Post Thanksgiving Road Trip

We made it north to Vermont and New Hampshire this past weekend. That meant passing through Massachusetts twice. Having an infant child forces you to see things differently. For example, we spend more time at rest stops, in commuter parking lots, and other random places. One stop was brief, but enjoyable. We got a chance to explore the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Northampton, Massachusetts. We went out on the old (decommissioned) train bridge where the trail crosses the Connecticut River. It is a very cool spot. I’m a huge fan of Rail Trails and that is a big reason why we live on one.

Once we reached Vermont, we participated in the Putney Craft Tour, which has become an annual tradition for us. We have been to it five of the last six years. It was a short tour for us this year. We went to four of the many open studios, including Green Mountain Spinnery and Dena Gartenstein Hand-woven Garments. Both shops do wool. The Spinnery is in the raw material business, making yarn from raw wool, cotton, and other materials. Gartenstein is in the weaving business and she teaches weaving too.

The Spinnery has some awesome machines, including a great big Whitin Spinning Frame. I’ve been through there before and will never tire of seeing all of the old clunkers. They still run every day. One of the machines is from 1910 and several others are more than 75 years old. I saw the Whitin brand on several pieces of equipment. Those machines were built in Massachusetts, in a town, known as Whitinsville. There is something seriously romantic about old machines. I wish we hadn’t discarded so many at Horst Engineering. We couldn’t compete with them and just didn’t have room for them anymore…

Gartenstein’s studio is also home to the Vermont Weaving School. We all got a chance to try weaving for ourselves.

We made a brief stop at the Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, Vermont, to build a Lego turkey. That was a short but fun stop. Then, it was on to the Sugarbush Farm in Queechee, where we stocked up on maple syrup.

The big hit at the farm was the large Kubota tractor. The three-year old doesn’t miss a construction vehicle or tractor.

We spent the night in Hanover, New Hampshire, visiting cousin Monique at her Dartmouth College residence. Hanover is a cool town with good culture. Many of the students had returned home to their families for the weekend, so it was quiet on campus. We had a beautiful walk on Sunday morning. We saw  more construction equipment and a blue heron behind the Dartmouth Outing Club.

On Sunday, we cruised the beautiful roads of Norwich, Vermont, a community that I really like. We saw some great spots, including a little pig farm. Debbie is a big pig fan, but I told her that we would have to stick with photos (rather than the real thing) for now. I told her that manufacturing was tough enough, and that I wasn’t interested in farming.

One of our last stops was back in Queechee at the Simon Pearce mill, one of my favorite spots. The old mill runs on hydro power and contains sample glass blowing and pottery workshops. The heavy production is done in a more modern plant, but the mill houses their retail store, restaurant, and these  model shops. It is so cool to watch the demonstrations, and then browse the finished goods.

Every time we make it to Vermont, we return to Southern New England feeling a bit more relaxed. The pace of life is tiny bit slower up there. The artist community is neat to explore and the countryside is beautiful, even in November.

T. Boone Pickens Stars at Goodwin College

 Yesterday, my Horst Engineering colleague, Art Roti, joined me and a host of other folks to hear T. Boone Pickens speak at Goodwin College. Pickens was in town as a guest of US Representative John Larson. Congressman Larson, and Goodwin College President, Mark Scheinberg, hosted Pickens during his brief visit to East Hartford, Connecticut. It was a big day for Goodwin and a big day for East Hartford.

Many local business leaders and politicians attended the pre-event reception at Goodwin’s amazing riverfront complex. The 6th floor room offers great views of Hartford and the Connecticut River. Packed in were a bunch of people with interests in the energy economy, renewable energy, and the environment. Pickens made billions of dollars as an oil industry entrepreneur. He is a geologist by trade and loves to talk about our country’s natural resources.

 

Tired with the status quo, he has put $62,000,000 of his own money into the Pickens Plan. This plan is his effort to move energy policy forward. At the forum, Pickens was full of energy and well spoken regarding our country’s energy issues. He is passionate about his number one objective: reducing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. Foremost, this is a security issue for Pickens. The efficiency, environmental impact, and economic growth objectives are laudable, but he is most concerned about the fact that we buy much of our oil from countries that don’t like us.

He referred to Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez, as a “cluck.” Pickens went on to say that the credibility of the United States has suffered. We are 4% of the world population and we consume 25% of the oil. He pointed out that we are “paying for both sides of these wars” and that over the past 40 years, our increased consumption of foreign oil has resulted in the largest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind.

