Big Island

I'm running behind, but running on. We went to the Big Island a few weeks ago to celebrate five years. I walked every morning, and ran a bit, but it was really a vacation--and a terrific one at that. We went to our first luau, in Kona. We drove to Hilo for the Merrie Monarch Festival, the Hawaiian Islands celebration of all things hula. A visit to the Tsunami Museum, of all places. We went to the top of the island, to Hawi and the Pololu Valley Lookout, pictured below. The Sweet Potato Kitchen was sweet. We toured a chocolate farm, in addition to visiting fruit stands and coffee farms. We watched eight sunsets over water, and left longing for more.
 

Pololu Lookout

Hilo Farmers Market

 

Buried pig, unbured pig, at the Luau

Chocolate Pods

King Kamahala Statue - near Hawi

The Painted Church

Chuckanut 50k

On the last weekend of winter, I was able to get at least one more shot at snow at the Chuckanut 50k. Concerns were high in advance, as the Chuckanuts were holding snow and ice for the last few weeks. RD extraodinaire Krissy opened things up with an early start and moved the cutoffs back by an hour, and I needed all of that time to get the course done. So, rough day out there, but a beautiful day and lots of friends sighted.

I ran my first Chuckanut in 2004. I remember signing up the year or two before that, and backing out. The distance seemed overwhelming. I ran into a few runners beforehand, from out of town, who were making this their first 50k, as so many have. It's been several years though since I last ran C-nut, though I'm up on these trails all the time.

The trails were fine until Cleator Road. As the picture above shows, snow presented somewhere up on the climb. There was a bit of a boot track, with mud spots, which made it not so bad. Much easier than a couple weeks ago, when I was marching around up there. The ridge was pretty clear--no latent ice. The third aid station was moved to the junction at Dan's Traverse, run by Doug, race founder and all around good guy. Snow on the back side, slushy.

I got passed by everyone. It became a little amusing the things people called me:  Sir (?), Bro, Brother, Chief, Boss...  I was basically doing the long walk, with intermittent jogging. I felt stiff, and I made a dozen rookie mistakes in gear, prep, etc. Familiarity may do you in. More training would help, of course. Maybe I can use the experience to learn from, although right now as I ache I'm looking forward to an old fashioned 10k.

Friends were everywhere, volunteering. Krissy as RD, of course--great job, all around. So many smiles. Dean, Terry, and Kevin at AS 1. Adam at AS 2. Doug at AS 3. After that, things went foggy for me. Actually, Glenn on Chinscraper. Great to see Dean and Terry again at AS 5. Terry was all business, warning me about cutoffs. Dean was cracking jokes. Gretchen and Kevin at the end, helping out. Good peeps, these. Thanks to all that made it happen.

The course seems to change slightly year to year. This year there was a brief detour through the 100 Acre Woods to the finish line. Aid stations were moved. Most notably--and maybe this has been the case for years--the final descent was on the Fragrance Lake trail and the last aid station was at that gate.

Views were great from up high.

A Snowy Chuckanut

I got out early Saturday A.M. and did a Chuckanut walkabout, covering the middle 18 except for the final Chinscraper climb. More like 16, I suppose. That was plenty for me, as the whole route/course was covered in snow from Fragrance Lake on. It was a slog climbing Cleator Road in the snow, and then the Ridge Trail was very icy. I was going to bail, but Deb happened to call when I was up top, and encouraged me to go for it, because it was a such a beautiful day. I navigated the Ridge, avoiding ledges, and looking for dirt to step on. Mostly careful walking. One guy passed me and I could hear him swearing, again and again, as he slipped ahead of me.

Both Fragrance Lake (above) and Lost Lake (last, below) were frozen. A younger me might've tried walking across, but I was alone, and it wasn't that cold, so no. Huge icicles hung from the rock ledge back on the Lost Lake Trail, and enormous blocks of ice lay on the ground, having broken off. I've seen it like this back there, but not in a while, and not with those huge blocks of ice. Crunch, crunch, crunch, I went.

I beat most everyone up there by leaving early, but eventually the trails were full of runners, prepping for the Chuckanut 50k in a couple weeks. Ran into Kevin. Spirits were good, with lots of hellos, and overall it made for a memorable day. Sunday is a home day.

Cleartor Rd./Fragrance Lake Connector Trailhead, snow covered

Long clear views from the Ridge

Runner approaching out by Lost Lake

Icicle City

Blocks of ice below Icicle City

Frozen Lost Lake

Woolley Half Marathon

Technically, I finished the Woolley Half Marathon on Saturday. It really was just a pleasant long walk with Seth on the Cascade Trail. Perhaps my slowest half ever. No worries, be happy. We had a great day--beautiful ice and snow, a few birds, many friends, fresh air.

