Wednesday, February 16, 2011

2011 Team Robert - Part 2

So after last post I felt like I had left too many people out. The "team" post was only the people involved with buying the shirts. But i felt like the team really expands beyond that. So with that said, i bring to you, in no particular order, the Team Robert "honorary members" (i.e. the ones that didn't want to spend the money on the shirts, but as far as I'm concerned, are still part of our team)

The Lush (ha, sorry Keith)
While Keith never actually joins us for our runs, he has provided us with an aid station or two on several of the fat-asses here in Hillsboro. His happy attitude and willing-ness to always host an aid station and tip back a cold one is almost unanimously welcomed in our runs.

The Surpass-er
I met Rachel, god-knows how many years ago, before she was a runner. Her gung-ho attitude took us from playing soccer in town together to her running the Pisgah 50k. The following week she was off to run the VT50 with my father(while i wuss'd out at the 50k). The next two summers she put together back to back Vermont 100 finishes the following two years before she stopped running. She may not still be running but her contribution to Team Robert early on will always be remembered. Maybe someday we'll get her to put her shoes on the trails again.

The Sherpa's
John and Sarah have been friends of Team Robert before Team Robert even existed. When our club started i fantasized about being as large, powerful as Team Sherpa (who several us of are honorable members of as well) are. OK, maybe they aren't either of those two things, but the money they have raised for causes close to them inspires me to want to do the same.

"The Strong's" (Name stolen from Leah)

Heather - "Clothespin"
Heather, who'd never run a distance beyond a 5k last spring, joined Grant and I for a 14 miler thru the woods in Wolfeboro. Two months later, did her first 10k/25k back-to-back weekend. Shortly thereafter thru-hiked with her husband, all while graduating with a RN Degree. Her amazing ability to push through diversity and any challenge makes her an asset to the team.

Dustin - "Inchworm"
While Dustin holds fast to his trail name of Inchworm his attitude on the trials while running is nothing of the sort. After running with several of us in countless Harpoon 5ks, he joined us on the trails at the Muddy Moose last spring and was sold on trail running. Like his wife, he also broke into the longer distance running doing a 25k with 'clothespin', 'puma', and 'ferret' at Pineland Farms in 2010.

The Strong's relocated back to Vermont in 2010 are now the Team Robert's home base for Peak Race's (Snowshoe and Ultra)

"Wicks"
Lisa's nickname born from her passion for candles, personal and guest versions. While yet to join us for a run, she's our ever welcoming post run host in Nashua. Like Mandiee a few years ago, we've been working on getting her out for some time. Excited for her to join us on a run in 2011!

Tina and The Mechanic
The Christians joined the team thru Loni. Kiera's nickname isn't ours, but she looks ridiculously like Tina Fay. And our goal is to get her out to at least one 5k with her daughter in stroller this summer. Rob, the Mechanic, known for his automotive prowess has the ability to be a strong member of the team. We've just gotta work on twisting his arm to get out there and run with us. If we get Kiera, Rob is certainly to follow.

Friday, February 11, 2011

30 on 30 (Hammy Slammy Part Deux)

Mark your calendars for Saturday February 26th.

This will be a return of the Hammy Slammy in Hillabamy from last January. Details of that event can be found in my 2010 Race Report or SJ's 2010 Race Report.

Similar to last years run it will be 2, yes two, 16 mile loops. All road, 50% asphalt, 50% hard packed dirt road. Only a few sections qualify as non-back country roads. First loop counter clockwise (as the map is numbered) and the second clockwise to keep us semi awake.

Course here:


Aid Stations:
My Home at the S/F of both laps.
There is a Mobile station approx 8 miles into the loop if needed.
Loni's Home (aka Beer stop one) 2 Miles from home on lap 2
Keith's Home (aka beer stop two) under a mile from home on lap 2

Jump in Points:
Lap 2 - My home - 16 miles remaining
Lap 2 - Hillsboro Park&Ride - approx 4 miles remaining
Lap 2 - Loni's - approx 2 miles remaining
Lap 2 - Keith's - approx 1 mile remaining

The Pace:
The pace is going to be relaxed. 9-11 minute miles with plenty of walking on the hills. Slow enough to laugh and shoot the breeze but fast enough where we won't be out there all day. The goal is to finish somewhere around 7 hours with the stops.

