wildknits

Righteous Real Ale.... the explosion

2012-01-16T09:25:00.004-06:00

A new batch of beer was created yesterday, just as we are finishing up the Christmas beer. Fermentation started quickly and was quite vigorous. I expressed a bit of concern about the quantity of hops that could be seen at the top of the carboy but Mr. Wildknits seemed to think all would be fine.

I woke up this morning to find this:

The power of fermentation...

Hops on the kitchen ceiling.

Back in it's container, having cleared its throat of hops.

We slept through it. Which is a bit surprising as we have had a similar explosion in the past and it is quite loud. We live in a small house (some would say tiny at 800 sq ft) so it seems reasonable that we would have heard this.

Some of the hops have been cleaned up, the carboy was put back to rights and fermentation is progressing - still quite vigorously.

There is rumor a bock may be brewed up for this spring....

A Different Sort of Wrap-up of 2011

2012-01-02T21:57:00.023-06:00

I think my audience is split between runners and knitters - not sure which dominates, but would guess runners at this point. So, apologies to you folks as I post about some of the knitting I have accomplished in 2011.

I believe every infant born in a northern climate should have some woolies to wear. So I started 2011 off by knitting a Baby Surprise Jacket for some dear friends expecting their first child.

Then there was the experiment in knitting toe socks, from the "toe" up. I heavily modified a pattern I found on line for these socks.

Somewhere in the midst of all this knitting I did get out for some runs, and soccer, and in the process ended up with a stress fracture of my right fibula (which I was in denial about for far too long, which just delayed healing). This did mean I had more time for knitting which worked out well as by late April I was inspired to embark on a rather large project.

I finished this shawl/stole with just the amount of yarn leftover pictured above. I love being able to do this! Once done and blocked I used this as a reason to take a little road trip via motorbike to deliver the shawl in Ely and then visit friends in Embarrass, MN.

In between all the knitting I managed to volunteer at a race or two (if you can't run, or even if you can, you should volunteer!) and to co-host my youngest daughters wedding (at a state park, in July... the shutdown ended two days before her wedding date - whew!!!). As I had chosen a sleeveless dress for the wedding I thought it would be prudent to finish up a shawl I had knit for myself, just in case the weather was cool.

Here it is blocking (being stretched to it's final dimensions). Turns out I was right to have gotten this done as the day of the wedding we woke to storms and temps in the upper 50's/low 60's.

L to R: Miss G; Miss S, Son-in-law E, Mr. Wildknits, Wildknits

In the midst of wedding preparations I was also working furiously on another baby sweater for a co-worker (nothing like working in worsted weight wool in July and August). It accompanied me on a camping trip to the Gunflint trail

and was finally finished a month or so after the babes arrival, but in plenty of time for colder weather.

I also managed to sneak a trip to Isle Royale in this fall. And, as always, my knitting came along. I find socks or hats to be perfect island knitting. This pair was cast on right before the trip and finished off shortly after - with only a yard of yarn to spare!

In October it was time to get to work on a hat to donate to the NMTC trail series (I also threw in another pair of socks somewhere in here). I had picked up a lovely skein of yarn dyed in Duluth and whipped up my basic hat pattern.

I went to a talk at the studio where this yarn was dyed and managed to come home with 5 skeins of yarn. Something about "buy 4, get one free" and yarn fumes overcame me I guess. With so much fun yarn around (as if I don't have a stash that takes up two plastic totes plus overflow) I found myself designing like crazy and knitting was flying off my needles. First a scarf in a silk/merino blend; seen here in the initial pattern writing process:

and here after blocking

Little Arrowhead Lace Scarf

Then a hat from a pattern I had written several years previously and have always wanted to reknit. This turned out to be a study in color, and how what may look like high contrast yarns in the skein may not turn out to be so once knit up. Still, though the pattern is hard to discern, I really like the hat. It is also a silk/merino blend and quite warm.

In late November I was "commissioned" to knit a shawl for a friend and co-worker for Christmas. Initially I wasn't sure it would be possible, but with the right yarn and some serious seat time I was able to finish it in just over a week.

Then it was back to another scarf I was working on, this one in a fingering weight merino.

Ploughed Acre Scarf

I finished that just before Christmas and cast-on for a pair of socks in a colorway that, it turns out, just wasn't quite what the recipient was looking for.

I ripped those out and, in desperation for a way to use that yarn, searched through my pattern library and found a hat I had been meaning to knit for years.

In process, about 2/3 completed, worked from the top down. Cross-Country Chullo

I spent New Years' Eve blocking the two scarves in order to finish them before 2012 and also working on the hat which has me intrigued (I am a sucker for colorwork, it is right up there with lace as endlessly intriguing to me). Today I took advantage of the sun to take pictures of the scarves and hat before heading off to meet friends for a late lunch.

OTC (obligatory training content):

I am back to running regularly with no, apparent, ill effects from this years early season injury. I managed to get to 1,000 miles this year and celebrated that milestone with a friend on a lovely Christmas Eve run on the SHT in Duluth.

See you on the trail in 2012!!!

Afton Fat Ass - 2011 edition

2011-11-30T08:50:00.003-06:00

May get around to saying a bit more about this in another post, but for now here are the pictures I took along the way. What a blast!! It is the most fun I have had running/hiking/climbing in a long time.

Afton Fat Ass 11/26/11

On the knitting front

I have been busy knitting. Finished the project I was commissioned to knit in a week (gotta love the combination of big yarn and needles). Finished the scarf I had posted about earlier and cast on a new project on the drive down to Afton (thanks Craig for driving!!) and got a row done at the post-run gathering and a bit more on the drive home before it got to dark to knit. I am resurrecting a hat pattern I designed years ago; back in the days when I taught knitting retreats on a semi-regular basis. It incorporates a bit of mosaic knitting into the band. I am using some more of the wonderful locally dyed yarn I picked up recently (Three Irish Girls Wexford Merino Silk, in two one of a kind colorways).

I have a sock project in mind as well (or two or three - they are the perfect carry along project). I am not sure why the sudden burst of knitting creativity, but am enjoying the time I am spending with yarn and needles.

Update

2011-11-19T21:39:00.012-06:00

It has been pretty quiet around this blog of late.

Running

I ran Surf the Murph 50K on October 29th. My stomach was fine, my mind.... well, I struggled. Thanks to friends, volunteers and other runners for keeping me going and getting me back out for the second loop when I was considering a drop. Found some motivation the second time around by picking up all the litter left by runners (there is a rant brewing...). At the last aid station I went out with Marty, who would go on to win the 50 mile race. He got me moving a lot faster and I stuck with him as long as I could, though eventually couldn't keep up the pace as we hit the hills on the northern side of the park. As I caught sight of the finish line I looked at my watch: 6:59:23... could I sprint in for a sub-7 hour finish?!? You bet!! I made it with 5 seconds to spare.

Surf the Murph is about costumes. And there were some great ones out there.

50 miler, Rick Bothwell, upon receipt of his hot fudge sundae at Natchez Aid Station.

I am a bit lame about dressing up, but managed to rummage about the house and find a soccer referee uniform, complete with whistle and cards.

Emptying garbage out of my pocket at the Horse Trailer Aid Station - Loop #2

A few folks got to see the cards in use as I issued yellow cards to: Helen for misidentifying me as a football ref (she meant American Football) and Marty for lapping me. Red cards would have been shown to anyone I caught littering!!

This was a long 50K - 33.92 miles. I managed to miss a turn the first time round (that is what I get for ignoring the hints the race directors gave in the form of flagging and orange paint), so may have actually run 34 miles. The dry weather led to a very firm surface and by the end of the race my knees were letting me know they had had enough. I could have easily worn road shoes on this course and may keep that in mind for the future if it is this dry.

Surf is a great race, well organized and the finisher's "award" was inspired. A wooden plaque that we branded with our race distance. The race organizers and volunteers are awesome and I don't think I can ever say thanks enough for the time and effort they put in to making this event happen.

Looking at my running log in early November I realized I had accumulated 800 miles despite being out of commission for much of the spring. This made me think reaching 1000 miles in 2011 was feasible, so that is now my goal. In the meantime I feel like I am finally back in shape and have been running well. Now to maintain that fitness through the winter, avoid injury, and be ready to race next year.

Knitting

With the return of cooler weather, and some new yarns as inspiration, I have been knitting a lot. Amongst the recently finished objects are a hat

(donated as a prize for the Fall NMTC Series awards) and a pair of socks, finished just in time to wear at the UMTR AwardsFest. I immediately cast on a scarf with a lovely merino wool/silk blend yard. Which I then proceeded to rip out several times while I redesigned the pattern.

I finally settled on Little Arrowhead Lace, a pattern that I found in a Barbara Walker Treasury. This seemed appropriate as the yarn was dyed in Duluth. The pattern was inserted into my basic scarf recipe and, when blocked, will result in a nice open fabric.

This project has been set aside briefly while I work on a shawl commissioned for a co-worker. In the meantime I have stumbled upon another pattern that has me eager to get out the double point needles again.

Outdoors

Daylight is a limited commodity at this time of year and I am learning to adjust to spending much of my time not at work in the dark. We have had an extended mild fall season and just got our first accumulation of snow. With the advent of snow comes a whole new way to experience the natural world. Animal tracks were abundant this morning on my run at Jay Cooke State Park and it was fun to see a hint of who else was using the trail. In one section, there must have been a smammal convention, as tracks were very abundant.

Now that the temperatures are dropping it is less likely that bears or raccoons will be roaming our neighborhood. This means I can put the bird feeder up and welcome back the resident flock of chickadees. I am a bit surprised they haven't been looking in the door already - they are usually pretty adamant about their supplementary food source.

In addition to regular visits by birds our yard is, unfortunately, frequented by deer. They wreaked havoc on the garden this year and are so immune to our presence it is hard to get them to run off no matter what we do. The rabbit population seems to be down and the other night I got a hint as to why when I saw a fox run up the hill. Yeah for predators!!!

Wild Duluth 50K - 2011 edition

2011-10-18T09:00:00.017-05:00

Well, I could throw out lots of reasons for my performance this year:

- injury in February that hampered any real training until June

- work stress (first week of "Go Live" on our new EHR - electronic health record - coupled with weeks of being short-staffed)

- surprise visit from a family member that changed my 'night before the race' plans drastically

- middle of the night GI issues

- minimal training (in my opinion) for this distance

I went into this race with a goal of finishing between 6 - 7 hours. Six hours was very optimistic, but I had run close to that at the Superior 50K a couple of years ago, so not impossible. Seven hours was an acknowledgement of my training effort and current condition. Runs leading up to this race were mixed, making it hard to really judge my fitness level. I was sure I could at least match my time on the course from my first year of running ultras, so there was my third time goal. Over all though I just wanted to have fun and not have a mental bonk. I looked at this as a time to rest my brain... life is pretty simple on the race course - eat, drink, run, walk.

Friday I helped flag one section of the course which allowed me to stretch my legs a bit after a week of tapering and clear my head after a very stressful day/week of trying to care for patients and learn a new charting system. Along the way I saw:

- a very large hawk perched on a log, finishing off a meal. It stuck around quite awhile, but flew off before I could get my phone(camera) out of my pocket. I was within 10 - 15 feet of the bird and my best guess was that it may have been a red-tailed hawk;

- a garter snake, curled up on the trail near one of the bluffs, I managed to capture a picture before it disappeared into the grasses;

- a ruffed grouse, running down the trail ahead of me.

My friend Sam met me near the end of my section, helped with the final bit of flagging and then gave me a ride back to my vehicle. From there it was a quick dash to race headquarters to drop off flagging supplies and say hello to friends. I thought I was heading to a pre-race pasta party but it was at this moment I got a call from a brother-in-law informing me he was in town (from California!) and wanted to get together for dinner. Off I went to meet him at a local restaurant. We had a great visit and then it was time to head home and prep for the race (by now it was past 9:00 pm). Thankfully Mr. Wildknits had agreed to crew for me and was willing to be at every aid station as needed, so I didn't need drop bags. Instead I packed up the red backpack with everything I thought I would need for the day, and added additional items (first aid kit, S-caps) to a small bin.

I was up for good at 4:30 am to have coffee, eat breakfast and finish getting ready for my race. Shortly after 6:00 am I hiked up the hill to the SHT to cheer on the 100K runners as they passed by. The moon was so bright that I didn't need my headlamp. What a beautiful morning! I was able to see most, if not all, of the runners pass by before I had to head back down to the house for a ride to the race start.

This race has really grown in three years! Once runners were checked in and race instructions given, we were off. I was feeling pretty good and tried to keep things easy as we ran along the trails in Jay Cooke State Park to our first aid station at Grand Portage. Somewhere in this section I realized that I would need to stop and take care of my feet. The area near my bunions was quite painful and I was worried about blisters already. Regretted not applying blister pads to those areas before the race, but had not been having issues in any training runs so didn't think it was necessary.

I came into the first aid station in 53 minutes (5.3 miles), well ahead of my optimistic estimate. Let Mr. Wildknits know I needed the blister pads and ran off to use the "facilities" while he found the first aid supplies. I left the aid station still ahead of schedule.

The section between Grand Portage and Munger Trail/Ely's Peak is one of my favorites and I often head here for training runs. It is 5.7 miles long and, in my mind, broken into two parts, divided by Mission Creek. It is in this section where I anticipated seeing the lead 100k runners - and I was not disappointed. Chris Rubesch came by looking very strong and from then on out I split my time between watching the trail in front of me for obstacles and trying to spot oncoming runners so I could move out of the way as needed.

Knowing the trail gives me a bit of an advantage and I was able to anticipate the aid station and powered in, so I would have a bit more time if needed.

Val and Jen were working this station so it was fun to do a bit of visiting as I checked my hydration pack to see if I needed a refill. I also met up with a few more 100k runners I knew here.

The climb up Ely's Peak is a bear! Especially so when some of the steps are waist high. I offered to let the runners behind me pass, but they seemed content with my pace. This may have led to me pushing a bit more up the hill as I tend to do that when I have someone close behind (I always think I am too slow and subconsciously increase my pace). Near the peak Zach Pierce was taking photos and I had to give him a bit of grief about needing to run and smile near the top of a climb.

Somewhere in this section my stomach started to turn and I could no longer eat or drink. Water was not sitting well, nor were the gels I usually rely on. I slowed considerably while I tried to sort out what was wrong and not make things any worse. I arrived at Magney - Snively (mile 15.3) not feeling well at all. Chicken broth wasn't palatable, but cola, ginger ale and Heed were. I decided if worse came to worse I would walk it in as everything else felt fine.

It is only 2 miles to the next aid station at the base of Spirit Mountain and I focused on getting there in a timely manner without getting hurt (the trail here is quite rocky and mostly downhill). I took Mr. Wildknits words to heart to not think about my stomach (has worked on rough Lake Superior crossings).

It was great to see the crew at Spirit Mountain (Storkamp's, Don Clark, et al) and I downed some more ginger ale and Heed before heading up the trail. My stomach was settling down at this point and I continued to feel strong. Mr. Wildknits had indicated that a few friends were up ahead and were looking forward to me catching up to them. I thought he was just trying to motivate me so was quite surprised to actual see my friend Sam just prior to reaching the drop into Kingsbury Creek. Unfortunately she was also having stomach issues and had slowed quite a bit. My attempts at motivating her were not successful and I was soon running on alone.

This section is quite rolling until it passes under the freeway, then crosses Cody St. There has been a lot of construction in this area recently and there was netting down over straw/fiber that was catching on my shoes. This led to a bit of "high stepping" in order not to trip. After a short walk up Westgate Blvd (someday I will run this stretch) it was onto the Keene Creek Valley and the climb to the Highland & Getchell aid station. I had quite a surprise waiting for me once I made it up the final set of steps, over the barrier and across the five street intersection. Ed and Linda Dallman had driven up from Florida! Ed is one of the people I credit with getting me into ultra running and Linda has been there at many an aid station to tell me to stop whining and get moving.

At this point my stomach was feeling better but I was sticking to liquids from aid stations so as not to risk another episode of stomach trouble. I think I may have taken three pretzels here, but was still not too keen on water so avoided that completely. I think I also gave up my extra flask of gel as I knew I wouldn't be using it. This next section is where I had been flagging the previous afternoon, and is a part of the trail I know well as it is close to home. I headed out, looking forward to the beauty of the woods and the views over Western Duluth and towards Lake Superior.

Soon enough I was descending to Haines Rd, then crossing to the Piedmont Hills. After a bit of rolling trail it was time to descend towards Skyline Blvd and on towards the 10th St reservoir and Lincoln Park and the 24th Ave. W aid station. When I reached the bridge over Miller Creek I found it lined with spectators. What fun! And what a change from last year when I ran (well really walked) this bit in the dark!

From this aid station it is only 3.1 miles to the finish. It wasn't long until I was passing the spur trail to my house, crossing Skyline again (and again) before entering Enger Park, rounding the Peace Bell and then starting the long descent towards downtown and Bayfront Park. I still felt strong at this point and like I could continue on if needed, which was nice in light of my training this year. The finish is interesting, one of the few stretches of pavement, but it is so fun to run up towards the big arch in the park.

My official time was 7:12:02. By far my slowest in a 50K. I did not meet any of my time goals but I did have fun and I didn't crash mentally so I count this as a success.

After having a bit to eat, swapping stories, and cheering in other runners I headed home to clean up, bundle up and head back out to the course to watch for 100k runners I knew. It turned into a late night/early morning but was so worth it to watch friends finish this challenging race.

Sunday I was back out on a race course for the NMTC Hawk Ridge 6k. Initially I figured at best I would be walking much of the first mile as it is uphill, but surprised myself by running the whole distance (thanks Chris for the great chat up the hill!) and turning in a respectable time as well, with a pretty decent finishing kick.

It took most of the week before my stomach was back to normal and I had much of an appetite or a taste for water. I took Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off from running (though did get out for a walk on the trails Wednesday). Thursday's are for running to work so that is what I did, in what may be record time! I did opt out of a run home though as I was still a bit tired and had had two close calls with vehicles that morning and just was not up to battling traffic.

OKC

All this free time has meant more time for knitting. And a good thing as I have cast on, knit, ripped out, redesigned, cast on, knit, ripped out and reknit a hat three times. I know how to get the most out of my knitting dollar! As of now the hat is moving along nicely and should be done in plenty of time for the NMTC end of season potluck and awards ceremony.

Today, rather than running, I headed out with Mr. Wildknits to the Lester Park mountain bike trails. This was my first venture onto these trails (on a bike) in over 20 years. Wow!!! Spectacular! We had a blast and I was smiling ear to ear by the end of our all too short ride. From there it was on to an event at the Three Irish Girls yarn studio where not only did I get a lot of knitting done, but I managed to walk out of the studio with 5 skeins of yarn (hard to resist a merino, silk blend or some lovely merino fingering weight yarn). I must have been overcome by all the yarn fumes in the air....

Tomorrow it will be back to racing, with a 9k (NMTC Roughrider aka the Powerlines to those familiar with the Voyageur course) and then the following weekend Surf the Murph 50K. After that.... well, we shall see what the new year brings.

Wild Duluth 50K

2011-10-16T09:55:00.003-05:00

7:12:02

More details to follow....

Running the Superior Hiking Trail

2011-10-02T19:04:00.001-05:00

Early October long runs on the SHT

What an incredible weekend to run the Superior Hiking Trail!!

