Monday Evening Sail

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

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

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

Prairie Fringed Orchis or ???

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

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

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

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.

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

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

NMTC Goat Run

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

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.