The January group run will be on Saturday Jan 12th and we'll meet up at the Greenbush group camp parking lot (this is the lot with the large ski shelter) at 11am. The original plan was to run the 9.3 miles of snowshoe trails but the trails continue to get pounded with snow. Plan on running 7-9 miles but as for the course we'll probably decide that day. IAT, snowshoe trails, snowmobile trails or roads whatever it takes we'll get a run in! Hope you can join us.
Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
We're In!
The 2013 Ice Age Trail Races sold out in less than 2 days, but several GTR's made it in:
Nic, Matt, and Dan are running the 50 miler, and Tony is taking on the Half Marathon. Anyone else I missed?
Now, time to start training...I don't think I've been this nervous about signing up for an event in 5 years! Here we go...146 days and counting!
Nic, Matt, and Dan are running the 50 miler, and Tony is taking on the Half Marathon. Anyone else I missed?
Now, time to start training...I don't think I've been this nervous about signing up for an event in 5 years! Here we go...146 days and counting!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Random Run Stuff
The Fox Run Run was a success! We had a good time on a pretty tough course, and there were even requests to run it again. Those requests will be obliged!
Here is a list of Trail Races in Wisconsin in 2013. From distances of 2 miles to 100 miles, you can find what you're looking for:
http://runningintheusa.com/Race/List.aspx?Rank=All&Special=trail&State=WI&Page=1
The Ice Age Races are great events, especially if you're just starting to get your shoes dirty in trail running. I highly recommend the half marathon. Just be sure to get registered--Registration opens on December 15th, and last year all races sold out in 10 days!
As for me, I'm looking at the Ice Age 50k (or 50 Mile?) in May and the Glacial Trail 50k (or 50 mile?) in October...along with more Greenbush Trail Runners Group Runs, of course! Keep an eye on the "Scheduled Events" tab for more information on those. The next run will be January 12th, and the next NK 50k will be April 6th--get it on your schedule now and join us for all or part of the run!
Finally, Dan has started a blog about his runs in the Northern Kettles. The first installment is a recap of his attempt to run the entire Northern Kettle Ice Age Trail, out and then back. Click here to find out how it went and what he learned...PART 1, and PART 2. Great Job, Dan!
Here is a list of Trail Races in Wisconsin in 2013. From distances of 2 miles to 100 miles, you can find what you're looking for:
http://runningintheusa.com/Race/List.aspx?Rank=All&Special=trail&State=WI&Page=1
The Ice Age Races are great events, especially if you're just starting to get your shoes dirty in trail running. I highly recommend the half marathon. Just be sure to get registered--Registration opens on December 15th, and last year all races sold out in 10 days!
As for me, I'm looking at the Ice Age 50k (or 50 Mile?) in May and the Glacial Trail 50k (or 50 mile?) in October...along with more Greenbush Trail Runners Group Runs, of course! Keep an eye on the "Scheduled Events" tab for more information on those. The next run will be January 12th, and the next NK 50k will be April 6th--get it on your schedule now and join us for all or part of the run!
Finally, Dan has started a blog about his runs in the Northern Kettles. The first installment is a recap of his attempt to run the entire Northern Kettle Ice Age Trail, out and then back. Click here to find out how it went and what he learned...PART 1, and PART 2. Great Job, Dan!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
The Fox Run Run
When: Saturday, December 8th, 10:30 AM
Where: N6392 Briar Trace, Plymouth
What: 6 mile trail run, followed by lunch and refreshments
Why: Nothing's better on a weekend than some Trails and Ales
A week from Saturday the Greenbush Trail Runners will be having another group run, and this one will start and finish at my house!
Because I live in the "Fox Run" subdivision, this race is going down as the Fox Run Run. It'll feature a bit of pavement in the first mile to warm everyone up, and then about 2 miles of Ice Age Trail. At that point, we'll be exploring some new single track (and I mean single track) trails with plenty of hills and views.
