(I wrote a recap of this race which didn't save, and this is the rewrite. Whoops! I repel technology, which is probably why I spend so much time in the woods, hahaha :) Oh, another Ultra? And a bunch of my friends are running it? And I don't have to drive 6 hours, camp out and run/finish/drive home the next morning? Well then! Take my money!
I heard about this race, a new ultra concocted by badass distance runner Amy R. and her team, after I'd committed to the World's End 100k (still on my list of to-do races, seriously, it looks incredible!). I knew a couple of my friends were signed up for Chesterfield, but I still was planning on driving to PA, setting up camp and running out there...until...a bunch more people I knew signed up! Now I was into a true tug-o-war in my head about what to do. So I thought about it for a couple days, then canceled WE (there was a waitlist, so I made somebody's day!) and signed up for CG. I'd made plans to drive up to Northampton, MA with Faith, drop her at her hotel with Laura and MJ, and meet later for dinner in town. John P. was driving up after his fishing boat docked, and he was able to meet us for dinner at an awesome restaurant in town, Fitzwilly's, where we all talked shop and figured out our game plans for the morning.
John stayed at my place, and we headed down to the race start in the a.m. for a warm (and getting warmer) pre-race briefing. I ran into a number of folks I knew, including Claire G., who was ready to rock the 50-miler, and Maria C., who was running the 100k as a trainer for the VT100M. I was shooting for 100k as well, as was Laura, and Faith the 50m. The heat was cause for concern, but whatever... I signed in, got my bib and inaugural pint glass (I'm a total pint glass whore. Offer me a pint glass and I'll be your puppet.), bedazzled my bib with some stick-on rubies, and shared my Deep Woods Off with a bunch of other runners. It's a jungle out there, and it bites!
First Loop: At the race start, we all went out on a downhill with the typical enthusiasm of a bunch of trail runners: fresh and chatty, going faster than we should be going, and reveling in the cover of a riverside forest which appeared to go on forever...until it didn't! Surprise! The last two miles of the out-and-back course were along the river but totally exposed, and although it was early the Sun was beating down (on my baseball hat, haha). I had started out behind JP and his posse of runners, until Maria C. and I passed them and continued on at a decent clip. I'd later be accused (by nobody in particular...hmmm) that I'd gone out too fast, but it was more of a "I felt good, Maria and I had a good pace going, and I wanted to keep the momentum" thing.
The course! Jeep trail along the river
So close!
No Parking here! It's been that way for years :)
At the end of the first out/back, Maria wanted to move her drop bag to the car, I gave her my phone to call her husband (cell service is nearly nonexistent), and I started back out, only to run back after reaching for my car key and it wasn't where it was supposed to be. Found it! Crisis averted.
Second Loop: A hotter, slower version of loop #1. I was feeling the effects of the heat, drinking lots of liquids, and still...DAMN! When I reached the exposed part of the course, I was wilting. At the turn, I doused myself in cold water, filled up with iced drinks, and cooled off as I could. I had designs on cooling off in the river, but it always seemed too far off the trail so I continued on. A runner named Tammy had been back and forth with Maria and I for hours, and we three ran together for a while around 24-28 miles until Maria finally pulled away. Tammy and I ran/walked together for a bit, and I decided that I wanted to finish at 50k, and go sit in the river. It was HOT. So at the 50k mark? I told Amy I was all set. She recorded a 50k finish for me, officially 6th place in 6:12...then Tammy decided that 50k was good as well! So we hiked down the hill and sat in the river to cool off. A great way to end the day.
A good place to chill on a hot day!
Great spot!
I brought some craft beer for RD Amy and her crew, which they cracked open immediately! I also showered off with my RinseKit, and got another set of questions about it. Yes, it's awesome!!! No, it's not hard to set up. It's the best running accessory ever, and I can say that with conviction. Really. Showering off after a soupy, sweaty summer run is PRICELESS. Believe that.
I drove home and got updates, and everyone kicked ass at every distance, including Faith at 50 miles, Laura, Maria and John at 100k, and Claire at 50 miles as the overall winner...and in fact, the ladies won every distance category at Chesterfield! Very impressive, and with very good times on a hot day.
Post-race deliciousness, in the aforementioned pint glass!
I was wicked late with this post, and I have some catching up to do!
