Bolton Land Trust @ Pesce’s Farm

The Bolton Land Trust has great timing. After a week full of rainy evenings, they picked a great one last night, for a strawberry picking event at Pesce’s Farm. We rode up the hill to the farm to join the fun. We were treated to a history of the farm, a violin duo, and a special ice cream and strawberries treat. We even managed to pick some more berries to add to the three gallons that Debbie had already frozen. 

Lake Placid Recon

I’m in an Adirondack state of mind. On Saturday, after a few hours of work at the shop, I drove to Lake Placid, New York on  a reconnaissance mission. Ironman USA is less than a month away and this was my last chance to scout the course. I’m in build up mode with two weeks of hard training left. I wanted to ride both the run and bike legs. I left Hartford in the sun and drove right into another round of Northeast storms. Our Friday night storms were wild with wind, rain, and nasty lightning. On Saturday, it was mostly rain, but torrential at times. Sections of I-87 were white knuckle driving. 

I made it to LP safely and parked in town. I suited up and rode one lap of the 56 mile bike course. I’ll have to do it twice in the race, but I didn’t have enough daylight this time. I ended up riding for a few more hours to get five total. My GPS wasn’t performing, so I’ll have to guess at mileage, but it doesn’t really matter. I was soaked to the bone after steady rain in the second half of the ride. I was also covered in sand, so they don’t have to worry about sweeping the roads. I took care of it for them. After dinner and and UBU Ale at the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, I found a place to camp for the night. 

It had been a few years since I was in LP. I used to go a couple times a year for road bike races, including the Tour of the Adirondacks. The place really is a sports Mecca. We rarely get to the Adirondack Mountains. When you live in New England, the White Mountains and Green Mountains are your preference. The drive is about the same distance, but we do most of our hiking in New Hampshire and Vermont. Of course, now that we have done all 67 of the 4000 footers in New England, we may eventually turn our sights to New York where there are 46 more mountains to climb.

LP is like an athletes’ paradise. The whole town seems very welcoming. I’m not sure if that is why it was suitable for hosting the Olympics (twice) or if it is a result of hosting the Olympics. On Sunday, after morning fog, it turned out to be really nice. I got up and rode to Wilmington, then continued half way up Whiteface Mountain. I stopped at the toll booth because all of the signs said the road was closed to bikes. I should have ridden around the barricade and kept going, but it was all uphill and my legs weren’t great. I returned to LP for some breakfast and an early departure. I’ve always wanted to ride the official bicycle hill climb. It is a total of 8 miles up from Keene, so I’ll add that to my to do list. 

 

When I got back to town, it seemed as if the whole town had woken up. On one stretch of road, I saw swimmers in the lake, other cyclists, runners, horse jumpers, fly fisherman, rock climbers, lugers (on the road), and hikers. It was wild. The lugers were coming down a hill next to the ski jumping complex, which is across the road from the horse show grounds. I got photos of both sides of the street without moving.

One my way home, I stopped at Marcy Field to visit the Keene Farmers’ Market. I did a little shopping before hitting the road again. It was a lot nicer drive on the way back to Connecticut, but I was weary from the whirlwind 30 hour trip. I spent 10 hours in the van and 7 hours on my bike, all in an effort to get a preview of the course. I think the scouting mission will prove its worth. 

Speaking of luge-while I was on the road, I came across a “Luge Mom” of sorts. This is the Lake Placid version of a soccer mom. Someone was probably a luger back in the day based on the license plate on the SUV. I think the 1984 Winter Olympics was in Sarajevo. 

We are bound to have a good time in Lake Placid again next month.

Orthopaedic Manufacturing & Technology Exposition and Conference

I was in Chicago, Illinois, earlier this week for the Orthopaedic Manufacturing & Technology Exposition and Conference (OMTEC). Technically, the trade show was held at the Rosemont Convention Center. It was my first time to OMTEC, but it was the 5th time it has been held. Horst Engineering’s medical business unit, Horst Medical, is accelerating its growth in the medical market. 

