Into the Wild

January 20, 2013

“But especially he loved to run in the dim twilight of the summer midnights, listening to the subdued and sleepy murmurs of the forest, reading signs and sounds as a man may read a book, and seeking for the mysterious something that called -- called, waking or sleeping, at all times, for him to come.”

--Jack London, The Call of the Wild

I

I often feel this incessant pull, this urgent call from some unseen force beckoning me to venture off road, down a trail into the woods. It's this unquenchable need to be outside---exploring or just existing in outdoor spaces. Standing on a mountain, traipsing through the forest, swimming in a lake, riding my bike down a country road, running....well, anywhere. I love feeling like I'm on a big adventure, living on the edge of danger---but not really in danger. 

And so to say I was excited about my running group's 13 mile Appalachian Trail run is a serious understatement. I was pumped! So pumped, in fact, that I declined the chance to cover President Obama's "official" inauguration at the White House that day. No, I wanted to be outside, answering the call of the wild.

We met in a parking lot in the tiny town of Weverton, MD, at the base of the Weverton Cliffs. We then carpooled to the South Mountain Inn in the town of Boonsboro. From there we would run 13 miles down the Appalachian Trail to the Weverton Cliffs and back to our cars.

This particular stretch of the Appalachian Trail is the AT section of the JFK 50 Miler. By the time we make it back to Weverton, I would know whether I could take on the JFK.

Badass Benita

A woman named Benita led Roxie, Connie, and I down the trail. Benita is a shorty, like me, but with tree trunk strong legs and serious bad ass cred. For starters, she's in the military, did a couple of tours of duty in Iraq. And while she considers herself a back-of-the-packer, she has the confidence of an elite runner. Her next race? A 100 mile trail run.

Benita is the kind of person who makes you feel safe. You get the feeling that there's nothing she can't handle. Should there be some kind of emergency on the trail, you know Benita will know what to do. So off we ran, into the woods and down the trail.

Leaving the South Mountain Inn, the trail quickly becomes steep and then gets steeper. There's a two mile stretch of  ridiculous steepness---a real butt burner! My Garmin pegged my pace at 21 minutes/mile. Sheesh. 

After the two mile climb, you're essentially running up and down along a ridge at the top of the mountain. It's probably the most technical trail I've run. There are roots and oh so many rocks! And I'm not referring to the nice round kind, no these are sharp pointy rocks jutting up out of the ground and leaving no clear path for footing!  The trail twists and turns but mostly shoots up and then down, up and down. In some sections, jagged rocks and roots are hidden beneath a blanket of leaves.

Benita, Connie and Roxie practically skip along on their toes and I try to mimic their technique. Benita offers helpful tips along the way:  tuck your rear under and tighten your abs when you go downhill; if you fall, bring your arms up and in close to your head to protect your face; shorten your stride and stay light on your feet; don't take your eyes off the ground.

After about 7 miles we reach Gathland State Park. In the late 1800's, this was the mountain home of Civil War journalist George Townsend. He designed and built a lodge on the property. I think this is what's left of the lodge.

But the really cool thing in this park is the War Correspondents Arch, a monument to civil war journalists, below. Townsend also built this, so I guess you can say he built a monument to himself. You know those journalists, such big egos.

We stopped here for a short break. Okay, 7 down 6 to go. Time to get back on the trail and run! Our next stop would be Weverton Cliffs.



One of the things I love about running is the people you get to know over miles and miles of shared suffering. I found out that Connie is a 50-stater. She's on a quest to run a marathon in every state and has  checked off 24 so far. We compared notes on marathons and I was surprised to hear that one of her favorites was the one in Fargo, North Dakota!

 

Benita told me about her adventures in the military and her upcoming deployment to Africa. Bummer, she's leaving!

                                                                                                                  

After a couple of miles the trail got even rockier. By now I was really feeling it. If I were doing the JFK 50 Miler right now, I would still have to run 35 miles after coming down off this mountain!

Weverton Cliffs! Benita, Connie, and I

 Finally we make it to Weverton Cliffs. The view was amazing! The cliffs are perched above the Potomac River, with Harpers Ferry off in the distance.

After a little goofing around....

...it was time to come down off the mountain! The trail down was a steep series of narrow, rocky switchbacks. Four and a half hours after we started up the trail, we were finally done! My legs were feeling it, my butt hurt, and my brain was fried from concentrating so hard on picking my way through the rocks and roots ahead of me. But I loved every minute of it!

 

I can't imagine running 35 miles after that rocky mountain adventure...so I'll have to give the JFK some more thought. There are cutoffs to contend with....and plenty of hill repeats to be done, but maybe, just maybe I can give it a shot....

