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)

2013 Spirit of Spring Road Race

Today, we ran the Spirit of Spring Road Race in Tolland, Connecticut. This 5 kilometer affair was more like the Spirit of Winter Road Race. It was frigid and blustery. “We” was Debbie and our son. I ran the 1.25 mile kids race with our kid. Debbie carried our daughter on her back for a little warm up. Then, she did the “adult” race with the other adults.

It was too cold for April. I’m tired of being cold. Anyway, enough complaining. The course was a bit hilly and the times showed that. Local boy, Brett Stoeffler, smoked the field. He was way out in front. Karina Johnson had a nice run as the first woman and fourth overall. David Clavet was the second male. He is the 14 year-old  Ellington High School “kid” who I had to out-sprint at the Finally Spring 5K two weeks ago. It didn’t feel like spring then and it certainly doesn’t feel like spring now! Todd Longo was third.

 

The 2nd woman was Hayley Collins, another 14 year-old. She ran with our old friend and her dad, John Collins, both of Tolland. Debbie wasn’t far behind them. Unfortunately the weather was a real blow to attendance. It seemed like there were as many volunteers as runners. There were even two egg hunts! Easter was last week. We stayed in the warming tent and only came out for the start and finish. Our kids weren’t too happy about the cold, but at least the sun was shining.

 

Debbie is done with this short 5K stuff for now. It’s not her style. The first “real” race of the year is next week at the Traprock 50K in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Bring on the trails!

Race Results

2013 Hoppin’ Hodges Trail 5K

A relatively new Easter tradition continued today at the 2013 Hoppin’ Hodges 5K. My 2012 report has more of the history behind the race, so refer back if you are curious. This year, the whole family joined me at the Church Street depot on the Vernon rail trail (Hop River Linear State Park Trail).

I rode over to see many of our Silk City Striders friends. Janit Romayko is the race directing force behind this run little “race.” I think the true distance on the out and back course was more like 2.5 miles, but who is counting? I was taking it easy after yesterday’s trail half marathon softened up my legs, so Debbie ran solo and I pushed our little girl in the Chariot CX-1, which brought back a lot of memories. We don’t get that rig out as often anymore. Our son rode along on his bike.

It was chilly but sunny. Everyone enjoyed an awesome post-race spread with lots of treats. Afterwards, inspired by today’s 96th edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. I continued my ride through Vernon, Manchester, and Bolton. My route included more of the rail trail, then the Charter Oak Greenway/East Coast Greenway, then up to the top of Case Mountain, and back. I had a lot of switchbacks and steep climbs, but no cobblestones!’

What a nice day!

Race Results

2013 Shenipsit Old School Trail Half-Marathon

Today, I was a last minute “entrant” in the 1st Annual Shenipsit Old School Trail Half-Marathon. With no Northern Nipmuck Trail Race on the traditional Saturday before Easter, there was a void until Ron Starrett and his gang filled it with this fun race. The Shenipsit Striders threw their weight behind this self-timed affair and filled out the field with most of the runners. The start/finish was at the commuter lot off of Exit 67 next to Walker Reservoir in Vernon, Connecticut.

The approximately 13 mile out and back course included one of my favorite sections of the CFPA-managed/maintained Shenipsit Trail. Other sections traveled on other favorite trails in the beautiful Belding Wildlife Management Area, in Valley Falls Park, on the Hop River State Park Trail, and in Freja Park in Bolton. The turnaround was at the old drive-in just off Rt. 44 west of Bolton Notch. We had a glorious spring day with a light breeze, cool air, but brilliant sunshine. The sky was a deep blue with puffy white clouds.

It was a rugged well-marked course with a fair amount of elevation gain and loss. There was a lot of post-winter debris on the trail. There were several sections of ice and snow and there was a little mud. I had three hard falls including one where I didn’t think I was going to get back up, but I did. I slammed my right big toe into root and it sent me flying. It was great to see some of our runner friends come out of hibernation. NipMuck Dave graced us with his presence and even Jack the Puppy did the 13 plus he went out for another 7 with his Mom, Kristina Folcik and Dad, Ryan Welts.