Start Time:
The plan is to be laced up and down the road by 9am. Rain, Snow, or Shine

Additional Details/After party:
Don't feel like you have to run the whole thing, join us for a few miles around the lake. Hell, bring and ride your bike like Leah did last year while nursing an injury. The pace will be relatively slow as many of us SHOULD be tapering for the Peak Snowshoe race the following weekend, but 30 only comes once.

Ideally they'll be a couple of crock pots of good food and a new beer on tap for after the run. If anything, join us for that!

Email Me (felixatvtc@gmail.com) if interested. Hope to see you there.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

2011 - Team Robert

What's Team Robert's mission statement?

Was a question i faced a few weeks back.

I'd never thought about this before. The name was yelled at Rik and I at the Vermont 100 years ago. It stuck, later that fall i created a blog and got shirts, but then it kinda petered out. It was just a cool display of my artwork that i could share with my family and girlfriend at the time. To run trails? too common. To hike and camp? too specific. To get outdoors? too broad. The short answer is, i didn't have one, and to be honest, I still don't have one.

Here's a snippet of what hit my Inbox last week written by my lovely girlfriend that i think sums it up more than anything I have written.

"Team Robert started as a family team. In Josh's (and so many of our) words, "Friends are the family that you choose." When you spend hours on the trail with someone, they know you on a deep level. When you train with people weekend after weekend, they see the good and bad. We've been through a lot together, on and off the trail, and we're all family: a team. We're planning on many outdoor events together, and it would be great to have support of a team even when we're not close to each other."

When we sent out the email regarding team shirts, I never expected the feedback i got. I'm humbled to mention that many of my friends expressed interest in being part of the team, even if we don't have a goal yet. With that being said, let me introduce you to the team.



The Family:
The family gets updated logos for the 2011 shirts with some more color. You all know Rik, the ever stubborn father of the group and reason we're out there. Steven, who ran the last 16 miles of the Peak Ultra last June, and has spent countless hours crewing for Rik and I. Kate, we're still trying to get out and run a race with us, but you've probably seen her at an aid station or two.

The Moose:
Greg got this name based on how he is when we hike. Always plodding along, and crashing thru the brush, but generally happy to be out there. Like moose, you rarely see them run, but when you do, you make sure you get out of their way. Often times, pie is used as an incentive. His wife's love for Moose helped with the nickname.

The Gazelle:
A name that fits Mandiee perfectly, in pink obviously. Her long legs gives her amazing speed and the ability to bound over objects on the trails. After years of telling her that she had the build of a runner and should give it a shot. We got her to finish her first 5k last July.

The Puma:
Loni's been known as Puma to me for as long as I've known her. While she may not be as quick as a puma in a sprint, but her feline like ability to silently watch from a distance, survey her surroundings and will wear you down with her un-slowing pace. Still looking to conquer her first 50 miler, she presses harder towards the VT50 this fall.

The Ferret:
Common characteristics of the ferret are; curious, persistent, and fearless. All makes perfect sense to me. Leah's fearless hockey playing is what attracted me to her in the first place. Her curiosity is what got her into running with me, and if you read her blog she's very persistent in her research amongst other things. A once non-runner "unless being chased" is really coming into her own finishing a half marathon on the roads and in the woods in 2010.

The Beer:
Or the nickname coined by Leah, "Taps." Grant, being a brewer of beer and having 5 beers on tap at any given time made the moniker an instant hit. He's taken the enthusiasm that he has for making beer and put it into running. In 2011 he's decided to stretch his legs into the ultra community with his first 50 Miler, and is currently the most trained of the group.
The Wolf/4-Leaf: (Which someone else wrote for me)
Always the leader of the pack, Josh's token, fittingly, is the wolf. Sometimes playful and bounding with joy, sometimes all-business hunting through the woods with a purpose, but always looking out for each member of the group. The four-leafed clover paw pad on the wolf is a nod to Josh's trail name, earned when he found the another lucky plant on the Long Trail. (Although I've been running with a 4leaf clover on my water belt for the better part of 2 years prior)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

January Recap

Week - 1
The first week of the month was great as Leah and I were putting run after run in. All while knocking out p90x routines to boot. My days had become, get up, work, come home, run, work out, and sleep. It wasn't bad, for awhile, but like with anything else, life got in the way. A few long late days at work, getting walloped by snowstorms and the removal that follows them took a toll on the limited time i had in the day. Saturday morning came fast and into Fox Forest the group went for the first time of the year. A quick 2 mile hike up and a 1 mile run back was a great warm up for weekends to come.