Phunt 25K

                                                            

January 5, 2013

The Phunt 25K is really a 50K made up of two 25K loops, most of it on single track with lots of roots, hills, and some rocks. I signed up for the 50K when I was still on  my post-Tussey high. But alas, my recovery took longer than planned....and I decided to punt on the Phunt and just do the 25K.   The race is put on by the Trail Dawgs running club out of Delaware and best of all, it's free! All you do is RSVP and show up!          



It was a chilly morning, this being January and all, and I couldn't wait to get going and warm up. The Trail Dawgs had a nice fire pit near the registration tables, so I squeezed my way between people to get close to it. Pretty soon, we were off!

As usual, I positioned myself at the back of the pack and in no time everyone was out of sight.  Almost everyone. There was one man behind me, an older guy, and soon enough I had resolved not to  let "Gramps" pass me!  He did a pretty good job of keeping up and that made me push it a little harder on the OH SO MANY hills. And that included the steep bidness hill below--OMG! It's "paved" with rocks! Sort of a rock climbing wall motif. 

               

 

A steep and rocky section





 

 The course consisted of serious hilly single track with a few interesting variables thrown in, like this tunnel we hit at mile 5ish.



They had a well-stocked rest stop at about 6 miles. By the time I arrived, the middle-of -the- packers were heading in the opposite direction, finishing the last 5 miles of the loop. This was my decision point. Do I keep going and make this a 15 mile run? Or, do I head back and make this a 10ish mile run. My legs said turn back; my head said keep going. So I kept going.

 

 As soon as I started running out of the aid station, a volunteer rushed toward me and exclaimed, "You're going that way?!" She sounded alarmed, like perhaps I was lost, perhaps I had misread the helpful paper plate directions and was accidentally doubling back! I mean, how could it be that someone was so slow as to be only at mile 6! Everyone else was running in the opposite direction!

I said something like, "Yes, I'm bringing up the rear... I'm only on mile 6."  Actually, Gramps was bringing up the rear....but she would figure that out soon enough.

The next 5 miles seemed to be a bit easier than the first 6, so I tried to step up my pace. I was starting to get tired and yes, even bored. A  few stream crossings later, I arrived back at the aid station. My legs were feeling heavy. I would be running 5 miles farther than my previous run of 10 miles, and I started to wonder if I would have to walk it in.

As if on cue, I overheard a volunteer at the aid station describing a "short cut" to another runner.  "Just keep going straight down this dirt road for about two miles and you can figure it out from there." Sounded easy enough!

Great, I'm taking the short cut. This isn't my "A" race, I rationalized, So why kill myself? I let Gramps pass me and watched as he turned onto the trail and disappeared into the woods.
I started down the dirt road, feeling pretty sneaky and even a little smug about taking a shortcut. I'm so brilliant.

It wasn't long before the road narrowed and suddenly I began to feel a little nervous. You have no idea where you are, yet you've decided to go rogue and cheat anyway! You didn't bother to tell anyone that you were venturing off the trail and you really aren't sure about the route back.  How smart is that? You don't have your pepper spray or even your camp whistle, for crying out loud. How many stories have you covered that involved careless people inadvertently winding up lost or even dead because they took a wrong turn?!

Just as I was about to turn around and get back on course, Gramps comes bounding out of the woods.
"Are you lost?"
Busted! No I'm trying to cheat, I thought.
"Come on, the trail is this way," said Gramps.
"Well...I'm sort of thinking about taking a short cut...."
"A what?"
"A short cut..." I said meekly.  WTF, is he hard of hearing? Dammit, Gramps, I'm trying to cheat here!
"You're going the wrong way. This is the trail."
And with that, I reluctantly followed Gramps into the woods and down the trail.

Yeah, okay...

I'll admit, I kept checking the crude map they gave us to see if I could figure out another way to cut the course. In pilot training I had learned to use dead reckoning for navigation. Essentially, that means using a chart to identify markers on the ground--power lines, bends in the road, rivers, towers--to guide your way.


Not sure what this was, but it looked interesting

 

But I finally gave in and decided that I could cowboy up and run the rest of the way. If Gramps could do it, what the hell was my problem?! (I later learned that Gramps was running the full 50K, not a mere 25K like me. Kudos to Gramps!)

 

More than four hours later, I had finished the 25K. Not my fastest effort, for sure, but it was really just for the fun of it. Oh---and I got this handy water bottle for my efforts!

 

 

 

 

2013!

2013, my year of trying not to go overboard! But, I'll admit, it's hard to show restraint. My winter training plans include a 50K Trail Running Training Program, CompuWTF, and Sunday night swim clinic. Once again I have two big races on my calendar:  the Bay Swim and the JFK 50 Miler (if I get in).