 

He spent much of the time discussing transportation fuel, one of his favorite topics. His plan calls for the conversion of our heavy trucking industry from diesel fuel to natural gas. He pointed out that our country has abundant natural gas reserves and that we have not pursued the technology. Pickens said that one 18 wheeler is equivalent to 320 cars. Trucks consume a lot of fuel. He says that he has talked to the truckers and that they would get on board with a plan to upgrade the fleet to natural gas. He dismissed questions about natural gas infrastructure and said that it was doable.

 His natural gas for heavy trucks platform is a compliment to Al Gore’s batteries for light vehicles platform. He even said, “I’m with Al,” when talking about batteries. They do seem like an odd couple, considering Pickens’ Oklahoma/Texas oil industry roots. Congressman John Larson has put a bill before Congress (H.R. 1835) that would implement parts of the plan that Pickens is advocating. Larson referred to Pickens as his only “consultant.”

I went to www.pickensplan.com and signed up for the e-mail list. I’m interested in learning more about his personal history. He said that he has pumped millions into this campaign because it is his “mission.” He was too young to serve in World War II, and he had a young family during Korea. He said that this is how he felt, “This is your mission–step up to the plate.”

The visit was a coup for Scheinberg, Goodwin, and East Hartford. Congressman Larson took Pickens to lunch at his favorite local restaurant, Augie & Ray’s Drive In. The Augie & Ray’s staff had custom shirts made with the company logo and Oklahoma State colors. They were very proud to host Pickens.

As the forum wound down, Pickens remarked that he had to get back to Dallas for a dinner meeting. He was primed to hop back on his jet and carry his message elsewhere. Pickens warned the crowd not to think that energy is going to get cheap. Electricity, natural gas, coal, oil, and renewables are all going to require a major commitment on the part of every person. Consumption is as important as supply. Clearly, we need to do things differently. Art Roti and I got a chuckle when Pickens said in reference to the transportation challenges that we face, and the prospect of running out of oil, ”The other option is everybody is going to get on a bicycle…I don’t think that is going to happen.” We looked at each other and both thought, bikes, why not?

Catching up with the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston

The Appalachian Mountain Club is cranking. We recently closed on the purchase of 29,500 additional acres of land in Maine’s 100-mile Wilderness Region. This came at the end of a successful $45MM campaign to support the larger Maine Woods Initiative. Known as the Roach Ponds tract, this land abuts the 37,000 acre Katahdin Iron Works property that we already own, and extends our reach in a region that was already threatened by land development.

The vision that AMC’s leaders had more than five years ago has come to fruition much faster than anyone expected. Debbie and I got a nice update on the club’s growth when we attended a Board of Advisors meeting earlier this week in Boston. The progress with MWI has been remarkable and our club is now positioned to take advantage of our land conservation efforts. Our system of Maine Sporting Camps will expand again in 2010 with the addition of the Gorman Chairback Camps. Debbie and I haven’t been to the KIW property since our last trip to Little Lyford Pond Camps nearly six years ago. Acquiring LLPC was the first step that AMC took towards establishing our major presence in Maine.

Our trip to Boston was a quick one. Since our BOA meeting was at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, I dressed like a banker. The Fed was an interesting place to have a meeting, but as you would expect, the conference facilities were top-notch. It was somewhat ironic that we were in a city skyscraper discussing the expansion of our wilderness land holdings. AMC recently revised its mission. We are the oldest recreation and conservation organization in the country, with more than 100,000 members. With the global environment facing such challenges, AMC is uniquely positioned to make a difference and it is cool to be part of that process.

CFPA Trails Dinner

I’m just getting around to posting about the Connecticut Forest & Park Association Trails Dinner. Last week, we joined our CFPA friends at this annual event. A few years ago, we were presenters at the dinner. We gave our Long Trail End-to-End Hike slide show. This year, we were just attendees, but attendees with a cause. We were there to celebrate the great work that CFPA’s Trails Committee and Trail Managers have done on the Blue Blazed Hiking Trail System.

Connecticut has the best trail system in the country, with more than 825 miles of rugged walking routes. The Trail Managers maintain these trails all year-long, and the dinner recognizes their achievements. Hikers and trail runners would have nowhere to go if it wasn’t for trail maintainers. They deserve the recognition that they get.

Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross, Day 1

Today was day one of the two-day Cycle-Smart International Cyclocross at Look Park in Northampton, Massachusetts. Like The West Hill Shop Cyclocross last week, this is one of New England’s longest running cross races. It is a true classic. The race originated on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus in 1990 and moved to Look Park several years ago. Adam Myerson has been the Race Director since the beginning. He is one of New England’s most passionate cyclists and is quite the character. This course is one of the fastest on the circuit and my race today was no different.