Orthopaedics are an excellent growth opportunity because several of our core processes, including Swiss screw machining, turning, milling, and centerless grinding; are ideally suited to produce surgical instruments and implants. I attended several workshops at OMTEC in an effort to get a pulse on the current condition of the market. Though medical has remained stronger than the aerospace and industrial markets, it is much weaker than it has historically been. 

Still, there were attendees and presenters who remain bullish about the long term prospects for sustained industry growth. An aging population, Zoomers (active and upwardly mobile Baby Boomers), obesity, population growth in emerging markets, and a host of other factors are increasing the demand for orthopaedic products and services. Even the businesses in the medical marketplace are feeling the pinch of this economy. Trade show attendance was well down from prior years according to the organizers. Of course, the refrain was that those that attended were “quality leads.” I would hope to think so. Horst Medical made some excellent contacts. Now we have to turn our focus from generating leads into quoting opportunities.

2009 Mt. Greylock Trail Race

Today was the Mt. Greylock Trail Race, a Father’s Day tradition. It was a great way to spend time with the family. The venue, Greylock Glen in Adams, Massachusetts, is one of the most beautiful trail race start/finishes in New England. The Berkshire mountains are so cool and the Western Massachusetts trails are fabulous.

There were several story lines to this event. I was “doubling” as they say, but in a non-traditional manner. The traditional double is to run the Mt. Washington Road Race in Gorham, New Hampshire, on Saturday. Then, make the drive to the Glen for Greylock on Sunday. This may not have been pioneered by my nemesis, Todd Brown, but he is the runner who most consistently executes the double. I’ve done the Washington/Greylock double once and Deb has done it twice, but my 2009 double was to finish the Pat Griskus Triathlon on Saturday, then do Greylock on Sunday.

I kind of figured I would be slow today, but I was even slower than expected. I ran 2:08:00, which is four minutes off my best time. After three great 2009 Grand Tree trail running results, I had a rough day. Yesterday’s triathlon left me fatigued and my legs were pretty toasted. Oh well. It was really about the training, the trails, and the family time. I was anaerobic in the first quarter mile. It took me more than 40 minutes to run to the summit of Mt. Greylock (straight up from the start line), and I had my first fall of the year (scratches and bruises). My shoe laces came untied four separate times, despite the triple knots. It was that kind of day. Oh, and did I mention the mud? This was as muddy as I have ever seen these trails. The mud puddles were fun, but nasty, and not the best for the trails.

The second major story line was that this was Debbie’s 10th Greylock in a row. That is quite a streak considering that her trail running career is only 10 years old. With the exception of her first race, the 1999 Soapstone Sampler, this is the race that really got her hooked. She first did this race three months before we met, so you could say that her love affair with Mt. Greylock pre-dates our own relationship. She remembers the 1999 Greylock vividly. She says it was where she met the great people that make up the New England trail running community. She won the race that year and has returned every year since then. She has been talking about Greylock for the past month, so I know it meant a lot to her to run well today.

She ran 2:37:00 and loved every minute of this muddy slog. That is about 37 minutes slower than her best time, but is nearly 20 minutes faster than her 2006 pregnancy time. She is one month behind her 2006 pregnancy, but that can’t be the only reason why she is quicker. It doesn’t matter. She finished with a big smile on her face. The only time I saw her scowl was when she was washing off in the mountain stream that cuts through the Glen. That water was cold.

We are so grateful for Mrs. Schieffer’s help. She watched our little guy, hung out in the Glen, and sliced watermelon with the great volunteers. The post race spread was excellent as usual.

As for the speedsters, Brian Rusiecki took the overall win, less than a minute ahead of Greg Hammett in 1:42:14. Samantha Saeger topped all women with a fine time of 2:02:34. Amy Lane was second.

This was the first time in three years that we have run the Greylock course that goes to the summit. The auto road was under construction the last two years, so we had not been  to the top in a while. It was great to go up there and see the Memorial Tower.

Race Results

2009 Pat Griskus Triathlon (Olympic Race)

We awoke at the crack of dawn today so that I could finally compete in my first triathlon of the year. Last month, I went to Harriman State Park for a Half Iron-distance race, but it turned into a long duathlon because heavy fog caused the swim to be cancelled.

