Training Log Archive: ernst

Vulcan's Fury Trail Race at Pawtuck. Perfect day: 50 - 55 degrees, sunny. About 50% of the leaves have fallen, which made the footing a bit softer, yet not treacherous. Start at Group Camp. Parking, then to Fundy tr to Woronoko trail to Split Rock Tr , to Shaw Trail, then to Round Pond, then Boulder Trail around, to Tower Road, then up to S Mountain (on the middle Mt to S Mt traverse trail), then S. Ridge Trail back down to Mt. Trail down and back on the Woronoko to the Finish at the Group Camping Shelter.
I felt great, paced myself in the beginning; settled in with a group of runners and moved up on the S. Mountain climb (really! I used to fall back) to another group and stayed with it to the end. Well, one of the youngsters beat me to the finish. My legs were wobbly on the last 2 miles on the Woronoko.
I was 1 min 15 seconds faster than 4 years ago, but that course then was 0.3 miles longer but had an extra mile on the Fundy trail which is much faster running than on the Woronoko. So about the same, and the splits are nearly identical. Relative to my peers I actually gained a couple minutes. Not bad!
Good turn out, ~ 200 runners - a short course (5 miles) was also offered.
Excellent trail markings - all perfectly organized by Acidotic Racing. Plus Hamburgers and beer, bagels and cookies and cider at the end were of course appreciated and enticed folks to hang out and socialize. Had a very good time!

Run to work. Easy relaxed run today b/c of trail race tomorrow.

And then running home. Found some nice "Eierschwaemme" on my way home, that poked out of the leaves in circles and groups practically under my feet on two of my off-trail cut-offs. Made for a delicious addition to a left-over beef stew.

Lunch-time run from home; Via Spruce Wood to Troy's trails to the new loopy bike trails doing a clock - wise version - merging with Highland House trails then back-looping towards Surrey Lane, and home. This is mostly single-track narrow trail hopping. Dizzying with the colorful leaves in front of you while watching one's step.

Run to work, briskly to avoid being late for meeting. The forest is glorious...

Run home with 3 hill detour. Some on and off tempo acceleration... Saw Inna with a bag full of shrooms, mostly Boletes. I have a hard time identifying them, so stick to the easier species. This morning I picked a bunch of honey's in our backyard which I immediately cooked with some local stir-fry beef - yummy.

Run to work. Had to rush to get in before faculty meeting. Lovely woods - all golden with the sun peaking through as the foliage is reduced. Temperature perfect in the 50's . Spiked it through but did mind good form (stretching upward and leaning forward to increase tempo, but trying to not get tired.

running home via bank and downtown, across campus (Paul School, pool, train station, then by the stadium into CW and home, with several hill tempo runs added to the fun.

Run to work, usual route.

Running Home, with 2 hill detours. A bit of interval-ing, but not too strenuously. Nice chill in the air gave me energy to the end.