Watchung Winter Series

Watchung Winter Series
Mountainside, NJ

No medals, No shirts, just a marathon.

So back to MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ.  Last year I did this race, and it got the best of me.  I made it 16 miles before I had to stop.  I still need to cross New Jersey off my list, so I am back again.

We are getting ready to start, and they ran out of race bibs.  There was confusion as to whether or not they could count the race for those who did not have a race number (which is a category I fell into).  It would not have been fun to complete this race, and yet not have any record of the fact that I did it.  It did bug me a bit for about 5 minutes, but then I got over it.

The race was a four loop (6.55 mile each) run on mostly trails.  The course was full of roots, ice, and frozen mud spread out over mountainous terrain.  Certainly the most difficult conditions I have ever run in.  If I were a mere mortal, than I would be worried.

And we are off.

about a half mile into the race, there is a traffic jam when we start to run on the trail.  Very icy, and we were all stuck in single file for probably a good half mile or so.

So I finish lap number 1.  I fell four times, but still feel good.  It took an hour and 38 minutes, but there was a lot of walking in that time because of the ice.  I felt great.  Even if it meant that I was going to walk about a mile and a half on each lap, that was no problem.  I felt rested and not winded in the slightest.  All was well going into lap #2.

And then, the wipe out

I fell on the ice patch pictured above right on my tailbone.  It really hurt and pretty much took me out of the race.  I made it about another mile running, but I was finished.  I walked the rest of the lap (which was fine by me, cause it was a nice day out)


Its hard to see on the pics below, but that is a 20 foot drop that we are running on ice next to).

OK, so it was not meant to be next time, but I will not give up on this race.  I will eventually get this race knocked off my list.

I am still glad I made the trip.  Its fun to do a run without all the flare to it.

Next marathon is not until July, so I have plenty of time to train for it.

Andy Reid - The end of an era.

Andy Reid - The end of an era.

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach 1999-2012 (14 full seasons)
9 playoff appearances
5 NFC final appearances
1 Super Bowl appearance

All I can say is, best of luck to you coach Reid....wherever you go. 

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Supplemental:

Andy Reid was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs on 01/04/2013 (4 days later)

ESPN report

I really enjoyed this article by Jason Whitlock that pretty much explained how everyone in Philly is scratching their heads over this pick

Whitlock's article on Andy Reid

Dutch Wonderland with the Grahams

12/15/2012
Kitchen Kettle Village
Dutch Wonderland

Its the most WONDERFUL time of the year!

 

 

So this past Friday night, Tommy, Krissy, and Susan Graham made their way up from Virginia to come stay with us Bugeys for the weekend.  We were joined Saturday by Jen Graham, and we made our trek out to Lancaster for a fun filled day.

 

 

We started our day at Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, PA.  A cute little crafty village of shops all decked out for Christmas.  Plenty of great opportunities for pictures.  

In a baked good shop, they have a gingerbread decorating station.  For a dollar, you can buy a ginger bread cookie, and then decorate it.  The kids loved it.

Of course we have to go to the store that makes all the cool wagons.

 

 

 

We then made our way over to Dutch Wonderland.  They are open 3pm-9pm in December.

 

 

 

 



12/16/2012

We started the morning by putting the finishing touches on our Christmas Tree

And then of course, the women and the children made Christmas Cookies (while Tommy and I hid in the basement to watch football)

A marvelous weekend.