Running with Michael Myers!!

It's probably a generational thing!



When someone mentions Michael Myers to me I think of a knife wielding psycho in a hockey mask that terrorizes kids that dare to "go all the way" in suburban America. So an invitation to go running in the woods with Michael Myers doesn't seem very appealing. To those (significantly) younger than me the mention of Michael Myers probably conjures up the image of a "oh so friggin' zany" Canadian comedian who was the genius behind Austin Powers. Now an invitation to go trail running in the woods with this Michael Myers I'd galdly accept - if only so I could beat him to death with a log and leave him buried in a shallow unmarked grave! O.K. so I'm not a big Austin Powers fan.

Michael Myers #1

Michael Mayers #2

Which one would you go running with?

Either way, this past week I have actually gone trail running with Michael Myers - and it's O.K. no-one died and there is no new unmarked graves in Patapsco State Park. Michael happens (rather surprizingly) to be the name of daughter #1's new boyfriend, and spring break saw them visiting from college. Well with Michael being a runner it seemed like the only thing to do. So Saturday afternoon saw Michael, Sean and "Yours Truly" hitting the trails from Landing Road. Took Cascade to the first water, then left branch up the hill to the old rail way ties. Then straight over the top and down to the waterfall, back onto cascade and the usual route anticlockwise. Sean and I am used to this now (just as well with Hat only a week away) but it's a shock to Michael's system - he admits half way round that he has only ever run on a tread mill before! Well, I'll give him one thing, he's got courage! Actually he holds up really well and probably enjoys himself - though later in the evening he does disappear off to bed very early.



Highlight of the run is overtaking a group of bikers up the steepest section of trail. First to surcumb doesn't even look up from his bars, next couple are more vocal "well now I'm embarassed" was the comment - he was even more pissed when he realized I was wearing my Shenandoah M100 T-shirt, "Oh God he did the SM100 as well". Of course what they didn't realize was that it is so much easier and quicker to run up a steep hill than it will ever be to bike up it!! Having done both (and having had my ass kicked by runners several times when I've been biking) I am fully aware of this - but it is knowledge I decide not to pass on on this occasion.



At the big crossroads (at the Rockburn Branch junction) we give Michael the option of long or short route home - the guy has done magnificent for his first trail run, but is clearly all in. And he has the self awareness to know this so opts for short run. So we take Morning Choice past the derelict houses, where we pass the same group of bikers again - O.K. no excuse thsi time cos we are on the flat! Back at the car in exactly an hour and cold beers all round. Felt good.



Then all goes to HELL!



Monday feeling good I hit "Boot Camp" with MLW - a gym run class mixing running, sprinting and exercizes outdoors. With the leg better and Hat Run ahead I am feeling invincible and attack exercises and sprints with inadvisable vigor. Felt good at the time but ever since my bloody hamstrings are as tight as a sharks a## at 50 fathoms! Then to cap it all off Tuesday and illness hits - starts about 4pm with nausea and headache - by the time I get home I am one unhappy puppy. I feel like a beer keg - I contain nothing solid and everytime anything exits my body it does so under high pressure - bloody charming. Tuesday night is sleepless and alternatingly freezing cold or roasting hot depending on how my body feels at that moment. Wednesday is a day in bed. Thursday and I have to just grin and bare it - got to get mind and body back together for Hat. Thursday lunch and I do my final run 6 easy miles (nice and hilly), stomach not a major issue but tight hamstrings are a bit of a worry.



Just got to relax, carbo-load, hydrate and see what Saturday brings - 31 miles of fun!!



Catch you all after the Hat - assuming I survive.



Dogzbollux

HAT's On!!!

It's bbeen a "long and winding road" back since I torn my calf muscle back in mid-Feb and with the Hat Run coming up at the end of March being fit enough was looking decidedly dodgy! Uncharacteristically I actualy heeded the Doc's words and didn't run at all for two weeks (into march) and then eased my way back in gently - the leg though not painful didn't always feel as if it belonged to me (odd feeling) and I found myself half limping more out of habit and fear then due to actual pain. Well in the end, with Hat fast approaching something had to give - I couldn't just keep running gently. Sean had a 20 miler scheduled for last weekend so that seemed like a good way to challenge the "dicky pin". As luck and family schedules would have it the weekend turmed out to be a bit of a nightmare - Seans family leaving to visit relatives on Sunday and MLW and me hosting a party on Saturday evening to kick off the training for "the Irongirl Triathlon" group - a group of friend who are doing the August Triathlon with MLW. The result of this was that although both Sean and I went out on 20 milers we did so separately rather than together - Ho Hum!.

The only slot that was available to me was early Sunday am - ot the best after the previous nights festivities but beggars can't be choosers. So up at 6;45 am and hitting the road at 7:30 for what was scheduled to be a three hour run. Mother Nature played here part, adding to the fun by organizing rain throughout Saturday night and into Sunday morning. The rain had just about faded out by the time I started but there was plenty of laying water to stomp through. Not exactly a trail run but not a road run either - I ran as much on unpaved surfaces as possible - around the golf course, Cedar Lane Park and round Wild Lake and Kitimaqundi. The highlight was the section around Kitimaqundi (opposite the down town) on the fishermans path - where I ran for about 1/3 mile in ankle deep water - smashing. Over 29 and then I ran up the powerline tracts for seemingly miles. By the time I decided I had better turn round I had been scooting along for just 2 hours and was beginning to feel it. Just then I bumped into Lenore - Hat Run regular and general ultrarunner - two's company so I run with her for a couple of paved miles before having to head home in order to make my 11 am curfew.

The road home is a little taxing - mentally and physically. Before I start I decide on a route, which is fairly unforgiving in terms of hills and even as I start to flag and the pace drops (I suspect precipitously) I am determined enough to stick to by preordained route.

Back home in a smidge under 3:15 - tired but happy, as the injured calf has been absolutely fine! With 15 min more than planned and no repercussions it looks like the Hat is almost a certainty.

Two days later I tackle one of my regular road circuits (about 5.5 miles) and feel great - the legs are fine and my aerobic capacity seems pretty good - I run well within myself and feel strong at the end. I resist the urge to look at my stopwatch on the way round as a slow time would be too disheartening and I would probably stop trying. When I look at my watch at the end I can hardly believe it - 2 minutes faster than I had been doing earlier in the year before my injury! The rest and biking must have done me good - Hat Run? Bring it on!!!

To celebrate I have even taking the fixie out for a commute - God I love riding that bike!

See you at the Hat!

Dogzbollux

In the groove!

Been another great week, weather has been compliant and the planests have aligned in such a way as to allow plenty of riding and running fun.

Last week though it lloked like recent rain and group family commitments was going to put a kybosh on the night ride. But where there is a will there is a way - so Brian and I decided to risk it and give Patapsco a try. Turned out lucky as the trails were in pretty good nick all in all.

Headed our normal route (after previous weeks departure from tradition) but after a brisk ride to the "big crossroads" we decided to hit the BC side. So we hightailed down the fireroad to the parking lots then cut through to the bottom of Soapstone. I've not been doing the kind of riding to really give me any chance of cleaning the Soapstone climb on the singlespeed but in the name of trying to get fit I gave it my best college effort! Bloody pathetic!! I was off and pushing by halfway up, whilst Brian glided up making the whole thing look far too f'in easy for my liking! At the top we hit what used to be (when I was fit) the usual trail, past the college and back to the top of House of Pain. Don't know why but tonight the old Nitehawk just wasn't up to it's usual standard. On two occasions, in the gloom, I mistook a large log lying parrallel to the trail as the trail. Fist time, at a bloody scary speed I just managed to pull the front wheen away before impact and sailed past the log with a hairs breath between me and disaster. Second time (at the top of House of Pain) I was not so lucky. Fortunately (i) I was going much slower so the impact wasn't so dramatic and (ii) Brian was way ahead so didn't witness my stupidity. But hitting the end of a one foot think log is pretty interesting, especially with about a tenth of a second warning. Over the handlebars seemed the only real option, fortunately nothing broken and so onward as though nothing has happened.

At the bottom of House of Pain it is over the swinging bridge and back up the fireroad onto Ridge then Cascade. Flying along at this stage to the point where I am over the rockgarden at the start of Cascade before I know where I am. This is the first time in ages I have cleaned this (day or night) and I am so surprized that I celebrate by hitting the very next available root and falling off again. Fortunately, in deference to my age (and the fact that I keep on bloody hurting my knees) I have decided to wear my "Robocop" pads every time I ride so no damage. Up Cascade, big rock defeats me again!!!! I now have a major yip about this, never used to be a problem - now I couldn't get over it with training wheels. Then all is good, final rooty obstacle is no issue and the climb back to Norris Road is a sinch - maybe fitness is returning slowly.

Then usual route (with usual two or three "fall offs") and it is back to the car for beer and chat. Although the weather is kinder (and both Brian and I have brought Arctic compatable gear) after a couple of beers and 30 or so minutes chat we are driven to our cars by the cold. Mission accomplished for another night - and another spacey day at work guarenteed.

The weekend is a bit differenet, no plans for a mtb ride cos the weather is so shite. This leaves me with a long run on the cards. Leg is still decidedly dodgy but what the hell, "needs must when the devil poos in your bedpan" or some such saying. I aimed for a solid 80 min but then actually felt fine and dandy once the leg was warmed up and ended up with a slow but steady 90 min arond the heart of Columbia. Monday and I decided to double the dose - so another hours or more on the roads and trails of Columbia. Leg sore by the end but at least some miles are being banked.

Then came the weeks highlight - the night ride - Brian can't make it so it's George, Todd and "Yours Truly" taking a break from Patapsco and hitting McKeldin instead! Woo Hoo! Never ridden here so hitting the trails for the fist time at night with dodgy (at best) lights seems a fine idea. Todd puts my mind at rest (kind of) when he tells me McKeldin is perfect nightriding cos there's no big obstacles but it's a good aerobic workout (in plain English, it's F'in hilly and we will be screaming for mercy in less than 30 min). Turns out his description is spot on. The first climb, long and grinding has me gasping for air big time and the fun (i.e. pain) just keeps coming. Down then up - we seem to hit the same bits of trail but in different orders and from different directions for the next hour and a half. The "highlight" is a steep relentless, rocky rooty downhill that George informs me will drop us right at the river (whereever that is). When we hit the bottom a bloody great tree is across the trail. George is all for finding a way round it but Todd has a better idea. Nah. we'll just ride back up the hill. By the top I feel like William Hurt in Alien, I'm convinced my heart has become a strange autonomous creature inside my body that is about to burst out through my chest and run away screaming. In the end it doesn't and after a few minutes I can ebven talk again - smashing. Then just as things are going well, Todd's light packs up, we mess about with it for a few minutes until we decide that the bulb has probably blown. I lend Todd my backup light until my light packs in (burnt out again) then we creep back to the cars in darkness. Just under 10 iles under our belts - cool climbs and descents - one decent rock garden that I manage to stuff up completely and face plant into - again no damage.

Back at the cars we are just settling down for a beer when a "local" arrives walking is dog. All is civil and friendly and just as we are about to offer him a beer he kicks off! "And this is a closed lot so I'll ask you guys to leave immediately" . O.K............ so whats the problem? No f'in idea but he tells us that if we don't leave immdeiately he is calling the cops. No idea what the issue was - maybe he has a problem with guys in lycra (and who can blame him). Either way it's not worth the aggro after a good ride to spoil the vibe. So we haul ass to a strip mall down the road and enjoy the usual chat and beer - the choices of which are becoming more and more esoteric as the weeks progress. Syill pretty damn cold so ny 12:30 am it is time to say good bye and plan for next weeks meet up - I suspect at Patapsco to avoid winding up the McKeldin Militia. Ahh the fun we have, the people we meet!

Cheers

Dogzbollux

That was the week that was!

Finally........ my lack of blog activity is not a result of inactivity and bugger all to write about, but instead a symptom of an embarrassment of riches and no bloody time to sit in front of the old computer tapping away.

Late last week the weather gods finally relented and gae us a night cold enough to allow a night ride. One was rapidly convened and Todd, Brian and "Yours Truly" met up at the usual spot. Things have gotten a little predictable lately (as predicatble a night riding in winter can) and with me reaching a state of panic about the upcoming Hat Run - and my fitness level being lower than a limbo dancers arse - I decided to try and mix things up a bit!!

So instead of the usual anticlockwise direction we started in reverse for a change. Nice loggy sections and challenging riding onto Cascade. Then after the first water we hung a left up the hill past the old railway ties. At the top a left turn onto the steep decent to the raod - with Todd "Mr Rim Brakes" mutterings of discontent ringing in my ears the whole way. Half way down I bottle an obstacle and hit the floor in such slow-mo that Brian (who is right behind me) almost wets himself laughing. The whole sketch is not helped by the fact that I can't get unclipped so spend embarassing seconds flailing around attached to the 29er moncog.

Once safely at the road, over the swing bridge and up House of Pain. My legs start giving notice and I push a good deal, but Todd (on his monocog!) crushes the hill with Brian in clse pursuit! Wow! At the top, once my heart rate has decreased to a rate where I am actually capable of conscious thought we head padt the tirepark and cut right down the rocky downhill, past the College and thence up and down to the Soapstone descent. By now the bar light has gone but my "combination headlamp" (the Princeton Tech Yukon plus my highly focused led lamp) give me enough light to descend with some degree of confidence.

Back to HC side and up the fireroad - my legs are found wanting again, but Brian and Todd are as indefatiguable as ever and make it look easy (and me feel inadequate). Back over the usual trail top the cars for a beer or two, 11.3 miles covered an a fair old clip! At the cars despite all having major cold gear, after about 45 min chatting and drinking the cold drives us home to our loved ones and the real world.

Sunday brings the usual "group" ride - as it looks like just Sean and me again I decide it is time to christen the "Tomac" Rockhopper on Patapsco. As it turms out Greg shows up unannouced so we are three for some fun! Head from Landing along Morning Choice and the connector onto Ridge then the short loop (anticlockwise) back to Cascade. Then we loop back to take on the loggy sections and the "new" section before a maiden voyage round the Old Loop Trail for good measure. Conditions are great (ie frozen) when we head out but are thawing and as slick as a slick-thing by the time we finish. For me personally the ride was a story in three parts (i) me being Mr Nrvous on the Rockhopper and taking no chances (ii) finally getting to grips with the front heavy geometry of the bike and feeling comfortable and (iii) getting over confident and becoming "Mr Fallioff Uselessbugger". Fortunately Greg and Sean were gracious enough to put up with my foolishness and just laugh at my stupidity. Cheers Guys!

Sunday is also my first day back running - a very ginger 3 miles - all is good, no pain. Followed up with 5.5 mile runs both Tuesday and Wednesday and the Hat looks more likely (though leg is giving a bit of notice at the moment).

Finally got the fixie wheel into my LBS (Princeton Sports) - looking dodgey for a second as the mechanic isn't sure he can fix it - then all is good as he spots a broken spoke that explains the lack of tension eleven buck later and I'm really to roll again, fan-bloody-tastic.

Life is good!

Cheers

Dogzbollux