Spruce Trail Ski- Jay Cooke State Park

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

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

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

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

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"

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

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

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!

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..

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

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.

Getting ready for the first below zero run...

Tonight I joined the Wednesday night group in Duluth's Canal Park for a run. Eight hearty souls showed up to brave the cold temps and strong winds (5 F, winds 17 mph from the NNW, gusting to 30 mph). This is just the beginning! We meet each Wednesday no matter what - though the cast of characters may change. Tonight we even had a runner in Vibram KSO's - the tracks he left behind were great! Sure to befuddle the wandering tourist who makes it outside. The Lake was doing her best to impress - sending up spray that reached the Lakewalk and added a little ice to make things interesting. When it gets cold - truly cold - a fog forms above the Lake, you could see hints of it tonight. Tomorrow may bring it out in full force, the prediction is for below zero temperatures. All good reasons to bring a camera along, but would I really stop to pull it out?

Now, Thursdays are for running to work and I am not one to let a little cold stop me! I may add another layer of tights though, depending on the winds. To quote a friend: "my a** was cold", as were my legs in general. The rest of me was pretty comfortable once we got out of the head wind and a mile or so into the run ;->

Layers for tonight's run from the inside out: winter weight running bra (longer and heavier fabric), sporthill 3sp pants, sporthill 3sp top, darn tough heavy weight socks, liner gloves, surf the murph 2009 LS shirt, silk/wool mittens, balaclava, sport hill fleece vest, sport hill wind pants, new balance jacket, saucony stabil running shoes, worsted weight wool mittens, wool hat.

This set-up should see me through most of the weather this winter with a layer added or subtracted as needed. I really wish they made shoes without all of the mesh! I could feel the wind on my toes for quite some time and they didn't really feel good and warm until half way through the five mile run. Three layers on my hands seemed to do the trick and I had no real problems there - yippee!

Duluth did not receive very much snow, but what we got drifted quite a bit so while most of the run was on bare pavement there were a few ankle plus deep drifts to negotiate. Taught me about some long underused muscles! Between the ice and packed snow it may be time to apply the hex head screws to the shoes.

The Lakewalk is being impacted by some construction right now as the city works to install the first phase of the "East Interceptor Sanitary Sewer Storage Facility Project" (fancy way of saying they are trying to prevent sewage from ending up in the Lake when we get a big storm by building underground tanks). The result is a very large hole right in the middle of the Lakewalk. For weeks they have been warning about this and detour signs have been up, but we continued to run around them with no problems. Tonight was different. Got closer to Fitgers and there was a big hole in the middle of the way! We were faced with turning back or finding a way around the heavy equipment and very deep hole. To make things interesting there was a significant drop on the lake side as well and the footing consisted of medium sized loose rocks and gravel. Reminded me of a trail run!

It turned out it was possible to skirt around the hole and along an edging of boulders without falling into the Lake - if you were careful ;-> Some of the group opted for the "safer" official detour on the way back but I rationalized if I made it through once okay I would be fine the second time.

The last half mile of the run was with the wind at our backs providing a little "nudge" from time to time. This section also allowed us a nice view of a ship out on the Lake, the fog rising off the water and the waves crashing onto the shore. All the reward needed for putting up with a little cold and wind.

Update
So here is the below zero part: 7:10 am, Thursday: -1 F, winds 9 mph WSW, -16 F windchill. Looks like I will be running into the wind the whole way to work!

Update #2
As I left the house Mr. Wildknits commented on the temp: -3 F. Unknown wind strength. Oh yeah, the temp drops as the sun rises! Did get a self-portrait with my phone upon arrival at work. Bit frosty, but I was warmer than if I would have driven!

Tuesday morning run

Met Sam at 8:00 am to run some nearby trails. It was chilly! 9 F when I left my house, 11 F when I returned and a rising wind. After a brisk October we had a very mild November and this was the first really cold morning. I seem to have gotten the layers just right - hauled out the Sporthill 3SP tops and bottoms, added a fleece vest over the top, my windbreaker, a wool hat and liner gloves topped with worsted weight wool mittens.

We ran for 45 minutes, covering a 5k loop on the ski trails and then heading out on a snowmobile trail for another 15 minutes. There was a light dusting of snow on the trail (more is coming down as I type) but the footing was pretty good. Got in a lot of hills today and took in a nice view of the western part of Duluth at our turnaround spot. Frozen trails are fun to run on!

