twenty-two

On the way up Monument Peak

10.23: After work in Asheville, Uwharrie and I make a break to Bent Creek. The plan is to attack the FITNESS TEST before dark, but dark is coming sooner these days. In the evening drizzle, our outing turns into a 40 minute out-and-back tempo run. I zip over to visit the Hills and check out the new arrival, she sure is a cutie!

10.24: We awake on Elliot's porch weary from rainy late nights spent on the road. The travel is not yet over, but Uwharrie and I get an hour run in along the Jones Gap trail. The slippery rocks slow progress, I re-injure my weak left ankle. It's nicely swollen for the drive to High Point. U-dog is hanging for a month with Elliot and Katie, thanks guys!

10.25: I'm packed and ready for the trip to California and Oregon. My folks join me for a trip to Umstead park before my flight departs from RDU. The familiar forest and rain softened trails fill me with memories and dreams. My pace surges through the 1.5 hour one-lap workout. While in the terminal awaiting my cross-country flight, I enjoy Anton Krupicka's Leadville report in the latest UR mag.

10.26: I'm liking the mild climate of the San Francisco Bay. Just north of Becky and Andy's Santa Clara home is Alviso park with its soft salt levees stretching far out and away from the hustle and bustle and into the marshes. I run out for an hour to watch the sunset and then hurry back. We enjoy Ethiopian for dinner, an excellent day!

10.27: Today is my big sis's 30th b-day bash. I squeeze in a short 30 minute run around the SCU campus before the all-too-hearty party. We enjoy African tales from neighbors Adam and Erin.

10.28: Andy, Becky and I head out to Ed R. Levin park for the day. I run the Calera Creek and Aqua Caliente trails up up up 2000 ft. to Monument Peak. The sun beats down, I soak in the panoramic views of the valley and foothills. The first half of the run is all uphill, but now I have four miles straight down. Bombs away!

10.29: Tonight I'm hopping the Coastal Starlight to Eugene. The plan is to visit for a week with my good friends Scott and Mike. This is gonna be a marathon 16+ hour train ride. So Beck and I hit up one more trip to the salt marshes to stretch out the legs for 8.5 miles before departure. Speaking of marathons, let's put one together out at Alviso. Yes! I've had a fantastic time in the bay area. Thanks guys!!!

twenty-three

10.16: An evening workout with Uwharrie of 7 miles, two hill repeats up Busby mountain on the MST starts off the week. I'm grateful to feel the strength return to my left ankle!

10.17: After work, I join co-worker and cross country champ, Brian for a sunset stampede around Asheville. He tells me we cover the 7.5 miles at a 6:10 pace, which makes me feel better for the effort it took to climb into those high society hills before bombing back into town. I meet Elliot and Ashley for dinner at the Laughing Seed before beginning the long drive with Uwharrie to Virginia.

10.18: After a rough night sleeping out at an overlook along I-26, I caffinate and finish the journey to Waynesboro. Uwharrie and I remember our pleasant stay here five months ago. It doesn't take long to track down Lily. We're so happy to see her! We'll be hiking south with her for a couple days after another night camped outside the Y.

10.19: We power up on breakfast and hit the trail around noon- a laid back start, which feels good. The fall colors are tremendous. Lily Uwharrie and I join Banjo Tom and Dreamer at the Paul Wolfe Memorial shelter. I lace up a hand-me-down pair of nike mayflys and run the wonderful 10 miles to Rockfish Gap and back with Uwharrie. We revel in a kaliedoscope of colors! These mayflys work great as a trail shoe packing away to nothing between workouts.

10.20: Today is a chilly autumn day on the trail. After 16 miles of hiking through Saturday crowds, rationing water (despite a blessed late night downpour), we're happy to call it a day at Maupin Field shelter. I tell Lily that I've forgotten just how good a workout this hiking really is! No run today. Although we just missed a masochistic workout, no worries.

10.21: We hike the Mar Har trail to the Tye river and hitch into Montebello to meet up with my folks. A nice, relaxing camping trip to Crabtree Meadow ensues. We're grateful for this delivery of the Falcon. We feast on black bean burritos and gaze up at the moon and stars. My chance at a run slips away, there'll be time for that later...

10.22: It's a bittersweet moment to part ways with Lily, but we're excited about the times to come. Now, Uwharrie and I need to tackle this drive back to Asheville! We sneak in a good 7 mile run along portions of the Promise Land course up and over Apple Orchard mountain. Delicious! After lotsa driving, we're within firing distance of work at a road-weary stealth camp outside Linville Gorge.

Congrats to Adam and Suzanne for the birth of Annie Grace!

twenty-four

Hello. It's been a while since I wrote. How are you? Have you downloaded in rainbows yet? I'm alive and well, owing a deep debt to Adam, Suzanne and Carol for letting me live freely and comfortably in Asheville for the past couple weeks. Adam also helped me get some work at jus' running. So, stop on by to say hello.

How's life off the trail? I'm eaten by the worms, but I hit the bottom and escape. I run for my life. The train has left the station for Umstead100...

10.8: Yesterday, I ran a clunky 18 miler up the Shut-In dismantling streamers for Adam's 3rd annual Pitchell 100K. I now seek redemption from my sub-par four hour effort. At sunset, Adam and I hit the FITNESS TEST. Methinks I will refer to this excellent 7.8 mile Bent Creek loop with reverence for many months to come. I pound out a 51:30 and Adam a 53:53; not bad for two days removed from a 57 mile effort.

10.9: Tuesday evenings are filled with maggots squirming. And up we go at UNCA with 20 paved hill repeats broken in half with a couple 1000 meter spurts on the track thrown in at 5K race pace. Ouch. Will I be back? Maybe, but these hill workouts need a bit of tweaking...

10.10: I'm off work and escaping to the full fall colors at 6000' on the parkway with Uwharrie. We run down Flat Laurel Creek and up the MST to Little Sam. The finish of this 8 miler is on extremely technical trail and I pay the price: my left ankle snaps, a second degree sprain. Damn! We trot down to the Place to soak my body in icy waters, then retire to our camp under the spruce.

10.11: A chilly autumn morning is cause for celebration. I run another 8 mile loop on my tender ankle circling Black Balsam and Tenant. I'm inspired to work the logistics for the 7th annual ALTAR that's rapidly approaching. Amazing how fast time moves when you stop looking! Yeah, like this loop took me nearly two hours. I'm sore. These are gonna be mostly recovery runs for weeks to come. The journey is young...

10.12: I get a call from Carl. He's gonna run the 80 miles of AT in GA and I wanna be there. It's a good way to rest the ankle (sorta) while remaining engaged in the energy of the run. So after work, we're prepping for an expedition to the Peach State.

10.14: Mission accomplished. I probably ran 18 miles total over the weekend while crewing. I'm definitely worn out, but not as bad as Carl. 'Twas a fun experience. It's good to be a part of successful adventures, to get back on track. I look forward to the adventures to come!!!

a porter float

this one goes out to the one i love...

somewhere in rainbows...

Close your eyes,

tap your heels together three times

and think to yourself

there's no place like home...

Pisgahlicious LSD

and LP7 is 10 days away...

Ahhhhhhh, monumental!