2013 Mt. Greylock Trail Races

We had a fun day at the Mt. Greylock Trail Races. Debbie ran Greylock for the 15th year in a row, which I find truly remarkable. She burst on to the New England trail running scene in 1999 and is still going strong. I’ve been to 13 of her 15 Greylock’s and I’ve run 10 of them myself. She is my “Queen of Greylock.”

Today, we both ran the “half marathon,” and the next generation ran too. Our son did the 5K and he loved it. Thanks to the Carew Family for looking after him during the race. Apparently, he was “bombing the descents.” He was thrilled. Thanks to Kim Brown for watching our daughter while we were all frolicking in the mud, including her husband, Todd, who did the Mt. Washington Road Race/Greylock combo again.

Donald Pacher also did the double, yet he was still strong today. He and I were together on the climb up Greylock and for a few miles of descending, but I couldn’t hold his pace. It was a wet one today, after all of the rain that we had in the past week. The trails held up OK, but the dirt roads were a mess.

The weather was OK. It was overcast and relatively cool at Greylock Glen. There was no wind on the summit. I had one very hard fall coming down the back side of the mountain on a jeep road. I knew it was going to hurt before I hit the ground. My right knee, left elbow, and left hand took the brunt of the impact, but I bounced up and kept going, albeit a bit more carefully.

This is a heavy week for me as I cram in the distance and intensity around a busy work schedule. I had a beautiful ride in the Connecticut River Valley yesterday, covering more than 75 miles in brilliant sunshine. So I wasn’t on my “A game” today, and finished about seven minutes slower than last year.

Debbie finished 2nd, which was a nice bounce back result after last week’s Cayuga Trails 50 miler. More importantly, she felt better and pushed it hard at the end. The Shenipsit Striders had the tent set up and we had a nice contingent up from Connecticut. It was great to see all of our WMAC friends too. Special mention to Tony Bonanno who came screaming past me on the final descent. He had a strong race.

We stopped at the Haymarket Cafe in Northampton for smoothies and buckeyes. The only challenge was two smoothies for four people creates conflict in the car! Then we did dinner at Agave Grill in Hartford. It was a great family day.

Race Results

2013 Cayuga Trails 50

Saturday’s inaugural Cayuga Trails 50 was a really good event. We made the trip to Ithaca, New York so that Debbie could run the 50 mile trail race. The start/finish was at Robert H. Treman State Park, which was our home for the weekend. We drove up on Friday afternoon and camped 1/4 mile from the finish line, which was about as convenient as it gets.

The race made use of the trails in the park and near the park. The course wound its way through several aid stations multiple times. The start/finish was blessed with an amazing playscape, so our kids and about a dozen other children were suitably entertained.

For a first time race, Cayuga was promoted and produced very well. In 2014, this race will be the USATF 50 Mile Trail Championships. Race Director Ian Golden also promotes the Virgil Crest Ultras, so he is no rookie when it comes to holding a big event. He and his team of volunteers did a fine job of putting on Cayuga. He brought in loads of sponsors, which permitted an uncharacteristically large prize list for an ultramarathon. It wasn’t all slick production. He instilled some character in the race and even started the runners by blowing through a ram’s horn.

That prize list attracted some top talent on both the men’s and women’s side. Part of the prize list was fueled by a grant from the local tourism board, which was a nice touch. It is great to see trail-blessed communities promoting trail running. Debbie wasn’t in the money, but I still support the prizes for those who were. The race still had the requisite apple pie prizes, but a little cash always helps a trail runner’s budget.

Debbie struggled mightily, but kept plugging along and got to the finish in just under 10 hours. It was an emotionally and physically draining day for me with responsibility for both of our kids and crewing duties. I love to see her run up front, but she and I are both learning that juggling family, work, community, and athletic responsibilities is a challenge. I hit my 40 last year and she is approaching hers in 18 months and the days of focusing solely on sports are long gone. No excuses for either of us…I’m really proud that she found her way to the finish line, though I know she was hoping for better legs on a big day.

The men’s race was very competitive with Sage Canaday winning in 6:47. He was followed by Matt Flaherty, Jordan McDougal, Brian Rusiecki, and Yassine Diboun. There were several other notables in the top 10, including long time friend and New England runner, Ben Nephew. In the women’s race, Kristina Folcik had yet another breakout performance, winning in 8:23 and finishing 12th overall. She was followed by Sandi Nypaver, Amy Rusiecki, Jessica Snyder, and Jacqueline Palmer.

I was really impressed with Kristina’ s effort. She pushed hard and took over the lead when Cassie Scallon slowed after suffering what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Overall, I was impressed with all of the runners. There were some awesome age group performances right on up to 60+.

The day dawned damp and muggy after heavy rain on Friday. It rained on and off throughout Saturday’s race and sections of the trails were waterlogged. The race had more than 10,000 feet of elevation gain and there was a mix of hard packed trail, rough paved trails, and rugged singletrack. Debbie said that the surface and terrain wasn’t as challenging as she expected, but it was still a tough course. The results show 133 of 164 runners finished.

In addition to seeing Debbie at the start/finish (North Shelter Aid Station), we saw her at the Underpass Aid Station, Buttermilk Falls Aid Station, and Old Mill Aid Station. The race was a good one to spectate and the scenery was beautiful. I didn’t get deep onto the trails during the race, but on Deb’s recommendation, I got up early yesterday morning and ran the section of trail between North Shelter and Old Mill. That section on the Gorge Trail took runners past the impressive Lucifer Falls. It was spectacular.

