Dear Trailrunner,
Yes, in fact, I have. Twice in the past month, Mark and I have met uber-runner Dave Baird for runs up Mount Mansfield. Dave has been training for this weekend's Vermont 100 endurance run, and, let me tell you, the boy is in shape! 100-milers are never easy, but I am fully confident that he is going to sail through this one, achieving all his goals in the process!
I do feel a little badly that my performance wasn't quite as strong. Dave acted impressed by my scampering over rocks and steeps on both the ups and the downs. But on both trips I balked and made us change our route. What kind of mountain dog am I?
The first instance came on Run #1. It was a wet morning (see photo), and we came to a ladder up a cliff on the Long Trail. There was simply no other way around. And I just didn't want to climb that ladder (and Mark didn't want to carry a squirming 82-pounder). So we went around on the Forehead Bypass route and did just as well.
Instance Number Two came on the second run -- this past Saturday. The weather, different than that first run, was gloriously sunny and dry, but the trails were still damp and pretty slick after the deluge (aka the month of June). We decided to take a little detour on a side trail neither Mark nor Dave had ever done -- the Lakeview. It was a perfect day for it, looking west towards Champlain was crystal clear, and a GMC staffer had told us it would be a nice little side trail to jog with a dog. What was she thinking? The trail wasn't sketchy by any means. But for future reference, one, you don't "jog" on Class 3-4 rocks. And dogs -- while we love scrambling -- don't do well with exposure. We scrambled over a couple of sticky spots before turning around (yes, back over the aforementioned stickies) and getting back on the main trail.
Dave claims he's still impressed with my scrambling ability, but I feel I let him down.
At any rate, I sure wish I could make it up to him by pacing him at the 100. But, while Mark will be down there for Miles 70 to 100, pushing him to keep running and (hopefully) keeping him on the route, I'll be home with Gladys and Waffle. Good luck Dave -- I know you're going to kick rear-end!
Oscar
Yes, in fact, I have. Twice in the past month, Mark and I have met uber-runner Dave Baird for runs up Mount Mansfield. Dave has been training for this weekend's Vermont 100 endurance run, and, let me tell you, the boy is in shape! 100-milers are never easy, but I am fully confident that he is going to sail through this one, achieving all his goals in the process!
I do feel a little badly that my performance wasn't quite as strong. Dave acted impressed by my scampering over rocks and steeps on both the ups and the downs. But on both trips I balked and made us change our route. What kind of mountain dog am I?
The first instance came on Run #1. It was a wet morning (see photo), and we came to a ladder up a cliff on the Long Trail. There was simply no other way around. And I just didn't want to climb that ladder (and Mark didn't want to carry a squirming 82-pounder). So we went around on the Forehead Bypass route and did just as well.
Instance Number Two came on the second run -- this past Saturday. The weather, different than that first run, was gloriously sunny and dry, but the trails were still damp and pretty slick after the deluge (aka the month of June). We decided to take a little detour on a side trail neither Mark nor Dave had ever done -- the Lakeview. It was a perfect day for it, looking west towards Champlain was crystal clear, and a GMC staffer had told us it would be a nice little side trail to jog with a dog. What was she thinking? The trail wasn't sketchy by any means. But for future reference, one, you don't "jog" on Class 3-4 rocks. And dogs -- while we love scrambling -- don't do well with exposure. We scrambled over a couple of sticky spots before turning around (yes, back over the aforementioned stickies) and getting back on the main trail.
Dave claims he's still impressed with my scrambling ability, but I feel I let him down.
At any rate, I sure wish I could make it up to him by pacing him at the 100. But, while Mark will be down there for Miles 70 to 100, pushing him to keep running and (hopefully) keeping him on the route, I'll be home with Gladys and Waffle. Good luck Dave -- I know you're going to kick rear-end!
Oscar
