Hmmm...

Apparently spring didn't really get the memo that it was supposed to arrive, because today we got about 5" of new snow and had a snow day! I am done with snow and winter, to be honest, but there was someone in our house who was excited about the snow :)

First Day of Spring

Happy Spring! A bit of a chilly start to the new season today, with snow in the forecast for tonight, but that's no excuse to not get out and enjoy the trails!

I'll be honest and admit I was really feeling yesterday's run this morning. I took my time getting out the door and managed to get out the door around 8:30 for a creaky meander on the cart paths and down to the river and back for 7.6 miles. That was all I needed to get the weekly mileage just up over 40, and while I realize it's an arbitrary number, I definitely wanted to hit it this week, even if I didn't feel the urge to run too much more ;)

After a mellow rest of the morning, we finally motivated to get out and enjoy the first day of spring together as family. We headed out onto the Cathance trails for a hike along the river. It was chilly but bright. I was cold in the shadows, but the sun was warm. There was mud but also a whole lot of hoar frost to crunch over, some frozen foam along the banks of the river to inspect, and an iced over quarry pond to throw rocks onto. There was some trail running and laughing, and sunlight sparkling on the river. There was also a trip and fall, some tears and banged up knees and a mid-hike hug before Sam dried her eyes and we continued on. A lovely hour+ out in the woods for 1.6 miles.

Trail running

Cool hoar frost

Barnes Leap

Happy hikers

Late afternoon sunlight on the river

Frozen foam

Frozen foam along the river's edge

Happy monkey ;)

Sam and Daddy

Roaring water

Neat iced over stream

Rushing Cathance

Running with the Boys

I haven't been to a "normal" Saturday Bradbury run in a while. Not that I don't run with people, or that I don't run at Brad, but I tend to just do my own thing at my own time and Saturdays at 8:00 isn't always the most convenient. But this morning, I knew I was headed to Brad for my long run. The plan was to meet up with John at 7:00, figuring we'd circle back to the lot at 8:00 to see who showed up. I had told Ryan I wasn't going to stick with the boys if it ended up being a group, as I knew it would mean running too fast for my 20. But of course, what do I do...

Chad and Mike had met John at 6:00 so they were already an hour in when I met up with them at 7:00. We headed out onto the East side to run the Scuffle-ish, managing to run the Bat Cave loop backwards and cutting off at the Link to get Mike back in time to head back home. We were moving at a quick clip with John in the lead, but it was fun to banter with everyone and I was feeling good. Back at the lot, Alan and dog, Micah and Clark joined us and all six of us headed out onto the BBU west loop. I wasn't leading, although I did have to keep giving directions ;) I didn't quite get them out early enough for us to turn up onto Krista's so we just kept on heading down the Tote and skipped that portion. I was hanging near the back of the group with Chad but we were still part of the train, moving well along the trail.

Trail conditions throughout the day were an interesting mix of firm trail, mud, water, springy semi-frozen trail, big patches of hoar frost and even some ice. It was chilly out but we were luckily protected from the wind in the woods.

Shortly after we crossed the final bridge and were headed back to the field along Lawrence, Bill came running down toward us, having arrived late and taken a guess as to which way we might have headed. Good scouting, for sure!

Back at the park, we turned right up the Boundary Trail which was icy and which is definitely not my favorite trail in the park. I was losing a bit of steam and was just taking my time, so when the group continued on past the bench that marks the Reverse Mindy, I called up to John to tell him I was turning here and was just going to do my own thing for that stretch back to the parking lot. He said he'd join me, but I told him to just keep going with the guys, knowing he could keep up ;) Of course, perhaps I should have insisted he come with me, as apparently soon after we parted, he went down hard on an icy ledge and smashed up his right side. Ouch! I enjoyed the Reverse Mindy and Tote trails and then turned up Northern Loop to head to the summit.

Just off the summit ledges, I saw the boys, heading back toward me, so I turned around and ran with them down the Ski Trail and back to the lot. Although I was feeling the miles, the time and the slightly too fast start, I was determined to get in my final 6 miles, so I said I was going to head back out to do the Scuffle. Bill and John, gluttons for punishment that they are, joined me. I said I was going to be slow... and I was ;) But John was hurting from his fall and Bill was thankfully content to just cruise along with us. Unfortunately John took yet another fall along the snowmobile trail in the last two miles, so it was a bit of a rough end to the run, but we got it done.