We saw a lot of friends this weekend and it was fun to hang out. Ryan Welts was crewing for Kristina, and we saw him at several aid stations. It was nice to catch up with him. Anthony Eisley was crewing for his wife, Carly, and it was nice talking to him. We hadn’t seen Amy and Brian Rusiecki in a while. Gary Hebert was there from the Shenipsit Striders. I got to meet Meghan Hicks in person. She was covering the event for www.irunfar.com. Last month, she spoke with Debbie and me via phone from her home in Utah as part of a project she is working on for Trail Runner Magazine.

Meghan is a native up upstate New York and she came out to support this event. She spoke on a panel of ultrarunners as part of pre-race festivities that started earlier last week. We also got to hang out with our friend, Kelly Wilson. She met us in downtown Ithaca on Friday night at the race check in, then joined us for dinner at the Moosewood Restaurant. We had only been there once before, on a previous trip to Ithaca for the Finger Lakes Fifties. We had another great vegan meal.

Yesterday morning, after my run, and more time at the playground, we took our kids back up to the Old Mill. We checked it out and learned all about the hydro-powered grain milling process from 150 years ago. Then, we did a loop that included the Rim Trail and Gorge Trail. We wanted to show the kids the mighty Lucifer Falls. They had a blast, and it helped that it was warm and sunny. After the hike, we loaded up the van and stopped back in downtown Ithaca. We had lunch and a monster dessert at Waffle Frolic, and then did some window shopping at a toy store. The road trip back to Connecticut was a relatively uneventful five-hour drive. All in all, it was another fun weekend.

Thanks again to all of the volunteers and congratulations to the runners who tamed a new and difficult course.

Race Results

Printroom Photos

17th Redbones Annual Bike Party & Benefit

Last night’s 17th Annual Redbones Annual Bike Party & Benefit was a great time. It’s crazy to think that I’ve known about this cycling community benefit in Somerville, Massachusetts, for its entire existence and I had never been. It took the acquisition of a Boston area company (Sterling Machine) to get the Hub back on my radar and it feels like I never left.

The 2-3 hour drives have been a bit tiresome, but the Beantown vibe has been great, especially with the Bruins on a roll and the Red Sox playing better than expected. There is nothing more entertaining than  Boston sports radio.

 

After work yesterday, I drove over to Somerville and parked on Mass Ave. I had my Seven Tsunami in the back of my Subaru Outback. I was changing from work clothes into something more suited to a block party, when a driver attempted to parallel park in the open spot in front of me. I’m not bashful about my own parallel parking skills. If it was an Olympic sport, I don’t doubt my chances at taking home the gold. The other driver had enough Somerville resident parking stickers to assure her credibility, but her bumper said, “hack rookie.”

 

She bumped me once. Then she bumped me twice. Then I got out of the car, walked over to her window, and leaned in. I startled her when I asked, “What are you doing?” I got a blank stare. I said, “You bumped me.” She said, “I didn’t know you were in the car.” I said, “Why does that matter?” She said, “That’s what bumpers are for.” I said, “Maybe your bumper, but not mine.” My car isn’t a year old! I said, “All you had to do was ask for help.” She asked me to back up. I obliged, then guided her into her spot. I believe in the Scout slogan, “Do a good turn daily.” I also believe in karma.

She got out and retreated down the sidewalk. I took photographic proof should my bumper fall off at a later date. Her bumper looked like it had been in a war zone.

Anyway, I couldn’t show up at a bike benefit in a car, so I pulled my bike out and rode the four blocks to Redbones in Davis Square. The street was alive with activity. Now Redbones is not exactly suited for vegans. So, I opted for the a la carte menu of beer and nothing else. I grabbed dinner later in the night at the neighboring Diesel Cafe.

 

I had the valet park my bike and spent a couple of hours mingling with new and old friends. The benefit was primarily for MassBike and NEMBA, of which Horst Engineering, Thread Rolling Inc., and Sterling Machine are strong supporters.

The entertainment by the Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Brass Band was fantastic. They got the crowd all fired up before the big raffle. Nothing beats a Monday night party complete with a beer garden and LOTS of bikes. Several sponsors had booths and there was a lot to take in. Redbones has been a strong supporter of the biking community for a long time. I didn’t score any of the great raffle prizes, but my contribution went to a good cause!

I’m pretty sure I’ll find a reason to return for the 18th and I’ll bring the family with me to dance along.

2013 Rev 3 Quassy Half Rev

This is a short race report because I’m knackered. Today’s Rev 3 Quassy Half  Rev was really hard. It was the third year in a row that I’ve done this race, and it was my slowest time yet. I was an amazing 15 minutes slower than last year in 5:10:42. 10 minutes of that difference came on the run and five minutes on the bike. The bike felt good, but I cracked hard on the run. They can’t all be good…

It was pretty warm today, which normally, wouldn’t be an issue, but it was the first time I had exercised in real heat in 2013. Everyone else had to deal with it too, so I won’t make any excuses. It was my first triathlon on the year, so it was good to see old friends and get back into the groove. There were a lot of racers from my tri club, the Hartford Extended Area Triathletes, because this is like our hometown race. The part of the race I was most pleased with was my transitions. Imagine that!

There were nearly 200 athletes in my 40-44 age group and like a thousand overall in the 70.3 mile race (1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run). Yesterday’s Olympic distance race had even more people. This was a good test for later in the summer when I return to the full Ironman distance. My fitness isn’t quite there yet.

My swim was slow like usual, but at least I felt good. No floundering and I stayed on course. It was smooth for me. I felt really strong on the bike, but the time didn’t show. I had to stop once because my seat bag that holds my spare tire came loose. I lost the strap, so I had to stuff the pack in my jersey. I also lost my salt capsules and gel flask (before using any) about 15 miles in to the bike leg. I ended up being underfueled, so I’ll make that adjustment next race. The Quassy course is relentless with lots of hills and more little ring climbing than any ultra distance triathlon that I’ve done. Even the run has some serious climbing. The swim is the only flat part of the course.

