for some reason I wanted to run on a treadmill today. 41:56. A treadmill pr for me!

Fun 7-milers with Brendan and Mike. Mainers rule. Where's Evan, we need him to complete the Amigos.

John, treadmills are fun. Luckily the coach here believes in using them and lets me run a lot of my workouts on the mill. You can go a little faster than normal simply by knowing you'll get thrown off the backend if you don't stay on. Great motivation. I think they are a god device to force one to get faster and break into a new level.

treadmill here, too. 26 minutes, I always find I can run a lot faster on a treadmill than on a track/road/trail. Maybe I am just lazy when I run outside?!

90 minutes of yoga after, I kept toppling over like a tower of blocks. Apparently I do not have very good balance :P

meeting up with Bob and Vanessa. It was apparently 39 degrees, but it felt so unbelievably warm and comfortable in the sun. And I never think it's warm! Lots of people out doing trail maintenance today, which made the run kind of an entertaining gauntlet.

Perfect weather for a race, nice size crowd. Pre-race dinner of pizza and beer seemed to work, finished in 38:51, a PR, and 12th overall. Felt much better than the Beach to Beacon in August. Ran into RK, Pete, and Newell who all ran well. Also passed Ms. Joan Benoit-Samuelson going in the opposite direction, and caught a nice leaf.

Isn't that a great name for a race? Well that's what it took to get me running again. I really had no business racing since I haven't run since the 1/2 M but I did it anyway just to get me moving. I have been biking so the run wasn't a complete shock for my body. It was good to be part of that low key race in that gorgeous location. Thanks to all the supporters. It helps!

Nora ran the mile today and then looked after Ginger's kids at the play ground for a little while. She's so great and she's not even 10 yet.

Jill is back, thank goodness, though I am pleased with myself for staying motivated without her this past week. We ran 4 miles at Eagle Lake this morning. This week Jill traveled, worked and caught a cold, but it didn't slow her down that I could see. We're still aiming for the Turkey Trot.

2mi. w/u
(6)x 400m @5:42 pace on the 3:30s with 400m jog (~2min) recoveries
(8)x 200m @5:18 pace on the 1:45s with 200m jog (~60sec) recoveries
2mi. c/d
9mi. total

Congratualtions to all who raced today.

Wildcat 5K photo gallery

[Thanks, Ed!]

Congratulations to all the weekend racers! Isn't the Great osprey course beautiful? I didn't think Joan would be there this year, rumor has it she's pacing Lance Armstrong tomorrow 7 m/m for about 10 miles.
Can't wait to hear about Peter, Mark and Steve's trail adventures.

I have really struggled with my running this week. Last week everything felt easy but this week every run has been slower and shorter than planned. Today was a new day. No leaves were caught but after 5 miles, everything started loosening up and I remembered all the reasons I love to run. It was beautiful out there, perfect temp., sunny skies, gorgeous route, and an occassional tailwind.

15x2=30miles for the big E and that's social worker math

at the Stone Cat. Got to pace Peter on his third lap. Unfortunately, Mark twisted his ankle but good.

Keep running!

since DeLaney is too little yet for my jogging stroller.
It was so great to see Chris and other familiar faces!!!

Busted out our reflective gear and headlamp for the run around leonard lake.

Great times at the Osprey!

Hope that ankle is ok Mark.

It was fun cheering on the Wildcat group this morning, and great to meet beautiful little DeLaney. Mark, sorry to hear about your ankle. Hope you've got it on ice! :-(

I had a great first two laps and settled on the third with Steve pacing me. I knew that a much slower pace was the right strategy if I was going to finish but on the first part of the fourth lap I had to dnf because my energy level was not where I needed it to be to continue at the pace that I wanted. I know this was the right decision for today but I am disappointed. I did not want to walk at all and felt that today I was some place short of the distance. I think my spits were 1:44 1st lap, 3:20 2nd lap, and 5:55 for the 3rd lap. I was about five to ten minutes behind the lead pack until the third lap. The winning time was 7:04, 2nd 7:06, and Mark's friend was at 7:20, David Herr was at 7:49. I can project that I would have been after 8 hours. First woman was around a 9:15. Maybe next time.
Happy Trails.
Peter K.

