In 2009 I completed a Robert Frost Marathon, and my turn-a-round point was on Bull Hill Road at the small parking area and trailhead.  I ended up returning during August and September of 2009 and exploring over Bull Hill to Mt Toby, and all the way to Wendell State Forest.  My intentions were always to use that northern section for another marathon, but I've not been back.

Today, I parked at that little parking spot and ventured north with the idea of running until I spotted a memorable turn-a-round spot, and returning.  I ended up doing a loop at my northern end, by taking a chance on believing the blue trail would show up and get me back to where I had originally spotted it.

The day totaled 8.2-miles, and while I felt good my legs ached from the start.  The trail is nice, and some of it is really nice.  The ground is mainly soft and often needle covered, without a lot of rocks.  There are an abundance of forest roads, which while comfortable and easy to run, aren't always that interesting.  The solitude of this section of forest allowed me to enjoy the forest roads more than normal.  There has been some active logging throughout this area as well, which I'm not a big fan of while enjoying the woods.  

My feelings are that this is a nice forest to pass through, especially if in the middle of a long run, but the section I ran today just doesn't have anything very memorable (I'll give it another try soon in case I was just not noticing).  The trails themselves are well maintained and enjoyable, and there is a decent amount of up and down.  I just wasn't able to have a "wow" moment today.  Bull Hill is a good climb, but the summit is wooded and there isn't a sign.  I only spotted a stone-wall after I left the Robert Frost at my northern most point.  There was one small brook, which was really nice, but it was small and wasn't flowing.

I don't feel like I should be deterred to visit this section of trail again, as I said earlier it may appear more impressive within the "bigger picture" of a longer run.  I was just surprised nothing really caught my eye other than two nice rocks about 6/10's of a mile from the start at the top of the first hill.

First rock just over 1/2-mile from trailhead

Second rock just over 1/2-mile from trailhead

The Climb up Bull Hill from the south

 Small Brook Crossing

 The Climb up Bull Hill from the north

A view of Bull Hill from the road

3.5-mile run along the Metacomet Trail in West Suffield.  Enjoyable night, in the high sixties with no humidity.  It's been a while since I ran along this section, there is some logging going on about 1.2-miles north of the trailhead on Mountain & Phelps Roads.  The pictures below show the same location... the ground, and the open canopy with a beautiful blue sky from tonight.

Ground

Sky

3-mile run in the evening, after the rain had fallen.

Also, from the wayback machine...

Two old marathons completed on this day, the first in 2008 and the second in 2014.  

In 2008, Curly's Marathon was held in Pittsfield State Forest, and it was a beautiful day to run.  I recall wearing old shoes rather than a new pair I had just purchased, and it was a bad decision.  The pain in my feet and lower legs was incredible for the last 6 or 8 miles, and I was lucky to finish in 5:54:36.  This was my 38th completed marathon.  My dad ran the Half-Marathon option as well.

In 2014, Wuzzam and I conquered Dunbar-Whitcomb-Jambs in 6:21:34.  This expanded from an old run the Bandit and I did, from Whitcomb Summit to Windsor Jambs.  This time, we began at Dunbar Brook in Monroe State Forest, and ventured out a new snowmobile trail to the windmills to Whitcomb Summit, over Crum Hill, over Flat Rock Hill and the old Viewing Platform for the Hoosac Tunnel, crossed the Cold River on an obscure grown in path, past Savoy Mountain State Forest at North Pond, past Bog Pond, over Lewis Hill and Borden Mountain, through Windsor Bush into Windsor State Forest and the Jambs.  Outstanding day with outstanding sunny weather.  This was my 52nd completed marathon. 

 Unfortunate Windmill site.

 The Elk Monument at Whitcomb Summitt.

 Viewing Platform for the Hoosac Tunnel construction.

 View from Flat Rock Hill with Greylock in view.

 

 Crossing of the Cold River.

 Stone Carving on rock, obscure path.

 Bog Pond.

 The Dunham Lot, off Tannery Road.

 We are getting close!

 The Jambs!

 Dwarf Forest and the softest ground-cover imaginable.

Music 2017...

Effort #28, Excuses Wear Thin...

The Road Warriors for Christ in 1988, from Fort Worth, Texas.  This is an original of mine, developed from the Reverend and I trying to put together a song-cycle about someone climbing back up after getting knocked down.

 

Difficulty

I was stricken by something Steve P had once written about 7 Sisters.  After a day in late February on that course, Steve was wondering what all the fuss was about regarding difficulty.  I am not an authority to disagree with Steve, nor would I question his judgment.  I just wanted to explore the differences between a race course and the same trail on a non-racing day.

We train and run along many New England trails preparing us for something.  For some it might be with sights on a beautiful finish at a certain event.  For others it might be that the training is enough, and to race is simply not even necessary.  Others, yet still, explore along the ridges for a reason completely non-aligned to running at all.  For most of us, though, we vary our reasons from year to year.  This helps make the whole concept of trail running cyclic.  Why we chose to run trails, especially the same ones over and over again, is a fairly good yardstick to measure where we are in our life.

The 7 Sisters course is unique, as it has been recognized by many as the most difficult trail event we in New England have the luxury to participate at.  This is arguable, but the old Running Wild ratings and the Rob S Ratings System seem to bear this out by factoring course record and mileage into an elaborate grading system.

I know the figures don’t always tell the whole story, though.  I have finished the 7 Sisters race feeling like I have hardly run at all, and I have also barely made it to the finish.  This was during the actual race.

When training on the course I have had the same thing happen.  Additionally, the last several years have found me running training runs faster than my finish in the race, and feeling better during these faster performances.  I wouldn’t have thought this possible, but it didn’t happen once but twice for me.  If you ask around, you'll also find out that I am not the only one that this happens to.  I have to also admit that there is one other race course where this has happened, Savoy.

So what type of factors play a part in this difficulty, especially on that course?

The day itself can add or subtract to your pace and perceived difficulty.  I know I usually go out to train on the Sisters course on days when I have felt great, and the weather cooperated.  On unusually warm days, or wet days, I have historically avoided the pain that goes with surging up and down that ridge.  In that way I am like water, taking the path of least resistance.  I believe we all realize that to train under tough conditions will improve our ability to race faster, but potentially at the expense of fun.  I have enjoyed what Geoff M has repeatedly said about running for him being about fun.

The contrast in effort between race pace and training pace can feel like a huge difference, but the actual time it takes to finish the two options is not all that far apart.  You have to really work hard to gain even small increments of time.  The tougher the course, the lesser the gains, no matter how hard you are willing to work.  We all have to really surge to increase our speed per mile while climbing up and down that course.  In the end, over twelve miles, it doesn’t add up to a whole bunch of time saved.  The return for your effort is minimal on a course like this.

Secondly, few people go out too fast on a training run.  Most train comfortably, and if in company, go out easy enough to hold a conversation.  In a race, many are guilty of losing their heads to a quickened pace.  Not many people who are racing 7 Sisters are going to be able to hold a conversation among one another.  A pretty typical rule of thumb is, if your talking during a run, your pace is all right, at least as far as comfort level is concerned.

Third, unlike Steve, most of us are not in tremendous shape due to an upcoming one hundred mile event on the horizon, and the training that is required to deal with that aspiration.  For the good chunk of trail runners in our New England Circuit, walking the entire route of 7 Sisters is enough to leave us winded.  Difficulty is increased as one's fitness decreases.

Somewhere, something clicked for Steve, because he returned over and over to the 6 mile ridge called 7 Sisters.  I haven't spoken to him about it, but I think that his initial reaction to its lack of difficulty must have changed some.  Like what has happened to others over time, the ridge seems to have drawn him into its grasp.

September 2000

McLean on a bright sunny seventy degree day.  I made a decent effort, 7-miles in 1:14:00.  The trails are beautiful and were being enjoyed by many (including dogs).

Trout Pond

Big White Pine, Needle Covered Trails, and a Bench... could it get more peaceful?

A day of rain, and cool temperatures.  I thought a quick, hard attempt at McLean would be the best bet in these conditions.  I did fine through the 3.6-mile route I've done in the past, and the rain wasn't bad at all.

The temperature was only 47 degrees when I started out this morning.  The plan was visiting Mrs. Murphy's Donuts (for my folks), a stop in Hawley to explore Dubuque State Forest, and cap the entire daylight hours off with lunch and a visit with my parents.  All goals were met, and happily at that.

Rolled around Dubuque for 8.2-miles, including some trails I hadn't been on in a long time.  Wonderful day.

Cellar Hole/Hallockville Rd, not listed in '89 Guide to Historical Sites in Hawley State Forest

 Cellar Hole off Hallockville Road

Brook Crossing along a hidden trail

 Stonewall Crossing along a hidden trail

Stonewall running toward swamp

 Stonewall running away from swamp

Interesting growth on an old tree

 Swamp along Hell's Kitchen Road

Stonewall Crossing on Bag 0' Tricks

Stonewall Crossing on Bag 0' Tricks

Concerning weather, the days and nights just keep getting better.  Completed 3.4-miles on the Metacomet from Phelps Road south.

Another wonderful night regarding weather, and a 3-mile run on the sidewalk to show for it.

Tobacco Field along Suffield Street

3-Mile run along Main Street in the dark on a wonderfully cool night.

Music 2017...

Effort #27, Gov't Lies...

Another from the Primitives, going back to the summer of 1984.  This is an original composition written by Aldo, with music by yours truly.  I remember trying to verbally explain the drum solo I heard in the middle of this, and L nailed it from my description / imagination.

 

Music 2017...

Effort #26, True Love Will Find You In the End...

An old Daniel Johnston tune, done quickly.

 

Wuzzam talked me into running with him;  I was planning on going to Hawley alone just to see what my fitness level was, and see how I would hold up after the bout with Lyme.  As a bonus, Wuzzam promised to bring his son along....  a son who had never run over 7 or 8 miles before.

We took a really nice tour of Hawley, right around 13-miles as counted by the gps.  I felt pretty darn good throughout, and it would have been hard not too with temps being dry and only in the mid 60's for the duration.  An excellent day by all accounts.

A favorite of ours, the Hawley Kiln

Bert Wilson Gould Cellar Hole on Moody Spring Road

Stone Shelter at Moody Spring

Wuzzam sitting opposite Moody Spring

Wuzzam at Moody Spring

Camp Rock

From inside out, at the Kiln

Looking up from within the Kiln

Also on this day, I've had success completing marathons.  The first was in 2008 and the second was a year later in 2009.

In 2008, Tippi and finished Metacomet II, which began at Phelps Road in Suffield, and covered north to Route 57 and south to Route 20.  Running time of 5:32:00.  This was my 37th and Tippi's 13th completed marathon.

In 2009, 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 42nd and Tippi's 15th marathon.

I ended my 21-day program of doxy for Lyme Disease yesterday, and I also had spent a week not doing much but sitting in a classroom and in a car.  I did jog through 3-miles along Main Street last night, but I can't say that gave me much indication of how I was feeling.

It was such a wonderful day today, low to mid seventy degrees with zero humidity.  Decided upon McLean, with a goal of running consistently "quick" considering I haven't really run hard at all for the past 3-weeks.

I had minor soreness, or stiffness, in my legs, but I made it through 5.5-miles in a 5.7 mph average.  I certainly was pleased with this, and it gives me some confidence going forward.