I'd say the first 2 miles are gentle. The next 2 miles are a bit more challenging, but at mile 4 you'll be rewarded with "an aid station with a view". The final 2 miles will make you earn your burger/brat/smore/refreshment that I'll be supplying after the run. I can guarantee you've never run on the last mile of trail...as I've had to rehab a very old trail quite a bit to make it into something that one could actually follow.
I'd love to get 10 people out there with me, so bring a friend! We'll be leaving my house (N6392 Briar Trace, Plymouth, WI) at 10:30 AM, rain, snow, or shine!
If you have any questions, let me know, and like I said...bring a friend! As always, Man's Best Friends are guests of honor.
- Nic
Where: N6392 Briar Trace, Plymouth
What: 6 mile trail run, followed by lunch and refreshments
Why: Nothing's better on a weekend than some Trails and Ales
A week from Saturday the Greenbush Trail Runners will be having another group run, and this one will start and finish at my house!
Because I live in the "Fox Run" subdivision, this race is going down as the Fox Run Run. It'll feature a bit of pavement in the first mile to warm everyone up, and then about 2 miles of Ice Age Trail. At that point, we'll be exploring some new single track (and I mean single track) trails with plenty of hills and views.
I'd say the first 2 miles are gentle. The next 2 miles are a bit more challenging, but at mile 4 you'll be rewarded with "an aid station with a view". The final 2 miles will make you earn your burger/brat/smore/refreshment that I'll be supplying after the run. I can guarantee you've never run on the last mile of trail...as I've had to rehab a very old trail quite a bit to make it into something that one could actually follow.
I'd love to get 10 people out there with me, so bring a friend! We'll be leaving my house (N6392 Briar Trace, Plymouth, WI) at 10:30 AM, rain, snow, or shine!
If you have any questions, let me know, and like I said...bring a friend! As always, Man's Best Friends are guests of honor.
- Nic
Monday, October 29, 2012
Upcoming GTR Runs
We have a couple group runs on the schedule:
November 10th, Parnell Tower
Come join us November 10th at 8am for a GTR group run at the Parnell Tower. It looks like we'll cover the 3.5 mile Parnell tower loop and another two miles of the IAT for a total of 5.5 miles before returning to the parking lot to pick up anyone wanting to start at 9am to run the loop again. Beer at the finish!
Start times/distances
- 8am for 5.5 miles or 9 miles
- 9am for the 3.5 miles
December 8th, Nic's "Home Run"
December 8 2012, Nic's "Home Run" - Come out for a nice 5 mile trail
run/hike from Nic's home, to a spot with a GREAT VIEW (you'll have to come out
to find out where it is!), and then some Beer and Brats and Burgers (and other stuff) when
we get home. Casual pace, and the run/hike takes place Rain, Snow, or Shine! Nic lives here, and the Run starts at 10:30 AM.
Hope to see you out there!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Glacial Trail (Mud) Run
The last race of my running season, the Glacial Trail 50k, started with a text message and ended with a voicemail. More on the voicemail later.
I was up early on Sunday to get in a good breakfast and some caffeine (I'd only had decaf for the last month to make sure I got a good jump in energy from the real stuff on race morning). I had asked my parents (my crew) to be at my house at 7 AM, so that we could go over the course map and some other details. At about 6:50 I was dressed, had eaten, had packed some clothes to change in to after the run--it was going to be a soaker--and had gotten my gels and bottles ready. Then came the text message. Tony was wishing me good luck.
I thanked him, wished him good luck on his trail 10k he was running, and then commented on how it was going to be a mess out on the course (we had received about 3 inches of rain in 24 hours by this point and were going to get 3 more before Sunday night).
Suddenly the message came through: "Shouldn't you be lining up at the start?"
OH CRAP...
I ran to the computer, got to www.badgerlandstriders.org page and quickly got to the Glacial Trail page, and sure enough...The 50k starts at 7 AM. NOT 8 AM.
