Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Mill Creek Park


Jamie and I went to Mill Creek Park around 4 o'clock for a run. We knew we would be cutting it close with the daylight, but the snow covered trail would still be easy to see at night. We started at the Rose Garden and ran clockwise around the inner YUT-C loop.


There were hardly any people out on the trails so it was very peaceful! A little further into the run, however, we heard another creature joining us...an owl! Below is a video clip with the owl hooting (turn up the volume really loud to hear it).


I gave a yell a few times and each time, a few seconds after, the owl started its eerie hoot! We continued on towards the Monkey Hills and the Mill. As we got on the lower section by the creek before the boardwalk, Jamie mentioned how dark it was. We also wondered if we would make it back before the park police locked us in the Rose Garden parking lot. So we decided to turn around here and take the roads back.


When we got back, we found the gate was locked!! We slid through the gate, got in my car and drove to check the other gate. Locked! So I called 1-800-GOOG-411 (Google's free 411 service) and got the MCP police number. They sent an officer down very quickly and we were free!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Happy Days to Salt Run

This morning I met my brother and Jason McMains at 10 o'clock at the Happy Days parking lot for a run. We ran around the ledges, to Kendall Hills, then did a loop around Salt Run Trail for a total of 10 miles. We kept a pretty good pace. Below are some pics from the run.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Boston Store to Snowville Rd

This morning at 9:00, my brother and I ran from Boston Store to Snowville Rd for 10 miles. I turned my ankle a few times but it seems to be fine. The snow-covered Cuyahoga Valley made for beautiful scenery! Below are some pictures of the run.









Saturday, December 19, 2009

Let It Snow!


This morning my sister and I met at West Branch State Park at 9 o'clock for a run. The ground was covered in snow, but we only had at most an inch. Luckily we missed the brunt of the storm. On my way to West Branch I noticed all the trucks parked and remembered it was hunting season. Jamie and I headed out towards the lake trail and saw many hunters along the way. We ran a bit on the trails then decided to play it safe and run the rest on side roads. On the way back, we ran down the main trail, Snowmobile Rd, and saw 5 or 6 more hunters. In total we got in about 5.5 miles.



Sunday, December 13, 2009

Medina Community Recreation Center


I've been looking for a lap pool to swim in a few times during the winter to cross train. A lot of the places I looked at were either too expensive or did not offer partial memberships. However, I heard about the Medina Community Rec Center and decided to check it out. They offer very reasonable prices - $236/year or you can get different size packs of daily passes. I decided to go with 10 passes ($50). They give you three months to decide if you want to get a full membership and the price of the passes is knocked off the $236. Since Medina is about 25 minutes from my apartment, I doubt I will get the year membership.

Today I swam half a mile in the 25-meter lap pool. I felt really good and never got too out of breath. Afterward, I went in the jacuzzi to relax. They also have another pool with a kids area and a waterslide, a sauna, small indoor track, weights, and basketball courts.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

12/12 Group Run


This morning I met a group, including Nick & Bill Billock, my brother, Mark Anson, Rob Lisey, and a few others, at the ledges shelter at 8 o'clock this morning. A few of them had already been out as early as 6:15, but I decided to sleep in a bit. We headed out towards Kendall Hills and then onto the Salt Run loop. The temperature was in the 20s..brrrrrrr!! I finished with 8 miles.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

URINEO 2009 - Monkey Trail Madness


This year for URINEO (Ultra Runners In Northeast Ohio), Jim Harris, my brother and I decided to take a crack at the first ever Monkey Trail Marathon. Mike Dobies, from Michigan, came up with this sick idea, but was not able to attend.

We planned on meeting at 5 AM at the parking lot at the top of the Monkey Hills. Brian and I got there a few minutes late and saw Jim had already started. It was dark and cold out, but no snow on the ground for this year's URINEO.

Brian and I yelled for Jim and saw a light and a holler a few minutes later coming our way. Jim was finishing his first loop. I had forgotten a light, so Jim let me borrow one of his. This is a must for running the Monkey Hills in the dark due to all the steep downhills, turns, rocks, roots, trees, mud, etc..

Climbed and slid down this 20 times

I started out with a sweatshirt on, but warmed up fast and took it off after the first loop. An out and back was a little more than .9 miles. We planned on doing this 28 times for a marathon.

One of Bob's bridges

It didn't take long for us to realize how tough this would be. Throughout the first half I felt pretty good. Around loop 7, I got feeling tired but got a second wind soon after. Dan Kuzma joined us for the 8-13th loops. Jim was trucking along at a faster pace, lapping us once or twice. Also, the other runners, who started at the Lily Pond at 7 AM, began to appear. Among them were Kim, Gavin, Shaun Pope, Chris, Nora, Jacob Draa, Bruce McMurray, Lloyd Thomas, Todd Hanks, Dave Peterman, Bob Combs, and Kim Boner. I always have a blast at this event seeing everyone.

The "love log" in all her glory

When we got to lap 13, Brian and Dan split off. Brian planned on doing a loop around Lake Glacier. I continued on with the Monkey Hills. Every loop, Jim and I would cross paths going the opposite direction. This was a good motivation to keep going. As I got up towards 16 loops, I made it a game to see how much ground I could gain on Jim. For the next couple loops, I made it further and further before I saw him. On the next loop, Lloyd joined Jim and Jim gained some more ground back on me.

Slim Jim

Finally loop 20 came upon me. This loop was very difficult. My legs were feeling like spaghetti and it was hard to focus. As Jim and I crossed paths, I could tell he was feeling really tired himself. He was already on his 27th or so loop. I ran to the turn around and then started heading back to the parking lot once again. Every hill seemed steeper than ever!! I laid down a few times right on the trail trying to build some energy back to climb the hills. On my way back, I decided this would be my last loop since going downhill on my tired legs was becoming treacherous now. I was also 8 loops away from completing the marathon distance. I saw Jim again and told him I was done.

Afterward, I went to McDonalds and got a McChicken, McDouble, fries, and two apple pies. I then drove to the Lily Pond to hangout with finished runners. Bob and Kim Boner were there all bundled up cooking and eating soup. Brian and Jim Harris soon showed up. Jim was looking the most tired I had ever seen him. He finished with 30 loops of the Monkey Hills!! Also, Gavin came striding in finishing his first ultra.

Haha

It turned out to be another great year for URINEO. I always enjoy the great company and challenges that Mill Creek offers. This year the Monkey Trail Marathon eluded me, but I'm sure another attempt will be in store!