Today’s race was the Pat Griskus Triathlon (Olympic Race) at Quassy Amusement Parkin Middlebury, Connecticut.   There are two Griskus races, with the older (23 years) Sprint Race scheduled for its usual Wednesday night slot on 8 July. I’m doing that one two because I have always wanted to do the summer race. It is one of the most popular triathlons in New England.

Today’s race consisted of a 1 mile swim/25 mile bike/6.2 mile run. It started at 7:00 A.M., which is good and bad. The bad part is that we had to get up so early. The good part was that the race was over by 9:30 and we were home by noon with the whole afternoon to relax and do stuff around the house.

My first triathlon was in 1999. My second was in 2002. My third was today. I wanted a change of pace in 2009, so I chose triathlon as my focus. I never took it seriously in the past, but this year, I’m giving it my all. I’ve been swimming a lot and I built a triathlon/TT bike purpose especially for these events. I’m working my way up to the Ironman distance, but I’m not ready yet.

I was a bit nervous about the mass start open water swim. With limited experience, and none recently, I really didn’t know what to expect when 200 people charged into Lake Quassapaug with arms and legs flailing. I did OK. It certainly isn’t like swimming in the pool where you have lane lines, clear water, and your own space. My biggest problem was swimming straight. I kept looking up and making course corrections, which is horribly inefficient.

My transitions were OK, but not great. Getting out of the wetsuit was easier than expected, but I was just slow. I opted for comfort (e.g. socks) rather than speed. I was watching the hard core guys and gals. They have the drill down pat. The bike leg was my strong leg today. I made up ground the whole way and just ran out of road otherwise I probably could have continued improving my position. The course was beautiful with lots of ups and downs. It was moderately technical with several tight turns and some rough pavement to deal with.

The run went OK. I picked up a few more spots on the twice out and back course. There were a few hills to contend with. Once you did the first out and back leg, it was difficult to chase because the first leg runners were mixed in with the second leg runners. That was a minor frustration, but no big deal.

I ended up 14th overall in 2:21:19 and was 5th in my age group, which met expectations. After the mediocre swim, I did a lot of passing, which is OK, but next time I don’t want to lose so much ground in the water. I had a lot of fun, as did many others, which was the main objective. I simply needed to do a triathlon so that I could go into the next one with more confidence. The Pat Griskus volunteers were awesome. There were lots of road marshals and police on the bike course; the aid stations were well stocked, and the finish area had a mini-expo set up with lots of post-race refreshments.

I’m still adjusting to the triathlon scene. The culture is the complete opposite of trail running. There is a lot more gear. The entry fees are much higher (excluding ultramarathons). Most people spend more time training. There are lots of do-dads in addition to all that gear. The top athletes have a certain intensity. The trail running scene is much more mellow. We are going to get a chance to chill out tomorrow because we are taking part in a Father’s Day tradition, the Mt. Greylock Trail Race. I hope the race numbers that had been written on my arm and calves with black magic market fade by then. Othwerwise, I’m going to be getting some serious flak!

Race Results: Click on results and go to Pat Griskus.

Hut to Hut in the White Mountains: Family Style

Last week, we had a wonderful family trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This adventure was unlike many of our past adventures to the mountains. Shepard (2 years, 10 months) joined us for the fun. Debbie planned a point to point hike to perfection.

On Wednesday, we parked at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center Lodge in Crawford Notch and then took AMC’s Hiker Shuttle over to Franconia Notch. We unloaded our backpacks and Shepard, and then began our walk. We had a short hike (3 miles) straight up the Old Bridle Path trail to Greenleaf Hut.

AMC’s high mountain hut system is fabulous. Debbie and I have been to all eight of these hostels, and after this trip, Shep has now been to four. His first, Mizpah Spring Hut, was at nine weeks old. We carried him in the front pack then, but this trip, he was on our backs. Each had has its own unique character. They all operate within the same system. You get a bunk, a pillow and case, wool blanket, and two hot meals (dinner and breakfast). They all share wonderful history. Greenleaf is at a stunning location on the shoulder of 5260 foot Mt. Lafayette. Wednesday afternoon was muggy and overcast, but just as we arrived at the hut, blue skies appeared. The sunset was spectacular, though we were pretty knackered from the walk up and climbed into our bunks shortly after 8:00 P.M.. We hadn’t carried heavy packs like this in a while.