(Post Fox Snowshoe)

Week - 2

A group of 6 of us parked at the Wilmont Town Hall on a sunny Saturday. Four of us returning to Bog Mountain for the first time since RANH. Grant and I having hiked this stretch with John overnight thought it'd be a fun hike to see during the day. That and the likely hood of me getting peed on by a Turkey again was reduced drastically. The views were great, as was the playtime on the chain swing half way up. To amuse myself on the hike down i created a couple of snow figurines on the trail.

(My "snow" owl that i left on the trail to make other hikers laugh)

Week - 3

The 3rd weekend of the month marked the 4th annual "Thank God the Holiday's are Over Party." The great part of this years event was that it would no longer be in Massachusetts. D&H had moved to a wonder spot in Stockbridge Vermont, approximately 5 minutes from Amiee Farm (the start/finish of many Peak races). So of course, my first thought was, time to get some training in. With the temps steady at about 8* and with -11 overnight ahead of us, we climbed up Joe's towards cabin one. Having to break 90% of the trail Dustin, Heather and I traded off plowing thru the knee deep powder. I was surprised how few people had been using the trails. After drinking copious amount of booze and enjoying plenty of amazing plates of food a smaller group of us went out again on Sunday. This time, the temps were almost balmy at 11*. I was to lead the group up the Fuster's trail until we ran out of time and turned back. Unfortunately for me, I'd never run Fuster's backwards before. So we were lost for a good portion of the time. Thankfully with some, "lets just go this way" navigation skills we were able to find and break trail yet again back down Fuster's to Amiee.

(Top of Joe's at Cabin One)

Week - 4
Leah's father, an ultra runner himself, was to be visiting our lovely state of NH so around Christmas a plan was hatched to have a fat ass run. Which would turn into a short snowshoe hike, which would turn into a long day in Bear Brook State Park. John and I, being fans of pain decided to meet up 3 hours early, and get some extra time in. We hadn't seen one another since RANH so it was good to catch up before the rest of the gang arrived. "Leah has no idea what's she's getting herself into." Well, to be honest, I think John and I were the only two that knew exactly how large the loop she laid out for us was. The 5 mile bail out loop turned into, a 11.5 mile where we all bailed out loop. And as much as we all were grumbling a little. It was a pretty rewarding adventure.

(6 of us breaking Bear Hill Trail)

Week - 5-ish

After Leah, I and several others were unable to complete the 2 miles a day Streak contest on the month there was one last task. The Naked Mile. A concept created from the broken brain of Sherpa John last year. That was to be tacked onto this years challenge. Since bonus points were to be awarded I figured why not. After some convincing i was able to get Leah to join as long as it was only to be .5 miles outside. So with a short jaunt each on the treadmill it was 12:10am Jan 31st, and it was Streaking time!

(Ever run nude in 2* weather before?)


By The Numbers(2010 Numbers in Quotes):
Miles Run:
69(109.2)
# of Runs: 21(25)
Average Miles: 3.3(4.4)

Month Starting Weight: 179(175) Lbs
Month Ending Weight: 177(175)Lbs
Weight Change: -2lbs

Race Results:

n/a

Motivational video of the month:
Why I Run

Song of the month:
Ray Stevens - The Streak

Book of the month:
In Praise of Slowness
Fantastic read. Puts a lot of things in perspective. Has really helped me appreciate the little and slow things as generally i am a "speedaholic."

Upcoming February Events:
12th - Streakers Frozen Caboose Fat Ass
26th - My 30 on 30 Run (Details Soon)