New month, new thread. What'd you do this weekend? I celebrated my 2nd anniversary, so my wife and I got a babysitter for our children and got a nice 4 star hotel in downtown Philly and toured the city for two days and nights. Saturday morning I ran a little later than normal, 6:30, and started the Wissahickon Gorge from the other end closest to the city. Ran a figure eight through the park, hitting the normal trails I usually use to loop the gorge. The last 1/3 felt hard instead of the last 2/3rds like last week, so I'm getting more fit. Added an extra mile for 16 miles, 13:30 average pace, which is real good for the steep rocky trails, 7300'+ gain and loss. Got back to hotel, showered, and took in the city. Went to the Kimmel Center, a world class orchestra hall in Philly, and saw Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby. They just released a bluegrass album. Did a crazy cover of Rick James' "Superfreak", bluegrass style. Very weird. Great food and sights all weekend, snugglin with the honey, and nice tough long run. Pretty sweet. Y'all?

I kicked butt at the Nipmuck Trail Marathon in CT Sunday! Last year's time was 5:05-this year 4:52:02! 5th place for the women! Kelly

WOO HOO!!! Way to go, Kelly!!

Ran today for the first time since last Tuesday. The ole butt-ola wouldn't allow any added friction for quite awhile! It was road work today. Won't be on the trails until Saturday, and my friend has indicated that I need to step a bit more to the plate on our runs or she's going to leave me in her dust. (((sigh)))

Hey Kelly - Think maybe you felt more beat up after Boston because it was on pavement as opposed to dirt? The report was great, as were the pics. The whole port-a-potty thing - what a hoot!! And you deserved the running skirt!

Buddo - Somehow I missed your initial post. Brain fart or something - Anyway - Sounds like you and your wife had a nice weekend. I saw Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby on CMT's "Crossroads" a few months ago. It was fantastic. They talked about the album, but I'm not certain it was out yet. I'll have to hunt that one down. My first trail run today since Forest Park. Didn't do too bad. Am starting all the HR training now, so that made things more interesting. We also started steady-state running on the hills in order to get ready for SOB, which will be a lot of climbing (up and then down Mt. Ashland). It was really hard keeping my HR between 142-145, but my recovery time, when I'm over, it fairly short. So, hopefully within a couple of weeks I'll be able to keep a fairly steady gait up the hills for the 3 min. periods without having to walk. It's really windy here today. The pollen count is high, and my allergies are pretty unhappy. I think I need to go lay in the yard and read for awhile. Later, All!

Definitely agree withyou on both comments. Pavement beats you up and I deserved the new skirt-it looks really good on me too-maybe I'll post a picture! Now that I know how to again! I had to run some pavement this week and for one it was boring as could be and it didn't always feel that great. I tried to be off on the side as much as possible. I'm contemplating a run up and over and back over Mt Mansfield this weekend. It's the tallest mtn in VT at a little over 4000 ft. A little bump in the road compared to what you have access to. I'll let you know what happens-maybe I'll even bring a camera! Kelly

Picture! Picture!

Sorry Purdey! Forgot the camera but the next time I wear it (this week for sure) I'll see what I can do. It's still blasting hot here. 90's during the day and cooling off to mid 70s during the night. First trail 5k race tomorrow night! I hate the first one because you never know how you're going to do. Chat with you all tomorrow. Kelly

Well, now for something completely different. I have turned the corner in my mind and decided I'm done with ultra running, probably running altogether. I can't seem to find a balance. I didn't do my long run this weekend due to the extreme heat and commitments to friends. I dug out 3 Ewe trees from a friends yard in the near 100 degree heat and humidity. My friends were fried. I fared pretty well as I'm fit, but I still had to stop and rest every couple of minutes. I was really sore on Sunday afterwards, totally wiped. I haven't run since last Wednesday, a tough but fast 10 miler on the pavement. I was really sore after that and tired. So, I'm off my schedule now to boot. I can't seem able to justify in my mind spending all the time I do on running in the woods when I have other really important things I want to do in my life that I'm neglecting. Like writing, and studying. I am a therapist, and a biblical counselor as well. I work in two highly intellectual, demanding fields. I want to teach as well, as the times I have done that have been wonderful and I seem to have a gift for communicating, according to the people I've taught. I have a dozen journal articles that I have not been writing because it's too easy to sleep in due to needing to rest from running. Mymain desire is to be fit, and I can accomplish that without all the extra commitment involved in ultra running. I dunno. I really do love running in the woods. To run and to do those other things I would need to really look at my time usage and get rid of any extraneous things, like TV, which I only watch for about 1 hour as I'm laying in bed already as it is. I would have to write on my lunch hour I think if I keep running. I don't know. It just seems better to cut back on the running to accomplish what I consider to be more important while not sacrificing my goals of keeping fit. I could easily switch back over to powerlifting as it requires much less time. A maximum 1 rep attempt is scary and difficult for sure, with the real possibility of serious injury and a guarantee of extreme effort, but it only lasts for a few seconds. It is the culmination of months, maybe even a year of training, but it can't compare to the buildup of anxiety around an ultra event (at least not for me as I'm not an elite powerlifter, though I could be) nor the duration of the suffering endured in an event as well. Even 8 hours into my last ultra I was still nervous about whether I would finish. I love being strong, but I love being in the woods too, and both don't mix. So, as you can see, I'm having serious doubts as to my motivation and purpose in running and not sure still what I will do. I did a heavy weight workout on Sunday morning and it felt like coming home. I've lifted since I was 12 or so, so being in the gym and throwing some heavy iron is like finding myself again. It's got it's downfalls as well, as I can get too much of my identity from being a muscle head, and look down on lower, puny, weak, lazy mortals. It's funny, being a "jogger" is anathema to a lifter, as it is the polar opposite of heavy, muscle, powerlifter. Contrast a Scott Jurek with Ed Coan. Pure endurance and long suffering, stringy, veggie eating, tofu munching trail runner (no disrespect intended. The man's phenomenal for sure) contrasted with pure power, explosiveness, muscle and grit. The guy is stronger than any other mortal ever, lifting more at 220 than men 100 pounds heavier. My lifter friends thought I lost my mind when I told them I was stopping lifting to run. So, I'm a man in two worlds, fitness wise, and unsure what to do. Just spilling my guts. I love the woods, but don't know if I can find the time, or should, to keep this up.