We used our Deuter Kid Comfort II to carry Shep. Our version is three years old, but the design hasn’t changed much. We have a ton of feedback to provide Deuter, if they are open to listening. Prior to this trip, we used this pack for up to six hours at a time, but 24 hours of hiking over four days on some of the most rugged trails in New England, was a whole new proving ground. The plan was for Deb to carry Shep and for me to carry enough gear for the three of us. The Deuter has a metal frame and several pockets to store stuff in addition to the kid. The Deuter with Shep weighed 40 pounds. My pack loaded with food and water weighed a bit more. It turned out that we had to alternate carrying Shep.

The Deuter required much more balance because the load (the kid) is much higher and shifts when he moves or if you are on unstable ground (all of the White Mountains). You can’t lean forward too far and you can’t sit down to slide on rocks. Your hip flexors get overworked pretty quickly. The pack itself just isn’t designed for that kind of distance, though I’m not sure if there is anything better on the market. Our Ergo Baby Carrier is a much better solution for short hikes. We use it extensively for walks up to three hours. However, it is all cloth, has no frame, and no foul weather accessories (sun cover/rain cover). It also has no storage. The position of the child right up against your back is great for naps, but offers no ventilation for either person. We felt that the Deuter was the better choice for backpacking. We are not sure what we will do next time. In the extreme environment of the White Mountains, you have to be prepared for any weather. We were blessed with only moderate winds on the summits, and the rain was mostly a nuisance rather than being dangerous. However, all of us, including Shepard, have the right clothing for the conditions we faced. It is important for both parents, especially the one carrying the child, to have the necessary gear. You never know if you are going to get split up.

We were prepared. Our son was never uncomfortable, though he never napped, which was tough on all of us. The trip was fantastic. On day two, we hiked from Greenleaf to Galehead Hut via the Greenleaf Trail and the Garfield Ridge Trail. This was our longest day. The 7.7 miles took nine hours and 10 minutes. We had lots of breaks, including 30 minutes on the summit of Lafayette. The Garfield Ridge Trail was tough, but thrilling, with lots of exposed rock.

It was great to return to Galehead. It is one of the most remote huts and is nestled a half mile below the 4024 foot summit of Galehead Mountain. On day three, we awoke to heavy rain. This is the day that really tested all of us. We knew the forecast in advance and were ready for the challenge. The trails were quite soggy, but again, late in the day, we had just enough clearing to snap some great photos from Zeacliff. As we were approaching the hut, we met up with old friend, Matt Schomburg. We last saw Matt riding away on his motorcycle from Grafton Notch State Park on Labor Day Weekend 2008. Deb, Matt, and I completed a one day 42 mile circumnavigation of the Grafton Trail Loop. Matt had wintered in Antarctica (their summer) and recently returned from a month-long stopover in New Zealand. He was fit as usual and ready to tackle his White Mountain National Forest Ranger responsibilities. It was great to see Matt.

The seven miles took six hours and 45 minutes. We took the Twinway Trail all the way to Zealand Falls Hut. On 1 January 2005, we completed our New Hampshire 4000 footers with an ascent of Zealand Mountain, and spent a wintry night at Zealand Falls Hut. That was the last time that we took in the spectacular Pemigewasset Wilderness view from the porch. This time, it was a Friday night, and the hut was full of hikers getting an early start to the weekend. We had a lively dinner and a good night of sleep.

Our final day was a four and a half hour hike over 5.5 miles back to the Highland Center in Crawford Notch. Our last tough climb was most of the way up Mt. Tom. The majority of the hike was on the A-Z Trail and the Avalon Trail. We spent our final night in the mountains at the Highland Center, one of AMC’s greenest buildings. The huts themselves, are quite green too, and have been for years. They are powered by a combination of propane, solar, and wind power, though their power consumption is very low. Water pumps and a few lights are all that is required. Zealand is unique in that it is also powered by hydro power from Whitewall Brook, which is right out the front door. Hearing the rushing water as you doze off is a real treat.