Debbie, Mrs. Schieffer, and the kids came to see my finish the bike and start the run. They had a lot of fun at the amusement park and particularly enjoyed the new water park features. The family was a huge help and it was great to have them around. I return the favor next weekend when we head to New York for Debbie’s race at the Cayuga Trails 50 Miler.

I’ll nurse my sun burn, recover, and start training for the next one.

Race Results

2013 Trails Day & Scout Expo

We kicked off the Trails Day Weekend with some father/son time. I’m a member of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association Board of Directors and Horst Engineering/Thread Rolling Inc. are big CFPA supporters, so I wanted to stop by the first of two Bolton hikes.

 

We didn’t do the two mile hike, but we were there for the history and introductions by Rod Parlee and Hans DePold (Town Historian). I always learn something new when I hear Hans speak. Last week, as a prize for winning the Historic category of the Bolton Conservation Commission Photo Contest, I got a Bolton history book authored by Hans. Good stuff!

After visiting the hike and shooting photos, we went to the Connecticut Rivers Council Scout Expo at the Hebron Lions Club Fairgrounds. Our son will enter Tiger Cubs this summer and this was his first event as a prospective Cub Scout. Last night, we pulled out a big bin that I’ve had in storage. It holds all of my Scouting stuff, including my Eagle Scout award and memorabilia. It was a lot of fun to show this to our kids.

The expo was fantastic with lots of cool stuff and it brought back a lot of memories. I especially like the history of Scouting exhibit. We did some outdoor activities including fire starting and we did a bunch of crafts including leather working and copper tin foil impressions. Let the weekend begin!

Bay Circuit Trail & North Shore NEMBA

This past Thursday, I was at our Sterling Machine operation in Lynn, MA. After work, I drove over to Harold Parker State Forest in Andover to meet up with the North Shore NEMBA crew for the Thursday Night Ride. Including me, the group was 12. It was a beautiful late May evening that was hot and muggy. We rode until dusk. I captured the route on my GPS.

The weekly ride is billed “intermediate.” I wasn’t looking for anything more than some guidance and new trails, so that was fine. There was a fair amount of standing around, but I was cool with that, with the only exception being the mosquitoes. We waited for everyone. Bob Ganley was our host and we saw parts of Harold Parker, the Ward Reservation, and several other land trust/conservation properties. Sections were part of the Bay Circuit Trail which is getting a lot of marketing thanks to a partnership between the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Trustees of Reservations. We even got to go up the historic Boston Hill, where there used to be a ski area. The view east to Boston and beyond was fantastic and we had a good look at the skyline despite the haze.

The descent off of Boston Hill was a highlight. There was fresh-cut trails with beautiful flowing switchbacks and some great bridges. It was just rough enough to keep you honest. I learned that Harold Parker has more than 30 miles of trails that are mountain bike friendly, but we only saw a small amount. They say it takes four Thursday rides (about two hours long) to cover all of the trails when you focus on them. However, this week, Bob took us to several other trail systems in town. I plan to return, though I was encouraged to bring my full suspension bike next time.

Well, I don’t have one. This ride featured 11 other riders, and everyone was riding a full suspension. Some even sported body armor (knee, shin, and elbow guards).  I was un-phased because my goal is to always stay on my bike. I only fell once, and it happened to be off of a bog bridge. Thankfully, it was on a dry section. 50 feet up the trail, it would have been a two foot fall into some serious muck. There were several cool sections of bridges over this bog.

This was a throwback ride for me. I rarely get on group rides, whether they are on road or off-road. This was old school with many long time riders, which was great to see. Full transparency: I was heckled multiple times…and I loved it. Don’t shy away from this ride. It was all good-natured ribbing with the quality of trails and true trail ethic in mind. Several of these dudes were hard-core trail maintainers and builders. Erosion and trail health was at the top of their minds.

The worst attacks came after I ended up in front on one section of trail late in the ride. I didn’t know what was coming around a bend (I think everyone assumed I should have) and instead of going over a tree (obstacle) in the trail, I went around it. That caused much consternation and several rebukes, including these gems: “No shortcuts” and “Don’t take the pu%#y line.” I bit my lip, but was thinking, right on! Way to welcome the new guy!

I took it all in stride and managed to clear all of the other trail obstacles despite riding my Seven Sola SL 29er rigid singlespeed. I’ll return to the ride, and it will be on the same bike. The rocks and roots don’t bother me. I made sure that I didn’t mention my upcoming half Ironman. That would have likely resulted in even harsher criticism! I was already drawing looks for my color coordinated Lycra kit. Like I said, don’t let any of this dissuade you from joining this crew on an upcoming Thursday night. It was a great ride on some great trails!

2013 Soapstone Mountain Trail Race

Well, the 29th annual Soapstone Mountain Trail race is in the books! It was a fantastic day in Somers, Connecticut. The Shenipsit Striders nailed it again, with an awesome event. I’m so proud of Debbie and her team of volunteers.

It was great to see so many friends from the New England trail running community (and beyond) on our home course. Feedback from many of the runners was excellent. The Shenipsit State Forest course was in good shape. It wasn’t bone dry, and even dusty in spots. There was a smattering of mud in some of the wet areas, but the infamous streambed was mostly dry. The logging damage remains, but the course markings were the best that they have ever been.

This race has so much tradition and it is great to see it thriving under a new generation of oversight. Debbie has been the Race Director for more than a dozen years, but the past few editions have seen a dramatic increase in the number of enthusiastic club member volunteers and other volunteers.

