Training Log Archive: vmeyer

Event: Billygoat Run at Mt. Tom
 

Tracks Watch was off from 10-12...

Janet and I stood in the back of the crowd hoping to not be mowed over if everyone started our way. I figured that the trail head by the road was going to be a good route choice since running along the road there was prohibited. I guessed correctly, and we ended up on the trail with lots of people sorting themselves out and passing us after starting out in a different direction.

Skipped #5 which was the right choice in the moment, since I just didn't think I could struggle up that rocky, steep slope at the time.

We took pretty conservative, clean routes and probably only lost a few minutes to #13.

Once I realized that we wouldn't make the 3:30, I decided to sit down and cool off in the creek at 19. I almost fell in, and that felt so good that I found a little pool on the way out and indulged myself.

I was sort of dreading running into the finish since I knew that the awards ceremony was going on at the finish. It turned out pretty cool with Peter giving us a little love on the way in. These is also a good picture on the NEOC site which I would like to get a copy of.

Honestly, a finish under 3:30 hours would have been nice, but it would have also been reaching a bit on my fitness level. I was surprised that I actually felt really good, and not at all fatigued, but also moving about as fast as I could move. I was especially slow on the downhills, rocky or otherwise. The bottoms of my feet were trashed, though no blisters. Wore knee socks and two other pairs, so my heels didn't slid around in the shoes.

I enjoyed doing the event with Janet. She did an excellent job of navigating.

Afterward, I tried to help with the results, but by then the T-shirts had been awarded, so I just got all of the data I thought I would need and fooled around with it later that night.

Will I try again for a sub 3:30 finish and a T-shirt? I really don't think so. I am very content with this race. But, hey, you never know about next year.

Sorry, no pictures, since, well, I lost my camera. ;)

C • no pictures... 2

C • Well done 7

OK, the funniest part of the weekend comes next.

So, Peter and I leave the park, and I believe we are both on an up note, satisfied with ourselves and all. I requested another stop at McD's for my double cheeseburger and fries. The stop is made, and Peter is making conversation with the girl in the drive-thru payment window. Gets the change, and then he takes off! Without my food from the next window! The look on my face was probably priceless. I would have taken a picture, but, well, you know by now. ;) I yelled for him to stop, and he backs up to the window. Whew! No cars behind us. Can you imagine explaining that accident to Gail!?

Well, I am still laughing about it.

Billygoat - Splits

After the streamer hanging, it was off to McD's for a double cheeseburger, and some excellent fries loaded with extra salt. Then to the grocery store for supplies for dinner and brownies. Next stop was the bookstore for a book of a little higher standard then I usually read. I picked Handling Sin by Michael Malone.

Gail broke out a foam roller, which I had never seen or heard of really, and showed me how to use it for my hip. Used it twice in the afternoon, and my hip pain was gone, even the soreness. I was getting shooting pains last night during the ride to Vermont and at dinner.

Prepared the brownies which were quality tested before dinner, oh, a couple of times, by an unnamed party.

Made the goat cheese pasta dish for dinner. Prepping the ingredients myself made me really appreciate the fact that Roger usually does that for me, which also explains why I am very deliberate chopping stuff up, especially given my unease with a freshly sharpened knife.

Nice mix of people at dinner: Peter, Gail, Peter Goodwin, SGB, Ali C, Alex J, Presto the dog, and me.

No pictures, since I lost my camera earlier today.

Following behind Peter putting out streamers for the very small training event. I was pretty sure that this wasn't a good idea as a taper for tomorrow, but how many opportunities does one have to walk behind a walking PG and have him tick off things as you go along?!

There were lots of mountain bike trails not on the map, and some areas were a bit scruffy, but since I was just following along trying to keep track, I was pretty confident that I knew where I was most of the time.

Tracks

I also took the opportunity to try out a baseplate compass. I had never used one, having gone from no compass to a thumb compass. It was odd, and I think I will work on mastering the thumb compass since that feels more natural to me. When I switched back to my thumb compass, I left the zipper open on my hydration pack, and somewhere between three and five, I lost my camera (Canon SD1200 IS). Happy about two things - it was not my iphone, which I was also carrying, and I had downloaded all of the pictures the night before.