Last night, I went to the recently expanded New Balance store in South Windsor to search for high quality footbeds with better arch support. I ended up walking out with the new insoles in a new pair of trail running shoes. It was too easy to just try them on and leave them on. I haven’t had a pair of New Balance shoes in more than 10 years. It must have been serendipity, because yesterday, Debbie cleaned out her locker at Court House Plus and brought home a bunch of my old gear including a vintage pair of New Balance road runners.

So, with brand new shoes and no break-in period, I tackled the Old School course today and other than the toe, didn’t have any foot issues. I got a chuckle when several other runners spotted my new shoes and recognized the model. Who has time to read shoe reviews? I wish I had time! I just walked into the store and said show me a pair of good trail runners. It was that simple. It is going to take more work to get my “trail legs.” I was clumsy and slow on the descents and my quadriceps are screaming tonight. Regardless, I had fun  covering the course in 1:53:05. I ran the last four miles with Mike Reed, which was cool. He told me that several years ago, Debbie and I helped him prepare for a Long Trail trip. We are LT End-to-End Mentors and help dozens and dozens of hikers every year. It was nice to place a face to the name/e-mail.

My vote is that Ron and crew do this for real in 2014. I’ll be there.

Race Results

2013 Finally Spring 5K!

The great irony of today’s Finally Spring 5K! in Manchester, Connecticut is that it was far from spring-like. It was one of those classic New England weather days more like late-February or late-November. It was freezing. The temperature didn’t get out of the 30′s (Fahrenheit) and despite pockets of deep blue sky, intermittent snow squalls rolled through as angry clouds dotted the sky. It was ugly! But…it was a great day for running.

All along, the Saturday plan was for Debbie to run 25+ miles and for me to go along as far as I could. I was supposed to do a track workout, but good luck finding a track in these parts that doesn’t have six inches of ice and snow on it. Last night, we were on the Bolton Land Trust’s Bogsucker Slog and met up with Kevin Glenn and Laurie Brooks. They mentioned the Finally Spring 5K! which I had forgotten about.

Like the Bolton Road Race two weeks ago, this presented a unique opportunity. I could do my three-mile track workout on road/trails in the middle of a long run. Fantastic! Our kids were with Deb’s parents, so we ran the long way over to the Howard/Porter Reservoir for this hybrid event. Neither of us had run this race before, though it was the 5th edition. I go through those reservoir trails frequently, but Deb hadn’t even been in there, so while we were racing, she explored the trail system and kept piling up the miles.

We met up with fellow Shenipsit Striders David Merkt, Tony Bonanno, Kate Bonanno, Summer Rabida, and David Sutherland. After doing a loop of the course, I got to the start with 90 seconds to spare. I changed into my “papaya” jersey and we were off. My goal was to run a steady pace like the workout described, which from the looks of my Garmin results, was pretty good despite the hills, snow, ice, and variety of surfaces. It was a fun run, but I had no oomph…until the end. You see, these high schoolers are unreal. They make you earn your spot in the rankings.

I hit my lowest heart rate of the race at 171 with 90 seconds to go as I started to fade badly and then this 17 year-old kid makes his move to bridge up to me. I looked back once and told myself that I wanted to hold on to my spot, but I knew that it was going to hurt. Boy, did it hurt. 90 seconds later I crossed the line with a heart rate of 192, which is a number I rarely see anymore. We ran neck and neck for the final downhill 1/4 mile and I clocked it in 64 seconds. Ouch. I’m supposed to be training for an Ironman. I don’t need to run that fast, but I’m not letting some kid get the best of me in the last bit of a race, no matter how short it is.

I was already well behind Merkt. He had a great race in his Vibram Five Fingers, which were an interesting choice for the course conditions, but that is one reason why he makes me smile so much. Some guys wore track spikes. Spikes? They ought to come out to Traprock next month or Soapstone in May and bring their spikes! At least no one wore snowshoes.

Another guy who crushed me is 17 year-old (making embarasing frown as I type) Henry Domnarski from Palmer, Massachusetts who is getting stronger by the day. His Dad, Matt, is one of my best cycling buddies and a long time teammate on Team Horst Sports. Matt was a champ runner in his day with like a 2:50 Boston Marathon on his resume, but like me, he now seeks glory against other age groupers. Nowadays, all of his racing is on his bicycles. I could see Henry, who took the very competitive under-18 age group, up with Merkt but could never close the gap. I made up for any disappointment with my burst at the end to hold off another young buck.

