September 26th, 2020 - The New England Trail

Bear Hole, McLean & Whiting Street Reservoir Marathon

I completed my 61st Marathon today in 6:00-hours (5:49:23 moving and 9:37 stopped).

The route began a little after 7 a.m. in Bear Hole Reservoir, and once connected to the New England Trail (Metacomet) I also passed McLean Reservoir and the Whiting Street Reservoir for a gps measured 24.3-miles.  Google Earth listed the total ascent at 4195', with a likewise total descent.

It was in the low sixties for temperature at the start, but very high humidity (80%+).  Once the sun came out the temperature hit 80-degrees.

I felt very good throughout the run, but my feet and legs were sore for the last hour from the multitude of rocks that exist along much of this trail.

Mist and Fog off Snake Peak

Mist and Fog off Snake Peak

Mist and Fog on White Pine Needles

Mist and Fog on one of East Mountain's Peaks

Firetower

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Mist and Fog on Peak

Finally, clearing skies (looking east toward Holyoke)

Clearing Skies (looking east toward Holyoke)

Snake Peak and Snake Pond

In Memory...  

Rest in Peace Dusty
(August 28, 1986 - September 25, 2000).

"Dusty" at Old Sturbridge Village, 1998

DL brought Dusty home at Christmas 1986, when we lived at Old Mill Pond in Arlington, Texas.  He was a cocker-spaniel, and a really great dog.

Once we made the move to Connecticut in 1989, we began hiking and backpacking.  Dusty loved the trail, and camping out in a tent.  As a spaniel, he also loved water, and even in December's winters, if the water was open, he was going in.

We began running in Shenipsit State Forest around 1992, after building up with the years of hiking.  We ran on the Metacomet three or four days a week, right up to a week before his passing.

I have been extremely lucky with the dogs I've had.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of them.  As I still ramble through the woods, I encounter hints and reminders constantly.  Those first explorations throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts were with Dusty,.  Rest easy, boy.

3-mile run on Main & Kent Street in the early morning.

From the Archives:  On this day in 2006 I enjoyed a really special run and adventure.  It was my 36th completed marathon, and it was at Mount Greylock.

The Greylock Marathon's always mean a bit more to me than others; this one was especially memorable due to the company I had for the entire route, my dad and my great friend Paul H, as well as Tips on her 10th completed marathon.  We finished at 7:29:23, just beating some heavy rain.  An unbelievable day!

Greylock Finish, 2006 

 3-mile early morning run on Main Street.

Music 2020...

Effort #39,  "Walk Don't Run"...  another recording from the basement studio.  Just me and the acoustic guitar as Rapid Social Change (RSC).

From the Archives:  I raced and completed the Pisgah Marathon on this day in 1997.  The event was 29.3-miles, and myu run time was 5:03:39.  This was my 17th finished marathon.

Early morning hike with DL at Bear Hole Reservoir, covering 1-mile in 40 degree temperatures.

Late afternoon run along Main Street for 3-miles.

From the Archives:

Wapack End-To-End Marathon
September 20th, 2019
North Pack Monadnock, NH to Mt Watatic, MA

Wapack Trail End-To-End with Wuzzam & Hillbillidge.

At some point late this summer, Wuzzam told me he was determined to attempt a marathon type event no matter what this year.  He also mentioned that he missed entering the official "Wapack End to End" event held in May...   he had finished it a few times years past.

It seemed like a perfect match to me, combine my friends two "wishes" into the one event...  an "outsider, do it yourself" attempt at the Wapack End to End.  Making things even better, in a conversation with the Hillbillidge, he too was "in".

We looked over the distances, the road-crossings (two main roads), aid station positions, and the driving logistics.  Settled on September 20th, as long as the humidity stayed low and rain was a non-factor.

Historically, according to Wikipedia...  "...The trail was born in a conversation in the summer of 1922 at the Shattuck Inn in Jaffrey, New Hampshire between Allen Chamberlain, who later became president of the Appalachian Mountain Club, and Jaffrey farmer Albert Annett while overlooking the Wapack Range, then known as the Boundary Mountains. The two talked about the possibility of a skyline trail along the ridge of the Boundary Mountains from Mt. Watatic to North Pack Monadnock.

Later, Albert brought the idea to fellow farmers Frank Robbins and Marion Buck of Rindge, New Hampshire. The three started cutting the trail near the end of the summer using hand tools. The trail was opened in 1923. Buck named it by joining the Wa from Mt. Watatic and Pack from North Pack Monadnock, and soon the Boundary Mountains became known as the Wapack Range."

I too had completed the End to End, twice actually.  Not at the officially held events that have happened regularly in the last decade, but in 1996 and 1997, with a time in '96 of 4:54:59, and no recorded time from the '97 run (it would have been pretty close to '96).  I ran both those with CP, and they were minimally organized by the Young Gulliver.

