Tunxis Trail Marathon I - May 23rd, 2006
Hartland, Barkhamsted , Connecticut
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I completed a Tunxis Marathon in 5:41:50.  I had Johnny Bandit along for company, as well as Tippi.  It would be my 34th marathon completed, and Tippi's 8th.

John Bandit rambling through the meadow.

We rambled from Route 20 to Route 219 in East Hartland, Connecticut, and back for the first 19.5 miles.  We finished up with the Route 20 to Pell Road near the Massachusetts border for the final 6.5-miles.

Small Waterfall on the northern section of Tunxis Trail.

Old Notes:  Another great day;  started out 45 degrees at the 9:15 A.M. start time.  It reached a high of maybe 60 degrees during the day, with majority in the mid 50’s.  Sunny and blue sky entire time, occasional strong breeze every once and a while.  Started the run at 9:15 A.M.

Tippi taking a look down from the climb a mile from Pell Road.

John and I both felt that it was the easiest marathon either of us had ever done.  We finished strong, running all but the very start of Trillium Hill from mile 24.5 onward.  I believe we could have easily gotten thru another hour on this day.  Plenty of water for Tippi, no problems with her other than the porcupine around mile 18.  We escaped from that ok. 

 The Pell Road TurnAround.

  

What played in Ed’s Head, April 2006

{a list of the complete albums I listened to during this time}

Metacomet Trail Marathon - April 27th, 2006
West Suffield, East Granby, Simsbury & Bloomfield, CT

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Becoming inspired, I completed a Metacomet Marathon with my dog Tippi;  it was just us.

Lately, most of my running turned toward exploring and mapping routes through the forest of Western Massachusetts and North Central Connecticut, with an emphasis on picking out ways to connect big tracks of land, and turn them into runs of marathon length.

Tips taking a look toward the quarry in West Suffield, Connecticut.

This run began in Sunrise Park, Suffeld, Connecticut and flowed south through Penwood State Forest in Bloomfield and Simsbury, Connecticut.  We spent 6:27:00 completing a little over 28-miles or so.

This was my 33rd marathon completed, and Tippi's 7th.
 

Hueblin Tower in the distance; we would be turning around just prior to it.

Notes:  A great day;  started out 50 degrees at the 9:45 A.M. start time.  I believe it reached 70 degrees during the day, with most of it in the mid to upper 60’s.  Sunny and blue sky entire time, with a bit of a nice breeze every once and a while.

Tippi taking a look back off a ledge.

Much of the route is a ridge trail, with weather beaten trees still standing.

Tippi at the finish, ready to eat and rest.

  

 

6th Annual U.S.S.S.A. National Snowshoe 10km Championship
March 25th, 2006 -  - Bolton Valley, VT

Many of our racers participated in the National Championship event for the first time this season.  The event was pretty awesome, with 156 racers in the National Championship event, and another 47 in the Citizen's Race.

I managed a 73rd spot, which is what I had in me this day.  My Pop won himself a bronze medal for coming in 3rd in the 65 to 69 division!

4th Annual Curly's Record Run " Thunderbolt Version"
March 5th, 2006 -  - Greylock Glen, Adams, MA

Another organizing effort with PH, helping out our friends from Pittsfield.  We had to move Curly's to the Glen at the last minute and still had 28 participants!  I managed 3rd position.

9th Annual Hawley "Short" Kiln 3.5-Mile Snowshoe Races
March 4th, 2006 - Dubuque State Forest - Hawley, MA

Another organizing effort, this time for a short Kiln version.  45 finishers in the race, with a 12th for me.  Ended the day with a trip to South Face Farm!

1st Frosty's Dash for the Cure 5km Snowshoe Race
February 12th, 2006 - Atkinson Country Club - Atkinson, NH

Our series branched into NH for this one, I rolled to a 7th of 49 participants.  

This was roughly 4-hours of driving each direction, in a 24" snow blizzard.

2nd Annual Brave the Blizzard "Non" Snowshoe 3.5-Mile Race
"Bummer No Blizzard"
February 11th, 2006 - Pine Bush Preserve - Guilderland, NY

Our series branched into NY once again, with 49 participants supporting a non-snowshoe event.

7th Annual Saratoga Spa Winterfest 5km Snowshoe Race

February 5th, 2006 - Saratoga Springs, NY

The seventh Saratoga Spa Winterfest 5km Snowshoe Race at Spa Park in Saratoga Springs, New York was stricken with a lack of snow, which has been typical this season.  I did not attend.

4th Annual Northfield Mountain 5-Mile Snowshoe Race
Hallockville Pond / Moody Spring Version
February 4th, 2006  Dubuque State Forest, Hawley, MA

Good friend DD was on the books for organizing his Northfield event, which would also be one of a few U.S.S.S.A National Championship Qualifiers.  There was no snow at Northfield Mountain, and the trails were closed.

We offered up a move to Hawley, and pulled a decent course and event together in roughly two-days.  Folks were able to qualify for the upcoming National Championship in Vermont, and we had fun.

I went out very early to check the race course ribbons and markers with Tippi, completed it in about 1:15, and got back in time to race a 19th out of 69, finishing the official run in 53:49.

Northfield @ Hawley 5-Mile Snowshoe Race Marking
February 3rd, 2006  Dubuque State Forest, Hawley, MA

Assisted DD with moving the Northfield Race to Hawley - Dubuque due to no snow at Northfield Mountain, and closed trails.  PH, Cousin Pete, Tippi and I met up with DD after heavy rain and warm temperatures to piece together a 5-mile route for tomorrow's U.S.S.S.A National Championship Qualifier event.  

7th Annual Greylock Glen 5km Snowshoe Race
3.2-Mile Northern "Beaver Loop"
January 28th, 2006 - Adams,  Massachusetts

Race Directing duties with PH at the seventh Greylock Glen Snowshoe Race at the Mount Greylock State Reservation, in the Adams Glen...  for the race I managed a 15th out of 60 total finishers.

9th Annual North / South Pond Shuffle Snowshoe Race
January 7th, 2006 - Florida & Savoy,  Massachusetts

Race Directing duties at the ninth North-South Pond Shuffle Snowshoe Race at Savoy Mountain State Forest...  once again part of the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Series!

This time, we managed 3.3-miles with 94 participants.

Annual Woodford 3.5-Mile Snowshoe Race
December 18th, 2005 - Woodford State Park, Woodford, VT

The Woodford 3.5-Mile Snowshoe Race found me finishing 7th out of 111 participants.

Juliana Hatfield opened up and X completed the double billing at Pearl Street, Northampton.  

Attended with DL and RunSteveo.