The Gideon Welles 4-Miler at Cedar Hill

Today, our family ran the traditional Hartford Track Club Winter Series Race at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut. I did this race once before, back in 2008. That day, the race was known as the J.P. Morgan 4-Miler at Cedar Hill. The HTC has an annual tradition of naming the race after a different person.

The Race Director advertised this year’s race on the club website with this quote, “This year, I wish to honor Gideon Welles, an editor of the former Hartford Times newspaper and Secretary of the Navy under President Abraham Lincoln. In keeping with tradition, we honor another person who lived in Greater Hartford and whose remains are interred in Cedar Hill.”

The cemetery is quite beautiful. The website boasts that 30,000 people have chosen Cedar Hill as their final resting place since 1864. I wanted to run the race and then get out alive! All of the ponds were frozen and covered with snow, but the roads were clear. I rode my bike to the start from Bolton, and it was a chilly 12 degrees F when I left the house. My feet were OK at the start of the run, but I chose gloves and not mittens for the run. That choice left my hands cold. I pushed the Chariot CX-2, which is a lot harder than the CX-1 that I pushed two years ago. With two kids to deal with, running these races is a bit more challenging now. Debbie continued her comeback and was not far off my pace. I ran 27:38, which is respectable for a winter race with the stroller. Debbie ran 28:28. My 26:15 in 2006 proves that running with one kid is a lot easier than two. The short hills were brutal. We estimated that the load I pushed today was 25-30 pounds heavier. No matter, we had fun and we are looking forward to some of the bigger training races coming up on the schedule.

Race Results

Connecticut Business Day 2010

One of my favorite days of the year is Connecticut Business Day. I missed in 2009 because I was traveling, but I’ll be there on 24 February. The Connecticut Business & Industry Association will host the event, which draws business people from all over the state. We meet with our legislators and deliver the message that business is the bedrock of our economy.

I’m torn about which breakout session to attend. #1 and #3 are most important to me, but they all look good:

Session #1
Create a tax policy that welcomes business and creates jobs…

Session #2
Don’t price jobs out of Connecticut: Control labor costs to put people back to work…

Session #3
Manufacturing drives our economy: Clear the roadblocks…

Session #4
Open the doors to small business…

Businesses, particularly manufacturers, need to get the word out like never before. With a budget process run amok and momentum within the corridors of political power to maintain spending levels while raising taxes, businesses have to stand up for what is right. At Horst Engineering, we have been brutally honest with our employees about the challenges that we face. 2008 and 2009 dealt a blow that many employers could not withstand. I get a machine shop auction flyer every day. Our 64 year history, strength, and quality have seen us through the early part of this tempest, but the storm is far from over.

With new taxes and mandates at the federal and state levels, the political decision-makes are playing with fire. The recent discussion of small business stimulus garnered media attention in the past few days, but has done nothing to quell business owners’ fears about what is to come. Our employees want Horst Engineering to stay strong and vibrant. They know that continuous improvement and technology investment are the keys to our two-pronged approach. To grow again, we will adapt. Our recent kaizen activities are proof that we will innovate to stay competitive.

But…it isn’t enough. An onslaught of taxation would drive up our costs, hinder our growth, and hurt the prospects for new Connecticut jobs. I’ll be there on Connecticut Business Day. I’ll share our perspective.

Toyota & Kaizen Activity

It has been a bad week for Toyota. The well-respected company has taken some lumps because of their accelerator recall. It is a shame that one faulty part has such a big impact. Nevertheless, product quality, especially when it comes to the safety of human lives, is paramount. Since Horst Engineering is in the business of manufacturing critical precision components for aerospace, medical, automotive, and other high technology industries, I have an insider’s view.

We use many aspects of the Toyota Production System as part of our own lean enterprise process. Our continuous improvement system isn’t as integrated as we would like, but we are well on our way towards making it the platform by which we operate our business. We have practiced kaizen (改善, Japanese for improvement) for more than 10 years. We had a third-party facilitated kaizen activity earlier this month. The four-day effort focused on the flow of an order from the time that we receive it from a customer, to the point at which we issue the work instructions to our shop floor. Our kaizen team was cross-functional and trained to use the lean tools that are the hallmark of the Toyota Production System. The goal of our kaizen activity was to cut the lead time that it takes to issue the traveler package and to improve the quality of the overall process. This was the third major kaizen activity that we have had since last September. Better process = better product.

