Hillarious

Sunday 26 Feb. 2012
The Scoop: Bluff Head/Great Hill Road Hybrid Run
45 degrees and Sunny and Breezy.
Last weekend I set out to find the hills of North Guilford. I have been planning my training runs for the “One Hill” in June. Since I live in Westbrook it makes sense to train within a certain radius without spending too much time driving there. Unless it’s the Spring Loop or the Metacomet Trail etc… (Anybody getting ready for a Spring Loop? Booman?)
So I do have three or four choice areas within a 30 minute drive from my house. The Bluffhead area is right on the edge of my training radius. This area offers some nice steep hilly roads and trails. After scoping out the scoop in my car and tracking mileage from the Bluff parking area. I was ready to run.
I took the blue/red dot trail south from parking area, past cemetery and past gate. From here it’s about 1ooo feet to the Bushwhack Trail which takes you down to the GLT field. Follow the edge of the field along the brook until you reach Great Hill Rd. Take right up pavement. The road immediately turns into a very steep climb for about 1200 ft. And then rounds off a little for another 1200 ft. Take a sharp right then a sharp left. Follow Great Hill Rd. to the height of land. This area is called The Heavens” where there are these beautiful meadows. Continue down the hill for a half mile to the Branch River Bridge and turnaround. I am 2 miles from the car at the Bluff. By now I am totally warmed up and cruise back up the hill and around those sharp corners and fly down the steep as fast as possible back to the field. Repeat if necessary. Ha-ha. Or continue back along the edge of the field and into the woods on the Bushwhack Trail to the Blue Red dot trail. Take a left onto B/RDT and follow trail up south slope of Bluff head for about a half mile to the Blue Trail (Mattabassett Trail). Take a left onto BT and follow north along ledges to the top where the views are amazing. It was so clear that I swear I could see Mt. Tom in Mass. behind the Hartford skyline to the north and Montauk Pt. Long Island to the south. After the scenic view continue north on BT past the Indian prayer rock for another half mile till you reach the junction of the white blue dot trail (North Slope trail). This trail descends for about a half mile straight down to the brook where it meets the Lone Pine Trail. Turnaround and go back up North Slope Trail. By now I am walking fast up this steep rocky trail back to the BT. Once back up at the top you can repeat hill climb. Ha – ha. I am about an hour and forty minutes into my run so I decide to head back to the car. Returning the way I came but returning on BT all the way. Which is down the “Escalator” to the car.
This hybrid run was a perfect workout for my “One Hill” training. The distance was about 8 miles and about 2 hours which is the right amount of distance and time. Some roads and some trails.

Here are some other areas near my home that I am using for local training:
1) Wig Hill/Turkey Hill area in Chester. Park at exit 6 on rte 9. There are lots of options for hills from here. (4, 6, and 8 mile runs). There is always room for more. Ha – ha. This route is all roads.
2) Chatfield/Lake Hammie area in Killingworth. The old fire tower road at Chatfield Hollow is 1.5 mile each way from the parking lot (great repeat hill). If you dare you could also run the hills on rte 80 from this parking lot. Ha –ha. Lots of wide track.
3) Cockaponset State Forest in Chester. Park at rte 148. Head north on Blue/Red dot Trail Up and over two famous hills. The first hill is called “gut sucker” and the other hill is called “mother #@! &% “. Ha-ha. Turn around at the wooden bridge at the north end of the lake. Go back the way you came. This is a great for out and back repeats. All single track.