Winding Down

My weekly recap was thwarted by a marathon of Breaking Bad season 2.  I know you are as bummed about this delay as I am...

Monday - 3.7 / TRX - Took a nice slide around campus, it was icy in spots and not so much in others.  Felt good to get out even though it was late in the day.   It was pretty windy out and I was assured "It isn't that bad." by a couple of runners coming in from their run, yeah, it wasn't all that bad, but still I cut my run short and didn't run down by the water.

As Monday goes, it is time for TRX.  We have a long windy steep driveway to navigate after a snowstorm it gets a little dicey.  My second try, I made it up the driveway!  One of the gals bailed and wouldn't even park her car at the bottom and have one of us drive her up.  She hates driving in snow.   We did get to initiate a new member to our TRX hen party, well it isn't a hen party anymore.  Poor Don, no topic is off limit, including snot rockets!    And with a new member we all get re-schooled on the right way to do things.  I kind of appreciate the reminders!  

Tuesday - big fat 0 -  I thought I might have time for spin before venturing off to Richoni's Lounge in Groton.  Alas, I was assured I did not, 5:00 sharp.  After waiting for 30 minutes for the rest of the gang to show up, I most certainly did have time for spin.  Blargh.  My fault.  Nothing like a couple of drinks in a dive bar.  Plus it gave some time for the snow to stop and the roads to clear!!

I am not too hip to pop culture, anyone know what this means, besides the obvious?

Wednesday - 2 - NYC day.  I was a little concerned about black ice on my way to the highway, the roads seemed fine at the frightfully early hour of 5:30 a.m.  I used to be up and running at that time, once upon a time.  I've been contemplating reconsidering sleeping in.  I'm landing on the side of, no.

I decided to turn Strava on and see how far my walks were, 2 miles, not to shabby!  Eventually I will get an overnight in the city and I can run in Central Park.  For now, a few block walk down to Bryant Park is the only thing on the agenda.  

A little snowy and chilly to take a seat!

Love how all over the place the lines are.  The triangle on 41st between 3rd and Lex is a mystery to me!




Thursday - 5 - was able to get out for a run pre lunch.  It was yet another holiday lunch... when will the madness end? This was a nice run, windy again, not bone chilling cold, I could have done with two tech shirts instead of the heavyweight shirt I did have.  When it gets near the end of the week my gym bag gets lighter and lighter.   The office pretty much cleared out before the lunch, most people weren't coming back.  It was nice and quiet and productive and I was able to get to Ro's spin class! She claimed to be tired from her plane back from Jamaica getting in late.  Tired for this woman is still energized!!



Friday - big fat 0.  Lunch with the girls, ANOTHER holiday get together.  I had to go back to work so only one glass of wine to their bottle each!  My first time eating Pho too!  Yummy stuff.  I have no idea why I've never eaten Vietnamese food before Friday.  After finally getting my inbox to a manageable size and cleaning up the last few things on my to do list it was time to pack up for the year!  I decided not to text the girls and see where the party had ventured off to.  Instead I went home and took a nap, I even slept through all the dog dinner time commotion!

Saturday -  5.1/3.9 - Ah, Yule, Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night.  It was a while before I wrapped my mind around that concept, the day was still 24 hours but a short day and a long night?  Huh...  sort of like the realization that a gallon of milk is the same as a gallon of paint, just different size and weight, a gallon is a gallon no matter the container or the liquid.  

I took an enjoyable run when I got up, wasn't really sure where I wanted to go so just did one of the usual routes.

Took the old guy out to walk around Napatree Point.  He enjoyed it, mostly, 3 miles is pretty much his limit, so we pushed it a little bit and it is harder walking on sand and through the rocks.   The fun part of our little adventure was trying to determine if the water was shallow enough to walk across from the jug handle.  Alas, it was not.  Although there was a part that was, as we walked the long way around I saw some people manage to get across without having to take off shoes and socks (as I did) and wade!!

Sunday - 3.6 / 2 After giving Crutch a hard time for stealing my running buddy Nicole it was my turn to run with him, yeah.   The message was simple, meet me at the park and ride for the Green Falls loop if it wasn't pouring out.  Ok sounds good.  I was told it had technical parts and very runnable parts.  As long as he didn't lose me I figured it would be ok.

Wow, what a beautiful trail!  Wish I would have brought my iPhone for pictures, but with the rain and the rocks I'd of surely slipped and broken the damn thing.   Crutch was a very good tour guide and kind with his pacing, plus the stops to check out the beauty of the forest were welcome!  The descending grade road back to his truck was welcome to.  Stretch the legs a bit and not worry so much about tripping and slipping!  



With the nice weather and the fact the pack hasn't been out in a while Dave suggested a trip to East Beach in Charlestown he drove a few miles down the beach and we walked to the breachway and explored the cove.  Always a fun time.  Dave spied a snowy owl and I tried to catch a picture of it in flight.  It is a bit blurry.  

Ok it is a lot blurry....

For some reason once we get back there Jax and Gus play like crazy, in and out of the water, and all in and around the scrub trees.  It is hysterical to watch them going berzerkers.  Even Gizzy got a little goofy with them.  When it was the three of them he, Sage, and Diesel also used to go berzerkers back there.

Monday - Big fat 0 and TRX.  Being the first day of vacation and relentlessly rainy I decided  to tackle  some indoor projects I'd "get to when I had time".  Holy cow do they pile up!!!  

A member of my knitting club was 'gifted' a knitting machine, she couldn't get it off her hands fast enough.  It made it home with me last week and I put it together and fiddled around with it and its bazillion parts, I'll stick to my knitting needles.  Way to many moving parts.  If we still had cats they would go bazonkers for it, I'm sure.   Hopefully the next person on the list gets my eMail and I can pass it along.   Yeah, honestly, I need another hobby like I need a hole in the head.  Discretion is the better part of valor.  Does that apply here?

The tree is up, Jax has destroyed one gift bag, fortunately it was empty.  Previously it held some goat milk soap and caramels, so yeah, I'm sure the smell was driving him bonkers.

I have no idea how this tissue paper got stuck in my mouth!!

Sincerely, 
Beth, getting caught up!

Arcadia

At work on Friday I decided that I'd come home and take a nap.  I was going to get my new shoes broken in at Bluff Point, they are far far to white and a night and a day of rain makes trails nice and muddy, but I was really feeling the need to nap.  It was a long and taxing both emotionally and physically week and I love to nap.  I got all settled in and dug into "Relentless Forward Progress" pre-nap. Hubb tooed and froed about going for a ride and finally decided he was going to go.  Well how long were you going to ride?  2 hours. Hmm, I could run, I haven't been on the trails in Burlingame in a while.  Oh he was going to Arcadia.  My knowledge of Arcadia is limited to the JB Hudson trail.  We used to take the dogs, Gizmo, Diesel, and Sage out there.   I could run on the road to the trail head and then follow the marked trail? Hubb rambled on about fire roads and trails and rattled off things I wasn't possibly going to remember.  Rather than getting lost I'll just do what I know and take it from there for the next adventure.

I still tooed and froed as I changed my clothes and packed dry clothes and a towel.  It was the right decision.  The memories came flooding back as I ran that trail we used to walk so often.  I remembered when the three of them emerged out of the woods carrying a huge stick down the trail.  It was so funny to see their team work and pride with this HUGE stick! The big mud hole Sage used to motor through, that girl LOVED to get muddy and dirty.  Gizmo would carefully pick his way over the stones to not get a speck of mud on his paws.  Diesel could take the mud or leave it he just wanted to run and run and run and run a little more.  It was really special to run down and back up that trail and remember all of their group and individual rituals along the trail.

Before my mother got sick and she and my father used to visit we took them and the dogs out there and hiked the JB Hudson to the white trail all the way to Breakheart Pond.  

      

                   


The white trail is a little more direct than the JB Hudson, I think. I stuck to the yellow blazed trail and followed that out partially around the pond until the Garmin beeped 3 miles.  6 was what I planned on, figuring that would take me less than 90 minutes and give me some time to stretch and explore once I got back to the truck, before hubb was due back in 2 hours.



It was a pretty appropriate end to a taxing work week.  When I arrived back at the truck, I was there a few minutes when a man arrived with his elderly beagles.  Oh they were cute!  The male ran on over to investigate who this person was, I am sure he could smell our dogs.  He was all up for some scratches and I poked around in the truck, apparently Hubb doesn't keep treats in his car like I do.  You just never know when you will see a dog and if it is ok with their owner, give them a little snicky snack.  The female wasn't so sure about all of this but she was happy to walk by me just not come to me. I bet if I had a treat she would have changed her mind...

Slightly more respectable!

He hadn't been gone long and Hubb appeared out of the woods!

Sincerely,
Beth, ending the week a little muddy and much happier!  

Monday Monday, so good to me

Met up with someone I worked with years ago in the parking lot.  I was so happy when she didn't say "Ugh, it is Monday." She simply said "A brand new week, what sort of trouble are YOU up to Beth?"  I replied that I hadn't quite decided but she looked like she had something planned.  The answer was something along the lines of "Muwahaaaaaaa".  Atta girl!!

Yesterday I did a little experimental run, then went back with the elder pup to do some exploratory hiking.  I was poking around on AllTrails a few months back, and found that there was a way to get to a local wildlife management area that wouldn't require a slightly scary section of road or a down right nerve wracking section of road.  I figured I'd log about 9 miles, out and back. Pretty darn close, figuring the GPS gets a little lost under cover of trees.

It was nice to see some of the same drivers and I was SO grateful NorthWest marina was open, and despite the members only sign on the rest rooms (real ones, NOT a porta potty) I used them and cursed the antibiotics I was taking for this blasted inner-ear infection causing my vertigo.  Which, by the way, I did not wake up with on Sunday morning (or this morning, whoop!).  So maybe I should just be glad all that is over.  The guy in the gray truck giving me the thumbs up, the dirty looks by other drivers, the bikers nodding or speaking greetings of good morning.  What a freaking beautiful morning.  

There were a bazillion swans along the Pawcatuck River, ok maybe more like 30.  I was happy they were down a steep hill and across the road.  They are so beautiful and so mean...

The white specs are the swans - a nice distance away and still observable!

A deviation from my normal Mechanic/River/Greenhaven/Mary Hall short loop and a right on Mary Hall, couple more walkers, a runner, and the guy that lifts weights and walks.  Across Greenhaven to see what this road, Stewart, held in store.  Would I actually be able to get to Barn Island?  

Passed some nice houses a big farm with a huge steer in the front yard, munching grass, doing his steer thing. This made me think of a friend back where I grew up, and her sons steer, Ernesto.  I wondered about Ernesto, but, well, he met his purpose.  Then the road narrowed and a couple out in their front garden waving hello.  Awww, nice!  Then there it was the end of the road, and a little trail. Whoop!

Ernesto and his duck friends!

I ran down about a half mile and there were three men running towards me, oh this is good they must be coming from where my ultimate destination is...  After passing through a really nice gate and finding the graveyard I remembered from other ventures out to Barn Island years ago I turned around.  Sort of expecting to run into these three men again.  When I got to the trail head, there they were, trying to figure out how far it was back to the dock.  I figured it was about 2 miles and they agreed, they'd been running not quite a half an hour.  We chit chatted about the trail, one commented on the mud, I just grinned and said, "That is the best part." One of the guys grinned too.  Some people love mud some people don't, to each their own!

Gate of some sort (and Gizzy) 

And back out the way I came.  By the time I got back across the RI border I was in the usual debate with myself about running up, ok slogging, the pace was slow even for me! So slogging the three blocks up the hill to home.  If there was a "WALK" sign at the cross walk I'd walk it.   If there wasn't I'd run it.  That light rarely ever shows WALK unless someone presses the damn button....  I got a nice breather and slogged up the hill, with just a bit more kick in my step because I knew it was less than a 1/2 mile to home.

Did the usual Sunday lunch with Hubb, he was wiped from riding Arcadia but still packed up and went out to the RC plane field to hang out with the guys.  I took a little nap and then packed up the elder pup to explore down this trail a little more.

Arriving at the trail a car pulled up behind me.  I did see the "No Parking" sign and thought, oh crap.  The man didn't seem to think anything of it and didn't want to block me in.  I assured him I'd be fine and Gizmo and I took off down the trail.  As I'm telling Hubb this tale, over dinner, he asks if I carry pepper spray.  I look at him quizzically and say, no, should I?  He says, well you've just told me you've run into 4 men you don't know in a desolate area, don't you think there could be a problem?  Huh.... Actually, I hadn't considered that....  Anyone else get the heebegeebes?  Do you carry pepper spray?  Is that even legal to purchase?

Gizzy and I hiked about 3 miles, in for 1.5 and back out the way we came.  I figured this would give me enough information on Strava and a Boy Scout Trail map to see where I was and what other trails I could get to.  I see plenty of options to add in this nice shady (other than the stretch along the marsh) out and back loop!  There are lots of un-marked trails in there, I was cautioned by Mike C.  So I better stick to the two track trails and possibly the fire road.



My at run work was thwarted by forgetting a sports bra.  Damn it.  I've done this more than a couple times and thought I had a process, apparently I do not...  I did have 5 pair of socks and the gal I ran into in the locker room said we could probably fashion something, but we both agreed that would be not such a good idea. Um yeah...

Tonight's TRX was cancelled.  Funeral for someone taken far to young with brain cancer... RIP Dan condolences. I did take the opportunity to hook up my rig.  Took quite a few tries in different doors to find the right spot. Ended up in the basement using a door for Hubbs shop.   The youngest member of the pack, Jax, thought all of this was great fun and wanted to lick my face or bite at the straps.  First, I know what you've most likely been licking and ewww.  Second, stop, please....  he eventually just decided to start barking at me, silly boy!!!  Ah well, he had fun and I got done what I needed to.

Sincerely,
Beth, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Motivation

I was lying (or is it laying, lying, I was right, whoop) on the couch this morning,  Gizzy at my feet,  catching up on WWF and Scramble.  Scrolled through Facebook.  Connie did her longest run ever 4.5 miles, GO CONNIE!!!  Kudos to you!!  The Endorphin Dude (I'd love to meet him some day) is running his 99th marathon.  The 5th member of the Fab 5, Erwin, is running the San Diego R&R half 6th on his quest for 13 in '13.  The girls and I roped him into doing Marine Corps with us in October (more on that later). Team Tuez kicked off their 90 miles in 60 days + 1,000 conditioning exercises today and the miles are rolling in.  Marie (who gave up updating her blog, woman get back to it, you have stuff to say!!) finished her run looking fresh as a daisy, how does she do it!?!? Nicole's awesome pic from her 5 miles along the Charles yesterday.  Poked over to Strava to see what the guys were up to.  Boy did I feel like a freaking slug.  It isn't the times, it is the miles.  Damn...  here I am sitting at a big fat zero for the month of June.  Still dizzy when I stand up, sit up, roll over, or open my eyes to fast.  Hubb thinks my childhood blonde hair is taking over, ever the supportive smart ass is he.  Big puffy hearts.

I got off my lazy bum before 10 and went out for my "around the house loop" and added in a lap around the Westerly HS Track.  Figure that works nicely with my remembrance loop around Wilcox Park?  Wow the track is nice and squishy too, weird.  I didn't really think of anyone in particular on my Wilcox loop, what was I thinking of? who knows, probably just to not twist my ankle on the uneven slabs around the fountain. When my MCM training starts the loop in the park is dedicated in support of or in memory of someone with lung cancer.

Fountain in Wilcox park, and the granite is uneven, although really doesn't  look it... hmmm

So there you have it, proof I'm really not a total slug run...  3.5 (hilly) miles / 37:03 min / 10:35 pace. Thanks all for the motivation!  OK bringing out my competitive streak...

What motivates you? What keeps you motivated?  Are you competitive with yourself?  With others?

I felt pretty good after my run and a shower, and the humidity sees to be waning, yipiee!!  Hubb decided we needed to rekindle the Sunday lunch tradition (tragically ending when 10 Sandwiches burned in March) he agreed with my suggestion to go to The Malted Barley for Pretzel Sandwiches, and a beer.  Heck if I'm going to feel dizzy anyhow...   After that I packed up the elder dog, Gizmo, for a hike at Bluff Point to explore some trails.  We were out there 104 minutes, I did something or something happened to the Strava App and it cut a nice straight point A to point B line and point D to point C line when I knew we twirled around on trails for the missing 54 minutes (Stravagate anyone?) We go at under a 20 min/mile pace, I'd say we went 5.2 miles.



