Back of the pack

Front (L to R) Debbie “Wheat Hawk” Webster, Nick “Colo Hawk” Lang, Laurie “Pixie Hawk” Euler, Coleen “Lil Big Hawk” Voeks, Margaret Hill. Middle row (L to R) Brad “Pastor Hawk” Bishop, Deb “Kettle Hawk” Johnson, Mary Ann “Squeaky Hawk” McIntyre, James “Skull Hawk” Barker, Sarah “Scoop Hawk” Henning. Back row (L to R) Levi “”Smilin’ Hawk” Bowles, Dave “Speed Hawk” Wakefield, Kristi “”Black Mamba Hawk” Mayo, Julie “Sunday Hawk” Toft, Stuart “Ozark Trail Hawk” Johnson.

Good turnout, 16 strong plus yours truly for the Hawks Saturday long run at 7:30 a.m. One other runner, John Knowles, from Topeka, also started with us but missed the group shot. When we went to retake, for some reason, the camera couldn’t focus. So I got this individual shot of John.

John Knowles, guest runner from Topeka, friend of Dave “Speed Hawk” Wakefield.

Cold start, low 20s, but sunny and pristine. Temps in the 40s yesterday melted some of the snow, and made for mud in places, but it all refroze overnight.

I took my camera with me and got a few shots, so will let the pics tell the story of our run. We did the “Sanders 15″ 15-mile course, though a few of us (not me) cut the last out-and-back mile to Sanders Mound.

That’s Kettle Hawk in the foreground, the only other Hawk I know of besides me to have an Ultimate Directions “Diablo” hydration pack. We call ourselves “The Diablos.”

Lil Big Hawk shows off some homemade vegan ultra trail food Scoop Hawk made. Humorous but disparaging remarks were made about the looks of the “nuggets,” but they are evidently tasty and nutritious.

So that was our run. I’ll just finish with a few shots of Lambchop I got yesterday afternoon while we were checking out the trail for this morning’s run. She’s about 9 months now. We got off the trail right at sunset.

More later,

gary

Took a little vacation from blogging. Almost 10 days. Easy to get out of the habit.

A lot of stuff has happened, too. Not like nothing going on.

A week ago Wednesday, the Nordic Track arrived. Started assembly Thursday after wrangling the massive thing downstairs into the basement where it now lives. Finished assembly Friday. You’re supposed to have two people, but the Big K was out of town, so I did it myself, using cusswords to make up for the missing assistant.

Karen has been doing regular walking workouts on the treadmill, and I did my first hour on it this past Tuesday. Got 7.97 miles on it in 60 minutes, with inclines increasing up to level 5.

Got in a nice 15er with Pixie Hawk and Pastor Hawk last Saturday on the Clinton Lake North Shore Trails. We were ready for serious mud, but the trails were pretty runnable.

Hit all my workouts this past week, elliptical Monday, home treadmill Tuesday, trails with Lambchop Wednesday, elliptical Thursday, and day off today. 15er with the Hawks tomorrow morning.

Yesterday was my first full hour on the elliptical since November. Been taking it easy since finishing Ozark Trail first weekend in November. Have to get back in shape now, though, with Rockin’ K approaching.

Served on a jury, Tuesday, which was interesting. Misdemeanor battery. The defendant was clearly guilty, and no one on the jury had a second thought about the verdict.

E-mailed the Hawks about our annual members meeting. Sent the e-mail twice, on Sunday and again on Monday, but haven’t gotten any replies, so I have to guess everyone’s ok with the March 28 date. Also no replies or comments about my plans to step down from president of the Hawks, which I put in the e-mail also. So hopefully everyone’s ok with that, and someone has plans to step up to replace me!

More later!

gary

Another elliptical workout. At lunch. Got 5.33 miles in 45 minutes. Hit target of 4.5 miles in 37:57. Level 16, rolling hills program, hands free. Last 7:03 minutes in reverse.

52 push ups, 35 crunches. Don’t like the way the crunches make my lower back feel.

Got word today that out Nordic track Treadmill, the A2750, will arrive sometime tomorrow. Now I can still get a workout in even when the mercury dips below 60 degrees.

