Cutthroat Classic

I got up at 4:05AM yesterday and headed east to run the Cutthroat Classic. It was a really good day. The wildfires have created smoke concerns on the east side, but it rained the day before a bit, which pressed down the smoke, and then the weather was terrific yesterday.

Due to COVID, the race was supposed to go with six waves. Instead, with the benefit of chip timing, they changed things up, and just did a rolling start. I think this is great, but it lead to a bit of confusion for me, as I bussed up to the start, and I was hoping to meet some family members who were also running. I wasn't sure whether to start or if they were coming, since there was no cell service. Eventually, I took off, and I had the trail to myself pretty much for the first two miles, which was very nice.

This race used to be two weeks earlier, but they've pushed it back, I think, because of fire risks for cancellation. This is kind of cool, because now you can really start to see the colors change.

I ran this race for my first time in 2002, and I've ran it many times since. It is nearly 11 miles, point to point, from Rainy Pass on Highway 20 down to the Cutthroat Lake trailhead. The first portion of the run in on the PCT and there were a few thru hikers there, nearing their finish. I ran sort of ok. I was tired, to start, and I ate poorly the day before, and then I took pics, but I'm moving better than in recent years. I finished in 2:20. My best is about a half hour faster; my worst probably a half hour slower, or so. 

The best part was Holley, Reese, and Dan running, and then seeing the rest of their families afterwards. We had lunch down in Mazama, and then I found my way back to Mount Vernon.

On Sunday, I helped out the Skagit Flats Marathon at the 12 mile turnaround. Rainy day, but so peaceful out there in the flats. Football afterwards, Hawks win.

 

The Big Island in 2021

We had a terrific trip to the Big Island back in April, and I decided better late than never to throw a few pics and comments up here. The trip will almost surely be the big trip of the year for us, the way things are going, although I guess you never know. Tempt fate on that, I will.

So, we stayed 11 days, which is a pretty good stay, but these days with work from home and all, more seemed apropos. I didn't work that much, despite idealistic intentions. In fact, I abandoned email after not too long.  

We had to get tested 72 hours before we went, which was both stressful, taxing, and somewhat pricey. Stressful, inasmuch as we had to hope for the best for not testing positive, and ruining our trip plans. Also, stressful, in figuring out where to go (Seattle, in a trailer somewhere by the Needle), and uploading the results correctly. Then there was the what if I have COVID and you don't discussion. This is Hawaii, after all. Pricey, as in probably $175 each. We both tested negative, and so the trip was on like a gong.

We were fortunate in our timing. I booked everything in the middle of winter, in darker days of COVID, based on refundable offers for the flight. Hawaii was pretty closed off for a long time in the first year of COVID. Quarantine requirements et al.  We got in just as things were starting to get going, and our car rental was still affordable, before the Islands started running out of cars and charging hundreds per day.

Onwards...half empty island means good times and open roads. One morning we drove right up to Hapuna Beach, one of the finer tourist beaches on the island. It is a very nice beach--but I say tourist because its not a secret. But we had space. Afterwards, we ordered a box of custom malasadas from a truck on the side of the road, and these were ridiculous. Guava, coconut, lillikoi, mango, and other Hawaiian fillings, hot, with special powders.

Then there was the Hilo trip, to the Farm Market there. We got there kind of late, after a day of visiting Farm Markets in smaller towns and Volcanoes National Park. We saw twisters developing over the live crater. The volcano crater was a few orders of magnitude wider than the last time we saw it in 2017 (I think), since the 'cano blew.

We basically stayed pretty still one day, and then the next we'd drive somewhere far off. We made it up to Hawi, a favorite little town of mine to the north, which sits across from Maui and Hana. Then there was a visit to the Place of Refuge, and we found this amazing roadside restaurant that makes the best Lau Lau and other Hawaiian foods we've found. 

Then there was the Painted Church, which Saint Father Damien helped found or visited--need to get my facts straight--but he was an amazing person, who lived with the lepers on Molokai later.  We found this Botanical Garden in Kona that had the most amazing places to sit and look at the ocean. Another place with religious ties, though no specific religion was represented. Loved the coffee there too.

I had hoped to run a race, but that was not in the cards. I have a hard time running over there, but I got in the habit of getting up at 4:30 or 5:00, before the sun was up, and got in my miles each day. Kona is an interesting place to run at that hour, as a few people are out and about, but its pretty quiet and you can see the Milky Way once you get out of town.  And then each day ended with a sunset over water...so Mother Nature was in the house the whole trip.

Someone asked why do we keep going to the same place?  The Big Island feels like a home away from home for us. Familiar, yet always revealing something new. This trip seemed to have a few pretty cool food discoveries, plus less people than normal. We feel fortunate to have made our escape. There will be other adventures, but we never regret time spent in Hawaii.

Wishing well to all my friends. 

 

Return of the Great Sedro-Woolley Footrace

 

The Fourth of July tradition around here is to run the Great Sedro-Woolley Footrace, aka Loggerodeo.  The run normally precedes a 4th of July parade, with people in lawn chairs lining the street on the last two turns of the run, watching guys like me huff it in.  The run is 5.17 miles long, with a 2 mile option, and the locals of Woolley, including the Rotary Club, and the running club stalwarts, have much to do with it coming off.