I did the 35+ race again, and it was a large field of about 85 riders. I finished towards the back, but that is fine. I just can’t keep up with these guys anymore. Cross has gotten wicked fast and this isn’t my kind of course anyway. The race started like a criterium and then turned into a time trial. I had several teammates in the field. Matt Domnarski led us with the best team finish. Wade Summers was next, then Gary Aspnes, me, and Craig Kennedy. Paul Nyberg did the 45+ race. As for the top three in the 35+ race, the podium spots went to three of the best masters riders in our region. Jonny Bold took the top spot. Kevin Hines was second and Matt Kraus was third.

Cross is great because you end up having a race within the race and competing against the guys around you. You don’t have to be up front to have fun. One thing I don’t like is guys in 60th place that ride as if the victory is on the line. There isn’t any reason to throw elbows when you are so far back, but some riders are compelled to behave like the sport is roller derby. The other thing that is pointless is sprinting for the finish when you are so far back. I finished unscathed, but there was a big wreck behind me that required the ambulance crew’s presence. Not good.

Since the Cycle-Smart cross is part of the Verge New England Championship Cyclocross Series, we are racing again tomorrow. The Verge races are all double race weekends. The seven events (14 races) in the series are some of the most well attended races in the country. They attract the fastest racers from the Northeast. So, look for another report filed from Northampton tomorrow.

Day 1 Race Results

Vasque Clinic @ North Cove Outfitters

Two nights ago, Debbie presented at North Cove Outfitters, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. She represented the Vasque US Trail Running Team and shared her enthusiasm for trail running with a group of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Several people were new to trail running and looking for more inspiration. Several others had never run trails, but were interested in trying. A few brave souls were particularly interested in hearing about her ultra-marathon trail running adventures. Maybe a 50 kilometer, 50 mile, or 100 mile trail run is on their horizon…

I played the Sherpa Dad role again, which usually consists of multi-tasking with three or more tasks. I manned the audio/video system, took photographs, and watched the kids. I also enjoyed hearing Deb recount some of the awesome adventures that we have had trail running, adventure racing, fast packing, and hiking during the past 10 years. We had fun putting together her presentation because we got to pull out photos from many of our  past adventures.

The folks at North Cove were really helpful and appreciative of her contribution to their weekly seminar series. They have one of the best outdoor gear stores around. No one has more kayaks in stock! We got a chance to chat with the founder/owner, Norm Cavallaro. As a student of business, I know a successful one when I see one. They have a cool culture fueled by employees who love the outdoors. It was a cool night for a cool talk on a cool subject at a cool venue.

Hartford Cyclocross

The second half of our family fitness double-header was the Hartford Cyclocross at Riverside Park. The race was co-promoted by the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance and the Connecticut Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association. These two groups worked together to bring cyclocross back to the Connecticut River waterfront. Riverside Park is a spectacular setting for a cross race, with a great mix of open fields, steep run ups, a treacherous downhill, sand, twisty pavement sections, and fast singletrack.

I donned the cycling gear and planned for a muddy ride. Yesterday’s rain and wind soaked the course. Today’s dry weather was a blessing, but it wasn’t warm enough to dry out the course. That made for a slick tricky loop. There were several category and age group races. I opted for the men’s 35+, as did my teammates Wade Summers, Matt Domnarski, and Art Roti (the co-race director).

I got my Garmin GPS working and it recorded some good data. I didn’t feel that good and the numbers show it. I still had a lot of fun, especially because I spent most of the race riding with Matt. We alternated pulls because he was stronger in some sections and I was stronger in others. I had no snap. Of course, this is only my second cross race in two years. My first was last week at Mansfield Hollow. If I keep at it, I’ll come around. I want to get faster by the end of the season. The 45 minute anaerobic effort takes some getting used to. I’ll give it a go again next Sunday at the classic West Hill Shop Cyclocross in Putney, Vermont. Today’s race was a little longer than the planned 45 minutes. My GPS said 55 minutes at the finish. Matt and I raced a third rider hard for several laps, but we couldn’t shake him and our tactics ultimately didn’t work, and he came around us just before the line. Oh well, like I said, we had a lot of fun.

With the extra mud, we had no problem selling several sets of Horst Spikes. They were in demand, especially after people saw the steep slippery run-up on the dike. I had a fresh set of spikes in my brand new pair of Sidi Dominator shoes. I was product testing in perfect conditions. I would imagine that if the rain keeps coming every couple of days, we might sell out of our stock by mid-November. Hopefully, CCBA and CTNEMBA can collaborate again in 2010 because Hartford deserves to have a cross race every year.