Saturday I headed out from Bayfront Park with Wayne to run 20 miles. We were eventually joined by Ron who had started out west. It was quite cold that morning, with frost coating many plants. The clear skies did lead to a lovely day for a run. And temps eventually warmed into the low 50's.

For whatever reason I felt pretty off for much of the run and thought about dropping out more than once. By the time we reached Magney-Snively I was thinking about how nice it would be to sit in the sun while I waited for Ron and Wayne to finish and come back to get me with the car ;->

I persisted (with the support of my friends) and in the next stretch to Ely's Peak I started to feel better and was able to pick up the pace and enjoy the last 5 miles of the run. I ended the run feeling ready to go on - a good sign with two 50Ks pending in the next month.

Today I (along with Wayne and Rick) headed out to a new section of the SHT. I wanted to get in a 10 mile run and it seemed a good time to check out the trail between Duluth and Two Harbors. With a bit of research I settled on the Sucker River to Fox Farm Rd section. It was much warmer today, with temperatures reaching the low 70's on the interior ridges. The trail is surrounded by a forest mostly comprised of hardwoods and the colors are reaching their peak. I spent a lot of time on the outbound leg stopping to take photos and enjoy the scenery.

An out and back course allows you to see new things on the same section of trail. Certain views only become evident when moving in one direction or the other. This was most evident with the campsite which I passed by without seeing on the outbound leg. On the way back it was also easier to enjoy the openings in the trees that allowed glimpses of Lake Superior and the hills between.

The entire run today felt great and I was able to push things a bit, finishing strong. This has me feeling a bit more optimistic about my upcoming races. We ended the day by heading to Knife River and it's beach to ice our legs in Lake Superior.

OKC

Finished sewing the zipper into the Tomten Jacket!

It is ready to be delivered to my co-worker and her new baby. This frees me up to finish off the socks I have been working on and maybe start designing a vest for Mr. Wildknits.

Isle Royale Fall Vacation

2011-09-29T22:25:00.002-05:00

Isle Royale September 2011

What a trip!!

My hiking partner and I decided to base camp and explore the eastern end of the island via day hikes (and runs, in my case). The weather was pretty ideal. It was a relaxed trip overall, just what I needed.

Returned home and left the next day for southern Minnesota and another kind of camping (this time in a state park). Spent the evening helping Larry Pederson flag the route for the In Yan Teopa 10 mile trail race. Saturday was race day. Despite waking up and not feeling really inspired to run I seemed to rally and had a good race.

Next up: Wild Duluth 50K in a little over two weeks. My first ultra of 2011!

August Mini-Vacation

2011-08-25T21:06:00.027-05:00

Took a few days off and headed north to the Gunflint Trail. The original plan was to take the motorbikes on their first camping trip. Thursday night, while performing a pre-trip fluid check on the R65 we discovered:

- the oil in the gear box was pretty nasty looking, requiring a change (which we accomplished, as well as changing the oil in the final drive) and

- the final drive filler bolt had stripped threads.

This meant the bikes would stay at home and I would spend much of Thursday night doing research of fixing stripped threads in a BMW final drive.

Plan B involved loading the Fit (my trusty blue car) with our mountain bikes and way too much stuff and heading north after taking care of some business in town Friday morning. We had left the motorbikes behind due to mechanical issues but ended up dealing with a tire issue on the Fit. While stopped at a scenic overlook midway along the Gunflint Trail we noticed that the left front tire seemed a bit low and would need to be pumped up. Luckily Mr. Wildknits had tossed the full-sized bike pump (as well as the frame pump) into the car. We (well really Mr. Wildknits) spent a lot of time filling that tire in the next two days! We finally arrived at the Trails End Campground and set up camp in the site we had reserved alongside Seagull Falls.

We explored the campground via bike, then headed back for dinner and beverages while we watched the sun set over Gull Lake. The next morning we pedaled over to the boat landing and hiked the nature trail along Seagull Lake. This campground is in the area affected by the Ham Lake forest fire and, while devoid of large trees in many places, the fire was good for the blueberry crop! We snacked our way along the trail which ended at the lake shore where I spotted this tiny little plant. Since my wildflower field guide was back at camp I took photos:

Common Pipewort

and later looked the plant up in my favorite field guide - Newcomb's :

We headed back to camp and after packing up drove down the Gunflint trail with a plan to run the Magnetic Rock Trail.

Mr. Wildknits heading up the trail to the main attraction.

I climbed up on a bit of the rock that had fallen off to lend scale to this photo. I am 5'2" on a tall day.

After our run and a picnic lunch at the trailhead we drove to the Flour Lake Campground. We checked out sites before settling on this one:

It was a bit of a hike in but the reward was a small, private sitting area right on the lake. After setting up the tent we brought the chairs down to the shore and just sat - enjoying the sun, the view, our reading materials and a little bit of knitting:

A White Admiral butterfly (Limenitis arthemis arthemis) took a liking to our gear and hung out with us much of the afternoon.

After this nice break we set out on the mountain bikes to explore the surrounding area. We headed out on some ski trails that link area resorts, but after about a mile turned back as the ground was getting steadily damper (aka boggy). We ended up back on the gravel road, though I kept turning off on side trails until Mr. Wildknits requested fewer detours and more riding ;->

Sunday we packed up and set off for town. But first another run! Our original plan was to explore the Daniel's Lake Trail - a spur to the Border Route Trail. Once we tracked down the trail (the guide was less then explicit on how far the parking area was from the trailhead) and got a look at it we opted instead for the Lima Mountain Trail. This is Minnesota's fourth highest peak at 2,238 feet. It is a relatively short, but steep trail. The run had the added challenge of being overgrown with several downed trees. The best view actually occurred mid-way up on a exposed shelf we traversed. Once we reached the summit we were a bit underwhelmed by the view:

There was an extended family that was also hiking the trail and Mr. Wildknits and one of the guys set off through the underbrush to find the remnants of the fire tower. Mr. Wildknits came back with this little guy (or gal) to share with the kids:

Sphinx Moth species caterpillar

Remnants of the fire tower

USFS electrical "closet". There was evidence of old batteries and electrical hook ups inside.

We finished up the run with a playful sprint down the road back to the parking area. After a bit of exploring in the area, playing with the seedpods of Jewelweed, and a picnic lunch it was time to pump up the tire for the drive into Grand Marais. We stopped briefly to enjoy the view from the Pincushion Mountain parking area, then made the final drop into town and found a gas station with a working air hose for a final filling of the tire prior to the drive home.

One of the highlights of a north shore vacation is a stop in a restaurant for a meal of locally caught fish and chips. We bypassed the Dockside as it was busy and instead headed to Beaver Bay and The Crossings at Cove Point. We had an excellent meal of fresh caught Lake Superior Herring (aka Ciscoes).

The next two day's of our vacation were spent at home taking care of chores, having a new set of tires installed on the Fit, picking up some new to us canoes, and getting in a nice run on the Knife River section of the SHT with some bonus miles for me into the village of Knife River and down Hwy 61 to the wayside rest near Stoney Point.

I headed into work Wednesday very relaxed, caught up on my sleep and, I hoped, ready to dive back in.

Edit: Not sure what is up with Blogger but this last bit was invisible for awhile(sorry - looked okay when writing and missed when posting). I can't explain the font changes. Get what you pay for I guess!

Seen on a Long Run... Part 2

2011-08-13T16:28:00.005-05:00

Thimbleberry!

131 (million) steps. Hard to capture how steep these truly are.

Yes, this is on the Wild Duluth race course.

Field Garlic (Allium vineale) - alien. "Serious pest of lawns,

pastures and meadows" according to Newcomb's Wildflower Guide.

Common Dodder or Love Vine (Cuscuta gronovii). "Parasitic plant with yellow or orange stems and dense clusters

of small, white flowers... Tightly twines around the stems of other plants and absorbs their

sap through tiny suckers." Newcomb's Wildflower Guide.

Sam enjoying a post-run Coffee Creek ice bath.

Small waterfall on Coffee Creek below the trail crossing. This also makes a

great sledding run in the winter when the creek overflows the ice and refreezes.

Hanging out with the water striders, other aquatic insects and, as it turns out, leeches (shudder!)

Downstream view.

Todays run was a bit shorter than planned at 13.1 (or so) miles but did include The Big W and the Piedmont hills. Rather than continue on to Lake Superior for an ice bath (15+ miles), Sam and I decided to play it safe (my schedule called for 14 miles, she ran her first 50 mile two weeks ago) and ran back to Coffee Creek to soak the legs. The temperature was perfect! Cold enough to make you hesitate, but not so cold your toes went numb immediately.

Seen on a long run...

2011-08-12T22:17:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday I left my house, hiked up the hill a few hundred feet and headed west on the SHT. This route involves hills; lots of them! I ran an out and back course with the turn around at Highland & Getchell which is just at the start/end of "The Big W" as the next section (to Magney-Snively) of the SHT is fondly referred to. Along the way I saw:

This rock formation which is large enough for me to crawl into;

Monotropa uniflora

aka: Corpse Plant or Indian Pipe.

Also found raspberries and blueberries which meant I had to take a few snack breaks. It was a glorious morning for a run and I had the most fun I have had in a long time. I ran with a friend and this was his longest trail run ever. Fun to bring someone else into the fold!

Later that day I joined my youngest daughter in her move across the state to Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was a long day of driving but offered us a great opportunity to chat and, once we arrived, to explore her new home together. Sunday, while waiting for the rest of the family to join us, we headed to the Greenway and I ran while she biked. I have never been to Grand Forks so this was a wonderful way to see a bit more of the area and check out the Red River (which was still over it's banks). Finished out the day with a bit of cross-training (aka the moving truck arrived and we unloaded it) and then drove back home that same night. By Monday morning I had logged 22 hours of sleep in 5 days. Not ideal for functioning at work!

Based on a week of consistent running I sent my application in for the Wild Duluth 50K. I decided I should finally commit and hope that this will help keep me on task as far as training goes. I tend to be more motivated when there is a goal ahead of me (and money on the line).

It seems to be working so far as I have logged runs on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (which are for running to - and from - work after all). Tomorrow I will hit the trails again, this time tackling The Big W and many more hills on my way home on a point to point run. Sunday I am scheduled to run again and have yet to sort out where that will occur. I do know my legs are much happier on trails than pavement so suspect I will opt for another section of the SHT.

Orchid!

2011-07-27T20:43:00.005-05:00

Found the "mystery" orchid this past Sunday on my long run. The working identification from botanists at the Minnesota DNR is the white form of Platanthera psycodes (Small Purple Fringed Orchid).

Also seen was Corpse Plant (Monotropa uniflora) just emerging from the ground. Gotta love these flowers! I was lucky enough years ago to witness a bumble bee pollinating them (back in the days before digital cameras - at least in my life).

The dewberries and strawberries are abundant along the trail and the blueberries, raspberries and thimbles should be ripening soon. Perfect supplement to the typical long run fueling options.

Running has been coming along slowly. Seems that I have more "difficult" runs than not, but am hoping that trend will change. The fibula is fully healed, now I need to get the rest of me (particularly the mind) back into the swing of things.

Garlic Scapes

Spent some time Tuesday morning, before running to work, cutting the tops off my garlic plants and weeding the garlic bed. There is some volunteer flax, thanks to the straw I used for mulch last winter, that I am attempting to leave in place so I can gather seeds and increase my flax crop (maybe someday there will be enough to experiment with linen or seed production?). Occasionally I am a bit overeager in my weeding and the flax gets pulled along with the undesirable plants. Tonight we incorporated some of the scapes into dinner (a broccoli, tomato saute served over whole wheat pasta). Yum!

Our cucumbers are producing already and there are zucchinis on the way. The eggplant and tomatoes are flowering as well. I am not sure if the peppers will produce this year - they just don't look all that thrilled with what summer has offered so far. The broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts are surviving an onslaught from the cabbage moth worms with the help of liberal applications of BT. So far (and I dread to even mention it) the deer are staying out of the gardens.

Last week my neighbor shared pictures of the bear that was hanging out in his yard. I am assuming this is the same one that broke through the rope and got into the garbage the other morning. Ah - urban wildlife!

Speaking of photogenic wild animals:

Red Fox Kit

This little guy (or gal) has become a regular visitor to Mr. Wildknits at his worksite. It was born this past spring and at some point sustained an injury to a hind leg. We think it is the same kit the DNR wildlife folks assisted for a time, which may help explain some of his habituation to humans.

Sunday Drive

2011-07-09T23:01:00.010-05:00

Mr. Wildknits and I took the BMW's out for a little jaunt last week. I was excited to check out some bits of Northern Minnesota I have not been to in many years and talked Mr. Wildknits into taking a day off from work to check out some backroads and visit friends. I also had an ulterior motive - I had finished the "secret knitting project" and wanted to deliver it.

We left Duluth and headed north on Hwy 61. After a brief stop in Two Harbors to top off the tanks (there were no gas stations for the next 70+ miles and neither of us is quite sure of the mpg's on our bikes) we headed north on Co. Hwy 2. The road is in great shape, and is pretty straight and wide until after the intersection with Co. Rd 15. Here it takes a bit of a jog and then narrows considerably.

Co. Hwy 2 at the White Pine Picnic Area

Our first destination was the White Pine Picnic Area (part of the Superior National Forest). The pines are old and very tall and some grow so close to the road that they have reflectors marking them to avoid a collision at night.

White pine

This turned out to be a nice area to take a break and explore before heading north to Hwy 1 and then west to Ely.

A couple of airheads in the pines (1976 R75/6 & 1984 R65)

Of course I found a few species of flowers on the short hiking trail:

One-flowered Pyrola (Moneses uniflora)

Common Wood Sorrel (Oxalis montana)

Hwy 1 has a reputation amongst motorcyclists as a fun ride. I finally had enough confidence in my bike handling skills to tackle its twists and turns. Granted, it was not at high speeds, but I would argue that no one should be taking blind curves on a narrow road bordered by bedrock very fast - on two wheels or four. Add on the very real opportunity to see moose and a bit of caution is prudent. Within a few miles I was grinning as we navigated the road. The scenery is amazing!! As we road along I would see flashes of lakes, streams, bedrock and blue flag (wild iris species) amongst the varying hues of green from the trees and underbrush. Since it was a hot day I was hoping the moose were all off hanging out in shady ponds to stay cool.

At one point I noticed a car deep in the ditch to my right. I think it would have been hard to see from the vantage point of a car and wondered about it. There was no where to pull over (no real shoulders) and I had several cars behind me so it wasn't until 6+ miles later that Mr. Wildknits pulled into a side road. He had seen the car as well and we were both concerned that there may have been people still out there. Luckily the road we pulled into was the entrance to the Voyageur Outward Bound facility and there was a staff member sitting in her car in the pullout. She overheard us talking about the situation and volunteered to drive back and check on the vehicle*. She also got to witness my less than graceful attempt to turn on a down sloping gravel road and the subsequent "dismount" (the bike is okay, though windscreen is scratched. I got a lesson in gravel road slow turns and why my Aerostitch jacket was a good investment).

We continued on to Ely and stopped at the local DQ for a snack and to get directions to a friends house. It was time to deliver the knitting project I had been working on since April.

Healing Shawl (Malabrigo Aguas)

We topped off the tanks in Ely and then headed southwest on Co. Rd 21 to Embarrass to visit some friends. It was a nice time playing with a baby,

touring the new chicken housing,

and discovering a new (to us) species of inchworm.

Eventually it was time to head home. We hit Aurora as the town was gathering for it's Fourth of July parade, so had a bit of a detour before we found the road out of town and towards Hoyt Lakes. From there we headed south and then east until we reached Co. Rd 44 (aka Pequaywan Lake Rd). This was another narrow, twisty road through the woods, skirting several lakes and taking us through the town of Brimson (site of the Brimson Sisu run) before eventually morphing into the Normanna Rd on the outskirts of Duluth. At the turn onto the Jean Duluth Rd we stopped for a break. And boy was I grateful!!! I had been trying to telepathically communicate my need to get off the bike for the past 20 miles. Not only was I thirsty but also a bit 'saddle sore'. Mr. Wildknits is much more comfortable on his bike and will stand and ride as needed. I am not there yet and needed a break off the bike before the cross-town journey home.

Junction of Normanna and Jean Duluth Rds

This stretch of Jean Duluth was the worst road we were on all day! At times I thought bits of my bike would rattle off. Fortunately it improved after 5 or so miles and we were back to smoother roads for the rest of the journey. All told we put 232 miles on the bikes that day.

*We have never heard the outcome of the vehicle in the ditch. I am hoping all the occupants were okay (and not still in there when we spotted the car - our worst fear).

Running

Monday, July 4th I headed to Tofte with a group of friends for the Tofte Trek 1ok. This race takes place on trails in the vicinity of Carlton Peak. The first half is all climbing and while it seems reasonable that the second half would then be all downhill I swear I ran a few ascents then as well. This race also has a well-deserved reputation for being muddy. This year, with all of the rain we have had, could have been an epic mud year. As with many small town races on the North Shore, it was also a great opportunity to catch up with running friends - kind of like a running family reunion.

I am still trying to recover from 3 months off related to a stress fracture. While my brain thinks I should be able to jump right in where I left off, my body has other plans. This was a hot race and early on it became apparent that my choice to carry a water bottle was a good one. I ended up power hiking a lot of the ascents in hopes of having something in the tank for the downhill bits. This allowed me to really enjoy the mud puddles! I waded right through the middle, never going past my knees and getting mud splashed all the way up to my arms and chin by the end of the race. I figured I may have been in contention for muddiest runner until I saw a little girl that was taking great delight in stomping through the puddles (she was in the 10k walk - and an inspiration!).

My performance at this race was useful in getting me to drag out some old schedules and get a bit more methodical about my training. I haven't used a schedule for over a year, but since I am essentially starting from scratch I decided it might be nice to have a plan for building my mileage back up to something that might allow for a return to Ultras this Fall.

Knitting

With the shawl delivered it was time to cast on a baby sweater for a co-worker that is expecting in August. I chose the Tomten Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman (6th pattern down). I thought I had the month of July to work on this sweater but learned last week the shower will be this Thursday!! Fortunately I chose a worsted weight yarn and the knitting is progressing nicely, though it will be rare to see me without needles in hand if I am not running, at work, or on the bike.

Gardening

Our transplants finally made it into the garden over the long holiday weekend. Poor things! The broccoli and brussels sprouts were immediately set upon by the cabbage moth worms. This meant a trip to the local feed store for some BT to sprinkle on the plants. I hear that our tomatoes are not too much smaller than those planted out at the normal time (yes the weather has been that bad!). It will be interesting to see what produce we get this year. In addition to the broccoli and brussels sprouts we also put in:

eggplants

cucumbers,

anaheim peppers

hungarian hot wax peppers

three + varieties of tomatoes

(Celebrity, Sungold, and 'cherry mix' - heirloom seeds I picked up at the Landscape Arboretum)

zucchini

These plants join our garlic bed in the front yard terraces. The strawberries are setting fruit and are in desperate need of a good weeding (oat straw is a good winter mulch but leads to a weed issue in the summer).

I had thoughts this spring of giving up gardening when it seemed that the weather was never going to warm up and allow us to work the soil or put the plants out without little tiny jackets to keep them warm. I do still wonder if growing 4 beds of garlic would be unreasonable; it is such an easy crop relatively speaking, and might actually result in enough garlic to meet not only our needs for the year, but also provide 'seed garlic' for the following year.

So Happy to be Running Again...

2011-06-14T22:51:00.003-05:00

I was even smiling when I did a bit of an ankle roll on a steep descent next to a semi-busy road today. Yup - I am that person!