Defects are the bane of any manufacturing organization. Seeing Toyota’s suffering has caused me to reflect on our business. As a contract manufacturer, we don’t design our own products, but we are still responsible for the process of making the product. A supplier manufactured the faulty Toyota parts. I look forward to reading the case study.

Dr. Henry Lee

Earlier this month, I got to hear Dr. Henry Lee speak about his life and career. It was an amazing talk that caught me by surprise. Having lived in Connecticut most of my life, I have seen Dr. Lee make headlines for years. He is one of our state’s most famous citizens. What I didn’t realize, was how dynamic of a speaker he was. I knew he was one of the world’s foremost experts on forensics, but he is also one of the best speakers I have heard.

Photos and newspaper clippings from his long career packed his slide show. His career began as a police officer in China, more than 40 years ago. He has held many top jobs in Connecticut, including Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. He was part of some of the most high-profile cases in modern history, including O.J. Simpson, Vincent Foster, JonBennet Ramsey, and the John F. Kennedy assassination. With so much death and carnage, one would think that his presentation would be heavy. It had its fair share of blood and guts, with images that would make you turn your head, but it was interesting and it wasn’t over the top. There was actually a lot of humor in his talk.

He kept our small group laughing for nearly two hours as he recounted stories from his past. The great thing about Dr. Lee is that there is an amazing amount of substance to his thoughts. He has real experiences to call upon and he peppers the stories with funny one liners. His pioneering scientific research is very serious and exonerated many people who were wrongly accused/convicted of crimes. It has also led to the arrest/conviction of many criminals. Dr. Lee is modest about his long list of accomplishments and honorary degrees. He is a proud man who has done a lot for society and his sheer enthusiasm is infectious. He has led many other talented people into forensic science. Beyond his science, he has been a pure leader who continues to inspire people through his speaking and writing. I left his talk feeling motivated.

Appalachia & Rick Wilcox

During last month’s holiday stretch, I had a little more time on my hands. That meant I got a chance to catch up on some reading. I’ve read three issues of National Geographic since Christmas, but I am still three months behind. Each issue is like a book. I was also two issues behind on Appalachia, when another one arrived to make it three. Now, I am pretty much caught up, having read all three since New Year’s.

Appalachia is full of  great writing. The interview with Rick Wilcox was really enjoyable. He is the owner of International Mountain Equipment and International Mountain Climbing School, two businesses in North Conway, New Hampshire. I liked the interview because he is an interesting subject. As an entrepreneur and a climber, he has a unique perspective on the environment, outdoor recreation, and goal setting. He told some funny stories about past clients. Clearly, Rick is a strong leader. He led the successful New England Everest Expedition in 1991. Several years ago, I took a winter climbing course from IMCS, so I know that they have a good program. Their guides are well-trained. Rick was a good subject for the journal’s Mountain Voices series.

Part I of the Wilcox interview was in the Winter/Spring 2009 issue and Part II was in the Summer/Fall 2009 issue.

Great Kids, Great Outdoors

I’ve followed Kristen Laine’s blog Great Kids, Great Outdoors for months now. She writes on behalf of the Appalachian Mountain Club, one of our favorite organizations. We have been club members for more than 10 years, and her blog is one of my favorite AMC publications. Of course, before kids, I probably would have never seen it!

I’ve contributed photography and writing to AMC publications in the past, including AMC Outdoors, and Appalachia. So, when one of the editors needed a photo to commemorate the Long Trail Centennial, they checked with me. I was happy to help, and through a series of connections, met Kristen (online). That was nice because she discovered my blog and learned how we are big fans of Chariot Carriers.

Kristen featured one of our recent adventures in her latest blog post. Through her blog, she motivates parents to stay active by including their kids in the activity. As we all know, kids need activity more than ever.

China: From the Great Wall to Town Hall

Last Tuesday, I attended a China Geo Politics Forum at the Bolton Center School Library. The event was hosted by the Bolton Community Education Foundation. Bolton is a small town with 5,000 residents, but they still tackle big issues. The guest speakers were Yuhang Rong, Assistant Dean of the Neag Graduate School of Education at the University of Connecticut, and Chris Ulbrich, the Vice Chairman and COO of Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. I shot some good photos of the event.