My one-word text message back to Tony started with an F, was a four-letter word, and was all caps.
I manage to grab my cooler of bottles and gels and was in full on sprint to my truck. Halfway down my road I flashed my headlights to my parents to let them know the bad news. I managed to make the 10 minute drive in about 5 minutes, slamming a Gel and taking off a layer of clothes in the process. As I pulled in to the Greenbush Town Hall, I could see the back end of the 50k field turning a corner up the road. I literally parked, dropped my cooler to the ground, asked my mom (my parents made pretty good time too!) to go get my bib, and told my dad I'd see him at Highway 67. I didn't even manage to get a good snug fit on my shoes or wait for my bib, but I was off and running--HARD--to try and make up for about 5 minutes of time and to get in front of as many people as I could before the course picked up the single track trails that would make it tougher to pass on.
I didn't have a water bottle now for the first 7 miles. I only had one Gel in my pocket. Great planning!
About 4 miles in, I caught up to Todd E. from the LPTR gang and said hello. I explained that I'm an idiot and missed the start, and he said I was probably up to about 10th place now. Todd is just one of those guys that you look forward to spending time with. For as enthusiastic as he is, he's pretty even-keel too, and exactly what I needed at that point. 10th place...Not bad, I thought, but I wanted to be in the top 5. This was the goal race I was planning for all summer...and I missed the start! Ugh!
By Hwy 67 (first aid station, 7 miles in), I was thirsty despite the fact I was drenched. The continuous rain was taking its toll, and it was only going to get worse with more rain and more people making their way along the trail. At Hwy 67 I got a bottle of CarboPro from my dad and kept plugging along. The course from Hwy 67 to Butler Lake (second aid station, 13.3 miles) is much more runnable (in my opinion) but also features the biggest hill of the course, in Parnell. At this point I tried to get myself into a bit of a rhythm. I had to get some calories in and had to find a way to save something for the return trip of this out-and-back course. In this section I caught Brian (also from LPTR) and stuck with him for a mile or two before moving past him. He was moving very well and let me know I was now in 7th or 8th. Brian is another of those people that make trail running fun. He's always full of energy and always upbeat. As we dropped in to Butler Lake, I was definitely feeling the effects of running too hard and dumping too many calories in to my gut too fast. Not a real good combination, when the race isn't even half over yet.
Leaving Butler Lake, all I wanted was some water. I asked my parents for my water bottle--not the one with CarboPro in it. Unfortunately, that water bottle was still in MY car at the start line. I had taken it out of the cooler to use at the beginning of the race, but forgot it in my rush, and didn't put it back in the cooler. Now, looking back, I could have just used the empty bottle I was carrying, filled it up at the aid station, and been fine. In the moment, though, I was too stubborn and in too much of a rush. So, off I went for the next segment (2 miles to the turnaround, then 2 miles back to Butler Lake) with only gels and SCaps, no water.
I passed another runner out of Butler Lake and was now in 6th. I soon caught up to another runner (Alec from Illinois, I believe?) who was running very smart. He was fast on the flat stuff and hiking the hills good. I yo-yo'd with him quite a bit, getting close enough to exchange some conversation, but never passing him or even getting side-by-side with him.
Finally, after nearly wiping out several times, I made it to the turnaround point in 2:03 (my watch, 2:08ish in race time). I downed another gel after turning around and even managed to swallow an SCap without any water. I do NOT recommend that.
Back at Butler Lake I got another bottle of CarboPro (400 calories in about 18 ounces of water, with a nuun tablet for flavoring) and headed out. The trail was markedly deteriorating at this point--even in the grassy section just north of Butler Lake. This section is about the only place on the course that one can see any considerable distance in front of him. As I left Butler Lake, I could see two other runners (Alec, and another) ahead of me on the trail.