First challenge will be lugging the heavy base downstairs, then assembling the thing. Might not get it done tomorrow, since it’s trail running night with Hawks and Lambie.

More later.

gary

Too cold for Gar to run outside in the Beginners Run tonight, though I think Laurie “Pixie Hawk” Euler made it. Stud.

Didn’t escape the chilly night altogether, though. Had to walk Lambchop after dinner. Wasn’t that cold, but wind made it unpleasant. I prefer pleasant.

Dinner was good. Karen made homemade pizza with black olives and artichokes and other delicious toppings.

Since I didn’t do the Beginners Run, I did 45 minutes on the elliptical trainer after work. Got 5.15 miles. Made my target 4.5 miles in 38:42, and did the rest in reverse. Rolling hills, level 16, and hands free.

Also got push ups. Moved up to 52, and 35 crunches. Remembered to drink my protein drink when I got home.

More later!

gary

Front (L to R) Nick "Colo Hawk" Lang, Deb "Kettle Hawk" Johnson, Sarah "Scoop Hawk" Henning. Back (L to R) Coleen "Lil Big Hawk" Voeks, Levi "Smilin’; Hawk" Bowles, Stuart "Ozark Trail Hawk" Johnson.

Great Saturday long run with the Hawks this morning. Did a 15-mile course Nick “Colo Hawk” Lang thought of, and which may become a race one ‘o these days — the Sanders 15. So named because it ends with a visit to Saunders Mound, a hill overlooking Clinton Lake.

Met 7:30 am at the Corps of Engineers trail head for the North Shore trails at Clinton Lake. Chilly, dreary, about 30 degrees, overcast. Went out at a relaxed pace on white, blabbing and laughing, and the weather didn’t matter.

Trail was well-frozen at first, but as the temps crept up — 36 degrees by the time we finished — the mud got stickier. Had a great time though. This crew, Nick, Coleen, Deb, Stuart, Levi and Sarah are definitely in it for the laughs as well as the miles.

The Sanders 15 was my longest run since the Ozark Trail 100 last November. Vacation over. Time now to ramp up for the Rockin’ K 50-mile trail run April 2.

I just checked the Rockin’ K webpage and found that race entry has closed, but not to worry if you didn’t get in. The Hawk 50 Mile & Marathon Trail Runs has just opened. May 22 on the Lawrence Trail Hawks’ beloved Clinton Lake North Shore trails.

Register online or by snail mail!

More later,

gary

Lambchop and I headed for the Clinton Lake North Shore Trails last night for the Trail hawks regular Wednesday nighter — only to find that all the regulars were still recovering from Rocky Raccoon 100 or 50 milers in Texas, or the White Rock 50K in Arkansas. So the Chop and I flew solo.

Started with the last shreds of daylight fading out. Gorgeous starry night settled in before we’d gone half a mile. Trail was in good shape — the mud was frozen, and what snow there was, was packed hard. Temps in the 20s, but no wind, so I warmed up quick and never did chill.

Lambie followed close behind, but got impatient with my slow pace and jumped out in front. But I think she might have got a little worried about the dark woods stretching out before her, because she stopped, then fell back in behind me. She’s only about eight months, and not entirely fearless yet!

Lambchop ponders the darkness. Maybe better to follow her "Dad" after all?

We went out on white about two and a quarter miles, then came back. We stayed so nice and clean on the frozen white trail, I didn’t want to take a chance on the mud pits of the blue trail, even though they were probably well-frozen, too.

It was a wonderful run, and I was sorry to finish.

This evening, after work, I caught 45 minutes on the elliptical trainer in the company exercise room. Hit my target 4.5 miles in 39:04. Did the remaining 5:56 in reverse and finished up with 5.11 miles total. Rolling hills program, Level 16.

Also, 50 push ups, 35 crunches, and my protein drink when I got home.

Did I mention that we now have online sign up for the Hawk 50 Mile & Marathon Trail Runs? I want to add a photo or two to the Hawk 50 web page before posting the link there. Will do this weekend. Along with about a thousand other things!

More later!

Gary

Been taking it easy and slacking off somewhat since finishing Ozark Trail 100 first weekend in November, but now it’s time to get back on track.

