Morning all!  Glad to hear the knee is feeling better!  Going to try and get 5-ish in the hills after work.

qotd: I'm going to throw my hat in for the Bob Marshall Open again- end of May. It's definitely on the epic scale with snow covered passes, swift river crossings, tough terrain and the largest grizzly population in the lower 48. All adds up to a grand adventure. I've just started mapping routes and looks like somewhere in the 110-120 mile range.

5.4 muddy miles on a trail I haven't been to all winter.  It runs along a creek where I usually can run a lop of varying lengths, with crossings (really downed tulip poplars with a rope) at various points along the creek.  However, winter rains and flood have washed away the two major 'bridges', which is no small feat since both trees were at least 30' long and 2-3 feet wide.  Wading across wasn't feasible, since with the recent rains, the current was swift and the channels deep.  Far too easy to get swept off your feet and washed under one of tangles of downed trees and debris.  Out and back it was.

qotd:  Nothing right now, which is pretty sad.  I'm toying with the idea of the Orcas Island 25k or 50k next winter, depending on what I can get my sister to commit to.  Being east coast, that might sound like a random choice, but we have connections there (and DS lived there for 4 years).  It's a place we both want to get back to visit.

I ended up running last night instead of taking a day off. Just an easy 5 miles on the trails of Monocacy Hill. It was chilly, grey, and drizzly but calm and peaceful. I kept the run purposefully slow, almost jog like, as I wanted to start my cutback week off very easy. I think I will do 7 tonight over at Coventry Woods.

QOTD: Hmm. I have a 100 mile race again on my calendar in June. Bucket list would be to go sub24, but I don't see that happening but one never knows. Assuming good conditions, no major issues during the race it should be a PR at least. Still on my bucket list is winning the WS100 lottery but I have no control over that.. well, other than too keep running qualifiers.

Muppy - cool on the French Creek run. You must have hit a variety of trails. I'd expect about 1500 feet of gain there for that distance or about 100+ foot average/mile. Depending on your route of course.

Jamie - good news on the knee.. it and you are back on track.

Warden - Please, no selfies with the grizzlies!

Dreamer - Enjoy the run.. similar conditions here today and last night but with no wind it was very pleasant.

Runtrail -  Those tulip poplars can get huge. There is a very old one in Hopewell woods by French Creek. It's massive for this part of the world.

Playing with a new toy today, Suunto watch. I used it for the pool a couple times and went trail running today. 11.16 miles, avg pace 10:42 with 1585' up and 1565' down. Was able to drop the pace to 5:03 in the final 100m+ sprint of the second hour. So that's nice. Lots of deep mud on the single track but used a dry dirt road for the hills.

QOTD: might sign up for Cuyumaca 100k for Oct, registration in April. It will be a definite big deal for me and a good reason to maintain my nomadic self.

6 miles yesterday. 75 degrees!!

qotd   30k trail race and 1/2 marathon road race comming up. Not sure which race I will run.

Trail race has the best trail in NC on the course.  1/2 is on a simi flat route where I might run close to 1:40 mabe.

I just ran a 25k trail race so I'm leaning road race.

Watch your mouth Sandy!!

 Now we're driving to Fukiyama for 2 more shipyard visits today. Busy Busy.  Too bad I couldn't spend more time on the island of Shikoku, looks like there is terrific trail running here.