My biggest goal for 2013:  make a career transition!

We'll see what else comes along....but for now, let's get this party started!

2012 Year In Review

2012, the year I went overboard. 19 races in 8 months!  5 races in April alone. Whew. I'm not sure how that happened....but I will chalk it up to the Ironman Effect. At the beginning of the year I found myself asking:  What does one do after climbing Kili and becoming an Ironman? And since I didn't have a clear answer, I suppose I thought doing anything and everything must be the answer.

Looking back, much like in 2011, I wound up with two huge goals:  The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim and the Tussey mOUnTaINback 50 Miler.  I would succeed in one, come close in the other. Regardless, I swam and ran farther than ever before.

The other 17 races on my calendar? They were mostly about making 2012 the Year of Fun, of course! P and I were on the mud race - half marathon circuit for the first part of the year.

All of that, plus CompuWTF and countless laps in the pool and I was burned out by the time Musselman rolled around! I seriously began to wonder if I had an exercise addiction --or at least a sign-up-for-races addiction! LOL

2012 was also the year Janet became an Ironman! P, Tracey, and I launched our super-secret "Operation Hello Janet" to help cheer her to the finish line (with the help of some crazy hula guys).

 

Operation Hello Janet

 

I guess, more than anything, 2012 was the year I ventured off road and hit the trails like never before. In fact, I fell in love with trail running. It was the year I became an ultra runner, completing my first 50K---all on trails. 50K? Yeah, that was a mere training run for Tussey.

Election Night at Obama Campaign HQ, Chicago

And...I guess it wouldn't be a thorough Year in Review without mentioning what consumed my life for much of the year:  the presidential election.  From the New  Hampshire and Florida primaries to the presidential debates to the Democratic National Convention to Election Day in Chicago--it was all election, all the time. Couldn't wait for it to be over....

So now we say farewell to another year....and welcome in 2013. More about that later...But for now, Happy New Year!

Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 Miler!

October 21, 2012

My first 50 mile attempt! Ran 42 miles and missed the cutoff by 20 minutes. It's the farthest I've ever run, so I'll take it!  Awesome course, amazing scenery and incredible support from friends. Loved it!

Trail Lagniappe

The road, er...trail to Tussey took me from the woods of Virginia to the wilds of Wisconsin. I slogged my way through assorted trail races to get ready for the big day.
   (this is a blog posting place holder -- will be back to finish it soon! )


INSTEP TRAIL RACE - Moo Weekend in Wisconsin!

 

 

12 HOUR ADVENTURE TRAIL RUN!  My First 50K

 

 

SHENANDOAH RIVER SHENANIGANS

The Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK Countdown is ON!

What an insane couple of months it's been. I've been traveling for work, fun, family, or racing every weekend since late August! Now suddenly, it's Tussey weekend!

Well, by now I've managed to familiarize myself with the entire Tussey course. I ran most of it over the course of two different weekend trips...and what I didn't run, I drove. So here's the story of my solo Tussey training adventures and a look at what the course is like. 

18 Miles of Tussey Training                                                                                                    

For my first trip in late August, I drove up early on a Saturday morning and parked at the Tussey Ski Resort. The start line is between a couple of telephone poles near the resort. But which poles? I asked some other runners and they pointed out the right poles for me and I was off and running.  

The first 3.2 miles of the course are uphill. We run on gravel road switchbacks and it's nice and shady. A long hill, but very pretty! I'm going to run/walk up this hill so I can save my legs for later.

 

 Once you reach the top of the hill, it's all downhill for the next 4 miles, then flat for another 3 or so. Woohooo!

 The entire course is nice and shady....but...well, there's not much to look at; just trees and more trees. The course takes us through Rothrock State Forest, hence the trees. But every now and then you'll see one of these:

Lot's of random camps and "rod and gun clubs." Yeah, it was real comforting knowing that I wasn't all alone out here, after all. No, there were people with guns milling about! But, no worries, I was armed with a camping whistle I had bought from Wal Mart on the drive up! (Apparently you can buy ammo at Wal Mart but not pepper spray. Go figure. LOL)

                                                                              

Whipple Dam State Park is 11 miles in---it's a sumptuous oasis in the middle of the forest!  After seeing nothing but trees and gun clubs for miles, this was a nice sight. I stopped to use the "facilities" and check out the beach. On this August weekend the place was packed with people swimming, playing volleyball, canoeing, picnicking and just hanging out. It's going to be pretty this weekend with the fall leaves!

