Vermont adventure

"I want to see mountains again, Gandalf, mountains!" -Fellowship of the Ring

It sounds ridiculous, but having lived my life in northwestern NJ, among the rounded hills of the Appalachian Mountains, I had never seen mountains with peaks before this past weekend's trip to Vermont. While there, I visited the area's must-see museums, farms, and food-related attractions (Ben & Jerry's factory!), but the highlight of the trip was hiking Vermont's tallest mountain, Mount Mansfield.

I love the outdoors and was game to take on this mountain, even though it was a lot tougher than anything I was used to in New Jersey. I prepped the day before by going to an outdoors store on Church St. in Burlington and buying a Camelbak and fleece, as well as hiking boots for future hikes (they need to be broken in first).

It turned out that I didn't need the fleece. The weather was unseasonably warm, and the air was dry and clear - perfect for hiking.

Half-way up the Sunset Ridge Trail when we popped out of the trees and saw the amazing view for the first time.

Trail marker with fantastic scenery

Almost at the top! The rocky ridge in the background is the trail we had just hiked.


A small pool int he rocks along the ridge near the summit


The summit!

View from the top


It was a perfect day for a hike, and everyone else thought so too!


We relaxed and ate our lunches of peanut-butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches, apples, and Sharkies.
The Saucony Progrid Ride 2s didn't do too badly as hiking shoes.

At the summit, in addition to about a hundred other hikers, we were greeted by a member of the Green Mountain Club who stays atop the mountain to inform people about the wildlife and make sure hikers don't do too much damage to the delicate alpine vegetation. When we picked our way to a spot to sit and eat our lunch, one of these mountain keepers reminded us not to step on the grass. We were careful, and I didn't know that we actually did step on any grass, but I'll be extra careful in the future.

When we were finished eating and taking in the view, we pointed it downward and began the scariest part of the hike. I was so afraid of slipping on the rocks that I used my hands and climbed down crab-like a lot of the way. I slipped a little a couple of times, but it wasn't anything to worry about. Once we got below the tree line, the going became a lot easier, and we picked up speed.

By the time we reached the smooth and slighter inclined trail in the last mile before reaching the car, I felt amazing and had the urge to run. I hopped up on rocks and jogged along, practically skipping. The 6- or 7-mile hike took us about 4 hours total to complete.

Mount Mansfield is in a very pretty section of Vermont (ok, almost all of Vermont is very pretty), and we left the mountain for a scenic drive on the way to grab some cider donuts and to visit the Ben & Jerry's factory.

Smuggler's Notch Pass, which looks suspiciously like Rivendell...

We spent one more day in Vermont after our hike, and although I was a little sore, I felt remarkably good. The weather continued to be perfect, and I'm looking forward to my next visit there.

Battery park in Burlington, looking over Lake Champlain

Since I've been back home, I've been wearing my hiking boots around trying to get them broken in. I hope to wear them this winter both hiking and snowshoeing (although I still need to buy some snowshoes). I had tried running in snowshoes for the first time last year (the post about it can be found here) and wanted to buy a pair of my own, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to use them much without anyone to go with. Now I think that I'll have plenty of opportunities, and I can't wait. Here's to many more hikes and outdoor adventures!


Oh, and what vacation would be complete without a visit to the local library?

Trails and towers

In between hurricanes, flooding, and generally gray, dreary days, I've managed to get out for a few nice hikes and runs.

On Labor Day weekend, I went for a 5-mile hike with my own personal guide and bear protector (that's what we call boyfriends nowadays) in a local state forest, where we hiked to a fire tower and through some trails that he frequently mountain bikes on. The tower was stable and didn't sway very much, but it was all see-through mesh, including the stair steps, so you could see all the way down. Luckily I'm not afraid of heights, and getting to the top was worth the climb.

The view from the top was a little misty, but still amazing.

My tour guide's 3-year old German Shepard came along and enjoyed scampering around in the woods (read: treeing a family of bears). My favorite trick is when she hops up on a rock on command. So cute!

The trail to the tower was steep, and my calves were really feeling the burn on the way up. I could tell that I was not in great shape, but I really enjoyed getting out and walking in the woods after being cooped up inside with no electricity and lots of rain for ages. After hiking back down the mountain and taking a loop around some other trails, I was itching to run, and it made me realize how little trail running I've done this summer.