Like all of AMC’s facilities, the huts offer a great learning experience. All of the Hut Croos are staffed with a resident Naturalist, who present a daily program for guests. There are also Junior Naturalist programs for children. Interpretative displays demonstrate the importance of maintaining our environment, hightlight the joys of wilderness, and illustrate sustainability through best practices. After four days, all three of us could have kept on going. We would have loved to visit Mizpah Spring Hut again, then gone on to Lakes of the Clouds, Madison Spring, and Carter Notch. Maybe next time. Deb chose the Greenleaf-Galehead-Zealand combo because of logistics. They seemed like the best three to take a kid too, though Lonesome Lake, the most westerly hut, is the one geared most to families.

This trip could not have been any more different than our Memorial Day Weekend adventure in western Maine. On that trip, we covered the same distance (23 miles) in one day, then followed that up the next day with another 15 mile hike/run and a 35 mile bike ride. Of course, we had left one important item at home…Shep.

He had a wonderful learning experience. He referred to the huts as “houses.” He was intrigued by the Clivus Multrum composting toilets, though we realized they are not kid friendly. You could easily lose a curious three year old down that big of a hole. Deb and I got to look at things differently. We were forced to slow down, observe the flowers, listen to the water, and focus on each footstep in a meditative way. There was no hustling. There was no peak bagging. We skipped all the side trails and extra summits. We spent time sharing the wilderness experience with Shep. He pointed out every tree that had fallen on the side of the trail and frequently suggested that someone needed get a wood chipper to take care of the “mess.” He requested frequent “snacks” and “breaks.” We gave him ample time to scramble over the rocks and splash in puddles. His most important question was whether or not there was a “payloader and dump truck” at the next house. He asked that question many times. Kids have a one track mind and he wasn’t truly happy until we emerged from the woods in Crawford Notch and promptly came upon a tractor.

Post Nipmuck & DOMS

When the endorphin rush wears off and the adrenaline surge subsides, you are left with leg pain. Yes, good old leg pain. Two days after a long run is always the worst for me. The Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness sets in. Can you believe it? DOMS even has its own Wikipedia entry! And I thought I was the only one that couldn’t walk downstairs on Tuesday mornings.

Nipmuck does a job on your legs and back. It is nothing like running a road marathon and it isn’t as bad as running an ultramarathon, but it still hurts. Of course, this time around, for me, it hurts so good. I was quite pleased with how I felt afterwards and this particular DOMS episode isn’t nearly as bad as past runs.

I glanced at the results and was really pleased to see that two age group records were set. Jack Pilla, who is 50, had an incredible 3:25:49, good for 2nd place overall. His Grand Tree percentage was 93.35%, which is amazing considering that the winner, Ben Nephew, is 17 years younger. At about the five mile mark, I chatted up 55 year old Rob Higley, who is no slouch. We talked about Jack and how darn fast he is. Rob called him a “real runner.” Rob finished 4th, so no one is crying for him. Heck, compared to Rob, Jack is a puppy. They are both real runners in my book!

The second age group record was set by 62 year old Laura Clark. She ran 6:28:23 good for 49.47% of Ben’s time. She almost got that 50%. Of course, Ben has 29 years on her, again, almost 50%. She was closer in percentage to the first woman, 41 year old Donna Utakis. Laura has been getting better with age. You know the methaphor…like a fine vintage.

Scan the list of finishers. The average age looks like it is over 50. Maybe they know something about the Nipmuck Trail that others don’t. Could it be the fountain of youth? Regardless, I have two observations. Long distance trail running can be done by anyone, no matter the age. Trail running can keep you vital. My second observation is that we have to expose more young runners to the joys of trail running. They are missing out. I hope they aren’t all on the roads and tracks. That will just lead to repetitive overuse injuries. Then, they will quit running in despair. I guess the road or track would be better than parked in front of a TV or monitor.

