27 posts tagged “trails”

Trail runner Paul Charteris wrote a meme-type blog entry (discovered via Scott Dunlap) to recap 2007.  I'll play along; however since I'm simply a "runner" and not a die-hard "trail runner" I'm going to be liberal in my interpretation of the term "trails".

1. Most memorable moment on the trails…
When Haven and Beacon encountered a fawn!  They chased it to a standoff; Beacon got head-butted and ran away while Haven tried to make friends with Bambi.

2. Best new trail I discovered in 2007…
Sleeping Bear Dunes bluff - perhaps the highest torture:distance ratio of any trail!

3. My best performance of the year was…
...thanks to Haven pulling me at the Doggie Dash.  However, "fastest" does not equal "best" since I allowed Haven to do too much work in the second mile, causing her to fade badly in the last mile while I still had some energy.  Not only was that unfair to her, it also cost us a shot at a sub-20 time.  My best strategic performance was at the Harvest Hustle when I launched my "kick" with a half mile to go, risking total blowup to set a 5K PR.

4. I do not know how I previously survived without…
A canicross-style leash setup that includes a bungee cord:

5. The person I would most like to meet on a trail in 2008...
The meeting would last but a split second as Matt Carpenter zooms past my plodding, gasping self.

6. The race I am most excited/scared about in 2008 is…
The Wild West 100K.  Excited because it would be my longest race ever and it takes place in my hometown.  Scared because I need to recover from my hamstring injury before I can even start building up a base.

I'd like to tag any runners who feel like answering these six quick questions whether you prefer trails or roads.

A couple years ago Amanda and I were hiking on the North Country Trail at dusk when suddenly two pairs of sinister green eyes appeared in the distance.  We turned and ran but the eyes kept getting closer.  A repetitive "th-thump th-thump" grew louder and louder; was it the approaching footsteps of these beasts or the pounding of our hearts as fear overwhelmed us?  In a last ditch effort we tried using the camera flash to scare them off but alas, they were already upon us.  Fortunately we only suffered a few slobbery seconds before the tongues of the Great White Demon Dogs ferociously licked us to death. 

Do you have a pet? What kind of pet do you own, and why did you choose it? 
Submitted by Brendz.  

Yes, of course!  Haven and Beacon (hence "havybeaks", an amalgamation of their nicknames), two sibling yellow labs that are closer to white than yellow.  They turned 4 years old in June.

I've always wanted dogs of my own.  I grew up with two small dogs (a westie and a sheltie) but for some reason my heart was set on big dogs.  In middle school I pictured myself someday owning a german shepherd and a golden retriever, but I really wasn't that picky.  When Amanda and I got the opportunity for Haven and Beacon, we jumped!

Another 5-mile trail run today, very similar to the Road Ends trail run I ran this spring and organized by the same folks at Running Fit.  Check out my race report on Why Run? and let me know what you think!

97 degrees was the air this evening when Haven and I went for a run!  Due to the heat, and due to my double workout yesterday (4 mile easy run at work, then 2 miles after work at 5K pace), Haven and I took it easy today.  I carried a water bottle that was used as much for Haven as it was for me!  We also stopped at the river twice and a small lake twice within our 3.5 miles to give Haven a cooling dip in the water each time.

This past week I've been slacking off with the blogging (although I did manage to compose an article about rental dogs yesterday) but I wasn't slacking with the race planning.  I signed up for three events recently:

August 11 - The Legend (5 mile trail run)
August 18 - Fallsburg Marathon (26.2 mile trail run)
September 15 - Bridge Run (5K road run)

The Legend is just going to be for fun; I'll run it hard but not all-out race it, and see how it compares to my previous 5 mile trail run in April, the Road Ends Trail Run.

I signed up for the Fallsburg Marathon on a whim, so I have no idea how that's going to turn out.  I haven't done any double-digit long runs in quite a while so I'm counting on my base of 750 miles so far this year to carry me through in somewhere between 5 and 6 hours.  The reason I'm doing this event is because the course uses the very same North Country Trail sections and nearby roads that I regularly run - the race is in my backyard, so to speak.  In fact, I ran the entire paved portion of the course by coincidence when I explored the countryside near home.  Plus, the race director is planning to put on a 100K ultra here next year and I want to see how well this guy delivers as an organizer.

It looks like the Bridge Run could be my last attempt at setting a lifelong PR in the 5K.  In October I'm doing the Bailey's Doggie Dash 5K but I don't want to do-or-die target a PR in that race since I'll have Haven and/or Beacon with me.  The week after that I'm thinking of volunteering for the Grand Rapids Marathon instead of running it, so it'll be November before I get another shot at a fast and flat road 5K... if I need it (fingers crossed).