Ulbrich is headquartered in North Haven, Connecticut, but does business all over the world. They operate in 14 countries including China. They have a factory in Hong Kong and a sales office in Shanghai. The Ulbrich Family and their company are long time friends of Horst Engineering. We purchase bar stock from Aerodyne, which was a business unit of Ulbrich before it was divested. In 1999, both businesses shared the Connecticut Family Business of the Year award. While Horst Engineering is in its third generation of management, Ulbrich is now in its fourth.

Dean Rong was born in China, but has lived in the United States since the late-1980’s. He shared his personal story about growing up in China, being educated in China, and migrating to the US. He earned his graduate degrees in the US. He spoke eloquently about the differences between the Chinese and US education systems. Rong and Ulbrich mostly agreed about the issues. Both have observed the swift changes as China has rapidly industrialized. Ulbrich is a global company now and is anxious to grow more revenue from their Chinese investments. They already have more than 600 employees worldwide. They supply their metal products to many industries, including aerospace, medical, nuclear, and solar. They have seen tremendous pricing pressure as a result of global competition.

The 90 minute forum explored all kinds of issues, including business, education, environment, population growth, technology, trade, and finance. Sandi Hastings moderated the forum with help from fellow Bolton Community Education Foundation board member, Tom Marrion. Many in the crowd will be part of a delegation that visits China later this year. The event was part of a series called From the Great Wall to Town Hall.

Photo Gallery

Manhattan

Earlier in the week, I had a short business trip to Manhattan. I spent a couple of nights at The Roosevelt Hotel, a historic landmark. Built in midtown in 1924, the hotel is within site of Grand Central Station. It was a great spot to spend a few days. On Monday and Tuesday, I got up early and ran in the dark to Central Park. I explored some parts of the park that I had not been to, including the Ramble. I saw lovely sunrises on the East Side both mornings.

I’ve said many times that there is no better way to see a city than by running. I love having a bike at times, but for January in New York, a run is the way to go.

You see all the characters in the early morning hours. I ran up Madison Avenue and back to midtown on 5th Avenue.

Rockefeller Center was awfully quiet at 6:45 A.M.

Our small group got out at night to experience the sites and sounds of the city. It was bustling after dark.

White Mountains Trip

The highlight of last weekend’s White Mountain Trip may have been the awesome hike up Mt. Madison and Mt. Adams, but that was only part of the adventure. Our family’s base camp was at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch.

The family had a blast exploring the lodge and the trails around AMC’s facilities. We hauled our Chariot a good ways up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, but the gradient was stiff. Debbie got a chance to do some snowshoe running.

We also had several great “family style” meals in the dining hall. The Joe Dodge experience is always a good one and the constant snow made for even more excitement. Our kids loved the Discovery Room and simply enjoyed running up and down the halls. They could have spent all day watching the staff plow the parking lot, which was a 24 hour job for nearly four days. The JCB Wheel Loader was a beast. That thing could move a lot of snow and manuever around tight corners. The AMC must be pleased with their investment; I know that my son was.

The least fun part of the trip was the drive home. Though it was beautiful, especially in Crawford Notch, it was white knuckle for more than six hours. We opted to return home through Vermont to avoid the New Hampshire coast and Massachusetts traffic, but we basically drove into the teeth of the storm. In the heart of Crawford Notch, the temperature was down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and the snow was falling heavily.

We drove past AMC’s other main White Mountain lodge, the Highland Center, and made our way to Littleton where we lunched at the new co-op. On I-91 in Vermont, we saw a large pickup truck spin out at 60 mph in a cloud of snow and end up wedged perpendicular to the highway in the divider between the northbound and southbound lanes. No one was hurt and I was a bit more cautious after that. We were glad that we chose the Subaru Outback for the trip because the all wheel drive was needed.

What a trip!

Winter Wonderland: Mt. Madison & Mt. Adams

The centerpiece of our New Year’s Day White Mountain trip was a winter hike up two of New Hampshire’s fiercest mountains. Adams (5774 feet)  is second and Madison (5367 feet) is fifth on the New Hampshire list of tallest mountains. 48 of those hills are over 4000 feet in height and are more than 200 feet above any ridge connecting it to a higher neighboring peak. At 6322 feet, only Mount Washington is taller than Mount Adams. Unlike Washington, Adams and Madison have no refuge on their summits, though the Madison Spring Hut does lie in the col 3/10th’s of a mile below Madison’s peak. The hut is only open in the summer months. When we saw it on Saturday, it looked sad and lonely all boarded up with snow drifts piled to the roofline.