After hiking, we kayaked on pedal kayaks. Very cool. You push the pedals back and forth with your feet and steer with a little knob that works the rudder. It takes a lot less energy than paddling with your upper body. (Believe me, I stopped pedaling, raised the rudder, and used the paddles instead just to see, and it was quite difficult in comparison - and wetter.) The only downfall is that you can't go backwards. It was a lot of fun and made for a great day of outdoor activities.

So this morning I woke up to a gloriously bright sunny day. It was 60 degrees and just perfect, so I put on some running gear, packed my bug spray, and drove down to a state park to go for a run.

I've run a few trails here several times, but there are still some that I haven't been on before, so I decided to do a little exploring and check out a new one. It turned out to be a great choice. Aside from a few rocky areas and stream crossings, it has great footing for running. It has just the right balance of technicality and runability. It was still a little wet from all of the rain we've had lately, which was a little bit of a hindrance, but in drier conditions, it could be one of my best trail-running options close to home.


I noticed in the beginning that I was feeling pretty good - entirely better than I was two weeks ago on the day I saw Momma bear and babies. This time I felt lighter and nimbler and more powerful. Maybe the fire tower hike had some good effects on me, and maybe the other exercise I've been doing is improving my fitness a little. Whatever it was, I was in a great mood and was just thankful to have the opportunity to be able to go out and enjoy the forest like that in the morning before work.

If the weather cooperates tomorrow, my tour guide/bear protector and I might go for another hike, location to be determined. Should be fun!

Maybe it's an addiction

This afternoon found me driving around, not knowing where I was going, and totally rocking out to James Blunt's latest CD. I had a serious runner's high. It wasn't 72 degrees, but there was a zero chance of rain, it had been a nearly perfect day, and I got to run some great trails for the second weekend in a row.

Last Sunday was my first time out on a technical trail since December. I originally was just going to go for a run on the road, but my brain turned on, and I realized that I would be able to navigate hills, rocks, and tree roots without worrying about ice or snow. (I never did buy any traction devices this winter). I visited a local state park about 15-20 minutes away and started on the trail that had become my standard run in that park. I did a little bit of hiking on some of the steeper and rockier parts, but it wasn't long before I got warmed up and got to running, high-stepping around the rocks and flying down hills with my arms windmilling.

When I got to a cross-road, instead of taking the path to the end of the trail I had been on, I decided to turn right and try a new trail. I didn't know what to expect from this one, and I honestly didn't think that it would be that steep. There were a few flat stretches, but for the most part, it was very steep, leading down the mountain to a lake. And it was amazing. I had to walk down some of the steepest parts, which had terrible footing from being littered with leaf-covered rocks, and it was very poorly marked, but as I got closer to the lake, I saw hints of green creeping up along the edges of the trail. Green ferns began to grow thickly on either side, and a stream ran down along one edge of the trail while the other side was cast in the shadow of giant rock formations that had been dropped there long ago by the glacier that carved out the mountain ridge. At that point, this became my new favorite trail in the park. I followed it down to the lake and stopped for a little to admire the scenery.

In the past, I've had a hate-hate relationship with hills, but now that I've gotten into the habit of running up mountains, I have begun to respect and really enjoy them. I knew that the way back up this trail would be a steady incline, and I wanted to run as much of it as possible. So I started, and once I got into a fairly steady rhythm, I didn't have much trouble at all. I think that all of the foundational strength-training I've been doing with the Wii EA Sports Active Personal Trainer program has made a huge difference with my leg strength. And it felt great.

As much as I loved the trail, I did begin to curse it when I got off-course due to poorly placed trail markers. Not only were they faded and difficult to see, but there just weren't enough, and those that were there weren't placed in helpful spots. I actually got "lost" because of this. I made it back all right, though, and I couldn't wait to get back out on the trail again.

