Capital Region Nordic Alliance Presents...

1st  Plateau Run 5Km Snowshoe Race
December 29th, 2012 - East Poestenkill, NY

I had a decent day with a 9th of 53 finishers at the Pine Ridge X_Country Center. 

Running with Tippi in McLean on Christmas Eve.

Began the day with a run on the new Hootenanny Trail in DAR State Forest, and then continued over to Phil's World Trails in nearby Ashfield.  Great day of exploring for Tippi and I.

Conway State Forest with Tippi.

More trail running and exploring in Savoy with Tips.

Trail running and exploring Savoy Mountain State Forest with Tippi.

An additional day of running and exploring DAR State Forest in Goshen, Massachusetts with Tippi.

Running and exploring DAR State Forest in Goshen, Massachusetts with Tippi.

A bit of running in McLean Reservation and Holcomb Farm for Tippi and I.

Running around DAR State Forest with Tippi today.

Conway Covered Bridge Marathon - October 13th, 2012

Conway & Goshen, Massachusetts

Today, Wuzzam and I ran the Conway Covered Bridge Marathon.  We had Ned and his daughter's dog with us for the first 10-miles or so, and they were good company.

The idea for the run had been with me for a while, but what sealed it was Farmer Tom was doing a group trail ride through the woods from either Berkshire East or South Face, to the Covered Bridge in Conway.

We would start running in the opposite direction of the bikes, beginning at the St. Mark's Church parking area (we hoped to start running on an hour but we found out the church bells haven't been active for many years).  We immediately crossed the Burkeville Covered Bridge and we were soon into Conway State Forest.

Highlights of the run included:

• Cricket Hill
• Joe Herrick Gulf
• Smith Hill
• Bullitt Reservation
• Chapel Falls & Ledge/Pony Cliffs
• Moore Hill and the Firetower

We finished really strong, final time of 6:33:15.  This was my 50th completed marathon.

On the drive out to retrieve our two aid station drops, we ran into the mountain bike group crossing West Road exiting the DAR State Forest onto the Chapel Falls Trail toward Conway State Forest.

An excellent day!

Running along Potash Brook in Dubuque State Forest with Tippi.

Once complete with the long run, we stopped off at Farmer Tom's "home-trails" to do some exploring and mapping for him.

A visit to DAR State Forest in Goshen, Massachusetts with Tippi;  we rambled around for 9 or so miles altogether.

Another day out to Berkshire East in Charlemont, Massachusetts with Tippi.

Nipmuck Trail Marathon

September 30th, 2012 - Ashford, Connecticut

Completed my 9th Nipmuck Marathon today, as well as my 49th overall marathon.

I finished in a respectable 4:46:30, good for 28th place overall.

Nipmuck Trail Run with Tippi.

Running around Berkshire East' new set of trails...  roughly 9-miles.

Savoy Mountain State Forest with Tips, to run 9 or so miles around North and South Ponds.

Completed an 8 or 9-mile trail run with Tippi in Conway State Forest.

Exploring at Reed Brook Preserve in Florida, Massachusetts with Tippi.  

Finished the day with a stop along Route 2 (the Mohawk Trail) at Berkshire Natural Resource Council's lower parking area for the beginning of the Mohican-Mohawk Trail and climbed up to the Western Summit area.

Out to Conway State Forest with Tippi for around 14-miles.

DL left JC, Tippi and I off at Bullitt Reservation so that we could run from there to DAR State Forest.

End of August and a chance to redeem myself by finishing the Savoy long course.

Running from DAR State Forest through Chapel Falls to Bullitt Reservation with Tippi.

Run at Savoy Mountain State Forest with Tips, along the Mohican Mohawk Trail.

Got out to Savoy Mountain early, prior to the trail race, to explore a bit from North Pond over to Christodora's Manice Education Center with Tippi.

I got back to begin the 4-mile trail race with my Pop, which we completed fairly well.  We completed the event in 18th & 19th positions.

Empire One Running Club's Stanley Park 3-Mile Cross-Country Race

August 6th, 2012                                        Westfield, Massachusetts

I sat this one out with a sore calf muscle.

JC placed 12th in 21:31.

Brutally hot day, difficult climb up Negus for Tippi and I.

  Glacial Erratic with Negus up next

Glacial Erratic with Negus

Old Signage for Fife Brook Overlook

Space Ballroom in Hamdem, Connecticut to see "A Place to Bury Strangers".  Awesome.

Running through the Mohawk Trail State Forest to the Cold River crossing.

Empire One Running Club's Stanley Park 3-Mile Cross-Country Race

July 23rd, 2012                                        Westfield, Massachusetts

I placed 10th in 22:10.

JC sat this one out.

Empire One Running Club's Stanley Park 3-Mile Cross-Country Race

July 16th, 2012                                        Westfield, Massachusetts

I placed 13th in 22:52.

JC placed 15th in 22:53.

Running in one of my favorite locations on earth, Savoy Mountain State Forest.

Empire One Running Club's Stanley Park 3-Mile Cross-Country Race

July 9th, 2012                                        Westfield, Massachusetts

I placed 25th in 22:31.

JC placed 27th in 22:37.

Another trip to Ashfield Trails...

Metacomet Trail Marathon - June 23rd, 2012
West Suffield, East Granby, Bloomfield & Simsbury, CT

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Wuzzam and I completed a Metacomet Marathon, with a time of 7:00:00.

Tippi ran the first section with us, from Route 20 to Phelps Road, and back (about 10.5-miles).

Weather report was that heating up was very possible - so the DL grabbed Tippi early.

This was my 48th marathon completed.

Our Route for the Marathon Distance.

Metacomet Trail run covering Rising Corner through to the Agawam Bowman's Club.

Tunxis Trail Marathon - June 10th, 2012

Hartland, Barkhamsted , Connecticut

Wuzzam, Tippi and I completed a Tunxis Marathon in 6:26:10.  

This was my 47th Marathon, and Tippi's 16th.

Adventure in Conway State Forest today...

16-mile or so trail run on the Tunxis, from Route 219 to Old Route 20 and back.

Looking for an old snowmobile connector from DAR State Forest to Williamsburg Woodland Trails...

Running along the Tunxis Trail.

Long run on the Ashfield Trail System Network.

Long run on the Nipmuck Trail from Bigelow Hollow to Boston Hollow.

Excellent run in Dubuque State Forest, Hawley, Massachusetts.

Metacomet Trail run from T-Ville into Penwood State Park.

Another enjoyable run along the Tunxis!  This time from Route 20 through to Pine Mountain Road and back.

Out to explore the old Skyline Run, our old Wednesday night standby.  Managed to stick to the trails for the first half of it....

Tunxis Trail run along the northern section.

Running in Union and Eastford, Connecticut in the Yale Forest and along the Nipmuck Trail.

Running and exploring in Conway State Forest.

Exploring some old favorites in Savoy Mountain State Forest, along Bannis Road.

Another adventure in Ashford, Connecticut on the Nipmuck Trail...