Today's run reminded me how much effort it takes to run in the winter. Felt like I was working moderately hard, but wouldn't know it by looking at the time.

One of the neatest things about the recent cold snap is the ice! There are a few spots on this trail system that have rather large "puddles" and these were completely iced over. In one spot you could see that the ice was over 6 inches thick already and there was a huge bubble trapped midway in the ice sheet.

Today confirmed that winter ultras will never be a good idea for me. My hands (notably the right) did not warm up until over a mile into the run (dang Raynauds) despite the rest of me being toasty warm. Later, after getting home, I noticed that a couple of my toes were a lovely dusky purple. Yup - will stick to shorter races with the option for getting indoors quickly during the winter months. So far, the experiment using nitroglycerin cream to combat the vasospasms has been a failure. May try it a few more times as it doesn't seem to be having any systemic effects either - at least at the dose I am using.


Bridge to Peace 5K

Well I decided to race on Saturday. The weather was perfect. Sunny, temps in the upper teens to low 20's, not much wind, a little snow on the Lakewalk in a few places (though the volunteers swept off a few sections). This race has some of the best volunteers! Lots of folks out on the course keeping an eye on runners, marking the turn arounds and cheering the runners and walkers on. The post-race refreshments were incredible. There were apples, oranges, cheese, bars and cookies (church ladies bake the best treats!).

Results: 24:22, 1st in my age group (40 - 49).

Didn't PR but am quite happy with that time. I was wheezing a bit, so the lungs were not 100% happy. Had to chase Wayne at the end but couldn't quite catch up (he also got first in his age group).

After the post race festivities, socializing and refueling Wayne, Rick and I headed to Lester Park for a long run. As I said it was a beautiful day and the trails were a treat. We ran the ski trails, eventually crossing over to Hawk's Ridge for a couple of miles and then headed back down to the parking lot. Lots of hills here as well.

I used my camelbak hydration pack and realized why I need a winterized pack - my bite valve started to freeze and the first sip or two of water was a bit cold until I got past what was in the tube (I had filled it with hot water prior to the 5K). I am looking forward to a new hydration option that will make the long runs I have planned for this winter more feasible. I have a theory that hip belt carriers are adding to my IT issues so have been avoiding their use. Longer runs require more liquid than I can carry in a handheld (and there is the Raynauds issue - though hot water could help with this - theoretically).

We ended up running 9 miles. The time flew by (good company will do that). All too soon it was time to head home (with a quick stop to refuel) and fire up the sauna. Unfortunately no one told me (read Mr. Wildknits) that the recently split wood wasn't much good. Of course that is what I used to build up the fire... burned through a lot of kindling without ever getting a fire started. Frustrating! Luckily Mr. Wildknits arrived and explained where the "good" wood was. The fire was going well in short order and a couple of runners got to wind down the day by soaking in the 180+ F heat. There is nothing like sitting out back, gazing at a star-lit sky while cooling off from a sauna.

Oh No!!

Thought I had posted this earlier*, but apparently the title was fitting for more than the subject I had in mind... guess that is what happens when you try to post in a hurry.

My favorite running mittens

Discovered this "almost hole" in my mittens the other morning after my run to work. This is sad, very sad. I made these mittens years ago out of a silk/wool blend yarn. They are perfect for most late fall/winter/early spring days when the temps dip below 50 F. When it gets really cold (below 0-10 degrees) I add a pair of liner gloves or, if it is really, really cold (teens below zero to ?) I add another pair of hand knit mittens in a worsted weight wool. I guess I had better go search the stash for the remnants of the skein and see if I can patch these up. The rest of the mitten is in pretty good shape and the left hand mitten is not sporting a matching thin area. Hmmmm - guess being right-handed shows!

Tomorrow morning I will be running the Bridge to Peace 5k. This is the second year for this race (and my second year participating) which is run on Duluth's Lakewalk. They are having to work around some construction so the course will be different this year than last. Like last year, it is snowing in Duluth tonight so the footing should be interesting in the morning ;-> I am still considering racing this all out and seeing what I can do in my last race of 2009. Another PR? Maybe not with snow on the ground but who knows. After the race (and the appropriate amount of socialization and refueling) will head out with Wayne and Rick to run the Lester Park trails. I hear the goal is to get another 7- 10 miles in (they are planning on running the Tuscobia 50K - me, I just like running long ;->).

*apparently I did post this - to another blog I am part of TeamMegaTough. Oops! Again, being in a hurry and posting may not be a good combination.