So far this month I am only three miles off my cumulative mileage for April and May. My right leg is feeling fine and I am optimistic the stress fracture is a thing of the past.

Today, though it is not Thursday, I ran to work. It was a beautiful day and it seemed foolish to commute via car. I dawdled just long enough paying bills that I ruled out the longer run I had (rather foolishly really) originally planned via the SHT to Cody street and then to work and opted instead to hit the roads and take the "medium distance" route to work. This involves some hill work. First a climb up the 4 or so blocks to Skyline Blvd and then the 0.8 mile descent at 40th Ave W. This route is a good test of fitness. Can I climb the hill without getting too out of breath, recover quickly for the gentle ascent along Skyline, and then after 2.2 miles it is time for a fast paced descent on a steep hill with semi-decent shoulders, lots of hairpin turns, poor sight lines and, thanks to HWY 35 construction, bumped up traffic.

That descent is the only chance I realistically have of running something close to a 6 minute mile. Wow, is it fun!

After the hill I turned onto some relatively flat roads for a few blocks, then it was down hill again towards work. Today I took a bit of a detour west to stop at a local store to stock up on lemonade and fig bars for my office.

I had one of my fastest times on this course despite making a concerted effort to keep things pretty easy overall. This gives me a bit more confidence in my ability to run a decent 5K in 11 days. I will be returning to Knife River to participate in their Solstice Run on June 25th. This is a fun, small town race held to support the local Recreation Council. I have run there off and on for years and last year set my 5K PR despite the hilly course. This year, due to the stress fracture I was not sure if I would be able to run at all and certainly did not expect to run very well. My last few road runs are indicating that I may be able to pull out a respectable time after all!

This past weekend I had planned to run 7.5 miles as my long run (sticking close to the 10% rule). I joined some friends on the SHT above my house for a nice, leisurely run. When I got home I found a text from a young friend of mine asking if I wanted to join her on an "easy 2 miler". I try to never turn down a new/returning runner so said yes. I ended up logging another 3.3 miles (on roads) which included a climb to Skyline, a loop around Enger Tower and then a descent back to her house (with a wicked little hill thrown in at the end - she seems to have gone to the Gene Curnow School of Running Course Design). The next day I biked to and from work and the legs felt pretty good, even on the climb home.

I am still holding the line at no ultras for the summer, but I am a little more hopeful that I will be racing at Wild Duluth and maybe even something before that.

Thursdays ARE for Running To Work

2011-06-09T23:15:00.002-05:00

Today I ran to work! And back home!

My last run in this series was 2/24/11 (the week the initial injury occurred that after much denial was diagnosed as a stress fracture).

It felt hard! My legs felt slow, my pack felt heavy, and my breathing felt off. I tried to focus on taking it easy yet keeping the pace up (this is a road run so a good opportunity to work on speed).

I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at work in a time that would have thrilled me last year!

The run home was a challenge. The wind was out of the east (off Lake Superior) at 15 mph with gusts of an unknown velocity that were high enough to slow me down almost to a stop. I had only made it a block from work when I was laughing at the absurdity of trying to maintain any type of pace in these conditions.

I chose to use a local hiking trail to climb the final mile up the hill, which allowed a break from the wind and pavement, and then it was back at it for the final blocks to my house (and the 36 step climb to the front porch).

My leg is feeling great (aka there is no pain) and I am hopeful that I will now be able to start building mileage again as well as getting back the conditioning lost over the past 3 months.

I am not planning on running any Ultras this summer but hope to be back for my 3rd Wild Duluth event in October.

Being injured has freed me up to volunteer at even more races and I have been having fun taking pictures at various events and had a blast at Zumbro 100, Chippewa 50K and up at the Spring Superior Races in May where I worked the finish line. I already let Andy Holak know I was available to resume my old post at the Jay Cooke Aid Station for Voyageur. I highly encourage everyone to spend some time volunteering at a trail race!

Other Stuff

Knitting on the secret project is progressing well, though when I discovered a mistake 32 rows back I was a bit heartbroken. 117 stitches per row all ripped back. On the other hand this yarn is a lovely merino that is an absolute joy to knit, so reknitting it wasn't too devastating.

The weather in northern Minnesota has been cool and wet. Very cool, very wet. Spring has been slow to come and while much of Minnesota was sweltering in 100+ degree heat we were barely getting into the 60's here next to the Lake. While I am not a fan of temps in the triple digits I am ready for it to warm up a bit and stay there.

We have yet to get the garden in (and there are frost warnings tonight so I am glad I don't have to be out there covering the plants). The weeds and lawn are going crazy though and there is much to do in the yard to prepare for the vegetables and keep the lawn under control (mowing a slope means you try very hard not to let the grass get too long).

I have had the motorcycle (1984 BMW R65) out a couple of times after successfully changing the oil and filter myself (with much tutoring from Mr. Wildknits) and doing a few other maintenance items. The winter gloves are still in rotation as the temps are just too cool for my fingers otherwise.

Sunday I got out for my first mountain bike ride on the single track at the Piedmont trails. I had already run that morning and my legs were toast! I ended up walking a few more sections of trail than normal.

I have been trying to commute via bicycle as much as possible and figured out a way to layer up that kept me warm(ish) down to the upper 20's. The strong winds this spring have added a bit of resistance training to those commutes as well! I have been enjoying those commutes and plan to keep them in the mix as the summer progresses.

Not much

2011-05-08T19:58:00.003-05:00

Things I have been up to of late:

taking photos at the NMTC Runs
knitting (finished the toe socks, started and set aside a scarf, started and set aside another pair of socks, and now working on a secret project).
checking out what is blooming:

From Chippewa 50K

Watching the new bird arrivals:

White-throated sparrow

Pelicans

What I am not doing yet is running. I spent two weeks in an air cast and taking it very easy. Last Wednesday 15 days after the diagnosis (and many, many weeks after the initial injury)I ran for 10 minutes. No pain!! The next day I continued to be pain free until I squatted down to get a chart off of a very low shelf at work and tweaked the injury site. Apparently the fibula plays a role in this type of movement! The area got progressively more achey as the day went on and I spent time both at work and at home icing it.

Since then I have not run and went back to using the air cast as well (mostly as a reminder what not to do!). Yesterday I walked about three miles (in two separate walks) and today the leg is feeling okay. So, I am thinking if there is no increase in the level of discomfort tomorrow I may try another short run.

Chippewa 50K Photos

2011-04-25T22:57:00.001-05:00

Brief Update

2011-04-21T21:27:00.002-05:00

It turns out I have a stress fracture of my right fibula. And I can blame it on the kick during a soccer game on February 20th. Apparently that set the stage and the following weeks' running did me in.

I fought that diagnosis for quite some time and even managed a bit of running here and there until I finally gave in and got x-rayed. At first we didn't see the bit of fuzziness that indicated the fracture. About two weeks later (with a run or two thrown in - and some bike riding) when things weren't getting any better I went in to see a Sports Medicine doctor. He diagnosed the stress fracture based on exam and another look at the x-rays.

So, I now have an air cast/splint and strict instructions to do nothing running related for two weeks. Biking is okay because:

I do not use clipless pedals (so no twisting of the lower leg) and the trails are too muddy for single-track mountain biking, so I will not be riding any technical trails with a chance of falling/needing to get my foot down in a hurry.

The funny thing is my leg is almost too short for the cast so biking is a bit uncomfortable anyway.

The Spring Superior races are off my schedule. I am being allowed my annual spring trip to Isle Royale because it is 3 weeks away and our intent was to base camp anyway. I will not be running the trails out there as originally planned and was told I had to be "very leisurely". Backpacking is out. Lucky for me it is a perfect time for spring wildflowers and now I have a perfect excuse to dawdle along identifying plants and taking lots of photos.

He seems to think I can be back at it in time for Voyageur - if I behave myself, but no PR's ;->

I am already looking at the calendar and thinking that may - or may not - be reasonable. There is always Wild Duluth 100k to look forward to in October though!

On the bright side, not being able to run for the past 7+ weeks did teach me that I can bike in temps down into the 20's in relative comfort (stole a pair of Mr. Wildknits winter gloves).

My knitting is also getting more attention. I finished the toe socks and promptly cast on another pair of socks, this time using a Nancy Bush pattern from Folks Socks. But right now I am very involved in knitting up a 'secret project'.

Going on four weeks...

2011-03-25T15:26:00.012-05:00

...since my last long run.

It all started on Sunday, February 20th during a soccer game. Two of us went for the ball, I got to it first, the other player got me instead. He caught me just outside of the shinguard and ankle padding on the lateral side of my right leg. Ouch! - but nothing too terrible, happens all the time in soccer. I continued to play with no problems (Can't remember if the kick was in the first or second of the games I played that night).

Monday was a holiday (and normally a day off from running) but friends were in town, so I ran. Nothing too strenuous - 7.5 miles of hilly snowmobile trail (Same route I had run the day before with another friend). Conditions were quite firm, leg felt fine. By then I had forgotten about the kick completely.

Tuesday I ran again. 6 miles on snowmobile trails, still pretty firm so footing was stable. Noticed a sore spot on the outside of my leg and remembered the kick. Again, nothing too bad and soon forgotten.

Wednesday met up with the winter running group for six miles on the Lakewalk. Nice run, solid footing, leg felt fine.

Thursday (which is for running to work) I was feeling a bit tired so opted for the short route. It was icy through the park and I was forced to take it quite easy. I did notice a quick spasm in the calf early in the run, but it quickly resolved.

Friday was a day off from running. Instead I finalized plans for an adventurous long run with my friend Sam in the woods outside of Gooseberry State Park.

Saturday Sam and I headed north. We were going to run the snowmobile trail out of Gooseberry until it met up with the North Shore State Trail. Sam's goal was 18 or so miles. I was happy with 17. We both forgot that we would be climbing a lot as we headed inland out of the park. I could tell I was tired from the jump in mileage that week (my weekly mileage had been topping out in the mid-20's and I had hit 30 by Thursday). To complicate matters, none of the mileage signs seemed to agree with each other, the state park map or Sam's GPS.

The trail was quite firm, but not hard, and the small amount of snow that had fallen the day or so before was well packed down by the snowmachines and groomer. The footing was as ideal as it gets for winter running. I had put screws in my trail shoes for this outing and Sam had her yaktraks on. We encountered very little ice that day (a pleasant change from the icy conditions leading up to this run).

I was definitely feeling the gradual climbs and admit I was a bit whiney at times. Nothing like long gradual uphills to make you feel old and slow. To add to my problem the water tube and bite valve on my hydration pack kept freezing. At the first break I had to stop, take the pack off, disassemble the hose and mouth piece and thaw things out (I quickly learned to tuck the hose/mouth piece into my armpit to keep it warm not just inside my jacket).

As we climbed we left the lake, and the clouds, behind and emerged into the sunlight. It was gorgeous!!! We encountered only 18 snowmobilers the whole time we were out and they were all very generous in sharing their trail.

Sam outside an adirondack shelter along the trail.

Believe this is on a branch of the Gooseberry River.

There was an outhouse off to the left.

At the junction with the North Shore State Trail.

Even in the single digits there was open water along the trail.

My best guess is something in the weasel family - pine martin perhaps?

I love how the photo makes the tracks look raised vs indented.

Fun with shadows

Sam went on ahead as we neared the turn around point as she wanted more miles than I did (and I am slower). This also gave me time to enjoy a break and a snack while I waited for her return. The trails meet up in a open area, so it was nice that there wasn't a wind. The run back to the park went much faster (or so it seemed) and it became evident that indeed we had been running uphill the whole way out!

In the last miles my right lower leg began to hurt. Soon it took a lot of focus to set the pain aside and push on (it helps that we had been out for over three hours and I was ready to be done). As we neared Hwy 61, with each step it began to feel as if something was about to 'give' and I got a bit worried. We made it to the park headquarters and headed to the car to grab our dry stuff and then back to the building to change. I was a bit gimpy at this point, but no worse than I have been after many a long race.

The plan was to stop in Two Harbors for pizza and we found our way to Do North Pizzeria.

By then, despite the clothing change, I was just chilled enough to have lost circulation to my hands. One of the staff was kind enough to fill a glass with hot water for me so I could warm my hands. I think one look at them convinced him I wasn't nuts for the request.

Raynaud's flare (from a different episode - grocery stores can be hell with this phenomenon)

Sam, trying to fit into the frame with the pizza

16" pizza after two runners finish up.

By the time I arrived home my leg was stiff and climbing the 36 steps to the house with my gear was a bit painful. Iced my leg, applied arnica and figured things would be better in the morning.

Sunday I play soccer. I woke up with a lot of pain and unable to descend stairs or walk normally. Not wanting to let my teammates down I thought I could at least show up and stand in front of the goal. I suited up, tried to take a few "running" steps and immediately knew I was done for the night. I couldn't move without severe pain. My lower leg looked normal, no bruising or swelling. But it was incredibly tender to the touch in the area I had been kicked the week before.

What the heck?!?!

That Monday I had a co-worker (PA) check it out as I was a bit worried about a stress fracture. She poked around a bit and thought it was most likely soft tissue damage. So: ice, arnica, rest. By Wednesday the pain was a bit better but I was still limping so I scheduled an appointment with my chiropractor for some deep tissue work. He did an exam and came to the same conclusion - muscle/tendon trauma. Worked on the area for a bit, applied some kinesio tape and said to take it easy for awhile and keep icing. Running wasn't advised but it was up to me. (My legs felt great after the long run - other than this one area - which made it hard to want to take any time off).

I did walk three miles that evening. Painful - but more in a tight muscle sort of way. I took Thursday off (it felt very, very strange not to be running to work!).

Saturday morning (3/5) I met up with friends for a run and then breakfast in a nearby town. It hurt to run, but by taking walking breaks I made it through 5 miles. Once I stopped the pain was constant and I took the 800 mg ibuprofen a friend offered.

Since then I have managed to run only one mile on three separate occasions. Each time the run starts out feeling okay, if a bit painful, and then gets worse with each step. Not good. I have continued getting some deep tissue work and seem to be making progress (can walk down stairs without pain, no longer limping, not waking up due to pain, etc).

This Tuesday I went back in ready to ask for an x-ray as it just seemed like this was taking too long to heal. Often stress fractures/hairline fractures do not show up on x-ray initially so I had not been in a hurry to pay for a procedure that wasn't going to be definitive and wouldn't necessarily change what I was doing. After some discussion (I am not fond of being x-rayed for any reason) I opted for another exam first. My chiropractor noted some "crunchiness" to the tissue (and I continued to have to hold myself onto the table when he was working on the area) and opted to try a new technique utilizing a stainless steel tool. Within less than 5 minutes the pain in the area diminished greatly! Pressure that only a few minutes before had me on the verge of tears was now easily bearable. It was like a miracle. The tape went back on, I left and proceeded to ice the area as often as I could that day.

Tomorrow I get to test the leg. I plan to join friends for a nice short little run (nor more than 3 miles). The area where I was kicked is still slightly tender to touch but overall feels more like a healing sprain than anything else. I am hopeful that things are on the upswing and I will be back in training mode soon. I am also hoping that I did not lose too much conditioning over the past few weeks of idleness.

OKC:

Being idled by injury has freed me up to do more knitting. I am well under way on the 2nd toe sock after stalling out trying to redesign toe #5 and getting the fit just right on the first sock. There will be a separate post on the socks, but here is a sneak peak:

BTW - blogger is acting up and messing with the fonts - not sure why. So, my apologies as I cannot seem to figure out what the problem is.

Toe Socks for the Vibram FiveFinger Crowd

2011-02-18T15:04:00.005-06:00

The latest knitting project - being tested for size

Details:

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Sockin' Sox, Color 002 (60% superwash wool, 25% bamboo, 15% nylon)

Needles: Knit Picks Harmony double point Sz 0 (2.00 mm)

Gauge: 10 sts/inch

The pattern is adapted from one I found online (Ravelry). It has been a bit of a challenge, which is good. These are my first foray into toe-up socks with the added bonus of an invisible cast-on for each toe. Once all of the toes are complete, the "waste" yarn is pulled out and the "live" (aka not on needles and just waiting to slip out and run away) stitches from each toe are then picked up onto needles and joined into one larger tube for the foot.

I started these while out of town so did not have the opportunity to take photos. I hope to get some good pictures of the sock in progress when I start the second one. A handful of toes is a pretty funny sight (okay - knitter humour may be a bit odd I admit).

I had reached the heel when I had the recipient over to try them on for size. Good thing, as the foot was too long. I ripped out the heel, and another 8-10 rows of knitting, picked up the 87 "live" stitches, and got them back on the needles in the right direction. Made me wish for a pair of those cheaters with the LEDs built into the frame.

I am now back at the heel again and will soon be working my way up towards the ankle. But before I get too far along I will have the future owner over for another fitting.

Running:

Plodding along getting in the base miles while I try to decide exactly which races will be on the 2011 schedule. I had a bit of a set-back a week ago when my back spasmed and had me in considerable pain for a few days. Once things had settled down I opted to take it easy (per the wise advise of my chiropractor) and not run (too) long on the weekend.

I am pretty positive that I will be running: Superior 50K, Knife River Solstice Run 5K, Voyageur 50 mile and Wild Duluth 100k. Other possible events include: St. Patrick's Day Human Race 8K; Trail Mix 25K, and/or Chippewa 50K.

Last week for Thursdays are for Running to Work it was -10 F. This week it was 39 F. What a contrast! With the nice temperatures I opted for the long way to work and got a lovely, foggy 6 miler in on almost deserted roads. Drivers were courteous about sharing the road for the most part and I only thought about diving for the ditch once when a car came hurtling around a corner on a very potholed road doing something upwards of 40 mph (really - you think the driver would care about his suspension and tires a bit more). Due to the fog I had my Nathan reflective vest on for added visibility.

Other stuff:

Started planning the spring trip to Isle Royale. Looks like we will be base camping and running on the eastern end of the island this year. Should be the perfect warm-up for the Superior 50K. I hope to get back out there in the fall as I really missed going last year - though canceling that trip allowed me to pace a friend at the Superior 100 and see what that was all about.

Winter soccer season is progressing well. Last week was full of falls and my knees took quite the beating, as did my nose when I took a ball to the face from close distance in the final 5 minutes. The fast pace of indoor soccer is a nice addition to my training regimen and way more fun than doing a similar speed workout on a track.

Not much

2011-02-07T19:50:00.003-06:00

Been a quiet start to the year. Running a bit, knitting a bit, skiing a bit. Went up north to visit some friends and their new baby.

Enzo - 1 week old

He is still too small for the sweater I made for him (Baby Surprise #2) but is obviously cared for by plenty of knitters as there was an abundance of hand knits in evidence. Lucky guy!!

Winter soccer season has started. I am on two teams (women's and co-ed) and usually end up playing at least one or two extra games a night. Each game is 45 minutes long and, depending on the subbing situation, this can mean anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours of playing time. It is a fun league this year with a nice mix of highly skilled to novice players. Indoor soccer is a fast game and teaches a softer touch on the ball and some better footwork and overall ball handling skills. It has also contributed to my being a faster and more agile runner and is a more palatable form of speedwork.

The light is noticeably growing. It is so pleasant to leave work at 5:30 pm and enjoy the last bits of daylight. Such a change from a month ago! The longer days seem to be triggering the chickadees to sing their mating song "fee-bee". We have quite a flock that hang around the neighborhood and visit the feeder at regular intervals. For such little birds they can make a lot of noise. I wish I was better at telling the individuals apart as there is an obvious hierarchy at the feeder. Some chickadees will share, and at other times when a certain bird arrives the rest scatter. That said, when the little nuthatches arrive everyone scatters. They are definitely the 'top bird' at the Wildknits' feeder.

