday morning by 4am, drive to Williamstown, MA and do a really nice 13 mile run up Mt Greylock which is the tallest point in Massachusetts. It's only about 3,000 feet of elevation gain but combine it with the distance and it'll make for a nice workout if I keep up a good enough pace. It'll be rather hot so I want to be on the trail by 7am before the temp hits its high of 88 later in the day.
I am looking forward to it! Watch for pictures on the web site when I am done...
I am... Running for Other People's Lives!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
4th of July Hill Training
As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I ran the access road to Mt Holyoke's summit as a hill workout on Friday. It was almost exactly 2 miles from the tree at the corner of Route 47 up to the summit house so that worked out nicely for a good workout. I decided I would park at the summit and run down for a warmup and then start my workout... that way if I get tired and don't want to run up again, I don't have a choice because my car is up there!
As I ran down slowly, I couldn't help but think of the times I had been up the access road in the past. If you remember, on my web site I said that I had ridden from NH to MA with my best friend back in high school and we had planned to ride our bikes up Mt Washington while up in the White Mountains. To train for that ride, we used to ride up to Hadley and climb Mt Holyoke on our bikes... in 10th gear... to strengthen our legs for that long ride. As I ran past I remembered how tough those same switchback curves and hills were 30 years ago. Today they are but a distraction in my training routine. One the first run up, I averaged a crisp 9:45 pace and felt good at the top. I took a quick break to take the photos you see on my web site, but when I could see the rain coming towards the mountain I decided that was enough of lolly-gagging and time to get back to training.
The second run down was tougher... running down hill really beats up my shins quickly and I was hurting half-way down. At the bottom, I turned an headed up and it was amazing how the pain went away on the hill! My legs are ruined! It is now considerably more pleasrable to run up a hill than down a hill! The run back up was a little tough but a good workout, I could feel my left hip flexor getting inflamed again like it did on Mt Washington so I didn't push too hard but I made sure it was a good hard workout. It was a good workout filled with memories from my childhood and rides up the same mountain with my best friend Jeff. Who says you can't go back?
As I ran down slowly, I couldn't help but think of the times I had been up the access road in the past. If you remember, on my web site I said that I had ridden from NH to MA with my best friend back in high school and we had planned to ride our bikes up Mt Washington while up in the White Mountains. To train for that ride, we used to ride up to Hadley and climb Mt Holyoke on our bikes... in 10th gear... to strengthen our legs for that long ride. As I ran past I remembered how tough those same switchback curves and hills were 30 years ago. Today they are but a distraction in my training routine. One the first run up, I averaged a crisp 9:45 pace and felt good at the top. I took a quick break to take the photos you see on my web site, but when I could see the rain coming towards the mountain I decided that was enough of lolly-gagging and time to get back to training.
The second run down was tougher... running down hill really beats up my shins quickly and I was hurting half-way down. At the bottom, I turned an headed up and it was amazing how the pain went away on the hill! My legs are ruined! It is now considerably more pleasrable to run up a hill than down a hill! The run back up was a little tough but a good workout, I could feel my left hip flexor getting inflamed again like it did on Mt Washington so I didn't push too hard but I made sure it was a good hard workout. It was a good workout filled with memories from my childhood and rides up the same mountain with my best friend Jeff. Who says you can't go back?
You Learn Something New Every Day...
Well on Independence Day, I celebrated by going for an early run in the "mountains" of western Massachusetts. I decided to do my hill workout on Mt Holyoke in Skinner Park in the town of Hadley. It is a beautiful park and it brought back some fond memories of younger days (more on that later).
At the summit I took some pictures of the sights (see my web site for those) and found a monument that I leanred something from. It was a monument dedicated to the aviators who lost their lives in WWII and in particular to the crew of a B24-J (bomber) which crashed into Mt Holyoke after taking off from Westover AFB in Chicopee, MA (where I grew up). On the monument was a quote that as I read it I thought... "Hey that's President Reagan's quote from when the Challenger exploded back in 1986!" I was surprised to see the credit below it to a man named J G Magee, Jr. I took a picture of it since my memory stinks, and when I got home I looked up JG Magee to find out that President Reagan's eloquent speech memorializing the Challenger victims was comprised of numerous excerpts from a quote that is legendary among aviators called "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Now I'm sure President Reagan gave the appropriate credit way back when but I never noticed it and always thought it originated in that speech. "High Flight: is apparently legendary with pilots because "it has been found by many to give unique and felicitous expression to the emotions aroused by the act of piloting an aircraft." It is a very lofty verse and I enjoyed reading it in its entirety.