Pretty sure hardly anybody reads this anymore (I used to be big in Croatia, but they seem to have lost interest, haha), but here goes! I somehow managed to do 3 50K races and a 15-mile trail race in 5 weeks (that's kind of a lot for most folks, but in my circle of lunatics it's solidly average?!?), plus a hot AF training run with JP that included multiple submersions in the river because of the heat. So my body is ready for a break. Just a little one, though, as I feel fatigued (obviously, given my work/training schedule) but not injured or really beaten...just ready for some unencumbered runs, just for the fun of it. So, first up, I'm gonna rewrite Chesterfield Gorge soon, as I'd written a nice piece about an awesome inaugural race, had an epic time with it, and my stupid computer didn't save my work so I blabbed some BS about not re-writing it. I'll do it over. Great first race directed by a great runner and fantastic race director, Amy R. So that's coming, just not yet!
I took a few days off after that race, and got back to the trails. I hit the Mystic nature center trails first, and had a fabulous run there...then found out that I'm in for the Escarpment Run, perhaps the most badass and gnarly mid-distance trail race in New England, at the end of July. It's on my short list of tough races to do. And I'm in! So it's Loon/Escarpment for the 1-2 punch in July...it'll be mostly hills and technical runs for a while, I think...
Mystic trails...
More Mystical trails!
I've been able to get out and retouch the blazes on part of the Narragansett Trail, and do some basic maintenance there. I've also been able to hit Lantern Hill and Long/Ell Pond trails, which are the perfect combination of technical and steep in this area, and are gonna be my go-to training venues before Escarpment.
What in Blue Blazes!
This is my bucket. There are many like it, but this one is mine ;)
Roots...
...and rocks! My favorites!
And just like that, the focus is off big distance runs, until the Anchor Down race anyway...and I get to have fun running when and where I please. My work schedule, as usual, is physically demanding and I have to deal with all of that. Whatever. Got in a run at Lantern with my old martial arts training partner Jim, and had fun bombing down the technical descents. My buddy George is back on the trails after a long hiatus, and we've been hitting Arcadia for some really good runs in the 7-mile range, and having a blast. Great to see him enjoying his running again!
Sir George. Bike shorts: the new Scots' kilt?
As for Loon? Well...I've got that covered...
6/16 - My Shenipsit Striders group had a "Happy Hills" morning of repeats scheduled at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. I committed, then hemmed and hawed about the drive, then decided to just go. What a blast!!! I had so much fun, the drive was not bad at all, we had a crew of 10+ for the run, and I made some great new friends! Everyone is training for something different, and we shared some awesome stories. 1000' of climb on every ascent, back to the bottom, and repeat. I managed 9 miles and 4,000' of ascent, while others did more or less, based on their schedules and training. No pressure day. We all met at Wachusett Brewing for lunch afterward and had a great time there as well! Gonna repeat this next week! I really needed this.
Wa-wa-wachusett! View from midway up.
6/17 - The following day, Father's Day, with still-sore calves and quads, I hit the beach at high tide for my first "Taylor Swift" run of the year. Warm day, so I set up all our family beach chairs and umbrella, bought a bottle of water for a buck, and cruised a slow and steady pace out and back. It's exactly 5 miles from our beach to Taylor Swift's super-mega mansion in Watch Hill, and 5 back (for the record, she wasn't home, as she's usually waiting for me with a cold glass of lemonade, haha). I skillfully dodged a thousand toddlers darting into my path (including a near-crippling incident with a shovel. Not a plastic beach shovel, but a real shovel with metal spade...wielded by a child...WTF), waded through some waist-deep water at high tide, and eventually arrived back at home base and parked my ass under the umbrella for a couple of hours. Mission accomplished!
OMG!!! Crutch ran all the way to my house and I wasn't there!
Sunday is beach day. Oh, and run the beach day! 10 miles complete on a hot one...I love the beach, especially from the cover of an umbrella :)
As it was Father's Day, and I was tasked with choosing a meal, I chose a "Low Country Shrimp Boil," with shrimp, Andouille sausage, corn, Vidalia onions and assorted potatoes (and fancy beer for me!). Holy Hell this was good, and easy, and we gone do it again...and maybe with crab next time...
Where do I start!!! Joy!