Ray Crothers Memorial 5K Run

Today was the 1st Annual Ray Crothers Memorial 5K Run. We had so many racing options today. The Groton Forest Trail Race was in Massachusetts. The Bimbler’s Bluff 50 Kilometer Trail Race (Connecticut’s only trail ultra) was in Guilford. We decided to stay close to home and take turns racing. Debbie ran and I played the role of Sherpa Dad for the running race. Then, I did the Hartford Cyclocross later in the day, while Deb handled the parenting duties.

Ray Crothers was a legendary Connecticut runner who passed away in 2008. All proceeds from the race benefitted the Central Connecticut State University Ray Crothers Scholarship Fund. Ray was an alumnus.

We carted the whole family over to Wickham Park for a classic cross-country race.  The morning weather was gorgeous, after yesterday’s wash out. The course was wet in spots, but Debbie had fun in her first official comeback race after giving birth five weeks ago. We had beautiful sunshine and the leaves are just past peak. That combination made for some great photographs. It was a wonderful reunion for many of Ray’s old friends. His partner from The Run In, John Vitale, was the honorary race starter. Ray’s wife, Robin, spoke eloquently about Ray’s passion for running, community service, and his devotion to his customers.

Debbie said she felt slow, but I guess that is to be expected. She will improve every time she runs. I once heard someone answer the question, “How do you run 100 miles?” They said, “One step at a time.” Today’s race was only 5 kilometers, but it is part of the process of rebuilding her fitness to pre-pregnancy levels. The race was won by Manchester native, Drew Best. Mark Hixson was second. Ashley Reichelt of Manchester was the women’s winner in 19:34. The race results show 108 adult finishers. The Hartford Courant’s Lori Riley was at the race, and sporting a Soapstone Mountain Trail Race t-shirt. She posted a report on her own blog, “Running Around Connecticut.” Last week, Lori posted an update about Deb’s pregnancy. Earlier this year, she wrote a newspaper article about Deb’s running. From my perspective, the event was a great success. Ray had a lot of friends running in his memory today.

Race Photos

Race Results

Battles with Deb & Her North Cove Outfitters Seminar

I’ve written much about my epic trail running battles with my spouse, Debbie Livingston. She got me into the sport of trail running 10 years ago, and I have hated every minute of it. She would say, “Not true.” Well, truthfully, I have grown to love the sport, but in the beginning, it was painful, and I’ve got the scars to prove it. I tried way too hard to beat her and I ended up paying the price. At one time, we were a good tandem adventure racing team, but the fierce competitiveness between us, often caused strife. Well, it wasn’t that bad, but it is fun to laugh about our bickering now. Mostly we argued over navigation and my wining. When we are battling each other, our true desires come out. I’ve learned that if you intend to match her stride for stride, especially on a steep and rocky descent, then you better be insured. Seriously, I’ve warmed to running trails, my legs are used to the feeling, and now I’m out there in the woods every chance I get.

A week from tomorrow, Debbie is speaking at one of Connecticut’s best known independent outdoor retailers, North Cove Outfitters. I don’t know what she is going to say. I expect she will discuss how she got started trail running, and how that took her to the even more specialized discipline of ultra-marathon trail running. I’ll be honored if she mentions me, because that means I rate in her world! She and I are pretty evenly matched up to marathon distance, but when it goes to 50km, 50 mile, and beyond, I’m dead meat (and that’s coming from a vegetarian). I would rather crew for her at that distance.

She has done some amazing races in the past 10 years, and I expect that she will reflect on those experiences. From the Arizona desert to the California headlands to the Blue Mountains of Australia to Table Mountain in South Africa to the European Alps; she has run interesting trails. Those trails have given her some great stories to tell and in appreciation, she has given back to the trails. As President of the Shenipsit Striders, and Race Director of the Soapstone Mountain Trail Races, she has returned much to the sport that has given so much to her.

Coming off a year of pregnancy and after the recent birth of our second child, she is primed to regain her form. My days of finishing in front of her are likely to be numbered. I had my chance when she was carrying an extra 20 pounds around her midsection. I’ll be afraid to challenge her on our tricky New England trails when she gets her fitness back to peak strength in 2010 and 2011. We have been compared to the tortoise and the hare. I go out hard and blow up. She paces herself and always gets to the finish first.