Soapstone is grassroots trail running at its finest and our format is appreciated by so many. We had good weather for running and spectating. It was mild, a bit muggy, and the rain held off until the fifth hour of the race. By then, just about everyone was finished.

The 24km race was won by Matt Shamey in 1:38:38. He was followed by Brian Nelson, Ben Carrington, Ryan Welts, and Brett Stoeffler. The course was slightly shorter than in years’ past. We cut out a small hairpin section that may have saved runners a minute or two depending on their pace. First woman was Kristina Folcik in 1:54:40, a stellar time. She had a breakout year in 2012 and has taken it up a notch in 2013. She is crushing the local competition and making quite a name for herself on the national ultra scene. She was followed by Nicole Kornas and Meghan Pagliuco.

The 6km Soapstone Sampler, with modified Dipsea timing system, was won by 71 year-old Hal Bennett in an age/gender graded 23:12. His gun time was 34:24. He was followed by Alex Smith and Brian Smith.

I ran the 24km race and was very pleased. It was a lot of fun to run stride for stride with Mike Mazzotta between mile one and mile 13. We traded pulls for more than 90 minutes before he pulled away in the last mile. I only had one fall and it was mostly a soft landing. I’ll feel it in the morning. I ended up in a cloud of dust, but it could have been worse. I was very happy that I didn’t fade until the last bit. This bodes well for my fitness level, which I finally feel is building again after a rough start to the year. Bring on the triathlons!

179 runners finished the long course and 67 runners finished the short course. That is a decent turnout. Special thanks to Jerry Turk and Kerry Arsenault from RAT Race Timing. They did a good job dealing with the challenge of more than 100 race day registrants in their first year on the job.

We started a new tradition this year with the addition of a kids’ race. More than 20 kids finished the un-timed run. Most did the one loop 1/2 mile race, but our son and one other kid did two loops. The parents and children had a joyous time. This was a real hit.

See you all (and more) at the 30th anniversary Soapstone on Sunday 18 May 2014!

Race Results

Printroom Photos

2013 Mother’s Day Dash

It had been a few years since our family went to the Mother’s Day Dash in Vernon, Connecticut. This is a hometown race that we have done many times. Thanks to Wapack and Back being yesterday instead of today, we had the opportunity to race a 5K in Rockville.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t clear in time for my 45 minute ride to the race from Bolton and I was soaked to the bone when I arrived. I also took a little too long getting ready and arrived only six minutes before the start, and had to work hard to make it with that much time to spare.

Debbie and the kids were also late arriving. I changed quickly while they registered us. The national anthem was played, and boom, we were off. Brian Nelson, the fastest guy in Vernon, posted a good time in the high-16′s. He was followed by the speedy masters runner, Brett Stoeffler, who took 1st in my age group in 17:24. I kept Brett in sight and periodically counted the seconds after he made a turn or passed a landmark, but I never gained any ground. I did earn my race fee back in the form of a $20 gift certificate to Rein’s Deli. That was nice! Karina Johnson was the top woman in 19:03 despite running a track race last night.

However, the highlight of the day was seeing our six-year old son complete the race without walking a step. I ran back to see them and did the last 1.5 miles alongside. Debbie, showing little muscle soreness after yesterday’s punishing 50 miler, pushed our daughter in the Chariot CX-1, which is increasingly rare but enjoyable. Our son earned the Tom Curtiss award for being the youngest finisher of the race. That was extra special for both his Mom and Dad, and the little runner was stoked.

 

My legs are starting to come around after a less than stellar start to the endurance sports season. At least I held off the 14 year-old and 11 year-old kids. These guys are trying very hard to make a 40 year-old look bad! I put my wet knickers back on and did another 90 minutes on the bike, taking a little longer route home. Mercifully, the rain stopped just before the start of the race and by the end of the awards ceremony, the sun was out. I took some of my favorite roads including Valley Falls Rd. and Spring St. It was nice to see other folks enjoying the improved weather conditions.

 

 

At the Dash, it was great to see so many friends from Bolton, Vernon, Manchester, Tolland, Ellington, and the surrounding towns. This event is a fixture on the calendar and gets great sponsorship support and has a lot of history. I like the course. It has a little rise in it and the finish is a little kicker too. It’s been a full weekend of running in the Livingston household, which is just fine with the four of us.

Race Results

2013 Wapack and Back Trail Race

Debbie Livingston is one tough mother! I had to come right out with it on Mother’s Day and state that fact after yesterday’s 50 Mile Wapack and Back Trail Race on some of the toughest terrain in New England. If this isn’t an Ultrarunning Magazine 5/5, then I’m not sure what is. The surface (rocks/roots/mud/singletrack) has to be a 5 (very rough trail). The terrain (hills) may fall to a 4, but that is an objective formula. If the reported 10,200 feet of elevation gain is accurate, then that is 204 feet/mile (very hilly) and short of the magazine’s 250 feet/mile (mountainous) criteria for a 5. Yet, my argument is that a New England climb is not the same as a Colorado or California climb. These are punchy steep climbs that come at you relentlessly. Out west, you can get 1,500 feet or more in one ascent. Not here. My New England trail running bias is creeping into this post and I’ve only written one paragraph. Enough.

Back to Debbie and the other strong runners who tackled the Wapack Trail yesterday. In its 90th anniversary year, the Wapack Trail has a nice new map thanks to cartographers and the Friends of the Wapack. The 21.5 mile trail goes from Greenfield, New Hampshire south to Ashburnham, Massachusetts along the Wapack Range. The start of the race is at the southern terminus. The turnaround is at the northern terminus. To get the 50, runners have to go back on the trail north over Mt. Watatic to the 3.5 mile aid station, and then return to the finish.