I've done this event a dozen times or so. Its low cost, comes with a t-shirt, and is basically a great way to kick of the holiday.  I ran into many friends this time around--great hellos and such.

I guess I'm burying the lead. This was the first race for many, many, in a long long time, due to the pandemic closures. I snuck in the Montana Marathon last fall, but for many this was the first timed, organized event in over a year. Lots of smiles, without masks.

It's been hot. We had record heat this past week, with temperatures rising above 110 in some places. I've struggled with it, as I don't do well with heat, and we don't have air conditioning. Thankfully the office has a/c, which helped for a few days. We took a couple of the grandkids to the local spray park one day--good times. Thank you Parks and Rec.

I ran well for me at the Footrace. 45:20 something, which is basically 9 minute miles, which shouldn't be a big deal, but that's the best I've done in several years. I also had a head cold, and so if not for that, I probably would've ran a 35 minutes or so. Probably not, but maybe a minute better. 

I continue to participate on my virtual team, circling the world and logging miles each day. Right now we're in Burma, having come up through Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.  I'm logging 40-50 miles a week, generally.  My miles aren't too much on trail, and there's not a lot of hill work, but I've been pretty consistent. This program will continue on for at least 6 months more, which is good for me, as the team concept holds me accountable to my teammates for my miles/kms. This is sometimes enough to get me out the door on a rainy day, but we probably won't get one of those until September. Summer, it turns me upside down.

Centennial Trail

 I didn't take any pictures, but for the record, I headed down to the Centennial Trail Northern Terminus at Nakashima Barn and ran 10 miles this morning. There was a low key marathon going on there, amounting to five out and backs to Pilchuk Creek.  

I've never been on this section of the Centennial Trail, which stretches 30 miles down Snohomish County. Its been on my mind for a while, as I know it is popular. The barn at the end is the Nakashima Barn, which  was my good friend Stanley's family. He called me about the event. 

I checked on the way home, and the trailhead is only 15 miles from the house. I really need to use this trail more---maybe an out and back run to Arlington (16 miles) or Bryant (8 miles).  I have it mind that some day I'll take a day and try to get down to my cousin's place in Woodinville, by bike or foot. This is the way, or a big part of it.

Today was hot, by northwest standards. Could say it was glorious. But I don't do well with the sun, so after the run I chilled at home. I got my second shot yesterday, and so all activity needed to be somewhat muted. Not feeling ideal, but Kershaw, Darvish, Greinke and a bunch of other aces are pitching tonight, so all good. Mariners are in first place. 

Cascade Trail

 

I usually write posts here after a race or some sort of trail run. I haven't been doing a lot of either lately. Most races are on the shelf due to the pandemic, and I've been content to get my miles in closer to home. I have been out running, as part of my run around the world event. I've been logging about 40 to 50 miles per week, though I probably dropped a little off average in January and February due to weather and a bit of restlessness. Sometimes steady carries me, but sometimes steady is hard to find, with the semi-lockdown and the daily barrage of COVID news. There is so much discontent and unhappiness out there.

Yesterday I drove out to Sedro-Wolley and hit the Cascade Trail for an 11 mile out and back. First I ran towards town, and then I ran towards the flooded creek, the name for which escapes me now, bit which I know is some four miles down the trail. This trail gets better with age for me, probably because I don't have to worry about rolling my ankle, and I'm as likely as not to run beneath a sitting eagle, as I dd yesterday. The deep green farm fields with the snow covered hills, barbed wire fence, and occasional cows are the perfect counterpoint to the confusion of the world. The trail is not empty, but people are widely spaced out, generally with smiles.

In past years, I tried to average an event per month, but I'm not really into going too far out of my way to find the odd live event right now. I have my one virtual relay race--we're not "virtually" crossing Antarctica, a 3400 mile journey-and then will transverse Australia. That has been good. New York Road Runners has a few good things, and I may do their half this month, for a time. I'd like to pick a few trails to cover this year, but haven't quite got there yet in the planning. Time to start thinking about it, as the weather warms up.

Nookachamps Double

 

Another January, glad to be here. Most years I run the Nookachamps Half this weekend, as the start line is minutes from the house, and the road is one of my regular running routes. This year, COVID, still.

Anyway, I went ahead and ran a modified half on Saturday, for 16 miles, and then met with Craig, Chris and Jason on Sunday, running a modified 10k route, for 7.5 miles. Calling it a double, like shots, but not. 

Weather was great, and my running was pretty steady too. Actually, this weekend has been relatively restful, aside from the running. Took the Xmas tree down, finally. And someone got their first shot. A different kind of shot, the good one these days.

I've been seeing all kinds of birds lately. The other day I saw a belted kingfisher just down by Lion's Park. On these Nookachamps runs, the winter birds all checked in--eagles, swans, snow geese, other waterfowl, herons--good stuff. Last weekend I went by a flock of thousands of snow geese, which went nuts when someone started shooting. Lots of shotguns going off in the distance.