                                                                                                                                                               This next leg is a difficult 6.2 miles of rolling hills with a long, steep, one mile hill up Beidleheimer Rd. This road is a biotch! I'm going to have to get into STIK mode for this  stretch so I can keep up the pace and make the first cutoff! 

 I wrapped up this first Tussey training trip having run 18 miles or so. I had focused on a couple of the sections of the course labeled "difficult" and came away thinking...yeah, they're difficult but not as ridiculous as I thought they'd be. It helps that there aren't any technical trails---just the fire roads. 

The Tussey 27

Fast forward a month...and my second Tussey training trip was Savageman weekend. After doing the bike relay with "Team Keep The Finish Line Up" on Saturday (we kicked butt and yes, the finish line was up), I was Tussey bound again!

I stayed at this B&B in the  middle of nowhere, PA. That's Tussey off to the left in the background:

 I woke up way early the next morning in time to catch the sun coming up over Tussey. Beautiful! This picture was taken from the back deck of the B&B.

Here the sky is a little deeper red:

The couple who run the place, Rachel and Dink, own hundreds of acres of pastureland and a lot of cows. They were sooo nice. It wasn't your typical B&B breakfast:  in addition to the eggs and bacon, Rachel gave me homemade wheat rolls and a piece of angel food cake with strawberries on top! She looked a little worried when I told her what I had planned for the day:  a 27 mile run on the Tussey Mountain fire roads. I think she was concerned I would starve because she sent me off with a nice care package of homemade cookies, rolls, and fruit. By 6:45 am I was back on the road to Tussey! 

For this  27 mile training run I decided to run the second half of the 50 mile loop course, then cut across the mountain back to my starting point. 

I parked at Penn Roosevelt State Park. It's this dreamy place tucked away in the woods--- like something out of a storybook. It also serves as the first cutoff during the race at 25 miles. As I set off on my run I glanced back at my lonely car. The next time I see it, I'll be done with this run. Oh happy thought. 27 miles in the bank!  

This stretch of the race is called "Miles From Nowhere," and that's exactly what it felt like:  I was miles from nowhere and no one! The scenery was the same:  lots of tall trees providing plenty of shade with a random gun club here and there:  Lakemont Rod & Gun Club, Poco Gun Club, Lost Creek Camp, Wrightsdale Gun Club.

It took me a few miles to get in the groove, but eventually I made it to Colyer Lake. This is another scenic spot along the way and the location of the second cutoff at 36 miles. 

 The next 5.3 mile leg is called "Are We There Yet?" And that's how it felt running it:  when will I ever get to the end of this leg? If I make it this far during the race, this will be the toughest section of the course. It's got rolling hills with "more serious" ups and downs. In fact, this is the section of the course where we are allotted the most time to make the next cutoff---a 16:59/mile minimum pace---because it's so difficult.

I had stashed a bottle of water in some bushes on this stretch before I started running so I could stop and refill my hydration pack. Just when I was thinking I would see no signs of civilization along this middle-of-nowhere road, I came across this huge gated house! Their driveway has it's own street sign. It says "Rancho Relaxo."

(Just keeping it real, I doubt I'll be averaging a 17 minute/mile pace on this stretch. It's already a difficult section and I'll be tired on top of that. It will be farther than I've ever run, so I'll be in some new pain territory. But I'll give it my all!)

Reaching the end of this leg gave me a huge mental boost and before I knew it, I had reached the turn at Treaster Kettle and Bear Meadows Road and was cruising along again! 

Ah....Bear Meadows Rd. The same road where we start and end the race! I was closer to civilization once again. Just knowing that the resort was a few miles away gave me a boost! I even saw a few mountain bikers. 

During the actual race we will run up Bear Meadows, do a turn around and head down to the finish line at the resort. Woohoo! But for the purposes of this training run...I kept going to Alan Seeger Picnic Area...and then on to my car at Penn Roosevelt.

The last leg of my 27 mile training run is called "Made In The Shade." It heads out of the Alan Seeger Picnic Area and ends at Penn Roosevelt. During the race, this will be miles 20 - 25, ending with the first cutoff at Penn Roosevelt. 

I was hurting during this last 5 miles. My legs were dead. My energy was zapped. I was walking more than running. Seemed like I would never get there! I'm hoping it was the result of biking 24 miles at Sav'man the day before....or perhaps I was feeling this bad because my previous long run had been only 18 miles. I reminded myself that I usually feel this bad at the end of a marathon anyway---you know, the whole hitting the wall thing. But during Tussey that wall will have to be much farther away!

Finally! Back at my car! 27 miles in the Tussey Bank! This run was a huge confidence booster for me. The next weekend I ran 32.5 miles during the 12 Hour Adventure Trail Run. 
50K goal- cha-ching!  

Tussey, here I come!