She has gotten amazing support from the Vasque US Trail Running Team. I think it is really cool that she stayed involved with the team throughout her phenomenally active pregnancy. In 2009, while her teammates were winning races all over the globe, she was setting a new fitness standard for expectant mothers. She is my inspiration and I know that she inspires others too. If you are in the area, join her at North Cove on Wednesday October 28th for a fun fall discussion about the joy of trail running.

Hartford Cross/Connecticut Riverfront Cyclocross

Several years ago, Horst Engineering was instrumental in bringing the sport of cyclocross to the Connecticut River waterfront, when Team Horst Sports hosted an event at Riverside Park in Hartford. Cyclocross returns to Riverside Park on Sunday October 25th. This time, the event is being promoted by the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance and theConnecticut Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association. The venue is managed with help from Riverfront Recapture.

Photos courtesy of Amanda Lawrence

Click here for information about the event, including directions. Cyclocross is the most spectator friendly type of bicycle racing. The discipline requires speed, endurance, and excellent bike handling skillls. Riders negotiate a loop course with both natural and man made obstacles, including steep run ups, mud, sand, and barriers. It has been described as steeplechase on a bike. Horst Engineering is proud to support CCBA, CT-NEMBA, and Riverfront Recapture. Crosstube.net is a great resource for seeing what the sport is all about.

Compared to a decade ago, cyclocross is a much different sport, at least in New England. The entry fees have gone up, the expectations are higher, and the number of quality races on the schedule has increased. Team Horst Sports used to promote the Frank n’ Horst Cyclocross in Keene, New Hampshire, but when we struggled to attract enough riders, we called it quits. Bigger races with bigger prize lists, outside of New England, but in adjacent regions, were scheduled on the same day as our race. It made no sense to compete. The glut of races is good for local riders who don’t want to drive, but last weekend, there were four races in New England on Saturday alone. That is too much to support the sport. This weekend, we have the Hartford race on the same day as a big race in Maine. Regardless, cross is a fun sport for spectators and riders alike.

Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross

Today, I had to shake off the cobwebs at the Mansfield Hollow Cyclocross. It was my first cross race in nearly two years. We packed the van and drove the short distance from Bolton to Mansfield Hollow State Park. I was fortunate that at registration, they had a print-out of the Wikipedia definition for cyclocross. It had been so long since my last cross race, that I had forgotten the rules! To make matters worse, I was so rusty, that I missed the start of my race, the Men’s 35+. When the other riders took off, I was still standing at the van, struggling to take off my knee warmers. By the time I got going, I had conceded a 30 second head-start to the field, and my heart rate was jacked to the maximum from the gun. It was a fine way to ease back into the sport…

It worked out for the best. I haven’t done any intensity in my limited training regimen, and I’ve only had a few bike rides (commuting to work) in the past month. Cyclocross requires good handling skills and I will need more practice before I’m ready to ride with confidence. I picked my way through the small field, eventually moving up to eighth spot, where I ended up at the finish. My time was 49:24, a little less than three minutes back from the winner, Doug Mosher. John Aspinwall finished second. Horst-Benidorm-Property Research Corp. teammate, Wade Summers, had a nice ride to finish third.

Cyclocross is my favorite type of cycling. I love riding in the fall and cross is one of the best ways to get out and hammer during the season when the leaves fall from the trees. The races are only 45+ minutes, so you don’t trash yourself. Compared to trail running and triathlon, they are over in a flash. I’m planning at least five more races between now and the holidays. We were fortunate to race in dry conditions this morning. The Mansfield course really is beautiful, but I might not have gone to the race if it was raining when we awoke this morning. I’m not ready for the mud yet.

One of my favorite cross races of all time was some years ago on this course, when they held the race in December. That race started in dry, but overcast conditions. There was a “snow sky,” and sure enough, 10 minutes into the race, the flakes started to fall. It was epic with the wind driven squall obscuring the course. That day, we finished with huge smiles on our faces. That is what cross is all about. Today, the rain held off and it was worth it to make the family trip to the Hollow, one of Connecticut’s beautiful places.

For those who are unfamiliar with cyclocross, the best way to learn is to check out some of the videos on www.crosstube.net. The final lap of Sunday’s World Cup Race in the Czech Republic was just posted. These are the real crossers!