For any of my readers who are interested in trail running:

Time to renew your UMTR membership. See the website for what the group is about and the benefits of membership. For the competitive, there are a number of race series to choose from with distances from 5k on up (not all trail runners are ultrarunners).

Another great source of running information (both trail and road) is Northland Runner. Their range is southern Ontario to northeastern Minnesota and east to the Western UP.

Snowmobile trails are a winter runners friend...

2010-12-26T16:41:00.008-06:00

especially when we have received a foot of snow in the past week and the single-track trails aren't packed down yet.

I live about a mile from the eastern terminus of the Duluth Cross City West Trail and run on it regularly. Today as I contemplated where, and when, to run Mr. Wildknits offered to drop me off at a trailhead (he knows how much I like point to point courses). With a little checking on line I determined that starting at Magney-Snively would result in about a 10 mile run, so we had a destination!

It has been pretty warm lately and the snow is fairly soft so there was a possibility that this run would be more of a slog. Fortunately if it got too bad there were plenty of road crossings that would allow me to bail and take the paved route home.

We arrived at Magney-Snively and it turned out that the snowmobile and cross-country ski trails shared the access route for a short bit. Up the hill I headed and off towards home. The woods surrounding the trail are lovely, and full of small hills. This trail took me into an area of the park I have never been in before and I had a nice time looking around as I ran.

Looking back down one of the hills.

At Skyline Blvd, looking west/back.

Spirit Mountain ski area is off to one side and I would cross an
overflow parking lot just to the left on my way down the hill.

It was as I ran along the trail in the overflow lot (set on top of the plowed up snow) that my left leg broke through and I went down - up past my knee! Thankfully the snow is pretty soft and no real harm was done.

From here it was all down hill, though not before one of the switchbacks brought me within spitting distance of the ski hills' terrain park. Soon I was passing the infamous 131 steps on the Superior Hiking Trail. Can you see them in the following picture?

SHT's 131 steps

Running downhill on a cushion of snow is FUN! The snow was flying off my shoes and I am sure I had a silly grin on my face. Despite my best efforts to warn some dog walkers I think I gave them a bit of a scare as I passed by just before reaching the base of the hill. From here the trail is flat for quite awhile(along an abandoned rail road), before another descent towards the Zoo, and then back onto another abandoned railroad grade.

A long straight stretch of trail. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you can see the
freeway overpass and my ultimate goal at the top of the hill off in the distance.
(Enger Tower is barely visible and I live just this side of it. Seems a long way off, doesn't it?)

The run started around 1100 feet or so and this railroad grade was near lake level - about 625 feet. By the time I finished the run I would have climbed back towards 1200 feet and then descended again to about 900 or so. Yup - hill training; with the added bonus of a soft surface for an extra bit of resistance.

Passing under the freeway

Climbing back up the hill. This railroad trestle is tagged with the neighboring streets name.
The SHT also passes under this trestle just a few hundred feet to the east (right).

Looking back down the trail from the road crossing at Skyline Blvd.
Somewhere near 500 feet of climbing in the past 1/2 - 3/4 miles.

Sign post at the road crossing

Once I arrived at the top of the hill, it was off to the east... and more hills!

I encountered a few snowmobilers while out and they were all very gracious about sharing their trail. Once reaching the trails terminus it was onto the roads (and down the hill) for a little over a mile to reach my neighborhood. The route map can be viewed here.

OKC (Obligatory Knitting Content)

I finished my only Christmas knitting project - a pair of socks - just in time to gift them Christmas morning. That left me free to finish up a baby sweater that has been languishing this past month. And now, I have nothing on my needles (What's that you say? What about those lace curtains?!).

I did download a pattern for some toe-up toe socks. I am thinking about giving them a try as I know a few folks that run in Vibrams and, if the pattern is reasonable, this seems like a good gift idea. Now to get a proper foot tracing....

I also have 5 skeins of a lovely alpaca waiting for the perfect pattern as well as some sock yarn that is insisting it would make a nice shawl if I would only give it a chance.

Edit:

Link to pictures from todays (12/31) run on some of the same trails as detailed above. It was a bit slicker and wetter than last week. Yesterday it was raining - hard. Today temperatures were in the high teens to low 20's.

The shawl was cast on the other day and is well on its way towards completion.

The hunt for a christmas tree...

2010-12-04T16:03:00.008-06:00

Today I headed out to Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center to harvest a balsam for the Wildknits household. Having slept in and skipped my morning run I was ready for a bit of a hike so loaded up the red pack with a Sven Saw, my pruning shears, water, a snack and my camera. My plan was to find a tree that would not only fit in our small house (~800 sq ft) but also inside my car ('07 Honda Fit).

The 18 mile drive out to Boulder from town was beautiful! Trees were still coated with a thick layer of snow. I arrived to find cars parked all up and down the access road and had a bit of a hike in to the staging area.

Christmas Tree Cut Staging Area

The Boulder ELC staff and volunteers had hot chocolate, cookies and chili available in addition to several fires and were very helpful in directing me down a quieter section of trail. I love skiing out here, and spent years skijoring here with my dog Porter and various friends and family.

Pam and Porter - Winter 2006(?) heading back to the warming shack

Today I left the skis at home as there was only about 5 inches of snow and no tracks were set. Besides, my plan was to head off trail and into the woods to find the perfect tree and skis would be a hindrance in the sometimes thick undergrowth and plentiful downed trees.

I walked down the ski trail for awhile, enjoying the scenery and quiet. Eventually I came to an ungroomed trail and used that to access another section of the trail system. From there I headed off into the woods in search of "my" tree.

After ducking under and climbing over a few trees I came into this clearing

and began to look around for a nice little balsam to thin. Many of the smaller trees were bent over from the weight of the snow and I continued to wander around, checking out the various tracks under the trees as I walked. Saw lots of evidence of snowshoe hare, deer and possibly a canid or two.

I wonder who was hanging out under this log?

The frost on this branch is a pretty good clue something has hunkered down in this deadfall lately.

Close by I found the perfect tree! I had given up on the smaller trees and started checking out the taller ones. I was most interested in a nice shaped top and a decent sized trunk (the tree stand won't adjust for the itty bitty trunks of a truly 5 foot tall tree).

The tree was part of a thick stand of balsams all over 10 feet tall. I liked it's shape and that the top wasn't all tall and spindly.

After assembling the Sven Saw I set about clearing the lower branches with my pruning shears and made the first cut. Once the tree was down (dropping a lot of snow on me as it fell) it was time to trim some more low branches and make the final cut on the trunk. I wanted the tree to be around 5 - 5.5' tall as that is a nice height for our house (and would easily fit in my car for the trip home).

"My" tree after final trimming of branches and before final cut on the trunk

Once out of the woods, I headed back to the staging area where I paid for the tree and then walked back to the car.

I needed to reconfigure the seats a bit - the back seats fold flat and the front passenger seat also reclines fully giving me 7 feet of cargo space - to fit the tree inside the car.

Once loaded up it was time to head for home. Found Mr. Wildknits working on some sourdough when I arrived.

Mmmm - fresh baked bread!

Finished!

2010-11-26T18:34:00.002-06:00

Rudy's socks that is. Sorry about the quality of this photo - I am blaming it on the incredible meal that proceeded finishing these socks.

Up next:

finishing touches on Baby Surprise Sweater 1 (sew up shoulders, sew on buttons)
continued work on BSS 2 (had to rip out about 10 rows this morning when I realized I failed to read the directions and missed a critical step)
start some socks for a christmas gift (What? You think I have left this a bit late? Maybe... though these are not knee high and will be a nice, soothing K2, P2 rib for the most part. Nice challenge to attempt to finish these in less than 30 days)
Pederson Benefit Run

I have started looking at the race calendar for next year (and pushing at least one race director to set a date as I have a major family event pending next summer - and they are trying to plan around my race schedule). In looking at the various options I have determined I am a bit of a homebody and don't really want to travel more than 3-4 hours. Lucky for me there are lots of ultras to choose from within a few hours of Duluth.

Rumor has it the ski trails are groomed! And my skis were just returned to me with a fresh coat of wax (Thanks Ron!). Hoping the temps stay on the cool side and the snow sticks around. I am looking forward to including some cross-country skiing into the mix.

EZ's Baby Surprise Sweater

2010-11-09T09:28:00.004-06:00

Sorry, running friends very little running content today.

For my knitting friends:

In addition to Rudy's Socks, which has turned into a rather long project, I have also been working on a baby sweater. I have two friends expecting this fall/winter and I have a firm belief that all babies should be swathed in wool so off I went to my Local Yarn Shop (LYS) to find the proper yarn for one of my favorite patterns: Elizabeth Zimmerman's (EZ) Baby Surprise Sweater.

It is a relatively easy to knit sweater with a lot of soothing garter stitch and the need to only really pay attention at a few points, perfect for working on while reading, watching a movie, visiting, etc. Initially I had thought I would knit it up in some sock yarn, but in light of my long relationship with some size 0 double points and fingering weight yarn (aka knee high socks at a gauge of 9 sts/inch) I opted for worsted weight and some size 4's.

I was steered towards a lovely swedish yarn - Jarbo Garn that is 70% wool/30% nylon and machine washable (nice features for little ones). The yarn is quite soft and a delight to knit with. Two skeins will make a sweater that should fit a 6+ month old. I have found this sweater "grows", and can be worn for quite some time.

Despite having knit many of these sweaters I still think of it as rather magical. You knit back and forth, decreasing, then increasing and you end up with this funny shaped piece:

which, with a couple of folds

turns into a sweater!

I just need to sew up the shoulder seams and find some buttons and the sweater will be finished.
Button shopping is rather tough where I live, but I have high hopes that the LYS will have something appropriate.

In the meantime I have cast on for a second sweater and continue to work on the third sock of a pair. I have started the calf shaping which means that soon I will be working on fewer stitches and the knitting should start to fly by!

On the running front:

Recovery from Wild Duluth goes well. I made it 6 days before I had to head out for a run. The weather was fantastic and my legs were getting "itchy". I only made it 30 minutes as my right quad was still tight and let me know it had had enough. Since then I have run a few races (finished up the NMTC Fall Series) and even got out for a long run this past Saturday, tacking on approximately 18 miles to my 5K race that morning.

Gardening:

This past weekend's weather was so lovely and I spent part of Sunday prepping a new bed for garlic. My daughter S came over to help

prepping garlic cloves for planting

She also spent a good amount of time helping to clear out the other beds and later that evening (and the next day) helped process the two deer that were given to us (a relative who likes to hunt but does not like venison).

All that is left to do before the winter snows fly is to get straw onto the garlic and strawberry beds, finish up the sauna door project (it was torn out of the concrete wall by winds this past spring) and get the wood pile in order. I am looking forward to good snow, time to ski and sauna season!

Wild Duluth 100K

2010-10-19T09:12:00.013-05:00

I swore I would NEVER do this race. I know the course, it is tough! Why would I want to do it twice? Signed up for the 50K and figured that would be a good way to end my first year of running ultras.

And then I paced a friend at Sawtooth 100.... and all of a sudden 100 kilometers on the Superior Hiking Trail seemed so reasonable.

Yes - I did step on the crazy train! Soon I sent an email to Andy and Kim Holak asking them to switch my registration to the 100K race. Now I had to figure out crew and a pacer. Mr. Wildknits stepped in and was, as always, awesome crew! He not only got up at 5:00 am to drop me at the race start, but was willing to be out there all day if I asked (which I essentially did). My friend Sara agreed to pace me in from the Munger Trail/Becks Rd aid station (aka Ely's Peak) so, other than figuring out drop bags I was set.

I had not been running all that much since Voyageur 50 mile. The combination of the Afton 50K and Voyageur in July left me a little tired and feeling less than inspired to run. I didn't run real long again until I paced at Sawtooth. That left me with only a few weeks to get in some higher mileage runs before it was time to taper.

The night before the race a bunch of us gathered at Leslie's for pizza, beer and ice cream. It was a great opportunity to pick up some last minute advice from the veterans in the group and talk out strategy for the newbies to ultra running. I then headed home early to finish prepping my drop bags before going to bed for the 3:30 am wake up (I am not a morning person, it takes me a LONG time to get moving in the morning and the race has a 6:00 am start).

Woke up, ate some yogurt and Grapenuts, drank my daily two cups (mugs) of coffee, visited the bathroom (a lot), packed the car with everything Mr. Wildknits would need for the day, and headed down the hill to Bayfront Park and the race start.

After checking in and a race course briefing we headed out the door to the starting line. Andy led the way out of the park and across Railroad Street to the pedestrian overpass and then stood in Michigan St/Superior St. while the runners streamed up onto the trail. There is a lot of climbing in the first 2 miles of the race as we ascend to Enger Park and then out west. I quickly warmed up and had to stop to remove a layer.

Eventually runners settled into their paces and I found myself running with Zach Pierce and John Taylor. As we ran through Enger Park I mentioned how well I know this trail (it is my back yard after all) and then promptly fell. This was to be the first of many falls or almost falls that day. I am usually not such a klutz and the repeated tripping added up over the day leading to a very sore right quad by 20 miles into the race (and some tenderized toes and bruised knees and shins).

As we passed by the spur trail to my house I ditched my extra jacket (which was never to be seen again) and then it was on to the first aid station. Breezed through there and on to the next section of trail. After dipping under a very large willow - twice - we were greeted by a section of trail lit by Halloween luminaries. One of my co-workers, Louise, also lives along the trail and was out to cheer us on. Thanks Louise!!

We climbed to the Piedmont knobs just in time to catch the sunrise over Lake Superior - well worth a stop to admire the view and snap a few pictures.

courtesy of John Taylor

I run these trails a lot and it was fun to share them with others. Soon it was time for another big climb up from Haines Rd and then we were rolling along the ridgeline above Skyline Parkway on our way to the Highland and Getchell aid station (mile 8.8). From there you enter the "Big W". The section of trail from H&G to Magney-Snively resembles the letter "W" - literally. It also includes the infamous "131 steps" (138 in the SHT guide to the trail) and an incredibly beautiful section of old growth maples. On this day all of the leaves were down, creating an ankle deep blanket on the trail that was a blast to shuffle through.

I had created a pace chart with three different goal times, based on 15 min, 16 min and 17 min/mile pace. This was mostly a guide for my crew and to remind me to take it easy at the start (I am terrible at pacing myself). My hope was to be able to run somewhere in the 14 - 16 hour range if all went well; though once I looked at last years finishing times I began to wonder if I hadn't set my goals a little high.

Running with Zach gave me plenty of opportunity to pick up some good advice about running a longer race. And I really took to heart his advice (after a few falls) to just walk the really technical stuff.

All of the aid stations were crewed by great folks and it could be hard at times to stop visiting and head out onto the next section. I even was treated to nut-free cookies baked by Nancy Griffith to accommodate my tree nut and peanut intolerance. Thanks Nancy!!

I encountered the first 50Kers in the section of trail between the Magney-Snively and Munger Trailheads. From there on out I would have lots of opportunity to cheer on friends as they passed by.

I had an interesting time descending Ely's Peak. Not only is it steep, but some of the "steps" are waist-high on me. By then my right quad was less than happy and I couldn't fully rely on that leg.

Coming into the Munger Trailhead aid station - Mile 20

At the Munger aid station I was greeted by Val and Eric. Val as always is a bundle of positive energy and not only made sure I got enough to eat but reminded me to maintain good posture ("tall, tall, tall"). Soon enough I was back out on the trail and headed for Grand Portage.

On a side note: Val is convinced that I have a 100 miler in my future. Apparently Mr. Wildknits spent enough time at that aid station to think that it may be true as well. Not sure what those folks are thinking!

The next section is one of my favorites. Beautiful forests, rolling hills with no huge climbs - just a joy to run. But on October 16th I found myself struggling. My right quad was sore, I had been running alone for 7+ miles and I was once again thinking about dropping out, if not at that next aid station then at the turn around point. Maybe 50K was a more reasonable distance?

Running into Grand Portage - outbound - Mile 25.7

I arrived at Grand Portage to be greeted by Jen Pierce, John and Chris Scotch. After a bit of whining, eating, and discussion about whether or not to keep going, I decided to head back out onto the trail. After all the next mile was flat(ish). I did take the opportunity to use my rescue inhaler at this point as my chest had been feeling pretty tight. I usually don't need it other than prior to a race but was very glad I had Mr. Wildknits carry it along.

I was surprised to have not seen any 100ker's on their way back yet and kept expecting them at any moment. I think I was on my way up the Grand Portage trail (and boy is that a bugger of a climb!) before I encountered the first runner on their return trip.

With the leaves down the views in Jay Cooke from the ridges are stunning! I was soaking in the beautiful light and enjoying the views while I walked and ran towards Oldenburg Point and the turn around.

And what a greeting when I arrived! Not only were the ham radio operators enthusiastic but so was the aid station crew. I was offered a variety of food and beverages but at that point was most interested in the outhouse (an opportunity to go to the bathroom without having to squat or worry about someone coming along at the wrong moment) and then putting my feet up and stretching out my legs a bit. Any talk of dropping at that point was quickly squashed by Matt Long and others at the aid station, including Mr. Wildknits, and I was off again on my way back.

It was at this point that I met up with Shelly who had been carrying cookies for me for the past 15 miles (sent along by Nancy as they were on a little car ride when I came through Magney the first time). What a treat!

On the way back to the Grand Portage aid station I started to feel better and put aside thoughts of dropping. A similar thing happened at Voyageur. The lesson I take away is to ignore what my brain is telling me in the first 20 - 30 miles ;->

Back at Grand Portage - Mile 36.3

Sooner than I expected I was back at Grand Portage. There was another rousing greeting by the ham radio folks and an opportunity to visit with some spectators. It was in this section that I had given myself permission to walk - not only the hills, but also at other points if that was what felt right at the time. That said, Jen told me I had to run into this aid station for photographic purposes (what is it with those Pierces' and their insistence on running into aid stations?!).

I was looking forward to arriving at the Munger aid station. Not only would I see Mr. Wildknits and Val again, but my pacer, Sara, was meeting me and I would have company for the rest of the run. Usually I do not mind running alone, but I was ready for a little distraction from my own thoughts at this point and knew that Sara would not let me get too whiny.

Another reason for looking forward to the Mile 42 aid station:

M. Johnson, DDS and bagpiper

Last year Mike piped me into the finish. This year, rather than asking him to sit around for an unknown amount of time late in the evening, he chose to meet me out at Magney. What a way to be greeted and then sent on my way!

As hard as it was to descend Ely's Peak, climbing up - especially that first step off of the Munger Trail - was even harder. Much of the trail here is comprised of bare rock or a jumble of sharp rocks. In other words, not very runnable. This was definitely the point where I started to really slow down. After the first crossing of Skyline Blvd. the trail gets more runnable and I felt like I kept up a decent pace.

Soon enough we were back at Magney-Snively (mile 46.3) and it was time to eat some more cookies, enjoy some hot soup and grab the headlamp and flashlight I had left with Mr. Wildknits. I also (for the 2nd time that day) admired the VW bus sitting in the lot. Apparently I had asked about it the first time through, but forgot whose it was in the intervening miles. It wasn't until a few days later that it finally clicked that the bus belonged to Dale Humphrey who was working that aid station (When Mr. Wildknits and I first met and married we owned a series of VW's - two buses and a bug. We only moved on to more "modern" transportation, ie: with heat, when our 2nd child was on the way. They hold a special place in my heart).

