Outdoor Week Ending 6/24/12: Heat Wave

My running time was down this week, but I made up for with hiking when it was too hot to run. Also I was recovering early in the week from my big hill training Saturday at Overlook.

Run   Rclimb   Long Lclimb Hike  Hclimb  OnFeet
5:20    1620    1:34    600    9:07    4660    14:27

Date      Type   Time   Climb  Effort  Description
18-Jun    hike    4:00    1460    1.5    mohonk

Chilling on an easy long hike. Spectacular day. Photos below.

19-Jun    run    1:09    300    3.5    ram park
19-Jun    hike    0:41    500    3    ram park

Not hot yet, so just getting my legs moving again after no running for two days.

20-Jun    run    1:17    400    2    stony brook. 86f to
20-Jun    hike    1:43    750    4    stony brook, 94f humid, argh!

First day of the heatwave. I would have run more but it was too humid and it was all I could do to hike very slowly up the hills.

21-Jun    run    0:41    100    3    ram park
21-Jun    hike    1:10    500    3    ram park

Still very hot and humid, just getting outside moving.

22-Jun    run    0:39    220    3.5    stony brook
22-Jun    hike    0:49    350    3    stony brook

Feeling listless, still bloody hot, though slightly better.

23-Jun    run    1:34    600    4    ram park
23-Jun    hike    0:44    1100    3.5    ram park
24-Jun    off                   

It had cooled off somewhat and was a bit drier by Saturday, and I was feeling good, but decided to postpone my medium long run until early next week.

These first three photos are actually from last Saturday at Overlook Mountain:

A Frog at Duck Pond, Mohonk:

Mohonk Mountain House:

One of the many perches above Mohonk Lake:

The famous Trapps 'Gunks climbing area looking south from the tower:

Water lilies in full bloom at the pond atop the Mohonk ridge:

Outdoor Week Ending 6/17/12

Run   Rclimb  Long   Lclimb  Hike  Hclimb  OnFeet
8:12    6725    4:43    5925    5:01    2430    13:13

Date     Type  Time  Climb Effort (HR) Description
11-Jun    run    0:53    150    2.5    ram park
11-Jun    hike    0:30    450    4    ram park
12-Jun    off                   
13-Jun    run    1:20    550    3.5    southern harriman
13-Jun    hike    1:50    600    2.5    southern harriman
14-Jun    run    0:43    50    3    ram park
14-Jun    hike    0:59    550    3.5    ram park
15-Jun    run    0:33    50    2.5    ram park
15-Jun    hike    0:27    400    3    ram park
16-Jun    run    4:43    5925    4    130    4+ laps overlook, 20+ miles
17-Jun    hike    1:15    430    2    misc

The highlight of the week was going up to Overlook mountain for hill training with Doug. We ran up twice, hiked up twice and ran down four times. There was a little extra up and down when Liz joined us and we headed back up. I counted the hill training as all run even though we hiked some of it because the effort level was high enough overall. (The distinction I usually make is when I switch to much easier hiking). My quads got a good beating but felt pretty good by Monday. This year I seem to be recovering well. Still doing run-hikes whenever I have time, and loving it. Cheers.

Goals:  Escarpment trail July 29th, Vermont 50k Sept 30th

Stabilized YouTube Videos!

I finally uploaded all of my 2010 Escarpment trail run video, and put the five videos into a playlist. Honestly it was impossible to watch before, but is somewhat more interesting after running it through the stabilizer software. Here is the 1 hour and 28 minutes of video from the 2010 race:



 Or Jump right to what I think is the best part, the last 40 minutes of the race:



And here is a playlist of my three recent video uploads from a run in Harriman park June 10th, 2012:

Outdoor Week Ending 6/10/12

This week was good, though my legs felt a little shaky early in the week after a couple of very hard runs at the end of last week. I had some swelling in each of my knees early in the week but ended up fine.

Checkout the four videos below!

Run    Rclimb   Long   Lclimb   Hike   Hclimb  OnFeet
7:29    2600    2:23    1100    3:03    1785    10:32

Date    Type    Time   Climb  Effort    Description
4-Jun    run    0:57    250    3    ram park
4-Jun    hike    0:21    300    2    ram park

It was slightly rainy and seasonably cool as I headed up the hill hiking, then for about an hour of running, feeling sluggish. Getting outside every day is my treat, and it's important to go on off-weather days, as those can be some of the most interesting and rewarding experiences.

5-Jun    hike    0:20    300    3.5    ram park
5-Jun    run    1:07    350    4    ram park

I did a few laps on the mud flat by the river and cinder loop around the lake before heading up the hill past the reservoir. A bear, human or big buck headed into the thick swamp as I neared, running southeast on the red connector trail, then saw a big rabbit on the yellow trail shortly thereafter, followed by a couple of fawns near the trail as I started descending toward the reservoir. Since deer are notably quiet in the woods, with squirrels often making more noise, and it unlikely being a human, I think it was a bear.

6-Jun    run    0:33        2    new paltz rail trail
6-Jun    hike    0:17        3    new paltz rail trail
7-Jun    run    2:23    1100    5    Mohonk Millbrook ridge trail
7-Jun    hike    0:40    475    5    Mohonk & old minnewaska trail

Millbrook Ridge Trail, Mohonk, going south

 Return on Coxing Trail

Going North toward Old Minnewaska trail

Shongum Trail Video

Some manicured Mohonk single-track

8-Jun    run    0:41    300    4    ram park
8-Jun    hike    0:15    250    2    ram park
9-Jun    run    0:25        3    gym, trd
10-Jun    run    1:23    600    4    stony brook
10-Jun    hike    1:10    460    4    stony brook

Up on the orange trail

Video

On the back side of Pine Meadow lake, shelter there

More Videos: Running the lower Kakiat trail, then running in the streambed

Outdoor Week Ending 6/3/12

Easy week after 50k, visiting Maine. 

Rtime Rclimb   Ltime  Lclimb   Htime   Hclimb  OnFeet 
4:58    1560    1:37    900    6:59    2855    11:57

Date    Type    Time   Climb  Effort    Decription
28-May    hike    2:00    150    2    bath, ME
29-May    run    0:37    50    3    roads
29-May    hike    0:25    300    3.5    roads
30-May    run    1:07    120    4    Reid State park
30-May    hike    0:25    40    3    Reid State park
31-May    run    0:23    50    2    Reid State park
31-May    hike    0:47    120    2    Audabon

I love it up in Maine - the people, the climate, the coast -- but I missed my home trails. I'm coming to realize more and more that I really don't like running on roads at all anymore and while Maine has lots of wild places, I have yet to find an area where there are LOTS of great trails in one area...

1-Jun    run    1:37    900    6    ram park
1-Jun    hike    0:27    550    3.5    ram park
2-Jun    run    1:14    440    5    stony brook
2-Jun    hike    0:45    645    3    stony brook
3-Jun    hike    2:10    1050    1.5    hook loop #1

Back in the lower Hudson Valley, I have access to literally hundreds of miles of trails within a fairly short drive, and lots more, including the Catskills within 2 hours drive. How Ironic it is that for a person who really loves trails and nature, I find I have more access to them closer to New York City, because that's where lots of people have built so many trails over many decades.

I was so happy to get out onto some of my favorite trails in Ramapo Park in New Jersey just over the NY/NJ border that I blasted my run and enjoyed it immensely. Even a rare hard fall didn't dent my enjoyment being out there and knowing I could run pretty much all day without repeating any trails...