As I have mentioned, the trail continually worsened. On a lot of the uphills, I wasn't even on the trail but hiking along the edges where grass and leaves provided some traction. In fact, along the flat parts I wasn't on the trail either, as that part had been run over by over 200 participants and was showing the wear. The Ice Age Trail drains really well, but it can only take so much, I guess.
Just South of the Parnell Hill climb, I caught Alec. He shared he had just tweaked his hip a bit and was 'shutting it down for a bit.' He still managed a finish which is incredible because I think that course would find and open up any weakness you had! So now, after that, I'm up to 5th. Still moving good but the combination of terrain, weather, and terrible pacing is starting to eat me up.
I last ran this event in '10 and can still remember how horrible I felt at Hwy 67, just wanting to be done but still having the toughest 7 miles of the course left. This time I had someone to chase--4th place--so I had some motivation. I finally caught 4th place at the Hwy 67 aid station. I also gave a kiss to my son, Edwin, who seemed to be loving every minute of the rain, splashing around with Grandma and Grandpa. I actually felt decent leaving 67 this time but still looked forward to being done. "Hurry up and finish," Ellie (my wife) quipped, "it's pouring out."
Leaving 67 the course is relatively flat for about a mile before it goes up a pretty steep and rocky hill near the Greenbush Kettle. I thought I was moving great and was really surprised when I was passed while hiking up this hill. I managed a "Great Job!" to the new 4th place runner, and decided I'd try to stick with him. That didn't last long, and he was out of sight once again.
Well, back to 5th place and now I'm a bit more motivated to get done without losing any more time. On several occasions I almost went down big time but managed to stay upright. Looking back, it wouldn't have mattered had I fallen down and gotten muddy--the constant rain would have washed it all away in no time.
The last 2 miles of the run are pretty much downhill or flat, ending on a road in Greenbush. I ran most of it (I hate to admit I walked some of the last mile, but I did) and finally turned the corner to the finish...only the finish wasn't there!
It turns out the volunteers were tired of the rain also, and had moved the clock, the awards, the finish line, and the coveted medal and 5th Place Cup to the canopy under the front door of the Greenbush Town Hall. What a day...
Looking back, I'm glad I made the best of a less-than-ideal situation, and I find myself even more motivated to go back and run strong at the Glacial Trail Race. I can't even imagine running the 50 miler--Dan Crouse is a beast. Also, Mike Henze (3rd place) wrote up a great recap here.
Special CONGRATS and THANKS to Tony Tushaus, who sent out the text that got me out the door to the start and also WON THE WORS 10K TRAIL RACE in Sheboygan that morning!
Oh Yeah...about that Voicemail: While driving back to my house after the race, I checked my phone. Ellie had left a Voicemail for me...apparently she wasn't happy with the fact I had left the garage door open, I had left clothes laying all over the place in the kitchen, I had made a mess of my cup of coffee, I had not fed the dog...and most of all, I was not around at 7:15 as I said I would be when our kids woke up.
Her next phone call was to my mom, who had the unenviable task of explaining to Ellie how I had missed the start. While the disarray at home now made sense, I'm not sure she was happy with me...
And now, some photos...
I was up early on Sunday to get in a good breakfast and some caffeine (I'd only had decaf for the last month to make sure I got a good jump in energy from the real stuff on race morning). I had asked my parents (my crew) to be at my house at 7 AM, so that we could go over the course map and some other details. At about 6:50 I was dressed, had eaten, had packed some clothes to change in to after the run--it was going to be a soaker--and had gotten my gels and bottles ready. Then came the text message. Tony was wishing me good luck.
I thanked him, wished him good luck on his trail 10k he was running, and then commented on how it was going to be a mess out on the course (we had received about 3 inches of rain in 24 hours by this point and were going to get 3 more before Sunday night).
Suddenly the message came through: "Shouldn't you be lining up at the start?"
OH CRAP...