So, here we were in 2019 on a really perfect day, with morning temperatures around 40-degrees when I left Connecticut at 4:45 a.m.  As I drove north, it didn't warm up any.

The run, which is at times difficult to consider a "run" due to the technical portions of some down-hill, is a real gem.  Along the way there are numerous ups and downs, but the main climbs are as follows:

• North Pack, 2276'
• Middle Pack, 1968'
• Pack Monadnock, 2290'
• Holt Peak, 2045'
• Temple Mountain, 2045'
• Burton Peak, 1985'
• Barrett Mountain, 1841'
• New Ipswich, 1860'
• Stony Top, 1744'
• Pratt Mountain, 1811'
• Nutting Hill, 1621'
• Mount Watatic, 1831'

Ready to go at the Mountain Road northern trail-head, we were running by 8:00 a.m., with the moon still visible high up in the sky.

"Northern Trail-Head" Mountain Road, Greenfield, NH

8:00 a.m., 43-degrees, Moon in the west, northwest

The first section from Mountain Road to Miller State Park at Route 101 is incredibly beautiful.  We had three climbs, and for the first four-miles or so it was good going.  Then, we had to descend Pack Monadnock, which is the most technical section of the entire route, and massively slow.

We zig-zagged so much on the descent that the 5-mile section turned into 5.5-miles, and two-hours of time on our feet.

Looking back (north) from the climb up North Pack

Climbing within the first mile or so

Mount Monadnock in the distance to the west

Hillbillidge and Wuzzam less than an hour into it

From the summit of Pack Monadnock, looking north

A group was charting Hawk sightings from just below the peak

The old fire-tower on Pack Monadnock

View of Monadnock from Pack

Still looking great at the 80-minute mark

Coming down off Pack Monadnock

Coming down off Pack Monadnock

After crossing 101, it would be roughly a 7-mile section to Windblown and the Route 123/124 crossing.  We would be climbing Temple, Holt and Burton during this section, as well as doing some decent running as much of the trail in this section is runnable!

There were an incredible amount of stonewalls throughout the segment, which kept me occupied and fascinated.  Other than the long dirt/gravel climb at the start up Temple, it really wasn't all that difficult a section.  We managed to run the 7 or so miles in 2:12, give or take.  We had a good re-fresh at our last aid station drop at this point, sitting on an old stonewall and feasting on paydays, pretzels, pringles, and fluids.  We had over 12-miles completed, with roughly 9-miles to go.  By the time we began running again, we were already on our feet for 4:20.

View west off Burton Peak

Marker and an example of the stonewalls along the ridge

View south of Burton, of Conant, Wildcat and Kidder, which we did not visit

A "Sign" unique to our adventure

Excellent "bridge-work"

Excellent "bridge-work"

The last section is from Windblown Cross-Country Ski Area to the Mount Watatic Parking spot.  This the route of the official Wapack Trail Race, which has been run continuously since 1992.  I ran it the first 15 years, but I haven't been back since 2007.  Wuzzam and Hillbillidge have run it often, even lately.

We would be tackling 9-miles, and it would be a challenge.  The initial section has changed since I have been on it, heading west in a pretty good detour from what it used to be.  This new addition loses a lot of elevation too, which means we climb it back up.

I could remember much of this, which brought back some really good memories.  It is a really wonderful section, especially everything to Binney Pond.  We developed some trouble at the top of Pratt though...   two trails leading downhill just prior to the actual descent.  Hillbillidge couldn't recall which route to take (he had just completed the official Wapack Race a few weeks prior, but we were getting tired).  He went on the left option, I went right, thinking we would come out roughly in the same spot at the bottom.  I traveled 6/10-mile, began to turn back north, and turned around to re-climb up Pratt.  At some point, my friend decided his route was "wrong", and bushwhacked over to join the trail I was on...   but he never found a trail and bushwhacked all the way to Route 119, finishing about 20-minutes before Wuzzam and I made it.

The section from the south end of Binney Pond to near Nutting Hill is an abundance or dirt/gravel road and some open field.  I did not remember this being as prevalent from my old times here.

By the time I covered the extra 1.2-miles, Wuzzam was well on his way.  It took me until Nutting Hill to catch him, almost an hour.  We took a nice break on a rock, getting some plain water into Wuzzam.

We managed our way to the finish, the trail from Watatic down is very different from what I remembered.  I thought it was pretty clear from the old-days, but in 2019 it looks like there isn't one actual route up the steep stuff, just a basic adventure to do as you please.

It took 3:40 or so to complete this section.  The final tally was 8:04 total time, 7:04 moving time.  I recorded 24-miles on my gps, which included the "lost" portion.

