Some Intel...

Guys, here's the race summary for the 2006 New England Adventure Racing Series 12 hour at Mount Snow. While we shouldn't expect this year's race to be anything like previous races, these summaries sometimes give us some insight into the thinking of race directors. For example, these race organizers seem to like orienteering challenges, course re-routes, random gear checks and enforcing the 100' rule. In the end though the only thing we can be sure of is that it will be a fun, unpredictable challenge.

PS--We still need a support team member...

2006 Summary:

The race started at 6am on July 16th at the southern end of Somerset Reservoir; a calm, sunny morning with a light fog on the water that cleared by the time the first team entered their canoes. At the start, a single teammate from each team received a set of maps with instructions and ran a hundred meters or so to their anxious teammates.

Teams plotted the checkpoints and then started on their way to CP1, a half mile away (trek). Since CP2 was also TA1, (trek to paddle), they must have assumed theyﾒd be back within a few minutes to start the paddle leg. Little did they know that at CP1 they were receiving a packet of 3 orienteering maps with a different course on each. Teams could split up or run together and get the checkpoints in any order; this became an advantage to teams that had 3 good navigators. Eastern Mountain Sports was first out of the plotting and on their way to CP1, and I'm sure teams (still plotting) were wondering why they weren't back within a few minutes.

Since teams could split up, some members would arrive at the TA ahead of their teammates, and support crews watching this assumed these teams were accruing penalties. There was some confusion as one team missed CP1 and headed out on the canoe early, and had to return. Eastern Mountain Sports was the first full team in and had a big lead when pushing the canoe out into the calm waters. SPTU/Darn Tough (CT) had the fastest split on Map A -1:15. Summit Achievement (ME) had the fastest split on Map B - 0:57. Eastern Mountain Sports (MA) had the fastest split on Map C - 1:17. Thanks to Ken Walker for a fun start to this adventure.

Paddle: Ideal route 7.75 miles
The paddling was straight forward, but with some subtle route choices to slow progress. Using Tyvek orienteering punch cards to streamline punch checking, one team reminds all not to leave it at the TA. The wind started to pick up and later teams had to paddle a bit harder. Only one team was short coursed on the paddle leg. Summit Achievement had the fastest paddle split (1:30).

Trek: Ideal route 4.2 miles, 181 meters climb

Transition 2 from canoe to foot was unaided by support crews. (Canoes were towed to waiting trailers) Teams could leave paddles but nothing else; PFD's and 3rd seats had to be carried. The first task at this point was to determine how to get onto one of the trails shown on the topo map...if they even existed. The trails were there, but faint. CP9 was on a small pond uphill from the trail. To reach it one could follow a stream draining this pond, but with all the rain we had been receiving, finding this particular stream proved difficult and not everyone found the pond or CP9. When we set the control at CP10 a week ago, the land was high and dry, even though it was close to the shoreline of the reservoir, but when teams came through on race day, the flag was nearly underwater and teams had to wade through a "marsh" to get to it. Eastern Mountain Sports had the fastest trek split (1:28).

STPU/Darn Tough's Julie Brenninkmeyer sprained her ankle somewhere after CP9 and limped into CP12/TA3 but was able to continue on the biking leg.

Mountain biking: Ideal route 19.2 miles, 708 meters climb

The first CP after the Transition to biking was the beginning of the "King of the Mountain" time trial. The town of Stratton maintains a small network of Nordic ski trails on the old town common hill which we used as a bike-orienteering / hill climb. Berlin Bike (CT) won the King of the Mountain with a time of 22:21 which merited them a 15 minute time bonus.

En route to CP 17 in West Wardsboro, was a surprise gear check and re-routing point. Gene Walker, one of our volunteers manning this station, was rewarded by a nearby bikini clad young lady who washed her car for over 2 hours. (not all volunteers get this lucky)

We manned CP 17, a short but steep uphill in East Podunk and this nabbed quite a few teams who couldnﾒt drag their teammates with them. Thanks to Ryan Pollock for killing over 100 deer flies while watching and waiting. (an unlucky volunteer)