This is a serious matter. We need runners to keep these races going. We need race directors and volunteers too. They aren’t getting any younger. Debbie and I have been around the New England trail running community since 1999. We have gotten 10 years older and are no longer the baby faces. Let’s all encourage young runners to join us in the fun.

Michelle Roy did just that on Sunday. She paced 15 year old Kelsey Taylor, who became the youngest finisher in Nipmuck’s 26 year history. It was so much fun to pass those two gals twice on the double out and back course. They were chattering and laughing so much (the first time) that I chided them to “focus” on the trail. Best to warn them that there are rocks and roots out there and that all that gossip might lead to a fall.

The oldest starter was 79 year old Richard Busa. Unfortunately, I don’t see Rich’s name in the finish results. I hope he missed the time cut, but finished, and that he wasn’t the victim of a DNF or injury.

A lot of folks have cited Livingston Family athleticism as a source of inspiration. We often cite the efforts of our more “senior”  running friends as our inspiration. Seeing  a Busa with his number pinned to his head, a Laura Clark with her fierce determination, or a Jack Pilla with his killer speed; is enough to get us motivated.

Race Director, Nipmuck Dave, is a sage. You may not have noticed in the photographs from my race update, but the bib numbers had a simple saying printed on them, “Don’t Matter if Your Fast or Slow.”

2009 Nipmuck Trail Marathon

Today, the 2009 Nipmuck Trail Marathon went like I hoped it would. I was focused on breaking the four hour barrier for the first time on my fifth try. I did even better, knocking 17 minutes off my personal best time, finishing in 3:48:30. It has been a great year so far, and so much better than last year. I’ve got PB’s in every running race that I have done (trail and road), which is pretty amazing. Whatever I’m doing (swimming, diet, rest, etc.), it is working and I plan to keep it up.

I ran 4:05:12 in 2004 and had not come close to that time since. Debbie beat me by 20 seconds that year after catching me with less than 1/2 mile to go. It is still painful to think about the sting of that defeat! I made up for it today and was sad that she couldn’t have been out there with me. It was a perfect late spring day for running 26.4 (.2 longer than an official marathon, but who is counting when you are talking trails?) and it looked like a lot of folks (despite the pain of the effort) were having a good time. The Nipmuck Trail was in fabulous shape on this day after National Trails Day/Connecticut Trails Day. The rains of last Thursday and Friday didn’t leave too many wet spots, and the muddy spots were actually tacky. You could run right through it and not get your feet dirty. 

I’ll post a link to the results when they are available, but Ben Nephew was the first across the line. He had a really good run. Debbie and Shep were out hiking on the course, so she got a good look at everyone. She says that he was flying the first time she saw him at mile 15, though she says he was definitely hurting when she saw him again with a mile to go. Donna Utakis was first woman, a great result for her. 26.4 is pretty short by her standards. She ran the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 just three weeks ago in nasty conditions, and is running the Laurel Highlands Ultra (70.5 miles) next week. No rest for the weary! Kelly Perkins was the second woman. 

50 year old stud, Jack Pilla, chased Ben all the way and ended up second. What is up with these superstars in the 50+ category? They are so strong and such an inspiration. I ran a good part of the race with Rob Higley, who is 55, and went on to finish 4th. Right on! I’ve said it before; I’ll be happy if I can finish these races when I’m that age. These guys are turning back the clock. 

Race Director, Nipmuck Dave Raczkowski, was up to his usual pre-race antics. His port-o-potty was exquisitely decorated with photos and flowers. I pity the two trail runners who were crushed when they unloaded it from the flatbed truck.

Dave entertained us before the start with his traditional pre-race instructions/speech and tried to top last year’s 25th anniversary celebration by singing like Michael Jackson. He was backed on vocals by a trio of trail ladies known as the “Muckettes.” 

My race went to plan. I went out relatively hard. I led a group of six or seven guys for a good part of the first 12.4 miles. Rob was in the group along with Peter Keeney, Brett Stoeffler, Keith Schmitt, and a couple other runners. We ran in a pack, occupying 4th through 11th places. I attempted to run within my limits, but stuck with my strategy of running with this group of guys. They would  normally beat me by 25 minutes in a race of this distance, but my other 2009 Grand Tree races had taught me that if I could just hang on, that I would reach my goal. 