At the last control, Peter realized that the streamer for the previous control was hung on the wrong feature, a cliff and not the little knoll, so I offered to go back and move it. On the way back to the finish, by myself now, I was going up a steep, narrow, confining trail and not really paying attention to surroundings. I nearly wet my pants when a huge thundering noise comes at me and about two feet over my head. At first I thought it was a hawk, then it landed in the bushes to my right and started acting like it was hurt. I recognized that I had heard about this type behavior from a bird protecting it's young by drawing the predator off, and Peter and the internet confirmed that it was a Ruffed Grouse. I would have taken a picture, but, well, I had lost my camera, and I forgot about using the iphone camera.

This evening's activity was a trip into Vermont for dinner at a Thai restaurant - both on my first list. Perfectly timed the photo of the Welcome sign, so that Peter wasn't forced to go around again. The discussion on the way there was the fact that I thought that I hadn't been in many states, but it seems that I have hit around 30+ in some fashion or another.

After dinner, we drove through Brattleboro proper looking for an ice cream shop, but sadly there weren't any. We also drove through the Brattleboro Retreat.

Would do Vermont again, but probably not Thai food. It was OK, but I like other stuff better.

The Vermont picture is the last one taken with my orange camera since I lost it the next day. I have had about 10 digital cameras, though I have never lost any before. I have just never bonded with different things on each camera. But this one I liked a lot, so I will probably replace it with the same model.

BTW, I got a soft serve once we got back to Sunderland. Peter was saving himself.

Mountain Top Zipline tour at Berkshire East with Gail. Had an excellent time! Thanks go to J-J PG for making the suggestion, even if
he was unable to come up and play because of his fear of heights.

Each tour time takes a maximum of 10 people, but I had figured that a large group would be a little tedious since it meant waiting while each person is clipped, zipped, unclipped, etc. So, I picked the 10 AM slot, which until the day before was going to be just Gail and myself. Two more were added for a total of four, which turned out to be a nice number.

We got our gear and headed to the lift to the top.





Damien was one of our two guides.



Generally, he would hook up and zip to the other end, and then Erin would hook each of us up on the other end. We took terms going first, and I was last the first time. I was slightly apprehensive, but it turns out I loved launching myself into the air with the only slightly scary part just after that before I knew for sure that it would hold me.

We ran into this group of employees. Gail plays golf with the sister of the guy in black (Tony). Our guides referred to them as the old guys. Um, hello?! ;)



I was usually spinning, and coming in backwards and fast.



Up close and personal.



Gail was generally straight and nailed all of her landings.



Gail and I wait for Zip #6.



When we got to the 7th platform, I looked up and saw that #6 looked to be just a walk back up the hill from the bottom of 7 which we landed on the ground. From the radio chatter, I figured out that maybe the guy handling the lift was off doing a duty with a group doing the advanced zip-line, and we were speeding right alone in our little group. So, I asked it we couldn't walk up and redo #6 and #7, and they said we could. That was so cool!

Here I am landing #7.



And, the beautiful view going back down the chair lift.



Yup, it was an excellent adventure at just the correct adventure level for me. And, I took pictures.

C • Cool GPS track! :-) 2

C • suggestion 4

Stopped in Shelburne Falls area after the zip-line adventure.

Pretty little towns with the Bridge of Flowers running over the Deerfield River, as well as the Potholes.

Mostly walking up the trail, and then mostly running back. Slowed a little in the last .3 miles for while I pulled off the streamers Peter put out for me yesterday.

I went up past the power line to where there is a ruin of a sugar shack.

Hot again. Over 80 degrees. Hope it cools off a little for Sunday.

Working on doing some things for the "first" time on this mini-retreat/vacation. I go to all of these events, but I never do anything, try anything new, or actually go anywhere beside the airport, hotel, and event site.

Tonight was my first independent film. I see about one movie per year, and they run to chick flicks, or other sophisticated movies, like Babe, Pig in the City.

Went to see Exit through the Gift Shop at the local art house with Peter and Gail. I enjoyed it immensely, though the hour (9:20 when it started), was a little late for me.

Yes, I had a medium popcorn, which I was unable to do justice to thanks to the great meal cooked by Gail. Peter cleaned up afterward, so my relaxing vacation was on.

C • Just to be clear, when it's... 2

Flew into Hartford, CT and drove to the Gail and Peter's.

A session with the taxman, so that after 30 years of doing my own taxes, I will be able to hand them off to someone I trust more then me next year.

Wanted to do a little something after slacking off the last three days, so Peter marked the hard part of the route from the house to the fire road, and then I mostly walked up the hill.

Ran a mile back down in 930, then jogged in the rest of the way.

Very warm.

Tonight, perhaps a film in Amherst. Tomorrow, the zip-line.

Peter in a position in the dining room which would become familiar: