Today is Monday. The winds have been blowing hard all day, and tomorrow the rain will likely come, pushing up our already swollen rivers and streams. Mud Season is upon us in earnest.
Last Tuesday, I ran through the park, through sublimation fog, and fell twice on slick ice. My hand still bears the marks. I ate my lunch, a hummus sandwich, when I hit solid ground, attempting to figure out what my stomach can and cannot handle on runs. I didn't last very long, but it was the ice that shut me down, not the food. It was everywhere.
On Wednesday, I did a quick make-up session along the Spring Run, which was dry except for a couple of spots. There was also a patch of late season ice; more like rock or glacier than the slippery stuff that had foiled me the day before. I did some interval training, but my knee was hurting me, and my pace suffered. On the way back to my car, I picked up a couple of hot dogs from Awesome Dogs and ate them as I walked. I don't think I could handle that on a run.
On Thursday, I went back to the park, without food, but with a Heart Full of Soul and a shining sun. Unfortunately Soul didn't get me very far, though the sun felt nice. I again ran some intervals, attempting to salvage something of the week. The ice that remained slowed me down, though, and on the last leg I came across ice that I was unable to cross. It was angled up, I had no traction aids (it's April!), and it was too slick for me to climb up. I was several feet onto the ice when I finally turned around, and I fully expected to fall. I convinced myself that if I got up it, I could get down it, and carefully I made my way back down without falling.
On Saturday, we went to a park down in New Paltz to meet up with some friends. The kids had fun playing together, and they kept us on our toes. It was hot; more like June than April.
On Sunday, the kids and I went to my mom's house for breakfast. Afterwards, they played outside for a while, and then we all pitched in a hand to help with some yardwork. By noon it was close to 70; another hot day.
Later that day, after a week of horrid runs, and one and a half days of being outside in the sun, I went for a long run. It was still hot out when I set off around 3:45. I settled in to a 12:00 pace and did my best to mentally prepare myself for 10 miles of this. The bike path I was running on was level, and clear of water and debris; as easy as a run on pavement is going to get. When I hit an unpaved section, I was surprised to find it firm underfoot.
As the path made its way along route 50, I received a reminder of why I prefer to avoid roads: cars. In this case, it was a car with a half-witted human inside, who decided to compliment me on my choice of hat (a thin explorer's style cap, to keep the sunburn off of my nose and ears). It was gone before I had a chance to thank them for their kind remarks. I thought that perhaps on my next run I should run with a ridiculously long multi-colored scarf, so that another kind soul would have something else to compliment me on as they drove in to 'Toga to get drunk.
After that point I decided to make my way over to the mall area and then run the Five Mile Trail, away from roads. First, however, I needed to start my fueling experiment.
I'm training for a race in May, and I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do about fuel. I decided to try out one strategy I had read, I think in Runner's World, which was to start fueling after 30 minutes and then fuel every 15 minutes after that. I ate half a package of salty jelly beans, which were really difficult to choke down.
The winds whipping across the mall were strong, and I was happy to be in the woods once I got to the other side. The ice that had been present in the woods three days earlier was now gone, and even the mud was noticeably drier. I made my way down to the picnic area, past a decomposing possum and a gaggle of people enjoying the day.
The section along Geyser Creek had a little bit of ice left, past the tufa pile. The air was noticeably cooler down there, too. I made my way up the stairs as fast as I could, but my muscles were quite upset about being asked to climb stairs after having already run a few miles. At the top I noticed that it was time to fuel again.
I ate the second half of the salty jelly bean packet, which tasted a lot better this time around. I swung over to the Orenda Spring to top off my water bottle with some mineral water. I started feeling strong at this point, and probably should have just stopped fueling for a little while. Instead, I continued on with the experiment. As I made my way over to the western entrance, I drank the shot of salty sugar water I had put in my flask. This tasted delicious: a magical cherry beverage, but I crashed pretty quickly after that, and my pace started to suffer as I made my way through the wetlands. By the time it was time to fuel again, I opted for a gel.
I'm not really sure...
I think...
I think I'd rather carry a tub of rice pudding than eat another of these gels.
The flavor was described as vanilla, and the taste was somewhere between vanilla pudding (evil vanilla pudding) and these packages of pre-made vanilla shakes that I used to drink twelve (or so) years ago. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. My hands were sticky afterwards, and I wasted water rinsing them off so that I wouldn't spend the next few miles trying to obsessively wipe them off.
I finished up the trails and made my way back over to the mall. I ate the last fuel of my run, a stroopwafel. (I'm at least 1% Dutch, so it's legit.) It took me by surprise, though: they are definitely sweet, but the taste ended up bitter. I'm not sure if it was the lingering bite of the gel, or the effect of the run, but it was strange.
I made my way back over to the bike trails, to finish up my 10 miles, and I found myself running on empty. I pushed on, but mile 8 was spent in a trance, and not the good kind. By mile 9 I was feeling better, and I picked up the pace a bit. I was still zoning out, but it was an "almost done" zone. At 9.5 miles, I gave up. My feet were hurting, both knees were hurting, and I had no desire to run any farther.
That last bit is significant: my feet hadn't hurt yet on these long runs. I'm not quite sure where that was coming from, though I'm guessing the mud and water in my socks may have had some impact on it.
I felt drained afterwards, and all the next day. I have two more long runs to get this right, before the race. It's clear that the strategy I used this week is not going to work well. I'm switching to lower GI food, and increasing the interval between intake. I'm contemplating three options for fueling: a trail mix that worked very well on Sawteeth last year, o-nigiri, and/or some No Meat Athlete energy bars. O-nigiri is a portable rice dish, which Matthew Inman (aka The Oatmeal) mentioned in a link off of his running comics (he got the recipe from Scott Jurek's book, Eat & Run).
Ten Feet Square:
Reflections on Hiking, Trail Running, and Getting Unstuck.
Occasional geek-outs.
Showing posts with label Saratoga Spa State Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saratoga Spa State Park. Show all posts
15 April 2014
23 March 2014
Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail - 23 Mar 2014
Driven half mad by cabin fever, my family headed out in search of some relief. My first thought, the playground at Clifton Commons in Clifton Park, was a bust: it was covered in what looked like rock hard ice and snow.
We headed further south, and I decided to go have a look at the bike path in Latham and Niskayuna. We found it mostly free of snow and ice, at least along River Road as far as the old train station. It was, however, way too windy today to have the kids out for very long. I do my best to get out under any and every condition, to train my mind as well as my body, but it's too much to ask of small kids. My youngest has only recently started telling us when she's cold without being prompted. As such, they only logged six tenths of a mile this weekend.
That was actually an improvement. Last weekend I took my oldest out for a run along the Zim Smith Trail, and between the snow, ice, standing water, and wind, she only lasted for half a mile. On the drive home, she said, "I only like running on blacktop." I asked, "well, what about dirt?" She said, "dirt is fine, but no snow, or ice, or mud, and especially no water." I chuckled. "Ok," I said, "we'll head back out once the snow has melted." To which she replied: "how about summer?" I chuckled again, and promised to take her out again once the surfaces were clear.
When we pulled up to the bike path today, she said, "I don't want to go for a walk. I only like to run," to which we replied: "so run!" So, she did!
It occurred to me later that her style of running is entirely fartlek (that's Swedish for speed play). Run as fast as you can here, run over there, stop, walk, stretch, run some more, run fast, run back, stop, run in to someone, run, stop. It drove me crazy at first, but now I mostly just laugh and encourage her (or corral her, as needed).
I hope to get them out again next weekend, hopefully for a bit longer, and hopefully without any wind.
On a different note: from what I could see of it today, the Zim Smith Trail (where it meets the Northway) seems to still be covered in a layer of snow. I assume that this is from the sled traffic, compacting the snow down to a rock hard layer, since most of the surrounding terrain is snow free. When we went out last weekend, we parked at the parking lot off of Round Lake Road. There were several short stretches of clear pavement, but it looked like the trail was mostly snow, ice, icy snow and standing water.
Rounding out this report: I did my long run yesterday at Saratoga Spa State Park. The bike paths are a mixed bag. The portions that are normally clear are clear. Along Avenue of the Pines there are sections with several inches of water covered by a thin sheet of ice, punctuated at regular intervals by a few crazy fools who decided to run through it (like me). The closed portion of Putnam Road has a thin layer of milky ice on it. Further into the park, the woods roads are covered in ice and icy snow. The western half of the Picnic Loop road is in exactly, and I mean EXACTLY, the same state that it was several weeks ago: covered in several inches of hard snow that is a mess of tracks. The North-South Road appears to be in the same state. The East-West Road is mostly free of ice or snow where it was plowed (at least from the western entrance to the edge of the hill after the Peerless Pool). And, finally, as you would expect, the dirt road leading south off of the East-West Road, across from the Peerless, is a muddy mess that deteriorates the further south you get.
Until next time, be excellent to each other.
We headed further south, and I decided to go have a look at the bike path in Latham and Niskayuna. We found it mostly free of snow and ice, at least along River Road as far as the old train station. It was, however, way too windy today to have the kids out for very long. I do my best to get out under any and every condition, to train my mind as well as my body, but it's too much to ask of small kids. My youngest has only recently started telling us when she's cold without being prompted. As such, they only logged six tenths of a mile this weekend.
That was actually an improvement. Last weekend I took my oldest out for a run along the Zim Smith Trail, and between the snow, ice, standing water, and wind, she only lasted for half a mile. On the drive home, she said, "I only like running on blacktop." I asked, "well, what about dirt?" She said, "dirt is fine, but no snow, or ice, or mud, and especially no water." I chuckled. "Ok," I said, "we'll head back out once the snow has melted." To which she replied: "how about summer?" I chuckled again, and promised to take her out again once the surfaces were clear.
When we pulled up to the bike path today, she said, "I don't want to go for a walk. I only like to run," to which we replied: "so run!" So, she did!
It occurred to me later that her style of running is entirely fartlek (that's Swedish for speed play). Run as fast as you can here, run over there, stop, walk, stretch, run some more, run fast, run back, stop, run in to someone, run, stop. It drove me crazy at first, but now I mostly just laugh and encourage her (or corral her, as needed).
I hope to get them out again next weekend, hopefully for a bit longer, and hopefully without any wind.
On a different note: from what I could see of it today, the Zim Smith Trail (where it meets the Northway) seems to still be covered in a layer of snow. I assume that this is from the sled traffic, compacting the snow down to a rock hard layer, since most of the surrounding terrain is snow free. When we went out last weekend, we parked at the parking lot off of Round Lake Road. There were several short stretches of clear pavement, but it looked like the trail was mostly snow, ice, icy snow and standing water.
Rounding out this report: I did my long run yesterday at Saratoga Spa State Park. The bike paths are a mixed bag. The portions that are normally clear are clear. Along Avenue of the Pines there are sections with several inches of water covered by a thin sheet of ice, punctuated at regular intervals by a few crazy fools who decided to run through it (like me). The closed portion of Putnam Road has a thin layer of milky ice on it. Further into the park, the woods roads are covered in ice and icy snow. The western half of the Picnic Loop road is in exactly, and I mean EXACTLY, the same state that it was several weeks ago: covered in several inches of hard snow that is a mess of tracks. The North-South Road appears to be in the same state. The East-West Road is mostly free of ice or snow where it was plowed (at least from the western entrance to the edge of the hill after the Peerless Pool). And, finally, as you would expect, the dirt road leading south off of the East-West Road, across from the Peerless, is a muddy mess that deteriorates the further south you get.
Until next time, be excellent to each other.
24 February 2014
The Springing of February - 23 Feb 2014
Yesterday's run around Saratoga Spa State Park was a lovely combination of wet pavement, icy pavement, water-logged pavement, and mud. My favorite, though, was when the ice and water worked together. It came in two distinct forms: standing water over hard ice, and standing water with chunks of ice floating in it. The latter was, by far, the strangest thing I've run through in a long time.
I first encountered it along the bike path, where it cuts between the apartments along Route 50 and the golf course. There was a short stretch of it, and it was very much like the inside of a cooler that started the day full of ice and had sat out in the sun for the rest of the day. It even made the same sound that the ice in the cooler makes as you root around to find a refreshment. The first stretch was short: long enough to make me take notice, but not so long that it really bothered me. I had been running through water on and off for the entire trip, so it wasn't really a problem, it was just odd.
As I got over to the crosswalk for Railroad Run, I decided to pop over and check it out. I had seen bits and pieces of it from driving around, and I knew it was roughly a mile long, that it went past the Y, and that ended over by West Circular. Little did I know. The first stretch started out great. The pavement was wet, yet free of standing water, and it was pleasant. Conditions were the same after the next street crossing, and even though there were some massive puddles near the intersection, I didn't think much of it.
Around the halfway point, I came to another stretch of standing water with chunks of ice in it. The water was deep, at least an inch, and as I ran through it I kicked massive quantities of water up onto the bottom of the jacket that was tied around my waist. (Where my phone was, of course.) This stretch was longer: at least 100 feet, and immediately after it there was another stretch of equal length, and then another. Each stretch was long enough that my feet started to go numb. My feet had been warm up to this point; despite the standing water that I had been running through on and off throughout my run, my feet had warmed up by the 1k mark and hadn't felt cold since. Now they were dangerously cold. Mercifully they warmed up quickly after the last ice bath, but there was no way that I was going to repeat that. I decided to run on the streets back to the last crossing instead of another turn through the ice bath.
The rest of the run was typical. My shoes (Brooks PureFlow 2) did better than I expected them to on the ice. One stretch along the bike path, between the dance museum and the Avenue of the Pines, was solid ice with water over it, and I was kicking myself for not bringing my YakTrax along with me, but I was able to navigate it fine, all things considered. I slowed down a bit and kept my stride short, and I felt stable. Nervous, but stable. All told I felt myself lose traction only a few times on the run, and it wasn't so bad that I feared falling.
All told this was a good run. I managed to go 50 minutes without taking a walk break; I'm fairly certain that's a record for me, or very close to the record. I have a goal of being able to run 60 minutes without take a walk break that I hope to complete very soon.
Until next time, be excellent to each other.
 |
| Water on hard ice along Putnam Road. |
I first encountered it along the bike path, where it cuts between the apartments along Route 50 and the golf course. There was a short stretch of it, and it was very much like the inside of a cooler that started the day full of ice and had sat out in the sun for the rest of the day. It even made the same sound that the ice in the cooler makes as you root around to find a refreshment. The first stretch was short: long enough to make me take notice, but not so long that it really bothered me. I had been running through water on and off for the entire trip, so it wasn't really a problem, it was just odd.
As I got over to the crosswalk for Railroad Run, I decided to pop over and check it out. I had seen bits and pieces of it from driving around, and I knew it was roughly a mile long, that it went past the Y, and that ended over by West Circular. Little did I know. The first stretch started out great. The pavement was wet, yet free of standing water, and it was pleasant. Conditions were the same after the next street crossing, and even though there were some massive puddles near the intersection, I didn't think much of it.
Around the halfway point, I came to another stretch of standing water with chunks of ice in it. The water was deep, at least an inch, and as I ran through it I kicked massive quantities of water up onto the bottom of the jacket that was tied around my waist. (Where my phone was, of course.) This stretch was longer: at least 100 feet, and immediately after it there was another stretch of equal length, and then another. Each stretch was long enough that my feet started to go numb. My feet had been warm up to this point; despite the standing water that I had been running through on and off throughout my run, my feet had warmed up by the 1k mark and hadn't felt cold since. Now they were dangerously cold. Mercifully they warmed up quickly after the last ice bath, but there was no way that I was going to repeat that. I decided to run on the streets back to the last crossing instead of another turn through the ice bath.
The rest of the run was typical. My shoes (Brooks PureFlow 2) did better than I expected them to on the ice. One stretch along the bike path, between the dance museum and the Avenue of the Pines, was solid ice with water over it, and I was kicking myself for not bringing my YakTrax along with me, but I was able to navigate it fine, all things considered. I slowed down a bit and kept my stride short, and I felt stable. Nervous, but stable. All told I felt myself lose traction only a few times on the run, and it wasn't so bad that I feared falling.
All told this was a good run. I managed to go 50 minutes without taking a walk break; I'm fairly certain that's a record for me, or very close to the record. I have a goal of being able to run 60 minutes without take a walk break that I hope to complete very soon.
Until next time, be excellent to each other.
28 January 2014
Mini Trip Reports for January, Random Thoughts
I had a few random thoughts that I wanted to post.
First and foremost: I wanted to thank the crew over at Saratoga Spa State Park. They do an excellent job keeping the park open and accessible, even in the middle of winter. A large portion of the walking paths, including the stretch along Avenue of the Pines and a good portion of the Putnam Road section are also kept relatively snow free. It's wonderful, and it's very appreciated.
I went for a run today at lunch time, and found that even the back section, where Putnam Road is closed to traffic, had been partially cleared. This section is always a bit snowy, presumably because cross-country skiers also use it to cross between the golf courses. As I cruised up it today, I passed by two XC skiers doing just that. When I got close, one of them asked, "Are we the only crazy people out today?" to which I replied, "Looks like it!" I smiled and kept on running.
Part of my smile was due to the fact that I had put on my street running shoes for the first time in months. I realized that I had been running and walking with 8mm+ drops for far too long, and that I'd have to re-adjust back down to lower drops if I was going to avoid another Achilles injury. So, today, I went for a run in my 4mm drop shoes (Brooks PureFlow 2), with YakTrax on, because otherwise I would have been skating across the snow. These shoes do not bite at all on snow. They do give me +2 speed and +1 stamina, so I'm not complaining.
I got side tracked there.
Second on my list of thoughts: I also want to thank the crew at Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park, for maintaining some excellent trails over at Camp Saratoga and Opdahl Farm. I went for a snowshoe run there this weekend, and was amazed at how great the trails are. I kept to the side as much as possible, to avoid damaging the XC ski tracks, but in many sections, there wasn't a single set of tracks, but rather a jumble of them. It looked like two or three people had been ski-skating through, too, which didn't help with the confusion. Anyway, I stayed to the side, and deferred to any skiers that I happened to encounter.
That reminds me: the lot was busy when I pulled up! There were at least 8 other cars there, and as I ran, I saw so many people out on skis. There were at least 2 snowshoers out, based on the tracks and, well, the two people that I saw walking down Scout Road to their car. It was great to see so many people out and enjoying the winter.
I had two interesting observations: one, with my jacket tied around my waist and my lumbar pack on, I didn't get a deluge of snow every time I took a running step. It might have been due to the the trail state, or it might have been due to the stuff around my waist. I'll have to experiment some more. Two, the few times that I was trailing a skier, I found that my snowshoe running pace (14:00-15:00) roughly matched their skiing pace. I guess in my mind I had expected them to go faster than that.
Well, that's about it. Oh, and I'm also trying out an alternate lacing strategy (skipping the first crossover) for my boots, to see if that helps at all with the pinched toe.
Until next time, be excellent to each other.
First and foremost: I wanted to thank the crew over at Saratoga Spa State Park. They do an excellent job keeping the park open and accessible, even in the middle of winter. A large portion of the walking paths, including the stretch along Avenue of the Pines and a good portion of the Putnam Road section are also kept relatively snow free. It's wonderful, and it's very appreciated.
I went for a run today at lunch time, and found that even the back section, where Putnam Road is closed to traffic, had been partially cleared. This section is always a bit snowy, presumably because cross-country skiers also use it to cross between the golf courses. As I cruised up it today, I passed by two XC skiers doing just that. When I got close, one of them asked, "Are we the only crazy people out today?" to which I replied, "Looks like it!" I smiled and kept on running.
Part of my smile was due to the fact that I had put on my street running shoes for the first time in months. I realized that I had been running and walking with 8mm+ drops for far too long, and that I'd have to re-adjust back down to lower drops if I was going to avoid another Achilles injury. So, today, I went for a run in my 4mm drop shoes (Brooks PureFlow 2), with YakTrax on, because otherwise I would have been skating across the snow. These shoes do not bite at all on snow. They do give me +2 speed and +1 stamina, so I'm not complaining.
I got side tracked there.
Second on my list of thoughts: I also want to thank the crew at Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park, for maintaining some excellent trails over at Camp Saratoga and Opdahl Farm. I went for a snowshoe run there this weekend, and was amazed at how great the trails are. I kept to the side as much as possible, to avoid damaging the XC ski tracks, but in many sections, there wasn't a single set of tracks, but rather a jumble of them. It looked like two or three people had been ski-skating through, too, which didn't help with the confusion. Anyway, I stayed to the side, and deferred to any skiers that I happened to encounter.
That reminds me: the lot was busy when I pulled up! There were at least 8 other cars there, and as I ran, I saw so many people out on skis. There were at least 2 snowshoers out, based on the tracks and, well, the two people that I saw walking down Scout Road to their car. It was great to see so many people out and enjoying the winter.
I had two interesting observations: one, with my jacket tied around my waist and my lumbar pack on, I didn't get a deluge of snow every time I took a running step. It might have been due to the the trail state, or it might have been due to the stuff around my waist. I'll have to experiment some more. Two, the few times that I was trailing a skier, I found that my snowshoe running pace (14:00-15:00) roughly matched their skiing pace. I guess in my mind I had expected them to go faster than that.
Well, that's about it. Oh, and I'm also trying out an alternate lacing strategy (skipping the first crossover) for my boots, to see if that helps at all with the pinched toe.
Until next time, be excellent to each other.
20 January 2014
Saratoga Spa State Park - 20 Jan 2014
I went for a run at SSSP today on my lunch. As I drove in, I could see that barriers were up across the entrance to the picnic areas.
I parked near the Baths, and then ran down the hill (the gravel road). I was mindful to avoid places where I could create postholes, but there really wasn't anything to worry about. The entire road and the other roads throughout the park were covered in shallow boot prints, dog prints, tire tracks and even kid's sled markings. The latter often seemed to be running in to a ditch. In a few spots I saw bike tracks and what might have been snowmobile tracks. Only rarely did I see ski tracks.
When I got to the bottom of the hill, I saw that a good portion of Geyser Loop Road was free of snow and ice. I instinctively went for it, and opened up to a pace that I couldn't sustain (7:30-8:00). It felt wonderful. I eased off the throttle so that I wouldn't crash and burn, and continued on to the end of the road. When I got to the end, I was going to go left on to East West Road, and head back to my car, but I decided to go right, instead. The road to the right rose immediately, and I wanted to go up it.
I had seen, as I passed through the picnic area, that my return was going to be over snow, but for the length of the East West road, I was on pavement. It was great to run along these empty roads. I ran past the Peerless Pool, and got to the top of Geyser Loop Road, and started the return to my car. The entire length of Geyser Loop Road was covered in snow, and in some places ice, but I was able to run it without too much trouble. The GEL-Scouts I was wearing do very well on slippery terrain. They breathe really well, too, which is great for running through shallow snow, but horrid for walking through it.
I was pleased to see that the Coesa Spouter was still going strong as I passed by. I almost took the (potentially) easy way back to my car, through SPAC, along level terrain, but I decided to go for the extra descent and ascent, and stayed on the Geyser Loop. I ran past the Island Spouter, which was also going strong, and then made my way back up to my car using a different set of pavilion roads.
All told I did 2 miles, which is my current target for these midweek runs. It's tough for me to get out in the morning due to familial obligations, and I have no desire to run on winter roads at night. So, it was a good run. I was happy to have gotten out, and happy to have been able to run on a track I can't normally run on, through the woods, and faster than normal.
One final thought: as I was running up the Geyser Loop Road at the start, John Krakauer's ruminations in Chamonix about "whether I might, given my limited talents, ever rise above the life of the terminally banal" echoed through my head. I had just cut back on the throttle because I had been running way too fast (for me) and I was wondering if I'd ever get to the point where I could cruise long and fast. Then I remembered that I was running through freezing air, over a road that by all rights should have been covered in black ice and impossible to run over at all without traction aids, and that I won't know how much my pace and stamina have actually improved until the springing of the year. I think it was this thought process that pushed me to go up the hill instead of taking the easier route. The climb, at the very least, had the effect of focusing on the run and letting my worries fall to the wayside. By the top of the hill, I was enjoying the run again.
I parked near the Baths, and then ran down the hill (the gravel road). I was mindful to avoid places where I could create postholes, but there really wasn't anything to worry about. The entire road and the other roads throughout the park were covered in shallow boot prints, dog prints, tire tracks and even kid's sled markings. The latter often seemed to be running in to a ditch. In a few spots I saw bike tracks and what might have been snowmobile tracks. Only rarely did I see ski tracks.
When I got to the bottom of the hill, I saw that a good portion of Geyser Loop Road was free of snow and ice. I instinctively went for it, and opened up to a pace that I couldn't sustain (7:30-8:00). It felt wonderful. I eased off the throttle so that I wouldn't crash and burn, and continued on to the end of the road. When I got to the end, I was going to go left on to East West Road, and head back to my car, but I decided to go right, instead. The road to the right rose immediately, and I wanted to go up it.
I had seen, as I passed through the picnic area, that my return was going to be over snow, but for the length of the East West road, I was on pavement. It was great to run along these empty roads. I ran past the Peerless Pool, and got to the top of Geyser Loop Road, and started the return to my car. The entire length of Geyser Loop Road was covered in snow, and in some places ice, but I was able to run it without too much trouble. The GEL-Scouts I was wearing do very well on slippery terrain. They breathe really well, too, which is great for running through shallow snow, but horrid for walking through it.
I was pleased to see that the Coesa Spouter was still going strong as I passed by. I almost took the (potentially) easy way back to my car, through SPAC, along level terrain, but I decided to go for the extra descent and ascent, and stayed on the Geyser Loop. I ran past the Island Spouter, which was also going strong, and then made my way back up to my car using a different set of pavilion roads.
All told I did 2 miles, which is my current target for these midweek runs. It's tough for me to get out in the morning due to familial obligations, and I have no desire to run on winter roads at night. So, it was a good run. I was happy to have gotten out, and happy to have been able to run on a track I can't normally run on, through the woods, and faster than normal.
One final thought: as I was running up the Geyser Loop Road at the start, John Krakauer's ruminations in Chamonix about "whether I might, given my limited talents, ever rise above the life of the terminally banal" echoed through my head. I had just cut back on the throttle because I had been running way too fast (for me) and I was wondering if I'd ever get to the point where I could cruise long and fast. Then I remembered that I was running through freezing air, over a road that by all rights should have been covered in black ice and impossible to run over at all without traction aids, and that I won't know how much my pace and stamina have actually improved until the springing of the year. I think it was this thought process that pushed me to go up the hill instead of taking the easier route. The climb, at the very least, had the effect of focusing on the run and letting my worries fall to the wayside. By the top of the hill, I was enjoying the run again.
02 November 2013
Five Mile Trail - Oct 2013
I mentioned in my previous post that I thought I had lost the Five Mile Trail between the Orenda and Hathorn pavilions, but after reviewing the map, I don't think this was the case. The markers are definitely scarce right around there, though.
The map for this year's route is available on Saratoga Spa State Park's Facebook account:
So, I think this draws the mystery to a close. The Five Mile Trail was created for this race, and after reviewing other posts on the park's Facebook page, it looks like the route has changed over the years, which explains why the are legacy markers scattered here and there.
There's a certain temptation for me to enter the race this Sunday: I really enjoy this trail, and it would be fun to run it in a race setting. Hopefully I'll be fully operational next year.
The map for this year's route is available on Saratoga Spa State Park's Facebook account:
 |
| Five Mile Trail |
So, I think this draws the mystery to a close. The Five Mile Trail was created for this race, and after reviewing other posts on the park's Facebook page, it looks like the route has changed over the years, which explains why the are legacy markers scattered here and there.
There's a certain temptation for me to enter the race this Sunday: I really enjoy this trail, and it would be fun to run it in a race setting. Hopefully I'll be fully operational next year.
01 November 2013
Pause. Resume. Let's roll.
It has been several months since my last post, and I've got quite a bit to catch up on, so let's get to it.
The lump on my tendon is nearly gone: at times I can't find it, and at other times it's about the size of a mosquito bite. I made the decision a couple of weeks ago to temporarily switch back to shoes with a higher heel drop, and it has made a significant difference. Today, I wore my zero-drop Trail Gloves around the office, and I could feel soreness in my tendon just from the small amount of walking I had done. So, I'll take that as a sign that I need to keep wearing the higher lift shoes for a while, and work on slowly re-transitioning back down to zero-drop.
To that end, I have also picked up a few new pairs of running shoes; the lovely folks down at Fleet Feet were able to get me set up with a pair for the road and a pair for the trail. I'll have more on those shoes once I've had enough time to really get to know them.
I also have been exploring various reserves and trails around the area, and I have a few posts that I want to write regarding these opportunities. Along those lines, it looks like the Five Mile Trail is used for the Fall Back Five race, happening this weekend at Saratoga Spa State Park. The start and end of the trail is on the green near the Hall of Springs and the Little Theater, respectively, and the rest of the trail is generally how I had laid it out. It does flow counter clockwise, which is not the way I had it going. I followed the trail a bit on my weekend run last Saturday, and shortly after turning left past the land bridge between the Orenda and Hathorn pavilions, the markers disappeared. Specifically, they disappeared between the gravel road that links the picnic area and the Hathorn pavilion. I knew where the trail would be, so I was able to pick it up again, but I got the impression that I wasn't supposed to take the left onto the marked segment: the trail was intended to continue on to the Hathorn pavilion. There were parties at both pavilions so I didn't linger to investigate the matter further, but I will in the future.
I also have several mountain hikes to describe, including a trip up Mt. Equinox in August. What a strange experience that was. It was nothing at all like what I had expected. The Taconics are truly an interesting range. Let's just say that the woods are lovely, dark, deep, and most definitely possessed.
One final note: make sure you're wearing orange out there! Regular deer hunting season is in full swing in the Northern Zone (in the Saratoga area that means north of Route 29). The Southern Zone opens on November 16th this year, and both zones run until December 8th. Details are here, http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html, and please be respectful to everyone you meet out there.
The lump on my tendon is nearly gone: at times I can't find it, and at other times it's about the size of a mosquito bite. I made the decision a couple of weeks ago to temporarily switch back to shoes with a higher heel drop, and it has made a significant difference. Today, I wore my zero-drop Trail Gloves around the office, and I could feel soreness in my tendon just from the small amount of walking I had done. So, I'll take that as a sign that I need to keep wearing the higher lift shoes for a while, and work on slowly re-transitioning back down to zero-drop.
To that end, I have also picked up a few new pairs of running shoes; the lovely folks down at Fleet Feet were able to get me set up with a pair for the road and a pair for the trail. I'll have more on those shoes once I've had enough time to really get to know them.
I also have been exploring various reserves and trails around the area, and I have a few posts that I want to write regarding these opportunities. Along those lines, it looks like the Five Mile Trail is used for the Fall Back Five race, happening this weekend at Saratoga Spa State Park. The start and end of the trail is on the green near the Hall of Springs and the Little Theater, respectively, and the rest of the trail is generally how I had laid it out. It does flow counter clockwise, which is not the way I had it going. I followed the trail a bit on my weekend run last Saturday, and shortly after turning left past the land bridge between the Orenda and Hathorn pavilions, the markers disappeared. Specifically, they disappeared between the gravel road that links the picnic area and the Hathorn pavilion. I knew where the trail would be, so I was able to pick it up again, but I got the impression that I wasn't supposed to take the left onto the marked segment: the trail was intended to continue on to the Hathorn pavilion. There were parties at both pavilions so I didn't linger to investigate the matter further, but I will in the future.
 |
| Five Mile Trail, Saratoga Spa State Park |
I also have several mountain hikes to describe, including a trip up Mt. Equinox in August. What a strange experience that was. It was nothing at all like what I had expected. The Taconics are truly an interesting range. Let's just say that the woods are lovely, dark, deep, and most definitely possessed.
One final note: make sure you're wearing orange out there! Regular deer hunting season is in full swing in the Northern Zone (in the Saratoga area that means north of Route 29). The Southern Zone opens on November 16th this year, and both zones run until December 8th. Details are here, http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/65231.html, and please be respectful to everyone you meet out there.
08 May 2013
Five Mile Trail - 04 May 2013
This isn't exactly a trip report; more of a trail description. After three full passes, and several shorter forays, I'm comfortable writing up a trail description for the Five Mile Trail at Saratoga Springs State Park. I'm sure that I've made mistakes, and potentially omitted sections, so please consider this a work in progress. The tag "Five Mile Trail" should take you to the latest trail description, if I decide to update it in the future. I also plan on making a GPX file of the route available, once I've got a clean one.
This route may have been originally designated as a racing trail and may still be used today. I haven't been able to dig up anything definitive with my (very) limited searches to date, but there are references to five mile races being held at Saratoga Springs State Park (which could have been held along any number of roads or trails).
At any rate, without any further chitter chatter, here's version 1.1.
Five Mile Trail
Saratoga Springs State Park
Doug Harple, 8 May 2013, v1.1
These directions describe the route from the Orenda Pavilion. Due to reservations at this pavilion, it may be easier to park near the Hathorn Spring #3, or near the Roosevelt Baths. Both parking areas lie along the trail itself. It is also possible to pick up the trail at numerous points from the picnic area near the Geyser pavilion.