My running is going ok. I'm not doing too many trails, as I'm tired of rolling my ankle. But my road base is set, and so I'm able to jog roads well enough. I'm logging miles with my Circumpolar team, as we try to virtually run around the world. Right now we're 500 miles from the south tip of South America. We virtually passed some sea lions and penguins on Google maps this week. The team thing is different, but I'm liking it--I think we have two from Europe, four from Canada, and four from the US.  I feel like I'm more active than usual this time of year, when in the past I'd drop in the gym and do a soft hour on a bike or elliptical while reading.

The news of the world is tough these days. 

2020 In Retrospect

The year 2020 is "one like no other," it is said, as we wrap it up. Good to be here, I say.  

Usually, at the end of the year, I try to rank the best experiences and/or races I ran for the previous year. This year there weren't too many races, and the experiences were different too. Still, I feel like I did a pretty good job of making lemonade, for the hand that was dealt. I ran more miles this year than I have in several years, and I got out and did some pretty cool things. 

1.    Yellowstone National Park

The trip to Yellowstone with Deborah is one with lasting memories. We drove a fast car over those Montana open roads. We saw a grizzly, bison, elk, antelope, maybe a wolf, and not as many tourists as might be expected. I love Yellowstone--it is one of my favorite places, and sharing that with Deborah made for a much-needed getaway. The Beartooth Highway entrance was extra-ordinary as well.

2.    New York City Virtual Marathon

Virtual racing was the thing this year, for many. The New York Road Runners put on a terrific virtual marathon, through Strava and a custom phone app.  The app called out my splits and coached and cheered me along the way, as I ran alone (at first) through the Skagit, and then with Seth for the final two-thirds. I'm really kind of proud of my course design, from my door step, as it a really cool, flat 26.2 on country roads and by the Skagit, with lots of birds and views along the way. A really fun day.

3.    Copper Ridge Lookout

Craig and I did a long day-hike out to Copper Ridge Lookout, in the North Cascades. The views were superb, of the Pickets, Mount Baker, the Canadian mountains, Chiliwack, and everywhere else. Classic, world-class views, equal to hikes most anywhere. Good to get back here, after the trip Mike, Rich and I did a few years back. No views that day, I think. With smoky summers, views may be harder to come by in the future.

4.    Montana Marathon

Before hitting Yellowstone, we drove to Billings and I did the Montana Marathon. Marathons were virtually non-existent this year, but Montana went ahead. They did many COVID precautions, and I felt safer than going to my local grocery store. I think they did a really good job, and I wish more smaller races could've proceeded this year. It's so hard though--everyone is seeking the best way forward, and most have good intentions, but then opposing views emerge. Anyway, I loved this race--the first 13 miles particularly, as we wandered through the high plains of Montana. One of my favorite road courses ever. I'll have to do a few more plains states marathons or ultras.

5.    Baker Lake DIY 50k

On the first Saturday in October, I kept the tradition alive, and ran the Baker Lake 50k.  Not many out there, but thanks to Terry for putting some water at the turnaround, and good to see Matt, Betsy, and a few others. Probably the best weather in ten years...of course. Glad I can still do these. The tradition established in 2004--#17 this year.

6.    Great Virtual Run Across Tennessee

I really should rank this higher, maybe even #1. BB and I signed up for this virtual run across Tennessee and I somehow managed to cover 1100 miles in 4 months. That's unheard of for me. I so enjoyed getting up early on Saturdays and then head out to Conway, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley or Clear Lake. I found all sorts of things on the side of the road--dead frogs, cell phones, Ray-Bans, brussel sprouts. This event really kept me going through the darker early months of the pandemic.

7.    Circumpolar Race Around the World

I'll just tuck this one below GVRAT, since its another virtual race, but this one involves a group of 10 team members, all newfound friends for me. Our journey continues, but as a group we've logged enough miles to travel through Mexico, Central America, and deep into Argentina in South America as I write. We motivate each other to get our miles in, check our progress on google maps, and get little map medals along the way.

8.    Fort Ebey Kettles Half Marathon

There were races early in the year! I returned to Whidbey, and managed this wonderful, rolling course. I rolled my ankle too, bad, at the end. My head was totally elsewhere, but good day.

9.    Nookachamps Half Marathon

It was a quiet day out on the Nookachamps. I would later run/walk this course many times, when getting miles for GVRAT. The course was altered a bit, and I wonder if we'll ever get back to going through Clear Lake. The hot soup a the finish line was welcome.

10.    The Comet Neowise, and Jupiter/Saturn

I spent a lot of time looking at the night sky this year.  I went out and tried to add a few miles on many evenings, and I started identifying planets. I watched Jupiter and Saturn move in position as the seasons turned, and then missed their historic conjunction, due to clouds. I chased the comet Neowise for many nights, first leaving early on a run to see it (and mistaking Jupiter for it); and then later out into the Skagit Flats on a few evenings. A celestial event. 

So, good to be healthy and moving. Hopefully 2020 offers more opportunities for community activities, like races and other events. I miss them. Wishing all my friends a happy and healthy 2021. Hopefully we can get out together at some point.