Discussion: What

are your training plans for this weekend?

45 minutes or so at Soapstone early Sat before heading to Forest Park for 10k. Sun looking for 4 hours or so early, haven't decided where yet.

PS - Heading to Baltimore for a college visit / portfolio review Sun PM - so not looking to thrash myself too badly before a 6 hour car drive. I'm open to suggestions though....

Since you are not looking to thrash yourself, want to run with a really slow guy :) I would meet you for a trail run Sunday morning somewhere. That is if Sony wants to go slow too. Or you guys could just give me a map and I will see you at the start until about the first hill.

How about a road and trail loop from your house?.

Trying to minimize pavement as well as technical trails at this point. Putting most of my mileage in recently on rail trail or dirt roads. But a loop incorporating the dirt roads in Shenipsit and around the lake might be a possibility. A possible default would also be a 3-way out/back star on Hop River Trail from Sacred Heart - to Manchester, to Rockville, to Bolton. I've been seeing a lot of that terrain lately, not terribly interesting, but convenient to just put the miles in without too much thought...

Would be interested in exploring some new areas as well - such as the area closer to your place Jeff... I've never done any running in the Shenipsit forest block east of Sodom and north of Handel - ie in your backyard...

Mostly small technical paths through the woods ( a way through without getting hit in the face with too many branches) and no dirt roads. I would be more interested in going around the lake and the Shenipsit roads but the rail trail will work also.

If you want to start at your house it is ~12 miles or so from 140/Shenipit through the forest, Sodom, Galbraith, Avery with a couple of road miles to finish at my house.

or we could go the opposite direction

This gets us close to 20 with the majority on dirt roads... Either direction would work... Though my place to yours would finish with the downhill on Old Springfield rather than climbing it first thing...

Could also 'cut the corner' from mile 5 to mile 8 by taking trails, and if feeling the desire to trim mileage later could take the Old County Rd (14) to Old Springfield (17)

Earl - if you felt inclined for less mileage you could break off around mile 9 and head down Webster Rd back to my house to pick up your car - probably 12 miles total..

That looks great. What time do you want to start?

That could work.

6:30am or so on Sunday? Bright enough to start on without needing headlamps. Perhaps I could drive up to your place and pick you up @ 6:15, then back to the house, and you could give me a ride back home when we're done?

That is what I was thinking also. See you at 6:15.

Earl - you in?

Yes.

ok, 6:30 my house - 775 Shenipsit Lake Rd, Tolland - gray cape, 2 car garage. If no car in driveway, just chill, I'll be out fetching Sony. Rest of family will be sleeping...

Okay, got it. Thanks.

Thanks guys for letting me start out with you.

No problem, sometimes its good just to motivate yourself to get out the door.