If you run a lot, you learn to tolerate a certain amount of pain. You can't run for four hours straight and not feel bad once in a while. The trick is to know when it's serious.

I’ve hiked up Mount Monadnock nearly every year since I was a little squirt, and hiked Pack Monadnock more times than I can recall but for some reason, I hadn’t made it up North Pack until this winter.

I recommend it.

I like to carry water when I run. It’s a thirsty business, and I figure the extra weight is a good training aid. I feel a lot faster when I run without it.

This has naught to do with running, but I’ve got to plug Steve’s gig at Tupelo this Saturday morning.

I’ll be up there behind him, on backing vocals, cowbell, tambourine and drum. Yikes. As Steve is fond of saying, that’s what happens when you hang out with a children’s musician. Suffice to say, my musical aptitude and experience are minimal. It seems to work all right, so long as we keep my parts very simple. Steve is an experienced professional with a substantial fan base, and puts on a heck of a good show. With luck I won’t create any unintended comic relief.

Steve and I got out for a couple hours in Hollis last Saturday. It was a challenge trying to figure how best to dress for the cold, and we turned to the roads after finding the trails a bit too slick.

I enjoy running in the winter, most of the time. I can’t think of anything more beautiful than a forest full of fresh snow glowing in the light of a full moon. Also, it’s neat how the freezing sweat makes my eyelids sticky. If it's really cold, you can turn a fleece hat into a hardshell helmet.

I confess that I’m not always a good dog owner. Sometimes I let poop lie, if I’m out of bags or it seems unobtrusive enough. So, the rant that follows reeks of hypocrisy.

I’ve been reading Chi Running, and trying it out.
So far, not so good.
The method appeals to me, in theory, but I clearly need practice. Chi running is supposed to be easier; that’s the whole idea. It feels harder to me.
I don’t know much about T’ai Chi, but it seems to involve being calm, grounded and meditative. I might have learned more if I hadn’t skipped past the first few chapters, so I could get to the parts about running.

Though he lives just down my street, I met Steve while running at our local park.
We’d both brought our dogs along, and we struck up a conversation while they got acquainted in the usual canine custom. We had age and geography in common, and similar tastes in beer and music. That’s plenty for guys to bond.
Running made us closer friends, and Steve’s encouragement made me a better runner, but we don’t run together as often anymore. 

I never knew I wanted an iPod until I got one. My folks bought it for me for Christmas, along with a nice new Brooks jacket with a pocket made to carry it. Thanks again, mom and dad!

I spent the next two days obsessively loading CDs into iTunes. I’d burned the best songs from my whole collection, and the silly little sliver wasn’t even one third full.
Running with the iPod was a revelation.

I’m not much of a joiner, myself, but I appreciate the heck out of running clubs. Without them, who would organize the races?
Last week saw some big news on the local running club scene: the PR Moose Milers have merged with the Gate City Striders   Here’s the press release: GCS-Merger-PRelease-R1 (3).doc.
Mainly, the bigger, combined club hopes to field a stronger team for the regional USATF events and other races, Striders President Skip Cleaver said.
“For the regular membership, the slower, mid-pack or medium runners, there will be no impact at all, except they will have team members competing at a much higher level,” Cleaver said. “That is a morale issue, as well as a pride issue.”
GCS will still host their signature events, including the Applefest half-marathon, Fitness U program and Pack Monadnock Moutain Race, and I was especially happy to hear that the Moose Milers contingent will keep running trail races in Mine Falls Park. I’ve yet to do one, and it’d be a shame to miss racing on my home trails.

I’m here to tell you, the ice is strong enough for skating. At least, it was on Lovewell Pond Wednesday night, before the predicted deep freeze. The bad news: that recent dusting of snow fell while the ice was still soft, and all but wrecked it for skating.
There are good smooth sections though, and maybe some of the other local lakes fared better? Let me know.
I love pond skating, but haven’t been able to do it for a few years now.