Category: Biking

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Getting to know a new trail

Quarry Concord NH

Three weeks ago I injured my left ankle. 

April 14 injured ankle, from twisting it while trail running.

I can finally run but there is lingering sensitivity and I don’t want to push it too hard. I haven’t run long in four weeks. This weekend I am trying for 15 miles. 

Cycling is good, though but the weather isn’t cooperating for tri bike time: cold and windy. Mountain biking has been good this past week. I feel like I can escape the cold and wind a bit better on trails with the mountain bike.

I’ve been mountain biking to the quarry and trying to get familiar with the trails. It’s so cool to see the quarry water. I don’t think I have ever seen one like this, just in the movies. The discovery process of learning trails is so fun; trying to figure out which way to go and how to get back to the water. It’s similar to moving to a new place and getting to know the new trails and roads.

I remember when I moved to Steamboat Spring, I signed up for a trail running series. It turned out that by running all the races I got to know all the trails around Steamboat and the surrounding towns. I met like-minded people and stayed for three years. When I moved to Granby, CO and lived on the slopes of, then called, SolVista I made a game out of skiing every trail in a day, which wasn’t difficult since it was small. The idea of really getting to know a landscape by learning trails is something I’ve always tried to do in all the places I’ve lived.

Even many years later this idea of getting to know a place, to really know it, still appeals to me. Just when I thought I knew everything about Concord, NH I then I discovered this trail. There are no real trail maps of it and the city of Concord doesn’t have a map of it on their website like they do for all the trails. 

While there are so many devastating things happening in the world with the pandemic, to be able to turn the stay at home order into a positive, learning the local trails and getting to know home is one of the positive things about the times we are living in. 

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Biking Makes Me Happy

Today is Saturday. It is raining with intermittent snow. Who doesn’t love a cold, snowy morning in May? I still hope to run and bike at some point today despite my run/bike streak ending at 8 days.

Yesterday, Friday afternoon, I rode to the quarry trails and found the quarry. The trails are fun and challenging. I was a little nervous once I found the quarry because so many movies have scenes where they find the dead bodies at the quarry or the killers are planning attacks while at a quarry. I felt at any moment someone would appear from the rocks and kill me; and no one would find me ever again. And, I was also worried I would get lost and never find my way home. 

When I left my house I wasn’t planning on finding the quarry I just planned to ride the trails and get comfortable with them so I didn’t bring water or food – famous last words from someone who goes missing on a trail. 

Plus, my ankle is not 100% yet so I didn’t want to be on rocky trails that may put pressure on it and re-injure it – so I planned on playing it safe but as I got deeper into the woods the trail kept leading me on. Despite being nervous about everything I kept riding.

The main trail heading into the woods.

After a few loops around the quarry and getting familiar with where I was I headed home, except that I missed a turn to bring me back to where I entered. I was heading downhill toward the cemetery on a rock-filled trail but I wasn’t sure it was the right trail. I almost turned around a few times but I figured it had to bring me back to civilization at some point. 

The area was a bit creepy and I thought that if I crashed, again, I wouldn’t be found for days despite being less than a mile from the cemetery according to my phone. I finally saw a building, then came to a gate and parking lot. I realized it was a business that has signs in the front that there is no recreational activity allowed on the property but I had to get home so I rode through.

As I rode home I was so happy. Mountain biking makes me happy, happy, happy. Despite the fear and worry just a few minutes ago as I cruise downhill back to my house I am glad I got out for 7 miles. The trails were awesome but next time: food, water and maybe a riding partner. 

The White Mountain trails are slowly opening now so I need to get up there and check off some 4,000 footers. It looks like they are taking a “phased opening approach”. I can wait a few more weeks to head north.  I can’t wait for Goldie to bag her first 4,000 footer! 

Dog love.
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Training & Racing Update: Week 3, Run Bike Streak

I’m actually pretty psyched to get in 24 miles last week. The miles were solely from walking until Saturday when I tried a little running. Running didn’t hurt too much but I didn’t want to take a chance and re-injure my ankle. Sunday I mixed a little bit running in and the ankle felt good. I biked 105 miles this week which was a big for me, and where I am in the training cycle for the White Mountain Triathlon (half IM distance); I hope it still happens on June 27.

Week 1 – 3, 100 mile training plan results

The big story: Run/Bike Streak Day 7 on Sunday. I ran/walked and biked for seven days in a row. I’m going to keep doing it to stay motivated – heck it worked to keep me going this week when the weather was crappy. It’s the little things in life sometimes.

