With the final race of the 2009 Inov-8 USATF-NE Mountain Circuit a distant memory, it's back to the pleasure of long slow distance trail marathon training! I'll be seeking more level ground for a spell as I have hill hangover. This past Sunday at the Ascutney Mt. Challenge (RESULTS), exactly 100 uphill runners earned mountain goat status; fortunately I was one of these goats pleased to hang up their kid keds for official hooves.
My weekend began early with Solarfest in Tinmouth, Vermont before I meandered to Ascutney State Park in Windsor to set up camp. Downpours, thunder and lightening stormed through and seasoned the trail section of the Challenge with some good old-fashioned mud! The new course included over a mile of rocky single-track technical trail. I managed to pass about six folks on the trail by power-hiking the ups and running the fern-filled flats. Many runners hope for the return of full auto-road ascent. But as a back-of-the-packer I loved the break from the asphalt grind. Some of the trail sections at Ascutney were the most technical footing in the series. I vote to keep this course another year before changing anything.
Bookends to the mountain circuit? The 2009 Ascutney course reminded me of Wachusett's new course (with its added trails). Yet, Ascutney is nearly all ascent whereas Wachusett offers some relief with double track trail and a downhill finish.
Ken Skier's Ascutney slide show.On the other side of the lens: Scott Mason.
More photos from DoubleJ,
taken by Kristen K. and JJ !
More great stuff at Good Clean Run.
No rest for the mountain weary.
1 comment:
Sooo, what are you doing with all your free time now that the Mountain series is over? Finding your own mountains to run?
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