Summer Plans, 2013

Training for the Bear Mountain 50 mile race has more or less consumed the past 5 months of my running life, so the big question is, what's next?  I really enjoyed that race, so I'm thinking about doing more like it.  If anyone has suggestions for a similar type of 50 miler in the fall, I'm all ears.  I like technical courses with a lot of elevation change.  What's good in the Northeast?  Anyone?

In the mean time,  I have a few goals for the immediate future:

Race Report: 2013 North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain Gore-Tex 50 mile

Why run the Bear Mountain 50 mile?

In early December, I registered for the North Face Endurance Challenge Gore Tex 50 mile race at Bear Mountain, in Harriman State Park in New York. Why? Well, because I really love Harriman State Park. Back when I was in my 20s, I lived in New York City and used this park as my backyard. I was up there at least monthly, in all weather. But I wasn't much of a runner then and now I am. I couldn't resist the urge to run all my favorite trails in one day! 

Also, I had tried the 50 mile distance before, and I really didn't enjoy myself much at all.  But the course was boring, and I tend to enjoy harder courses much more.  Not in the "liking pain" way, but I just seem happier overall on difficult courses.  Bear Mountain is rumored to be one of the most difficult in the Northeast, so why not?

Social Media - Bane or Boon to Trail Running; Blog Symposium

This is written in response to the blog symposium at Trailrunner Magazine.  The May 2013 topic is Social Media - Bane or Boon to Trail Running.

Meet my friends Julie and Adam!   Julie, Adam, and I have a few things in common.   We like to run near Mount Wachusett, we sometimes run ultras, and we like social media.  Don't they look like nice people?  They are!

Now meet Sarah.  Sarah and I have a few things in common, too.  We look alike.

Sarah

Me

We both used to run trails in Inwood Hill Park in New York City.  I left in the summer of 2003, when I moved for work.  Sarah stopped running there on May 19, 2004,  when she was murdered on the trails.  Her body was found nude and ritualistically arranged, which brings us to the other thing we have in common: a self-proclaimed psychic by the name of Dimitry Sheinman.  Sheinman often tried to chat me up when I ran through the park, but he creeped me out, so I kept on running.  He either witnessed Sarah's murder or committed it, but the police don't have enough evidence to say it's the latter. Of course, I've often wondered....  why Sarah and not me?  I think about her often, and her memory influences some of the choices I make in regards to my running and my safety.