Tunxis Ultra Marathon Fun Run lives up to its name
Me and my better half went up to check out the Tunxis Ultra on Saturday.The 6:a.m. race start translated to a 3:15 a.m. wake up. Ouch! [Read more…] about Tunxis Ultra Marathon Fun Run
Trapped Rock, running bolder and free
The last time we ran Traprock was the races inaugural running. I think my running buddy was the second overall women, about an hour behind Deb Livingston, and I might have been around top ten overall. That right there says a lot about the first year of the race that first year! Traprock has grown quite a bit over the years, and we also heard the course was changed and more difficult, so we decided to get in a 17k run and to check out how the race has evolved since year one. [Read more…] about Trapped Rock, running bolder and free
Return To The Beginning
The Hat Run was our first ultra-marathon back in 2007.
At the time we had run many a road marathon and were in the middle of transitioning from road running to trail running. The Hat Run was also our first run with the Bimblers. We were training for the Pacific Crest 50 mile and attended a talk on ultra-running being given by Mr. Bimble and Guthrie at Sound Runner in Branford. We did not really know them, or any of the Bimblers, but, we walked out of the discussion that night thinking maybe we ought to do a 50k before we do a fifty-mile race. A bunch of the Bimblers were heading to the HAT run so we signed up. [Read more…] about Return To The Beginning
Birthday Bimbler’s Bash
If you’re wondering how one races on octopus leg and copious amounts of Spanish wine, it’s gingerly.
Read Colby Tucker’s blog account of her first experience at the Bash………….. [Read more]
The “after race” Race Report
I offer this with some trepidation. As you will see, stupidity plays with the best of us. I ran the Bluff 50K starting the race an hour early. The RD was nice enough to allow me the early start, as my wife was graduating from 9 hard months of work getting her Yoga Instructor’s training certificate. I am not new to endurance level racing having done multiple 1/2 Ironman races, a full Ironman, and multiple ultra distance trail races. I had sent my application in for the Bluff more as a motivational tool for the season, than for the actual race, and had fully expected to DNF at Renee’s Way. However, race day way gorgeous, the trail comfortable and I felt pretty good. With my longest training run only being 15 miles, I decided to give the distance a shot. Renee’s way was the kicker, with great soup and great volunteers. I said to my self (as many do at that point), “it’s only another 10 miles” and I took off for the finish. [Read more…] about The “after race” Race Report
First 50k from a non-runner’s perspective
I’m not sure what possessed me to sign up for the Bluff. It could have been working the aid station at Renee’s Way last year and seeing how happy the runners were as they arrived, some were delusional, bloody, or their face caked in salt, but everyone looked like they were enjoying it. More likely, it was the encouragement from the Bimblers on our regular 3-5 mile runs (Iggy, Twink, Lost, Where’s Margot, and others). On our occasional longer runs of 8-10 miles, I felt pretty good. So in my mind, if I could run a third of the distance, I could handle a full 50k. I should say that previous to this year’s bluff, my longest run was 14 miles at Pisgah.
I outfitted myself with the plushest Hokas I could find to combat a bad hip and bunch of other aches and pains. I wish I could have trimmed down a bit – but a long Columbus Day weekend on the Cape (Sour Cream Doughnuts, salt water taffy) nixed that idea. I planned on taking it easy and just enjoying the entire day out in the woods. [Read more…] about First 50k from a non-runner’s perspective