After running the Michigan Apple Run 5K on Saturday, I've since managed to run each of the next two days without as much difficulty as I'd expect.  Hopefully this is a good sign of my fitness.

Sunday Amanda and I spent a couple hours on a section of the North Country Trail near our house pruning back any overhanging tree branches and encroaching prickers.  Later that day we were still feeling antsy so we decided to take the dogs to the river.  Amanda loaded Beacon into the car and drove to the river to start him retrieving some sticks.

Meanwhile I went the "back way", running 2.5 miles of trails with Haven at a surprisingly fast 8:00 pace.  Doing this the day after a 5K was pretty cool, and of course Haven loved it.  Now that I've learned that dogs can laugh, I wonder if Haven cracked up when she saw me fall flat on my face?  Yep, my foot caught a rock on a slight downhill and I bit the dust.  Luckily I didn't even draw blood and ended up with nothing more than dirty knees, elbows, and clothing.  In fact the worst effect was that the nozzle of my water bottle was covered in dirt!

We reached the river where I took over stick-throwing duties from Amanda.  Beacon continued to dutifully fetch the sticks but Haven spent her river time chasing whirligig beetles on the surface!  Sometimes I wonder if she was even chasing minnows as she would dunk her whole head under water!  Silly girl.

Today I ran 5 miles during lunch and my co-worker and I did some fire hydrant fartleks that bumped our overall pace up to 8:45 - nothing to crow about although the fact that I could do such a pace after Sunday's trails and Saturday's race has left me feeling pretty happy with myself.  That, and the fact that I've "flown" 707 miles this year.  Not quite as impressive as the four-engined Boeing 707, but cool nonetheless.

T'was a busy weekend.  Awake by 0600 on Saturday for the Reeds Lake Run, then get ready for my little brother Ryan's bachelor party!  I had about two hours at home between the race and getting back in the car to drive to Midland for his celebration which included grilling out on a softball field, playing frisbee golf, taking in a minor league baseball game, then hitting the cursory bar for a few drinks.  Poor Ryan had to wear a plastic ball and chain around his ankle all day (amazingly he was still good at frisbee golf while wearing it!), a giant sombrero, and a t-shirt with a picture of a pinata and the caption "I'd Hit It".  I wish I'd remembered to take a photo!  I didn't get home until after 0300!

Sunday Amanda and I took Eddie to meet his future "parents" and otherwise tried to take it easy.  However, Haven and Beacon started giving me those soulful looks of "let's go do something!" so I decided to take them to the river.  After all, the weather was perfect - upper 60's, sunny, and a light breeze.  My legs were a bit tired from Saturday's two races but good enough that we bypassed the river access near the parking area and jogged half a mile on the trail up and over a large hill to the prime river access point. 

Rather than throw sticks for fetching, this time I took the dogs for a walk, or rather a "wade", up the river!  The recent dry spell had lowered the water level enough that I could walk the 50 yards across the river without getting deeper than my knees.  Even the dogs were mostly walking or bunny-hopping in the shallow water.  We waded about a 1/4 mile upstream to a section of small rapids where there were a couple "nozzle" points that had rather strong flow.  It was strong enough that I had trouble standing and the dogs had to swim as hard as they could just to stand still.  We had fun playing in the rapids - I walked up the "nozzle" then back through while the dogs went for a theme-park-like ride through the chute! 

Finally we jogged back to the parking area, a dirt cul-de-sac next to an old boy scout cabin.  Haven loves to eat weeds (I have no idea why!) and there were some nice, long, un-mowed weeds in back of the cabin.  As she bent down to grab a bite I was about to scold her when suddenly a fawn sprung out of the weeds!  Haven was startled for just a split second before she gave chase, and Beacon soon joined her as they pursued the poor little deer around the building.

The fawn was a bit taller than my dogs, but clearly much scrawnier and probably only weighed 50 lbs to my dogs 65-70 lbs each.  As the trio rounded the corner I heard the fawn start bleating like a goat, crying "Mmmaaah!  Mmmaaah!" over and over - I feared that my dogs were going to kill it!  I sprinted around the opposite side of the cabin, hoping to head them off and get between the predators and the prey to prevent serious harm.

To my surprise, when I rounded the cabin the fawn was nowhere to be seen!  My dogs love to scarf their food, but no way did they eat that fawn! :)  Beacon was in the parking lot scanning every which way trying to spot the deer.  Haven, however, was one step ahead - she was sniffing underneath a wooden staircase.  I walked over to grab Haven when the fawn clambered out from under the stairs right past Haven, who merely sniffed it as it started to run away again.