The marking along this trail is occasionally sporadic, so it is important for the user to keep their eyes open. The trail starts and ends at the grassy area near the Orenda pavilion. Look for a pair of yellow "Five Mile Trail" signs near the head of the pavilion, and follow those into the woods. The trail quickly descends down almost to the paved walkway before climbing back up to the level of the pavilion. Poison ivy grows freely in these woods, and thickets of it have been observed in this area during the summer and fall.
The trail follows the pavilion green momentarily, and then heads back down again. Keep your eyes open for signs in this area. After a short distance, the trail makes its way down to the paved walkway. Continue left, toward SPAC, past the Orenda spring, and under the SPAC walkway. Head down the stairs, and then continue along the Vale of Springs trail back toward the Island Spouter. The portion of this trail that crosses the runoff from the Orenda spring is always wet, and will leave a mineral residue on your footwear and/or feet. Once past the Island Spouter, head left along the road and then take another left as the trail once again heads off into the woods. Climb up to the SPAC fence, head right along the fence, and then head right once again across the Roosevelt Bath's parking lot. Watch for markers, as there are a number of trails in this area.
From here there appear to be two possible routes.
I am describing the main route as the main route only because there is a mileage marker along this route. It could very well be that someone stole the arrow marking the route, and that the alternate route is the correct route. They could have also moved the 1 mile marker sign.
Main route: Follow the trail toward and past the Ferndell pavilion. After a small open area, continue along in the same direction, toward a yellow sign that looks slightly different. This is the 1 mile marker. Follow the obvious path as it swings around and then heads over to the Ferndell parking lot. As it approaches the parking lot, look for a trail heading slightly to the right, and run along side the road before heading to the right again.
Alternate route: As you approach the Ferndell pavilion, a marked FMT path to the left leads off just past another trail coming in from the right. The turn is not marked. Follow this to the road that leads to the Baths, and head right, through the grassy area, running parallel to the road. Find the marked FMT trail markers on the other side of the grassy area, and follow them through a criss-crossing network of trails. Head left once you get to the Ferndell parking area, and then take an immediate right.
Which ever route you took, you should now be running along side the North-South Road. Avoid the trail going down and to the right, and take the second right, heading off into the woods, but more on the level. Follow the well marked path through the woods, staying at roughly the same elevation now. The trail loops around the cliffs above the picnic area as it makes its way over to the Columbia pavilion's parking area. After a hard right, the trail immediately ducks away to the left, at a 45 degree angle. Look up to find the signs. Follow this well-marked section as it makes its way around the Columbia pavilion. Watch out for a hard left that can be easy to miss. A 1.75 mile marker is found in this area. After a short while, the trail comes to an open field. Head straight across, then down a short hill, and around a bend. Cross over a small culvert, and make your way toward the road to cross the creek. Watch out for traffic, as you have to actually walk on the active road for part of this crossing.
On the other side of the bridge, head right along a wide, grassy lane. The 2 mile marker is found on the right along the creek. This is the last mile marker on the course. The trail heads gently to the left as it prepares to cross the road at a crosswalk, then follows the creek briefly. Take the first obvious left, toward the Karista pavilion, and then head left again when possible, to pick up the trails heading up the cliff. Follow the signs to get to the top.
Once you have reached the top, head generally to the left, following the row of trees, and make your way around the massive field. This is a picnic area around the Peerless Pool. The trail is mostly unmarked at this point, but follows the edge of the woods. Avoid the trails leading back down the cliff, and instead follow the edge of the woods until you come to a squared off clearing. Diagonally across the clearing is a trail that leads through a small strip of woods. Once through the woods, head directly across the grassy area and make for a small stand of birches at the far end of the grassy area, directly ahead. You will be walking parallel to the East-West Road at this point. After crossing over the two access roads for the Peerless Pool, start looking for the trail. The trail heads through the woods now, making a left as it goes to cross the East-West Road.
The trail now merges with the blue-marked Wetlands Overlook trail. Follow the blue markers around a swampy area until you find yourself at a junction with a very wide grassy lane. Head left along this lane, then take the next right to pick up the blue blazes once more. Follow this trail, passing by the park fence and the wetlands overlook, before crossing over a small bridge that meets up with the same grassy lane. Continue moving in the same direction, heading toward the road that's visible in the distance. Cross this road, making for the paved walkway on the other side, and pick up the trail as it heads diagonally off into the woods once again.
As of 2013, this section has had recent improvements, and much of this next stretch is gravel. The trail crosses the picnic road and then heads left at a T-junction. A short distance later it heads left again, running through an occasionally wet area before crossing a walkway and ducking back into the woods around the Peerless Pool. Take a left at the next T-junction, and then a short distance later head right. At the junction with the gravel road, go right, and start looking for a marked trail heading off to the left, about 20' down the road. Follow this for a short distance, before coming to another junction. Go right at this junction, following the wide dirt lane as it crosses high above a stream and then crosses the picnic road once again. Head right, following the signs, and find yourself once again standing at the Orenda pavilion's green.
So, that was my first attempt at a trail description. This trail weaves in and out of the park, using many other paths for its route, and can be quite confusing at times. My first attempt at following this trail was a dismal failure, but my second attempt was much better. That left several questions unanswered though, so I headed out for this third trip to try and solve them. Aside from figuring out what is going on near the Ferndell pavilion, I think I have it worked out. I used the mile markers to figure out that the most likely starting and stopping point is at the Orenda pavilion, which aligns with my theory about this being a racing trail, since you would need an open area to stage the start and end of the race.
At any rate, as always, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or even the occasional "hey, idiot, the official trail description is over here".
This route may have been originally designated as a racing trail and may still be used today. I haven't been able to dig up anything definitive with my (very) limited searches to date, but there are references to five mile races being held at Saratoga Springs State Park (which could have been held along any number of roads or trails).
At any rate, without any further chitter chatter, here's version 1.1.
Five Mile Trail
Saratoga Springs State Park
Doug Harple, 8 May 2013, v1.1
These directions describe the route from the Orenda Pavilion. Due to reservations at this pavilion, it may be easier to park near the Hathorn Spring #3, or near the Roosevelt Baths. Both parking areas lie along the trail itself. It is also possible to pick up the trail at numerous points from the picnic area near the Geyser pavilion.
The marking along this trail is occasionally sporadic, so it is important for the user to keep their eyes open. The trail starts and ends at the grassy area near the Orenda pavilion. Look for a pair of yellow "Five Mile Trail" signs near the head of the pavilion, and follow those into the woods. The trail quickly descends down almost to the paved walkway before climbing back up to the level of the pavilion. Poison ivy grows freely in these woods, and thickets of it have been observed in this area during the summer and fall.
The trail follows the pavilion green momentarily, and then heads back down again. Keep your eyes open for signs in this area. After a short distance, the trail makes its way down to the paved walkway. Continue left, toward SPAC, past the Orenda spring, and under the SPAC walkway. Head down the stairs, and then continue along the Vale of Springs trail back toward the Island Spouter. The portion of this trail that crosses the runoff from the Orenda spring is always wet, and will leave a mineral residue on your footwear and/or feet. Once past the Island Spouter, head left along the road and then take another left as the trail once again heads off into the woods. Climb up to the SPAC fence, head right along the fence, and then head right once again across the Roosevelt Bath's parking lot. Watch for markers, as there are a number of trails in this area.