2009 Breakneck Trail Race

“I once was lost, but now am found.” So go the lyrics to the song. After six tries, I finally finished the 20 kilometer Breakneck Trail Race without getting lost or injured. The first time I did the race, I ended up (after DNF’ing) at the emergency department of Rockville General Hospital with eight stitches in a severely damaged knee that grew to the size of a pumpkin. That was the year that I renamed the race Breakknee. The next four times, I ended up hopelessly lost in the woods, on a course, that is notorious for claiming directionally challenged victims. The sixth time, today, was a charm. One reason why I stayed on course: Race Director Karl Molitoris took the unprecedented step (he was under pressure) to mark the course. It was the 13th time that Karl has put on Breakneck at Bigelow Hollow State Park, in Union, Connecticut, and one of the only times that he has used ribbons to mark the way.

In past years, this race has been run under spartan conditions with no course markings (other than the hard to see blazes on the trees), no aid, and no numbers. Today, we had no aid and no numbers, but there were lots of blue ribbons; if you are a believer, they must have been sent from heaven. The competition came down to who was fastest, though some folks still got lost. If you are one of those folks who somehow wandered off trail, my sympathies are with you. I can’t see how you did it, but I still feel for you. The race started with many of us in a somber mood. RD Karl made a passionate speech at the start line. He reflected on 13 years of Breakneck, before launching into a rant against the State of Connection Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP manages the state park system and they are suffering a budget crunch like never before. Thus, one of the reactions, at the behest of our governor and our state legislature, has been to jack up the fees charged to park users. In addition to the fees, there are more rules, more restrictions, less indemnity, and contracts with more legalese.

Karl said that he had enough and that this year would be the last year that he is the race director of Breakneck. It is always sad to witness the demise of a good race, but he said that after 13 good years, he was done. I immediately started worrying about the Soapstone Mountain Trail race and all of the other events that depend on the support of the state park system. Time will tell if the State’s new approach will hurt the trail running scene. One thing that is for sure, is that the runners appreciate what Karl and all of the other race directors do. They don’t get thanked enough. After the finish, I filled in Debbie. She missed the speech, but got the gist of it. She is going to start planning for Soapstone soon and let’s hope that the new rules can be dealt with.

As for today’s race, I was thrilled to take nearly 17 minutes off of my personal best time. Part of that was staying on course, but I was also on. I felt great, despite still feeling stiffness from last Sunday’s 50km race in my legs. I took the counterclockwise option (you choose which way that you want to circumnavigate Breakneck Pond) again this year and used part of the old dirt road in an effort to make up ground. I only twisted my perpetually damaged right ankle once, and I only fell once. My fall was more of a cart-wheel, but I still got nicked up. I also slammed my shin into a log during the extremely wet beaver dam bog traverse. I’ve missed the traverse the past few years (note my comments about getting lost), but this year, I nailed it. It saves a few seconds, but it gets your feet very wet. I passed a woman on the return leg who was inquiring as to whether or not she had to go back through the bog to return to the finish. Poor girl, she was whimpering. I said, “Yeah, of course.”

The wet section of trail on the west side of the pond was thigh deep (for me) thanks to last night’s heavy rain. I would have paid to seen “Miss I don’t want to go through the Beaver Bog again’s” reaction to that watering hole! All of the trails were wet and slippery, but they were still very runable. Most of the runners that I saw took the counterclockwise direction too. I think it saves a minute or two and it is preferable to me, though I’ve gone both ways in the past. The overcast and muggy weather cleared by the end of the race and the warm sun made the post-race festivities so much more fun. Everyone lounged around the finish, enjoying the spectacular feast that Karl, his Mom, and the other volunteers had prepared for us.

First place went to Brian Rusiecki in 1:41:08, who was fresh off his Vermont 50 Mile Run win and apparently not feeling much ill effects after last week’s muddy epic. He was cautious about staying on trail, so he didn’t trounce the rest of us by the usual margin. I had an all time Grand Tree Series personal best second place finish in 1:47:51. Stanislav Trufanov was third in 1:48:58. For women, Amy Lane continued her Grand Tree Series dominance, winning in 2:08:31, despite a beaver dam bog injury to her hand that looked like she had been attacked by a slasher. Second place went to Grace Jensen in a fine 2:14:21. Third place was Michelle Hammond in 2:17:14. Click here for full results.

Judging from the smiles, everyone was enjoying themselves during the first trail race of October. It look like 75 people came out for the race, which is around 25 more than normal. We saw a lot of friends and got to introduce them to our daughter for the first time. Some folks expected to see Debbie running on the trails. She is feeling good, but it is still too soon. This morning, she reminded me that she has the rest of her life to run. She did get in a good hike with one kid on the front and one kid on the back, so clearly, she isn’t slacking. We both love Bigelow Hollow. I think it is the jewel of the Connecticut State Park system. It is the one park that makes me feel like I am in Vermont or New Hampshire. The trails are as rugged as anything in the north country and the forest is thick.