Seeing it run excited my dogs enough to give chase.  While faster than me, the fawn wasn't nearly strong enough to outclass adult canine speed and my dogs closed in quickly as the fawn raced down the road.  Knowing I couldn't accomplish anything by chasing, I ran back to the car and opened the back door, hoping to signal my dogs that it's "time to go" - usually they'll jump right in.  Then it occurred to me... What if mommy deer hears the bleating and comes after my dogs?  Luckily I was the only "adult" around!

When I turned back to the action, I saw one of the most improbable sights of my life - the fawn was standing frozen with Haven and Beacon motionless on either side of it!!!  I so wish I'd had a camera right then.  The fawn must've tired out or realized it couldn't outrun the dogs.  Haven and Beacon started to sniff the fawn when Bambi decided to go on the offensive - it reared back and head-butted Beacon just like a goat would do!  Beacon was startled and jumped back.  Bambi lunged again and Beacon got down in a dog's "play stance" with his front paws down and butt in the air! 

Beacon put a couple juke moves on the fawn, feinting left and right and when Bambi went for another "attack" Beacon ran away back to me for safety!  I was really cracking up at this point.  A little fawn put the smack down on big bad Beaks!  Confirming my idea to open the car door, Beacon jumped right up onto the seat and I quickly closed the door to finally contain one dog. 

Looking back to Haven, she was trying to sniff the fawn just like she would greet a new foster dog.  She was trying to make friends!  But the fawn was understandably less trusting and kept trying to head-butt Haven, moves that Haven was easily able to dodge.  Finally I think Haven got tired of this belligerent potential pal and she came running back to me to see what happened to Beacon.  I got her in the car just as Bambi turned to lope out of sight down the road.

Amanda couldn't believe me when I told her the story and she really wishes she could've seen it.  I'm still amazed that the dogs didn't injure the fawn, but even more incredible is that they wanted to play with it!  That image of Haven and Beacon standing either side of the fawn is permanently etched in my memory...  Classic.  I'll probably never see something like that again, but still I hope that someday the dogs will encounter another fawn and try to play with it.  My dogs never cease to amaze!

Sorry about the corny title, but I decided to let Haven and Beacon write this one... :)

"Woo hoo!  Andrew took us trail running this morning!  It wasn't long before we stumbled upon this rock in the middle of the trail, but it moved!  It kinda freaked us out, but we were brave enough to sit next to it while Andrew snapped a photo.

After chasing some deer, squirrels, and even some robins we were getting pretty hot even though the morning air wasn't warm yet.  We found a small trickle of a stream that was full of black mud - it wasn't much, but it was enough to roll around in to cool off.  Andrew wasn't so pleased when we ran past him and rubbed the muck on his pants!

Almost two hours into the run we were getting really tired!  Andrew had us pause for a break and we were more than happy to lie down for a while and enjoy the sunlight filtering through the branches of the pine trees.  Yes, dogs enjoy nice weather, too!

On the way back home we rolled in the little yucky stream again so Andrew took us on a detour to the Flat River before going home.  Eagerly we jumped into the river and lay down, soaking in the refreshing coolness of the smoothly flowing water.  A side benefit was that it rinsed the mud out of our fur.  Apparently Andrew wanted to cool off too, so he started waded out into the water!  Not wanting to be alone in the woods, we swam out after him.

Halfway across the river there was an old tree stump that had lodged against a large, submerged rock.  Swimming gets tiring after a while, but luckily Andrew stopped here and we hung out in the river, using the stump and rock to brace ourselves against the current so we could relax, rest, and cool off.

Finally it was time to go home!  Andrew had to leash us up for the last of our ten miles since it was along neighborhood roads.  We would've preferred that Amanda had driven the car out to pick us up!  Especially Beacon, who was suffering from a very sore paw pad, but he toughed it out and made it home.  Amanda fed us breakfast and within no time we were ready for a nice, long nap!"

Alas, I was not a Detroit Tigers ballplayer this weekend, even if it would've meant sitting on the bench as we got swept by the division rivals.  Instead I rode a different type of pine, rolling along the White Pine Trail on my bicycle with Amanda and my parents.

My dad and I have long been planning to do a 50-mile ride on this trail, and Saturday was finally the day.  Initially I was hoping to ride the entire 92-mile trail to achieve one of my "wouldn't it be cool?" goals for 2007; however, complications involving car repairs altered my plans and I opted for the logistically simpler plan of just riding 50.  Not that riding 50 miles is ever simple...

In fact it was only 49 miles, but my dad and I aren't ones to nitpick. :)  Mom and Dad drove to our house, loaded up my bike, and the three of us drove to the trailhead in Big Rapids where Dad and I began our journey.  Since it had rained all morning we brought along our raincoats but seeing clear skies in the north, we chanced leaving them in the car.  I was well stocked with 4 liters of water (planning to give my bottle to Dad, since he brought just one) and tons of munchies. 