Madison and Adams’ proximity on the ridge with the adjoining Presidential Range summits of Jefferson, Washington, and Monroe, make them as challenging as any White Mountain 4000 footers. The hike we laid out was pretty straightforward. We considered some variations, but given our time constraints and our family obligations, we opted for the quickest route up and the quickest route down. That meant starting/finishing at the Appalachia trailhead on Rt. 2 outside of Gorham, and taking the Valley Way Trail.

My hiking partners were Arthur Roti and Matthew Schomburg. We had a good trio. Matt is as seasoned as a hiker can get, and has joined Debbie and I on many previous adventures. He doesn’t mind cold weather, having spent the winters (summers down there) of 2007 and 2008 at the South Pole in Antarctica. This time last year, he was “on the ice” as they say, but this winter, he opted to stick around New England. Our last meet up was at Zealand Falls Hut on our summer White Mountain trip back in June. He is a mountain man through and through. As a U.S. Forest Service Ranger, it is his job to know the outdoors, and his guidance on our trips is always appreciated. Art is a colleague of mine at Horst Engineering and a relative newcomer to winter mountain adventure, but I have been on many bicycle adventures with him over the years, and we have done several fairer weather hikes as a duo.

We set off from Appalachia on the Valley Way Trail and made good time to the hut. Art and I used snowshoes, but they weren’t necessary. Snow fell on us the entire hike (it fell for four days straight) and we walked on a powdery 18 inch base. The temperature in the valley was in the low teens. We started at 8:45 A.M. after driving up from Pinkham Notch. We chatted amiably on the walk up knowing that when the trail steepened and we left the cover of the trees, that 100% focus would be needed to ensure our safety and to reach the summits.

Even though the White Mountains are known for difficult weather, we weren’t mountaineering. The well-known mountaineer and writer, David Roberts, cut his teeth in the Whites, but he refers to these mountains as “walk ups.” Roberts’ preference for real climbing is done with crampons, axes, and ropes and is done in Alaska on vertical ice/rock faces. We were content with our walk. Once above treeline, we paused behind the hut to adjust our gear. The backside of the hut offered a little reprieve from the steady wind that was blowing. It was here that I got my only photograph above treeline. My camera froze up and the lens was covered in ice within seconds. I didn’t have much experience with shooting in those conditions, so it was a one frame learning experience.

Matt opted to put on his snowshoes and Art and I kept our shoes on. We added layers, ate some food, and drank some water before setting out for the top of Madison. It was slow going with the stiff breeze and blowing snow. It was much colder in the wind and Art slowed a bit. With the windchill, the temperature had to have been at least -25 degrees Fahrenheit, but there is really no way for me to know. The wind was very strong, but it didn’t have its way with us. I have been in gusts that could knock you down and this wasn’t as bad. Saturday’s wind would push you a bit and keep you off-balance, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as the wind that those summits often see. It was the combination of cold temperatures, wind, and blowing snow, that made for the complete challenge.

We saw three hikers on their way down and they described what they experienced on their way to the top of Madison. They were happy to be getting off the mountain. After 10 minutes, Art opted to retreat back to the hut to work on his gear and warm up. Matt and I accelerated and reached the top of at 12:10 P.M. We spent two minutes on the summit, soaking up the excitement of being out in those conditions. When survival is at stake, there is no worrying about the “to do list” at work. That is one of the main reasons why I love forays into the mountains. We high-fived each other, and then made our way back to the hut, passing two more hikers on their way up. Those five people were the only folks that we saw all day. Solitude is one of the joys of being in the White Mountains in winter.

We met up with Art, who was feeling better. We made sure he was OK, and then we all agreed to remove our snowshoes and put on our crampons. We felt that we would be able to move quicker with the crampons, despite the pockets of deep snow. Art was cool with our idea to give Adams a shot. The temperature was dropping, as forecasted, and the wind was picking up, so we adjusted our gear behind the hut before making an uphill push again.