The season is winding down. Next week is the classic finale of the WMAC Trilogy, Monroe/Dunbar Brook. I hope to keep the good forming rolling right through fall. I had considered a fall Ironman, but I’m not that fit. I’m also not getting the rest that I would need, thanks to the new addition to our family. Work has also been very demanding, so a second IM will have to wait until 2010. I’m going to have to think of a new challenge to get me through winter. In the meantime, I’ll do a few more trail races and then I will break out the cyclocross bike for some short but intense efforts.

As a note, we stopped off at the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market on the way home from the race. It was Squashtober Fest. We made one loop of the market before it closed and scored some fresh salad fixin’s. It was the right way to conclude a fine October weekend.

Breakneck Race Results

Silence that Idiot Box

Last weekend, I read an excellent editorial by the Boston Globe’s Jeff Jacoby. The premise of the editorial was that Americans, especially children, watch way too  much television. I think we all know this, but it makes sense for someone to point it out from time to time. Jacoby shares some startling statistics. Americans watch 8.2 hours of TV a day. This is in addition to the time that they spend on the Internet, which has its own issues. Still, the Internet is a very different medium from TV. Sure, I hear my critics and Jacoby’s critics crying foul. They want to highlight how education certain channels are. I hear this argument from people all of the time. Why would you want to watch the nature channel our outdoors channel when you could be outside in nature enjoying the real outdoors?

Why would you watch cycling if you could go cycling? There is a direct correlation between the obesity epidemic and the amount of TV that we watch. Turn it off. Get outside and move your body. It is s simple premise, but there must be something seriously addictive with the boob tube. The health care crisis that we face should address this. TV makes us sedentary and stupid. The advertisements on TV promote the worst possible foods. Americans are sitting in front of this electronic box and poisoning themselves. For the sake of the next generation of children, I urge you to read the Jacoby editorial and share it with others. They need to be reminded to turn the TV off.

Coda: Vermont 50–Where are the (Accurate) Results?

It is three days after the Vermont 50 Mile Ride & Run, and I’m sure that the riders are still picking grit out of their eyes and ears. It was a muddy day on the trails of southern Vermont. The runners, unless they hit the deck, probably didn’t get coated as bad, but judging from the looks of my shoes, everyone needed to wash their gear with some powerful detergent.

I hope we didn’t do too much damage to the trails. One of the beautiful things about the VT50 is that the awesome trails are all on private land. It is the landowners who come together to help make this event possible. The landowners and the volunteers are the keys to the race. The volunteers were excellent, manning the aid stations, monitoring the course, and taking care of things at the finish line. All of my interaction with them was very good. The poor weather made for a challenging day if you were a volunteer standing in the rain, so I’m sure that all of the competitors appreciate the effort.

One thing that I find inexcusable, is the poor timing/results. This race has a $95 entry fee (for individuals) and every year, the results take days to produce. When they are finally posted, they are usually wrong and the formatting is impossible to read. How come I can go to a local 5K, pay $15, and get accurate results before everyone has crossed the finish line? Then, by the time you are home, the results are uploaded to the Internet. Many of the trail races in the New England Grand Tree Trail Running Series are low budget/all volunteer affairs and it takes a day to get the results up. That is OK because it is part of the culture. Most New England mountain bike races provide accurate and prompt results. Clearly, there is a need to do some benchmarking.

The VT50 needs chip timing. It is a big budget race. Everything about the race is 1st class, including the organic cotton t-shirts, the volunteers, the aid stations, and the post race spread…but the results process is broken. Chip timing is available everywhere now. There are chip systems that are low impact on the environment (reusable), and they are accurate. It isn’t free; you often have to hire a service, but they are readily available and they are reliable. You have someone to hold accountable should things not go as planned. There are so many opportunities to cheat in the VT50 because the course doubles back on itself in several spots. Chip timing with intermediate checkpoints won’t eliminate this potential problem, but it would mitigate the risk and provide data that you could go back to, should you need to investigate. Providing split times would be an added value for the customers/competitors.

