The 2021 Suffield Summer 5km Series at Bruce Park kicked off tonight.

I showed up, since much of the fitness battle is just that, "Showing Up".  The difficult part was the temperature was in the middle to high '90's at race time, with brutal humidity.

I had attended two of these sessions back in 2019 (no events during 2020's COVID Restriction Season).

I had managed times of 28:04 & 27:32 during 2019.

For tonight's run, I was hoping to:

• Run a steady pace
• Not drop due to the heat
• Be smart and not get hurt

I began, by later on reviewing the video of the start, not in last place but roughly about 9th from the rear.  Honestly, the heat had me worried.

I stuck to a steady pace, feeling just about uncomfortable but not to the point of wanting to quit.  When I got to the finish of the first loop (the route has changed slightly, it is now only two equal loops) I believe the timer shouted 13:19.  That seemed about right for how I was feeling.  The question was, how much could I hang on for Loop Two?

The answer was fairly well.  I finished exactly at 27:00 for a 8:41 pace per mile.  Nothing exciting, but considering how long it has been since I went at race-pace (two years) and the extreme heat and humidity, I was plenty satisfied.  Plus, I didn't pull anything.

Tunxis State Forest, with K2 and Wuzzam.

Plan was to run from Route 20 for an hour, and return in an hour fifteen.

We made it to Roberts Brook right at an hour, and 3.8-miles.

Total trip on schedule, and 7.6-miles on our legs for this humid morning.

3.4-mile run around the Bridge-Main-Kent-Wisteria-Dylan-Bridge loop.

Late morning drive to Clinton, Massachusetts to visit our niece.

4.4-miles on the Southwick - Suffield Bike Path (Farmington Canal Heritage Trail).

It was a great day to continue on my Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Adventure.  Low temperature as well as low humidity, and the bugs didn't seem to be out either.

My last visit on June 10th had me turning at a brook crossing in the Town of Washington.  Today, I parked on Blotz Road with intentions of traveling to Grange Hall Road.  This would allow me to run through Washington, Hinsdale and Dalton today.

I climbed Warner Hill and Tully Mountain, and actually went a bit past Grange Hall Road to the Barton Brook crossing before turning back, finishing with 11.1-miles.

Looking at Saddleball and Greylock from Warner Hill

Beautiful morning, sixty-degrees and no humidity (or bugs).  

Took another route up Sodom Mountain, this time completing 5-miles. 

Two great discoveries today...

• another balanced / perched rock
• so far, the quickest route to the "top" I've found

Turned around at the rock outlook just north of the cell-tower.

Many new paths again today for the database.

Later on, my appointment with the ortho doc revealed a fracture in my wrist.

Balanced Rock

Off the Ledges, with Cooley Pond in distance

Off the Ledges, with Cooley Pond in distance

Penwood Pinnacle & Heublein Tower in the distance

On this day in 2012, 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 DL grabbed Tippi early.  

This was my 48th marathon completed.

Our Route for the Marathon Distance.

First part of the day was picking out and purchasing a new dining room table & chairs combo. 

With the rain present throughout, I thought I'd take a hike on Sodom Mountain, climbing up the old forest road from Route 57.  I followed it up to the gas-line crossing, which was about a mile.  

Felt good, so I continued on a bit of single-track, which looped around itself multiple times before reconnecting.  Good use of my time, as I had not been on this single-track before.  

Ended the day with 4.5-miles.

Granby Land Trust to explore the Mary Edwards Mountain Property and the Godard Preserve.

Completed 5.5-miles in brutal humidity;  or at least it felt that way.

Top of East Hill

Balanced Rock on south sider East Hill

Mary's Rock

... And on this day in 1998, my Pop and I completed the 1st Greylock Centennial Marathon in Adams, Massachusetts.  Our time was 6:55:38.  This was a very difficult course, with 5 lengthy climbs.  This was my 21st marathon completed, and my dad's first.

Granville to attempt a connection to the Phelon Forest from Blandford Road.

Ended with 8.1-miles, with good connections to Phelon, North Lane, and Wendy's Road from Friday's run.

Various side trails yet to explore, and a nice small waterfall along the way.

Visited Sodom Mountain and the Granville Gorge today.  

Found a good spot to cross the brook at the Gorge to enter the trail network below Drake Mountain.  This was a great "find", and means that I can avoid a bushwhack to go from Sodom to Drake Mountain across Munn Brook.

Then to Sodom Mountain, to explore another route "up".  Excellent route that exited onto the old forest road across the top, and then re-entered back to the intersection.  Much of the route tread is decent shape, the only drawback to this trail is the steepness of the initial climb.

Ended the day with 4.6-miles, with a bonus of a nice balanced rock about a mile up.

Afterward, drove to Adams to visit the folks, including a Father's Day lunch of Fish and Chips I carried from the Williamburg Snack Bar, and donuts from Mrs. Murphy's.  Pretty wonderful day.

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock

Out to Granville after work, totaled 5.4-miles on Wendy Road and some surrounding spots.

 

It looks like our bird-feeders will be on-hold for a while, as we had a visitor with two cubs today.

3-miles at the end of work. 

"High Points" along the trails I've visited during May, 2021...

• Sodom Mountain, Southwick-Granville, MA
• Saddle Ball Mountain, Mt Greylock Reservation, Appalachian Trail, Massashusetts
• Kitchen Brook Ravine Climb, Mt Greylock Reservation, Appalachian Trail, Massashusetts
• Drake Mountain, Southwick / Granville, Massachusetts
• Becket Mountain, Appalachian Trail, Massashusetts
• Walling Mountain, Appalachian Trail, Massashusetts
• Pine Mountain, Tunxis Trail, Connecticut
• Baldy Mountain, Appalachian Trail, Massashusetts

Music 2021...

Effort #15,  "Heart of Gold"...  Reverend King with a recording of Neil Young's classic.