First overall went to Jacob Gurzler in 16:10. The course was modified because of the snow, but that is still a fast time. He was followed by Kevin Brandon and Andrew Chalmers who both cracked 17. The first woman was Beth Kraseman in 19:37. She was hot on my heels! It was nice to see Beth. She used to do many of the New England Grand Tree Trail Running Series races and is a past Soapstone winner. She has a fast family. Her family ran the race too. She was followed in the women’s field by Jennifer Racine and Alyssa Hamel.

The Manchester Running Company attracted 315 people to this race, though only 255 crossed the line, which is amazing. It was great to see so many folks out there not minding the mud and snow. Merkt and I were both missing chips on our bib numbers and initially they missed us in the results. When we were talking to the guys from Last Mile Timing, they told us that MRC planned on 250 runners so they brought 50 extra chips. Even that wasn’t enough!

It was fitting that for my age group award, I scored a season pass to the Bolton Summer XC Series. If you haven’t been to one of our Wednesday night XC races at the Bolton Heritage Farm, then you have to join us for some fun. After the race, Debbie dragged me home and I got in another 10 miles up and over the top of Birch Mountain. She kept going for five more and we both ended up reaching our training goals for the day. The weather wasn’t pretty. I’m not so sure that spring is here. It may say so on the calendar, but I’m ready for the Finally Summer 5k, or rather 50K.

Race Results

Connecticut State Parks Centennial

Today, I swung by the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford to celebrate the centennial of the State Park system and meet with several groups who volunteer to support the various parks. The Connecticut Forest & Park Association and Friends of Connecticut State Parks collaborated to draw attention to our state’s incredible park resources. Connecticut is blessed with an incredible number of parks and greenways. Look at this list!

CFPA is pushing for every state legislator to adopt a park. With so many budget cuts affecting the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP), the “Friends” groups are advocating against further cuts to park resources. The corridor between the Capitol and the State Legislative Office Building was jammed with enthusiastic parks supporters shilling for their park.

I love to see that passion and came away from my lunch time visit with a pile of maps and brochures. I ran into several friends, and had a chance to share my own enthusiasm for Connecticut’s trails and parks during a video interview. I wore my Limmer Boots (with a jacket and tie) today to highlight my own love of hiking.

The legislative battles are heating up, but with the trail running, hiking, and biking season on the horizon; I’ll be doing my part to ensure that Connecticut’s awesome parks get the resources that they deserve.

Toronto & Mississauga, Canada

Last week, I had a one day business trip to Mississauga, Ontario, Canada that turned into a three-day business trip.  The late winter snowstorm in New England left me stranded at Pearson International Airport. I’ve been fortunate to avoid serious travel delays on recent trips, but it all caught up to me on this trip. I did a pretty good job chronicling it as it happened via social media, but for those of you who read blogs, but avoid Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, here is the summary.

The trip started at 6:15 A.M. on Thursday and by 6:35, it was already in trouble. I was headed for Logan Airport in Boston. It was snowing lightly and the roads were quite slippery, particularly on the hills. The worst part about the delay that I’m going to tell you about, is that it was avoidable. I was coming up on Exit 68 on I-84 in Tolland and out of the corner of my eye, spotted a digital highway sign with the following message: “Accident between Exits 68 and 70, highway closed, see alternate route.”

I ignored it. Sigh. I’ve been through so many of those without problems, but this time, it wasn’t to be. I had no time to tune in the traffic on the radio. Traffic kept flowing, but then it slowed, and then it stopped. When it stopped, it really stopped. I was stuck on the highway in the original snowstorm for nearly four hours. Apparently, about a  mile ahead of where I stopped, there was a multi-vehicle accident involving at least one tandem FedEx truck, whose contents was strewn across three lanes of traffic. The jacknifed tractor trailer was just one of many accidents in the northeastern part of Connecticut.