Mt. Adams eluded us. Conditions were deteriorating fast, and we lost sight of our next cairn. We decided to take the shortest route up, which in hindsight was a bad decision. We knew where we were, having been in that area before, but we were off trail. That can be an exciting development in some situations because winter bushwhacking isn’t all that bad. But, given our circumstances and the terrible visibility, being on trail would have permitted us to reach the top. We kept going up, but we were off course and the terrain got sketchy as we made our way up the flanks of Mt. Adams. Matt and I took turns scouting ahead, before we regrouped with Art and agreed to descend via a gully in an attempt to return to the trail. Sure enough, after less than 10 minutes of going down, we found the trail again and followed it back to the Valley Way trail.

Once below treeline, we were out of the wind and our hike turned into a pleasant walk. We returned to our fun conversations and finished the nine-plus mile hike in six hours and 45 minutes. All in all, a great day.

Fire Update

Today mark three weeks since the devastating fire that destroyed two neighboring buildings in our East Hartford neighborhood. Horst Engineering is back up to full speed, but the two businesses at 71 George St. and 79 George St. have been forced to scramble in an attempt to get their operations up and running. Up until Christmas, there had been 24 hour police coverage. Every day, there were investigators and insurance adjusters working on the investigation.

By the end last week, a general contractor who specializes in demolitions where environmental hazards may be present, began work on the 71 George site. The snow had delayed some work, but the process of clearing the rubble is underway. Also last week, I went on the roof of our adjacent 41 Cedar St. plant to inspect the roof and solar panels. The view of the two damaged buildings was amazing. The roofs were collapsed, with steel beams strewn about. The power of fire is amazing.

Fortunately, our roof is virtually unscathed, and the solar panels are fine. The panels and the roof need a good cleaning. They are covered in soot, but we will wait until the demolition of the buildings is complete before we clean up. There is bound to be more dust and grime in the coming months as these buildings come down and (maybe) new ones go up.

2009 Scrooge Scramble

Today, we continued our tradition of running the Scrooge Scramble 5K road race on Christmas morning. We had a great time. The weather wasn’t that bad. There was bright sun and the temperature hovered around the freezing mark. I rode over to the start in downtown Rockville, Connecticut. I kicked off my 2010 training program a week before the end of the year with a double workout. The ride was enjoyable, though chilly. My hands were cold all day. The run was good because I got to push both of our children in our Chariot CX-2. It was our second race as a trio, but first where I actually went hard.

When we jogged the Santa’s Run earlier this month, I didn’t get a full appreciation for the CX-2. Today, I realized just how much harder pushing two kids is. My GPS data was interesting. This jog stroller is about 5 lbs. more than the CX-1, but it is also wider and less aerodynamic. With two kids and gear, I really felt the two main hills on today’s course. I also jacked my heart rate up pretty high for a race that wasn’t supposed to be serious.

As usual, the race benefitted the Vernon Community Center/Cornerstone, which is where the race started. Mary Lou White and Janet Romayko were the Race Directors for the third year in a row. This race has been run for 19 years now and has always been supported by the Shenipsit Striders and the Silk City Striders. Next year’s 20th ought to be even more special.

Debbie had a good run and enjoyed being free of the Chariot for a change. She finished second among women. She said she lacked speed on the hills, which is to be expected given how much running she has been able to do. Still, she said she felt good and is ready to pick up the pace. There can’t be too many Christmas Day races, so this one is certainly unique.

Race Results

The Toughest Ten

I started working on this post months ago. It took a very snowy day for me to find the time to finish the list. I have shaped it and updated it as I have reflected on the meaning of endurance sports in my life. The physical suffering associated with the training and competition is something that I thrive on. Athletics is a big part of who I am and I have gotten great pleasure from the activities that I have done during two decades of endurance sports. I played hockey as a youth, ran cross-country in middle school and high school, and remained active at the start of my college career in Army R.O.T.C.

However, it wasn’t until I took up road cycling in college, that I started on the current path. A while back, I started thinking about the most challenging races that I have done. I referred to them as the toughest. Not counting the cross-country and track meets that I finished in middle school and high school, I have done more than 700 endurance events. I’ve gone through different phases. After high school, I continued to run, andthen I did mountain bike racing, then road racing, then cyclocross, then trail running, then adventure racing, and now triathlon.  There have been other interesting variations in between (e.g. snowshoe racing) and all of these sports have overlapped at one point. There have been years, especially recently, when I’ve done all of these different sports in a twelve month period. I like mixing it up and I like the benefits of cross training. The variety helps minimize the risk of injuries.