Three of those liters were in my Salomon Raid Race 200 (bought two years ago for my first adventure race) that I converted into a hydration pack.  In contrast my dad went old school, wearing a vintage REI knapsack with felt-lined leather shoulder straps, a wedding gift from 1974!  Aside from the handy waist-belt pouches, my pack didn't seem any superior to his - both were lightweight, comfortable, breathable, and durable.  Impressive!

The first mile was easy pedaling - all paved.  That soon gave way to a dirt two-track for the next, oh, 30+ miles that had been softened by the morning's rain.  While some sections were harder-packed than others, the soft dirt just sucked the kinetic energy right out of our tires, much the way EMAS slows down aircraft that overrun a runway.  Both of our rides were hybrid bikes with relatively narrow tires that the soft ground swallowed up.  We kept wishing for some good old 2" mountain bike tires and I finally tried to emulate those fat knobbies by lowering my tire pressure from 70 to 45 psi.  It helped quite a bit, but we'd already ridden 20 miles at the higher pressure so the benefit was minimal.

The weather held up for us terrifically.  Temps hovered in the 60s while the sky remained overcast yet without rain - very comfortable!  Every 45 minutes or so we'd stop and have a snack.  By the end of our ride we'd consumed four energy bars, one bag of dried fruit trail mix, and half a bag of Combos - I later calculated our pit stops to have totaled about 1000 calories for each of us!  I swear we burned it all, too.

We were amazed at how far down the trail we could see in some places.  The trail is a former train track - straight and flat - and at times we could see two miles ahead of us!  It was weird to see a road intersection way in the distance, ride for five minutes and look up to feel as though we didn't get any closer!  33 miles along the trail we spot this pink thing in the distance - minutes passed before we were able to confirm our guess that it was Amanda, who had ridden up to meet us from Grand Rapids.  She had to pedal 16 miles to reach us!

Now our group was 50% larger as the three of us slogged through some loose gravel on the two-track.  All of this soft terrain was wearing on Amanda's legs and she had one goal in mind: pavement!  Half an hour later we finally hit Russell Road, which marks the point where the rest of the trail south is paved.  Ahhh!  Our average speed jumped a few MPH as cruised along the blacktop.  Another 30 minutes and we reached the town of Rockford, our temporary finish line.

In Rockford we met my mom, who had ridden the four miles up from Grand Rapids to meet us all for lunch.  We found a pizza restaurant situated in a 100-year-old house that was cramped, but the food was served quickly and it really hit the spot.  That pizza joint has the world's smallest bathroom - imagine fitting a toilet, sink, and towel dispenser in a space the size of an outhouse! 

Loaded up on food, we walked around the Rockford dam for 15 minutes to digest a bit before hopping back on our bikes for the 4-mile ride to our awaiting parked cars.  A mile into the ride it began to rain and quite honestly I welcomed it - after 4 hours of cranking the pedals and getting sprayed with sand and pebbles, the rain felt refreshing!  At the very end Dad and I sprinted ahead to see how high of a max speed we could hit on his bicycle computer - he reached 24 mph while I was still gaining on him.  It felt fast but then again, Olympic sprinters can run that speed! 

We got so carried away we almost missed the parking lot!  Dad and I racked up 49 miles, which was his longest ride since a 100-miler in his youth on Belle Isle.  This matched my longest - last June I rode the same section of trail but in reverse, going solo from Grand Rapids to Big Rapids (entry from my old blog with a more detailed trail description).  Amanda notched an impressive 32 miles, topping her longest lifetime ride of 28 miles that she did last year, also on this trail.  Mom finished at 8 miles, which isn't bad considering that her longest ride in ages was 9 miles a couple months ago.  Who wants to go again? :)

For a while now my dad and I have been planning to do a 50-mile ride together on the White Pine Trail, and we finally settled on this coming Saturday for the big ride.  He's been logging some impressive training miles - he keeps calling me in the middle of his rides to say "Hey, I'm finishing up a 25-miler" or other such friendly boasting.  Last week I realized that thanks to a broken bike seat, I'd only logged 12 miles on two wheels this year! 

Sunday morning I decided it was time to make sure my cycling legs were ready for a long ride and I set out for a 32-mile loop north of town.  Fortunately no mechanical breakdowns this time!  The first section was 27 miles as I finished at a trailhead to meet Amanda for a hike.  We walked a few loops and she took a few pictures and an hour later, I was back on my bike for the 5-mile ride home.

So my legs passed the test - I felt good during the ride and had no problems aside from a mild case of cyclist's butt.  Thankfully my running has kept my endurance up, so Dad better be ready to go! :)