That one small detail makes this a very hard race to finish. It takes super motivation to get to the finish line, only to turn around again and run for another seven miles, especially with the no-pacer rule. The difficulty of the race and the 14 hour cutoff (you must be at 43 miles in 12 hours) are challenging, so a lot of runners end up with a 43 mile finish, which is still hugely respectable. To do the Wapack twice in a day is a fantastic feat. The extra seven just gets you a round number.

Race Director Norm Sheppard and his volunteers keep this race small. Only 40 started the 50 miler. Norm took over RD duties from Bogie Dumitrescu, who headed west, but was back in New England to run yesterday. We last saw Bogie at Zane Grey last year, so it was nice to reconnect. A companion 21 miler (start north after a bus ride and head south) attracted more runners. The trail markings are sparse. You have to follow the yellow blazed triangles. If you know me, then you know that I rely on my Outlook Calendar to keep my life sorted. I tell everyone, including Debbie, to send me an “Outlook invite” if you need me in a meeting, at an event, or at a race. Debbie is clear on this request so she invited me to Sunday’s race when she registered four months ago. There was a big problem. The race was Saturday, and she didn’t realize this until last Wednesday night. We won’t even delve into the reasons for the error, but wouldn’t you think that if you were going to run 50 miles, that you would get the day of the week right!?

That was a huge curveball and our weekend plans were jumbled.The 5:00 A.M. start in Ashburnham and rainy forecast were a bad mix for the kids, so we secured last minute childcare with Mrs. Schieffer. Thank you Momma S., you came through again! Debbie and I drove up after I rode home from work on Friday. We camped in our van at the start and 4:00 A.M. came fast as runners and volunteers arrived at the trailhead.

It was very humid and started raining just as the race began. The assembled mass of runners cheerfully headed up the trail and I returned to our van to sort gear. Debbie used drop bags, so she was less reliant on me than past races. She started with her Ultraspire Surge pack and had a second one in her drop back at the Greenfield Aid Station. She swapped them at the turnaround and then dropped that pack at the start/finish. She used an Ultraspire handheld for the last seven miles.

It was nice to not have to drive a chase vehicle. I kept the van parked and headed up the Wapack Trail for a walk. I had my cameras, some water, and a Clif Bar. I walked all the way to the nine mile aid station at Windblown XC area in New Ipswich, New Hampshire. One highlight was Binney Pond and a second was the Binney Pond Overlook.

The rain was intermittent, but the humidity was constant. I chatted with some friends at the aid station before reversing course and walking back to the start. It was fun to see and photograph Josh Katzman, deep in the woods as he powered to an 8:51 course record, besting his time from 2012 by nearly 15 minutes. I saw him on his southbound leg and then on both legs of his seven mile out and back. I made it to the  start/finish, refilled my water, and then walked back up the trail to wait for Debbie.

I’ve had my own love/hate affair with the Wapack. In 2009, I did the shorter fall race that starts at Windblown, heads to the southern terminus, and returns. That is the same 18 mile route I took yesterday, but in reverse. In that race, I missed the turn on the Watatic summit and it cost me a few extra miles. When I saw that spot yesterday, I knew exactly where I had previously gone wrong. The only blight on the day was the black flies. It was better when it was raining. They went away, but when it stopped, they were ferocious! Regardless, a walk in the woods is exactly what I needed.

Debbie hit 43 miles in 10 hours flat, a bit behind her goal time, but she was in good spirits. She opted to change her socks, but kept the same shoes for the final seven miles, which took her 1:45 for a total time of 11:45. Katzman led the way, but there were many great runs yesterday. Scott Patnode did the 7 Sisters/Wapack double like Debbie. Sisters was six days earlier, but is quite the leg pounder in its own right.

Each runner who went 43 or more got a finishers award, a sweet bottle of Ben’s Pure Maple Syrup. This is proof again that ultramarathon trail running isn’t about the money!

Debbie has to recover because next up on the Grand Tree Trail Running Series calendar is the Soapstone Mountain Trail Race next Sunday. She is the race director and the Shenipsit Striders are ready to go.. Soapstone stuff has already taken over the house. T-shirts are blocking my spot in the garage. Bib number are clogging the mud room. Soapstone, here we come!

Race Results

Printroom Photos

2013 7 Sisters Trail Race

Today’s weather at the 7 Sisters Trail Race was spectacular. Debbie ran this legendary race for the 14th time in 15 years. The kids and I saw her at the start (which was nuts as usual), again on her return leg where the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail (M-M) crosses Mountain Road on the way to the summit of Mt. Holyoke.

I’ve written about the rocky and rugged 12 mile (6 out/6 back) race on the New England Scenic Trail (M-M) many times, so there several posts in my blog archives that cover history and past races.

Today’s race was notable for the record number of entrants. Results for this race are normally not posted for several days, but I bet there are 500 or more finishers, which is ridiculous. It’s amazing how this race has grown in popularity. The rugged nature of the course is the likely reason because other New England Grand Tree Trail Running Series races see far fewer runners. That’s too bad because there are some beautiful courses at some of the smaller events.

7 Sisters has its painful charm. I saw a fair amount of sprained ankles, bumps, bruises, and cuts. I didn’t run this year, but I trust Debbie’s judgment when she says that there were too many people on this narrow rocky trail. It’s single track 95% of the way and with the out and back format, the congestion is a potential safety issue.