It is a short stretch on some truly nasty (very technical) trail to the next aid station. Sara and I joked at one point about taking the Alpine Coaster to the bottom of the hill. By now it was starting to get dark and the temperature was dropping, especially in the valleys. All the more incentive to keep moving.

My stomach was also getting a bit touchy at this point, so making choices about food was a bit harder. Soup was sitting well and I kept making an effort to eat things that were salty to help replenish the salt I was losing in my sweat (could feel it on my face). I also reminded myself to keep eating the gels I had along (egel - two packages in a 5 oz flask diluted with water, which makes it easier for me to take in. This product also contains electrolytes and seems to work well for me).

Of course now we were once again traversing the "Big W". I knew it would take some time to get through this section, especially as we would be doing it in the dark. When we reached the 131 steps I remarked to Sara that I expected I would need to rest midway up - but surprised myself by reaching the top of the stairs with no more difficulty than I do on a training run. I did take time at the top to catch my breath and admire the moonrise before we were shuffling off through the leaves on our way to the next aid station.

Running from west to east on the trail is much more familiar to me, and somehow running in the dark with a friend to talk to made the time pass pretty quickly. Soon enough we were at Cody Street, then West Gate Blvd and then on our way up to Highland & Getchell. The hardest thing about reaching this aid station is climbing over the guardrail. It is a big step and I am sure it is amusing for spectators to watch weary runners negotiate this obstacle (especially those of us who are vertically challenged).

Shane - who was staffing this aid station - took my request for grilled cheese to heart and had a hot sandwich waiting for me. He used the ham radio operators and the drop bag labeled with my race number to track my progress (I hear I was a bit later than expected into the aid station). He also had some home-made potato soup on hand (yippee for hot food when the temps dip into the 40's!).

It was here that I was greeted by quite the group of well-wishers. Not only Mr. Wildknits but also Wayne N., Karen G., Vicky B. and my friend Roger R. (who ran his first sub-20 min 5k that morning) were out to cheer me on.

At this point, after having ascended to the top of the ridge, you are rewarded with spectacular views over the bay, West Duluth, the harbor and Lake Superior. The lights are incredible and I am reminded how lucky I am to live in this city and what a gift this trail is to the community!

As we reached the section of cliffs that parallel Haines Rd we could see a car parked near the trail crossing. Interesting.... Once we reached the road crossing it became clear that Bruce, Sara's partner, was waiting there for us. I was really touched by his being out there and cheering us on.

From here I am in my neighborhood and really do know every inch of the trail. This is good and bad. I knew where I could try to push a bit and where I just had to keep up a steady walking pace. All of this of course complicated by it being quite dark. The moon was up, but was not bright enough to offer much help.

There is a steep descent off of the Piedmont knobs which can be a hoot and a holler in the daylight when there is clear trail. It was a bit of a slog this night as I did not want to fall (had enough of that early in the day). Soon enough we were across Skyline and descending some more towards the reservoir, 10th St (a two+ block section of road - where we saw Bruce again) and then on towards Lincoln Park and the last aid station. As we crossed the foot bridge over Miller Creek I started to see glowing colors in the trees along the trail. It took me a bit to figure out that someone had hung glow light bracelets on the route up to 24th Ave. W. Very cool!!

The road crossing was eased by some volunteers that stopped traffic to let us across. This is a tricky spot as there is a bit of a blind corner at the top of the hill and it can be hard for cars to see pedestrians.

Leslie S. was at this aid station, along with Rudy and others to cheer me on. She had won the 50K race that day and we had a moment to do a bit of catching up on how her race went. I was also warned at this point that Shelly was close by and I had better get a move on if I wanted to beat her to the finish. Off Sara and I went, cup of soup in hand to "run" the last 3.1 miles to the finish.

The last section is rolling for about a mile or so, then climbs to Enger Park and from there it is a two mile descent to Bayfront Park. About a mile from the finish Shelly caught up to, and passed, me. She was moving along quite well and was just cruising down the steps. She has had quite the year, topped off with finishing the Sawtooth 100 just a month ago and knocking over an hour off her Wild Duluth time from last year.

The finish is on pavement, though still on the Superior Hiking Trail. It was at this point that I checked my watch for the first time in hours (I had taken it off and strapped it to my Nathan pack early on due to a bit of hand swelling) and realized how late it was! As I came up to the race finish I saw 17 hours and 14 minutes on the clock. But more importantly, I had finished my first 100k and felt like I ran well.

I was touched by how many folks stayed up to watch me finish (and possibly bet on who would cross the finish line first, Shelly or I). I also got the opportunity to catch up on how others' races had gone.

Soon though I was shivering (despite putting on dry layers) and Mr. Wildknits was loading me into the car for the trip home where I was greeted by the 36 steps that lead to our front door and the 16 steps that lead to our upstairs (and bathroom and bedroom). Negotiating them wasn't too bad and I managed to climb into the shower and get cleaned up without tipping over.

The next day my legs were sore and getting down those stairs involved holding onto the handrail, the wall and employing that special hop-step that many a long distance runner is familiar with. By Monday I could navigate the stairs without holding on and was able to hop on and off the sailboat with only minor difficulty (we took the mast down and had her lifted out of the water). Tuesday and Wednesday I was out walking a local ski trail with no major issues. I am allowing myself a few days off of running as my right quad has been protesting a bit - especially things like getting up from a squat or fending a boat off a dock. It was a little bit hard not running to work yesterday (after all Thursdays are for running to work) but it seems like a proper recovery is in order.

One year ago I ran my first ultra - Wild Duluth 50K. I followed that up two weeks later with Surf the Murph 50K. Then this past May I ran the Superior Trail 50K, in July it was Afton 50K, then Minnesota Voyaguer 50M (my first at that distance), and now my first 100K. What a year!

I have been blessed with some incredible trail running friends and mentors, wonderful team mates (Northwoods Minnesota-Wisconsin and Team Mega Tough) and an awesome crew (aka Mr. Wildknits) that have made this year of running ultras possible.

A quick note about equipment/clothing:

Duluth in October can be cold! We were blessed with dry, relatively warm weather but it was in the 30's at race start, warmed to upper 50's/low 60's during the day and then dropped again. I am fortunate to have Icebreaker as a sponsor via Team Mega Tough and I used their crew top, long-sleeved shirt and socks during this race. I was warm and comfortable throughout and had no blisters (a first)! As a knitter I know the value of wool; and merino is one of the best fibers out there. I have been running in this stuff since last fall/winter and it is holding up quite well.

Team Mega Tough is also sponsored by Nathan. I have been using the Intensity Race Vest for all of my ultras this calendar year. Prior to Wild Duluth I received a new vest (due to a leaking bite valve) which has had some upgrades from their previous model. The bite valve worked flawlessly and the pockets seem to be a bit bigger, especially the zippered one on the left, which made it easier to store a 5 oz gel flask (also a Nathan product) as well as other needed items.

I have been working my way down from motion control shoes to something with a bit less stability. Right now I am running in Montrail Sabino Trails and really liking them. My local running store Austin-Jarrow (also sponsor of Northwoods Minnesota-Wisconsin) and their wonderful staff got me hooked onto these shoes. I have a very wide forefoot and bunions (hallux valgus) which makes fitting shoes a challenge and means mail ordering shoes is out of the question. I have learned the hard way that fit can change in the same model of shoe from year to year. Jarrow and his staff have been troopers in finding shoes that fit my feet.

Sock Deconstruction

2010-09-10T13:45:00.006-05:00

I redesigned and finished knitting sock one of "Rudy's Sock - Take 2" yesterday and today it was time to harvest the yarn from the first version to use for the second sock of RST2. Why yes, this means I will have knit three knee high socks in order to come out with a pair. I try not too think to hard about that, after all designing and knitting is something I love to do.

Rudy's Sock - Take 2 on the top with the first version underneath - notice the difference in the calf shaping?

Side by side view...
in addition to redesigning the leg to fit his calves and not mine,
I made a few other pattern modifications. Can you pick them out?

Calf shaping - back view. Trust me, they look pretty good on the leg.

Undoing kitchner stitch is... well... not fun.

Toe is open and the ripping out has begun. I ended up using my umbrella
swift for the grey yarn (at first) and hand winding the gold yarn.

The yarn is quite wavy from being knit up.

Early on in the deconstruction process.

I have reached the heel. This was the only spot where there is a break in either
of the yarns. The heel was added after finishing the leg and foot (Peasant Heel).

Almost there!

One socks worth of gold yarn. The umbrella swift made it easier to wind off the yarn from the sock and then to make it into a center pull ball (took a few trips through the ball winder and swift to ensure it wasn't wound too tight - never good for yarn, or humans).

One socks worth of yarn, ready to be knit up again.

I am not going to bother washing and weighting the yarn to get rid of the "kink" left over from it's recent incarnation as a sock. I don't think it will matter too much as I am re-knitting it right away.

Pattern Details:

Wildknits original with inspiration from knee high socks designed by Nancy Bush and Elizabeth Zimmerman.
Stripe pattern is based on the numerical value of e.
Yarn is Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift, Colours: 425 (mustard) and 103 (sholmit)
Gauge is 8.875 sts/inch
2x2 ribbing for 4 inches, followed by about 14.5" of knitting for the leg and then the appropriate amount of knitting for a Rudy sized foot.
Peasant Heel (this link takes you to an amusing description of an Afterthought Heel - same concept really, though mine was not an afterthought, but instead a way to maintain stripe integrity).
My usual toe decrease, which looks exactly like the heel. So really, these socks have two toes, or is that two heels??

I may get around to writing up the pattern in a format that is usable by others, depending on demand and how quickly I get distracted by other knitting projects (there are two babies on the way and a shawls' worth of lovely variegated merino awaiting their turn in the knitting line-up).

Tonight I head up the north shore to cheer on runners in the Superior Sawtooth 100 and then pace a friend for a bit during the night and early morning. The socks will come along.

Vacation plans...

2010-09-07T18:15:00.003-05:00

...have changed.

First my backpacking partner canceled due to illness (heading to a wilderness island in the middle of Lake Superior with a bad virus is not a good idea). So, after determining that no other friend could join me with less than 48 hours notice I switched to Plan B: Solo trip.

The big question when backpacking solo is "Can I fit the gear I need into my pack?". Tent, water pump, stove - those all still need to go and don't change size based on whether one or two people are in the party. I could cut back on food, cook kit, & fuel. Clothing is another issue. The forecast is for wet and cool, which means warm stuff for the non-hiking hours, which tend to be bulky (relatively speaking). I had things laid out and was fitting them into the pack with the plan to finalize things this morning, run some last minute errands and head north by early to mid afternoon with the intent of spending the night in Grand Marais and then catching the ferry early Wednesday morning.

Early this morning I called the ferry line (Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line Inc) to cancel one of the reservations only to learn that the Voyageur II was still out at Rock Harbor and was not able to leave the dock due to high seas. Their best guess was that the ferry would get back to Grand Portage Wednesday night and then maybe head out at 5:00 am Thursday morning for a round trip run.

As I listened to Don (one of the owners) I thought about my planned itinerary and realized that I would be pushing it to make the trip I had planned - assuming the boat went out Thursday morning. I ended up canceling the trip. There were too many questions and in all reality they weren't even sure they could get out Thursday - all depended on what the Lake had in store.

That leaves me with a week of vacation and the majority of my friends off at races. So... what to do with my time?

Here are the list of options generated so far:

Go into work. Ummm... NO! I need a break in order to go back and be a good nurse, co-worker, wife and human being.

Help Mr. Wildknits with some work projects. (yesterday I was "opening an airplane" ie: taking out screws and sliding inspection panels open). Hmmm... seems like work to me.

Finish the socks I have been working on for months (and at the same time get caught up on my reading).

Ride the motorcycle (assuming it stops raining and the gale force winds die down).

My bike and I at Oldenburg Point in Jay Cooke State Park.
(helmet is in my hand - just behind the gas tank in case you are wondering)

Northwoods Minnesota has a team going to a race this weekend - City of the Lakes 25K. Heading to the cities can also equal time with family and friends in the area.

The Superior Fall Races are this weekend and as I said above I know lots of people running in the various events so multiple opportunities abound there to join one of the races, crew, volunteer or just go from aid station to aid station and cheer.

Stay home and do nothing unless I really feel motivated, including running.

So - if faced with a week of unstructured time what would you do!

Where did I go???

2010-09-02T22:08:00.002-05:00

August seems to have flown by and here we are in September. In just a few days it will be time to head north for my fall trip to Isle Royale. Of course this means I will miss the Fall Superior Races and won't know how all of my friends did until I return from the island. (While it may seem odd that I would leave town over that particular weekend, I am only half joking when I say it is in self-preservation. I believe there are those who would try to talk me into running one of those races, and not the shorter ones! Maybe some day, but I am not ready yet - and may never be).

Running has been... well... mixed. I had a few good runs after Voyageur, then some truly crappy ones, and then... well I decided I was not recovering as well as I had hoped and nixed the idea of heading to Marquette, MI for that 50 miler. This freed me up to answer the request for a blood donation and off I went to Memorial Blood Centers. Apparently one benefit of donating rarely (and running ultras?!?) is a hemoglobin value that was the highest I can ever remember it being.

Two days later I had a really good "long run", followed by a decent week of running. Then it was back to crappy runs. What the heck!?!

I have been mixing in some time on my mountain bike on the local trails, but the frequent rains have put a stop to that (trails were too muddy). Although, being an optimist, the bike is still in my car, hoping to be taken out for a ride.

With running not going so well and no real desire to spend hours on the trail I have been freed up to play around on my BMW (1984 R65). On decent weather days I have been using it to commute to work and to make small trips around the area. Last weekend Mr. Wildknits and I hopped on the motorcycles (he also has a BMW - 1975 R75/6) and headed north to Embarrass to visit friends, check out the fair and the Finnish homestead, and run the Flying Finn 10K.

I had thought, based on past runs, that I might be capable of a 48 minute 10K. Sunday morning dawned warm - 70+ degrees at 7:00 am - and windy. Very windy!! After arriving at the race start and registering I headed out on the race course for a short warm-up jog. As I turned back to head up the hill to the start/finish the heat really hit! Without the headwind it was toasty out there.

Back at the start I spied a young girl doing her warmup. I commented to my friend "she is going to kick my ass!" And she did, as well as every other woman in the race. This girl was amazing! From what I hear she looked good the whole time (this was mostly a loop course with only two, short, out and back sections). It was fun to watch her skip back with her prize money at the awards ceremony. Oh yeah - this was her second year winning the women's race. It turns out she is 12 years old. I think in a few years one of the Range schools will be dominating the high school running circuit with her help.

I did not hit my goal pace, finishing in 51.25. The heat, wind, and overall fatigue (or is it lack of desire to push hard?) got in the way. I remember coming to a hill and having to tell myself that I didn't get to walk - this was not an ultra! I am not overly disappointed though as I finished 4th woman overall, first in my age group (40 - 49) and set a new road PR for that distance.

After lunch with our friends we loaded up the bikes for the ride home. We decided to take a route via Hoyt Lakes and onto Forest Rd 11 (aka Co Rds 15/16) over to Co. Rd 2 and into Two Harbors. What a lovely ride!! I was reminded what a beautiful part of the state I live in. We encountered very few vehicles, no mega-fauna (deer/moose/bear) and a handful of grouse waiting to cross the road.

All of that riding had me feeling much more comfortable on the bike and ready to take my motorcycle skills test this morning. The forecast was not auspicious and I was on the telephone early to see if it would be canceled ( they are not offered if the roads are wet). Per the DMV staff the decision would depend on the road conditions at the actual time I was scheduled to take the test. The rain held off, the skies even cleared for a bit, so I left and took the leisurely route to the testing location. I was a bit shocked to see how small the course was, and that there were cars parked very near by. After some moments to regroup and calm down (I get a bit anxious before tests which I blame on the torture device known as the NCLEX-RN and its computerized adaptive testing) I proceeded to get on the bike and pass the test. I now have my motorcycle endorsement! Perfect timing as my license is about to expire.

I have managed to get some knitting done, though progress has been slow on the socks. I am not sure they are small enough to go along on the backpacking trip, so may have to resurrect the hat I started last May while on the island. Or maybe come up with something new (there are two babies on the way this winter and all babies in northern climates should have a handknit woolen item to wear or be wrapped in).

As far as future races go, the NMTC series has begun and there are a few shorter races I am considering before Wild Duluth 50K. But what I really need to do is get back to some long runs. I seem to be stuck at 13 miles right now and that just isn't going to cut it in 6 weeks. It is time to get a 20 miler in I think, then off to the island for 5 days of cross-island backpacking fun before I head into some serious training.

One year ago I had NEVER run an ultra. Wild Duluth was my first and led to a string of races that has me up to 5 ultras so far. If all goes well I will add another 1 or 2 to that list by the end of 2010.

Monday Evening Sail

2010-07-28T08:31:00.005-05:00

Finally the weather, time and other commitments conspired to allow us to get out on Jada for a brief evening sail about the harbor. It was a glorious evening! Scenes from our cruise down the point:

Wind turbine blades lined up in the port. They come in via ship
from Europe and then are trucked out of the harbor west to ????

Saltie loading some type of grain - possibly oats - from the smell. Bound for Europe or somwhere overseas.

Closer than it appears in this photo, this laker had just come in under the lift bridge. Nothing like a really big ship chasing you down! Some discussion about who had the right of way ;-> (we were under sail if that is any help).

The Coasties were out and about so PFD's were donned in hopes of NOT attracting
their attention. Being boarded is a hassle and seriously changes the tone of the outing.

Downbound towards the Superior Entry.

Tugboats lined up, remind me of ducklings.

Heading back to the marina. Sailing is at it's best heeled over a bit.

Dredging the shipping lane. Amazing process to watch! This must go on almost constantly as the St. Louis River brings sediments into the harbor. The depth changes pretty radically if you get outside the shipping lane, so we pay careful attention to the bouys (nothing more embarrassing than grounding your boat!)

Sunset over the grain elevators and the Duluth hillside

She still Knits?!?

My latest project has been a doozy. Months long as I custom knit some knee high socks for a friend. The first sock (on the right) turned out to be a bit large in spots so it was back to the drawing board as I refigured my gauge, took new measurements of the leg in question and redesigned the sock. I decided to keep the first sock intact for now and start the second sock. Gives me something to compare to. If the second sock turns out okay I will then frog the first one and reknit it.

Minimum supplies for knitting knee-high socks. Small notebook has leg
circumference measurements at one inch increments from below knee to ankle.

Details:
Yarn - Jamieson's Sheltland Spindrift; Colors #103 Sholmit and #425 Mustard
Needles - Size 0 (2 mm)
Gauge: 8.875 sts/inch
Pattern: Wildknits original. Stripe sequence determined by the numerical value of e; leg length 18" from top of cuff (in second version, 16" in first). Peasant heel. Wedge Toe.

Recovery Update:
My legs are feeling quite good. Post-run foot and ankle swelling appeared 24 hours later (as it did after Afton) but was less severe and mostly confined to the right foot. Massage on Monday worked out some kinks. Ran yesterday for 3 miles on the SHT west of Ely's peak. This seemed to get the swelling to subside. Plan to run today and will see if Thursday's are for running to work or maybe I will get the BMW R65 out again ;->

First ride on my new bike!

