The Year In Sports

I went out to run this afternoon, and thought about what other things happen today.  It’s Goundhog Day (I think he saw his shadow), The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, and SuperBowl Sunday. I got to thinking about how we measure of the passing of time:  seasons, liturgical year, sports seasons, school year, calendar year, heating degree days. For so many people the most important thing about today is the super bowl.  The only interest I have in most organized sports, is how big games affect the number of people in the grocery store.  So I decided to look at sports seasons as they relate to the seasons on the trail.

 

Baseball spring training starts early in February.  By this time of year, trail runners and mountain bikers have had more than enough of winter.  This season can bring anything from beautiful early spring days, to mud, to the heartbreak of a blizzard! Last year  we had a huge blizzard on February 9th, and the Blizzard of 78 was also in February.  But there have been February days that a runner only needs shorts and a light fleece.

 

Regular baseball season runs from April to September, the best time of the year.  The worst of the mud is over, the days are warm and long, and then everything gets hot and dry…love it!  Even the post season, in October,  can be pretty nice, although there is a history of both hurricanes and ice storms at this time of year.

 

Hockey gets the wrong end of the year, with the regular season running from October to April (the exact opposite of baseball).  Sometimes we have nice days in the late fall, and there can be a thaw in January.  But mostly this is the time of the year that everybody hates (except for maybe skiers and hockey fans?).

 

Basketball shares the same season as hockey…the yucky weather.  Both of these sports are usually played indoors, no surprise there.

Football season runs from September to January and is followed by the Super Bowl which falls today (Seems like a short season compared to the other sports.  I wonder if they get payed less for playing less?) Today’s game will be played in New Jersey.  You have to wonder why they picked a cold place when there are so many stadiums in warm places?

 

This is what the woods looked like today.  It was 49 degrees around 1PM, and started to rain while I was out running.  Overall, it was a pretty good day to be out.  I hope the weather holds for the people sitting out in the stadium tonight.  Well, at least they will be outside 😉

Bridges

Some bridges are big enough to drive across.  Some will carry your bike.  And some are cobbled together and will barely hold you.  But they all keep you out of the water.  In the water can be kind of nice in the summer, but right now when its about 12 degrees out, out of the water is the way to go!

This first bridge you see at Hodges Village Dam is the Bailey Bridge.  A bailey bridge is a pre-fabricated metal truss bridge.  This was was built to carry heavy equipment during dam repair work in 1997-1999.  After the work was done, the bridge was left in place.  

Before the bridge was built the only two ways to cross the river at the dam were to wade through the water, or to cross on the dam itself.

The bridge you see at the top of my blog crosses a swampy place west of the railbed, just north of the dam.  The current bridge is chained to trees and has stayed in place through many floods.  The previous bridge at that spot was not anchored, and floated away every time the water was high.

 

 

 

About a year and a half ago, the Corps of Engineers replaced another bridge just north of the dam, on the other side of the railbed.  The old bridge was not very sturdy, and often floated out of place.  The new one has a metal base and is anchored to concrete blocks.  Its been under water a few times, but has stayed in place.

 

 

There was an old bridge south of Greenbrier that everyone called the tippy bridge.  Over the years it got more and more warped until you had to pick your way across, hopping over the gaps, and trying to stay upright where the bridge deck was slanted to about 45 degrees.  (A challenge with a bike!)  A year ago this past fall, it was finally removed, but hasn’t been replaced yet.  Pieces of the old bridge are sitting next to the trail.

 

A couple of big dead trees were dropped to make a temporary crossing, but it’s better for feet than bikes.

 

There is another bridge near Greenbrier that is near a place where beavers like to hang out.  Sometimes it’s high and dry, and sometimes the beavers pile up enough brush that the water comes right up to the deck.

 

The most transient bridge is the pallet bridge near the town wells.  I don’t know who builds it, but it is not always the same.  Sometimes   it’s pretty stable, and sometimes it’s nonexistent.  

 

But all the bridges offer the option of dry feet, and I’m grateful for that!

The Change Can Be Amazing

One of the best things about running year-round on the same trails is watching how the trails and the river change with the seasons.  Sometimes there are huge changes just over a few days.

 

This was the beaver dam just last week during the dreaded Polar Vortex.  There was a bit of water going over the dam, but the river was mostly frozen. The water drops a couple of feet as it comes over the dam.  

