A 3-Week

Tuckahoe State Park, bridge from Tuckahoe Valley Trail to Griener's Fishing Road and one time scene of Mike Keene as "The Horse Whisperer" to a spooked horse.

The theme of this past week's running was embracing my schedule. Rather than try to jam a run in mid-day or evening, when it's tough for me to make em happen, I ran at times when there were no conflicts and nothing else going on. The result? My first week of three runs (roughly 6, 7, and 7 miles) in who knows how long.

This past Sunday was a postcard day at Tuckahoe State Park, with morning temperatures moving into the high 40s, with mostly dry trails and a trifecta of runners as Joel Shilliday and Landy Cook, and I rolled out for a 56-minute tour of parts of the Tuckahoe Valley and Pee Wees Trails. A few mountain bikers and anglers were kicking it on a Sunday as well.

My other two runs were 5 a.m. specials, through Easton, and motivated in part by tying in with Landy for 00:dark:30 miles. Beginning my runs in the dark, wicked early, has always been what has worked best for me--whether Mike Keene and I have been hitting Wye Island with the muzzle-loading hunters, or I've been catching sunrises on St. Michaels Road, four miles into a run. My problem has been the snooze factor, which is combated when you have agreed to meet someone to run.

In stark contrast to Easton at 5:30 p.m., when cars sit molasses-stuck at downtown traffic lights, the town at 5:30 a.m. is empty, sleeping, and surreal to run. I have always enjoyed a kind of connectedness to places by running them early, when no one (or few people) has accepted an invitation to see what's behind the pace of commerce. There is also a sense of accomplishment in knowing that at 6 a.m., I have finished my run, have 7-or-so miles under my feet, and have the rest of the day ahead, which is already filled with work, girls, gymnastics, making dinner, etc.

Tomorrow (3/09) is on the books for a 10-mile Tuckahoe run, likely a mud-hopping run, based on rain last night and today. Looking forward to enjoying the trails, getting dirty, and hopefully beginning another three run week.

Stay tuned for a post early in the week about the new book Barguments, by Oxford native Doug Hanks, and how a local "bargument" that went on for about a year--Who would win in a race, a swimmer swimming across the Oxford Bellevue Ferry route on the Tred Avon River, or a car, driving the speed limit, driving around from Oxford to Bellevue?--inspired me to take on the only swimming "race" I've undertaken to date. Swimmer vs. car, next on the 4-1-Run.

50 Mile...RELAY this year

The mountains of New England could be calling again. Hard not to want to get back there! The White Mountains of New Hampshire, view from Osgood Trail.

After the JFK 50-miler this past fall, I promised myself and my wife that I would lay off the really long stuff for a year. My running/racing plans for 2008 are based around 10-milers and half-marathons. Running 50 miles is not on the radar screen... unless, that is, it is done as a 3-person relay.

Mike Keene is in triathlon mode this winter and spring. He is a mad man swimming, biking, and running, working up to the Eagleman half-ironman in Cambridge in June. He was talking to a product developer at Ibex (unpaid plug, they make some of the most comfortable, coolest clothes on the planet for running, backpacking, biking, you name it; I ran JFK in just a short-sleeve Woolies t-shirt and Zephyr zip t-neck up top, 11+ hours from 29 to 42 degrees; and they are having their winter sale at the moment), who gave a hearty endorsement of the Vermont 50 races--50 mile mountain bike, 50 mile run, 50K run, 50 mile relay. Without really giving it much thought, we had a co-ed team willing to toe the starting line.

The course for the relay is three legs: leg 1 is 12 miles, leg 2 is the hilliest and longest at 22 miles, and leg 3 is 16 miles. Keene draws the second straw with me running anchor. Not sure this is going to happen, registration opens in May, but it looks like an absolute blast, with the start and finish at a mountain resort in Vermont, which means family can come along and enjoy themselves.

If you plug around the website and look at the course topography, there is some substantial elevation change, which you would expect in New England. So stay tuned, and maybe even think about pulling a team together for late September.

In news closer to home and present, I have only been averaging one or two runs per week, in the 8-10 mile range. My running times are staying in a reasonable zone: I did a 10-miler two weekends ago in 1:26:14 and my 7-miler this past Saturday in 59:20, without pushing hard, so keeping in the 8-9 minute mile range over middle distances. Looking forward to getting a trail run in this weekend.