I’ve never been great at any one of these sports. Body type/size and training time are two big limitations, but that hasn’t stopped me from competing and having fun. So, which ones have been the toughest to date? I’ve ranked them here with a brief description. A common thread is the length of these races and their multi-sport component. I have migrated more towards these types of races. Until now, these are the toughest races that I have done:

1) Jay Challenge, Jay, Vermont, 29-31 July 2005, 20:09:11

Hands down, this is the grandaddy of my palmares. Just finishing the Jay Challenge was an accomplishment.  It is a bit different from others on this list because it was a three day stage race with the overall winner achieving the lowest cumulative time. Each of the three stages would make this list on their own. I was 10th overall and know I would have done better with a faster kayak, but that doesn’t matter. Finishing was the real accomplishment. The first day was a 27 mile kayak paddle across Lake Mephramagog from Quebec to Vermont. The second day was the classic Jay Mountain Marathon, but it wasn’t 26.2 miles, it was 33. The third day was a 65 mile mountain bike ride on hilly terrain. You summited Jay Peak in both the run and bike. There was so much climbing in this race (except the paddle) that it made you silly. The race was in late July and at the time, I had never been more fit. We completed our end-to-end hike of the Long Trail three weeks before Jay, so I had a pain threshold like never before…and never since. I could go all day long, get up and do it again. The LT was 13 days and 285 miles of supreme effort, so three at Jay was simple, yet still very hard. Pain Index: 10

2) Sea to Summit Triathlon, Jackson, New Hampshire, 22 July 2006, 9:29:21

It was difficult to rank the Sea to Summit Triathlon second ahead of races three and four because they were all wicked hard. However, given the fitness I had at the time, this one beats out the others. The Sea to Summit Triathlon was an 112 mile jaunt from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Jackson, New Hampshire. The race consisted of a 12 mile kayak up the Piscataquis River to Berwick, Maine. Then, after a transition, you rode 90 miles to Jackson, New Hampshire. From there, you ran four miles uphill on Rt. 16 to Pinkham Notch. Then, you ran/hiked five and a half miles up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the summit of Mt. Washington. Only 40 people were allowed into the race. It was a special day, though I suffered dearly. I started the morning at sunrise in the pea soup fog at sea level near the mouth of the river. I finished wearing a skinsuit and a windbreaker on the top of the mountain in gale force winds blowing cold rain and sleet at 6322 feet, the highest point in New England. If it wasn’t for my awesome crew (Debbie, Art, Mel, and Bill), I might still be out on the course. It was shorter than an Ironman, but the weather conditions, lack of organized support/aid stations, and terrain, made it tougher than any other triathlon. Pain Index: 10

3) American Zofingen Ultra-Distance Duathlon, New Paltz, New York, 12 October 2008, 8:28:02

The American Zofingen was also run at a time when I wasn’t quite at my top fitness, but it helped me get back to a high level after my first real long layoff. That means it hurt a heck of a lot. After I finished it, I knew that if I could learn to swim, then I could finish an Ironman. Zofingen is the toughest duathlon in the country, and maybe the toughest in the world. The first leg was a 5 mile trail run in the Mohonk Preserve. The second leg was an 84 mile bike ride around the Shawangunk Mountains. The third leg was 15 mile trail run on the same course as the first leg. Again, at 104 miles, it was shorter than an Ironman, and there was no swimming. Still, due to the terrain (major hills) and my lack of fitness, it was harder, but not by much. Pain Index: 10

4) Ironman Lake Placid, Lake Placid, New York, 26 July 2009, 10:44:48

Ironman USA in Lake Placid was an amazing race. I did it this past August and it was my longest ever one day race. 2.4 mile swim/112 mile bike/26.2 run. That should be enough to put it on the top of this list. However, I managed to get into top form, so it hurt, but not as bad as some of the other races on this list. I had my rough moments, and the swim was terrifying, but I managed to race within my limits and finish strong. The support was phenomenal (great volunteers) and the conditions were good. I’m sure that most people would put Ironman at the top of their list. For various reasons, it isn’t quite there for me. Thinking back, Zofingen and Sea to Summit were just plain harder, but mostly because I fell apart in both of those races. I was strong to the end during Lake Placid. I’m still proud of my first ever Ironman finish. Pain Index: 9