Quite appropriate learning on Independence Day... yes Mr Magee was British, but as a salute to all of our service men and women who fight to make sure that we had freedom and retain that right to freedom, it was a great piece of knowledge to garner.
Happy 232nd Birthday USA!
At the summit I took some pictures of the sights (see my web site for those) and found a monument that I leanred something from. It was a monument dedicated to the aviators who lost their lives in WWII and in particular to the crew of a B24-J (bomber) which crashed into Mt Holyoke after taking off from Westover AFB in Chicopee, MA (where I grew up). On the monument was a quote that as I read it I thought... "Hey that's President Reagan's quote from when the Challenger exploded back in 1986!" I was surprised to see the credit below it to a man named J G Magee, Jr. I took a picture of it since my memory stinks, and when I got home I looked up JG Magee to find out that President Reagan's eloquent speech memorializing the Challenger victims was comprised of numerous excerpts from a quote that is legendary among aviators called "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Now I'm sure President Reagan gave the appropriate credit way back when but I never noticed it and always thought it originated in that speech. "High Flight: is apparently legendary with pilots because "it has been found by many to give unique and felicitous expression to the emotions aroused by the act of piloting an aircraft." It is a very lofty verse and I enjoyed reading it in its entirety.
Quite appropriate learning on Independence Day... yes Mr Magee was British, but as a salute to all of our service men and women who fight to make sure that we had freedom and retain that right to freedom, it was a great piece of knowledge to garner.
Happy 232nd Birthday USA!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Fundraising Update
Well my first goal has been achieved! This week I exceeded my initial goal of raising $2,000 and am very close to exceeding $2,500 too! My new goal is $3,000 and I really hope I can achieve that level. It represents two things for me...
1) The good that those funds can do to help other people. Did you know that with the city of Bridgport being in such poor financial shape, they are now auctioning off building lots that Habitat used to get for $1? It now costs on average $20,000 for a typical Habitat lot. That means that the good people struggling to afford a Habitat home now must take on $20,000 more in debt to achieve their dream.
2) It also means that I probably have many more good people honored on my shirt. Friends who have lost the fight against cancer, young boys who are in the fight of their life today, and Moms who have won the fight (for now, because we all know that it can come back at any time). It builds more resolve in all of us to support our loved ones in their personal battle and to band together to help wipe this horrible disease out so no one else has to be put through the horrible ordeals.
Last Saturday was my monthly Habitat work day. I was late because I needed to first drop my son off at his Boy Scout service project beautifying the grounds of a small church in town. I needed to do both myself because my wife was away in Mexico on a church mission trip to help out an orphanage for children, most of whom have been abandoned because they are physically or emotionally disabled. Afterward I went to a picnic which was put on by a wonderful young woman who wanted to thank the Habitat crew which built her home last year. I remember raising the walls of her home during our July "blitz build" and doing work throughout the fall on the exterior and interior finish work. It was so satisfying to see how happy and proud she was of her home as she gave us the grand tour. I was also impressed how much she had done after we completed our work to add her own personal touches to it for her children. Its what Habitat does beyond building inexpensive homes, it gives people hope, it builds pride and creates communities where there was once urban blight.
I have learned so much over the last 3 months about so many people that I mused the other day with a few people that when my journey is complete, I'd like to have a BBQ to get everyone possible together in one place... sponsors, honorees, and my support group. Its not just a race or a fundraiser to me, it is truly a journey that I almost hate to have end because the experience has created an awakening in me. I know that as much as I try to do with my family to service others, there is more to be accomplished and it can't stop on August 16th.
LiveSTRONG my friends!
1) The good that those funds can do to help other people. Did you know that with the city of Bridgport being in such poor financial shape, they are now auctioning off building lots that Habitat used to get for $1? It now costs on average $20,000 for a typical Habitat lot. That means that the good people struggling to afford a Habitat home now must take on $20,000 more in debt to achieve their dream.
2) It also means that I probably have many more good people honored on my shirt. Friends who have lost the fight against cancer, young boys who are in the fight of their life today, and Moms who have won the fight (for now, because we all know that it can come back at any time). It builds more resolve in all of us to support our loved ones in their personal battle and to band together to help wipe this horrible disease out so no one else has to be put through the horrible ordeals.