A special shout-out and get well soon to our boy Stephen Bardsley, whose consecutive day running streak had topped 400, and who was only stopped by appendicitis and an emergency appendectomy. Stephen is an inspiration--I will NEVER run every day for more than a year, or even half a year--and was training to go sub 3:30 at the B&A trail marathon this weekend, which the smart money says he would have done hands down. I can only guess that Stephen is an impatient patient, who is antsy to get back on the road and trails. You'll be out there soon, ace. A speedy recovery and much needed rest to Bardsley.

Woody Sighting: Austin Marathon Report

James "Woody" Woodring (right), a thru-hiker we met on the Appalachian Trail who had St. Michaels connections, is now a marathon man.

Readers of the 4-1-Run may remember the encounter Keene and I had with Woody, the AT thru-hiker whose grandmother lives in St. Michaels. We were inspired by Woody's quest, his mentality, his humor, and his stories. We were even more surprised when he called us on his way to St. Michaels, and shared dinner with us at the Keene residence in Wittman.

Well, Woody has gone and run himself a marathon. The Austin Marathon in Texas, to be exact. He recently e-mailed a report to friends and family, which I happily pass along below. As far as we can tell, Woody did not strap on his 20-pound backpack before the race.

Austin, TX

"I awoke super early, around 4:45, stretched, ate a light breakfast of oatmeal and grapefruit, and hopped on my bike. I pedaled downtown, arriving an hour before race time. Much excitement and energy in the air! After a futile attempt to rendevous with my cousin Natalie, who also ran the full marathon, I found myself being left behind as the crowd surged forward at the start of the race. I jumped a divider fence and began the run with what I figured was my pace group.

"What a stampede it was! As we made our way south on Congress street, slowly breaking up like thawing ice floes, the street went lower and lower in until I was in kind of an elevation trough, where I could see 12,000 people in front and back of me. Amazing! I was exuberant at the beginning, emotions and endorphins running amok. I remembered what I had read about starting off too fast and burning out too quickly, so I made an effort to find my pace despite being caught in the massive flow. It was at this time that I realized I had jumped in the line far ahead of my pace group, when a pace runner ran by waving a sign that read 3 hr 30 min. Too fast! As I was aiming for a 5 hr pace, I slowed wayyyy down and before long found my happy place.

"As the sun rose, the street became littered with hats, gloves, shirts, and warm ups people shed in an attempt to cool down. Before long, the half-marathon-ers split off from our group, and the runners spaced out considerably. Some people began to converse, others grimly set their jaw and looked straight ahead. At every mile marker or so, volunteers had set up tables stacked high with cups of water and sports drinks to rehydrate runners as they pounded by, not to mention the medics who handed out bits of vaseline, of which the importance is not to be underestimated when running long distances. There were also many bands, singers, drummers, and cow-bellers along the way, setting a rhythm and boosting spirits with their energy. They played a marathon of their own. What a blessing to have so many supporters lining the roadsides to encourage us, or at times, to keep us herded in the right direction ;)

"I stuck to my plan, hitting up every hydration stop, as well as slowing to walk at least once every mile, 30 seconds on the odd miles, 1 min on the even miles, which worked superbly. I pushed myself harder than I ever have before. At the end, when the experience was most intense, I seemed to be detached, running on a cloud, albeit a painful one, and as I went down the home stretch, the noise of the crowd and announcer was like a muffled ocean in the background. All too soon, it was suddenly over. At 11:37, I crossed the finish line, making my chip time 4:33. Not bad, when my goal was simply to run and finish.

"My cousin Natalie was right behind me the whole race, though I didn't see her until after we both had finished because I couldn't hobble back up to the finish line in time to see her cross. Although it is a wonderful thing to run with someone, as opposed to alone, we each have our own race to run, our own battle to fight, and we were both very happy to share our individual experiences afterward.

"Now I must rest my body, and look forward to new goals. Luckily, my cousin Eric made that one easy on me today, and proposed the idea of the Beach to Bay Marathon in Corpus Christi in May. What can I say? I'm hooked."

Congratulations to Woody and his cousin Natalie! What a great accomplishment. We will try to boondoggle Woody into coming up to Maryland for a race. Who knows, he might turn into one of those nuts who wants to do 50 marathons in 50 states.

Tuckahoe 10-Mile Challenge

A washout at the bottom of the Turkey Hill trail made crossing over to Little Florida a wet affair, with three log crossings and a fast-water fording to boot.

Sometimes you get more than you reckoned out of a run. Perfect temperature, in the low 50s, sunshine, and a perfect scene for a trail run. I had determined that I was going to do our 10-mile loop, knowing that conditions at a water crossing could be tough. Tough was a washout, turning one log crossing into three, and the normal scamper into a thigh-deep river fording. It couldn't have been more fun.

And while I was running, like a breakaway touchdown in Oxford churchlot football, a challenge came to me. A gauntlet that needs to be thrown down. So here it is, with particulars.

The Gauntlet: The Tuckahoe 10-Mile Challenge

During the last couple years, I found, and a number of us have developed, a GPS-measured 10.1-mile loop, with great singletrack, views, terrain, hills, and a water crossing that can be made with or without the scamper-log. I am issuing an open challenge to run the Tuckahoe Ten, with a group, or on your own, any time during 2008. Let's laydown a course record and have a beer-beque, pint party at the end of the year, for everyone who completes the challenge, with a special award for the person(s) who own the course record at year's end. Some trail runners' honor will be involved, and I would encourage those who haven't been to do an orientation run with someone who knows the ropes.

The Course

Recommended parking is by the lake, or at the recycled-tire playground. The start is Tuckahoe Valley Trail, which encompasses the first 4.5 miles of the course. Notable here, you need to take the Creekside Walk spur, which adds some scenery and distance. And you want to take the full TVT, not the high-water pass, which takes you away from the bridge.

At the end of Tuckahoe Valley, you simply follow the trail through a field trail, along telephone poles, until you reach the Creekside Cliff Trail (one of my favorites). You take Creekside Cliff from end to end, taking a hard left onto Turkey Hill Trail, which takes you down into the bog. Most of the time, this is easily passable, with one water crossing, again generally shimmy-able along a large, downed tree, but crossable without in thigh-high water.

Turkey Hill connects to Little Florida, which winds to Griener's Fishing Road. The dirt road for about 75 yards, takes you back to the river and Pee Wee's Trail appears to the left. Take Pee Wee's, making sure to take the sections of the trail with the horse circle-slash (Stephen Bardsley takes the horse section, which cuts the course short) sign, out to the road.

Hang a right on the road and you will be completing a loop back to where you started. The finish line is the far side of a wooden bridge, next to a dam, where there is generally folks fishing.

The trails are all well-marked, with not too many places where you have to make a decision. At decision points, there is adequate signage to keep you on track. Having said that, I am going to make a run down there with some eco-friendly, sustainable means of marking the course, with paint/flags, signs, etc.

The Rules

Start your watch at the beginning, stop it at the end. NO STOPPAGES during the run, not for bathroom, not for equipment adjustment, not for going off course, not for running into someone and chatting. The conditions are the conditions, so you get what you get. A case in point, today I ran the course as quickly as I can recall. But because I spent 10-12 minutes with stream crossings, picking the trail back up where it was submerged, taking pictures, and re-tying my wet shoes, my end of the day time was 1:47:55. Not one of my faster times, despite running hard. The conditions dictate your time. It's all part of the course.

You've got to run the full course, then either post your time on the blog as a comment, or email me or one of the yahoo groups (Annapolis Trail Runners, Talbot County Tri, whatever), so I know to both include you as a Tuckahoe Ten Challenge finisher, and to keep track of whatever course record comes out of the challenge.

Rationale/Swag

Versus a road run, the course is a challenge. It's got just about everything a good trail run could ask for, and it's a reasonably well-kept secret here. Today, I passed a few mountain bikers, some trail horse riders, and dog walkers. Depending on time of year, there may be hunters, and there are often folks fishing. For you roadies, it is a chance to get your shoes muddy and run like a kid. For those already running trails, it's a new trail to tackle.


Haven't decided on the swag, though we will find something cool for the course-record setter, perhaps chip in for shirts for all those who complete the challenge. And a fun, end of year party with pints of good beer and cheer. And the journey itself is the thing.

Gettin' To Steppin'

For those interested, who want to have a crack at the course with someone who has run it, you can holler at Mike Keene (Wittman), Stephen Bardsley (Stevensville), or me (Easton). I'm happy to get a few group runs going. And we could even think about a Fat Ass rules race out there, one loop, or two.

To give some reference points for course records, I have a log-book note that Keene, Bardsley, and I ran our first group run for this course in 1:36:46. Pierre Bernasse and I ran it over the summer, in really dry conditions, in 1:39. Mike Keene and Jim Crowley ran the course last weekend in 1:41 and change. I think I would have challenged the record today, with different conditions. If Bardsley drops the hammer, I believe he'll be down around 1:30, or high 1:20's. I'm not sure what's gonna stick as a record this year, but I look forward to finding out, and to the challenge.

Sunday Training Partner

The Golden Low-rider, 7-year-old occasional training partner, Ivan is still the fastest runner I've hit the woods with. If I lose the leash, it is a scene straight out of Chevy Chase's film "Funny Farm."

I've never tried running with my nose to the trail. I can tell you though, it seems pretty fast when getting pulled down a hill by an overzealous canine training partner. Whenever I take our Golden Retriever Ivan for a trail run, I always try to pick up pointers.

I've had people tell me that I run downhill like a nut, which feels accurate at times, and during JFK and some other trail races, I tend to pass people quickly while descending. Some of this credit goes to Ivan, who drags me down hills, causing me to have to look, react, and step pretty well instantly. When I go back to running solo, or with a human counterpart, the hills roll by underfoot fairly naturally.

Mike Keene reported that he and Jim Crowley, running on Saturday, found sections of trail out at Tuckahoe State Park, still snow covered and untrod. By Sunday at noon, mountain bikers and the sun had negated that effect, but 40 degree temperatures made for some trickling water from the snow melt, on top of solid ground--conditions that make running a blast.

I ran into a hiker atop a hill on the Tuckahoe Valley Trail, that we usually crest at about 30 minutes into a run. We are usually walking forward, tipping water bottles, but with Ivan, I was planning to turn around at that point and double-back to another trail. The hiker was coming up a different side of the same hill, on a trail I had never noticed before. Go figure, after countless times there over the past three years.

Ivan and I dove down the new side, which cuts back around to the Tuckahoe Valley Trail, making for a wicked circular trail for hill repeats. I can foresee a grueling battle with that hill preparing for bigger hills in spring, summer, and fall races.

This time last year, Keene and I were two weeks out from the Holiday Lake 50K++, our first ultra marathon. We had a 20-mile run, followed by two 15-to-17-milers on back-to-back-to-back weeks. I have to say I miss the time on the trails, as well as the challenge of having something we hadn't done before ahead of us.

2008 is a different year for me. My longest run of the year has been 10.1 miles (Mike and Jim had a Garmin with them, that measured our normal run at 10.1 miles). My radar screen races this year look to be 20 miles and shorter, giving me more time to focus on the home front and weekend adventures with the A-Team (Anna and Ava). I hope to emulate Richard Louv and his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, on that front. Our girls will stay outside as long as we let them. I will likely log less miles, but find more acorns; at times trade the runner's high for the father's high of skipping shells at the Oxford Park (worth noting - I haven't been neglecting the young'ens to be running, we do these things anyway!--just more so this year).

Both running and fatherhood feed my soul, one with a mango juiciness, the other with a pan-fried catfish in creole sauce sustenance. I need both for my palette.

I think a couple unique trail running adventures may be shaping up for late summer and early fall. I will be elaborating more on each before long here.

In the meantime, Ivan and I enjoyed a solid hour run in the woods on Sunday. Saturday night and Sunday night, were friend and family birthday parties for Anna's 6th birthday, which is Thursday. Not a bad attempt at balance, at least for one weekend!

B2B Not To Be

The site of the finish of the extreme--i.e. sideways snow and freezing rain and gale winds in April--Bridge to Bridge run, as well as the official race in 2007.

Let's get a couple of apologies out of the way. First, hate to go for an extended period of radio silence here. Second, all indications are that there will be no Bridge-to-Bridge Half-Marathon in 2008.

Last year saw a great runner turnout for a first-year event and folks left happy and excited for an annual event. My hope is that that can/will still be a reality, but it won't be on the calendars for April 08. The Museum is (rightly) focusing efforts, time, and resources to build Bay Day, on April 19, as well as other events throughout the year. Many on the staff and volunteers are sad to let it go, but it is difficult for an understaffed non-profit to really focus on a road race with so much going on.

Happy to speak further to anyone who has questions. In the meantime, I'd love to see a mess of local runners due an informal training run out of it, perhaps even a Fat Ass rules (no entry fee, no finisher's prizes, no whining) half and/or full marathon run this spring.

The other thought I had about trying to keep the race alive, would be to work with the St. Michaels school sports boosters group, who holds the 5K race during Fall into St. Michaels weekend, last in October. We could work with them to move the B2B run, and help them make it all happen. The trouble with that idea is that the fall is a busy race schedule--Baltimore, Marine Corps, Army 10-miler, etc. Curious to hear thoughts from folks on any front, including turning it into a fall race.

In the meantime, there is all the more reasons to get out there for the Adkins Arboretum trail 10K and the Oxford Day 10K in April. I look forward to being able to actually run the Adkins race.

Managed a cold, windy 54 minute, 20 second run on Sunday, running with Mike Keene on his Wittman home course, which put us through fields and right on the water on a 25 degree, probably more like 10 degree with windchill morning. Absolutely fantastic. Winter running gives life--cold life, but eye-opening, heart-pumping, WHHOO! life. Hope to find more of those in short order here.

On Running: The Perks

Running trails in late December in Maine looks a little different than it does on Maryland's Eastern Shore. A view of Christmas/New Year's trail running from Wood Frog. Photo by Mike Keene.

I would run in the snow every day over the winter if I could. I only lack the snow to be able to pull it off. I always look forward to our trips to the Pittsburgh/Butler, PA, area, both for seeing my wife's brother and our nephews, but also to see and run again on the trails near his house.

Returning from his family's trip to Maine at the end of 2007, our friend the Wood Frog writes:

"When I run I do the whole trip on foot making exactly a 5 miler; to the Point trailhead is 1.4, around the main old farm road trail is 2.2, and return is 1.4. I can add a few more miles if I take the various, more challenging side trails. It is a beautiful system of trails, though much smaller than Tuckahoe. However, if I ran all the trails at one time I could make for about 5 miles within Dodge Point.

"...It was a windless, sunny, 35 degree early afternoon. The snow cover was a mixture of packed snow, uneven post-holed foot prints, and ice. We easily managed a 9 minute pace. Our talk was easy, too, not delving into anything too deep. She truly seemed interested in "run" talk; form, pace (she asked if we were running at my normal pace), and distance. It was a good event for us both and a good first-time trail-running experience for Eleanora. I hope that is the start of many she is to enjoy through out her life."

Mike's words sat, and still sit, with me both for being transportive, and because Eleanora is his older daughter, who asked him to go for a run (a trail run, no less!). I would never wish my own girls' childhood away, but the idea of going for a run with Anna or Ava would make for a life moment for me. Who knows if either will take to running--I know many runners' children who don't--but I can at least hold the picture in the meantime.

Keene also has two daughters. They are 12 and 14--older than our girls, which makes sense since Mike is also old ;)--they are both incredible athletes, and Olivia, the younger, regularly runs and wins her age group in 5K races. I enjoy watching and hearing about the Keene girls and wondering what the Valliant girls will end up being like at that age. Hopefully not still chasing the cat around the house. I hope I will take them running. Better, perhaps they will take me running.

I am two runs into 2008, both shorter than I originally hoped. I ran my 4-mile Rails-to-Trails route on New Year's Day in 33:32, without pushing the pace. And this past Sunday morning (1/06), I got in an 8-mile run in 1:11:27, after starting slow and running negative splits, with a good stride and pace, especially over the last two miles. It was one of those runs that started in the dark and had me running as the sun came up. That is one of the great perks of an early morning run.

So here's to running as the sun comes up in 2008. To running new trails and returning, at least with new eyes, to familiar trails and roads. To travel and running new places. And to running with family and friends. In the snow, this winter, when possible.