5) Ultimate XC (Jay Mountain Marathon), Jay, Vermont, 28 July 2007, 6:51:37

The Jay Challenge has not been held in the past few years, but the race morphed into an ultra-distance trail running race, when it was reduced to one day from three. Now known as the Ultimate XC, the Jay Mountain Marathon started as a run years ago, became part of the three stage Jay Challenge, returned to a run, and eventually migrated from Vermont to Quebec. A version of the race has also been held in Moab, Utah the past two years. All of the variations and names are hard to keep track of, but the one constant is the difficulty of the courses. This run took us up Jay Peak to an elevation of nearly 4000 feet. Then, it plunged us down the backside, through deep mud, into a bushwhacking section, then into a series of streams, then to a river crossing, then through a swamp, and eventually back to town. It was 33 miles of agony. Debbie caught me at mile 16 and I hung with her for 15 miles, before she dropped me like a wet sandbag. I finished, and that is what counts. Pain Index: 9

6) Hampshire 100, Greenfield, New Hampshire, 17 August 2008, 7:41:57

Other than the third stage of the Jay Challenge, the Hampshire 100 is the hardest mountain bike race that I have done. It was 100 kilometers, but it felt like 100 miles. Thanks to a month’s worth of unseasonable rain, the course was a quagmire. It was one big loop, which added to its epic nature. There was a ton of climbing and there was the added benefit of racing against two teammates for the honors of fastest mate. I kept dropping off their little group, before getting shed for good. Then, I had a wild mechanical failure when a stick wedged into my lower derailleur pulley going downhill at 20mph. I came to an abrupt halt and my chain was jammed. With less than five miles to go, I was afraid that I was going to have to walk the rest of the way. I made a delicate repair, extricated my derailleur from my rear wheel, and rode it in. It was a long day! Pain Index: 9

7) Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hill Climb, Gorham, New Hampshire, 23 August 1997, 1:14:54, 21 August 1999, 1:10:37, 19 August 2000, 1:08:04, 25 August, 2001, 1:11:04

I’ve done the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hill Climb four times. Incidentally, I’ve run it once, but it is the bike race that destroys the legs and puts your heart rate into a new category. Each time, I  pushed so hard that it made me dizzy. The last 22% grade is nothing like anything you have ridden before. As far as I’m concerned, it is the hardest section of road on Earth.  It comes after 7.6 miles of constant uphill at an average grade of 12%. For a hill, on a bike, this is as hard as it gets. My best finish was in 2000 when I rode a 38 x 25 low gear, which was way too hard. My knees are still hating me for that decision. I haven’t done the race since 2001 when the entry fee rose to $300 (though it is for charity) and the event got too popular. I’ll do it again someday. This is the second shortest race (time) on the list, but there is no resting. The weather at the top is the most inhospitable in the world, with constant wind and cold temperatures, even in August. It is no surprise that two of my top ten toughest races have finished on the Washington summit cone. Pain Index: 8

8 ) Jay Mountain Bike, Jay, Vermont, 30 July 2006, 8:56:00 DNF

It is a testament to Jay Race Director, Dan DesRosiers, that his events show up on this list three separate times. They are unique, they are painful, and they are unmatched. He goes out of his way to make the races difficult. You feel like a champ just for finishing. Unfortunately, this one, I didn’t finish. I was a DNF at the Jay Mountain Bike, with only five miles to go in the 70 mile race. It was one of two DNF’s on this list. I stopped at nine hours and I was at least an hour from the finish. Debbie was eight months pregnant and crewing for me (no excuse). It was hot (no excuse). I did Sea to Summit  a week prior (see number two on this list, but no excuse). I just didn’t have the legs, and suffered terribly. I walked the five miles before I quit and was resigned to the fact that I just wasn’t going to make it, so I climbed off after hours of struggling on the bike. It was the brutal fresh-cut singletrack that was the last straw for me.  No regrets. Pain Index: 8

9) Borgt-Grimbergen Kermesse, Grimbergen, Belgium, 06 August 1994, 2:19:56

I spent the summer of 1994 racing kermesses all over Belgium. In 15+ races, this was the hardest one. There have been many longer bike races over the years and many that hurt a lot, but the Borgt-Grimbergen Kermesse had the romance of racing in Belgium. I made the front group for the first time all summer. There were 15 other riders in a breakaway and I had to give it everything I had just to stay with the group and take my pulls. My heart rate hit 200bpm in this race, which was typical at the time, but still very high. This was the race where I started to burn out on road cycling. The other riders in the break were downright violent. There is no question that performance enhancing drugs (amphetamines) were being used. I risked being crashed out of the race at the hands of these merciless riders. I was happy to be up there, but wasn’t going to make it to the finish with them anyway, so I dropped off the group and finished behind them. I’ve never had to ride harder to stick with a break. Pain Index: 8

