More Soapstone...

Crossed Gulf Road to re-establish the old path back again.... important to link to Whitaker and McCann Farm.  Noticed a black birch growing on "stilts" (likely from a nurse log) and an interesting stone pile across from it.  Need to revisit with a camera.

Ended up with a nice 6.2 miles for the day, about 90 minutes.

Total for week:  9.9 miles.  Yearly Total:  35.2.

Another cold day on the Metacomet... Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Started at my normal spot on Mountain Road, at the Spencer Woods Wildlife Preserve sign.  Made my 2nd journey in 2016 to sign the log book, about 3.7 miles round trip.

Ventured past the sign at the intersection with the Deer Run Trail, George A. Harmon Woodlot.

I know during my January 3rd post I re-capped the number of times I've run to the sign in log since 2011, when Dr. Ed made it possible to sign in.  I would like to make 50 visits again this season, and this blog will hopefully keep me on track.

I am also interested in getting about ~1000 trail miles of running in this year.  Working it out by month, conservatively, I am thinking positive.

I'll need to remain injury free, healthy, and a bit lucky/blessed.

Connecting to Soapstone...

My friend Bob kept me company on a damp day at Whitaker Woods, working on our connection to Soapstone Mountain.  The "circled world" philosophy towards connecting tracts of land is something I have been working on since the '70's...  we plan to tackle a marathon route here this spring, and enjoy five to eight hours of running together. 

Bob and I have run a dozen (or more) marathon routes we've made up through our connecting forest or large tracts of open space, since 2005.  If we count official trail marathons as well, we have completed over 25.

The stone wall in the picture is at the height of land, on a connector trail near Parker Road.  The wall is a beauty. 

Run was 5.5 miles and about 78 minutes.  Total for week, 8.6 miles.  Yearly, about 25.3.

Local run along a trail I have visited thousands of times...

Metacomet Trail in Suffield, Connecticut... Used the lesser traveled Hugh M. Alcorn and Howard Wells Alcorn Wildlife Preserve area.

Waited until after the rain, 3.1 miles in about 40 minutes;  I was in no hurry.

Received great news from my neurosurgeon, my EEG came back fine and I can begin to ween off the anti-seizure medications I've been taking since August.

Also, I can resume normal driving....  I did not drive from late August until sometime in December... and that was only local driving.  I am thankful and blessed.

Had company (K2) for a jog at McLean Game Refuge, second trip this year.  Ran the same 3.4 miles as last time, but in reverse direction.  I think I liked this option a bit better,  Roughly 40 minutes.

Much of the section we ran is lined by both Red and White Pine.  Beautiful Trees....

On this day in 1996, I participated in the annual "Fat Ass 50" in North Adams, Massachusetts.  It consisted of many loops on the road, on a cold, gray day, and I believe there was a pretty bad snowstorm on the drive home.  I have a time listed of  5:32:35, and I think that was for 26.2 miles - not 50k.  This was my 8th marathon completed.

Health trip...

Had a visit to St. Francis Hospital today for a Electroencephalography (EEG).  My EEG administrator told my wife that I had a "Beautiful Mind".  That made my day.

I also asked some questions of my administrator, as she mentioned that it was Three Kings Day.  I learned much of this important celebration, and that there would be a parade with camels in Hartford later on today, celebrating the birth of Jesus and the 3 Wise Men (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, according to tradition).  I found a bit more here.  As a Christian, this was a very comforting beginning to my visit.

Getting a bit colder....

Had enough daylight to enjoy a 1.5-mile hike with the dog at Stony Brook Conservation Area;  took us about 30 minutes - the temperature helped us move faster!

This day in 1997...

Looking back in time, I completed my 13th marathon on this day in 1997.  It was the Grupa Dupa held at the Talcott Mountain State Park, home of the Hueblin Tower.  I believe Tony Weisgram and Janice Kuhl were the organizers of this "Fat Ass 50" type event.  I recall it consisted of loops up and around the tower, but I do not recall how many.  It was 50k, and I recorded a time of 5:11:13.

A Cold, Clear Sunday on the Metacomet Trail.

The Spencer Woods Wildlife Preserve, Suffield, Connecticut was my destination today.  I made it to the lookout at the log-in book (thanks Dr Ed for replacing the "lost" one).  3.4 miles round trip, a bit over 58 minutes.  There are some wonderful views west on this section of the Metacomet, and a view south that allows for Heublein Tower to appear.

I am glad there is a new log-in book to sign.  I benefited from the prior sign-in books, recording 50 visits in 2011, 104 visits in 2012, about 50 in 2013 and 2014, and about 20 or so visits last year.

Running Mileage for the week, about 13.3 to start the New Year!

 Staying with it....  Part I:

McLean Game Refuge, roughly 4,400 acres in North Central Connecticut;  managed 3.4 miles in approximately 36 minutes.  Enjoyed the wide paths rather than icy single track today...  the little snow we received holds well in the bowl that is McLean.

Part II:

Followed up with a mile or so hike with my dog at Stony Brook Conservation Area, about 70 acres give or take, a mile from home.

Tippi is 15+ years old, and we have close to 20,000 miles on the trail together.  Every day is a bonus...

Feeling inspired at the start of 2016...

 

Enjoyed a New Year's Day run in North Central Connecticut. Whitaker Woods connecting to Shenipsit State Forest, roughly 90 minutes and 6.5 miles. A good start to the new year!

This is the message sent to the snowshoe group regarding my "retirement" from organizing the WMAC Dion Snowshoe Racing Series.

Happy Holidays Snowshoe People!

Normalcy was upended a bit for me this summer.  In August I had a seizure due to a mass in my brain.  It wasn’t what I thought a seizure would be like, I just couldn’t verbalize for a few hours.  This mass had been in my head for decades, and I had been having it monitored every six months with scans for the past three years.  At some point, this was going to happen.

On October 16th, I had surgery to remove the tumor.  All went fantastic, and I was released for home the next morning.  No issue with speech or with my right arm/hand due to the tumor causing pressure on the left side of my brain (the worst case scenario would have been having to relearn speech).  

My plan was:

1) survive surgery, 

2) get out of hospital as soon as possible, 

3) get home and do whatever rehab necessary.  

My tenet was patience and prayer.  I managed recovery by sleeping often and walking my 15-year old dog throughout the day.

I was able to return to work three weeks later (when the 18 staples came out of my skull).  I was released for local driving just this Wednesday.  K2 has picked me up and brought me home from work since August.  God Bless him.

I am lucky.  The tumor was between the skull and membrane, and benign.  Things are pretty much normal.  I’ve been running with Wuzzam a bundle, and can keep up with him, ok.

As for the snowshoe series;  I am not confident I can be reliable to organize it.  Last year was the 20th year of our series, and that is a long time for one person to handle the reigns.  I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I believe I’ve directed well over 50 races, and dozens of fun runs, demo days, etc over the years.  

I know for the first decade PH and I would use two weeks of vacation from work to put the events on.  Truthfully, I thought last year would be it for me anyhow, prior to the surgery.  Now, with limited driving at the moment, it is an easy decision.  As the Taoist say… "...do nothing, and everything gets done."

I am planning on racing a bit this year, and saying hello.  The snowshoe group has really made me smile for two decades, and I am blessed to count you as friends.  Not sure when winter plans on arriving, but I am certain it will soon enough.  See you in the snow…..

Surgery at Saint Francis.  16 staples and a titanium plate.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the King's horses and all the King's men,

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Metacomet Trail run, Phelps Road south.