Minnesota Voyageur Trail Ultra - Race Report

2010-07-26T22:40:00.010-05:00

Monday night (July 19th) I had a dream in which I started the race without my shoes, inhaler or pack, because I had misunderstood the time and was late. I kept asking people at the aid stations to call Mr. Wildknits and have him meet me at the next aid station with my stuff.

Friday (July 23rd) I was so anxious I stopped at my local running store to breath in new running shoe fumes in hopes that would calm me down (talking to the race veterans that work there did the trick).

By packet pick-up time I was feeling better, though still wondering why I had thought running 50 miles was a good idea. Headed home to finish sorting out the stuff I would need for the day and then it was off to bed for a 4:00 am wake-up call.

Now, I am a very fortunate woman. I not only live within a half hour drive of the race start and can train on the course, but I also had "crew" that was willing to go to each and every aid station so that I could dispense with drop bags. This turned out to be a wonderful thing as I ended up really needing the support - especially early on. Being local also meant that I knew someone at almost all of the aid stations and that also played a role in how my day turned out.

Arrived at Carlton High School a bit after 6:00 am and headed over to check-in and introduce Mr. Wildknits (aka "my crew") around. Then there were repeated trips to the ladies room until it was time for the race to start. My plan was to just take it easy and see how things went. I had provided Mr. Wildknits with an ETA for each aid station (wildly optimistic, but better early than late, right?!?).

Crossing the swinging bridge at Jay Cooke - photo courtesy of Helen Lavin

On the way to Jay Cooke I realized that I was having issues with the mouth piece/tubing on my hydration pack and was getting very little water out of it, and that I had to go to the bathroom - again. Got to the aid station, handed the pack off and headed for the outhouse.

Both issues cared for and I was off to the next aid station.

Somewhere in the next few miles I noticed that my right calf was bugging me. Tight and a bit painful. This is where things went downhill. I already was intimidated by the distance and now my leg hurt early in the race. I kept having this internal debate about whether I really wanted this bad enough to continue. The discussion became external when I would reach an aid station and talk with Mr. Wildknits. Here is where having crew really helped! He kept telling me "you've done this before" and asking what I needed. Even went so far as to rub arnica gel on my very muddy legs. Then he would push me on to the next aid station.

Being greeted by friends who kept telling me how good I looked helped as well. Ultimately my own head was my biggest barrier and I eventually turned to the quotes I was carrying for just this purpose. They were the key to turning on my "inner ipod" and triggered songs that I find very useful when running long distances.

"My feet is my only carriage
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone...
Everything's going to be alright"

- No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley

"Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!
Singin': Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!
- Three Little Birds - Bob Marley

Don't ask me why reggae works, but it does. I also had Redemption Song rolling through my head a lot of the time.

The calf seemed to survive the power lines pretty well (I even tried to use them as a method of stretching out the muscles in question). I was still debating how badly I wanted to complete this race and whether or not I could live with a DNF. And I was still siding with "I don't really care enough to push on through". I determined that I would just get to the next aid station and see what happened. At one point I even told some onlookers who yelled something encouraging that I was "indifferent".

I had been handed a race with great conditions and fabulous support and I was in danger of squandering it all over a sore calf and bad attitude.

I did persevere and made it to the Zoo turnaround with plenty of time to spare (40 minutes or so). I was greeted there not only by Mr. Wildknits but also my youngest daughter! Due to the rain her work day was canceled and she came out to see the race. It has been years since my girls have watched me run (I think they were preteens at the time and I was running the Garry Bjorkland Half Marathon) and it meant a lot to have her there. S proceeded to tag along with her dad to the next 5 aid stations, even taking over as crew at Fond du Lac so her dad could stay up on Beck's Road for the Seven Bridges aid station.

The two miles up from Fond du Lac to Seven Bridges are a bit of a grind and I invited a friend helping at that aid station to join me for the "run". Shane - you were perfect! Got me out of my own head and talking about things that were non-Voyageur related. Plus I think I have you convinced to give it a try next year ;->

By now the sun was out, it was getting warm and I had the power lines to face. S had successfully passed the message to Mr. Wildknits to meet me with hat and sunglasses in hand. Topped off my hydration pack, ate more watermelon sprinkled with lots of salt, filled my hat with ice and took off. I carried the hat at first as I wanted to save the ice for when I hit the wide open trails and steep hills where the heat would be the most intense. The first few minutes after I put it on were a bit shocking till I got the ice arranged just right so as to not freeze my skin (very little hair = poor protection from the cold). Despite the earlier rain the hills were not as wet as I thought they would be and the heat seemed to help loosen the calf muscle up and overall I was feeling pretty good.

It was in this section that I realized I would need to change socks, the sooner the better. I obviously had some ground glass (aka: mud) in my right shoe near my bunion and it was a bit agonizing for a while till I hit a creek, and with the aid of the water and some tugging, rearranged the mud in my socks to be less painful.

Coming into Grand Portage

Made it through the powerlines in decent enough shape and came into the Grand Portage aid station to be met by great volunteers and my able crew who helped me not only get out of my old socks, but clean my feet and apply various layers of blister pads and athletic tape to them before I donned new socks and the old shoes (whose tread had been cleaned by Mr. Wildknits while I worked on my feet).

It was here also that I "formally" met Bohdan and we ran together up to Peterson's. He was a great help during the race. And yet another person surprised to learn this was my first 50 miler (apparently I project an aura of having run more, and longer, ultras than I have). It was also in this stretch that I began to fantasize about an icy cold coke. Thankfully they had one small cup of cola left at Peterson's and I dumped it over some ice. I took the ice along for the next stretch, folding the cup up and stashing it in my hydration packs' pocket for the runnable sections and pulling it back out when it was time to climb out of Gill Creek.

There is a point when walking - as appealing as it is - hurts more than running. Though it could be hard to get going again, running did feel better and I managed to shuffle along steadily if not speedily. At Forbay I picked up some ice for my hydration bladder and a small handful of pretzels and Mr. Wildknits walked with me until after we crossed the bridge and it was time to hit the trails again. This section is pretty runnable and upon some good advice from Alicia Hudelson, I ran most of the distance to the next aid station.

I came into Jay Cooke to be greeted by Sam and Leslie, Team Mega Tough buddies and a goodly part of the reason I have gotten speedier in the last year or two. They were a great support and quickly sent me on my way to the finish.

I had 11:09 on my watch and was wondering if I had a chance to still break 12 hours. The last section of the trail is rugged, and I thought I would be walking much of it. But I soon discovered that much of it is more runnable than I remembered. I was looking forward to the blueberry section and did take the time to pick and eat a handful as I passed through. Then it was down the nasty steps (a bit too high for my short legs) and over the bridge and out onto the Munger Trail for the final paved section to the finish.

Mr. Wildknits met me here and encouraged me to keep running as we made our way to the final turn onto 4th St. As we crossed the last intersection he told me it was time to sprint. I managed to pull out a little speed and to the cheers of the gathered crowd passed under the finish line in 12:02:06.

There are quite a few people I need to thank for making this race the positive experience it turned out to be:

- Mr. Wildknits; who gave up an entire day to drive around western Duluth and Carlton all so I could whine at him every few miles.
- S; who could have found something more interesting to do on her day off than hang out with ultra runners for the afternoon, but chose to be out there on the course, chasing her crazy mom around instead.
- All of the aid station volunteers; those old friends and new, who were endlessly cheerful and helpful.
- the other runners; whose names I may, or may not, have learned or retained. It was fun talking to each and every one of you.
- Leslie; for the original idea to run Voyageur (we are doing this together next year, ultra buddy!)
- Sam; for your enthusiasm and belief in my ability to complete this distance.
- Wayne, Rick, Karen, Ron, Helen, Val, Kim and Andy for training advice, awesome runs and unflagging belief in my readiness to run 50 miles.
- and of course the Upper Midwest Ultra Running Community.

Voyageur Trail Ultra - in brief

2010-07-24T22:20:00.002-05:00

Finished my first 50 mile race.
12:02
More details to follow.

Prairie Fringed Orchis or ???

2010-07-08T21:37:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I ran on one of my favorite local sections of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT). Shortly after starting out I came to an immediate halt to investigate a striking plant. After finishing the run I went back with my cell phone and took a few photos while also trying to memorize significant details. When I arrived home I got the field guides out and set about identifying the flower from the cell phone pictures and memory. My best guess (and it seemed pretty sure based on description) was that I had seen a Prairie Fringed Orchis (Habenaria leucophaea*). I then went online to learn more and discovered that:
a) this is an endangered species in the Midwest
b) it seems to be unheard of in my area

Hmmmm. Either I had found something significant or I had misidentified the plant. So, tonight it was back out to the trail with my camera and a measuring tape to do a bit more investigating. (Why yes, I am that kind of plant geek. Those who have run with me know this. Consider this fair warning to anyone else who spends time with me in the woods. I may have changed careers but I am still a naturalist at heart).

Mr. Wildknits is an old hand at standing around patiently while I photograph flowers, and was willing to assist when it came time to take measurements.

So, take a look at the photographs. What do you think this is?

According to Newcomb's : the Prairie Fringed Orchis has a "lip divided into
3 lobes, the central one broadly wedge-shaped and about as wide as long..."

Another look at the flower cluster:

A look at the stem, it is easy to see the alternative leaves:

"...2 - 3' high..."

"creamy-white flowers, about 1" long..."

While leaving the area we spotted these two smaller specimans alongside the trail.

So, after closely studying the photos and my field guides I am still leaning towards my original identification. Guess I will be calling my friend at the UMD Greenhouse next to see about confirming this sighting; or tracking down contact information for reporting a rare species to the DNR.

Bonus sighting: The monarch catepillars are out!! This area also has an abundant milkweed (Asclepas sp.) population.

Quotes are from: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb. 1977. Pg. 42
Other references: Peterson Field Guides: Wildflowers-Northeastern/Northcentral North America; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

*Online sources give the Latin name as Plantanthera leucophaea.

Afton Trail 50K

2010-07-05T09:02:00.012-05:00

Wow was it hot!! A little data from the weather service:

6:30 am - Temperature: 70 F, Humidity: 68%
9:00 am - Temperature: 78 F, Humidity: 57%
1:00 pm - Temperature: 86 F, Humidity: 55%

While not a treat for anyone, this essentially was the first really warm day I have experienced all summer. No better way to test out some ideas for making it through my first 50 mile in 3 weeks (Voyageur has a well-deserved reputation for being a hot and humid race).

I had no real time goal in mind though figured it should be somewhere in the 6 hour+ range based on my previous 50K times. There was much debate on the drive down to the Cities between Marcus and Shelly and I on how this course compared with others we had run as none of us had been to Afton before. In addition, Shelly and I joked around about winning money as this was also the USATF -MN Trail Championships and who knew how many of the runners would also be USATF members?

Woke at 3:30 am race day to prepare and make the almost one hour drive to the park. Walked outside to be greeted by temperatures already in the upper 60's, but the wind was blowing giving us some hope of tolerable temperatures. I had excellent directions to the park provided by Zach Pierce and we easily navigated the almost empty freeways.

After picking up our race packets and extra number (USATF members only) it was off to the car to prepare for the race. I was distracted enough to forget to lube up my feet - a mistake that would haunt me on those sandy soils.

Above photo courtesy of Jen Pierce. Not only did I get to be her first picture of the day but she took very good care of me after the race. Thanks Jen!!

I figured the first loop would be my chance to "learn" the course and I tried to remind myself to take it easy. Felt pretty good throughout, though noted my hands starting to swell early on (they do that on hot days anyway, running only makes it worse) and took my watch off and hooked it to my Nathan as the swelling extends up my arms a bit and is a bit uncomfortable.

The aid station volunteers (all of the volunteers) were awesome!! They really know how to take care of the runners and are right there with whatever you need almost before you have a chance to think of what it is. With the heat, watermelon dipped in salt really hit the spot. I also took advantage of the buckets of ice water to soak my hands, in a failed attempt to reduce the swelling. By the second loop I was also scooping out ice to drop down my running bra (multi-purpose garment).

This was the first race in which I used S-Caps. They have been recommended by many runners and I figured it was worth a try. Ultras are an "experiment of one" - what works for some folks doesn't for others. In the past my stomach has not taken to solid foods too well. I have tried out a number of different gels, blocks, and "real" foods and think I have figured out some items that work. Right now it is E-gel supplemented with craisins, home made protein bars and grazing off the aid station tables on things that look appealing at the time.

The first loop went well and I had a general feel for the course. There were some killer uphills and the open prairie sections offered some beautiful views. I could feel some hot spots developing and realized at that point I had not used any Body Glide on my feet. Oops. Figured I would tough it out to aid station 6 where I had my 'drop bag' and take care of it then. I had also intended to switch out my empty gel flask for a full one and grab more S-Caps, just in case.

Coming in to AS 6/25K point and still smiling! Photo courtesy of Jen Pierce

Arrived at the 25k point in 2:51 and sat down to take care of my feet. No actual blisters in sight - yeah! Applied the Body Glide liberally, emptied the shoes and snugged the laces up a bit more. Downed a handful of craisins from my drop box, emptied the protein bars out of my pack as they sounded less than appealing in the heat, and headed to the biffies to take care of another pressing need. Took me 7 minutes to clear that station. It wasn't until I headed down the hill that I remembered the other things I had wanted to do while there. Decided I would need to manage on one gel flask and with the S-caps in hand. This threw me enough to have me shaking my head and still berating myself as I passed Steve Q who was directing runners on the course. My bad mood should have been a clue that all was not well. I am usually fairly optimistic unless my blood sugar is dropping - then my attitude also takes a dive. If I am paying attention that is my clue to eat - NOW! I wasn't being too attentive.

By the time I reached aid station 1 on the second loop I was not feeling well. My hands were swollen and the heat was really getting to me. Maria and crew were great - trying to figure out how to help me when I didn't even know what I wanted or needed. I stuck around eating watermelon and soaking my hands in the ice water and generally wobbling about for a bit wondering what in the heck I was doing out there. The neat thing about this loop course is that you hit the same aid stations a couple of times. #1 is also #2, # 3 is also #4 and #6 is also the finish. For the most part they are quite close together - the longest stretch is just shy of 4 miles. When not feeling well that is comforting knowledge!

Between #1 and #2 I was struggling and having serious thoughts about the wisdom of continuing and my overall judgement in signing up for not only this race but any ultra and especially a 50 mile race. I made it back to Maria who, with her family and crew, once again did an awesome job of taking care of me and providing encouragement. At this point I had debated dropping, figured I would have to walk out anyway and decided I would just walk to the next aid station and decide from there.

I headed out and somewhere in the next mile or so my attitude took a turn for the better and I started running again. I ended up mixing in a lot of walking on the second loop, often running until I felt too hot (or there was a hill) then walking again. Thankfully the winds kept up which made the open prairie sections bearable.

Coming into aid station 3 on the second loop. Photo courtesy of Londell Pease.

They had popsicles at aid station 3. Amazing what some frozen sugar water and food coloring can do for ones spirits! Photo courtesy of Londell Pease.

Coming into aid station 4 - second loop - had to dodge some campers this time around. Photo courtesy of Londell Pease.

It was fun to see Londell and Westy at this aid station. Londell was taking pictures, working the aid station and even going out after runners in trouble. Westy had dropped out after one loop but headed back out on the course to cheer on others. His comment that I was still "chipper" combined with a gentle nudge to stop hanging out at the aid station, a challenge to finish in an hour and the knowledge that I was 5 miles from the finish got me moving again.

There are some long flat sections along the river and they can be a bit of a challenge. No real reason not to run them other than not wanting to. It was a good opportunity to work on a nice easy pace though I was thrilled to hit the hills again - what can I say, I live in a hilly town - that is my norm.

I was using my Nathan Intensity pack which has a 70 oz bladder. I had refilled it at least twice, but the last time it was with ice (love ice cold water). I had figured in that heat the ice would melt and replenish the water supply adequately. During the last 3 mile section (snowshoe loop) I discovered I was wrong! I ran out of water. I hadn't refilled at aid station 5 as the pack felt full enough. It was only when I had trouble getting water out of the tube that I did a more thorough check and discovered all I had was ice. Figured I could manage as I didn't have far to go but soon realized I needed a drink. Was offered a squirt out of another runners' water bottle as he passed by and then a bit further along opted to take the pack off and dig out the ice (this was made easier by the way the hydration bladder is sealed - like a dry bag - easy to get your hands into!). This turned out to be just the right amount of fluid to get me through to the finish.

Coming into the finish. Photo courtesy Jen Pierce.

By then I was dreaming of an icy cold Coke. Shortly after finishing Jen asked what I needed, "icy coke" was my request and she was able to deliver! At this point I was ready to have her adopt me ;->

Stretching out and downing a Coke. Photo courtesy of Londell Pease.

After downing a couple of cups of coke and ice it was time to get up and visit with other runners and deliver some strawberries.

Bonus: I ended up 3rd Masters Woman in the USATF -MN 50K Trail Championship! I am thrilled to join Eve Rukavina and Sonya Decker in this honor. Who would have thought it was possible?!?

Knife River Solstice Run 5K

2010-06-26T19:43:00.003-05:00

My goal for this years race was to at least match my "official time" from last year (which was recorded incorrectly at 23:00 - I had 23:35 on my watch). I wanted to earn that 23 minute finish honestly. A friend sent me a great piece of encouragement towards attaining that goal:

"Just try to get to the next aid station as fast as you can! You have to make the 23 minute cutoff"

This course is hilly!! If you have ever driven by Knife River on the Expressway or the Old North Shore Highway (Hwy 61) you may not be aware of the hills in town. The race starts out on pavement, then for a short bit uses a gravel road, then single-track to take you up hill to the wayside rest. From there you run roads in and around the fishing village of Knife River. The designers of the course made sure we hit the biggest hills on the way out - and got to see them again on the way back.

Traditionally it has been hot and humid, making for the "Three H's". This year it was humid though cool, with a wind off the Lake (equaling a headwind on the biggest hill of the course and at the finish).

The Solstice Run is a great small town race with generations of families participating in either the 2 mile walk, 5K run or the races for the littlest kids. They also have great support from the community in the form of volunteers and door prizes. One of the regulars is Kathleen Monaghan. She regularly wins the women's race and this year won overall!
It was fun to be able to cheer her on as she climbed the big hill after the turn around.

So, how did I do?
I am very pleased! And it makes me wonder if I should set a new goal to run a sub-22 minute 5K.

Next up though is Afton (50K) and then Voyageur (50 mile).

First strawberry harvest

2010-06-24T19:15:00.002-05:00

From the bed planted last spring:

They are incredible!!! It was hard to share them (and even harder when I found out Mr. Wildknits had already had a few this week ;-> ).

The battle begins with the chipmunks, who also love the strawberries - but just enough to take a bite or two out of each.

2010-06-10T19:37:00.008-05:00

It has been a while since I have done much of a post. Things that have been taking up my time:

Knitting - one hat finished:

My design utilizing two patterns, for the body of the hat, from Nancy Bush's book: Folk Socks.

Another started and the first in a pair of knee-high socks cast on (and mostly completed at this point). The socks are a design challenge of sorts. First, creating knee high socks meant a lot of measurements to ensure a decent fit. Second, I was asked if I could incorporate the mathematical constant e into the socks. Hmm. Well, first I would have to learn what that meant! Did a bit of research and came up with an idea that I thought I could incorporate into the pattern, started jotting down numbers and design notes and set off on 16 inches of leg knitting.

