I completed my first ultra-distance trail run (or rather, speed hike) in August 1989. I started at 4:00 am at Carter Notch Hut, the eastern-most of the Appalachian Mountain Club's system of mountain huts in northern New Hampshire, and started to run westward toward the Presidential Range, Zealand Valley, Franconia Range, and finally, Lonesome Lake … Continue reading Dreams
Tag: running
Road to Leadville: Dispatch #4
On Wednesday, Jen and I hiked up the Sheep Gulch Trail from near Winfield to Hope Pass, which at 12,600 ft, is the highest point on the Leadville 100 course. Runners cross the pass at mile 44.5 and again at mile 55.5 as they return from the turn-around point at Winfield. The climb and … Continue reading Road to Leadville: Dispatch #4
Road to Leadville: Dispatch #3
Finally, Leadville! I took a short (6.5 mile) acclimatization run on Tuesday afternoon along the Leadville race route on the north shore of Turquoise Lake. At almost exactly 10,000 ft, the lake trail was a great run to start getting used to the thinner air here. We scouted a few key spots on the race … Continue reading Road to Leadville: Dispatch #3
Road to Leadville: Dispatch #2
After only 48 hours, it already feels as though I've been in Colorado for weeks. Although I haven't kept track, I think this is my 12th trip to Colorado as an adult -- and 13th if you add my family's cross-country van trip in the 1970s. Over the years, these mountains have come … Continue reading Road to Leadville: Dispatch #2
Road to Leadville: Dispatch #1
"Why are you going to Colorado?" "To run in a hundred mile race" isn't really a great answer. It's much more complicated. And much harder to explain. In the week leading up to the Leadville Trail 100 (which starts at 4:00 am Mountain Time on Saturday the 20th), I'm going to explore some … Continue reading Road to Leadville: Dispatch #1
Vertical Weekend
I inevitably miss the weekend's long runs in the early days of each week. Particularly this month, as I steadily ramp up weekly miles ahead of the Leadville 100 in late August -- and particularly this week, as I still feel the weekend of the Whiteface Vertical Weekend in my legs. I've tried to explain … Continue reading Vertical Weekend
Movement & Mindfulness
I had the great pleasure of facilitating an intensive class called Movement and Mindfulness at Sterling College over the past two weeks. As part of the course, the students and I participated in on and off campus meditation sessions, moving conversation, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi, rock climbing, rowing, walking, event mapping, Japanese forest bathing, walking meditation, running, yoga, yoga … Continue reading Movement & Mindfulness
Perception
An early season run up the steep woody slopes of nearby Smuggler's Notch on Monday was a perfect solitary sojourn to balance the weekend's racing with our team in southern New England sunshine. Both were glorious. And each reminded me of why I run -- to set aside the quotidian and revel in the rhythm of … Continue reading Perception
What’s Next…?
Den längsta resan är resan inåt. -Dag Hammarskjöld I talked about Climate Run: Iceland this morning with about thirty middle school students at the Albany Community School here in Vermont. Among the questions they asked during and after my slideshow was "what was your favorite part?" I … Continue reading What’s Next…?
Top Ten!
Five days into the New Year (and barely a week into "winter" here in the Northeastern U.S.) and I'm starting to adjust to a new training routine that balances running and skiing (and gym workouts) with all the other parts of family & work life. For example, I couldn't get out to start my long … Continue reading Top Ten!
Climate Run 