Despite all of the newbies 7 Sisters, we saw a lot of our friends from the New England trail running community, including many club-mates from the Shenipsit Striders. The abundant sunshine, deep blue sky, and mild temperature permitted everyone to lounge on the grass after the race. The organizers moved the parking, registration, and post-race refreshments to a “The Bunker” located on Amherst College property up Military Road adjacent to the Bare Mountain.

I found results on Coolrunning for 26 other running races for 5 May in Massachusetts alone. There must have been even more races, plus Connecticut, so running in the spring is definitely growing in popularity, which is a good thing.

After watching the start, we drove over to the Mt. Holyoke side of the course. The gate on Mountain Rd. was closed again this year because of the ongoing construction at the Summit House. We parked and walked up the road to where the trail crosses on its way to the summit and then back down to the Connecticut River. We missed Debbie on her outbound leg, but we saw her on her return leg. She was in 2nd place, but ended up third. She wasn’t far behind first or third.

Her time was much slower than her personal best from the early 2000′s, but she still had a blast in the woods today. I’m proud of her 14 finishes. I wonder how many other runners at today’s race have that many finishes?

We lingered after the race and had a picnic lunch. Then, Debbie and the kids visited the Eric Carle Museum where they did artwork.  Then they went for a bike ride on the Norwottuck Rail Trail. While they were sightseeing, I went for a long bike ride. I went back to Mountain Rd. and did six repeats from Rt. 42 to the summit and back. It was a good workout. After the last climb, I spent a little time on the summit taking in the awesome views.

The only hiccup was when I returned to Military Rd. to find my Subaru behind a locked fence. I purposely moved my car outside of the parking lot and on to the road to avoid a fence, but I missed the second fence farther up the road. I tracked down a ranger, who was helpful and contacted the Amherst College police for me. They sent an officer out after 30 minutes and he helped me liberate my car. I completed the days adventures by reuniting with Debbie and the kids in Northampton for a nice dinner. Maybe I’ll run 7 Sisters again in 2014. Maybe…

See you all at the Soapstone Mountain Trail Race in two weeks. Debbie is the Race Director and would LOVE 500 runners. Just pre-register so we have enough veggie chili and pickles!

Race Results

Race Photos (Printroom)

Tucson Travel, Tucson Swimming, & Tucson Adventure

Last week’s trip to Horst Engineering de Mexico brought me through Tucson, Arizona. I hadn’t been there in more than three years because I’ve been taking a connecting flight through Phoenix. This time, I flew to Tucson and drove all the way to Guaymas where our operation is located.

Tucson has always been one of my favorite places. When our plant was in Nogales, Sonora, I passed through Tucson frequently. It was fun to go back, particularly in April. I was only passing through again, but I spent a night on each end of the trip. The weather was cooler than normal, but when the sun shone, it was brilliant. Tucson is known as a great winter and pre-season spot to train for endurance sports. I know a lot of athletes who attend training camps in Tucson. The swimming, cycling, and running are awesome. Tucson also has great trails for running and mountain biking.

I wanted to swim while I was there, so I searched Google for options. Thankfully, I came across professional triathlete, Hillary Biscay’s blog. We first met Hillary at the 2010 Ironman Brazil. I already had her blog on RSS, but hadn’t previously seen her post about swimming in Tucson, where she often trains. It was a great resource and led me to the Tucson Parks and Recreation website. Early on Tuesday, I swam at the Clements Pool; and early on Friday, I swam at the Archer Pool. Both pools were open at 6:00 A.M. and with the time change, it was easy to get up. Clements was definitely the nicer of the two facilities, but the lifeguards were friendly at both pools and you can’t beat $2/day for an out-of-towner. The City of Tucson aquatics program is highly recommended.

When in town, I visited several customers, but I also had a chance to visit a non-profit that Thread Rolling Inc. and Horst Engineering support through our 1% For The Planet membership. The Sonoran Institute has always been an interesting organization to follow. I had previously been invited to visit their headquarters in Tucson, but since I’ve been connecting through Phoenix, I never made it. Since that initial invite, they moved to new shiny downtown Tucson offices. Their presence is part of the downtown redevelopment. I met with a wonderful project manager who was doing passionate work in the Colorado River Delta and on both sides of the border. We compared notes about our work with conservation oriented non-profits and I learned more about the institute’s current projects throughout the US west, in Sonora, and in Baja California.

While in town, I visited three vegan friendly restaurants. Top of the list was Lovin’ Spoonfuls, an all vegan place. The service was fantastic and there were some wonderfully creative food options. I went back twice. I also had a meal at Renee’s Organic Oven. The service was excellent and I had the gluten free/vegan pizza. I also had lunch at Sparkroot, a cafe near the Sonoran Institute’s headquarters. All three restaurants are highly recommended. I found Lovin’ using the Happy Cow app on my iPhone and I was referred to Renee’s, though it also shows up on the Happy Cow site with good reviews.

Next door to Renee’s was Sabino Cycles. I checked out the bike shop (I love bike shops) and as soon as  I walked in, I came across a Seven. That pumped me up. It was fun to randomly come across a Seven dealer because I’m part of Team Seven Cycles and if you read this blog, know that Debbie and I are fortunate to have several Seven’s in our stable. I chatted with a few of the sales guys at the store. Sabino is geared towards road, but they have been expanding their mountain biking lineup. It looked like a nice shop with solid inventory including three Seven’s on the floor.

Posted on the wall was a newspaper article about Tucsonian Max Morris, who is going for the Triple Crown of ultra-distance mountain biking. He is currently doing the Arizona Trail 750 which I wrote about a year ago when Debbie ran the Zane Grey 50 Mile Endurance Run in Payson, Arizona. I was crewing for Debbie and shooting pictures when a Jill Hueckman, a female mountain biker, emerged from the woods. She was headed up the trail to the Mogollan Rim and I chatted her up. She was in the middle of the AZT 750. I immediately put it on my mental bucket list.