My watch beeped 20 just as we were crossing the road - hurray! It was a fun, if tiring, run and I am very happy to have gotten in the miles. And now I am headed back to sit on the couch and relax :)

Pair of Sixes

I apparently have become a running procrastinator. You know, just cram all the miles into the last four days of the week, none of this nicely spreading it out stuff ;) Damn time change and dreary weather and coughing child who is interrupting my sleep! Sigh. Anyway, no running early this week but did lecture myself sternly enough Wednesday night to actually get up and out of bed when the alarm went off at 5:00 am Thursday. It always takes me a while to get myself together, have something small to eat, do my exercises and stretches and get out the door, but was out a few minutes before 6:00 am.

It was dark and misty and foggy. I had very limited visibility for the first few miles in the dark, although I did notice a big blob off to my left on the green on hole #1. I stopped to shine my light on it and yup, a porcupine, rooting around in the grasses. Not bothered by my presence at all, he went on rooting, so I just said hello and continued on my merry, dark, misty way ;) Got in 6 on the cart paths for the morning.

Today, I decided to skip getting up in the dark and headed out around 10:00 am after I got Sam dropped off at school, the car vacuumed out and washed and the weekly trip to Target completed. It was bright and sunny, if a bit breezy, as I headed up Mt. A. The trails out in the Cathance were a bit squishy from yesterday's rain and the bog bridges were saturated enough to be extremely sketchy, but things have firmed up quite nicely out there and the running was decent. Lots of robins out along the golf course, and lots of water flowing down the river. Felt good and was happy to get in a nice 6.6 mile loop for the day.

The No-Snow Version of the "It's A Bad Idea" Fat Ass

Keri originally dreamed up a snowshoe fat ass run up at Hidden Valley Nature Center, with the idea that some people might want to run a marathon on snowshoes, and that the rest of us would be more than happy to run a few miles and then sit around and chat and eat and drink for the rest of the day ;) Of course, then we had *this* winter, and when this morning rolled around, there was no more chance of snow on the ground than of me having a good night's sleep ;) So, it was a trail fat ass instead!

There was a great turn-out today and the weather graced us with cool temps to start but abundant sunshine. As the day went on, the temps warmed up into the 50s but the cold wind remained. Still, it was a great day to spend out outside!

Tyler was nice enough to take Sam with him and his girls on a short hike around the pond at the start of the run so that I could run a lap. Things were wet, muddy and messy, but the area really is beautiful and, boy, are there some nice trails, especially the singletrack winding through the blueberry bushes. The group started out all bunched together, but I got in a few miles with Ryan and then with Jim, as he and his dogs caught up to us for the final few miles. A lovely 4.5 miles for the morning before spending the rest of the day eating and socializing and generally having a fun time with great friends. We are so lucky in so many ways!

Head of Tides

Headed out this morning for another "from the door" trail run, this time with a run out to Head of Tides. I really am lucky to have such great options for running right across the street!

It was a lovely sunny morning if a bit windy and cool. Most of the ice has disappeared with only a few small patches remaining - hurray! - but there was also a whole lot of hoar frost to trip and twist ankles in to make up for it ;) Also, with overnight temps below freezing, there was some very interestingly textured semi-frozen ground, almost springy in spots. Still, found some fine high dry trail to run along too. And of course, the river was roaring and beautiful as always. Got in a nice mellow 10 miles for the morning.

Roaring river, no ice today

Rushing water

Lovely high, dry trail headed out to Head of Tides

Falls, Head of Tides

No ice today

After I got home, Sam and I did some reading together while Ryan got in his run, and then the two of them went off for a lunch date! They were unable to attend the Valentine's Day Father/Daughter dance due to the snowshoe race, so this was their date instead :) And I had the house to myself for a bit, so it was a win/win!

Sushi with Daddy

Exploring

Ran the cart paths Thursday morning for a mellow six, and this morning got out and ran a small new-to-me trail system as part of my longer run. What fun! Driving along the Connector recently I've kept noticing two white blazes on trees heading into the woods bordering the Highlands. Today, I figured it was time to check them out. I ran the cart paths and several loops up and over Mt. A. then headed across the street and ducked into the woods. The trail headed down into a ravine with several short out-and-backs and loops along the stream. Some steep, short climbs and some nice wide meandering trail along the stream's edge plus a few genuine patches of dry, bare ground to be had up amongst the birch trees. Lovely!

It really did lead to a Gazebo...

Colorful lichen

Birch grove 

Dry ground!

Brook Trail

Flowing stream

Skunk cabbage!

I did another few laps around Mt. A. and then headed out to the ecology center before heading back home for a nice 14 miles on a Friday morning. 

Later, after picking Sam up, we headed to Dairy Queen for our first soft serve of the season ;) A good Friday!

Happy girls!

