Bird Sanctuary for 3.5-miles of snowshoeing, bringing in the New Year!

8th Annual Woodford 3.3-Mile Snowshoe Race
"... The Run for the Dough"
December 27th, 2009 - Woodford State Park - Woodford, VT

"I Love Woodford" 3.3-Mile Snowshoe Race kicked off our 2010 Series;  I missed this one. 

Phelps north with Tippi, used snowshoes but very little snow.  Cut it short with 2.5-miles.

Stony Brook Park snowshoe with Tips, just 2.5-miles.

4-mile snowshoe from Sunrise Park with Tippi.

Another trip to snowshoe at DAR State Forest, this time with Tippi and K2.  5-miles.

Back to DAR with Tippi to get a solid 4.5-miles of snowshoeing in.

7.2-miles of snowshoe run with Tippi at the DAR State Forest in Goshen, Mass.

Decent snowshoeing conditions along the snowmobile roads in Hawley / Dubuque.  6.1-miles with Tippo for the day.

Took a try at snowshoing the bike path at Congamond with Tippi.  Poor, icy conditions so we called it a day at 2.5-miles.

We climbed Greylock to the summit, using the Gould Trail.  Wonderful Adventure!

JC & Tips at the Gould Trailhead

Tips at the stream crossing

JC & Tips at the Gould Hollow Tree

JC & Tips at the Gould Hollow Tree

JC climbing the Gould Trail

Getting close to the top

Thoreau Quote

AT Marker

View of Adams

War Memorial

War Memorial

Looking out the Cabin at the Pond

Curly's Marathon II
September 20th, 2009 - Pittsfield, MA

I completed my 45th marathon today, the 2nd Curly's Marathon. 

After feeling as though I was demolished at this event in 2008, I had a goal of finishing under 5-hours this time around.  In 2008, the event took me 5:54:36.  This would be a challenge, and something I do not usually stress myself with (having a "goal" time).

The day was tremendous, and I felt great.  Somehow though, in the first 5 or 6 miles, I missed a turn.  I ran a ways before I turned around.  By the time I re-entered the correct course, I was at the very back of the race.  After several minutes, I caught my (at the time) 70-year old father.  This was not great, but I felt so fantastically good that I wasn't really bothered by it.

A few miles later I caught Wuzzam, and we ran along the top and Berry Pond together.  I pushed decently down the Turner Trail, lost Wuzzam but got to half-way just after 2:30:00.  All I needed to do was run the same time for the second loop - yes, I would be tired, but I wouldn't have to run the extra mile or more.

I can still recall getting back to the top and knowing I would really have to push down the entire Turner Trail.  I did, and finished under my 5-hour goal with a 4:59:27.  I felt really, really good on this day.  I have no idea how far I went out of my way on that first loop - but judging where I came back out on the course and who I was behind at that point, it was meaningful minutes.  Keeping a positive attitude through it really helped, and I felt blessed.

Tunxis Trail Marathon South - August 27th, 2009
Barkhamsted & New Hartford, Connecticut

Wuzzam joined Tippi and I at Tunxis II (South), which meant we ran from Route 219 to Satan's Kingdom, and also north to Roberts Brook I believe. 

Our time was 6:04:44.  This was my 44nd and Tippi's 15th marathon.

Tippi and I ran along the Robert Frost Trail from Cranberry Pond in the Mount Toby Reservation to Wendell State Forest.

Robert Frost Marathon - July 24th, 2009

Amherst & Sunderland, Massachusetts

Tippi and I explored the Robert Frost Trail through Sunderland and Amherst (I think).  It was a day after a really hard rain, so the brooks and streams were really roaring.  We ended up losing a bunch of time "off trail" around Eastman Brook.

We parked at Amethyst Brook and did a bit south, then north to the foot of Bull Hill.  Outstanding area that I would like to return to.

This was my 43rd completed marathon and Tippi's 14th.  The run took us 6:03:58 to finish.