Last Saturday was my monthly Habitat work day. I was late because I needed to first drop my son off at his Boy Scout service project beautifying the grounds of a small church in town. I needed to do both myself because my wife was away in Mexico on a church mission trip to help out an orphanage for children, most of whom have been abandoned because they are physically or emotionally disabled. Afterward I went to a picnic which was put on by a wonderful young woman who wanted to thank the Habitat crew which built her home last year. I remember raising the walls of her home during our July "blitz build" and doing work throughout the fall on the exterior and interior finish work. It was so satisfying to see how happy and proud she was of her home as she gave us the grand tour. I was also impressed how much she had done after we completed our work to add her own personal touches to it for her children. Its what Habitat does beyond building inexpensive homes, it gives people hope, it builds pride and creates communities where there was once urban blight.
I have learned so much over the last 3 months about so many people that I mused the other day with a few people that when my journey is complete, I'd like to have a BBQ to get everyone possible together in one place... sponsors, honorees, and my support group. Its not just a race or a fundraiser to me, it is truly a journey that I almost hate to have end because the experience has created an awakening in me. I know that as much as I try to do with my family to service others, there is more to be accomplished and it can't stop on August 16th.
LiveSTRONG my friends!
Six Weeks To Go and Counting
It was last September that I stumbled across this crazy race called the Pike's Peak Ascent that was slightly more than a half-marathon in length, climbed from 6,800 feet to 14,100 feet in altitude and was run on a rocky hiking trail. I was hooked at that moment and needed to compete in it. I can't believe it... after starting my training for the Pike's Peak Ascent back in November 2007 and after successfully qualifying for, entering, and being accepted into the race back in March... I am now nearly six weeks away from the big race day.
I don't feel nearly ready at this point. I was partially successful at Mt Washington but I cramped up which I never expected, the early steep section took the strength out of my legs earlier than expected (the steepest part of PP is early on as well) and I have not felt right ever since from some sort of gastro-intestinal problem. I need to go back in for more tests next week since my doctor found some anomalies with my blood tests in either iron deficiency or hyper-thyroid. I know this, I feel much better this week than I did last week. Last week I had no energy and really couldn't even run due to the pain in my stomach especially when I would run and bounce. This week I still can't eat much due to how my stomach reacts to food, and since I am on a lactose-free diet to see if I have developed a lactose intolerance, I have far fewer options. It is amazing how many prepared foods contain milk or milk by-products! I essentially need to either heavily scrutinize a label and rule out most items I look at or just buy fresh fruit, vegetables and meat and prepare them myself.
My training is getting better. I got little accomplished last week but this week I have done 8.75 miles at a faster pace than I planned on the weekend, then ran a 6.6 mile tempo run early in the week, followed up by a pretty good interval workout at the lake doing repeats at 6 to 6:10 pace while remaining fairly comfortable. On my strength days I also added in 30 minutes on the elliptical for some cardio time too. Tomorrow (Independence Day) I'll be doing a good hill workout while visiting may parents here in South Hadley, MA. I'll be running up the Skinner Mountain access road a few times as hill intervals... and yes I'll have my shirt on!
I'll try and get some pictures on the mountain and get an entry in tomorrow night.
I am... running for other people's lives!
I don't feel nearly ready at this point. I was partially successful at Mt Washington but I cramped up which I never expected, the early steep section took the strength out of my legs earlier than expected (the steepest part of PP is early on as well) and I have not felt right ever since from some sort of gastro-intestinal problem. I need to go back in for more tests next week since my doctor found some anomalies with my blood tests in either iron deficiency or hyper-thyroid. I know this, I feel much better this week than I did last week. Last week I had no energy and really couldn't even run due to the pain in my stomach especially when I would run and bounce. This week I still can't eat much due to how my stomach reacts to food, and since I am on a lactose-free diet to see if I have developed a lactose intolerance, I have far fewer options. It is amazing how many prepared foods contain milk or milk by-products! I essentially need to either heavily scrutinize a label and rule out most items I look at or just buy fresh fruit, vegetables and meat and prepare them myself.
My training is getting better. I got little accomplished last week but this week I have done 8.75 miles at a faster pace than I planned on the weekend, then ran a 6.6 mile tempo run early in the week, followed up by a pretty good interval workout at the lake doing repeats at 6 to 6:10 pace while remaining fairly comfortable. On my strength days I also added in 30 minutes on the elliptical for some cardio time too. Tomorrow (Independence Day) I'll be doing a good hill workout while visiting may parents here in South Hadley, MA. I'll be running up the Skinner Mountain access road a few times as hill intervals... and yes I'll have my shirt on!
I'll try and get some pictures on the mountain and get an entry in tomorrow night.
I am... running for other people's lives!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