 

This is the same view this week.  The temperature is in the low forties, there has been a lot of rain, and the snow has melted. Now the water only drops a few inches as it comes over the dam.

 

And this is a summertime picture of the same place.  The rising and falling of the water can completely change the landscape.  When the river is really high, the trails disappear.  The difference can be quite disorienting, as many of my usual landmarks are buried.  The snow changes the landscape, too, but not usually as much.

I’m lucky to live so close to the trails, but you can even see this difference in your neighborhood.  Look at people’s yards, flowers, and trees, in the summer, the wet, and the snow.  The change can be amazing…go check it out!

Please Go Outside

I spend a lot of time out in the woods, running, mountain biking, and sliding around on the ice.  In the summer I spend a fair amount of time riding my bike along the side of the road, too.  And I’m always struck by how few people are outside.  I don’t mean just walking from the house to the car, or from the parking lot into Wal-Mart, but actually outside. When the roads are not snowy or icy, I try to ride my bike to run errands right in town.  And most weekends, Eric walks into the center to run errands, but that doesn’t seem to be the norm.  Where are all the people?

 

I spotted this picture on Facebook last week, and it got me thinking.  Tim Gill writes a blog called Rethinking Childhood. He writes about  the shrinking role that outdoor play holds in the life of most children.  That is a bigger topic than I want to get into here, but I think it’s true for adults, too. Why are we indoors?  Do we really have less time than previous generations?  Is the world more dangerous for adults out alone?  Are we just soft and wimpy?

Maybe just soft and wimpy.  During the dreaded “Polar Vortex” of the last week, newspapers and the internet  were full of warnings to stay inside or risk hypothermia and frostbite.  Every hot summer day brings a warning from the same places to stay inside where the air conditioning is so you don’t suffer from heat stroke or dehydration.  Let’s be a little realistic here.  People everywhere work outside in all kinds of weather.  And even pampered people pay big bucks to ski in very cold weather, or go the the beach when it’s very hot,   So, obviously, we just choose to stay inside.

I spend a lot of time at work trying to get the parents sitting in chairs out on the floor to workout.  A common excuse is “I don’t have time.”  While your kid is safely engaged in their karate class, you have time to workout, or better yet, go outside for a walk, or just stand out in the parking lot and collect some sunshine.  

When my kids were small, I used to get up at 5:30 in the morning to run before Eric went to work, and we used to go to karate on alternate nights so somebody was always home with the kids.  Make time.  Do you watch television?  I’m guessing the answer is yes, because people are usually shocked to hear that I don’t.  Why not turn off the television and go for a walk, run, or ride? So you work all day?  Get up a bit earlier and run.  Walk after work.  Or take your lunch break as walking time.  If your kids are little, put them in a stroller or backpack and take them out with you.

Another amusing thing I hear from people is that being outside when it’s cold or wet will make you sick.  Wrong!!  Bacteria and viruses make you sick. I have no scientific evidence for this, but find that the winters I get outside most days, I rarely get sick. Working out regularly is an awesome thing.  Taking it outside as often as possible is even more awesome.  Get back in touch with the outdoors.

I want to leave you with one last thought.  Don’t be this guy.  Go outside!

Just how cold IS it?

The last week has been pretty cold, and we had some awfully cold days this year back around Thanksgiving which seemed really early.  But then I read a Facebook post from a woman I went to high school with who lives in Alaska now…-35 degrees.  Ouch, I guess it’s not so bad here.  So I decided to check out some records for winter harshness. (All these are listed in Fahrenheit.)

 

 

I had always thought that Mt. Washington was the coldest place in New England, but I was wrong.  The lowest temperature recorded there was -47 on January 29, 1934.  Maine and Vermont are tied for the lowest at -50.  It was set in Maine at Big Black River on January 16, 2009.  And set in Vermont in Bloomfield on December 30, 1933.

The coldest recorded in the United States was -79.8 at Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska on January 23, 1971.  If we stick to the lower 48, the record goes to Roger’s Pass, Montana with a low of -69.7 on January 20, 1954.  This pales in comparison to the lowest Temperature ever recorded of -128.6 at Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica on July 21, 1983.  (Hey, isn’t that supposed to be summer?)