That old pup is going to sleep like the dead tonight.  He is going strong for a 12 and 1/2 year old boxer boy.

Sincerely,
Beth, thanking you ALL for the motivation to get some miles in, and feeling better (just in time for work on Monday phttt)

Wordless Wednesday

Mostly wordless....

Took Gus on a hike to try out the Strava iPhone app, very cool.  Even better, he may make a good trail running partner.  He wasn't so good on the roads with that ever oppressive leash.  He stuck by me, even before he knew I had bribes in my pocket, never straying more than 20 feet.

Happy Boxer Boy!

We've only gone to the beach together, he isn't so good with other dogs, rather unpredictable....  he is a rescue, after spending 18 months of his 3 living years in puppy prison (AKA kennel) he is neurotic and insecure.  He has been with us nearly 2.5 years, July he will be 6.  I always took him to the beach or Ninigret park because it is open and easy to spot people with dogs, the woods, not so much. So rarely do I run into another person with a dog, I may try him for a short trail run.  He is a pleaser, and seems to have gotten even MORE attached to me since Sage's death in January.

Sincerely,
Beth (and the hubb) rescuer of hard luck Boxers....

Hanker for a Hunka Cheese

I successfully completed my first trail 1/2 marathon!  Meaning I didn't get lost or have an incomplete course, whoop!

Key Chain! I didn't expect this!  Thought only the 50K got these!

2:40:52 for a pace of 12:17.  I was aiming for a pace of 12:30 or 3 hours.  Yeah, yeah, I know the math doesn't quite add up.  Not big on math in my head.  I figured 12:30 was a reasonable pace and 3 hours to accomplish something I've never successfully completed, somewhere I've never run, reasonable, or at least wouldn't make me a laughing stock!!  Southeastern Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine forest is beautiful and absolutely run-able, you just have to love hills or at least know how to manage them.

Just a little hilly....

Fairly representative of the course, just hilly as depicted above!

Starting out, the 9:00 a.m. race start was pushed back to 9:30 a.m. because of a mix up between the website and the eMails.  Guess this happened last year also.  I was pretty glad because I forgot my check list and realized, while sitting in the parking lot debating long sleeves or short sleeves that 38 minutes before the race was to start I left my hydration backpack in the motel. YIKES!  It was minimally 34 minutes round trip to pick up said belt, would I make it?  should I chance it?  Yes, no doubt about it.  With 5 minutes to spare my hydration pack and I made it back to the race and started to sprint across the parking lot when I heard some guy ask "Hey, does this start at 9:00 or 9:30?"  I said "The eMail I got said 9."  He said "The website says 9:30."  Huh  so I scrambled across the road thanking the guy flagging cars for his help and deposited myself in a throng of people discussing the 9 or 9:30 start.  Hmmm...  This is boding well for my nerves, quite well.  The RD announced the races start would be 9:30 due to the mix up between the eMails and the website.  Ah.  I decided to go back to my car and regroup.  The traffic guy said "Hey, quick race?"  I said "Yeah, I won, it was easy peasy."  Oh how I love Mid-westerners and our ability to talk to anyone.  I so miss that living in New England, it takes me a while adjust back to my roots where any off hand or sarcastic comment can and most often does start a conversation and not someone looking at you like you have 2 heads and me resulting back into my bashful ways.

I texted with hubb.  He was fishing with a buddy and sent a couple pictures of him and the 15" bass he caught on Watchaug Pond.    Nice fish, horrible smile, and he is taking this opportunity to not shave... Absolutely needed the distraction to calm my nerves.  I know, what is this with me and the nerves lately...  perhaps this birthday I had on Thursday is wrecking havoc with my mind?

This is why I sought some council on sleeves or no sleeves.

The wind had me a bit concerned.  Yes, it was in the forest, however there were large swaths of prairie.  Counsel (thank you Tonya and Michael) suggested sleeves I went with sleeves and did not regret it.  The sun did come out for the last 20 minutes of my run... Otherwise cloudy and windy, even in the woods, and wicked on the prairie.

There were 150 (137 completed) runners for the 1/2 marathon.  We started out at 9:30 in a fairly large glom that thinned out after the 3rd mile.  I wasn't so sure about this, however trotted along with them, mostly Badgerland Striders, discussing the terrain and we came upon the first uphill, it was slight.  One of the guys yells "HILL" and walked the hill.  A few others did this.  I wondered what the rest of the course had in store, if he was treating this hill as a walker.  I adapted to their pace and style until we all broke up.  There were some huge hills (see the pace elevation).  I do like hills and this walking up them was really an OK thing.

It was a two loop course so I took in the sights along the way thinking, I need to remember this for the second loop.  During the second loop I'd find myself thinking, did I pass through that long stretch of trees, realizing that I just had and it really wasn't that long of a stretch.  The benefits of running something twice? My second turn through I was able to see the Ultra Runners, trotting along faster than I, and walking the hills, huh.  The 50K and the 50 Milers had their own course then two or three loops partially on the 1/2 marathon trail.  Seriously to have someone who is running 2 or nearly 4 times as far as you pass you and tell YOU good job, absolutely amazing.  I had no earthly right to be as slow or as worn out as I was, or so I thought.  Hey these guys and gals have trained for this, talking with some after the race, they are truly amazing.  I aspire to 50K.

This was a really easy on the joints trail, nothing like the rocks and roots I am used to.  I kept expecting some.  The material I read said there were rocky sections.  Well, there were, but beaten into the ground pebbles and baseball sized rocks, not the big boulders, or ledge or basketball sized pieces of granite to hop from one to the other on I'm used to.

The race notes said absolutely no headphones. I obeyed, many didn't  I wonder if they were DQ for this?  I found myself getting lost in my head, not thinking of anything in particular, thinking about things, taking in the sights and the sounds and occasionally singing Greased Lightening to myself.  There really is no accounting for taste, and I own that.   About mile 9 I could have used a little of the energy the music provides me, otherwise, I was totally fine, and probably better off, without it.

At the end of the race, after fetching my phone from the car I ran into my Cousin, no really literally into her.  I looked up and thought, what the hell is this woman doing in my space and then it all clicked.  TOBI!!!!  We, the sweaty me and her had a huge hug and tears.  We always cry, what is it with us?  What is it with women being OK hugging other sweaty women?  Sheila gave me a hug after the Run Around the Block race...  hubb, oh he'll wait till after I've showered, thank you very much.  Huh...

Tobi has volunteered at this race, at one of the 50 Miler aid stations, for the better part of the last 12 or 15 years. It all started wayyy back when she was a runner!  When we discovered we were going to be in the same place, it was truly amazing.  She had fun telling people, oh you know that girl from RI, the only runner from RI, she is MY cousin!!

We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up and drinking beer.  By all rights I should be passed out asleep...

Sincerely,
Beth, a little jazzed, maybe a little tipsy on good WI beer, and wouldn't mind a big hunk of WI cheese...

Unstoppable? Perhaps not...

And So It Burns had this in his news feed this morning, it made me laugh for a number of reasons!

I've been traveling.  Driving from RI to MI (via CT, NY, NJ, PA, OH) on the 8th of May.  It is between a 12 and 14 hour drive, depending on what route I take and how often I stop.  Stop for lunch, chat with the trout fisherman along Rte 17 in NY, check out a shop, check out a trail, see what the town of Barkeyville PA is all about, snap a picture of Town of Horseheads sign and chuckle, sometimes I'm compelled to just shut my eyes for 20 minutes.  When I am driving, I am doing my best to stay under 80.

This frog did not look amused...  

After all the highways, it is on to back roads.  When I got on the final set of  back roads to get to my parents house, I fly down the paved part, in the middle of the road, it is in the middle of no where, no really, it is.    When I see headlights coming at me I get in my lane and slow down.  Which I did on Wednesday night.  Those headlights turned around, and then they flipped on their lights.  Whoopsie.  I was pretty sure I had slowed down to something near the speed limit (what ever that is) and because he saw me cross the center line figured he was going to get a drunk driver.

The chit chat started, Lenawee County Sheriff "License, registration, and proof of insurance."  I said it would take a minute for the paperwork, my glove box was a mess.  I handed him my licence and opened the glove box and sure enough everything came exploding out of there.  I found the proof of insurance on the top of the pile of paper.  Pshew, and oh yeah it is current! I handed it to him and he said "I've never pulled over anyone from Rhode Island before.  What is that state like?"  I said "Small."  and flipped through papers, where is the current registration.  He said "No is it rural or city."  I said "Little bit of both."  He then asked the question "What exactly are you doing out here on Ford Highway? This seems a little remote for someone from Rhode Island."  I explained that I grew up out here and was visiting my parents up on XYZ Road and this was the best way from US 23 to get there.  Still shuffling through papers, to find that darn registration.  Last time I got pulled over (STOP LAUGHING SHEILA) was several years ago in North Carolina (pretty funny story actually).  He said, it's that yellow piece of paper.  I said it was last years.  He said it would be OK if my tags were current.  I bit my lip, because yeah that factors into the NC story, he reported my tags were current.  And off to his car he went.

So not a cool picture at night, but can you hear a little Judas Priest "Breaking The Law"?

He came back to the car with my paperwork and licence and asked if I knew why he pulled me over.  I said I was pretty clueless.  I figured he thought I was drinking and driving because I crossed the center line, but hey I wasn't going to say THAT!!  He said "You were going a little fast, 66"  Fortunately I didn't ask "So, what IS the speed limit."  I said "OH, sorry."  He explained that he could give me a ticket or a warning.  I said he should do what he thought best.  He then asked me if I thought he was being lazy if he didn't ticket me, because his shift was ending and he really didn't want to deal with the paperwork.  Oh good lord...  Of course I wouldn't think you were lazy for not giving me a ticket.  (Is this guy flirting with me? Aren't I supposed to be the one flirting with HIM to get out of the ticket - and THIS my friends is why I married a man from NY, the MI guys continually baffled me)  I thanked him and carefully pulled back on to the road and crossed over the hard top on to the dirt road.  He did follow me, until the last turn off to XYZ road.

After I was on my way, my father called.  I always call when I get off the turnpike so they know I'll be along in 45 minutes or so.  He wanted to know if I hit a deer or what was the hold up.  I said, "Oh, I got pulled over on Ford Highway."  He said "Way out there, huh, did you get a ticket?"  I said that I didn't and I was about a mile away I'd see him in a few minutes and that I had a police escort.  He laughed and said "OK see you soon."

So yeah, unstoppable if not for Law Enforcement.  DOH!!

Presently I am in the grand city of Whitewater, WI, calming my nerves before the Ice Age 1/2 trail marathon tomorrow morning.  There is a 50 Mile and a 50 K race also.  Next year a 50K is the goal. You may ask why on earth is she running in WI.  Well...  a friend signed up for the race and cajoled me into signing up for the race it would be fun she said.  I figured it was perfect because I could spend some time with my family in MI motor to WI race, see a cousin or two, motor to IL see an Aunt and then make my way back to the teeny tiny state of RI.  As luck would have it one of my cousins is marshaling at the 50 Mile turn around, so yeah!!

I spent a few years of my childhood living in this state, wayyyyy up north in New Richmond, kinda feels like home wayyy down here in the southern part, kinda.  My mom mentioned that New Richmond had a foot of snow last week, and perhaps I was glad to be a bit more south, OH YEAH!

I walked a bit of the course after I picked up my bib...  very nice, the first miles in either direction are not technical, wonder what the guts of the route have in store?

The 1/2 is mostly the blue loop on this map, hopefully there are not too many places to get turned around...

Like, here 50 yards from the start...  the course is marked with painted arrows on the ground...

Sincerely,
Beth, running in the wilds of Wisconsin.

Long Run on the Trails!

Today was the day I was going to get a minimum of a 10 mile in on the trails and not get lost.  I got in 12.13 and got a little lost and *gasp* backtracked.  I also tried out my new hydration backpack (the one I have is gray).

E-Lite Vest - Hydrapack

I can't remember what site I actually picked it up from and it was in a discontinued bin and wicked cheap.  Thing is most stuff these days doesn't come with instructions, and sometimes it isn't all that intuitive.  I got the 1 liter reservoir filled and the hose thing attached and inserted where it belongs.  That was all good.  I put on the vest and the straps were all weird and across my, ahem, lady parts and I thought, that is going to be uncomfortable.  I checked on the site to see if there were any pictures of these things in action and that helped me understand about the magnet and how to feed the hose but these straps had me stumped.  Hubb took one look at it and yanked up the adjusters on the front straps and yanked down the adjusters on the side straps and said, "That may work better."  I had no idea the anchor points to the vest were actually slide-able! Had he not helped me with my quandary, well it may not have been a fun run.  Guess it was a good thing I divulged the location of the Tramadol.  BTW his ankle is fine, it wasn't sprained he strained the muscle on the bottom of his foot.  Yeah, not sure how that is possible either, but there you have it.

The 1 L of water was absolutely the right amount for my run today, the temps about 40, and windy.  Little cold to start out thankful I had on two long sleeved tech shirts. My lovely Hunters Orange, because I thought it was either 500 (hat and vest - shotgun season) or  200 (hat - pretty much everything else) square inches of Hunters Orange season.  Not fearing color and not wanting to disobey the rules of the woods, I had on plenty of orange even with what was covered up by my hydration pack.   I did seem to be the only person on the trail wearing orange.   Safety first!

Even the dogs have their own Hunters Orange Vests!

It was a lovely run, and part of it was part of the course in the 4th race, Brrrrr-lingame Snow Sufferfest, in the South County 4th Season Race Series.  Wayyyy different now with no snow on the ground but somethings seemed familiar so I didn't get all turned around.

Same place, slightly different angle...  close enough, eh?

Looks like I managed to follow the routes I wanted!  The Orange, Red, Blue, back to the Orange, Green, and back on the Orange!

I did have a little incident along the course, yeah.... happens, doesn't it...

Sincerely,
Beth, with tired legs after an enjoyable 12.13 trail miles in 2:39

"Not all those who wander are lost." -- J.R.R. Tolkien

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." --  Robert Frost

I couldn't say if the trail was any more or less traveled than other trails.  I saw the staggered blue rectangles, the one on top a little to the left, and went straight.  Yeah, yeah, those of you who KNOW about trail marking would have known.  I thought someone was just touching up the trail markers!

My goal was to run what is called "Sanctuary Outer Trail" (the red one on the trail map) and dumps into the Vin Gormley/Yellow Dot trail (orange on the trail map) in Burlingame.  The Sanctuary Outer Trail also follows the Blue Dot North South Trail hence me following blue markers. Should be about 3 miles added to the 7 miles of the Vin Gormley, a respectable run in the woods I really really really needed.  Just call me grouchy!

It went a little sideways when I realized I had run into the camp ground.  I ran around in the camp ground trying to get my bearings.  Someone on a Sunday drive through the campground stopped to ask me for directions.  HA!  I said, I really wasn't sure, go that way and find the hard top road.  Walking dogs and running around town I'm used to people stopping me to ask for directions.  I'm far more OK with it when I am walking.  Stopping a runner to ask directions, that is just mean.  And when you stop me, expect girl directions, I find and remember things by land marks.

Hubb Monday morning quarterbacked the GPS read out and suggested I try back tracking the next time I get lost? Or perhaps try a left hand turn as the blazes pointed out?  In our relationship, he is the one that stops for directions, I'm the one who will drive around in circles, turning right the entire time.

Left - Trail map    Right - GPS readout

I got in 6 miles of the 10 I started out for.  I simply got frustrated, eventually finding the camp store, and ran in a circle debating if I wanted to just run the VG or give up.  I gave up and went back to the pond parking lot quite a lot happier than when I left and in no pain.  First run in many months where I didn't end with some nagging ache in my hip, knee, or heel.  Huh...

