Monday: 1 walk
Breezy late afternoon walk at Wahaneeta with Jana and Brady. Legs and oddly my hips are still sore from this past weekend's activities of a snowshoe race on Saturday and running 10 miles on solid snow and ice yesterday.
Tuesday: 2 walk
Nasty cold outside. Woke up and heard the wind howling with temp 16° at the time and wind chills below zero. Huge kudos to those who got out there and ran. Just not enjoyable, so I went back under the covers.
Volunteered a bit later in the morning (9am) when the temp warmed up to 18° and real feel of 1°. Bundled up and my fellow Land Trust volunteers had my number, with remarks like "you look almost like a normal person today" and "where are your shorts?". Opted to go with the crew that was monitoring Crandall Preserve, as 1) it would be mostly in the protected woods, and 2) we would be constantly moving. Brrr.
Wednesday: 10
Mt Tom OAB. 14th of 19 Border Patrol Challenge routes. Ran one mile warm-up on JB Hudson Trail, and then we're off. As with my previous run (Sunday at Buck Hill), I falsely assumed the trails would be free of snow and ice, but I was much closer this time, as I estimate the trails were 90% clear. But there were still some spots where you were on sheer ice for 30' or more, and then there were a number of spots that ice didn't cover the whole trail and you could awkwardly "dance" around it. I was hoping to also go for the CR/FKT at the same time, but about three miles in, comparing against the pace I needed, I knew it wasn't happening today. To be fair, I don't really know if I could pull it off on a perfect trail condition day, but it certainly wasn't happening today.
 |
| Two items of note here: 1) The calendar says March, but clearly winter isn't done yet. 2) Regarding the stick, after Brady jumped waist deep into the Wood River, put his head under water to free the stick, and then carried it for a mile back to the car, I just didn't have the heart to tell him he had to leave the stick in Arcadia. In fact, I think the stick is still in my car. |
 |
| Yes, the trail went across here. Somehow I didn't go down, but I think I looked like Gumby dancing erratically across the ice. |
Huffed and puffed my way up the fairly technical Mt Tom, but I was really slowed on the final 1/3 mile section of the trail, which Steve Servidio refers to as the "gutter". I can totally relate to that! It's a narrow single-track, but poorly planned being straight as an arrow and gradually but consistently downhill (heading north). This often results in the trail being flooded and just a running stream. No different today, EXCEPT that it was a frozen stream! In some places, I could awkwardly set a foot down on the outside of the ice, but in others I had to risk stepping directly on the ice, which could result in either sliding or breaking through the ice, both of which happened many times. I really think this section of trail should be rerouted and designed better. Anyhow, still a fun time. Five more to go, fifteen days remain. I'm not liking that ratio.
 |
| Now I'm all for signs on the trail, especially ones that guide direction. But my questions are 1) how many deer do you think actually read the sign and go down that trail as a result, and 2) is it OK for humans to also go down that trail, or only for deer? |
 |
| Post-run stop at a coffee shop in Richmond on the way home. It turns out I only needed one of the aforementioned items today, but I did get a chuckle from the sign. |
Thursday: 9
My carbon footprint was really low today, as I of course no longer drive to work, and if I have no errands and run from home as I did, the car just sat in the garage. Hope the insurance company continues to give out returns of premiums for all the money saved. I think we've received two checks back so far for car insurance and two for health insurance.
Unusual solo run on local roads. Easy pace, and I needed it, as the legs didn't bounce back from yesterday's Mt Tom challenge the way I had hoped.
 |
| This evening is my employer's annual Employee Fest. Typically this includes a cocktail hour, speeches, awards, and a buffet dinner in Warwick, but this year not surprisingly, like most other large events, it has gone entirely virtual. We are encouraged to gather our "furry friends" to watch with us, and so I comply (as does Brady, although perhaps begrudgingly.) --- Both during the event as well as in the ensuing days, employee after employee laments the absence of the in-person event and seeing everyone in person. I, on the other hand, give my honest opinion that the virtual format was great! The introvert in me doesn't love a party of several hundred people where the majority I have no idea who they are, the duration of the event was shrunk from four hours down to one, I can (and do) wear jeans and a t-shirt instead of a stuffy suit and tie, and the commute is non-existent. Am I perverse in my thinking? Or just anti-social and curmudgeonly? |
Friday: 6
Grills Preserve late afternoon run with Brady. It's been very windy this week, and it was good to escape to the woods.