From here there appear to be two possible routes.
I am describing the main route as the main route only because there is a mileage marker along this route. It could very well be that someone stole the arrow marking the route, and that the alternate route is the correct route. They could have also moved the 1 mile marker sign.
Main route: Follow the trail toward and past the Ferndell pavilion. After a small open area, continue along in the same direction, toward a yellow sign that looks slightly different. This is the 1 mile marker. Follow the obvious path as it swings around and then heads over to the Ferndell parking lot. As it approaches the parking lot, look for a trail heading slightly to the right, and run along side the road before heading to the right again.
Alternate route: As you approach the Ferndell pavilion, a marked FMT path to the left leads off just past another trail coming in from the right. The turn is not marked. Follow this to the road that leads to the Baths, and head right, through the grassy area, running parallel to the road. Find the marked FMT trail markers on the other side of the grassy area, and follow them through a criss-crossing network of trails. Head left once you get to the Ferndell parking area, and then take an immediate right.
Which ever route you took, you should now be running along side the North-South Road. Avoid the trail going down and to the right, and take the second right, heading off into the woods, but more on the level. Follow the well marked path through the woods, staying at roughly the same elevation now. The trail loops around the cliffs above the picnic area as it makes its way over to the Columbia pavilion's parking area. After a hard right, the trail immediately ducks away to the left, at a 45 degree angle. Look up to find the signs. Follow this well-marked section as it makes its way around the Columbia pavilion. Watch out for a hard left that can be easy to miss. A 1.75 mile marker is found in this area. After a short while, the trail comes to an open field. Head straight across, then down a short hill, and around a bend. Cross over a small culvert, and make your way toward the road to cross the creek. Watch out for traffic, as you have to actually walk on the active road for part of this crossing.
On the other side of the bridge, head right along a wide, grassy lane. The 2 mile marker is found on the right along the creek. This is the last mile marker on the course. The trail heads gently to the left as it prepares to cross the road at a crosswalk, then follows the creek briefly. Take the first obvious left, toward the Karista pavilion, and then head left again when possible, to pick up the trails heading up the cliff. Follow the signs to get to the top.
Once you have reached the top, head generally to the left, following the row of trees, and make your way around the massive field. This is a picnic area around the Peerless Pool. The trail is mostly unmarked at this point, but follows the edge of the woods. Avoid the trails leading back down the cliff, and instead follow the edge of the woods until you come to a squared off clearing. Diagonally across the clearing is a trail that leads through a small strip of woods. Once through the woods, head directly across the grassy area and make for a small stand of birches at the far end of the grassy area, directly ahead. You will be walking parallel to the East-West Road at this point. After crossing over the two access roads for the Peerless Pool, start looking for the trail. The trail heads through the woods now, making a left as it goes to cross the East-West Road.
The trail now merges with the blue-marked Wetlands Overlook trail. Follow the blue markers around a swampy area until you find yourself at a junction with a very wide grassy lane. Head left along this lane, then take the next right to pick up the blue blazes once more. Follow this trail, passing by the park fence and the wetlands overlook, before crossing over a small bridge that meets up with the same grassy lane. Continue moving in the same direction, heading toward the road that's visible in the distance. Cross this road, making for the paved walkway on the other side, and pick up the trail as it heads diagonally off into the woods once again.
As of 2013, this section has had recent improvements, and much of this next stretch is gravel. The trail crosses the picnic road and then heads left at a T-junction. A short distance later it heads left again, running through an occasionally wet area before crossing a walkway and ducking back into the woods around the Peerless Pool. Take a left at the next T-junction, and then a short distance later head right. At the junction with the gravel road, go right, and start looking for a marked trail heading off to the left, about 20' down the road. Follow this for a short distance, before coming to another junction. Go right at this junction, following the wide dirt lane as it crosses high above a stream and then crosses the picnic road once again. Head right, following the signs, and find yourself once again standing at the Orenda pavilion's green.
So, that was my first attempt at a trail description. This trail weaves in and out of the park, using many other paths for its route, and can be quite confusing at times. My first attempt at following this trail was a dismal failure, but my second attempt was much better. That left several questions unanswered though, so I headed out for this third trip to try and solve them. Aside from figuring out what is going on near the Ferndell pavilion, I think I have it worked out. I used the mile markers to figure out that the most likely starting and stopping point is at the Orenda pavilion, which aligns with my theory about this being a racing trail, since you would need an open area to stage the start and end of the race.
At any rate, as always, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or even the occasional "hey, idiot, the official trail description is over here".
16 April 2013
Searching For Answers
My heart and my thoughts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings and their families. For those who were not wounding physically, I know that that psychological scars cut just as deep, and you are in my thoughts and my heart as well. It is a senseless tragedy.
I had intended today's post to be a trip report, or rather a series of reports. I had an excellent run on Sunday, and found that I was at a fitness level that I hadn't realized I was at. I also have several older trip reports to catch up on.
Most of them will have to wait. Probably indefinitely. I'll relate portions of two reports in this post, and that'll be enough for now.
One of the things that pushed me on Sunday, and especially on an impromptu run a week before, was grief. Last Saturday, April 6th, marked the 35th birthday of my friend Suzy Lyall, who disappeared 15 years ago, on March 2nd, 1998. All these years later, I still invariably get hit with what feels like a ton of bricks on one or both of those dates, and this year was no exception. I was in a funk all day, despite having taken measures to avoid it. A few years ago, I lined up a chronological playlist of her favorite band, RUSH, in iTunes, and used it as a mechanism for channeling and focusing the grief and the rage. I had started a traverse through that playlist on Friday, but it still wasn't enough. I was barely functioning, though I couldn't see it. My wife had told me to go take a drive, go for a run, anything to clear my head, but I was so far gone that I resisted, insisting that I was fine.
Eventually I went out. I headed to Target to get a chocolate bar for dinner. (Dinner of champions, I know. There are very few chocolates left that I can eat without getting sick, and Target sells one of them.) It was something to do and it got me out. When I got back to my car, I broke down. I don't know how long I sat there, texting my wife while tears were rolling down my face, but I eventually snapped out of it long enough to come to a clear decision: go run.
I drove over to Camp Saratoga, and ran. The park was closing soon, I was in street clothes, my pants were falling down, and my hiking shoes hurt my feet, but I ran. I picked up some of the older pathways, just faint herd paths now, and crossed some decaying bridges that had been pivotal in my younger days as a Boy Scout. In effect, I ran into the past, the distant past, to a time when I still had a naive world view.
It helped. A lot.