In the meantime, since I was heading off to Isle Royale for a 5 day backpacking trip and the sock was at a point that required me to do a bit more research, I cast on a hat to match for my vacation knitting.

Enjoying a lovely afternoon at Little Todd Harbor with my knitting, a book (Einstein's God) and Lake Superior.

In between all of that designing and knitting has been a lot of running (and work too, but who wants to talk about that?).

The big goal race this year is the Voyageur Ultra 50 Mile race held right near my home town. This is a big step up for me. Transitioning from 50K (31 miles) to 50 miles is... well, a bit frightening. Having surrounded myself with many ultra runners I have had a lot of advise to draw upon in my first attempt at this distance. What it seems to boil down to is: "Run a lot." "But oh yeah, don't forget to step back on occasion and get some rest."

So, I have been running a lot - well, what seems like a lot for me at least. Long runs had reached the 19 - 20 mile mark by the end of March/beginning of April and I was throwing a few races in there as well. I returned to Trail Mix to run the 25K race with no taper and a goal to better my time from last year. Did that!

The NMTC season started up and that meant some mid-week speedwork mixed in with the usual runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This year has been a good one for me and I have continued to better my times at each of the series races.

That brings us up to the Spring Superior Trail Races and my first attempt at that 50k course. What a blast! The day was beautiful, the spring ephemerals were at their best, the mud was plentiful and I ran what I considered my "stars and moon align" time and felt pretty good doing it.

From Lutsen it was back home to pack for my trip to Isle Royale for five days of backpacking with Mr. Wildknits. We left Grand Portage on the ferry bundled up for a 5 hour trip on 39 degree waters. By the time we arrived in McCargoe Cove it was close to 80 degrees and I couldn't get the layers off fast enough! See the previous post for pictures from that trip. We encountered our first moose within hours of arriving on the island and averaged a moose a day thereafter. The orchids and other wildflowers were incredible and I spent a lot of time crouched down getting pictures of species I was not familiar with. Spring on Isle Royale means a lot of daylight and we were generally in camp by mid-afternoon and had a lot of time to lounge about and enjoy the quiet.

From Isle Royale it was back to the mainland and then up to Thunder Bay, ON where I joined other members of Team Northwoods for the Firefighter's 10 Mile Road Race. I rarely run road races so this was an interesting experience for me. I had no idea how to pace myself, but remembering how well it worked at the Human Race in March, I left my watch in the hotel room as we headed to the start. The course is an out and back with a small loop near the turnaround and only one small hill. This made for a wonderful opportunity to cheer on fellow team members and, since the hotel was near the halfway point, easy access for Mr. Wildknits to take pictures.

Team Northwoods prior to race start

At the 5 mile mark

I had figured the best time I could expect for this distance was between 1:20 and 1:30, especially just a week after the Superior 50K. I finished in 1:19:49, and for the first time ever felt like throwing up at the end of a race! I did break one rule of running though - I wore brand new shoes in the race. My Saucony Stabils had been killing my feet and I finally got around to buying a new pair of road shoes (Brooks Adrenaline) right before our trip.

The training runs have continued, though none as long as I would have liked (in that part of my brain that says I need to run 40+ miles in a long run before race day). I was able to join Helen for a nice jaunt on the SHT between Tettegouche State Park and Sonju Lake Rd a couple of weeks ago and also managed to get a run in on the Voyageur course last Sunday in the rain. Nothing like water-logged red clay and the Powerlines to get a group of runners laughing (and cursing and covered in mud).

Taken with my phone and obtained through a circutous route. Post-run in Carlton.

I also threw in a little trail race this past Saturday - Boulder Dash 5K just for fun - and because Sam promised it would be easy footing. It was a small race with some inspiring performances. and great trophies for the top three finishers in each age group.

Some of the prize winners at the Boulder Dash 5K

Six more weeks to go until race day! Still trying to decide exactly how to handle the Half Voyageur Trail Marathon. The consensus seems to be to not run the race. But it is a Jarrow's Beach year and oh so tempting to see if I can better my time on that course. After all the 2008 Half Voyageur was my first ever marathon. I tried to volunteer the last time I saw Gene Curnow, but am still not sure if I got accepted as a volunteer or advised to run instead ;->

This weekend will be a step-back week as I attend one wedding and two graduation parties and try to finally get my garden in and maybe finish up that sock and getting started on it's mate.

Isle Royale May 2010

2010-05-27T22:32:00.001-05:00

Just a preview of photos from my most recent trip. To see more photos click on the image.

NMTC Goat Run

2010-05-12T22:15:00.002-05:00

Northern Minnesota Track Club (NMTC) Spring Trail Series has started!! Most races are held on Wednesday and they tackle some of the toughest trails in the Duluth/Superior area. Need a little mud, hills, and technical trail - this is the series for you!

Tonight was race number 4 in the series - Goat Run. While not technically held in the Goat Hill neighborhood of Duluth, it is nearby and involves a scramble up some steep bare rocks and a lot of climbing and descending in a 3.5 mile course.

Since I only live a mile and half away, parking is limited, and race turnouts have been large (115 tonight) I opted to run to this race. Loaded my trusty REI Half Dome with some Nathan products to deliver to Team Mega Tough teammate Leslie and some warm clothes for after the race if I decided to stick around for some post-race socializing and headed up the hill.

My house is about 300 feet off of the Superior Hiking Trail and I have found it a gentle way to access Skyline Boulevard which runs above my house. The rest of the commute was on the boulevard, and with the wind at my back (gusting to 30 mph) it went by pretty quickly.

Arrived at the race start, paid my $1 and promptly found a spot out of the wind to wait and adjust my layers. The thermometer at my house read 50 F, but I had not taken into account wind chill. Opted to keep my long-sleeve Icebreaker top on for the race. This would turn out to be an excellent decision!

The course utilizes an access trail that quickly takes us into the Piedmont hills. After reaching what appears to be the summit, it is a quick descent into a valley, then a quick climb back out on what is a snowmobile trail in the winter and part of the mountain bike trail system the rest of the year. This trail leads to the Piedmont Ski Trail. The turn onto the ski trails equals some easy running, with good footing and plenty of space to pass (or be passed). I know the trails in this area very well as it is close to home and a favorite for running, hiking, skiing and biking.

Now, as with most folks in colder weather, my nose had been running a bit. No problem right?! That's what long sleeves are for after all. Well, I reached up to wipe my nose only to discover it was bleeding. Great! I ended up spending the rest of the race mopping up blood, trying not to let it distract me from running and occasionally wondering how bad this all would look to an outsider (and hoping I wasn't spattering anybody but myself).

The race finishes on the same bare rock face, but this time its a pretty exciting descent! I gathered my finishing place number and answered a few questions about all the blood (and was wishing I had a better story than a spontaneous nose bleed). After turning in my number and having my name recorded for the results I grabbed my backpack (a little lighter after delivering the gear) and headed into the wind for the run home. Sam joined me for awhile which gave us a chance to catchup and wish each other good luck on upcoming races.

Next up:
Superior 50K (May 15)
Isle Royale - backpacking trip (May 19 - 23)
Firefighters 10 mile Road Race (Thunder Bay, ON May 24)

This and that and some product reviews

2010-04-08T20:11:00.010-05:00

Time to catch up on a few long overdue items:

Spring continues to progress and it is dry! The trails are in the best shape I have ever seen them this early in the year. Few muddy spots, all in areas that are perennially wet. It has been so fun to get out on the single-track.

Knitting is happening, but very slowly. I am trying to get a new hat design off the needles so I can get started on a commission.
I am bartering a pair of socks for.... well, can't say as it is meant to be a surprise for someone who may (or may not) read this blog. The socks are going to be very long... 16 inches from the ankle to the top. Found the right yarn, now working out (mostly in my head) the design. More to be revealed later.

Running is going very well. Long runs are up around 24 miles as of this past weekend (or 22 if you believe the GPS over the SHT mileage). I even ran in my first road race as a member of Northwoods Minnesota on March 28th (Human Race 8k). It was fun to do this as part of a team and I was pretty happy to surpass my goal time. One thing that really helped was to take my watch off and just run (thanks Wayne for showing up to cheer, and hold my watch!). This kept me from looking down, seeing my pace and freaking out. Another very cool part of that day was meeting Jean.

Post Human Race 8k blogger meet-up

Next race will be Trail Mix 25K on April 17th, then the NMTC series starts up on April 28th. From there it is on to Superior 50K, with a brief interlude to go backpacking on Isle Royale, then up to Thunder Bay with the Northwoods Minnesota team for the Fire Fighter's 10-mile Road Race on May 24th. All of this running of course is just leading up to the big race of my summer: Minnesota Voyageur Trail Ultra. My first 50 mile race!!

I am not only a member of Northwoods Minnesota but also of Team Mega Tough. This is the group of women I ran the Great River Ragnar Relay with last August. We have a few sponsors for the team who have been quite generous with clothing and equipment.

Through Nathan Sports I picked up a Blizzard Hydration Pack. As someone who runs year round and lives in an area with extreme winter weather it seemed only logical to put their Snow Line to the test. My first long run with the Nathan happened while down south in the Twin Cities on a balmy 4 degree F day. It was warm enough that I shed my wind breaker and even peeled the mitten layers back. Unfortunately the drink tube froze up and despite my best efforts I could not figure out where the ice block was and how to clear it. I have taken the pack out on many runs since then and have had no problems with freeze up. I did modify the tube a bit by cutting off several inches so that it doesn't stick out quite so far from my body. The pack rides really, really well and is quite comfortable to wear. It does have a bit of a "Major Tom" look to it (thanks Eric for the cultural reference). Overall I am very pleased with it and would recommend it to others who want a lot of water carrying capacity.

Outside Moose Lake, Mn on the connector trail between the Munger and Soo Line trails.

In this photo you can see that not only will the pack
accommodate a water bladder and has pockets for a gel flask,
but you can also stuff a windbreaker into it as needed.

Front view, showing why I needed to do a bit of personalizing.

Icebreaker is another sponsor that is specifically focusing on the ultra athletes on the team. I received a hat, short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirt as well as a pair of socks from them. All of their items are made of merino wool and one of their hooks is their "baacode" - allowing you to trace your garment to the producers of the wool. Very cool idea. Now, I do not need to be sold on the qualities of wool, nor on the softness of merino. As a knitter I know this.

The clothing line is a bit expensive but is fantastic and has become my new favorite. The Dash Crewe and the Chase Zip are so warm, comfortable, form-fitting, and quite thin, and don't seem to hold odors like my synthetic tops. I have done 3-4 runs in a row involving a lot of sweat and haven't stunk them up yet. The torso length is long, as are the sleeves, (on both tops). The long sleeve has a hole for the thumb, allowing a bit of hand coverage for those times when it is too cool for bare hands but too warm for gloves or mittens.

Dash Crewe layered under Chase Zip. It was about 30 degrees this day and I was hot already, early in the run.

The snug fit and thin fabric did lead to a horrifying occurrence one morning at work. As I reached back to peel the crewe off I heard a ripping noise. At the point where I grabbed the shirt the fabric had torn! That will teach me to pull my shirts off by grabbing the back of the neck area. From now on I peel from the bottom up.

Prior to repair

I was able to repair the shirt with a bit of sewing, though I did consider trying to kitchner stitch it together (it is knit after all). I abandoned the idea mainly because I would have had to use sewing needles as knitting needles and I couldn't lay my hands on a magnifying glass.

Post-repair - not pretty, but it does the job.

The shirt is almost as good as new and I am looking forward to many more runs in these tops. A neat coincidence is the color of the short sleeve is exactly the same shade as the paint blazes on the Superior Hiking Trail. Leslie, one of my Mega Tough Team mates, has dubbed it "SHT blue". Can't think of a better omen for a season of trail running.

April 4, 2010

2010-04-04T11:55:00.003-05:00

Seen along the SHT near Enger Tower and in the yard:

Hazelnut flowers

Scilla siberica

Daffodil

Mertensia virginica - flower buds

Happy Spring!!!

To come: reports on a few long runs and races, some equipment and clothing reviews and maybe a little knitting.

Sunday, March 21

2010-03-21T16:00:00.005-05:00

columbine and scilla

daffodils

mertensia (virginia bluebells)

hollyhock

Above are scenes from my backyard and below is a quick look at the Superior Hiking Trail as it passes above/behind my house:

There is a little bit of mud on the trail but I see no signs of snow or ice. Below is the view from just below the trail, at the site we call "the sitting tree". Looking south down the St. Louis River estuary.

Went for a run today with Rick Bothwell out at Jay Cooke State Park. Decided we would tackle some hills on what we call the "south loop" (across the swinging bridge, including Ridge, Summer, Bear Chase, Lost Lake, and Silver Creek trails).

It was a beautiful day for a run, mid 40's when I headed out and mid 50's when I got back.

Some of the hills

Wolf kill?

While running here last fall/early winter we saw plenty of wolf tracks. Guess they are thinning the herd.

The St. Louis River spied through the trees along the Silver Creek Trail.
The roar was amazing! Along with birdsong one of the sounds of spring.

St. Louis River above the Swinging Bridge

The river below the bridge.

I am looking forward to more runs on dirt as spring progresses.

Spent a few days in the Twin Cities (adult vaccine conference at the Arboretum) which offered me the opportunity to run at Hyland a couple of days. Thursday I arrived in time to miss rush hour (shudder) and joined Mike W., Wayne and Karen for a nice tour of the park. Saturday morning I joined Helen, Val and Eric and was introduced to hill repeats. I now have a better mental image of parts of the Trail Mix course which may be helpful in a few weeks.

Just under the wire

2010-02-28T20:12:00.002-06:00

"Black Hole" socks

These were completed (ends worked in and everything) during the closing ceremonies. I had finished the first sock at about the halfway point of the games, yet most of the knitting on the second sock was accomplished in the last few days around work (and even at work - thank you hour long meetings!!), some socializing, and a lot of running and other recreating.

It has been incredibly warm (for February) and sunny here which almost resulted in a career ending setback when I finished up a nice easy 4 mile run today by laying down in the back of the car in a nice sunny spot out of the wind... I had my knitting along and had intended on working on the sock while I waited for Wayne to finish up his longer run but rather than knitting I dozed off for about an hour.

Sundays are for soccer and due to lack of players I managed to be on the pitch from 4:45 pm - 7:00 pm, another potential setback to winning the gold. Fortunately I had reached the toe decreases by the time I headed out for the games. Arrived home to discover that the closing ceremonies were still on and the torch was still lit!

Quick meal and then it was time to finish those socks! Now I have the leisure to go back and eat a bit more heartily ;->

And get back to the hat I am knitting for a very patient runner out there.

Spruce Trail Ski- Jay Cooke State Park

2010-02-21T15:21:00.003-06:00

How I spent my Sunday afternoon - in pictures:

At the trail junction with the High Trail

Looking back along the access trail

Looking in the direction we will be traveling

Who's been at work here???

Mr. Wildknits entering a spruce/cedar tunnel

Contemplating a big climb... for those of you who have ever run the NMTC Bull Run this ought to look familiar

Above and Below: View from atop the ridge we had just climbed

Birch on it's tip toes ;->

I am not normally a fan of big/steep hills while cross-country skiing and had forgotten about some of the hills out here! Only had to sit once on my way down a hill. One fall, after successfully navigating a steep descent and then ascent with a 90 degree turn at the top. No good explanation for it - was at a bit of an angle and simply went over - kind of like a tree - too bad no one was there to yell "timber". Took me a bit to sort out skis and poles and the angle of the trail in order to get back up. Luckily we were the only people out there so I didn't have to worry about blocking someone else's access to the trail while I floundered around.

Yesterday I joined Rick in Moose Lake for a hilly 15 mile run. Later today it is off to the YMCA for 1-3 games of indoor soccer (depending on if other teams need an additional player, how many players show up on my team, and how much energy I have).

Knitting Olympic update:
Bit behind where I should be at. Almost finished with sock one, but already past the halfway point of the Olympics so need to get a move on! I am finding that a headlamp worn around the neck and angled 'just so' makes it possible to see the stitches well enough for decreases. This is the most light absorbing yarn I have used it years - or my eyes are getting old.

A Knitting Challenge and another use for a headlamp

2010-02-11T20:29:00.007-06:00

Scoot on over to the Yarn Harlot for a moment. Interesting idea, isn't it. Stephanie is going to knit a sweater in 17 days. Me? I am knitting socks. Some would wonder why I consider this an olympic effort, after all I have the basic pattern memorized and consider socks pretty mindless (perfect for knitting while reading, socializing, riding the bus, etc).

Here is the challenge:

Notice the color? Yup. Black. Not shiny black either. More like 'black-hole' black. Pretty flat and very hard to see (especially later in the day when my older eyes are tired). Embiggen the photo and look at the recommended needle size. I always have to drop down two sizes to get a fabric I like, and a gauge that will hold up in socks. Yes, that does mean I will be knitting these on size 0 (2 mm) needles. Oh, did I mention the size of foot I am knitting these for? 10.5 inches (approx. US mens 9.5). Not much to complain about there really.

By the way guys, just a little comment here: there is a whole rainbow of colors out there. Consider branching out why don't you (for a funny take on that subject I refer you back to the Yarn Harlot's Feb. 5, 2004 post entitled Manly Men, scroll down a bit).

As with the real Olympics "training" is allowed. Since I purchased this yarn in skeins tonight I took the time to wind them into balls:
I invested in an umbrella swift and ball winder years ago and it has paid for itself many times over. Plus I no longer have to force family members to sit still and hold yarn for me, improving those relationships immensely.

Due to the yarn color and lateness in the day I pulled out my Petzl Tikka XP headlamp to aid in seeing and untying the knots and removing the small pieces of yarn that were holding the skein together ( I am yarn frugal and avoid cutting yarn - never know if you might need that last little bit to finish a project).

Now I just need to finish up the hat I have been working on before tomorrow at 6:30 pm CT (need the needles from that to work on the socks).

Added challenges that make completing a pair of socks in this time span a bit of a stretch: my work schedule and my running schedule. Full-time employment really cuts into knitting time (and I do not have the kind of job where I can knit at work - though socks are portable and will travel with me for those 'in-between' times), not that I am complaining about having a job (or two). And until I can figure out how to knit and run those two hobbies are mutually exclusive (though knitting has been pulled out while waiting for running buddies). So, seeing as I am training to run my first 50 mile this summer and building mileage for a 25k in April and a 50k in May along the way, there goes another (big) chunk of knitting time. Add in soccer on Sundays and skiing two days a week (gotta take advantage of the snow while we have it) and all of a sudden a pair of socks in 17 days does become worthy of an olympic medal.

Other knitting
The Runner's Hat (take 2) is almost completed. Just need to finish up the crown decreases and give it a good washing to clean the yarn and it will be ready for gifting. Pictures will be posted once it is finished. I have been trying to follow the pattern as written and have only had to make one minor change to adjust for a larger row gauge with the yarn I am using. Seems like the pattern is accurate as written. Anyone else out there print it out and give it a try?

ORC(obligatory running content)
Attempted to get in a 15 mile run this past Saturday on snowmobile trails in the Moose Lake area, managed 13.5. The trails were soft, it was tough going and at almost 3 hours I had had enough. Ran with Rick B. who was kind enough to send along some photos from the day.

Running up the only hill on the course

Rick B. and Wildknits - on the bridge over the Kettle River

Looking down on the Kettle River

We ran on the Munger and Soo Line trails. Both are Rail to Trail conversions which means very little elevation change and, in the winter, snowmobile traffic. It was a busy day on the trail but almost all of the snowmobilers were very polite while passing. Had a great time hanging out with Rick during and after the run.