We came through the start finish pretty much intact, but then we got spread out a bit over the next seven miles. Brett was the first one to put in a surge. On the dirt road, he hammered down the hill. I couldn’t match his stride, but kept him within 10 seconds. The others were strung out behind me. When the road changed to pavement and went back uphill, I clawed my way back up to him. We hit the singletrack again and stayed together for another mile before he gapped me. He didn’t accelerate, but he maintained his pace over some tricky rocks as the trail climbed a bit more. We had just chatted about the fact that I was in new territory, running this pace, so it made sense for me to let him go. 

I was passed by two more runners before the turnaround at 19.4 miles, including Rob. He dropped the hammer. Thanks to Peter’s pacemaking, we kept them close, though we couldn’t see them. I got by Peter again, but it was temporary. I was bummed to come across Brett walking with a limp at 23.2. He told me that he had sprained his ankle and was going to get a ride back to the finish. I had pulled a bit ahead of Peter and ran through all the final aid stations on my own. He caught up to me again with a little more than a mile to go and challenged me to hang with him. I told him that “I would do my best,” but I knew that I couldn’t increase my pace. I was stuck in one gear, which was fine with me. After the last aid, I had calculated my  projected time and knew that barring a disaster or an injury, that I was on track to smash my PB.

I was toast when I finished. I sat for about 20 minutes with my legs elevated, trying to get some blood out of my feet and up to my brain. We watched many of the other runners finish before collecting a finisher’s log and heading home. I knew that Debbie was bummed to not be running, but it was best that she just watched this year. I’m sure she will be back in 2010. Considering that I’m not sure if I can do better (it would take some work), I may choose Daddy Duty next year.

Race Results

2009 Connecticut Trails Day

Today was National Trails Day and Connecticut Trails Day. Connecticut leads the nation with 130 official Trails Day events. The Connecticut Forest & Park Association, of which I am a Director, is the statewide coordinator of Trails Day. Our organization is the oldest and most respected non-profit conservation organization in Connecticut.

Trails Day is an awesome celebration of our connection with nature. Debbie, Shepard, and I attended an 8:00 A.M. event at the Bolton Heritage Farm (Rose Farm) with  20 other hikers and outdoors lovers. We walked to the farm from our home, which is conveniently adjacent to both the farm and the Hop River Linear Park (Rail Trail). It isn’t a coincidence that the Livingston Family lives in the middle of a great trail network. The Heritage Farm event was sponsored by the Bolton Conservation Commission. We got a chance to hear from two excellent speakers. Bolton Town Historian, Hans DePold, spoke about the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, and its recent National Historic Trail designation. The Bolton Heritage Farm was the site of a famous French encampment during the Revolutionary War. 

Our second speaker was Matt “Twig” Largess, a noted forester, arborest, and self described, “tree hugger.” Twig has participated in Bolton events in the past. He was very entertaining in his signature orange vest. He hails from Jamestown, Rhode Island, and has made a name for himself hunting down great tree specimens in the Northeast Forests. He talks of the days before people inhabited North America when a squirrel could jump on a tree on the eastern seaboard and go to the Mississippi River without leaving the tree canopy. The trees stretched across the country and they were giants. It was a Trails Day treat to hear from Twig. He taught the hikers how to identify trees as they walked from the farm to Freja Park in Bolton Notch on their eight mile round trip journey. 

We cut out early, but Shep and I returned to the Rail Trail and Freja for the second Bolton hike at 1:00 P.M. This event was shorter (2 miles) but much larger because it was part of The Great Park Pursuit, a No Child Left Inside program run by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. There were more than 100 people at this event, including many young families. Rod Parlee of the Bolton Conservation Commission, and Hans DePold, were the hike leaders again. Twig reprised his act, complete with tape measure in hand, and the group hiked to a recently rediscovered cave in Bolton Notch. Shep and I had ridden the Rail Trail on bicycle, so we just went to present on behalf of CFPA before returning home. 

It was a great Trails Day.