I followed her through the rest of the race and then forgot about it until walking into Sabino Cycles last week. I was back in AZ and it felt good. If Morris finishes the AZT 750, Tour Divide, and Colorado Trail Race in 2013, then it will be quite an accomplishment. Those races are the big three in “bikepacking.” In the new story I saw, Morris is riding a titanium Seven Sola, which is pretty cool.

On Saturday morning before I caught my flight back to Connecticut, I ran the SAR Spring Cross-Country Classic 5K. I still had 90 minutes to kill, and it was on the way to the airport, so I toured the Pima Air & Space Museum, which has always been on my list of places to see in Tucson. I love aviation and this place is fabulous. Seeing a Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird up close was an intense experience. Powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, this aircraft is a beast. Seeing technology like this makes me proud that our family has been in the aerospace components business for 67 years.

It’s hard to believe that I did all of this stuff in my spare time on a business trip! I spent hours working, but somehow managed to do this stuff. There was no downtime, no TV, just adventure.

Sonoran Growth

Last week, I returned to Sonora for the first time since last fall. Ever since Horst Engineering moved our maquiladora operation from Nogales to Guaymas, I have taken a connecting flight from Phoenix directly to Guaymas. That all changed when on that last trip, I took the last flight out of Guaymas before USAirways cancelled the route.

That meant that this time, I would either have to fly from Phoenix to Hermosillo and drive, or drive the whole way. I opted for the latter approach, but with a variation. I returned to Tucson for the first time since those Nogales days, which was very cool. So, last Monday, I flew into Tucson. In the afternoon, I visited a customer, and then I got a motel for the night. On Tuesday morning, after swimming at a Tucson pool, I hit the road for the 6.5 hour drive south to Guaymas.

It was a good trip. I’ve made the drive before, but only as a passenger. There were no serious delays, other than some traffic in Hermosillo. I figured out the border crossing, immigration, and checkpoints. It was uneventful, which is good. I had a new Ford Fusion that had only 150 miles on the odometer when I got it. It had satellite radio, which was awesome considering the events of the week starting with the Boston Marathon. It was a weird feeling to be so far away from my beloved Boston knowing that so many of my friends were running or watching the race. CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, Fox, NPR, and MSNBC on the radio kept me close to the action.

Business in Sonora is good. The manufacturing economy is thriving in Mexico again, and this time it is higher tier more precision products that are leading the way. Our business is taking advantage of this resurgence. Sonora is a great nearshore location for companies who are focused on developing a lower cost manufacturing location. It isn’t the total solution to the challenges that manufacturers in high cost regions (e.g. New England) face, but it is part of the solution. Route 15 from the border south is being developed with separate southbound and northbound lanes, and with two lanes on each side. The construction is ongoing.

The rail line between Sonora and Arizona is being developed further. Guaymas continues to expand its deepwater port as an alternative for incoming cargo that will ultimately reach the United States. Hermosillo was booming with multiple infrastructure projects and a lot of construction activity. Even San Carlos, that little town favored by ex-pats and snowbirds, is seeing some economic development. Our maquiladora shelter partners are clearing land for further development of their Roca Fuerte industrial park. Things are looking up.

All of the development has a downside. It is sad that Mexicans struggle with conservation and an environmentally sustainable mindset. They are decades behind the United States in this regard. Actually, even Arizona is behind many other states in this regard. Recycling is almost non-existent. There is a ton of litter and the growth is far from “smart.” Evidence of this in San Carlos was the further desecration of the land around Teta Kawi. Last year, on a return trip, I noticed a new OXXO convenience store go up across the street from the mountain. This week, on my normal morning run route past the marina and towards the beach, I came across a sign on the Teta Kawi side of the road announcing a new gas station. What a shame. There aren’t enough cars or visitors to San Carlos to warrant another gas station. You have to know the area to know this, but trust me. I wish for a land trust or some conservation organization to assert itself. I need to learn more about the local politics. It pains me to see Sonora make the same mistakes that the USA made decades ago.

My return trip to Tucson was last Thursday. It took a bit longer to go north. I drove by our old plant in Nogales, skipping the truck route and saving one toll. Our old building has been empty since we left for Guaymas. Nogales was busy, but it has border town challenges. I was back in Tucson in time for dinner. The total trip north took seven hours including a full hour waiting in line at the border. Eventually, I was just waived through after  quick check of my passport, but there were a lot of vehicle searches around me. On Friday, I had a few more customer visits in Tucson. It was a good trip.

Southern Arizona Roadrunners Spring Cross-Country Classic 5K

This past Saturday, I ran a little trail race in Tucson, Arizona. The Spring Cross-Country Classic 5K was hosted by the Southern Arizona Roadrunners. I was passing through Tucson on my way back from Horst Engineering’s operations in Guaymas, Sonora.

My flight wasn’t until noon, so it made sense to squeeze in this fun little race. I didn’t have good legs, but it was a blast to run through the desert of Lincoln Park. 108 men and 119 women ran in separate races.

It was an early 7:30 A.M. start, which was perfect for me.  I went early and ran a lap of the course before the race. Then, I ran a lap of the course after the race. I even had time to wash up, visit the Pima Air & Space Museum and still catch my flight.

I got a kick out of this twisty course; there was even a cactus right in the middle of the trail, encircled with chalk. Look out! The views of the Rincon Mountains were fantastic and the sun was shining brightly. The temperature started out cool, but the sun warmed things up and I was able to run without a shirt, but I was also the guy from Connecticut. The locals weren’t as brave.

