running (trails) 3:07:11 [3] 13.49 mi (13:53 / mi) +690m 11:58 / mi
shoes: GoLite SunDragon
Wapack/Midstate Trail north from Rte. 119. The vague plan was to go north until I had had enough or until I reached Rte. 123, whichever came first, then turn around and go to the top of Watatic. However, having neither a map nor sharp powers of observation, I failed to find the spot where the trail continues north from Binney Hill Rd. until I had run the entire road from end to end (twice, of course, in order to get back to where I started). Finally found it, and the section north of there is quite nice, but when I got to the top of Pratt Mountain (after a slow ascent), that was plenty. On the way back I had to do "run 100 steps/walk 100 steps" (execpt for downhill which doesn't count and has to be run) until I got to Nutting Hill. Then due to the long shadows and low blood sugar, I talked myself out of climbing Watatic. But I missed a turn, and wound up so close that I went ahead and summited anyway. Feeling fairly lousy on the last part, and was thinking that the Highlander is going to be awfully tough, but then again, the Highlander is only about 5 km longer than what I covered today.
Distance and (questionable) climb are from my GPS logger, in my pants pocket. It was completely spastic for the first 4-5 minutes, then I guess it got a better satellite lock and the track looks good from that point forward (the out and back traces agree to within 10 m most of the time, and to within 20 m almost all of the time). Part of the motivation for this was to make sure that there would be no chance that I would blow off the Boulder Dash packet stuffing party and head to the Vermont 50 on an impulse, and I think that was successful. Definitely an excellent day to be outdoors enjoying the fresh air in some manner. Wonderfully clear -- I could see Boston from the top of Watatic even without my glasses.