So even while I wait for summer, I have to admit that winter isn’t quite as bad as it could be!

 

Brrr! It’s cold out there!

It would have been really easy to stay inside today.  It’s cold out…really cold, and windy and it’s been snowing a little all day.  But if I stay in because of that today, I might just use the same excuse tomorrow.  And we all know that staying inside makes you crazy.

Of course the weather channel has a wind chill advisory, telling everyone to stay indoors, and warm.  That’s ridiculous.  If skiers, mountain climbers, and polar explorers survive much colder weather, why should we stay in and risk craziness? There is really no problem with being out in the cold if you dress right.  

I started today with a light fleece shirt.  Covered that with a fleece jacket, and put a puffy coat over that.  (The puffy coat had the added advantage of saving my arm when a dog latched his mouth onto me and the idiot owner didn’t move very quickly to stop it.) Then I added a pair of mid weight tights, covered with heavy fleece tights.  Wool socks, and gore-tex boots kept my feet warm and dry.  Two pairs of gloves almost kept my fingers warm. Hats are a problem…I really hate them.  I’ve found a sort of acceptable alternative called a Buff.

 

A Buff is a tube of lightweight microfiber that can be worn as a hat, gaiter, scarf, or headband.  It’s light enough to be almost tolerable , and they come in all sorts of great colors.  The one on the left has a fleece neck gaiter attached.  

Having the right gear for cold weather let me get out and see today’s version of the woods.

 

Mine were not even the first set of footprints out today.

 

I wonder what the trails will look like tomorrow?  Get outdoors and find out!

Go Outside!!

 

Do yourself a favor, and try to get outside everyday this year.  It’s really easy to say that you will do it, but then convince yourself that many days are too cold, too hot, too wet, too snowy, too sleepy, too anything that will keep you in.  Working out everyday is a great thing, but I think it’s even better if you can take it outside.  

People tend to be very disconnected to the outdoors.  We have heat in the winter, and air-conditioning in the summer.  Many even have remote car starters so their delicate selves don’t have to be cold till the car warms up.  Try to re-engage with the outside.  Pay attention to how windy it is in the winter, to the dust on the trail in the summer, to how your regular running spot changes with the seasons, to what is going on in your neighborhood.

If you can explore new places, that’s great.  Find a rail trail.  Pick a vacation spot where there are trails, or nice sidewalks to get around on.  If you are visiting a big city, see if there is a bike share.  You will see new places very differently from your feet or bike, than through a car window.

And if you don’t go anyplace new, that’s okay too.  It’s interesting to see how a neighborhood or trail changes with the seasons and the weather.

 

This is what the dam looks like when it’s flooded.

 

And this is what it looks like when it’s frozen.  You can watch the progress of construction in town, the seasons of your neighbor’s garden, or how the town common looks in the summer, and when it’s decorated for Christmas.  

There are very few days when it’s too anything to get outside.  Dress in layers for the winter, lots of layers.  They should be coolmax, fleece, or down.  Cotton is your enemy  because it doesn’t breathe or wick very well.  Dress in light clothes for the summer, either cool loose layers, or minimal clothing, whichever works better for you.  If the heat bothers you, just don’t be out on the pavement in the middle of the day.  If it’s cold and rainy, gore-tex is a great thing.  If it’s warm and rainy, just get wet, people don’t actually melt.

Some people love to get out in the morning (not me!!!).  Some are evening people.  Some like to get out at lunch time.  Others have fewer options, and just steal a few minutes when they can.  Figure out what works for you.  It might not be the same everyday or every season.

So, I challenge you.  Get outside for this new year! 

 

Throw Your Classmates in the Lake

One of the things we karate instructors often talk with the students about, is what everyone likes to do.  The kids always assume that my favorite pastime is martial arts, and are surprised to find that it’s actually  running in the woods. (Karate comes a close 2nd and biking is right up there, too).

I dislike grown-up clothes, and big-kid shoes, so I’m lucky to work in a place where workout clothes and comfy shoes are the norm.  And since everyone is sweaty by the end of class, nobody cares if I bike to work and start out  sweaty.

Occasionally, though, I get to combine karate and playing in the woods…those are the best days.  Every year at the karate picnic, I lead the teens and adults in a martial arts triathlon.  We run in the woods, do karate drills in the woods, and then go for a swim. It’s my favorite event of the year.