I was in the left lane, boxed in by an entire line of other trucks. I turned off my Subaru because I was low on fuel (the readout said I could go another 40 miles at highway pace), and waited. I made a lot of phone calls, read all of my email, and worked on my to do list. Since I wanted to keep my phone alive, I was charging it even though the car was off. About three hours into the ordeal, I walked over to the right hand side of the highway, and scrambled up the snowy embankment to get a better look at the backup. I returned to the car and my feet were a little cold from my snowy walk, so I decided to start the car for a few minutes. It didn’t start.

My battery was dead, stuck in the left lane on a highway, with wall to wall traffic. I got out again and asked a few of the other motorists if they had jumper cables. Then, in a flash of brilliance, I recalled that I had jumper cables. I always have jumper cables. That was a “doh” moment. Anyway, I got some help from a guy who pulled his truck alongside my car and we got the battery jumped. It was a harmless mishap. Word had traveled up to us that it was going to be another four hours. My feet were cold, so I walked around a bit.

I made the decision to call off the trip. I was looking forward to visiting a customer at the grand opening of their North American headquarters, but this was nuts. I phoned Air Canada, cancelled my flight, and arranged for credit on a future trip. I phoned the Hampton Inn and cancelled my room night.

Then, a miracle occurred (sort of). Within 30 minutes, traffic started to  move. I fired up the engine and slowly made my way past the wreck. Seeing the accident scene confirmed why the traffic was stopped. I got off the nearest exit and filled my tank. I checked the time and realized that I might still be able to get to Boston for a later flight. It was snowing heavily, but I phoned Air Canada and learned there was a later flight with openings.

I booked the flight and figured I would deal with lodging when I got to Canada. This next part of the trip was smooth sailing. Despite the snow and a short delay, I was able to get from Logan to Pearson. A short cab ride got me to my meeting only 30  minutes late. The customer visit was worth the effort.

That night I stayed at a  local motel. On Friday morning, I learned that the snowstorm in New England had intensified overnight and that there was a lot more snow than predicted. We ended up getting 18 inches in Bolton. Getting home was going to be a challenge, but I went for an early morning run in Mississauga and then did work from the motel room before returning to the airport for my early afternoon flight.

I made it all the way through customs and made it to the gate. The flight was on time. We were a little late, but eventually they announced boarding. Then a moment later, the next announcement said that the flight was cancelled. Logan Airport in Boston wasn’t taking any more planes. There were some irate passengers, but I just shrugged it off.

After some wrangling with Air Canada on the phone, I took the conservative approach and booked a flight for late Saturday morning. I decided to spend the night in Toronto. It was a real pain going back through Canadian immigration and customs since I never left the airport and had been pre-screened for the US, so I had to virtually “leave the country.” I caught a bus to a train, and was standing outside Union Station in Toronto by mid-afternoon.

I walked to Tim Horton’s, grabbed an internet connection, and booked a room for the night. I had a nice vegan dinner at Fresh on Spadina, which is highly recommended. The joint was buzzing with energy. It was an early night for me, but I got up early on Saturday and went for a nice run along Waterfront Toronto. It was cold and breezy.

After the run, I reversed my train/bus trip and did the airport drill all over again. I was back in Boston by 3:00 P.M. I stopped to visit my cousin at Boston University and got a $25 parking ticket while parked “illegally” in front of her brownstone on Bay State Road. There were open spots as far as the eye could see, but I guess that doesn’t make me innocent for not putting coins in the meter. C’est la vie!

I was home by six and ready for a “day off.”

As a note, both Toronto and Mississauga are booming. The industry in Mississauga was serious stuff. Our customer established a location there because of the aerospace industry manufacturing talent pool, and logistics. The airport is one of the busiest in the world. I saw locations for many automotive OEM’s and a variety of other Fortune 500 businesses. The Mississauga development folks were pumped about their prospects. The place is absolute sprawl, but I guess that is par for the course. Pavement, asphalt, and buildings. That is my memory of the place.

Toronto was also busy, with multiple downtown infrastructure projects. There were cranes everywhere. Their financial sector is rebounding and the appearance was that the economy was growing despite minor setbacks. It was the dead of winter when I last visited, so it was nice to get out and about. It really is a nice city and I understand why a recent National Geographic listed it as one of the world’s most livable cities based on safety, economic growth, and other factors.