Weekend Running

Today was the last race of the snowshoe series. Ryan dubbed it the "un-snowshoe" race. Yup, no snow, but plenty of bare ground and some ice, and still a race, albeit a trail race :)

Race weekend generally means a busy weekend around our house, so yesterday I was up early to get in my run before Ryan headed out for course scouting, marking and his own running. I ran the cart paths and added on a Heath/down to the river and back lollypop in the middle for 7.7 miles. The Heath was clear of ice except for the spots that are typically wet, but down along the river, even on my short loop, there was still plenty of icy patches. Stopped to watch the rushing river for a minute, and saw a whole bunch of ice pancakes floating and swirling around in the circles in the currents further out on the water. Neat!

Early light, Cathance

The rest of the day was spent baking prizes and helping Ryan get numbers and prizes organized. Then this morning Sam and I went over the race to volunteer, cheer on the runners and hang out with our friends. Compared to last month's race, today felt like a heat wave, which made it much nicer to be standing around outside for a few hours! A good end to the series, despite the lack of snow. When life gives you lemons (or no snow), you make lemonade (or a trail race!), and I think everyone had fun out there and made the best of it.

Shirt (and cool Badass hat!) (Thanks for the photo, John!)

After lunch, I headed out for my own run. I drove over to the Ecology Center and hit the trails from there, running along the river and then out onto the Ravine Loop and to Head of Tides. It was a nice way to hit most of the trail system, and I got in a good 6 miles. The trails are pretty dry, but there were still some patches of ice and a few really good sections of hoar frost to keep things interesting ;) The river was roaring and there were some really neat ice formations to see along the way. 

Roaring falls, Head of Tides

Ice formations, Head of Tides

Rushing river

Neat icicles hanging along the rocks

Ice formations at the river's edge

All in all, a good weekend of running!

Catch Up

Snuck out on Tuesday late afternoon for a run on the Crystal Spring Farm trails again. Still big stretches of ice but less of them. Worked on pushing, if not the pace then at least the perceived effort, on the stretches free of ice. Anyway, got in 5 miles and managed to shave a minute a mile pace-wise off last week's run on the same route. Partially due to trail conditions and hopefully partially due to a bit of focus ;)

Thursday, I got out on the cart paths in the morning. 6:00 am and totally light! As in, no headlamp needed, and that makes me happy. Cart paths were in pretty good shape, although after Wednesday's rain, there were some new ribbons of clear ice running here, there and everywhere. Still, easy enough to get around. The sun was rising through the trees as I ran hole #2, and although it was chilly, I was warm enough in all my layers. A good 6 miles for the morning.

This morning, I headed over to Brad. I had a long run in mind, but to be honest, my heart wasn't really in it and the trail conditions did nothing to help. It was chilly but bright out as I set out onto the mountain side around 9:15. I wanted to check out the BBU course, but found that things were pretty rough out that way. Lots of hoar frost, uneven trail and ice amidst some bare stretches. I only made it a short ways down the connector before turning around upon seeing that the trail looked more like a frozen stream than a trail! I was being stubborn enough to want to get in some hills, so I very carefully picked my way up the Boundary Trail to the turn off for Lunchbreak. Only made it about halfway down before turning around, yet again, as the trail as far as I could see looked like a frozen stream. So up to the summit and down Tote, then back up to take Terrace down. Needless to say, those 5+ miles were pretty slow.

I headed across the street, not quite sure of my route. I had already decided to shorten the run to 10 miles. In my mind, it seemed like a better idea to call it a cutback weekend than to get in something like 14 or 16. I don't know why, but if I ran 10 today and reduced my mileage for the weekend, I figured I'd hopefully have more energy for 20 next weekend ;) Twisted? Or perhaps just how I was justifying things out there? Either way, that was my mindset.

Anyway, I ran out on the Knights Woods Trail past the O and then across the snowmobile trail onto the singletrack on the other side. I was surprised to find the singletrack everywhere on the east side much icier than I anticipated, but I was moving faster than I had been over on the mountain side at least. I took a right on the snowmobile trail and out onto Fox West, then cut back to the snowmobile trail on the cut-off and turned onto Fox East up at the meadow. I'd say things are still about 25-30% ice.

Pretty ice patterns

Fox East

Fox West looking up

Fox West looking back

Back on the Link, I did a short out and back on Lanzo to check it out for Ryan - found it, you guessed it, icy! - and ran into Keri and Tami out there. We chatted for a bit and then I took off for the car, while they headed out for a few more miles, although sounds like they cut their run short as well. As Tami said, "It wasn't good." Quote of the day, for sure ;) Still, any Friday miles are good miles, so I am grateful for the 10 miles I did get, even if I wasn't feeling entirely chipper out there.