Back From VT

So far so good!  I have been running easy for 20 miles a week the past few weeks and no problems have surfaced.  Time to start ramping things up in a controlled, steady, methodical, and conservative fashion.  Don’t want to go too crazy yet (can’t wait) and put myself in the same position.  Also, the summer heat is keeping me at bay, along with the extra weight (which is slowly melting off).  My wife likes the extra weight on me, but my running performance doesn’t like the extra pounds.  My Mom even said I was getting too lean, and how good I looked with the extra weight.

I’m still debating with myself if I can be ready for a tough 50 miler this fall.  Only have 3 months to get ready, and considering I’m starting from little to no base, it would be a challenge.  Did I hear challenge!!!  I will see how the next 6 weeks goes, and how fast I can get my fitness back before I jump in. 

Spent the last week in Vermont visiting family, cook-outs, cold brews, and making memories.  Felt great to be back in my small town I grew up in, and spending time with my Mom and family.  I took my son zip lining (The girls didn’t feel good after flying all day) on seven awesome stretches from tree top to tree top under the canopy of the mountain forest.  The zip line ranged from 400 feet to over a thousand feet in length – What a blast.  We also did some rappels as part of the 2.5 hour tour.  There were 9 of us including my brother and sisters.  If in the neighborhood, see Arbortek at Smugglers’ Notch VT.  You won’t be disappointed.  Also check out The Blue Donkey for some awesome pulled pork BBQ sandwich and cold beer in a laid-back atmosphere, after the zip.  Doesn't get any better.

I also took my son hiking up Camel’s Hump (a little over 4,000’ and 3^rd highest in VT) and spent a few hours on the summit enjoying the views of the Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, Mt Mansfield, and the White Mountains of NH.  The trail is well marked and connects with the AT for a short stretch.  The lower section is smooth and easy going, but it gets rocky and steeper as you get closer to the summit.  We took the Monroe trail, connected with the Alpine trail, and then the AT.  We had all day and took our time taking lots of pics along the way, and talked with a lot of other hikers out for a day hike.  It was funny as some of the hikers gave Josh and I advise on taking it easy and keeping an easy pace and we would make it to the summit.  Josh looked at me after and said Dad you could run up this, and then do it a few more times as a good hill repeat training run, and they were giving you advice!!!  I said they were just being nice and I wanted them to know I appreciated their advice and thoughtfulness.   

There were around 20 hikers at the summit enjoying the view and sharing small talk.  I took a pic of a couple from Austin, TX, and the guy had an Ironman shirt on.  We talked a little more and he had done the 50K run while I was doing the 100 mile at Rocky Raccoon in Huntsville, TX.  What a small world.  The hike down was fun and fast, which took half the time as it took to hike up.  We also found the bomber that crashed into the mountain during a WWII training run by a small crew.  Only one crew member survived – Interesting story. 

Josh wants to hike the White Mountains (Presidential Range) of NH next year.  I also want to go back to Camel’s Hump and see how fast I can run up to the summit and back.  Sounds like fun.

Back to reality and the blistering heat of the South.