The town of Podunk frustrated teams with a rough jeep trail of cantaloupe size rocks and slippery waterbars that sent at least one racer over her handlebars, as well as a grueling uphill slog to the height of land near Mount Snow. There was one last CP just before the finish line, which some teams bypassed on their downhill sprint to the finish resulting in a missed CP penalty. Eastern Mountain Sports had the fastest split on the biking. (2:25)

Adventure races are never fully free of mistakes; the goal is to have fewer errors than other teams and that's what Eastern Mountain Sports did here. They raced strong and steady and had a nearly flawless run that rewarded them with a first place finish with a time of 6:50. Wicked Pissah finished 2nd (7:49), and SPTU/Darn Tough came in 3rd (8:18). Teams continued to filter in until the race cut-off at 6pm. Out of 21 starting teams, 15 finished the full course.

###

Good Ride/Rough Run

So Tuesday, Biz, Justin, and I headed out for our weekly Tuesday ride, this week on the Mobbs trail system in Jericho. I got there early, and had a good 35-40 minute solo ride on Mobbs Hill, which we haven't really ridden much. Supposedly it is more technical that the Valley, and it was. There were a couple of good drops which I elected to walk down, but otherwise, it was great, fun riding. Then, back to the parking area, where I tooled around the field and then lubed up my chain while waiting for Biz. He showed, and off we went into Mobbs Valley. Over the course of the next hour, hour and a half or so, we rode many of the trails, a couple several times. There is some really great, intermediate single track riding in the valley, with lots of short/moderate climbs followed by fun downhills. No major crashes ensued, and Justin showed up around 5:45 or so. I rode with the boys for another 20 mintutes or so, then made my way out. Presumably they both made it home alive. For me, it was a good, long ride, 2.5 hours or a bit longer, with lots of climbing to work the old legs...

So, Wednesday I cruised out for a run. I took a longer route to the trailhead to get stretched out (2 miles or so), and I learned that my legs were pretty dang sore from the ride the day before. And then I hit the big ice center hill, and learned that my legs were completely burnt on the hills from the riding. I managed to struggle up the hill (walking most of it), and set off on the "fun loop". My legs didn't feel so bad on the flat, and it's always fun running on single track. So, I moseyed my way through and out to East Street. Not sure on total distance, but I was out for about and hour and 5 minutes or so. And today, my legs are even stiffer. I may opt to take today off, or I may go for a short ride. Not sure yet, and training for the weekend will be very weather dependent, as there is a chance of rain every day for the next week or so. Gotta get in another big day or 2, though, before winding down for the race next weekend...

Grambo

Primal Quest Returns in 2008!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chris Caul
540.969.9357 or info@ecoprimalquest .com

-- Primal Quest, the crown jewel of adventureracing, will return to an undisclosed US location in the Spring of 2008.

In 2006, Primal Quest Utah featured 360 of the worlds best adventureathletes covering 500 miles of the most brutal and unforgiving terrainin North America. During the 10-day event, ABC Sports / ESPN2 coveredthe 90 co-ed teams as they pushed the limits of physical and mentalendurance in an attempt to reach the finish line of the most gruelingmulti-sport race in existence.

The 2008 Primal Quest will feature new leadership, as PQ2006 RaceDirector Don Mann takes over the position of Chief Executive Officerthrough a licensing agreement with founder Denise Watkins, themanaging partner of Primal Quest LLC.

"We're thrilled that Don has taken the lead to produce Primal Questinto the future," Watkins said. "He brings with him not only thedeepest adventure racing knowledge available, but a huge fan baseamong adventure racing participants who respect his talent as a provendirector. I have no doubt that Don will be able to build upon thePrimal Quest legacy and create another unique experience for ourathletes in 2008."

"I am honored to have the opportunity to manage Primal Quest in 2008and beyond," Mann stated. "We're dedicated to producing the samequality event for which Primal Quest is so well known - this is thegreatest race in the world."

Mann, who has staged more multi-day, multi-sport races than any otherindividual in the world, will continue to manage the event, bringingwith him an experienced team; from discipline directors, logisticscoordinators, medical staff and ropes crew to marketing and volunteerpersonnel. Mann's wife, Dawn Taylor-Mann, will fulfill the role ofOperations Manager, as she has done in nearly 100 adventure races, including Primal Quest, Expedition BVI, and the USARA Championships.

Known for its epic length and staggering difficulty, Primal Quest iscurrently in planning mode for the 2008 edition as Mann "chooses froma variety of potential racing locations with a wide range ofgeographic challenges."The first date that registrations will be accepted is July 1, 2007. For continual updates on Primal Quest 2008, please visit http://www.ecoprimalquest.com

###

Weekend Update

We got together Sunday for a 2 hour ride through the CC Putnam State Forest trails here in Waterbury. It was wet and fun. Justin, Graham and Jaime (AKA Short Bus) all had good bails. Jaime won the prize for biggest and most painful wipe out.

The afternoon ride was followed by a barbeque at Grambo's, beers, cigars a trip downtown and a long night of mirth and levity.

Today was a rest day--just some work around the house. Tomorrow's a trail running day for me and possibly a trip to the gym. The rest of the dudes are riding in Essex after work.

jg

Hunger Strike

Cruised up Mt. Hunger (Elev. 3554') this morning and set a summer baseline for the 4.4 mile round trip-- 1hr. 43 min., including exactly 4 minutes at the top enjoying the view.

Also logged a 6-mile run on the Waterbury trails yesterday--in the new trail shoes--with no blisters!

jg

Team Runs with Scissors Preparing for June 9th 12 Hour Adventure Race at Mount Snow

**Support Team Member Wanted**

It's official, Team Runs with Scissors (TRWS) has entered the New England Adventure Racing Series 12 hour race staged out of Mount Snow, Vermont on June 9th--two weeks from tomorrow!

The race is expected to be 40-50 miles in length and require 7-12 hours to finish. Disciplines include mountain biking, trail running and hiking and paddling. The entire race requires map and compass orienteering. Prizes will be awarded to top finishers in each category, including a cash prize to the top co-ed team.

A list of registered teams--which includes USARA National Champions, Team Eastern Mountain Sports--can be found here.

In addition to stepped-up training, TRWS has also begun to research this race and the area's geography. Race reports from previous years suggest this race--which requires a support team member--is high intensity with a particular emphasis on navigation, including UTM plotting. Race organizers are also known, we've learned, for conducting random gear checks (see gear list link below) and strictly enforcing a rule that requires team members to be within 100' of each other at all times. Time penalties are assigned for failing to adhere to these, and all other, race rules.

The mandatory gear list also offers some interesting insight into what race organizers may expect from teams.

TRWS RACE ITINERARY

Here's the team's tentative race itinerary:

Friday Afternoon/Evening:

• Departure from Waterbury (Time TBD -- It's 2.5 hrs to West Dover, VT)


• Team/Gear Check-In and Pre-Race Briefings (Times TBD)

Saturday:

• 5:00 a.m. Pre-Race Prep


• 6:00 a.m. Race Start


• 7:00 p.m. Post-Race Dinner and Awards
  

Sunday Morning:

• Return to Waterbury (Time TBD)
  

SUPPORT TEAM MEMBER NEEDED

As noted above, this race requires each team to have at least one (but not more than 3) support team members--and we're looking for one!

The team member responsible for support has the job of ensuring that supplies and gear are at various transition areas (TA) throughout the race. They also monitor the activity of other teams at the TA -- when they come in, how long they stay, what gear they take, their condition, things they say, strategy discussed, which way they go when they leave -- essentially gathering any information the team can use.

Getting the gear to the TA often requires reading maps and directions provided by race officials. Occasionally, race organizers will not provide direction and instead will mark a map and expect the support team to find it--as an added challenge to the race.

If you're interested and willing, TRWS will provide your transportation to, from and during the race as well as lodging--we'll probably be camping. Please let us know if your interested and available, it's a great introduction to adventure racing and you'd be in on the action.

JG

Great Ride!!

So yesterday J and I headed out for an afternoon Waterbury ride. We started by cranking up Perry Hill (always a good start to a ride, really get the legs warmed up and the blood pumping) and rode in by the red barn. Once in the woods, instead of going left, as we usually do, or straight as we did during the Bitter Pill, we opted to take a mysterious right turn. This was a trail Justin and I had rode/walked up a year or 2, and I had a vague recollection that it was fairly technical (lower down it was marked as the "red trail" with the Stowe Mtn Bike signs). And boy, was I right. The top started out pretty cool, with plenty of rock obstacles, and a very cool ride (probably 100 feet long) along the edge of a pretty sharp dropoff on sloping rock that we just had to loop around and ride twice. Then, things got interesting as the descent down began. We rode some extremely knarly stuff, and walked a bit as well, especially one section which paralleled the bottom of a cliff, and was rocky and sketchy. Lots of rock the whole way down, which was very cool. I had 1 emergency dismount that had me rolling A*&! over teakettle and left me with a throbbing left leg and a nice set of cuts on my right from my big chain ring, and J had a few less than graceful moments himself. The trail eventually dumped out behind the sand pit on a little loop we often ride. A great trail, and probably the most technical trail out there on Perry Hill. It's been a while since I've ridden a trail that was really beyond my abilities, but a couple sections of this one were humbling. Can't wait to ride it again!!!


Once we exited the big trail, we blasted down to the double track and then on to the fast loop through the pines, then headed for the East Street exit. Part way down be veered left onto a new trail J had discovered, which was also great!! Not super technical, but cool, as it rode along the top of a pretty sharp dropoff down to the interstate, and had some great sights. There is even a small pond up there, which I can't wait to cruise back to on foot and check out for birds and wildlife. Nice find, J!! Good to know that even though we've been riding out here for a couple of years that there are still more trails to be founds...


And once again, no pictures!!! I swear, one of us will remember a camera for the Sunday ride (see post below), and we'll get some action shots up here. Or, I'll just take a picture of my bruised leg and put it up!!


Grambo

First ride in Jericho

So yesterday, Biz, Justin, and I went for our first ride on the year on the Fellowship of the Wheel's Jericho trails. We typically ride these now and then throughout the summer, as they are on my way home, and near where Justin lives. We drove to the parking area off of Barber Farm Road, and first tried out the Arcana trail. And, I have to say, while I am not complaining (since we don't ever help out on their trail days), Arcana was in awful shape!! Not muddy, or with a lot of down trees, but the trail markers are terrible (and generally non-existent). We got off trail at least 8 or 10 times, and spent as much time looking for the trail as we did riding. There were some fun spots, but in my opinion, it mostly was unsatisfying.


After finally locating the exit, we rode back to our car, and proceeded to Mobbs Valley. A completely different experience here, as the trails are well marked, well traveled, and in great shape. We blasted some basic double and single track, then turned off one of the main trails to a moderately climbing, pretty technical single track. I was very happy with my performance, as I was riding over stuff I remember pushing my bike over last year, and for a beginner, Biz did great. He is really coming along well, and should be ready to ride Burning Spear in Waterbury soon!


It was at this point that we lost Justin. He got kinda far ahead of us, and when I rode up to a "T" in the trail, he was nowhere to be seen. Did he go left, or did he go right? He broke one of our (new) cardinal rules, that is, when you come to an intersection, STOP!! Biz caught up to me, and we decided to go left, since there was an arrow indicating that was the way to go. And, not only did Justin not wait for us at the intersection, he also didn't obey the arrow, and went right!! So, after not catching up to him for 10 or so minutes, we resorted to a cell phone call, located him, and found him out near the field. No real harm done, but I did want to smack him for a minute or 2.


After meeting up, it was getting dark, so we blasted down the steep field hill and back out to the road. A good solid 2 hour ride, and the Mobbs part was great, I am thinking we will ride it again next Tuesday. Training plans for the near term include some biking in Waterbury this afternoon for J and I (all are welcome, we'll be heading up Perry Hill around 4), and J, Justin, and I are planning on riding the Hinesbury Town Forest Trails on Sunday, assuming they are open. Again, all are welcome, I think we are planning to meet at the Richmond Park and Ride around 10am. Just drop us a line, and come along...

Grambo

Feet First

The mystery is solved. I now understand why trail running shoes are better for trail running then, say, road running shoes.

Some of you may recall that this debate raged, in my head, for weeks before I finally broke down and bought a pair of pimped out trail shoes. You may also recall that after about 10 miles, spread out over 2 days, they gave me some wicked nasty heal blisters. Well, in order to let my heals heal, I had skipped all my running workouts last week, substituting some additional time on the bike and at the gym.

Anyway, yesterday my feet were back at 95% and with a few strategically placed pieces of tape I fired up Monsters of Rock on the MP3 player and set out on an afternoon trail run--in my road runners. They worked great. Did about 7 miles--no blisters. Not a single hot spot. (I discovered two new trails in the Waterbury network that I had never run or biked. They were great and went back and rode them today.)

Then I got up this morning to, uh, you know, and I realized that the bottom right side of my right foot, the area opposite the arch, was bruised. Like, seriously black and blue bruised. I must have done it stepping on a rock, or root or something. Weird.

Anyway, I get it now--more torsional resistance and less foot bruising with the trail runners. Now, if I can only get them broken in so they don't give me those darn blisters.

On a completely unrelated note, I heard through the grapevine that the boys went for a ride in Essex/Jericho today and somehow lost Turtle. How does the biggest, loudest one of the bunch get lost?

Someone is going to have to fill us in, because it sounds amusing.

Flashback and Fast Forward!

Grambo, Biz and I had a delightful Saturday afternoon ride in Waterbury. It was a little misty from time to time, but not rainy. The occasional precipitation did make a few sections of the trail a little slick. Biz can testify to that and so too can the shin he skidded out on.

Unfortunately, none of us thought to bring our cameras so there are no photos of the aftermath, or anything else for that matter. We really need to remember to bring one now and then to capture the magic as it happens. Grambo noted that we could even post some short videos. That would be cool.

Speaking of photos, here are a few of our trip to PA last spring for the GOALS Adventure Racing Association 6 hour race, The Savage. They remind me how cool race weekends are. The first is pre-departure photo of Grambo just as he finished topping off the gear in the trunk. The second is Turtle examining our bike storage system at the cabin we stayed in. It was a great trip and a great race. Remember the Hop Devil, boys?

We're close to deciding if we're going to the Racing Ahead 12 hour race staged out of Mount Snow in West Dover, Vermont. It's obviously much closer than the PA races, but because it's a longer, more rigorous race would also require a weekend-length road trip. We should have everything nailed down tonight or tomorrow and I'll let you know what the final decision is when we arrive at one. After consulting the magic 8-ball, however, I'm pleased to report that "all signs point to yes."

Since it looks likely, the last few weeks I've been training like it's for sure. And in keeping with that strategy, I plan to run to the gym after work, lift, and then run home. A mini-brick to start the week...

Finally, Biz, Grambo and Turtle are planning a training ride tomorrow (Tuesday) after work in Essex. All are welcome.

See you on the trail.

JG

New Shoes!!


As J did a week or so ago, I have been researching trail shoes lately, as my old pair of Salomon XA XCRs are pretty well shot. I always liked these shoes, but the footbeds on them never seemed quite right, even with Superfeet inserts. However, I was open to trying another pair of Salomons, as they really do make a great shoe. So, I narrowed down my choices using EMS's website (which is pretty good), looking a several things: Price (looking to spend 100 bucks or less), weight (lighter is better), and general construction. I decided that I would try out the La Sportiva Slingshot, the new Salomon XA Pro 3D XCR (do they need that many acronyms?), and the Vasque Blur. So, off to EMS with my checkbook.



Right off I tried on the La Sportivas, and didn't like them. They were very lightweight, but it seemed like most of the weight was concentrated in the sole, making the upper seem more like I was putting on a sock. Not that these kind of shoes offer much support, but these seemed to have even less than normal. OK for someone lighter than me, but they were out. So, it was down to the Salomons and Vasque. The Salomons did cost $35.00 more, but I was willing to pay if they were "the ones". However, I tried on 2 sizes, and both still had the footbed issue. It seems to me almost like the arch is in the wrong place (too far back), at least for my foot. Yeah, the speed lacing is great, the support is good, and they look cool, but I decided I wasn't going to wrestle with the footbed issues again, especially for 120 bucks (my old pair were purchased on clearance for like 30 bucks).



So, that left the Vasque Blur. I was inclined to like these, because I have owned 3 pairs of Vasque hiking boots throughout my hiking days, and they have always fit my foot very well (needed little to no breaking in). Trying on the Blur, I was definitely impressed. They are lightweight (1lb 7oz), have an aggressive tread, and most important, they felt good on my feet. I tried on a couple sizes (depending on shoes I vary from 9 to 10), and settled on the Blur in a 9.5. And, with my GMARA discount, they came out to just 72 bucks!! Nice!!!



Driving home in the pouring rain, I was itching to try them out. By the time I got home, I was fired up, so I threw on my new treads, put on my Icebreaker wool shirt, and hit the road. I only did a short run (2.5-3ish miles), not wanting to overdo it and get a blister or anything (right J?), but I ran on both road and dirt (behind the state complex and through the ballfields by the river in Waterbury), and the shoes performed very, very well. Supportive, grippy, and so far, no blisters or arch pain. However, I won't declare them fully awesome until I get a 12 mile (or hour) hike/run/race on them. More to come as they get more miles on 'em...

Grambo

Not quite that extreme (see video below)...

Although I wish we had been riding cool terrain like that!! Truth is, Biz and I rode Saxon Hill yesterday after work in Essex, and had a good 1.5 hour or so ride. It was his first time out on real single track, and I was thinking it would be a good, easy place for him to start out. Well, it is a pretty easy trail, when it's dry. Yesterday, it was not. The turns (and there are many, with all the switchbacks) were quite slippery, but he handled it well. He only went over the handlebars once, and managed to land on his feet. Myself, I only had to do 1 "emergency dismount" when my rear tire slid completely out from under me in a sharp turn. We rode the Flo loop, which is awesome, and then we rode a trail across the dirt road from Flo's. Not sure if it has a name, but it goes by a pond, so I will hereby christen it the Pond Trail. A nice cruiser, not much elevation up or down, but a fun trail to ride. Cudos to the folks who maintain them, I think they are some of the best maintained trails around...can't wait to ride them some more.


Not sure on the plans for the rest of the week, due to the rain, but I am hoping to get another run in at some point, as well as a ride, probably Saturday afternoon in Waterbury. I think we'll bring a camera along this time, so we can get some real footage of the action/carnage...

Grambo

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY!

So, Grambo and Biz went out for some riding at Saxon Hill in Essex yesterday. I'm sure they've got some whale of tale to tell. You know, sweet jumps, big air, raging down hills and tight single track--the usual.

But before they offer their varnished version on this outing for all to read, I wanted you, our faithful friends, to know the truth. You deserve nothing less.

The truth is Grambo crashed hard, and we've got the video to prove it!

Little did they know that I secretly installed a helmet camera in Biz's new lid and used it to record this video.

No animals were harmed in the production of this video.

JG

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Word Up, Yo!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY FROM TEAM RUNS WITH SCISSORS!

TRWS wishes our moms, and all moms, a very happy Mothers Day.

Thanks to you, we're only partially irresponsible knot heads.

And to honor you, and all that you've given us, we offer the following poem:

We are each our mother's darling child
Brought up with care and trouble
For fear a spoon would hurt our mouths
You fed us with a shovel.
(Author Unknown)

Today is the day that Moms don't have to clean, cook or do any of the other house work. You can just chillout and relax. I guess it's kind of like being the Dad for a day!

Enjoy your day, you've earned it.

Oh My, Burning Spear!

No, Biz, it's not what you think...(Although, maybe you should see a doctor about that?)

Burning Spear is one of the trails in a lower portion of the CC Putnam State Forest--also known as the Perry Hill mountain biking trails--here in Waterbury.

It's been a few months--probably 6 or so--since we last blasted down Burning Spear from the top of Perry Hill. Grambo and I hit it yesterday and it was awesome. Seriously, awesome.

Waterbury has some of the best mountain biking in Vermont. If you haven't spent a day exploring our single track, you should. And then stop by Waterbury Wings and the Alchemist for a few beers afterward! (Tell them Team Runs with Scissors sent you.) They're really easy to get to, the trails that is. Just stop somewhere downtown and ask for directions to the ice rink just off of Route 2. You can figure it out from there.

***

Hit the gym today for about an hour, but plan to take tomorrow off to celebrate Mothers Day with the Mrs--it's her first as a recipient!

***

As for the photo: Sometimes the rear view says it all!



jg

Welcome to the family...

Well, today I accompanied Biz on a very important trip to Earl's , where he picked up his first mountain bike, a nice new Trek 4500!! He is pretty psyched, and so are we. It'll be good to have another riding partner. I think we are going to take him on his first real ride next Tuesday, on the Saxon Hill Trails. We'll be gentle, I promise (not). Until then, J and I are hoping to put in a good couple hours riding on the Perry Hill trails. Hopefully the rain will hold off...

In other news, the Herc folks have posted the elevation profiles and maps for the 5 mile and 16 mile course for the Herc Open, a trail run in Warren Aug. 11. Looks pretty rugged. J is aiming for the 16 miler. I am definitely in on the 5er, and hoping to be in shape enough for the 16. Should be a great time, I know the scenery down the Mad River Valley that time of year will be awesome.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, some Friday humor (which is not racing related, but does relate to our other favorite pasttime, beer!):

Grambo

These Shoes Are Made for Runnin' -- I hope!

After weeks of research and more than an hour of trying shoes on at EMS on Tuesday, I finally decided to go with a pimped out pair of ultra-light, but stable and reasonably well padded, pair of trail shoes for trail running and adventure racing.

For awhile now I've been pondering the advantages of a trail shoe versus my Saucony Hurricanes, which I love. A good trail shoe definitely can be cooler (more mesh), lighter (although barely and because of less cushion), have more aggressive tread (which is definitely an advantage when it's wet), and more medial and torsional rigidity--which means it's less likely to twist or roll from side to side, or cause discomfort when you step on a rock or root or something. All good characteristics.

Anyway, after a LOT of research and trying on nearly every trail shoe on the market--which was clearly intended to help me make the best purchase for me, and my feet, as possible--I opted for the North Face Arnuva trail shoe with the Boa Lacing System, with a new pair of Super Feet. (They were comfortable without the Super Feet, but I guess I thought more Super Feet were better than less.) They felt and fit great at EMS...

That afternoon (Tuesday) I put'em on for a 5.5 mile run--3 miles of trail and 2 miles of road. For the first 3.5 miles, everything was great. I felt good. The shoes felt good. Everything was good. Then on the 2 mile stretch of road back home I noticed minor hot spots on each heal. No big deal--new shoes with new Super Feet, right?

Well, Yesterday, eager to break them in more, I went for another trail run with Grambo. Earlier in the day I had ridden my bike to the gym, worked out for 30-40 minutes and then cruised home. The hot spots seemed to be fine, because they didn't really bother me in either my riding shoes or my old runners. So, I decided to go with the Arnuvas again. Just to be safe, I tossed a band aid on each hot spot. BIG mistake. I should have let those spots heal entirely. By the time I got home, both of my socks had big blood stains on them and my heals each had a nasty raw spot. Showering after the run...warm water on raw heals...well, it sucked.

So, here I am with a pimped out pair of ultra-distance trail shoes that apparently eat my heals after just a few miles. I'm not sure what to do!

Grambo has suggested that the best thing to do is just keep trying to break them in to my feet--after the blisters heal, of course. So, that's what I'm going to do--because despite this minor setback, I still get a good feeling and vibe from these shoes.

And I probably wouldn't have had such a problem if I'd just let those hot spots heal for a day or two longer before putting these new shoes back on.

I'll probably also try them with the original soles, rather than the Super Feet to see if that improves the heal fit. (Super Feet have a tendency to elevate the heal a little.) If that doesn't work, maybe I'll put the Super Feet on top of the North Face sole. Maybe I need a sock with a thicker heal? Who knows...

Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

I'll do anything to make them fit well--because these shoes are made for runnin'.

We'll keep you posted.

JG

PS--Training plans for the next three days are 2 hour weight session today and rides tomorrow and Saturday. That should give my heals time to heal!

Trails Opening!!!

Well, thanks to the fantastic, dry weather we've had lately, I am psyched to report that I was checking the Fellowship of the Wheel's website, and discovered that a large number of their trails are open, including the Mud City loop, Saxon Hill, Arcana, and the Mobbs trails. This is great news, as often the spring weather has these trails closed until June. I'm not sure if the Waterbury trails are officially open yet, but they are also in great shape. J and I are hoping to do the full Perry Hill experience Friday, from the top of the hill down, and later today Justin and I are planning to ride the Saxon Hill trail in Essex. Hopefully we can make time to hit some of the other Jericho trails next week. I do love this time of year...

Yesterday I got out for a 4 mile run, and while I was a bit stiff (due to my recent slothfullness), it was good. Although after this winter is doesn't seem right to run in shorts and a T-shirt, without 3 inches of slush on the sidewalk!!

Grambo

An end to the slacking...

Well, as J noted in his post below, I am planning to get my training back on track this week, after a pretty slacker April. I learned just how slacker I was when we went for a trail run last Thursday, and sleep deprived new dad J kicked my sorry butt!! Anyway, there is work to do, but I had a great, solid 2 hour trail ride on Friday on the Perry Hill trails in Waterbury, including my first of the year good, fast downhill singletrack. Boy, did it feel great, and after numerous short-medium length hill climbs, my legs were feeling it. Training plan for this week will entail:

Mon: Road run, 4-5 miles
Tues: 1.5-2 hr Mtn bike ride in Essex with Justin
Wed: 1 hrish trail run in Waterbury
Thursday: Either a rest day, or a short recovery ride in town
Friday: A good, solid, 2+ hour Mtn bike ride in Waterbury
Sat/Sun-On the road for Mom's day

This is the sort of training schedule I plan on following, more or less, for the next month or so anyway. I can't wait until the mtn trails dry out more, at which point I'll add in blasting up and down something like Camel's Hump once per week. I am psyched that there is a possibility that J will be able to do the NE AR 12hr race with us on June 9, should be a great race, and there's no reason we can't whip ourselves back into decent shape by then. Bring it on...

Grambo

Weekend Summary



Good training weekend:

--6.5 mile trail run on Saturday.

--1.5 hour trail ride on Sunday. (And we took the baby for her first walk--can't wait to get her in the jogging stroller!)

--Many hours of sleep deprivation training all weekend.

In other news, I'm trying now to determine if I'll be in for Racing Ahead's 12 hour race staged out of Mount Snow the weekend on June 9th. It appears somewhat likely at this point--but want to make sure everything is all squared away before making any definite announcements.

If I am able to do it, I also want to make sure my conditioning is back up to racing levels--which means making time for lots of training in the next 4-5 weeks. Which is fine, because I've settled into a nice training groove for the Jay Challenge 18.5 mile half-marathon, the Herc Open 16 mile trail running race, a handful of short running races and, most importantly, our late summer/fall adventure racing schedule.

(As an aside, Grambo did point out that I'll be missing this year's GMARA Bitter Pill on August 4th--our good friends Kristen and Steve are getting married that day and I'm in the wedding. I'm hopeful that Biz will pick up my slack.)

In any event, even if I'm unavailable, Team Runs with Scissors will be well represented at the June 9th Mt. Snow race because Grambo is fired up for this race. Watch out Team EMS -- 2006 AR National Champions!

Grambo has an ambitious training schedule for this week that includes some rides in Essex and Waterbury. Perhaps he'll post the details. As with all of our rides, runs, hikes and parties--all are welcome.

Finally, the plan for today is to slip out for another run or ride around 5pm, and we're taking the babe for a stroll on the Stowe rec path this afternoon. (Paternity leave is cool.) It's suppose to be in the 70's today! Beautiful.


JG

PS-- I wanna be like Mike!

MANY THANKS!

Mrs. G and me would like to thank everyone for their calls and e-mails of congratulations. Both baby and mother are doing very well.

I keep telling myself that this parenthood thing is a lot like an adventure race--exciting, unpredictable and best done with a good team. The first few days of sleep deprivation have certainly been good training for our 24 hour race this fall...

Like her father and mother, Addison is quite fiesty. I told her that she had to wait until she was a little older to do her first adventure race (especially the Bitter Pill) or have a burger and beer at the Alchemist, and this is what she had to say about that:

Again, many thanks to all of you for your warm wishes.

J



PS--I'm hoping to drag my sorry, sleep deprived arse out later today for an hour long trail run or ride in Waterbury. All are welcome.

As promised...

Additional news on the baby front...

Addison Mae Gibbs, born 4/30/07 (yesterday)
Born at 1:20pm
6.12 lbs
18.5 inches

Mother and daughter (and father, presumably) are doing fine. Congrats, J and A, can't wait to meet her!!!

Grambo