Escarpment Trail Run 2016

With high hopes for a PR, I was a bit disappointed with the forecast for rain.  We have had almost zero precipitation since mid June.  So I guess it made sense it would rain today.

The previous three years I ran the Escarpment Trail it poured prior to the run only to stop once I started.  Last year there was also a complete downpour after the race.  My friend Ross took this as a means to shower and wash some of his clothes.  Today thought the rain would never stop.  This turned out to be a blessing.  Heat would never be a problem.  In fact, when I started to descend Blackhead, I got the chills.

I thoroughly enjoyed running in the rain.  I ran hard the entire way.  I had a major spill descending Blackhead resulting in a scraped elbow.  It was not fun because at the time I was having the chills.  I proceeded on slowly recouping my energies.  I had another close call on the descent of North Point.  This time I got caught on a root after I slipped and almost twisted my knee.

Despite the rain, I achieved a PR of 4:20.  Though it appears the rain had a mostly positive effect on the times (including mine).  It seems whatever is lost due to caution and slips and falls is more than made up by the lack of heat.  Heat and humidity is such a negative factor.  Still, I was quite pleased with my results.  I put in some real quality training and the work paid off.  I hope for another PR next year.

Windham High Peak Trail Run

This would be my last training run before running the Escarpment Trail.  I regretted missing a quality run on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.  I was beat from working in the heat.

I started this run at 10am, so the real heat and humidity hadn't completely kicked in yet.  I ran fairly controlled to the lean to but was disappointed in making it up in 16 minutes.  I progresses with a mixture of running and fast hiking to the summit.  Looking at my watch, my regret of the missed training runs vanished after the clock revealed I made it in under 49 minutes.  I'm hopeful for a PR Sunday with a time around 4:30.

Escarpment Trail Training Run

I had been planning to do this training run for the past 2 weeks.  Today I woke up at 7am to get an 8 o' clock start and get to work by 4pm.

The run to the base of Blackhead Mountain gets in almost half the trail.  I find the run down from Windham High Peak and up and over Burnt Knob and Acra Point to be one of the more crucial sections.  Last year I made it to the base of Blackhead in 2 hours.  Today I made it in 2:02.  It took 36 minutes to reach the base of Acra )after reaching WHP in 53 minutes) and 33 minutes to go upa and over Acra.  I was quite satisfied.  My ultimate goal would be to make it in under 1:50.

I took it a bit easier on the way back but still made it in just under 2:30.  One more quality workout and I should be good to go.

Overlook to Echo Lake Training Run

I wimped out of another trail run on the Escarpment, so I headed over to Woodstock to run up Overlook.  Though 5 miles of this 14 mile run is on the road, it entails over 3,000 feet elevation gain.
My legs felt quite fresh going up the road.  I stopped a couple times to walk fast and I reached the trailhead in 29 minutes.  I was a bit dissapointed as I hoped to reach the summit in less than an hour.

There were many people out on this beautiful day.  I kept at it mixing in some quality fast hiking with the running.  When I reached the tower I made it in 58 minutes.  I was quite happy with this since it's the first time in a really long time I've made it in under an hour.

After taking in the views from the top of the tower (the cabin was open), I proceeded down towards Echo Lake.  The rain we received yesterday provided for a wet and muddy run.  Parts of the trail were flowing like a stream.  I made the out and back in just under an hour.

I blazed down the overlook trail in 18 minutes and mixed in some light jogging and walking on the way down the road taking a half hour.  Another quality training run is in the books.

Mt Beacon to Breakneck 4th of July Trail Run

I have been quite exhausted over the past week.  Originally I planned to do half the Escarpment Trail on Thursday.  I pushed it to Friday.  Then I planned to do Overlook and Echo Lake on Saturday and then Sunday.  Finally Ross told me of his plans to do Mt Beacon and run towards Breakneck.

This turned out to be a very quality training run.  The Hudson Highlands provide adequate elevation gain and plenty of rugged trails.  According to Ross, I logged in about 10.5 miles with 4,000 feet elevation gained.  That's serious.

The trail from Beacon to the Casino is quite steep.  If one's in great shape (Ben Nephew shape) the climb can be run entirely.  If you're a mere mortal such as myself, you power walk or hike fast.  After much effort, I made the 1,000 feet climb to the casino in 20 minutes and to the fire tower in 33 minutes.  I was pleased with this though I don't have any recent comparisons.  But I felt fresh and my effort was solid.

From Mt Beacon we ran towards Breakneck's summit.  I apparently turned around slightly before reaching the summit.  Still, I put in almost 4 hours of solid trail running and hiking with some serious elevation gains and some quality Escarpment Trail-like rock scrambling.  I also afforded myself some time to appreciate the views and snap some fotos.