Racing the Mountain Goat

If a runner falls in the woods and his friends do not see it, is it still funny?

Every morning a mountain runner wakes up and thinks that, “If I can not out run the slowest most pathetic mountain goat I may very well starve.” - Enrico Mazzola, Famous Italian mountain runner, 1858 to 1906

Every morning a pathetic old mountain goat thinks that if that Mazzola guy chases me again, and I do not laugh my ass off, I will definitely live to see another day. - Pathetic Italian mountain goat, 1891-1908.

It is a little after 9:00AM and I at the base of the Seven Sisters Trail head. I can feel the wind through my fleece top. My hands are cold. Donna and her long running crew are running away from me and I should be starting my run from Mt. Holyoke if I want to meet up with them. I head out anyway and think that I will have a great trail run. I have two hours to run, and I will be running alone.

Up to Bare mountain. Where are my lungs? Halfway up the trail I am running hard and breathing harder. I am not cold any more, but I am weezing. This is bad. I get over the top and start down the trail on the other side. The rocks are a challenge but the combination of ice and leaves makes for an interesting experience. Soon I am moving on one leg sliding down the mountain. I look like I am trying for a triple lutz, but instead I complete a quadruple klutz. Wham. I am down.

I am back up again and sliding again. Wham. Down again. I have fallen and I can't get up. Back up, and I am running with a great deal of caution. Running is stretch, but I am moving. It helps to be able to laugh at one's self when sliding down the rock formations that pass barely for a runnable trail.

The trail is beautiful in its openness. It is quiet and empty , and I am amazed that some one could run this multiple times. Scrambling over the rocks and attempting run the brief level stretches is a work out. Exactly one hour I am facing starvation, and considering eating my thumbs. But waite I have energy beans, “Thanks Carrie!” Recharged with energy beans I head back to the notch.

At one point I lose the white trail markers, and find my self on the side of hill, obviously off the trail. It seems like I should go left, but the GPS says the trail is a short distance to the right. I go right and find the trail.

The run back is as slow as the run out. One hour out, and one hour back. 5.3 miles at 23:30 pace. I feel like I ran far and hard. The thought of running the whole Seven Sisters multiple times leaves me in admiration for those who can. The leaves, ice, and extreme terrain made this an especially difficult run.

Keep your feet on the road

- Mark

Post Hartford Marathon

Ten days after the marathon and I am beginning a regular weekly running routine. The marathon went well even with hitting the wall and hobbling in at the end. I was not supposed to be running any marathon this fall, so my come back is reason to be happy.

My two post marathon runs last Wednesday and yesterday were about 6.3 miles at a 8:05 pace. Both runs were with my good friend Carrie. Without the encouragement and pacing my friend provided I would likely not have run a marathon this fall. Sharing a run with a friend has made it all the more meaningful.

Hartford Marathon

I ran the Hartford marathon for the fourth time on October 11th. The course is flatter at the end, following the river north of Hartford after returning the runners from South Windsor and East Hartford. Coming back from a winter injury I felt I had something to prove since I was not supposed to be running a marathon this year. My stated goal was a 3:17 time. I got to the starting line minutes before it began, and lined up way in the back. The first mile of the race I went out slow, and worked my way through the crowds. The following miles I settled into a sub 7:30 pace and felt very good. It was a lot of work to keep my pace down, I felt relaxed and good. The day was perfect. I got into the zone and had the run that we all work for. As I hit the half way point I felt that I would likely finish in 3:16. Bands played along the course and the crowds were enthusiastic. As I crossed the 18 and 19 mile markers I was slowing but not crashing. 3:17 was always a long shot, but the it was still possible if I could keep up the pace. 7:40's would have done it, but that is not what happened. That carbohydrate wall was looming and I could feel it in a sense of light-headedness. The around mile 21 the legs became drained. I worked for what I could into miles 22,23, and going up hill around 24 both legs cramped to the point of my almost dropping me to the ground. For a second I thought I was done. I decided that hobbling home was better than dropping out. I ran ugly wavering steps, but I ran at 9 minute to 9:30 pace. The last two miles I ran right around a 9 minute pace. Woulda, coulda shoulda's aside I had a great run. I went from dead in the water four months ago to running a marathon in 3:23:11 (chip time). I did this with the support of several friends, and owe a special debt of gratitude to Carrie Stone for encouraging me in all of our runs this summer and fall. Post race I am still excited about Saturday's run, and I am really back.

I am back

It has been two years, but I am back and ready to post.