The Lincoln Park course was a bit hard to follow as it wound its way through Attrubury Bird & Animal Sanctuary, so I’m glad I did a loop beforehand. I went out way to hard, but that has been my mode lately. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to hold the pace and lost quite a bit of ground by the finish. It was another good test.

I was a bit spooked when another runner wiped out hard on a sharp right hand turn into a set of wooden steps. He got up and was covered in blood after scraping his hands, arms, legs, and face across the loose stones. I hope he is alright.

Thanks to SAR and the volunteers who put on a fun run.

Race Results

2013 Traprock 50K

We raced the Traprock 50K after missing in 2012. We were at the race last year, but just to watch. This year, both Debbie and I ran. I did two and a half laps and then decided to end my day. It was the right decision to stop after 24+ miles and log it as a workout. I’ve had a crazy work schedule and it didn’t make sense to go farther when my big races are later in the year. My legs were cooked and I was hurting. I needed the miles and got some.

Debbie was the first woman. Her time wasn’t the best, but she has had a relatively slow start to the season after taking a longer than normal winter break from training. No excuses. She was also happy to finish her first ultra of the year and earn her third “rock” award from the Traprock gang.We had a blast hanging out with our friends from the Shenipsit Striders and we saw a lot of other friends from around New England who drove to Bloomfield for this great event at Penwood State Park. I even saw some of my friends from the Hartford Extended Area Triathletes come out of hibernation to frolic on the trails.

Founding Race Director, Steve Nelson, and his dedicated volunteers did a great job again. They were loud and cheered constantly as we entered aid stations. They even played bongos! Special thanks to the volunteer who drove me back from the far side of the course. I waited for Debbie to come through the aid station where I stopped, before hitching my ride back to the start/finish. I was able to photography her at the last aid station with three miles to go and then again at the finish, where I was joined by my parents and our kids to cheer for her.

It was colder than I would have liked, but that is how this New England spring has gone. I may have been a little underdressed, but live and learn. Two weeks ago at the Old School race, I was overdressed. It was great to run on the New England  National Scenic Trail (NET), which in Penwood is the Metacomet Trail. I invited Eric Hammerling, Executive Director of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA), to set up an informational table at the start/finish. I’m glad he came. Thank you to State Representative David Baram of Bloomfield for adopting Penwood State Park during the 100th anniversary year of Connecticut State Parks. He was our honorary starter.

It was also nice to see Christine Woodside, the editor of CFPA’s Connecticut Woodlands and AMC’s Appalachia, two of my favorite periodicals. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the maintainer of the NET in Massachusetts and CFPA is the maintainer in Connecticut. Congratulations to Christine, who after completing the one lap event, drove to NH to get her White Mountain 4000 Footer Club award at the annual dinner.

The Traprock crew have been kind enough to make significant contributions to the CFPA from past race proceeds. This year’s record turnout should permit philanthropy again. We will see. As a trail user, it is important to show appreciation for the CFPA staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails, including the NET. I’ll only make two pitches and then leave it at that: if you are a trail runner who enjoys Connecticut’s trails, then you really should be a member of the CFPA. If you run all over New England, you should be a member of AMC. Please join! Disclaimer: I’m a member of CFPA’s Board of Directors, a member of AMC’s Board of Advisors (with Debbie) and have a passion for land conservation and trail access.

A shout out to David Merkt of the Shenipsit Striders. This guy is so modest. He was appropriately cautious at the start, and again after lap one, when I was still with him! Then, he just kept going and smoked the course with a 4:31, good for second overall. Great job Dave! You did us proud.

It would be great to see many of the Traprock runners come to the Soapstone Mountain Trail Races in Somers, Connecticut on 19 May. Debbie is the Race Director. It’s one of the ways that she pays back the trail community for all that it has given her.

Race Results

2013 Hop Brook Dam MTB Race

My legs got a rude awakening at my first bike race of the year. It was unseasonably cold and very windy at the Hop Brook Dam MTB Race in Middlebury, Connecticut. This was race #2 in the 2013 Root 66 Northeast XC Race Series. The whole family joined me at the race and the kids got to compete too. They even had cash primes for all of the kids.

Their race followed yet another Easter Egg hunt. After five-plus egg hunts in a week, I’m ready for Christmas now. Does anyone need some candy?

My race was great for two laps. The problem was that it was a four lap event for a total of 20 miles. I faded a bit on the third lap, and then blew up on the fourth lap. I was in the singlespeed division and held a nice top 5 spot for a while, but I think I faded to 11th. No matter, I got the workout I needed and followed the ~two hour race with a 30  minute run on the same trails.

We saw a lot of friends, including the Roti Family. The Roti kids also hunted and raced. My Seven Sola 29 SL was a little dusty from being in the basement all winter, and I added a layer of dried mud today. The course at Hop Brook Lake recreation area was nice. It had its share of ups and downs and a lot of tight turns with enough rocks to shake you up. The 1,907 feet of elevation gain

Team Horst Engineering was well represented today. Mike Wonderly led the way with a fine result. Paul Nyberg also placed in his age group. They were joined by Art Roti and me. I think the rest of the gang were out getting blown around on the roads at the Bethel Industrial Park. I was much happier in the woods, even without the cover of leaves.

Art and I were also representing Team Seven Cycles and Art was flying the NEMBA colors. It’s great to have a variety of affiliations at these races.

We were last at Hop Brook back in November of 2012 for the Hop Brook Cyclocross. It’s a nice venue with lots of space for hiking, running, biking, and even swimming. I’m not sure when I’ll race on the mountain bike again, but when the day comes, I’ll look to improve on today’s showing.

Race Results (will post when online)