Category Archives: running

Oh, POOP.

Finally catching up on my Planet Monday podcasts* and just listened to the live shown from last Friday.  The show was mostly a highlight reel from some recent  important shows  and kept to top-line analysis.  One thing worth mentioning though, was a discussion on this program in Rochester, NY. The program is called Pathways Out Of Poverty.

This, my friends, is why everyone in every field needs an objective, trusted, outside counsel. Preferably one who is trained to… oh, say, point out the obvious. But more importantly to think creatively about proactively addressing potential road blocks and hurdles. You need a strong brand to get people involved and in this instance a rose by another name would probably smell sweeter. It’s hard to get real enthusiastic about the POOP program.  Remember that next time you’re coming up with a name, aiiight?

In any event. Here’s a good quick night time run:

*I listen while I run, and I’ve been on a 10-day self-inflicted, injury-induced running hiatus.  There are two large steps to get down into Charlie’s Beer Garden in Harvard Sq. Two. Not one. Miserable. Got a lot of biking in thought, so I’ve got that going for me. Which is nice. 

Hills and Mountains

10k “Run for the Hills” trail run on Saturday to benefit one of my favorite groups, the Essex Country Greenbelt. Followed by a super speedy 20 mile hike up in NH on Sunday with some new trail running friends.  
Big endorsement for the White Mountains Hostel – it was ideal. Also, there was a raspberry bush. Most excellant weekend. 
Lincoln from Liberty

K at the top of the Flume

Dudes at the top of Lafayette or maybe Lincoln

Gravity: 0 Trail Runners: 9

Today we learned that trail running is a battle against gravity. On the uphills it wants to keep you down, on the downhills it wants to break your ankles and shatter your face. 
On this occasion, however, our band of merry runners emerged victorious. The gummy bears also helped. That there photo below is Alison at the very end, at a point when I probably should not have been attempting to take a picture. 

So, yes. Trail racing. It’s fun. I’ll do it again.

Freedom is Hot, Bug-bitten and in Need of a Third Water Bottle

7 on the Skyline Trail in the Fells. After two glorious days in the woods of central New York I wasn’t quite ready to come back to civilization. 
And now, off to celebrate our Independence Day. Go America. 

Hill-zophrenia

This may look a little crazy. But Boston is pretty flat, so you have to grab your hills where you can find ‘em. Around 7 muggy miles.

A Very American Run

7 on the Mall. Was supposed to be 6 but went the wrong way after the Capitol building. Girl could get lost in a refrigerator box. True.

This Will be Fun

I’m going to start screen grabbing my favorite running loops and posting them here. For posterity and reference.

Two from this weekend:

11 and change over to Brookline. Hill repeats on Summit Ave. Lovely (sweaty) little Saturday.

About 9 through gritty E. Somerville to Charlestown and around the North End. Played slalom with the Sunday morning tourists.

Schnellensteigen

According to Google translate ‘Schnellensteigen’ means ‘fast rise’ in German. Which makes sense and sounds appropriately and totally demonic* as it is the name of this insane trail run we did every fall for ski team in college. Up Mt. Greylock, mach schnell!! The Schnellensteigen was an amorphous cloud of dread that hung over fall semester and motivated you at every practice so as not to, um, die**.

Apparently time heals all wounds. Just signed up for a trail race at Blue Hills. Looks like fun, right? Right.

*like most words in Deutsche.

**At least for the alpine skiers. Nordic skiers would yawn at the top and be done with breakfast before the downhill team was halfway up the hill

How to See Boston on Foot in 3 Easy Steps

1. Run 20 to 30 miles every week for eight years, or until you’ve developed a serious endorphine addiction. Which ever comes first.
2. Go for what is supposed to be a quick jog on a beautiful night in June.

3. Get totally caught up how much you love this city and just…. keep… running.