I ran to the computer, got to www.badgerlandstriders.org page and quickly got to the Glacial Trail page, and sure enough...The 50k starts at 7 AM. NOT 8 AM.
My one-word text message back to Tony started with an F, was a four-letter word, and was all caps.
I manage to grab my cooler of bottles and gels and was in full on sprint to my truck. Halfway down my road I flashed my headlights to my parents to let them know the bad news. I managed to make the 10 minute drive in about 5 minutes, slamming a Gel and taking off a layer of clothes in the process. As I pulled in to the Greenbush Town Hall, I could see the back end of the 50k field turning a corner up the road. I literally parked, dropped my cooler to the ground, asked my mom (my parents made pretty good time too!) to go get my bib, and told my dad I'd see him at Highway 67. I didn't even manage to get a good snug fit on my shoes or wait for my bib, but I was off and running--HARD--to try and make up for about 5 minutes of time and to get in front of as many people as I could before the course picked up the single track trails that would make it tougher to pass on.
I didn't have a water bottle now for the first 7 miles. I only had one Gel in my pocket. Great planning!
About 4 miles in, I caught up to Todd E. from the LPTR gang and said hello. I explained that I'm an idiot and missed the start, and he said I was probably up to about 10th place now. Todd is just one of those guys that you look forward to spending time with. For as enthusiastic as he is, he's pretty even-keel too, and exactly what I needed at that point. 10th place...Not bad, I thought, but I wanted to be in the top 5. This was the goal race I was planning for all summer...and I missed the start! Ugh!
By Hwy 67 (first aid station, 7 miles in), I was thirsty despite the fact I was drenched. The continuous rain was taking its toll, and it was only going to get worse with more rain and more people making their way along the trail. At Hwy 67 I got a bottle of CarboPro from my dad and kept plugging along. The course from Hwy 67 to Butler Lake (second aid station, 13.3 miles) is much more runnable (in my opinion) but also features the biggest hill of the course, in Parnell. At this point I tried to get myself into a bit of a rhythm. I had to get some calories in and had to find a way to save something for the return trip of this out-and-back course. In this section I caught Brian (also from LPTR) and stuck with him for a mile or two before moving past him. He was moving very well and let me know I was now in 7th or 8th. Brian is another of those people that make trail running fun. He's always full of energy and always upbeat. As we dropped in to Butler Lake, I was definitely feeling the effects of running too hard and dumping too many calories in to my gut too fast. Not a real good combination, when the race isn't even half over yet.
Leaving Butler Lake, all I wanted was some water. I asked my parents for my water bottle--not the one with CarboPro in it. Unfortunately, that water bottle was still in MY car at the start line. I had taken it out of the cooler to use at the beginning of the race, but forgot it in my rush, and didn't put it back in the cooler. Now, looking back, I could have just used the empty bottle I was carrying, filled it up at the aid station, and been fine. In the moment, though, I was too stubborn and in too much of a rush. So, off I went for the next segment (2 miles to the turnaround, then 2 miles back to Butler Lake) with only gels and SCaps, no water.
I passed another runner out of Butler Lake and was now in 6th. I soon caught up to another runner (Alec from Illinois, I believe?) who was running very smart. He was fast on the flat stuff and hiking the hills good. I yo-yo'd with him quite a bit, getting close enough to exchange some conversation, but never passing him or even getting side-by-side with him.
Finally, after nearly wiping out several times, I made it to the turnaround point in 2:03 (my watch, 2:08ish in race time). I downed another gel after turning around and even managed to swallow an SCap without any water. I do NOT recommend that.
Back at Butler Lake I got another bottle of CarboPro (400 calories in about 18 ounces of water, with a nuun tablet for flavoring) and headed out. The trail was markedly deteriorating at this point--even in the grassy section just north of Butler Lake. This section is about the only place on the course that one can see any considerable distance in front of him. As I left Butler Lake, I could see two other runners (Alec, and another) ahead of me on the trail.