10) Race for the Gate, Nashua, New Hampshire, 24 June 2000, 1:08:00, DNF

I did a lot of tough road cycling events over my career. I’ve wrecked in many, but that doesn’t mean they were hard. There have been long and hilly road races. There have been intense cyclocross races where I was in oxygen debt. But, the longest cross races were 65 minutes. I did the Race for the Gate criterium when it was held as a twilight/night-time race. That alone made it different and difficult. I recall that it was a crash fest. The race was delayed by a huge pileup and people were going down left and right. The shadows cast by the large spotlights that the organizers had on the course, were very deceiving. There were more than 100 riders in this Pro/1/2/3 race and I was hanging on for dear life. I wish I had made it to the finish, but I got popped off the back with only a couple of laps to go. I was completely anaerobic and I was in danger of losing control in a corner. I was ecstatic to have made it as far as I did. It was a long criterium and it was a hard one. Pain Index: 8

Honorable Mention’s in no particular order: Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island, Nipmuck Trail Marathon, 7 Sisters Trail Race, The Bluff 50km, National Cyclocross Championships (Providence), Vermont 50 Mile Ride, Vermont 50km Run, Wapack Trail Race, Six Foot Track Marathon, Walt Disney World Marathon, Moby Dick, Mt. Washington Road Race, Tour of the Adirondacks Road Race, Stowe Road Race, Killington Stage Race, Josh Billings Runaground Triathlon, National Collegiate Cycling Championships Road Race

Chariot Carriers

Once again, we have proof that the Chariot is one of the best inventions ever. It would be fun to run a company like Chariot Carriers. It is a cool product that people like and value, unlike some of the screws, nuts, and bolts and other hardware that Horst Engineering makes for a living. Not that bolts aren’t important, they are just anonymous and the customers would rather manage spreadsheets than research good products. I wish I had come up with the design for the Chariot!  I’m not quite sure how the Livingston Family would function without one of these. And now, we have two! We acquired our CX-2 last month after the arrival of our second child. I’ve raved about the CX-1 and now I’m just as happy with the CX-2. This isn’t an advertisement, it is an endorsement. If you have young kids and you want to remain active, there is no other option.

We got the “deuce,” as it is known in our house, out on the Hop River Linear Park (Rail Trail) for a little walk this morning. The snow wasn’t as deep as predicted, but it was deep enough. They don’t make a CX-3, so it looks like this is our last Chariot!

Boston, Massachusetts and the Santa’s Speedo Run

Last weekend, we had a great holiday season trip to Boston, Massachusetts. There were several highlights, including the Santa’s Speedo Run. Unfortunately, I got closed out of this event. I couldn’t believe that it filled up so fast! It would have been my 38th race of the year, but alas, it was not to be. Since the temperature was 25F, I shouldn’t be complaining. I’ve got the Scrooge Scramble coming up on Christmas Day, but this one would have been fun.

On Saturday afternoon, the boys visited the New England Aquarium while the girls went shopping.

On Sunday, we explored many of my old neighborhoods. Over the course of the day, I saw each of the five places that I lived during my college career: 700 Commonwealth Ave., 24 Union Park in the South End, 1653 Commonwealth Ave. in Brighton, 90 St. Thomas More Rd. in Chestnut Hill, and 66 Commonwealth Ave. in Chestnut Hill. It was a blast revisiting the past.

During the weekend, we dined around Asia at Bangkok Blue Thai, Kashmir, and Shabu-Zen. Also on Sunday, we walked 10 kilometers, had fun at a great South End playground, and visited the Boston Common. It was frigid on Saturday and cold and rainy on Sunday, but that didn’t dampen our spirits. The holiday decorations were nice and the streets were bustling with people.

By  afternoon, it was raining pretty heavy, and after our fourth T ride of the day, the troops were a bit weary. We traipsed through Allston and Brighton, then hiked through the Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, then over to the Green Line for our last train ride of the day. Everyone had a fine time.