I have shared my feedback with the race director in the past. He is a friend, and I know that others have complained. The VT50 webmaster wouldn’t have to put so many apologies on the site if the results were right. I wouldn’t criticise if it wasn’t a legitimate gripe. The races that I volunteer at, including the Soapstone Mountain Trail Races, have had results issues in the past, and Debbie (the RD) and I  have taken heat for it, but we have stepped up our investment (money and time) to improve the process. I think that the VT50 owes it to the repeat participants to explain how they will improve this for 2010. When a rider or runner dedicates training time, travel time, and race time, then they deserve to get instant results, especially for a big entry fee. The entry fee is substantial because this is a popular race. It would sell out at an even higher number, but you still have to keep it fair. Ironman Triathlons sell out at $500+ with four times as many competitors. That is big budget! Let’s hope it doesn’t go there.

The VT50 is a community service event. The proceeds benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports, which is a nonprofit organization doing amazing work, so it often feels wrong to complain. Nevertheless, without feedback change won’t occur. Let’s hope that the VT50 committee gets the message.

This year, the 50 Mile Run, was part of the Montrail Ultra Cup, a nationwide series of events. The big deal here is that the top two finishers for men and women, qualified for the Western States Endurance Run(100 miles), the country’s most prestigious ultramarathon. With a WS100 slot at stake, improved timing is a must. This is just one more reason to get it right next time.

2009 Vermont 50 Mile Ride & Run

Today’s Vermont 50 Mile Ride & Run was a muddy affair. Steady rain made the course a greasy mess. This was the Livingston Family’s 10th anniversary VT50. Debbie and I weren’t a family when we first met in the parking lot at the Ascutney Mountain Resort in 1999. She was a trail runner and I was a mountain biker. That chance meeting and the courtship that followed has yielded nine more VT50’s (seven for Deb because she missed during her pregnancy years), a marriage, a house, and two kids. Despite the craziness of the past week and the newly expanded family, we were thrilled to make the trip to Brownsville for Sunday’s race.

Of my 10 VT50’s, I have ridden nine on the mountain bike (with one notable exception in 2007 when I broke my chain at mile 17 and ran the 33 miles to the finish) and run one. That one official run was today, though it came in the 50 kilometer race. I wasn’t ready for the big one, so I opted for the baby, but it still hurt to run 31 miles. It is too bad the race wasn’t a marathon because I had a really strong first 26 before cracking and fading a bit in the last five.

Debbie was a saint for hanging out on a miserable rainy day. Not riding turned out to be fortuitous because the mountain bikers got the short end of the stick today. The conditions were fine for running, but they were appalling (though not as bad as 2003) for riding. It was a shame because yesterday’s weather was spectacular. There wasn’t much hanging around after the finish. Folks headed for the showers, cleaned up, grabbed some grub, and hit the road. Travel for us isn’t as easy as it used to be. We made four stops on the drive home to accommodate various kids’ needs.

I enjoyed running the first three miles with Leigh Schmitt. Leigh and I chatted amiably about our families, his impressive 7th place finish at the Western States 100, swimming for training, and our plans for the rest of the season. We ran together on the opening flat section of dirt road, but as soon as we hit the first dirt road climb, I let Leigh, Kevin Sullivan, and another runner go up the road. I settled into 4th place and that is where I stayed for another 23 miles.

I didn’t have much running company, but when the 50K and 50M courses intersected, I had a chance to run along with the mountain bikers. It felt weird to not be riding, but I think I was better off. The bikers all looked to be suffering with all of the mud. There were a lot of mechanical failures and DNF’s. When the riders had to dismount and walk up the steep hills, I would put distance on them, then, they would come blasting past on the next descent. I actually spent several miles with my teammate A.Z Wenzel, who had a fine ride and avenged his Josh Billings debacle with a top 40 finish.

With five to go, I really started to hurt and my pace slowed. I don’t think I was fueled properly, I was a bit chilly, and my legs were just plain tired. I lost a few spots and would have lost more if it wasn’t for Molly Housman. She was leading all of the 50K women when she caught me with a little less than three miles to go. She was kind enough to let me latch on. We talked about kids, running, the mud, and blogs. I was able to stick with her until the finish and it made the last couple of miles a little less painful. She maintained a nice pace until the end, when she decided to drop the hammer on me and gap me in the last 200 meters. No big deal. I owe her one. She had a fine run.

Leigh won the race in 4:01. Kevin Sullivan was 2nd or 3rd in 4:12. I finished around 4:44. The results weren’t complete, but I will post them when they are available along with some comments. I’m curious to see who won the mountain bike race and who won the 50 mile run.

It was a messy day, but it was still the Vermont 50. Since our little girl was born on her due date, she made this possible. It was touch and go as to whether or not we would make it this year. In the end, it all worked out. We are already looking forward to 2010 when Debbie makes her comeback. Maybe I will ride again next year. Bring it on.

Race Results