Bent Tree Limb Seat on on Barrett

View along the Wapack Trail

Hillbillidge along the Wapack Trail

View of Monadnock along the Wapack Trail

View off Watatic

Along the Wapack Trail

Stone-Steps coming down off Watatic

Wuzzam navigating the steps, almost finished!

We finished, and found the Hilly-Billidge

After completed this, I believe I am counting this as a finished "Marathon".  I realize that it is not exactly "Marathon" distance, but the effort is there, and sometimes that is enough.  So, not only was this my 56th completed marathon, but I have re-evaluated the two additional finishes I had of this beast from the 1990's for inclusion.

... And On this day in 2009, I completed my 43rd marathon, 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.

Scouting day, running from Bear Hole Reservoir to Route 20 on the New England Trail (NET), or as I had known it, the Metacomet.

Made the crossing onto the NET at roughly 1.3-miles, and was underneath the Mass Pike and ready to turn off Old Holyoke Road at 1.8-miles.  Made the Route 202 crossing at 6-miles.  Finished with a strong 12-mile day.

View West

View Northwest off Snake Peak

View West

Snake Pond

Old Fire Tower

I hit the track today, to begin running at a little faster pace.  I have been in the hills so much the past few years that I just don't ever run fast, or try to.  I went with my old standby, which I used to qualify for the 100th Running of the Boston Marathon, the Yasso 800's.

The Real History of the Yasso 800s

Amby Burfoot / SEP 28, 2001

You can predict your marathon time based on how long it takes you to run 800 meters. Don’t believe it? You should.

When physicists discover a new subatomic particle, they claim the right to name it. Same with astronomers. Locate a new star out there in the way beyond, and you can name it anything you want: Clarence, Sarah, Mork or even Mindy.

I think runners, coaches and writers should be able to do the same. And I'm going to take this opportunity to invoke the privilege.

Last fall I discovered an amazing new marathon workout. Amazing, because it's the simplest marathon workout you've ever heard. (And simplicity in marathon training, as in physics and astronomy, is much to be prized.) Amazing, because I'm convinced it actually works.

In truth, I didn't find this workout. It found me, through the person of Bart Yasso, our race services manager here at Runner’s World. But Bart's not much of a proselytizer, while I sometimes am, so I'm going to seize this chance to name the workout. I'm going to call it Yasso 800s.

Bart and I were at the Portland Marathon last September when he told me about his workout. He was training for a marathon later in the fall, so two days before Portland he went to a nearby track and ran Yasso 800s. "I'm trying to build up to ten 800s in the same time as my marathon goal time," he told me.

Huh? Half-miles in 2 or 3 hours? I didn't get it.

Bart saw that he'd have to do more explaining. "I've been doing this particular workout for about 15 years," he continued, "and it always seems to work for me. If I can get my 800s down to 2 minutes 50 seconds, I'm in 2:50 marathon shape. If I can get down to 2:40 (minuses), I can run a 2:40 marathon. I'm shooting for a 2:37 marathon right now, so I'm running my 800s in 2:37."

Suddenly things started to make sense. But would the same workout apply to a 3 hour marathoner? A 4-hour marathoner? A 5-hour marathoner? It didn't seem very likely.

In the next couple of weeks, I decided to check it out I played around with lots of mathematical equations and talked to about 100 runners of widely differing abilities (from a 2:09 marathoner to several well over 4 hours), and darn if the Yasso 800s didn't hold up all the way down the line.

Now, this is a remarkable thing. Anyone who has been running for a few years, and in particular trying to improve his or her marathon time, knows that training theory can get quite complex. You've got pace, you've got pulse, you've got max VO2, you've got lactate threshold, you've got cruise intervals, you've got tempo training, you've got enough gibberish to launch a new line of dictionaries.

And now you've got an easier way: you've got Yasso 800s. Want to run a 3:30 marathon? Then train to run a bunch of 800s in 3:30 each. Between the 800s, jog for the same number of minutes it took you to run your repeats. Training doesn't get any simpler than this, not on this planet or anywhere else in the solar system.

Bart begins running his Yasso 800s a couple of months before his goal marathon. The first week he does four. On each subsequent week, he adds one more until he reaches 10. The last workout of Yasso 800s should be completed at least 10 days before your marathon, and 14 to 17 days would probably be better.

The rest of the time, just do your normal marathon training, paying special attention to weekend long runs. Give yourself plenty of easy runs and maybe a day or two off during the week.

But don't skip the Yasso 800s. This is the workout that's going to get you to the finish on time.

So today I visited the "Old" High School track and ran four Yasso 800's.  Nothing like trying to run a sub-3:10 marathon, this time I ran as recorded:

• 4:00
• 3:58
• 3:54
• 3:57

I was pleased with how I felt, and the ability to run all four at roughly the same pace.  I had my doubts, and prior to the first one I was actually thinking more like 4:15 or 4:30 pace.