Group run at Barn Island. Our nascent WTAC monthly group runs are off to a good start, with 14 at last month's run at Grills in the ice and snow, and 13 today (+ 2 dogs each time). They're free, and just a good way to meet and keep up with other runners in a healthy environment.
Sunday: 21!
Tippecansett Trail. 15th (of 19) courses completed now in the Border Patrol Challenge. The trail is about evenly divided north of Route 165 from where I started, and south of Route 165 down to Camp Yawgoog. I will run the northern section first, and then the southern.
Woke up to 17° weather at the house. Ugh. For this length of run, I really don't want to wear tights. Brought various clothing with me, including different thicknesses of gloves, hats, etc. When I pulled into the parking lot at Beach Pond, Exeter, the temp in my car now showed 20°. So it's settled: shorts!
Legs felt fine; it was the fingertips only that were cold the first three miles. I had a number of missteps, all within the first six miles:
- WHUMP! That's the sound of an overweight gazelle landing on its back on solid ice after sliding on ice and its legs came out from underneath it. That one really hurt!
- Today's course is out and back on the Tippecansett. Should be easy - just follow the yellow blazes. So about 3 miles in, the trail (more like a Jeep road) goes both straight and left. Yellow blazes on trail/road to the left, while none are visible straight ahead. Turned left, and after a couple hundred yards, pulled out my phone and checked against the route. Nope! Off course! Dang! Why does a yellow trail intersect with another yellow trail? Doubled back, corrected, and validated. (I later found Seth made the exact same error.)
- About 5 miles in, at a trail intersection getting very close to the northern terminus, I make not one, but two wrong turns. The first one is completely on me, but the second one I am following yellow blazes AGAIN!, but in the wrong direction, as once again, a yellow trail intersects with another yellow trail. Ugh. Frustrating!
 |
| This series of mishaps cost me the most time and added mileage. |
After the above mishaps, I make it to the northern terminus, and turn around, and will make no further course errors today, but I have added an extra 2/3 of a mile by now. The marking on the northern section is pretty sparse, but I've already run it in one direction, so between memory and Brady leading the way and tracking our scent, there is no question on the return path.
On the short paved road section (Hazard Road / Escoheag Hill Road), we come across Rhody Seth running in the opposite direction toward us, with a video cam. Unfortunately, we later learn just after passing us, Seth takes a wrong turn that costs him an additional couple of miles. Ouch. That's a lot to tack on to a 20-miler. See Seth's video recap here.
Next we run past and in close proximity to the South County Rod & Gun Club, where the gunfire is loud and constant. I'm no fan, but Brady is just plain freaked out. We can hear the gunfire for the next two miles until we get south of Tippecansett Pond, but the sounds gets fainter and fainter (or I should say less and less booming).
The rest of the return run to Beach Pond was pretty uneventful. Upon return to Beach Pond, I contemplated going to the car for a water and maybe a granola bar. Nah, keep going! Brady is getting water breaks at streams that aren't frozen, and with temps in the 20s, I'm not feeling thirsty. Momentarily leashed Brady to cross busy Route 165 with cars driving 60mph, and let the southern section begin.
The northern part of the southern section (say what?) of Tippecansett is a lot of fun: single-track, undulating, beautiful views of Beach Pond, but not long after that you're on a long section of dirt road that must be close to two miles long. It's easy to follow and not torn up like the northern section, but still just monotonous. The road ends as it dumps you out onto Route 138 at the Hopkinton/Exeter line, within sight of the CT state line. Leashed Brady for the very short distance on the road, before crossing onto a short dirt road and then single-track down to the trail terminus at Camp Yawgoog.