My walks and runs over the weekend took me through St. Paul’s campus, one of the few places that is really green.

I’m slowly getting back to hiking since the uneven surface is tough on the sore ankle. Goldie had her second and third off-leash hike. She does great staying close but on the last hike wouldn’t come close enough for me to put her on a leash to get back to the car. After 10 minutes I walked back to the car, opened the door and she followed Winnie right in. Success or Failure. I’m not sure but I rewarded her for getting in the car. 

Trails aren’t as green yet, but close.

I drove to Rye to visit my parents and sat 6 feet away from my mom in the driveway. Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day with a high of 77 degrees. It was nice to see my parents. Goldie was a little nervous for her first one hour drive in the car but did great over all. She needs to get used to car drives since soon we will be hiking in the White Mountains. Back in Concord it was nice to walk in shorts and a tee-shirt. 

Walking through the arches at the State Capital.

Are you watching The Last Dance? I am and it’s such a good documentary. Highly recommended.

Now it’s Monday and gearing up for work. It will be interesting to see more businesses opening this week. It’s been an wacky week and I can’t wait to see what happens. My plan is to run and bike everyday and more hikes with the dogs in Winant Park. Stay healthy my friends.

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Training & Racing Update – Week 3

I’m still recovering from the sprained ankle but I’m excited about my run/bike streak. While it’s really a walk/bike streak right now. As soon as I can run, which I am hoping in a week, it will be a rightful run/bike streak.

My walks are typically around Concord, trying to walk a different street each day. The cover image above is Merrimack Street. I love the big houses and front lawns on this street.

Here was a sign near the high school that made me smile. I really like the plants in the logs.

The weather is finally getting a bit warmer and that is good. I hope to ride the tri bike this afternoon.

The bad news: Rock Hopper Chocorua Race, IM Mont Tremblant, – canceled. And I learned today that Mark’s Ironman Santa Rosa was canceled, too. Bummer.

Good News: White Mountain Tri, Ragged Mountain Stage Race,  Gunstock Trailfest – still on as of today. So we just go about our days and make the best of the situation. We get up, we work hard, we get outside and love the one were with.

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A Quarantine Life

I’ve been staying home since March 10. Every day I watch and read the news, work, take care of my dogs and sometimes write. The parts of my life that have really changed since the stay at home order is not seeing my parents once a week, not going to the gym, not meeting friends at restaurants and working from home everyday. While it’s been a disruption it’s not total chaos, yet. I’m not complaining about any of it. I’m choosing to remember the silver lining in it all. I just don’t know what it is yet.

I read stories about people who have the virus and are suffering. I read stories about the people who have lost their jobs. Sometimes these stories paralyze me with sadness and fear. But I’m not going to stop reading and watching the news. We have to pay attention to these stories. We have to know the stories that are being told. We need to know and understand the difference between the truth and the lies. If you pay attention, you will know who is telling the truth. 

Training Update

Sometimes I think about how last year at this time I was in full on Leadville 100 training mode. It was my number one goal and fed every part of my life. I can’t imagine how runners are feeling now that Leadville or their other A races will most likely be canceled this year (I hope it’s not). I’m not on a training plan right now. My next race, the Gunstock Trail Festival has been postponed to September. I have two other races I’m signed up for: 3-Day Stage Race in August and Ironman Mont Tremblant. It’s too early to tell if they will be canceled or postponed. Regardless, whatever happens I’m fine with it. I will race them trained or untrained, if they happen.

For now I’m running and biking everyday. I’m mixing it up with road and trail depending on weather. The weather the last three days have been gorgeous with highs in the 60s so I’ve been riding my tri bike. My endurance is improving a little each day. Since I didn’t bike indoors all winter I’m starting from Square One and it’s okay, I like seeing incremental progress. My hope: this weekend ride 40 miles. 

Goldie-Dog Update

She is a crazy dog. She has gotten out of her collar twice now. She sees a bird or squirrel and just goes nuts. When she pulls on the leash it hurts my back so much so I try to get in front of her to distract her attention. Then, she somehow wiggles around and the collar comes off. Luckily, she stays close and will come into the house, but geez. 

She plays and plays with Winnie, sometimes antagonizing her by just casually walking up to her and biting her ear. It’s funny to watch but I know that sometimes Winnie is just not in the mood. Goldie is so cuddly and just needs to be close to me. I just love her to pieces. 

Book Update

The new book is coming along, slowly. I add a little bit to chapters as I think of sentences and ideas. I’ve been preoccupied with reading the New York Times (I still have two Sunday editions I haven’t finished) and watching Homeland.

Heroes