In addition to weekend long runs I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping the mileage up during the week. Even managed to double up last week and ran not only to work on Thursday but then after work ran to the library. I am far ahead of where I was last year at this time.

Thursday's are for running to work

2010-01-28T22:53:00.004-06:00

And today I remembered to bring a camera, and to leave early enough to be able to use it!

Temperature when I left my house: -10 F. No real wind to speak of. In the first mile I gained about 200 feet in elevation, then gradually crept up another 100 feet or so before descending over 600 feet on my way back down the hillside and to my place of employment. Total distance: 4.1 miles.

Sunrise over Lake Superior and the St. Louis River estuary

Aspen and birch lit up by the rising sun - hillside above Skyline Boulevard

40th Ave W., just before the first hairpin turn on the descent into West Duluth.
I work in the neighborhood at the base of this hill.

Hillside above 40th Ave W. Ridgeline in the distance is home to a section of the SHT,
plateau in the foreground is Skyline Boulevard.

Looking back up 40th Ave. W.

At work - just a little frosty around the edges!

I was thinking it would be neat to see what other bloggers commutes look like. Care to share?

Packs - old and new

2010-01-27T21:43:00.007-06:00

An old favorite:

REI Half Dome

This pack has served me well for many years. Hauling books and miscellaneous stuff while I was in nursing school (and those books weigh a lot!). Knocking around in the woods on many day hikes (both for work and pleasure), and being a great pack for commuting and/or long runs. It fits snugly, holds quite a bit of stuff, has straps that allow for tightening down loads to minimize bounce, has a sleeve for a hydration bladder and has accessible pockets on the sides. Every Thursday morning you can see it strapped to my back as I run to work (especially in the winter when I need to haul a warm coat for the commute home). It has been a great addition to my backpack line-up, so I was a bit saddened to see that REI no longer carries them. Too bad as I have been recommending it to friends.

A new pack entered my life today:

Blizzard Hydration Pak

This arrived today and I am very excited to give it a try! For full disclosure, I am on a team that is sponsored by Nathan - Team Mega Tough - and we were allowed to chose one product for free. Seeing as I am focusing on ultras, and live in an area where it is winter longer than it is not, it only made sense to investigate their extreme weather hydration pack. I am looking forward to putting this through its paces and will let you all know how it holds up to the weather northern Minnesota can dish out.

Team Mega Tough is made up, primarily, of the group of women that I ran the Great River Ragnar Relay with this past August. I am very honored to be included on this team and often wonder why as I am not very fast, relatively speaking. One thing that I bring to the team (or so I am told) is inspiration. I am by far the oldest member and I think many of these women (and maybe others who read the teams blog?) have not envisioned themselves remaining so physically active when they hit their 40's.

Yes, you can achieve some pretty amazing things as a "masters" runner. More importantly, what is amazing for one person may look very different for another, as we each come from very different places.

2009 was a year of exploring my limits and finding out what I am capable of as an athlete. I ran 400+ more miles than I had ever run before, completed two 50K trail races (two weeks apart) and competed in my first 24 hour relay. On top of that I set PR's at several distances (5K, 10K, marathon and 50K).

The Blocking of Icarus

2010-01-24T12:47:00.011-06:00

And it only took me 3.25 years! The pattern for this shawl appeared in the Summer 2006 Interweave Knits. Apparently in the midst of senior year finals, studying for my RN boards and interviewing for jobs I decided a complicated lace pattern was just the ticket for relaxation ;->

Now, I love to knit lace. Scarves and shawls especially. Why? Can't answer that. To top it all off I rarely have occasion to wear shawls, and yet I have four. This shawl was knit from some lace weight yarn (70% lambswool/30% angora; 1125 yards/5 ozs) gifted to me by a friend.

Pre-blocking photo:

The first step in blocking is to soak the item thoroughly. I added a touch of soap to ensure the shawl was clean:

soaking the shawl in the kitchen sink

Dr. Bronners - it truly is an all-purpose soap!

After soaking and rinsing the shawl I rolled it in a towel

and stood on it for awhile to get most of the water out. From there it was upstairs to the spare room and the blocking mat and wires.

This is a triangular shaped shawl with many points along the lower edges. I started by threading the wires along the top edge, utilizing the holes in the edging:

This would give me a firm edge to work from. Next I pinned out the corners:

homemade t-square to ensure straight edges and a symmetrical shape

From there I placed pins all along the top edge and then started pinning out the sides

notice how the pattern is already starting to open up?

A close-up of the lace pattern pre-blocking:

Each point needs to be pinned out which eventually will create a lovely scalloped border and opens up the "feathers".

lots of pins were utilized, along with the t-square

one edge finished

I alternated sides while pinning - working on segments to even out tension on the shawl. Once I was finished it was time to step back, look at the overall piece and adjust as needed before leaving it to dry.

post-blocking look at the pattern and the whole shawl

Finished dimensions are approximately 66" by 36".

It is amazing what long-neglected projects get taken care of when the weather is less than lovely (current conditions: snow and 36 degrees = wet and sloppy, with a layer of ice underlaying it all).

Pattern for "Runner's Hat"

2010-01-23T19:02:00.004-06:00

So - hoping this works out as the technology is new to me. Due to the knitter's font I used to make the chart I couldn't just cut and past this pattern into the blog - it would have ended up looking like a bunch of a's and O's and would have been a bit hard to decipher. Instead I have created a jpeg. If you click on the image it will open up like a photo, from there you should be able to print it.

I am about to embark on test knitting this pattern in it's newly revised form (more stitches to accommodate the typical adult head vs my slightly smaller than average head), using some shetland fingering weight I had in natural sheep colors. Had to wind this yarn off of a couple of cones I had stashed away.

I make no promises that there are not mistakes in the pattern at this point and will post any errata I discover. Feel free to use the pattern as you like, just remember to credit the creator!

Enjoy!

Friday Night Ramblings

2010-01-22T19:27:00.004-06:00

Sitting here after finishing a meal of home-made pizza (store-bought crust, brushed with olive oil and piled with sliced fennel bulb, garlic and mozzarella), sipping on a pint of homebrew
while I digest my meal and work on a pair of socks before heading out to the sauna for a good "bake".

Reflecting on my fortunes - small as they may seem by some folks' standards, pretty big by others.

2010 is off to a good start and I am slowly planning out the year. Contemplating vacations to Isle Royale, mapping out the races I would like to get to, carving out time to spend with family and friends, thinking about ways to improve my knowledge related to work (the 2 year clock is ticking on CME's) and mulling over potential knitting projects and who to gift them to.

I have been doing a better job than ever maintaining my running mileage - though this weekend's predicted weather may put that to the test! I am way ahead of where I have been in past years at this time with a long run in the 13 mile range. Last weekend I attended the start of the Northwoods Snowshoe Marathon then ran from Lester Park uphill to Skyline Boulevard and home. It was a great test of fitness as the first three miles involved a 450+ foot climb and the mix of snowmobile trail and roads gave me no real excuses to walk. The only breaks I took were at stoplights and I was thrilled with the amount of time it took to get home. Of course, I had a bit of a deadline hanging over my head so it motivated me to push a bit harder than I would have otherwise.

Soccer has also started so I am following my Saturday long runs with anywhere from 45 - 90 minutes of sprinting about a gym floor on Sunday evenings. Soccer is a contact sport (I have heard some argue it is a blood sport) and I had stopped playing in the summer and fall due to fear of injury (in the past I have taken a nasty blow to a flexed quad = inability to straighten my leg for some time). The indoor league is a fast game and I enjoy the opportunity to get in a "speed workout" in a game environment. Besides, the flying elbows and legs kind of remind me of some race starts ;->

This past week I finally ventured out on my cross-country skis even though it involved the use of some pretty sticky kick wax. It was a fun slip and slide around the local trail even though I spent way too much time falling on the first loop. Luckily my body seemed to remember what it was doing for the second loop and I stayed atop my skis - for the most part.

Yesterday - being Thursday - I ran to work. This time I took a slightly longer route via Skyline Boulevard (it stretches the length of Duluth) and was rewarded for the climb by an incredible sunrise over Lake Superior which lit up the trees on the hillside. The majority of my commute took place surrounded by woods so I was bathed in the golden glow and protected from the wind. By the time I hit the .86 mile descent to the neighborhood I work in I was grinning like a fool - a sight to see for the commuters trapped in their cars headed up the hill. I think I even caught one or two of them smiling back.

Not sure if I have stated my race plans for 2010 yet, but since I can't readily lay my hands on a post that spells them out here they are:

April - Trail Mix 25K
May - Superior 50K
June - Knife River Solstice 5K
July - Voyageur 50 mile (yes, I am making the leap into the abyss)
August - Marquette Trail 50K (possibly, still trying to decide)
October - Wild Duluth 50K

Would love to go back to Surf the Murph but I keep hearing rumors it may be moving earlier into October and Wild Duluth is the hometown race (and my first ever 50K) so will win out.

Of course mixed in there will be the NMTC Spring (late April to early June) and Fall (September to November) Series as well as one to two backpacking trips to Isle Royale.

Hopefully I am not being overly ambitious with my schedule.

And with that it is time to sauna....

Addendum: Sauna was 190+ degrees F. I lasted only two rounds and that was with copious applications of water to self (and some to the stove). Hot enough to melt the glue in magazines. But, not much can beat sitting in a chair in a snowbank, listening to the wind in the trees, gazing off into the distance with not a whole lot on the mind. The gift of sauna!

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders

2010-01-15T22:40:00.002-06:00

A worthy organization!

Thanks Yarn Harlot for the reminder of how we can be of help around the world and the power of a global community united by a common hobby:

Knitters Without Borders

Read through this page and then take a look at the total raised so far (and know that she is continuously updating the amount).

'Nuff said

"Runners Hat" aka a finished project!

2010-01-04T21:57:00.006-06:00

A long time in coming but finally completed on New Years Eve - just in time for the 3rd Annual Barely Organized New Years Day Run.

Materials: Happy Feet Yarn(Plymouth Yarn Co., 90% superwash merino wool, 10% nylon); Sz O (2mm) 16" and double pointed needles. Glass head (for blocking ;->)

Gauge: 9.25 sts/inch in pattern blocked

Pattern: Wildknits original. Came up with the garter stitch edging by playing around with a "what if" idea and then really liking how it looked. The "runners" are a horizontal border pattern from Charts for Color Knitting by Alice Starmore (which I am so, so fortunate to own a copy of). It is a traditional Norwegian pattern.

I am toying with posting the pattern on the blog, let me know if there is any interest. In an attempt to make replicating a design easier I have been forcing myself to actually write down patterns as I knit them. The next step will be typing it up, incorporating the knitter's font from Knitter's Magazine for the chart. Then not only will I have an electronic copy of the pattern, but it will be that much easier to share with others. It would be fairly easy to adapt this pattern to other gauges - just a matter of some time with a calculator and paper and pencil ( I realize not everyone has my love for tiny needles and fine yarn).

ORC (Obligatory Running Content):

Besides knitting I spent the long holiday weekend running - a lot. It was a bit nippy up here, but much warmer by the Lake then inland. Fortunately the winds were pretty calm and spending hours outdoors on a sunny day with friends was a good way to welcome in a new year.

Friday was the 3rd Annual Barely Organized New Years Day Run. Preceding the official run and potluck Marcus, Wayne and I headed out for a long run on the SHT. The plan was to run east from Hartley Nature Center to Hawk's Ridge and then on to the Martin Rd and back. Due to the recent abundance of snow and then rain, the trail was "interesting". We alternated between running on packed trail, icy roads, and crusted snow. Some of the trail was excellent, other areas you would just get a rhythm going and then would post-hole through, usually resulting in a sudden change of pace. My shins took a beating! I think we managed 9 miles total and then it was back to the Nature Center to meet up with other runners for a run on the single-track trails. Due to the conditions we altered the route this year, opting for the Swamp Loop over the Guardrail Loop. This was a shorter loop which allowed us to climb Rock Knob near the end of the run for some great views over eastern Duluth and Lake Superior.

More photos from the run (the rest are on my Picasa site):

Goofing around in the subzero cold - can you spot the mountain biker in our midst?

Marcus wore the KSO's

There is always one in the bunch who just has to see if their tongue will stick (and wouldn't you know it was the biker!)

We must not be too cold - our jackets are unzipped!

Saturday Wayne, Rick and I headed to Jay Cooke State Park and snowshoed for a bit. Again, there was a lot of crusty snow to break through but the trail was great on the way back! It was Rick's first time out on snowshoes and he did great! I, on the other hand, spent a lot of time face down in the snow. I have a pair of Ojibwa style wooden snowshoes and the tips would get caught under the crust from time to time providing a lot of comic entertainment.

grouse prints in the snow

The sunset on the hike out

Sunday it was time for another long run. This time Leslie joined Wayne and I and we headed west on the Piedmont snowmobile trail to Proctor. The trail was perfect! Firm, wide and with few snowmobiles (I hear there was a football game on). It was still cold, but with light winds and clear blue skies. Can't think of a better way to spend a couple of hours than with friends out in the woods!

Total miles for the weekend: 21. Pretty much matching or exceeding my weekly mileage for the past month or two.

All the fresh air, good food and time with family and friends was complemented by some quality time with my knitting needles. In addition to finishing the hat I cast on and completed the leg of a sock. I had noticed awhile back that my supply of handknit socks is getting a bit threadbare and decided it was time to remedy the situation. Besides, it is the perfect project to have on hand for reading books and whiling away those odd bits of time spent waiting.

Snowmobile trails..

2009-12-29T22:56:00.003-06:00

are perfect for running right now! Firm, but not hard like pavement; good traction; no ice.

The sun was shining, there was barely any wind (which helped as it was zero degrees F when I headed out this morning) and no snowmobiles - a perfect day!

Of course there were hills, and they seem to be harder to run in the winter (why is that?!?). The route follows the powerline corridor in western Duluth and includes some climbs (and descents) that would be familiar to anyone who ran Wild Duluth this year.

Oh, and to top it all off the Lake was steaming this morning (a sure sign of near zero or below zero temperatures). Combined with the sunrise it was a pretty spectacular sight and a great way to start the day.

Random bits

2009-12-27T21:52:00.005-06:00

It has been awhile since I've posted so this will be a hodge podge of the past few weeks happenings.

Not too much going on around here running wise. This past week I was feeling a bit run down so skipped my Tuesday run, ran Wednesday evening and then allowed the 'blizzard' to be my excuse for not running Thursday or Friday. Did get some exercise, in the form of shoveling, over the two days of the storm. After digging out from under close to a foot of white fluffy stuff (100 plus feet of sidewalk, 36 steps and our parking area) on day one I had to repeat much of it on day two but with the added bonus of a bit of rain and very heavy, wet snow. I only made it as far as digging out our front sidewalk, around the cars and about 12 steps before a neighbor met me. By then my shoulders were shot from trying to throw snow over the already high banks adjacent to the steps.

Pre day two shoveling - those steps were clear before I went to bed!

It is a tradition around here to give the kids sleds for Christmas and they were due this year (never mind that they are in college - you are never too old to go sledding!). As you can tell by the photo we live on a hill. Just off to the right is a "road" - not maintained by the city - that makes an awesome sledding run. Later in the evening the sleds were put to the test. Pretty slow going at first (wet, sticky snow) but a nice track has been laid down for future use.

Today we picked up our ski licenses, after convincing the retailer that they indeed did sell them - an annual ritual. The city has been busy grooming the local trails and the plan is to get out and ski this week.

I also got in a long run, starting at Lake level (Sky Harbor Airport) and eventually climbing about 600 feet up the hill and then running Skyline Blvd home. The route consisted mostly of roads - and they were a mess. Knowing that I was heading out to face a lot of ice I installed the screws today on my road shoes:

and in the process took a good look at the wear patterns (note these have about 200 miles on them). Apparently I drag the lateral edge of my heel a bit and I have no real explanation for why my left shoe is more worn down in the forefoot area than my right.

The screws help with traction on all but glare ice - and I found some of that on the Lakewalk today. Yikes! Between that and dodging cars, it was an interesting run. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Chester Creek trail runnable (mostly) and was able to get off the roads for about a mile. By the time I was near home I was ready to be done running and opted to stop at the point where my section of the SHT crosses Skyline. There was only one problem - no humans had been on this section of trail! My choice was another 1.5 miles via road or about a quarter mile through the snow. I chose the snow ;-> I called Mr. Wildknits and asked if he would pack down the trail from the house up to the 'sitting tree'. It was nice not to break trail the whole way home. About 50% of the time I stayed on top of the snowpack. The other 50% I was post-holing through up to about midcalf. Interesting cool down...

The extra time off this week, and blizzard, have been good for getting some knitting done. Finished a pair of mittens I promised a friend:

Heart Crook Pattern on hand, basic mitten pattern

This should have been a fairly quick knit but I was designing on the go and after I got the cuff done things got a bit more complicated. I hadn't really thought through how I would handle the thumb gusset and after ripping out the hand 8 times (yes, 8... it takes a while to work these things out and then I messed up the pattern - twice) I had it all figured out. The second mitten went along much faster (and I think I even wrote this pattern down!). These mittens are bright, the recipient will have no excuse for losing them ;->

Once the mittens were completed it was time to resurrect the hat that has been languishing for quite some time (I think I had intended finishing it in time for Surf the Murph or Pine Valley or the UMTR Awards Fest). Again, my design (which I have been faithfully writing down and am calling 'Runners Hat' for now). I am working with sock yarn (merino with a touch of nylon) and size 0 needles on 176 sts. Not the fastest knitting in the first place but I am incorporating a color pattern which slows it down a bit more. Once it is finished I will post some pictures.

One of my gifts this Christmas (besides wonderful flannel pjs) was a gift certificate to my local yarn shop. The question is should I buy yarn or books or needles or ??? I have plenty of all of the above and no real projects in mind (and a few to finish up). I could use a needle organization system as the method I use now leaves much to be desired (all of the needles piled together in a large ziploc bag).

December 19th Leslie and I headed down to watch friends run the Tuscobia Trail 50k. The plan was to arrive in time to watch the race start, then hop from road crossing to road crossing for awhile before heading to the race finish and running out on the trail to meet folks and run in with them. And that is pretty much what happened. Temperatures were in the high 20's and the snowmobile trail was really soft. Made me glad I had not succumbed to peer pressure and signed up for the race! Race day photos are at my picasa site. After running 12 or so miles I am very impressed with everyone who competed that day. It was a struggle to find any firm footing.

Still considering options for races in 2010 though I have sketched out a tentative plan: Trail Mix 25K in April, Superior 50K in May, Voyageur 50 mile in July and Wild Duluth 50k in October. There are some other races I am hoping to include as well, but will wait to see how I hold up to the increased mileage. In previous years I have topped out at less than 800 miles (far less up until 2008); this year I am already at 1194. Barring a sudden injury I think I can reach 1200 by the end of the year ;->

As usual I am planning to get out to Isle Royale backpacking, hopefully both in the spring and fall. There is a section of trail that I really want to do, and I think spring would be best due to the amount of daylight and the distance between campsites on this route. It is interesting trying to schedule races around backpacking trips and vice versa. Don't want to be injured for either!

Coming up: 3rd Annual Barely Organized New Year's Day Run at Hartley Nature Center. Check out Northland Runner (scroll down a bit)for the details.