On that short dirt road section just off Route 138, a black dog just bigger than Brady comes out of his yard running towards us and barking. I'm hoping an invisible fence will soon contain him, but no such luck. He runs onto the dirt road, past me, and towards Brady, just ahead of me. Oh great, this is going to be ugly, as I sprint to try to catch up. What happens next is the aggressor gets right behind Brady, almost touching him, while continuing barking at him. I should mention Brady is a very docile dog and goes out of his way to avoid aggressive dogs (yes, of course, I'm biased), but his gracious demeanor only goes so far. Brady turns around, faces the dog face-to-face inches part and growls and snaps at him. He didn't bite him, but let him know his displeasure. The bigger dog literally starts whimpering and whimpers as he runs all the way back home. Brady then came to me and we ran off onto the single-track. I was both a bit surprised and pretty proud.
About a mile from the trail terminus, we run into Crutch and his friend Anthony, whom he introduces me to. We have some tight climbs on rocks, one of which is the rock separation is too high for Brady, and after some assistance, we're to the trail end and turn around.
 |
| Brady, who led most of the 21 miles, is no longer in sight. I usually let him drop back when he wants to, as he'll attend to whatever he is doing (going over trail to take care of his business, chasing a squirrel or deer, sniffing something interesting, etc), as he always comes back quickly. Not this time. I double-back a very short distance to find him unable to get up this series of boulders. It doesn't look like much, but photos are deceiving, and I have to use my hands to get up here. I help him here, and we're good to go. |
The run back was uneventful. I was fearing a repeat dog issue, and leashed Brady early to keep him very close to me, but the dog did not come back out. Good. The long dirt road section of course never seemed to end, but fortunately the final mile was a net 200' drop so it was a relatively easy finish. Finished in the north parking lot just as Crutch and Anthony were heading north to start the northern loop.
 |
| About a mile to go. One of the few remaining snow patches covering the trail. |
 |
| I did not carry water, as there were plenty of places for him to drink. |
 |
| Great pose and view of Beach Pond. |
FINISHED! Total time: 3:17. Somehow I took the 10.35 mile north-to-south CR from Bob Jackman (by just 13 seconds!), but likely because of my missteps, I finished behind him for the full OAB. I'm quite sure he was taking it easy, as my time includes going back to help Brady up the boulders and stopping to talk to Crutch. This was NOT my favorite trail. The northern section is rough (not as bad as Quinebaug, but rough) and very sparsely marked, making it easy to go off course. The southern section is much better, but that long dirt road is unappealing to me.
Fast forward a couple of hours, and I unfortunately learn the hard way that I think I've tested Brady's limits. He was fine all through the run, and in fact, even when got home. But by late afternoon, he was just sore and uncharacteristically lethargic, as he was not moving any more than he had to. I took him out to the bathroom (the woods behind our house) and the way he walked just reminded me of my grandmother in her early 90s shuffling along constantly apologizing saying that she "only had one speed and that is SLOW". Jana and I went for our usual as clockwork Sunday afternoon grocery shopping (we lead a really exciting life!) and I couldn't wait to get home to check on Brady. We got home, opened the door, and while Brady wagged his tail to see us, he didn't even get up (normally he runs to us, go picks out of one his toys to play with, etc). WHAT HAVE I DONE?! I'm feeling terribly guilty, start Googling (always a dangerous thing) about dogs with sore muscles after too much exercise, and I'm panicked to read that I should expect 4-6 weeks for a recovery. I am a terrible human being!
Fast forward another couple of hours. We've finished dinner, Brady's finished his dinner, and he goes over and picks one of his favorite toys and brings it to me to throw. Oh, I am SO relieved. I refused to play as I want him to rest, and both Jana and I make sure he takes the next day off from running, but he already seems like himself. Whew! Meanwhile, I'm sore for the next 36 hours, but that's fine.
Weekly mileage: 62 run, 5 walk
Weekly synopsis: For the first time since late January, I've accomplished my weekly running mileage goal (55)! So that's something. Also for the first time since late January, I've completed two Border Patrol Challenges in one week, so that's helping me to track to a likely completion with four left to go in less than two weeks. All good stuff!
Weekly highlight: For trails, I would say the Mt Tom escapade, but for the human aspect, I would say the March WTAC group run at Barn Island.
Weekly lowlight: The northern half of the Tippecansett Trail. Rutted, rocky jeep roads are just not my thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment