Hi kids,

I'm back from vacation. I'm sorry that I haven't kept up with all your runs, races and adventures, so I'll be starting fresh today.

We had a relaxing week in the tiny burg of Castine, Maine (up Penobscot Bay). The weather was decent, if not perfect. The highlight of the trip was a 2-hour sailing trip last Wednesday into the Bay on the Guildive - the sun was shining, the weather was warm, the wind was up, and there were times we were flying across the water. I worked out most days, and even got to be able to handle the many hills the town is built on. The only downside is that the cold I had when we left has morphed into a stubborn cough that is still with me. Since this has been going on for 2 weeks, DW wants me to think about going to the Dr. I'll see how the next few days go. I managed to stay away from most work-related issues while I was away, but there were some things that came up that had to be attended to, so I just did it and moved on.

Since Monday is my SRD, I slept in a bit this morning, and will think about getting back for an easy workout tomorrow.

Have a greta Monday!

Jay

Welcome back Jay! Sounds like you had a perfect vacation. Listen to your DW and take care of that cough.

Good morning Marj!

I'm so happy for you Enke.  When do you take the big step to introduce Mr. Blue Eyes to your kids? Or have they already met him?

Nice racing Erika!

Moving is stressful Dave. Sounds like you've got a busy couple of weeks ahead of you. Take care of yourself.

Nothing like a little love from grandkids to get you over the finish line. Nice finish Tet.

My bedroom could use a little TLC Mariposai. How about a road trip to Wisconsin?

6 miles this morning. Too warm and too humid for me and it seems like I'm slowing down way more than I'd like. I had one of the most horrible rounds of golf in my life yesterday, and DH didn't play too well either. It was 90° and no wind at all. I felt like I was going to pass out, and the slow play (it took over 5 hours to finish 18 holes) didn't help. At least we didn't finish DFL. And DH still loves me

Have a great Monday everyone!

Good morning!

Welcome home, Jay!

Enke, sounds like Mr. Blue Eyes is a keeper!  I've run on that section of the Burke Gilman trail you mentioned - Gas Works Park is cool! My DD bikes that way going to UW every day.

I had fun at the race on Saturday.  Unfortunately my runner dropped out at mile 50, but I think it was a good decision.  Here's the long version:

The race was the inaugural Never Summer 100k.  The course was one big loop, starting and finishing in the town of Gould, CO.  The race started at 5:30 am and had a 24 hour cutoff.  I was planning to meet my runner at mile 39, at the Clear Lake Aid Station, which was a 5 mile hike from the nearest trailhead.  She had no real idea what time she might get there, but we estimated no earlier than 4:30 pm.  I got to the trailhead about 1 pm (3 hour drive from  home), and hiked up to the AS with another guy I just met who was also pacing.  We had a nice hike in, then proceeded to sit around at the AS for hours with a group of other pacers, waiting for our runners.  It was warm and sunny, and the runners were hot.  I saw about 6 friends come through the AS, and I helped them out with water refills, drop bags, etc.  My runner came in about 6:20 pm.

From that AS, there was a 4.5 mile out and back up to Clear Lake, which was a 1200 ft climb.  It was beautiful, and not particularly difficult, but had about 4 stream crossings that you had to wade.  We got back down to the AS just before dark, at about 8:30 pm.  We changed to long sleeved shirts and got out our headlamps, and headed down the trail.  It got dark within a few more miles.  My runner wasn't running much anymore, just fast walking.  We got to the 50 mile aid station at about 11:00 pm.

At that point, she was thinking about dropping.  We hadn't discussed ahead of time if she wanted me to push her into continuing or not.  Best to discuss this with your runner BEFORE mile 50, in the dark!  It was my first pacing gig, so a good lesson learned.  I told her honestly that I thought she could finish if she wanted to, but at our current pace (3 miles/hr) it would take almost 5 hours to finish the last 14 miles.  It was already 11 pm.  I also mentioned that my car was only 1 mile away at the trailhead - so that gave us an easy out.  We were both getting cold - it was a nice night, maybe mid 40s and no wind, but we were dressed for running, and we were walking. (We both had jackets and gloves and long sleeves, but needed more layers, and probably more calories!) She could have continued, but she decided slogging along in the dark for 5 more hours didn't sound very rewarding.  No running, no views, none of the benefits you usually get from trail running. So she decided to bail.

We checked out with the AS folks, and asked if anyone else needed a ride from the trail head - several folks said yes.  One other runner/pacer team were dropping and they also had a car at the trailhead.  I'm not sure if the availability of a ride caused some other runners to drop, but we had two cars full (10 people) who hiked out at mile 50.

It turned out that 25% of the runners dropped out - there were about 200 starters and 150 finishers.  Everyone said it was one of the hardest ultras they'd ever run, and also one of the most beautiful.  We had fun at the post race breakfast on Sunday (we slept in our cars at the finish line Saturday night), and it was nice to see many of my friends again and hear their stories.   So it was quite an epic weekend!

Wow Wildchild, that sounds like quite the course. You're probably right though that it was the best decision. Going on for another 14 miles in the dark doesn't sound like much fun. Great experience for you too!

Yay on the competing job offers, Hermosaboy! Go with whichever is right for you!

Tet, I meant to say that was a great story about the marathon in Juneau with your GS pulling you to the finish! Everyone needs that sort of motivation every now and then. Great time for you, too! Hey, why don't you ever zip on up to Fairbanks when you're up here?

Welcome back, Jay.

Enke, you are too funny, and I'm so tickled for you! A guy who loves a sweaty hug is a keeper, for sure.

Thanks, Mike, and yes I knew you'd know exactly what I was feeling about yesterday's race. And today I'm feeling something else... sore quads! I brought my running gear to work but we'll see how the day goes. We're expecting showers with possible heavy downpours, gusty wind and hail the next couple of days. Great. I'm really going to have to work to fix my driveway after this week. All of the fines and some base have been washing down into the ditch and our culvert is clogged. Time to get out the shovels...

Hey, here's an article in the paper about the race! It shows the trail we started on. It's in pretty good shape there, gets very rutty, rocky and muddy later on. The gal in the grey won with the gal in the green a close second. In the guys' shot, the one in the green won by 10 seconds, beating the guy looking at his watch who was hoping to win it for the 6th time. Pretty cool stuff in the local racing scene. Pictured there are some of interior Alaska's best runners (and no, I'm not in the shots!).

Ran 5.27 and then I have been helping a contractor fix the last few things around the house.  Only thing left is getting the Chimney Doctor to patch up one of the chimneys on the house.

 

Hey, here's an article in the paper about the race! It shows the trail we started on. It's in pretty good shape there, gets very rutty, rocky and muddy later on. The gal in the grey won with the gal in the green a close second. In the guys' shot, the one in the green won by 10 seconds, beating the guy looking at his watch who was hoping to win it for the 6th time. Pretty cool stuff in the local racing scene. Pictured there are some of interior Alaska's best runners (and no, I'm not in the shots!).

Wow, Erika - you should be in the shots but gotta love the home town newspaper coverage anyway . I’m sure most non-runners think our two major marathons in June and November are the only running we have.
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I’ve never run any of the other challenging and fun courses you have up there and it was just something serendipitous to do when a fortuitous trip back from the Slope coincided with Equinox weekend and a friend’s invitation to stay an extra day but it’s still like yesterday in my memory bank, even down to the smells of the bright yellow birch leaves on the rich black soils along Ester Dome and especially down The Chute and back off the Dome where John Trent’s yodeling for Marcie brought us home too  However, I guess like never going back to spring skiing at Sun Valley when I could have in those days, it will never be as good as it was flying down the chute with other skier friends to John waiting for Marcie coming along (or already ahead of us), going over to the Malemute Salon afterwards, etc.  However, as long as there’s still some others from those days who continue to honor the Equinox with their presence, albeit mostly walking too now, it’s not out-of-the-question and at least can be one of many aspirations that keep me going even though they are very unlikely to happen.  Thank you.
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Carolyn  -
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With the light drizzling getting colder and colder as runners topped the nine mile ascent to Corral Pass (2,500'~6,000') at mile 15 and the eight mile climb to Suntop Mountain (2,500'~5,500') at mile 35, my ultra-friend related similar accounts of Saturday’s White River National Trail Championship 50 Mile Endurance Run in foothills of Mt. Rainier that I hope you and nancy and ziggy, maybe erika, holly and I’m sure someday CNY too, can do with francesca some time in the two decades or so while your running careers still relish the trails. 
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ps all - thanks for the perspectives on my inadvertent swimming pool violation with GS on my shoulders.   I tried to set a good example for GS.  Now I know I set a good example for me too.  Thanks again very much.

Carolyn, that was an interesting report.  So would you be a pacer again?  100K, wow.

That's the hard part about new jobs, eh Hermosaboy, you don't really know what they will be like until you are in them.  Hope you make the right decision.

Resting today, my bad knee feels mostly fine.  Just a tiny tiny bit gimpy, but I don't think I overdid it on the weekend and should be able to run again tomorrow or Wed.

Yes, Jlynne, MBE has met my kids, just very briefly.  He was so nervous!  My DS15 was very polite and friendly and was up with him coming back over to the house for us all to play board games some time.  My DD13 was less excited about a stranger coming over, so I am not pushing it.  He made a blueberry pie yesterday.....a man that makes pie, and blueberries are my favourite fruit....swoon, I'm in heaven!

HermosaBoy unless you signed something you did not officially accept the position.  I have seen the opposite, where a firm rescinded an offer.  Jobs are just business transactions.  Personally, I would try to play one offer against the other.  If you can get more you are ahead.  If not you likely can take the original offer.

 

I actually did sign something -- then got a call that an offer was imminent.

I will wait to formally get the second offer and then go from there...