Camp Saratoga 5K Trail Race Series: 06/27/2011

Monday night was the first in a series of five 5K trail races hosted by the Saratoga Stryders. Although I intend to run all five races, I don’t expect I’ll post a report after each one – this post is meant as a plug for the upcoming races as much as a report from Monday’s race.

80 to 100 runners typically show up for each race, and it’s about as fun and low-key as a race can be: no chips or bibs, a shouted “GO” for the start, a hand-held stopwatch for timing and numbered popsicle sticks for the finish. Monday evening’s event drew around a hundred runners.

Cat Mountain: 06/26/2011

I really wanted to hike this weekend. Beth and I had planned to hike Colvin and Blake (two of the peaks Beth needs towards her 46) on Friday, but a dismal weather forecast caused us to scuttle those plans. Saturday was our rain date, but we cancelled that due to… more rain. The weather forecast was better for Sunday but we didn’t have child care, so I pushed for a family hike.

View of the Narrows from Cat Mountain

Warrior Run, West Mountain: 06/18/2011

I've been in a lot of races over the years, but never anything quite like Saturday's Warrior Run at West Mountain. Equal part trail run, obstacle course and party, the Warrior Run is as much an "experience" as it is a "race." As evidence of the growing popularity of this type of adventure race, nearly 1800 runners pre-registered for Saturday's event, a huge number of participants for a first-time event. Word of mouth and promotional material like the video trailer below got Beth and me curious when the event was announced several months ago:

Season pass math

It may seem like ski season is a long way off, but early purchase discount deadlines are approaching and it’s time to do the math. For many, buying a season’s pass is a no-brainer, but for others the calculation may be a bit more involved. For our family, the decision is driven by 3 factors:

Number of ski days – Obviously this is the factor that drives most season pass decisions. Our family will likely ski 20 +/- days at Gore next winter, well above the break-even point of 10-12 days.

Tabletop Mtn: 06/12/2011

With reports of landslides, flooding and road closures in the news over the past month and a half, it's no surprise that this hasn’t been a great spring for hiking in the Adirondacks. But, despite a sketchy weekend weather forecast, Beth had a chance to hike Tabletop Mountain with two friends on Sunday, picking off another peak towards her 46.

Covered Bridges Half Marathon: June 5, 2011

One of my goals this year has been to bump up my running. I had been a pretty avid runner until about 7 or 8 years ago, when I took a break from running. My hiatus was partly due to other diversions, like getting married and starting a family, and partly due to a sense of "been there, done that." In any case, my interest in running lay dormant until about a year ago, when I bought a pair of running shoes and began running again.

The difference between a "jogger" and a "runner" is an entry blank, and races have always been a big part of my running. When I started running again last spring, I entered a local series of five 5K trail races. This year, inspired by my wife Beth who ran the Covered Bridges Half Marathon in 2010, we both signed up for the 2011 CBHM.

The race passes through the Middle Bridge in Woodstock

Current Issues and Events

Several issues of importance to those with an interest in skiing and outdoor recreation in the Adirondacks have been in the news this week.

Proposed ban of gasoline motors on Thirteenth Lake. Last week, DEC released for comments a proposed regulation banning gasoline powered motorboats on Thirteenth Lake. Under the proposed regulation, electric trolling motors would be allowed. The proposal represents an excellent compromise that preserves access for sportsmen and the mobility impaired, yet also protects nesting loons and enhances the environment of the lake and surrounding wilderness. You can add your voice to others in support of this proposed regulation by contacting the DEC prior to July 2.

Thirteenth Lake