There are athletic fields right behind our dojang, and behind that is a bit of woods, with a lake, and a couple of miles of trails.  We run on the trails for boot camps, black belt tests, and demo team tryouts.  This current black belt test involves a lot of time running and doing drills in the woods, which is much nicer than sitting inside in a uniform.

During the summer, we run theme weeks (water week, funky uniform week, hat week, etc.) and the kids really enjoy them.  I have a hard time though, throwing water balloons at adults, and struggle to find a balance with my teen/adult classes this week. Had a great idea for this year’s water week.  Monday morning, I took my teen/adult class out in the woods to the lake, and we had class IN the water.

The students who came to class were pretty enthusiastic, but a little wary at first, and one wanted to know if there were leeches in the lake (no idea). They asked about fish too, but I think we were noisy enough to scare away any fish in the area.

We did our whole class in the water, punching and kicking drills, forms, and self defense.  Getting thrown in the water makes for a much softer landing than on the mat!  By the end of class, everyone was trying to make each technique they did splash around as much water as possible. The response was pretty positive, and some who couldn’t make it have already asked when we can do it again…soon, I hope.

And then to top it off, I biked home, and my shoes were almost dry by the time I got there.  Whether you hit the lake, the trails, or the road, do something.  Go play outside!

FLOOD!!!

The trails where I most often run are part of a US Army Corps of Engineers flood control project, so occasionally the trails are under water.  Usually that happens in the spring, though, and at this time of year the water is low, and the trails are dry and dusty.  I think that the ducks are conspiring against us this year, and are somehow manipulating the water level to give themselves more territory (as good as any other theory I can think of 🙂 ).

This is the normal view from the parking lot, heading down toward the bailey bridge.

This is what it looks like now.

This is the bailey bridge, as seen from the dam looking upstream on a normal day.

Standing on the dam today and looking upstream all you can see is water.  I’m guessing the bridge is under there somewhere.

When you stand on the dam, and look down, there are markings showing how much water is flowing through. Normal for this time of year is 2 to 4 feet.

Last fall the Corps of Engineers built a nice little bridge on a low section of trail.

This is what the bridge looked like after Superstorm Sandy.

You can’t get anywhere near the bridge now.

This is the railbed, looking north from the dam last summer.

This is the same spot now.

 This is a trail leading back toward my house.  The yellow poles are the ends of a gate.

I don’t mind sharing with the ducks, but this is ridiculous!

Dragonflies: Some Cool Bugs

I hate bugs!  I hate ants crawling in my house, and flies buzzing around my head.  I hate mosquitoes, and beetles, and just about any kind of bug that gets into my house. I hate spiders that lay webs across the trail to ambush runners.  I hate bees and other stinging things (Fat, fuzzy bumblebees are okay, though).  Junebugs and gypsy moths are gross.   Ladybugs aren’t bad, but they are a nuisance when they get into the house in the fall. But dragonflies:  they are cool!!

First, they eat mosquitoes, and anything that gets rid of mosquitoes (like bats!) has to be a good thing.  They  are predators and will eat anything that is available, like gnats, mayflies, ants, or termites.  Their main food is flies. They are not interested in biting people, and I’ve often had one land on my kayak and ride along for a while.  Dragonflies are also prey, being food for frogs, fish, birds, and even for bigger dragonflies.

Baby dragonflies are called nymphs, and live in the water for anywhere from 1 to 6 years.  Once they mature, their lifespan is only a few months. They have 6 legs, huge eyes, and two sets of wings.  There is some interesting info here.  One of the most common color of dragonflies I’ve seen lately look like this, with variegated wings.

While dragonflies don’t bother people, they don’t seem bothered by us either.  When running down a single track trail through high grass, the dragonflies just bump along in front of you.  They never completely fly away, just bounce far enough ahead to not get stepped on.

Dragonflies come in many colors.  I have seen blue, red, green, yellow, pink, purple,  and multicolor.  I think the ones that stand out most against the outdoors are the red ones.

The next time you are out in the woods, look for the dragonflies.  You will see them around the edges of the water, in open, grassy fields.  What do you mean, you never get out in the woods??!!  Go outside and play!