So that's that. I'm happy, uninjured, and getting miles where and when I can. I know a number of my friends are dealing with injuries, and I want them to be healthy and happy and out doing what they love, because I miss running with them! Fast or slow, I really just want to run with you guys (You know who you are). It really has nothing to do with pace or distance. It's all about having a memorable moment, and I really want as many of those in my lifetime as I can! I remember a surf session in the fog with my friend Mark Butler 20 years ago, where we traded glassy, chest high waves at Matunuck and saw the headlights of multiple cars pull in, see nothing and leave. The fog burned off hours later, and we laughed about our luck of having perfect waves to ourselves. Times like that!
So hit me up. I'm busy but will block out my calendar for you. Work is work. I can make arrangements.
Well then. I wrote a whole thing about this awesome race, and the save function failed me...multiple times. So the recap is this: I arrived the evening before, had a fantastic dinner at a local restaurant with friends, arrived early the next morning to some heat and ran a beautiful course until the heat beat me down, I did 50k in 6:09 and sat in a river to cool off with a friend, then drove home! The End?
Update to follow. Too cool a race to not do a rewrite.
And here we are again...I did a switcheroo from the World's End 100k to the Chesterfield Gorge Ultras (where I'll also be shooting for 100k), and for a couple of reasons. First, I have to work on the Friday before the race, so the WE race would have been a logistical nightmare, between the drive, setting up a camp and checking in for the race, etc. Second, I've been training with John for his Western States endeavor, we run well together, and when he signed up for this race I was much more intrigued. Third, there's a bunch of other people I know going to this and running different distances, and I'll be able to see them during the race as it's an out and back along the gorge (which I've never been to)! And lastly, my partial refund for one race basically paid for the other, so that was almost a wash. All that aside, I'm excited about this race! It's directed by Amy and Brian Rusiecki, who also RD at 7 Sisters, another of my favorites, and are both accomplished Ultrarunners themselves so they know what us folks need :)
Why I lose time at aid stations :)
I'd misread the start times and thought that the race started at 8, but that's the shorter race. We start at 6. Whoops. Driving up the morning of not being an option, I decided to book a hotel room nearby, probably better than leaving my house at 3 a.m.! Anyway, here's my week:
Monday - 0. Memorial Day food overdose. And family time :)
Tuesday - 5 miles. Gravel track fun with Faith. Supposed to be a structured run for Faith with me just tagging along, but it was uncomfortably warm so we bailed into a nearby neighborhood where it was much cooler. Still, had a fast final loop around the track to finish things out!
Wednesday - 3 miles. Beach run at Napatree Point in Watch Hill, arguably one of my favorite places in the world. Perfect day to take advantage of sunny skies, a cool breeze and low tide. Maybe saw a dozen people the whole time.
Thursday - 7+ miles. An "easy" run with Faith at Bluff Point. Easy, as in just cruisin' along until Faith decides to haul ass up the only real climb on the loop, and then innocently ask "Did I just do that?" Ha! I forced a slowdown for the rest of the run, and still ended up with my third fastest time there. Whoops!
Thanks, Faith!
Friday - 0. Travel to MA.
Saturday - Chesterfield Gorge Ultra! Report to follow.
I emerged from Soapstone a bit sore, but otherwise fine! With two weeks until the Chesterfield Gorge Ultra, I had the chance to squeeze in some important last minute training, then try to taper (whatever that is)... Chesterfield Gorge Ultras
Monday - 3.5 miles. Bluff Point. It was gorgeous out! I got out of work early enough to get a few miles in, and figured I'd do a leg check at Bluff. Main loop, nothing crazy. I started out intentionally slow, felt better as I went, and it ended up being my fastest time on the main loop! Progression run from outta nowhere, and I was really pleased with my effort.
Tuesday - 7 miles. Poquonnock Plains Park w/Faith. Gravel track? Sure. Faith was doing some kind of interval run, and I just got new shoes, so why not? It was raining, a cool steady drizzle, and we went through the intervals pretty much on the money. The shoes felt great! They're the Salomon S/Lab Ultra shoes, their distance trail shoes. Already happy with them.
Wednesday - 0.
Thursday - 0.
Friday - 9 miles. Arcadia run with George and Kim. George hit me up for a run in Arcadia, and mentioned that his friend Kim wanted to come along. Sure! We all met up at Midway lot, and George had mapped and led this run. So happy to see him out on the trails and enjoying his running again! Great times in Summery weather, it was mid-80s and "webby" on the trails. Kim is just getting into trails and did awesome, but she's a rockstar athlete so I'm not surprised! Great time!
Saturday - 16.5 miles. Arcadia heat training run w/John P. The plan was originally for 20, but the heat won the day. Already 70+ degrees at 8 a.m., and we set out at a conservative pace. Five miles in, we were already hot and feeling the effects of our previous days' efforts. Stopped at a couple of streams to dip our hats, and I mentioned that I knew a good swimming hole near mile 9.
Sh-sh-sh-shark!
Not a secret spot. Just an awesome spot. Below the bridge across from Frosty Hollow Pond in Arcadia. You're welcome!
Yeah, that was a lifesaver! John had stashed his handhelds at around mile 7, and as we circled back to the cars around 11 miles (to grab drinks/food), we decided to run back to get them and call it at 17-ish miles. Of course, that meant another dip in the swimming hole! That water really did rejuvenate us on a hot, hot day. Crisp, clean, cool, and deep enough to submerge. John said this was a big part of Western States training, with the heat beating down and the knowledge that those quick dips do wonders for your mental and physical state during that kind of race. Awesome day!
Sunday - 0. I'm cool with that, I'm finding a great balance with running, family and work, and if I can keep things like they've been lately, that'll work just fine for me. I had the chance to go out again for a few miles but it wasn't going to be beneficial. I'm hitting all my goals, and my miles/hours/elevation totals have been climbing steadily since the beginning of the year. So it's all good! And I feel good. No injuries, issues, etc...so I'm pretty stoked about the next few months!
Total: 36 miles on 4 runs. One week until Chesterfield Gorge. Shooting for 100k.
I got some runs in while we were in England, but missed out on two weekends of long runs, soooo...after we got back, I knew there was some catching up to do. I knew a couple of friends who were doing the Jack Bristol Lake Waramaug races, which consisted of 50k, 50m and 100k options. After some hemming and hawing, I threw my name in for the 50k race, figuring it would also kickstart my racing season! I also somehow convinced my friend Adam to enter (because I'm chock full of bad ideas, just ask!), and we made a plan to carpool to the race.
Leaving my house at 4:30 under cover of darkness SUCKED. Not a fan of fumbling around in the dark, waking the dogs and having to let them out, etc. while trying not to wake the family. But that's how it goes sometimes!
Met Adam at a commuter lot, and we hauled ass across CT for the early start. I'd scoped out some results and knew that it was a low elevation, rolling road loop around Lake Waramaug. We'd have a short out/back, three 8-ish mile loops around the Lake (which was beautiful!), and one more out/back at the end of the 50k.
Long story short, I messed up my packing the night before and left my handheld at the house. I also left my good raincoat in Adam's truck, which I was sure was locked (it wasn't). Whoops. It then proceeded to rain for the first two hours of the race. I had a windbreaker on, but got soaked through, and when the rain finally stopped I changed into a dry shirt and was instantly recharged.
Pacing? I wanted to start deliberately slow and maintain my "All Day" pace, and I was able to accomplish that, in spite of the weather. Steady as can be, and no walking...my only takeaways from the day were: pack your shit better the night before a race; and stop spending so much friggin' time at the aid stations, you glutton! I figured I lost 20 minutes of unnecessary time at the aid stations...but disclaimer: their aid stations were unbelievable...the deviled eggs at AS3...loved those...
My friend Faith was running with an Achilles runner in the 50-miler, and they started early...I was hoping to run into her at some point but we stayed on opposite ends of the lake all day! Some highlights included running with local friend Meghan M. for a while, and Maria C. from Rhody, who was kicking ass in the 50-miler.
On the last out/back I was trying to get to the turnaround mat, and was just ready to be done, when I heard a runner coming up behind me...I said something like "Nice to hear footsteps, I've been in no man's land for a while," to which he replied "Yeah, I've been there before..." We chatted for a bit before I got to my turn and he continued on, and I said "I'm Mike, what's your name?" and he said "John, it's been nice running with you!" Turns out it was John F., one of the only finishers of the Barkley Marathons (kind of a big deal)...and that's a good way to cap off an ultra, I'd say!
I ended with 31.6 miles in 6:09, good for 28th place of 56 finishers in the 50k. I'm good with that! On the way out, Adam wanted to see his grandfather's old home, where he would spend summers and run down the dirt road to the lake to go swimming, and it just happened to be across the street from Kent Falls Brewing! Ha! I've had their beer, it's good! On the way out, I had a sudden craving for an ice cold Coca-Cola. I don't drink soda ever, except at Ultras, and we stopped at a store, I bought one and drank it in one shot, and it was delicious!
Hey! My first marathon/ultra on roads!?!
And the following weekend...
5/6 - CT Trailmixers Spring Fling 600:
Another last-ish minute decision. I'm a Trailmixer, which got me half off the race. Sweet! I was concerned about the weather driving up, but it was an easy drive and not too early, easy setup and the rain basically held off all day. Overcast and basically cool, perfect running weather.
With a 3-mile loop, I was able to run without anything. No handheld, no pack, etc. After I got set up, the race started quickly and I decided to just go for it, plowing through the muddy bog 1/2 mile into the race and getting really muddy...
Yeah, muddy puddin'! But not THE Muddy Puddin' ;)
No chance of knowing who was doing what distance, for how long, etc...so run your own race! I also got through the start/finish area in less than a minute for the first 7 or 8 loops. I'd hit my drop bag for gels and stuff, then have my friend Brian count me down from 10, and I'd stuff my face, drink quickly, and head back out with handfuls of chips and shit. Better than last week!
p.s. Great aid station! They even had a dude making crepes, and cups of fresh lobster meat later in the day! Who does that???
After I passed marathon distance, I called my better half to see what was happening. She mentioned some things for her car that needed doing, and I agreed to head out on one more loop to pass the 50k distance (and then some). Officially I was 24th of 129 runners, and did 34.1 miles in 7:10. Sweet! Back-to-back ultras. Now we can relax until June...
Mud.
Fling Done!
Except...
The following weekend I banged out a hilly, technical 16-miler in Pachaug with some friends, and filled in the week with a couple of other trail runs...
Then?
5/20 - Soapstone Mountain 24k trail race:
A last-minute decision to jump in on the Soapstone Mountain 24k. I'm also a Shenipsit Strider, and again got a half-off discount to enter, and we had no weekend plans, sooo...I entered the race and drove the 1.5 hours, while heating the water in my new portable shower, a gift from my nephew this past Christmas! I'll say in advance that this is one of the best gifts I've ever received.
Best. Gift. Ever. Believe that shit. Nothing like washing off the trail funk and driving home clean as a whistle! Thanks to my badass nephew Tristan for this gift. Beer by Beer'd.
I get to the parking lot, meet up and chat with a few people, and jog the 1/4 mile to the start line. The aid stations were supposed to be stocked with Tailwind (which I drink) and solid food (which I eat), so I downed my only gel before the start and drank about half my bottle before the start. The race began with a screaming downhill on a dirt road, which spread out the field. I was just happily cruising along until we reached "the Sandpit," and there's suddenly a line formed to climb straight up a sandy hill. Short but steep enough that the heel of the person in front of you was at eye level. Fun!
The big climb at the race was a few miles in, and was a rocky vertical scramble up a power line cut, very steep and very slow going. After that, mainly runnable but technical terrain for the rest of the race.
It was very humid and quite warm. I'd say I bonked, although I was only walking the steeper uphills toward the end. Not having Tailwind at the aid stations really messed me up, as Powerade doesn't sit well with me and water isn't enough on days like that. Also, I made the cardinal error of not being prepared to be self-sufficient, and pack my own shit. S-caps (I sweat like a bastard), hydration pack (just in case), extra gels and food. My fault. Won't happen again. Otherwise, the course was kickass!!! I really like the tough race courses, they're the most memorable! That said, I'd have changed things there slightly, including adding directional signs at the outer lollipop section, strictly for idiots like me who can't follow simple directions...
I ended in 3:14, and was #58 of 125 runners in the 24k-ish. Ok then! I'll take it.
And now I'm all caught up! Two 50k races and a 15-mile race in four weeks, and one more Ultra on the horizon at the beginning of June, the Chesterfield Gorge Ultras (directed by rockstar runners Brian and Amy Rusiecki), where I hope to go longer than I have so far! And hey, I'm happy as Hell that I'm running more, not injured (knock on wood), and seem to be on a pretty regular training schedule (for me!). My mileage has been climbing steadily since the beginning of the year as well, and I'm hitting all my goals right now, so fingers crossed! Next up: Back to weekly updates, hahahahahahaha ;)
Since my last post, a few things have happened. Here's a recap of the first couple of events, with a look forward to the next few to get this thing caught up! We went to England again!
The week before we left for England, I was hurriedly trying to finish up a tiling project at work, but was able to get it done midweek, and give John P. a shout about a short road trip out to Hubbard Park in Meriden. I hadn't been there in some time, John had never been there, and I wanted to get him some of the hill training he was asking for! I figured on multiple up/downs from the main lot, and we were able to "tag" all three of the main high points at Hubbard, and run twice down my favorite section of trail there, the "Kamikaze Trail Descent" segment, which is a mile long, technical, and totally runnable straight shot from the top of the middle peak near Castle Craig down to the reservoir. It's quintessential New England trail, and exactly the right pitch to just open up on...John loved it. We covered 13 technical miles at Hubbard with about 2400' of climbing. Great day!
Me and JP
Castle Craig
From the "Other" peak
Looking across to the "Castle"
England:
The next day? Packing, getting the beasts situated, and a redeye flight from Boston to London, to kick off a 10-day family vacation, see the country, possibly get some running in, and attempt to source some decent craft beer there (I did succeed!). Our trip would take us from London to Bath, the Cotswolds, Oxford, and back to London for one more day before our departure. Our first hotel directly faced the London Eye, was a few blocks from Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, and Buckingham Palace, and kicked ass. Our first day was just dealing with fatigue, mostly mine as I can't sleep on planes and the girls slept the whole flight. Oh, and London has shit for decent beer. There, I said it. Good restaurants who offer Budweiser, Heineken and Guiness as their premier beers need a clue...
Trafalgar Square
The view from our first hotel, just awesome...
Day 3? A tour of the actual studios where the Harry Potter films were made! So cool...
Strive to be Number One!
Day 4! A morning run in London, sunny skies and crisp air, and many streets around Buckingham Palace closed for the Commonwealth meeting! Ran through St. James's Park, Green Park, and along the river for a bit. Next, a drive to Bath with a pit stop at Stonehenge...cold on the hill, but humbling to stand there...for a few minutes, then back into the car.
My kind of town!
Never saw anyone gardening, they just appear this way :)
Nice place...I mean, palace!
Early a.m. in the parks is glorious...
Perfection in St. James's Park
COLD.
I loved Bath. It's a gorgeous little English village tucked into the hills, everything's extra green and there's history galore. It's also where, lo and behold, I found the Nirvana of all craft beer shops!!! One block from our mediocre hotel, where I had to store my newfound score in their coat check mini-fridge, and ask for it like a beggar. Like a beggar! And then get a bucket of ice from the bar to keep my fancy craft beer chilled. Five stars? I think maybe not so much...
Bath Abbey!
Greenery!
Craft Beer!!! From all over Europe, no less. They had NEIPAs from Finland that tasted as good as Treehouse brews. Not even kidding.
Day 5. Walking tour of bath with Mrs. Norris (same name as Filch's cat in Harry Potter, I'm sensing a theme here...), where we hiked up to the Royal Crescent, toured their place, as well as the Jane Austen Center (where I got dressed up as Mr. Darcy, WTF), the Fashion Museum, and the Roman Baths, which would have been cool if not for the 40,000 teenagers running amock throughout the baths. My daughter, an American teenager, HATES American teenagers. I can't blame her, hahaha...
The Roman Baths, overrun with teenagers taking selfies, as it was in ancient times...
Lord Critchlery does not approve.
Day 6 dawned with a glorious sunshine, crisp air and my chance for a run. I immediately headed uphill, and up...some hills in Bath! I got to the top of one of the 7 hills of Bath and saw a "Cotswold Way" sign on a gate. Wait, what??? I thought it started in Chipping Campden and went North, but apparently it starts there and ends in Bath...so I got some small time on it inadvertantly. I continued on, and ended the run with a short jaunt near the river. Picture perfect.
The Cotswold Way. It's gonna happen at some point. Follow the acorn!
Gorgeous parks on the hillside
Found this in a small neighborhood park. Sweet fountain!
Along the river, early a.m.
Bath from below. Really liked this town...
In the morning we headed toward the Cotswolds, by way of Lacock Abbey (site of a lot of HP filming, and where the first negative print was created, for all you photography buffs!), Avebury and its mysterious, massive stone circle (way bigger than Stonehenge), and some Hobbit-esque shires along the way. Makes total sense why it's the weekend retreat location of choice for the well-to-do in the UK. I'd totally live in a thatched roof cottage alongside a trout stream, with footpaths crossing here and there and a neighborhood pub on the corner! Heaven!
Old Brewing!
Lacock Abbey
Harry Potter scenes filmed here!
Hey, that's a ford! A ford...
We checked into our hotel in the village of Stow-on-the-Wold, where all the businesses closed promptly at 6. Cool! Soph even had her own room with bunkbeds, and our hotel had local craft beer and a restaurant with delicious food. Perfect.
Day 7? A tour of the Cotswolds. We started in Chipping Campden, the start of the Cotswold Way, where I found the plaque that marks the beginning of the 102-mile footpath. We then made our way to the Broadway Tower, a "folly" tower that also resides on the path, and climbed to the top! We also cruised through several really cool towns before returning to our hotel.
This is the beginning of the Way...
There's a plaque here, and one at Bath at the other end.
Alleys in Chipping Campden
A Shire!
Lori at the top of Broadway Tower. Proud of her, she's afraid of heights and felt surprisingly calm here.
Looking over the Cotswold countryside from the Tower
Day 8 started with a run in Stow, including a short jaunt on the Gloucestershire Way, another national footpath. Trails! Lots of gates to go through, but if it's a designated national footpath, private property owners are not only required to allow access, but also maintain the section that passes through their land. Pretty cool!
Morning mist
Hey! It's a Way!
Gates everywhere
Short singletrack section! Saw a red fox!
Alleys in Stow
Serene early morning runs are the best
We headed out later that morning for a drive to Oxford, by way of Blenheim Palace. That place was massive. The grounds are immaculate, I was itching to drop everything there and go for a run around the lake, but played nice and we had a great time.
Enormous place...
Eye see you!
Excuse me, that's quite a large organ you have there...
Landscape Heaven
Here's the only thing about this trip that was awesome and difficult at the same time: the country is so rich with history, you can't go ten feet without tripping over a historic stone wall, national landmark, Harry Potter film location, etc...and our drivers were all locals to their specific areas, and had/wanted to show us as much as possible during their time with us. We arrived to Oxford, checked into our hotel and went out to see some sights, but missed our window with a boat ride on the Thames we booked, got to the historic library we wanted to see 10 minutes too late, and opted to do some shopping instead. I bought Oxford shoes in Oxford! Ha! We stayed in a very old hotel with odd hallways, and a "Shining-esque" vibe to it. Nice...
Day 9: No run in Oxford, unfortunately. We were staying only a mile away from the Oxford track where Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4:00 mile, and I just couldn't make it happen. Next time, then! Took a commuter train from Oxford to London, and grabbed a cab to the hotel. Last day in London so we made it count, walked all over the place (including St. James's Park where they were setting up for the London Marathon), had dinner at Covent Garden, and generally stayed out late.
A gorgeous day in London...
The 26-mile mark for London, right next to Buckingham Palace. Only 385 yards to go, fools!
Day 10 was a rude awakening, as our schedule was off by an hour and our ride to the airport was early, so we scrambled to pack our shit and get going. I really wish I'd known that the London marathon was held the day we left, as I'd have entered the lottery and maybe capped the trip with the race, we totally could have extended the trip by a day for it!
We had a direct flight back to Boston, great food on the plane, arrived early, and breezed through customs no problem. Back at the house by 4 p.m.! What a Hell of a trip. No real problems to speak of, and damn sure nothing to really complain about! That's a win in my book.
So there's a capsule version of our England trip, it's a glorious place, they have a robust running scene, and I'm really serious about running the Cotswold Way. I even popped into a bookstore there and bought a book about the entire route, complete with detailed maps, etc. They also have some shorter distance races!
My last thoughts: I may have said it before, but running early in the morning is really the best way to see an unfamiliar city. I'm not a really early morning runner, but on vacation I get to see miles of a place, where it might take hours to cover the same distance in a cab. It's been a highlight of my short running history, these jaunts around places we don't go to often, so I really look forward to them!
Next up: Two Ultras and a Mountain Race...catching up from the last four weeks...