As I have mentioned, the trail continually worsened. On a lot of the uphills, I wasn't even on the trail but hiking along the edges where grass and leaves provided some traction. In fact, along the flat parts I wasn't on the trail either, as that part had been run over by over 200 participants and was showing the wear. The Ice Age Trail drains really well, but it can only take so much, I guess.
Just South of the Parnell Hill climb, I caught Alec. He shared he had just tweaked his hip a bit and was 'shutting it down for a bit.' He still managed a finish which is incredible because I think that course would find and open up any weakness you had! So now, after that, I'm up to 5th. Still moving good but the combination of terrain, weather, and terrible pacing is starting to eat me up.
I last ran this event in '10 and can still remember how horrible I felt at Hwy 67, just wanting to be done but still having the toughest 7 miles of the course left. This time I had someone to chase--4th place--so I had some motivation. I finally caught 4th place at the Hwy 67 aid station. I also gave a kiss to my son, Edwin, who seemed to be loving every minute of the rain, splashing around with Grandma and Grandpa. I actually felt decent leaving 67 this time but still looked forward to being done. "Hurry up and finish," Ellie (my wife) quipped, "it's pouring out."
Leaving 67 the course is relatively flat for about a mile before it goes up a pretty steep and rocky hill near the Greenbush Kettle. I thought I was moving great and was really surprised when I was passed while hiking up this hill. I managed a "Great Job!" to the new 4th place runner, and decided I'd try to stick with him. That didn't last long, and he was out of sight once again.
Well, back to 5th place and now I'm a bit more motivated to get done without losing any more time. On several occasions I almost went down big time but managed to stay upright. Looking back, it wouldn't have mattered had I fallen down and gotten muddy--the constant rain would have washed it all away in no time.
The last 2 miles of the run are pretty much downhill or flat, ending on a road in Greenbush. I ran most of it (I hate to admit I walked some of the last mile, but I did) and finally turned the corner to the finish...only the finish wasn't there!
It turns out the volunteers were tired of the rain also, and had moved the clock, the awards, the finish line, and the coveted medal and 5th Place Cup to the canopy under the front door of the Greenbush Town Hall. What a day...
Looking back, I'm glad I made the best of a less-than-ideal situation, and I find myself even more motivated to go back and run strong at the Glacial Trail Race. I can't even imagine running the 50 miler--Dan Crouse is a beast. Also, Mike Henze (3rd place) wrote up a great recap here.
Special CONGRATS and THANKS to Tony Tushaus, who sent out the text that got me out the door to the start and also WON THE WORS 10K TRAIL RACE in Sheboygan that morning!
Oh Yeah...about that Voicemail: While driving back to my house after the race, I checked my phone. Ellie had left a Voicemail for me...apparently she wasn't happy with the fact I had left the garage door open, I had left clothes laying all over the place in the kitchen, I had made a mess of my cup of coffee, I had not fed the dog...and most of all, I was not around at 7:15 as I said I would be when our kids woke up.
Her next phone call was to my mom, who had the unenviable task of explaining to Ellie how I had missed the start. While the disarray at home now made sense, I'm not sure she was happy with me...
And now, some photos...
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Saturday Night Pumpkin Carving...with Estelle "photobombing" the picture, just like Rodgers!
Entering Hwy 67 Aid
My Crew (Dad, Edwin, and Mom) at Hwy 67. Nice Leapord Print, Dad!
7 more miles...
Done!
November GTR Group Run
Come join us for a group run every second Saturday of the month starting in November. We'll pick out a different location in the Northern Kettle Moraine each month. All runners are welcome!
November 10th Group run at Parnell Tower.
8am start for 5.5 mile and 9 mile run
9am for 3.5 miles.
November 10th Group run at Parnell Tower.
8am start for 5.5 mile and 9 mile run
9am for 3.5 miles.
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