Fast forward a week, and Sunday rolls around. I had a chance to go for a run, so I did. I built upon the catharsis from last week, channeled that grief and rage, and anger, and confusion, and pain, and ran. I thought about Paula Barton Viesturs' comment to her mountaineer husband, Ed, after the deaths of Rob Hall, Scott Fisher, and so many others, and "(ran) like I have never (run) before". Before the snows hit, I hadn't been able to run for longer than a mile before my body screamed for a break. When I was running on the snow, I could last for... 90 seconds... before I had to shut down and switch to walking. On Sunday, I set a good pace, and ran for a good 42 minutes at a 12:00 pace for 3.5 miles before I took my first walking break. I know it's nothing to write home about, but it was a major step forward for me.
I was also running in and out of my history here as well, at Saratoga Spa State Park. At one point I ran down an old road and suddenly was faced with the backside of a view that I had seen many times before in the 90s, when a few friends and I had come here to cook out, including Suzy.
So, the theme for today's post / trip report was supposed to be about these runs, about finding relief, and channeling grief into something productive. There's a lot more to the story that I think needs to be told.
Instead I'm sitting here, dumbstruck, wondering why some idiot or idiots would choose to (apparently) detonate bombs or IEDs in the middle of people waiting for runners in the Boston Marathon. I don't understand the increase in violence that has occurred over the past year or so. Mass killings are becoming a regular occurrence in this country. I don't understand what makes a man walk into a movie theater and start firing, or a school, for gods' sake, and start shooting elementary school children. I don't understand how someone can willingly bomb crowds of innocent people, here in the USA, or abroad. It doesn't make any sense.
I also don't understand how so many people disappear each year. So, I'm still sitting here, searching for answers, for today and for yesterday. Perhaps I always will be. The only conclusion I can come to is that we have to live our lives to the fullest, because you never know what will happen tomorrow.
I had intended today's post to be a trip report, or rather a series of reports. I had an excellent run on Sunday, and found that I was at a fitness level that I hadn't realized I was at. I also have several older trip reports to catch up on.
Most of them will have to wait. Probably indefinitely. I'll relate portions of two reports in this post, and that'll be enough for now.
One of the things that pushed me on Sunday, and especially on an impromptu run a week before, was grief. Last Saturday, April 6th, marked the 35th birthday of my friend Suzy Lyall, who disappeared 15 years ago, on March 2nd, 1998. All these years later, I still invariably get hit with what feels like a ton of bricks on one or both of those dates, and this year was no exception. I was in a funk all day, despite having taken measures to avoid it. A few years ago, I lined up a chronological playlist of her favorite band, RUSH, in iTunes, and used it as a mechanism for channeling and focusing the grief and the rage. I had started a traverse through that playlist on Friday, but it still wasn't enough. I was barely functioning, though I couldn't see it. My wife had told me to go take a drive, go for a run, anything to clear my head, but I was so far gone that I resisted, insisting that I was fine.
Eventually I went out. I headed to Target to get a chocolate bar for dinner. (Dinner of champions, I know. There are very few chocolates left that I can eat without getting sick, and Target sells one of them.) It was something to do and it got me out. When I got back to my car, I broke down. I don't know how long I sat there, texting my wife while tears were rolling down my face, but I eventually snapped out of it long enough to come to a clear decision: go run.
I drove over to Camp Saratoga, and ran. The park was closing soon, I was in street clothes, my pants were falling down, and my hiking shoes hurt my feet, but I ran. I picked up some of the older pathways, just faint herd paths now, and crossed some decaying bridges that had been pivotal in my younger days as a Boy Scout. In effect, I ran into the past, the distant past, to a time when I still had a naive world view.
It helped. A lot.
Fast forward a week, and Sunday rolls around. I had a chance to go for a run, so I did. I built upon the catharsis from last week, channeled that grief and rage, and anger, and confusion, and pain, and ran. I thought about Paula Barton Viesturs' comment to her mountaineer husband, Ed, after the deaths of Rob Hall, Scott Fisher, and so many others, and "(ran) like I have never (run) before". Before the snows hit, I hadn't been able to run for longer than a mile before my body screamed for a break. When I was running on the snow, I could last for... 90 seconds... before I had to shut down and switch to walking. On Sunday, I set a good pace, and ran for a good 42 minutes at a 12:00 pace for 3.5 miles before I took my first walking break. I know it's nothing to write home about, but it was a major step forward for me.
I was also running in and out of my history here as well, at Saratoga Spa State Park. At one point I ran down an old road and suddenly was faced with the backside of a view that I had seen many times before in the 90s, when a few friends and I had come here to cook out, including Suzy.
So, the theme for today's post / trip report was supposed to be about these runs, about finding relief, and channeling grief into something productive. There's a lot more to the story that I think needs to be told.
Instead I'm sitting here, dumbstruck, wondering why some idiot or idiots would choose to (apparently) detonate bombs or IEDs in the middle of people waiting for runners in the Boston Marathon. I don't understand the increase in violence that has occurred over the past year or so. Mass killings are becoming a regular occurrence in this country. I don't understand what makes a man walk into a movie theater and start firing, or a school, for gods' sake, and start shooting elementary school children. I don't understand how someone can willingly bomb crowds of innocent people, here in the USA, or abroad. It doesn't make any sense.
I also don't understand how so many people disappear each year. So, I'm still sitting here, searching for answers, for today and for yesterday. Perhaps I always will be. The only conclusion I can come to is that we have to live our lives to the fullest, because you never know what will happen tomorrow.
23 December 2012
Gray's Crossing - 22 Dec 2012
I went to Gray's Crossing for the second weekend in a row today. I had gone there last Sunday, to check out the park that I had seen a few times while driving down Northline Rd. It's a cute park, with a small picnic area right next to several bends in the Kaydeross (aka the Kayaderosseras Creek). I had seen a trail leading off to the left of the picnic area, almost immediately, and when I saw a sign stating "Burl Trail", I got my hopes up that I had found another place to run in the area. Unfortunately, it dead-ended after about a tenth or two of a mile. The dead-end was a fenced off area, curiously with the words "Protected Area" on a sign on the OTHER side of the fence.
Today I went back, after having confirmed that I missed a turn to the left, and that I also missed the other half of the trail going off to the left right near the start. I scouted out the area, using My Tracks so that I could see my (approximate) position on the map and compare it to the mapped version of the trail. I scoured the area, but could find no evidence of a trail to the left. The only conclusion I could come to was that the trail itself had been fenced off.
So, I backtracked and went down the other half of the trail, only to run into ANOTHER fence. This one cut across the trail at a diagonal, and extended off in either direction.
This leads me to believe that either a) Saratoga Spa State Park fences off the trail during mud season, b) it's closed off due to the construction, or c) something else is going on and I'm completely missing something obvious. I guess I'll go check it out again in late spring.
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