We've had snow this past week--more than in recent years, and folks have come to call it Snowmaggedon. It hasn't been that bad, but the Cascade Trail was mostly covered still, which made for a crunchy time. The standard course was changed into a double out and back, but one and done was the way to go. The temps sat around just under 40 degrees, and for the most part the skies were large, with some interesting clouds, but only a bit of rain.

Always so good to spend time with Seth. Great to really meet Ellen. Also good to see so many of my Skagit and ultra friends---Craig, Terry, Stan, Toi, Delores, Chris, and so many other familiar faces. The after race barbq on this event was/is the bomb. Terry and crew do such a great job.

Afterwards, we visited some antique shops and then made our way to Fir Island, to look at birds. We found ourselves down on the mud flat near Snow Goose. We watched eagles chase each other over scraps of food, chirping, diving, fighting. We saw a large flock of snow geese, lots of swans, a pair of herons, and other anonymous birds. There were a few moments, standing on a log and just listening to the birds fly over head, which took me away.  
 

Chuckanut

Another Saturday morning run in the Chuckanuts. Out the door close to 6:30 AM, still dark. Coffee. At the trailhead around 7 AM. Still dark, empty lot.

I climbed the hills, first up to Fragrance Lake. Then up Little Chinscraper to the Cyrus Gates overlook. Steady hiking, a bit of running. Once on the ridge, I started running, and over the next couple hours made the loop out around Lost Lake, and then back down to the car.

Misty morning. I didn't see anyone for the first hour and a half, and the upper loop was pretty empty. The final hour was packed with trail runners, many presumably out preparing for next month's Chuckanut 50k, or perhaps the Fragrance runs. A good day to be out.

I am listening to a cd course on classical mythology.  I listened to it on the way out, and then worked on trying to commit different mythical figures to memory on the run.  Gaia is the earth. Chaos is a gap or void. Zeus is Zeus. Anyway, I spent much of my run trying to apply Greek stories to my run. It didn't work that well, but the mind goes to strange places when the trail is lonely. This was a good running morning.

Coming out of the Chuckanuts, i counted 10 eagles driving. A bunch of swans flew by as well. Birds are in their high season in the lower Skagit.

Cascade Trail Pizza Run

On Saturday, I ran the Cascade Trail from Sedro-Woolley to Concrete, as part of Skagit Runners' annual Annie's Pizza Run. Basically, Steve D. organizes a group run, at no cost, which ends at Annie's. Annie's is one of the best pizza stops in the State. I keep their menu in my glove box to call in an order when I'm coming down from the mountains. Deb loves it.

So, we were all supposed to meet at Annie's after doing our runs, at 11:15. I did a horrible job planning, and almost missed everyone, as I arrived closer to noon. But I ran farther than most, putting in 22 miles. Of course, I didn't really plan at all for this, and didn't realize it was that distance--I was thinking something more like 16 to 18 miles. Its not like we don't have maps, programs, and a glut of information out there. But I don't run with a watch these days, stuck in my Luddite ways. I run to escape, and increasingly in monkish fashion.

The trail and day were amazing.  I started at 7:15, after grabbing coffee, and ran with two water bottles. I probably should've filled up along the way--there are streams and you pass by the Skagit and its sloughs frequently. The trail is flat, flat, flat. I saw eagles in trees overhead, swans crossing fields, flocks of gulls and snowgeese. I saw the sun rise. I got my feet wet, running through an overflowing Wiseman Creek. I learned the distance from Baker Lake Road to Concrete is not to be underestimated. I met a dog.

I arrived just in time to nab a couple slices that were packed to go, and then gratefully caught a ride back with friends. Overall, a most excellent January day on trail.

Nookachamps Half

I ran the Nookachamps Half once again this past weekend. Ran and walked it, more accurately. It has been a very sad week, and so going out and running around the valley was good for me. Running, hiking, walking—these are things I do to connect with nature and myself, to help ground me.

The event was moved to Sunday, with regular start time bumped up to 9 AM. I did the early start, which means less people and traffic. Cars are more noticeable in recent years. The birds came out this year—swans, snow geese, gulls, a few hawks. We live in the best place for bird watching. The course passes Dean and Ruth’s house, and so I was glad to say hello and walk with them for a bit. A couple of my favorites. The weather overall was good—just a bit chilly, but clear. A fine January day.

My finish time was 2:34, which I record here for posterity. While not fast, this wasn’t really a race for me. I am in better shape than last year, though I have “many miles to go,” as the poem says. Just enjoying a beautiful January morning. Thanks are due as always to Kevin, Keefer, and all who put this event on, year after year. A fine cup of soup at the end, and a hello to Stanley, always working the finish line.