Hubb on the other hand is hogging all the ice writhing on the couch with a sprained ankle wondering if we have any Tramadol in the house.  He had a group ride on the North South trail from Burlingame to Arcadia, and apparently there was a little tumble, I'm sure the story will come out at some point?

Meanwhile how does one plug courses into the Garmin 410 Forerunner from another GPS map?  Is that even possible?  Would that even help this direction challenged runner?  It sure would take a lot of fun out of my runs!

Sincerely,
Beth, surprisingly not needing ice post run, and trying to remember where she stashed the Tramadol

An Experiment and Worm Holes

Hubb called me around 9 and asked if I was still planning on running Burlingame this afternoon.  I answered in the affirmative.  He was going to meet a biker friend out there and wondered if we could go together to see if this idea we've had about him riding and me running would work.  Obviously I wasn't going to keep up with the guys on their bikes he figured a 2 hour ride and I can run about 10 trail miles in 2 hours.  So then the question was what route.  We discussed the options on the drive over to the park.  The main loop is 8 miles and I could take a spur down to the lake and back. He suggested I try the Sammy C and I knew from his directions how to get to one of the end/beginning points.   He gave me his nicely laminated trail map, to help in the event I get lost on the mostly unmarked trails, aww what a guy!  I did pretty ok with a couple of oh shit moments where the trail ended up on a big piece of ledge and it took a bit to figure out which way the trail went.  Fortunately there were some bike chain scratches on the ledge that helped guide me.  One venture to the right ended me up on a muddy section (puffy heart) but that ended at a road, with no marked directions to go back to the trail, so I turned around.  That spur wasn't on the map, doh... Then I completely lost the trail, ledge again, and backtracked to an intersection and that led to the main trail around Watchaug Pond.

I logged 6.2 miles (1:24), took the opportunity to stretch, hydrate, poke around in the truck to see if hubb had any honey stinger waffles stashed in the glove box (no, damn), and catch up on Words With Friends!  His buddy came back first, said there was an equipment problem and hubb wasn't hurt, he'd be along shortly.  Buddy couldn't stick around he had a family commitment.  I said, ah ok, no worries, he will be along.  His buddy said again he isn't hurt.  I said, I didn't figure you'd leave him out there bleeding!  We exchanged pleasantries about his ride my run and he was off.  Hubb appeared 20 minutes later, bike fixed.  Problem with the derailleur.  He had just finished building the bike last night, new frame with components from the not so old one with the carbon fiber frame that just wasn't working out. 

Post outing discussions I'm still not completely sure where the trail actually went.  I'll noodle that on another outing.  Hubb studied the Garmin out put and the trail map and his memory of the trail and he sort of knew where things went askew.

Nice Map, eh?  Better laminate my own copy!

I'd say the experiment worked out well.  The bit of down time waiting for hubb to get back to the truck forced me to stretch; I'm not always great about that when I drive somewhere to run.  My left hip and calf are happy campers.

The most curious part was hubb and buddy rode the Sammy C, leaving about 10 minutes after I left, they never passed me.  Perhaps the muddy spur was where they passed me?  Or maybe there is just a worm hole out there in Burlingame?  I really think they would have passed me way before that spur at about mile 2.5...    but who knows, I'm going with worm hole!!

Sincerely,
Beth, calling the experiment a success!

That was fun!

Big River, trail half marathon with a 10K option, 11 a.m. final race in Off Rhode Racing South County Fourth Season Race Series.

Friday I was released from PT, the hips may never fully align, close enough works in this case.  I have plenty of strengthening and stretching exercises to do and the pain is mostly non-existent.  I'm good with that.  This made the prospect of this morning's trail race even more appealing.  Trail running is easier because it is softer and I generally go at a slower pace navigating the roots, rocks and hills; frankly I really enjoy being in the woods.

Saw two people I knew by more than just facial recognition!  So nice to have familiar friendly faces.  Met E's husband, P, they were doing the 10K. She is just starting out running and 10K is her furthest distance thus far.  We run at a comparable pace hopefully we can run some of the local trails in the near future.  Michael of Forward Momentum was there with his always encouraging words, thanks!! Hoping that you had a much more successful run!  Other faces I recognized but had no names for, so HI!

Mike Galoob, Race Director, introduced the course and mentioned that they did the best they could with marking and if you got lost track back to the trail, failing that just keep going down hill eventually you will hit Carr Pond and follow that till you find more orange flags.  If you are even more lost than that, well he really wasn't sure what advice to offer.  Giggle...

E and I ran pretty much the same pace for the first 3 miles where the 1/2 split from the 10K.  We wished each other well.  Me thinking, bloody hell I'm going to be out here for three hours at this pace...  well, it is what it is and damn this is so beautiful out here and it is a fantabulous day too.  Totally game for spending it in the woods.

I was doing just fine, passed the water station just after mile 4, passed mile marker 5.  Climbed up a nice rocky area and that is when I noticed I didn't see any orange flags.  I stopped for a little bit and looked around.  I went right, this is where I went wrong.  Eventually finding Carr Pond, and some orange markers, again another right turn.  Figured I missed a turn somewhere on that hill?  Then there were runners coming at me.  Huh... they said, "Turn around" so I did.  Trotted along and then saw some more orange flags and a mile marker.  Mile marker 4.  Huh...  Wait Mike said something about the 10K following the path around Carr pond.  Wonder if I've managed to find that trail.  Do I turn around and figure out where the 1/2 trail is or just keep going.  Considering it took me nearly an hour to get to mile marker 5, maybe this is a sign from above?  My guardian angel Eve?  My left calf said, "If you turn around I swear I am going to make you scream."  Hmmm...  Kind of a compelling argument, no?