Congratulations racers. Mark sorry to hear about your ankle, I hope it's not too bad.

Eagle Lake to the Witch Hole loop. A lot of activity this morning with clean up crews, walkers, bikers and runners. I got moused by two guys in a big van, which is always startling on the carriage roads, specially if your plugged into an iPod.

Great weather and great company (thanks Shannon) for the EL 6. Vanessa enjoyed 2 miles. We all enjoyed the post-run walk. Life is good in the woods.

Congratulations to the great races out there today (nice PR MikeB).

No worries on the dnf Peter. Like that old song, "You've got to know when to hold em', know when to fold em' ..."

Extremely sorry to hear about the injured ankle & hope its a quick recovery Mark.

The past few weeks have been about 60-65 per week with a few light workouts thrown in. I'm taking it easy for a while before raising mileage for track season.

tempo run,core,10 miles spinning.Cold,around 32,but no wind at 7:40 start.Was cut off by a guy walking his dog opposite direction letting the lead out just as I was going by.It seemed intentional.As it was a tempo run I was pushing the pace and I almost wiped out as I had to awkwardly sidestep this dog that suddenly lunged in front of me.He offered a weak "sorry" I replied "if I pulled a muscle,you're right,you will be sorry".Definitely was looking for him after I finished but he probably lives near rim of Back Cove and did not complete full loop.No damage done thankfully.Beautiful running weather in Portland. Dave T.

I won't be in Waterville for induction but just want to say a big congrats to Christine Snow-Reaser.A huge inspiration for me in road racing.My first full season in 2003 I researched results past years and every race there was Christine in top 10 consistently all distances.I thought,who is this girl?I soon found out.An outstanding athlete and very classy person and shining example for all runners in Maine and beyond. Dave T.

finishing up as the Take Pride in Acadia crews were being shuttled to their various posts. The younger kids seemed quite happy to be in charge of the tarps.

Good racing today everyone and a speedy recovery Mark.

35 Ty Davis FR Calais High School 6:13.0 19:18.9 30

[photo courtesy of David Colby Young]

RESULTS

Wish I could write something different, but some days just don't turn out the way you plan. It was a beautiful day for running in Ipswich, and after 6 miles or so I'd gotten into a comfortable groove. I was on a nice easy, wide ATV road and was putting some distance on the lead woman and another guy, so I thought I'd take my first gel. It was just a momentary lapse of concentration, next thing I know I'm skidding on my nose eating a leaf instead of gel with my ankle in serious pain. A root hidden under leaves bit my ankle but good, as Steve said, and that turned out to be the end of my day. I got up and tried to run 3 or 4 times, but I'd crunched something uncooperative, and there was no reason to walk/hobble for 20 miles and make it worse. Right now it's all kinds of pretty colors and very sore--hope it heals quickly. Sigh.

Steve was not only a wonderful host, he was a near-lifesaver as he had driven to a spot to come cheer me on and ended up giving me a lift and saving me 2 miles of hobbling to the next aid station. Thanks for everything Steve! And sorry your race didn't end the way you wanted Peter, but that was a smoking 3 laps you ran. It's a tough race and you gave it a great effort--I know you'll do fantastic when you can get more training volume.

My left foot was a bit sore a couple days leading up to the race. I worked it out (after making a deal with the devil) to race on Saturday morning.

Did a warm up of 2.4 miles (to Mile 5 and back) - I caught up with Pete and Mike at race registration and a bit later after the warm up with Newell.

Sunny conditions with no wind - seemed like ideal conditions for this race. at 10 the race began. I settled in 4 place for the first mile, knowing I had no business to be running with Paul, Charlie or Zolla. The mile markers were really off this year - i think they use the nearest telephone pole - anyway - running by the first mile marker in 6:11 makes you wonder.

Around the course we went, occasionally a runner would pass - in fact, 4 did all together when it was said and done. Finished in 8th place with a new PR (by 2 minutes and 29 seconds) in 37:35 (6:03 pace)

It's a great course and event - and it was cool to almost bump into Joanie running in the reverse direction!

rk.

Running/Walking = 220

..with some good racing mixed in.

I'm Frank H, and I approved these miles.