Monday, this is the big'un. Over half my weekly mileage in one run. It will be an epic tour of Southampton, Holyoke and Easthampton. At the limit of comfort, about 15 miles, I will hit the Mount Tom Reservation Road. Over half the climb in the last 5 miles! What the heck am I expecting do do with this? Basically a Marathon training run here? One now, again late March, and mid April before my MoreFun taper. By Monday I'll have a plan of where to stash aid, where to focus on slow recovery of my form and mind, and where to commit to the climbs to come. Joe says, 'by yourself?' Who else would do a run like this? Next month I'll be in the trails for sure for over 2000' over 20+ miles, and mid range runs will include the 7 Sisters trail. Weekly mileage won't be back in the 20's until Mountain Race season. What a motivating run, tomorrow I am going to do a short run from work with 200+' climb to take this month over 10,000' total in February.

At some point this week, a run on this stretch and a test Westfield River crossing ... it is a couple several feet deep ... and cold. Aaaalright so I'll wait till spring and wear a life jacket. I'm not that stupid or crazy. These guys aren't stupid either but they are crazy! This stretch is the first leg of the M+M trail marathon distance trail run. I want to do this as a training run for Morfun Wapack in mid May. April would be perfect timing but very swift. Looking at the river the other day, cold is too much but swift may be doable. Maybe not?

D. H. Jones 10 Miles 700'

Amherst. Big ol'Hills. I have trained and remained whole. Under 1:15, maybe 1:10. Weather permitting, I'd like to really race the whole thing. No coddling, digging and hitting on all cylinders all the way, smooth and smart. Top 100, maybe 75. In the team standings? Ahhhahahah, I can't wait.

Just a quick shot up to the summit and back, from Route 141 tonight. 2.5 miles and about 700' ish. Probably around 8pm. This map is last leg of a marathon distance M+M run I'll do in March or April, beginning at the CT/MA State Line.

Yet another Monday off. There was only one Monday of School in January! After only 2 in a row in February, here comes the vacation week and Nye is with me again. I've got to keep the legs under me this week, and go faster for the race on Sunday. Maybe Grandpa can hang out with his grandson for 45:00 or so on Monday. For Saturday, 6 or 7 at one of the reservoirs. Need some 7:00 miles and I'll be ready for D. H. Jones. The beastly repeat last night? Twice up and down Mount Tom in 2:31:29, with negative splits!

Winter Is A Total Mess

It only takes 3 inches of slushy crap to ruin everything.  Maybe the trails are fine, but I want about 18 miles tomorrow.  Visiting the Res, there is 3 inches of slush scrubbed and pounded to solid ice by plows in many places.  Melt is running across it and will be frozen tomorrow night.  All the local roads are narrowed by the mess, which is wet and cold.  The idea of myself and cars on that crap is ridiculous.  So Mount Tom, tomorrow is a group run and Mount Tom is a big old scary hill.  The group will most likely not join me and it will be the first group run I've missed.  I posted an invitation anyway and mapped the route, a good 1600' for 2 out and back laps, 17 miles.

Yeti At Night

Probably one loop in the morning around the res, then this at night.  I love this run, short sweet summit.  Getting to like the night summit experience, also the snowstorm zero visibility situation experience is pretty cool.  Saturday beat me up good, don't know what kind of shape I'll be in for 8+ miles tomorrow.  My right leg is in some sort of adaptive phase right now.  

East Mountain Ridgeline

I ran this yesterday and will give it another shot this week.  Forgot how awesome this stretch of the trail is, the ridgeline drops away on both sides at some points.  It isn't tall but in the snow it was spectacular, treetops dappled with snow receding into grey mist.  First time I followed the EXACT blazed trail in one run.  Some sections are just rubble, shale piles.  Others are ravines choked by blow downs, literally a tree trunk to hurdle every ten feet for 100 yards.  I may go back with a saw on my hip, don't know how kosher this idea is with common trail ethics.