Where it all went amiss:

Thankfully I am not the only one who got lost, some tried to find the trail, never making it to Carr Pond but finding the "10K return" signs and followed them to the finish line. I hung around at the end for about 15 minutes.  Looked like who ever was going to be done was done?

I can't stop laughing.  I giggled most of the way home.  Hubb was amused by my story; suggested he go with me next time and he can bike and I can run.  Seems fair enough.  But I'll keep the car keys, just in case!

Of course I took a hike back in to the trail to snap a few pictures.  This trail really is beautiful and had a few things that made me wonder.  I passed the time making up stories about things I saw.

Maybe this is where Jimmy Hoffa ended up?  I'm a Michigan, Motor City transplant, nuff said!

Was the rock split before the tree or did the tree split it?

And how fast is fast enough?

The sign says:  "You need to go MUCH faster than you THINK!!!"

Sincerely,
Beth, just makin' it up as she goes along.

Let's NOT Talk About the Weather

Welcome Spring!



From "The Week"

I’m a little tired of all the bitching and kvetching about how cold it is and how the ground hog lied and what about global warming. Spring starts March 20th, it has for years. Yes, yes, last year in this area it was a high of 60 degrees, nice and warm.   Rewind to 2011 it was a high of 42, remember that?  Rewind a little further and 2010 presented us with a high of 69.  Just for giggles, let's peek at 2009, a high of 43! Are we starting to see a pattern here people?   *SMIRK*

BTW The average temperature is 48 for this area. Check www.wunderground.com at the wayyyyy bottom you can find the history for your area.  Golly gee wizz, I am so glad Al Gore invented the internet so all this information at our finger tips.

See, lots of varying data points!!

So there, nener nener foo foo, it is the cycle of the weather. Can’t we find something of substance to discuss? Perhaps the 7 Marines killed in a training exercise? Ok ok, yes a rather headdy topic. So Failing that topic of substance, if we HAVE to talk about the weather, what are the weather predictions for Boston? Or is it too early for that? I’m not even running it and I’m on the edge of my seat hearing about it from co-workers and virtual friends!

I digress… (Surprised?  No?  Didn't think so.)

So what have I been up to that is soooo important I can’t blather on and on in this blog? Please, let me account for my absence.

Monday: A lovely quick morning 5K naked run, no tunes, no watch, started the week. I think I’ll try to run sans tunes more often, perhaps just using them on long runs? The weather was nice, I remember it as sunny and a bit windy. I ran clock stupid, to take advantage of a set of long hills (going down versus going up, yeah yeah, lazy me) this also seemed to put me running into the wind more often than not. Not sure how that is possible when running a rectangle… Monday night is TRX. I do love that class and the gals. The topics vary all over the map, we all got the most laughs out of food. Where to get the best hot fudge Sundae and friends that will drive you all over hell and back only to never find one and ending up at the grocery store to get a pint of to die for ice cream. The downfalls of eating a whole box of Fig Newtons, don’t ask, if you don’t already know you don’t want to and don’t try this at home. Why, yes I can eat an entire box of Fig Newtons. I'm not proud of this.

Tuesday: I spent the day in Manhattan. This is a very long exhausting day. I was supposed to attend a morning seminar on Anti Bribery and Anti Corruption, it was cancelled due to the Government sequester. Blargh. Of course, to make best use of my time, I arranged other meetings for the afternoon the kind were you want to see ‘the whites of their eyes’. So no choice but to make the trek into the city. The bonus for me working in NY for the day, is being able to spend it with my boss. No, I am not being sarcastic, hard to believe, IKR? We share an office for the day and had quite a few things to discuss. It is nice to be able to have conversations as the topic arises either from all of a sudden remembering or an eMail reminder. All together an extremely productive (and exhausting) day. I managed to get on a train before 6 p.m. with some Crumbs cupcakes (Peanut Butter and Monkey Business) for hubb. When I finally got home the pack was happy to see me and get dog hair and slobber on my good clothes, grrr.. Of course my ever faithful Gizzy was right there to help me with my PT, I don’t want to get up any early than I have to so I do it when I get home. It is nice to not be alone, but I could do without the face licking. Thanks pal…

I'm bored.  Why can't I lick your face?

Wednesday: A nice quick, afternoon 5K, sans tunes was on the agenda. I did wear the Garmin. I only peeked at it twice. I think I’ll borrow the idea of wearing it backwards just so I have it but it is hard to read. The sun was brilliant on the wonderful first day of spring the wind was gusting 19MPH off the water. UGH. As I left the building another runner said, “The wind is strong and cold, however it is not constant. ENJOY!” I did and had a new fleece running top, so happy to not have to wait until fall to wear it for the first time!

Thursday: No planned run for today. I’m dreaming about a trail run tomorrow afternoon, cutting out of work early for an “off site meeting”. I’ve also been pondering signing up for a ½ marathon trail run at the end of the month.  There is also a 10K option. I really want to do the ½, for the experience, the longest I’ve run on trails is 9 miles. No doubt I can do it. As one of my marathon girlfriends says “Beth, we are marathoners we can do anything.” Honestly, I’m most concerned about slowing the whole race wrap up process down, when I come straggling in as the last runner. Hmmmmm….  Thoughts? 

Sincerely,

Beth, quickly catching y’all up, thanks for stopping by!

P.S.  One of the fun agenda items for my "off site meeting" tomorrow afternoon.