Starting again. Thirty minutes on the elliptical at lunch. Reached 3 miles in 26:18. Finished out the last 3:42 in reverse. Level 16, rolling hills. Felt pretty good, mostly. First workout in about 10 days, thanks to having to work World of Concrete in Vegas last week, and frigid weather last night.

Also did 50 push ups and 35 crunches.

Drank my protein drink when I got home. Long way to go to get into 50-mile shape for Rockin K, April 3rd.

Treadmill, NordicTrack a2550 Pro, we discovered is going to be late being shipped. When Karen called to ask about it, they told her it was because they are almost out of the things. So she agreed to a free upgrade to the a2750 Pro, which is similar, but more features (and higher price), and an be here middle of next week.

That should help with workouts during the horrible cold, which I hate. I don’t mind treadmill work, like many. I’ll just put on a movie. It also has a nice Ipod station for music.

More later!

gary

Went to Vegas for a week — tradeshow. Much work, little fun. Mostly spent setting up the booth (it’s huge, heavy and complicated); dismantling and packing up the booth; then working the show every day, nonstop.

I did get to visit one night with old friends Brian and Dawn Pawley who live in Vegas. Brian is a public school librarian and talented ultrarunner. Easily does sub-5 50K’s. Dawn doesn’t run much anymore, but is fast when she puts her mind to it. Did a sub 4 Pikes Peak Ascent some year back.

Dawn is originally from Lawrence, and Brian is from Topeka, but they’ve been in Vegas about seven or eight years now. Also friends of Greg Burger’s and they’ll be on his Western States crew, too. We had a great time laughing, blabbing and drinking beer.

Anyway, got back Saturday morning while fellow Hawks battled it out in Texas at Rocky Raccoon 50 and 100 miles, and in Arkansas at the White Rock 50 K.

White Rock Hawks, or what some people did while I was coming back from Vegas (Front) Roxie, the golden lab-pitbull mix (back, L to R) Deb “Kettle Hawk” Johnson, Nick “Colo Hawk” Lang, Coleen “Lil Big Hawk” Voeks, Debbie “Wheat Hawk” Webster, Julie “Sunday Hawk” Toft. Photo by Laurie “Pixie Hawk” Euler.

Haven’t heard too many details of the White Rock caper, but you can just look at that photograph and see that it had to’ve been eat-your-heart-out-for-missing-it-fun.

As for Rocky, Tony “Marine Hawk” Clark took third (THIRD!!!) out of 365 with about a 16:23 finish. Darin “Lincoln Hawk” Schneidewind — 17th, in 18 hours and change. Top 20 out of 365. GAWD! And I know these guys, so it shouldn’t be too hard for me to get their autographs.

Also there, but bailing at 75 miles or so — Danny “Study Hawk” Miller and Brad “Pastor Hawk” Bishop. I know nothing I can say can ease the sting of a DNF, especially a first one for Brad, but the fact is 75 miles is something maybe one tenth of one percent of American could do, and most couldn’t even comprehend. So good job, both. And remember, DNF also stands for “Did Nothing Fatal.” Even Tony has DNFed, which is why he’s still here, scorching courses.
You can still wear the shirt, boys, Mr. Know-It-All says so!

Jim “Family Hawk” Beiter went for the 50-mile. It was his first, but I heard he ran it like a veteran, and finished in nine and change. Jim had originally planned on the 100-mile, but changed to the 50 after circumstances and injury cut his training miles back.

While I was away, Christy “Hawk Mama” Craig, Coleen “Lil Big Hawk” Voeks and Laurie “Pixie Hawk” Euler went to visit Liz “Spider Hawk” Smith at the hospital, where she was recovering from the C-Section birth of our newest Hawk, Felix “Hawk-in-Training” Emery. In going through my e-mails, I found this great photo from the visit, I think taken by Pixie Hawk, of Liz and Felix.

Just a little gem waiting for me, buried in the e-mail.

Today, spent time on the upcoming Hawk 50-mile & Marathon Trail Runs, set for May 22 on the North Shore Trails. Big news is — REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! Got an entry form posted on the website, and will soon have online registration. Got conditional permission from the Corps of Engineers and the State Park authorities, based on getting insurance, which I reqested today.

Still got lots more to do, but with permissions obtained and a way for people to enter, the path ahead is open.

More later,

gary