Of course, it snowed at least 3 or 4 inches during the week, and I thought that I'd have to wait a long time before running technical trails again. Maybe it's an addiction, but I wanted to get back out again so much that I decided to try some trails even with the snow. So today I drove up to another state park with pretty smooth single track bike trails. My last attempt at running here had turned into a frantic quest to be reunited with civilization when I got lost using a woefully inadequate trail map, so I don't know why I felt so comfortable running here in the snow, but it turned out to be great. Either most of the trails received a huge amount of traffic in the past week, or someone actually cleared the snow, because about 80% of the trails were clear while the rest of the forest was covered in several inches of snow. And I guess that I ran around in circles enough last time to get pretty familiar with the trails, and I had a pretty good idea of where I was most of the time. I was feeling so good that when I finished, I decided to take the dirt fire road up to Tower Hill (there's a cell tower at the top) and back again, just to get some more miles in. I had to do a little walking up the fire road, but I really enjoyed myself, and after I made it to the top, I flew down so fast that I almost lost control a few times in the snow and mud. When I got back to the car, I lay down on the blacktop in the sun and did some relaxing stretches before turning up the volume and completely rocking out to James Blunt. It was pretty awesome.

Can't wait for the snow to leave for good so I can do some more exploring!

Things To Be Thankful For

Every time I feel a little sore lately, I remember back to last year when I took time off from running to check to see if I had a stress fracture. Not being able to run drove me crazy. I remember that, because it reminds me of how thankful I am to be able to run. There are plenty of times when I'm lazy and choose not to, but the ability to get out and put one foot in front of the other is more valuable than I can say. So today, on Thanksgiving, I want to say how thankful I am for the ability to run. I'm not especially talented, and, compared to others, I'm not even that dedicated to training, but it's something I love to do, and I am so grateful for it. But that's only one of the things for which I am thankful this year. Here are some of the others:

Family:
There isn't much more to be thankful for in life than family and friends, although I admit that there are many times when I do not appreciate them enough. I had a wonderful time sharing the holiday today with family, and I look forward to many more opportunities to continue traditions and make new memories. Pictured above is one of my favorite family memories: an unexpected rainstorm during my cousin's housewarming party. A little rain couldn't dampen our spirits!

Friends:
I've tried to come out of my little librarian bubble and be a little more social in the past few months, and every time I do, I remember what great people my friends are. There's nothing like a buddy for hanging out watching chic flicks, spending a road trip listening to Harry Potter audio books, or just talking.

(Cue Gollum voice) My precious:
I think that I'm thankful every single day for my darling, precious, fluffy little Yorkshire Terrier. She is annoyingly yappy, very disobedient, and stressful to take care of (with health issues like cataracts and seizures), but this little dog is so sweet and lovable that I am thankful for her even when she's running around the house with a stolen sock.

Biking:
Last week I tried to take my bike for a ride on the trail and was stopped by a flat tire. Luckily I got that fixed on Tuesday, and you wouldn't believe how happy I was to be able to ride again. I was actually surprised how much I had missed using the bike, even though it was such a short time.

Summit Trail:
This is a trail that I explored for the first time on Tuesday. I am thankful not only for having discovered it, but to have so many opportunities to run trails so close to home. This one starts halfway up the mountain, so it does not take too much effort to reach the summit and take in the beautiful views from the ridge. I can't wait to try out some of the other trails in the park!

Sharing old recipes - and discovering new ones:
There's nothing that brings people together quite like sharing and enjoying food together. In the past month, I've been helping my mom type her collection of recipes, and I've often felt like I've been transported back in time to when my great-grandmother was alive and making meatballs with my mom in the kitchen, or when I'd visit my grandmother and she would put the entire bowl of her home-made cole-slaw in front of me because she knew that it was my favorite. I struck out with my standard stuffed mushrooms at Thanksgiving dinner today (they were bland), but I am not discouraged. In fact, I can't wait to try out many new recipes. I might even be bold enough to get fancy and try one of Julia Child's recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Bon Apettite!

Snuggly socks:
I really, really love warm, snuggly socks -- especially if they're made of fluffy material. They cushion your feet and make them so warm, all without making annoying flopping sounds like slippers usually do. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for snuggly socks.

Warm gloves:
Last spring I bought some biking gloves on clearance, and, since the weather had been too warm, I only just wore them for the first time on Wednesday. I am now in love. If it sounds like I have an unhealthy obsession with fluffy socks, that is nothing compared to my attachment to these gloves. Not only are they blissfully warm, but the padding is supposed to prevent your fingers from going numb from the vibrations of the handlebars! That is seriously good news, because I have Raynaud's Disease, which is constriction of blood vessels in fingers and toes (usually caused by the cold, or vibrations, such as a car steering wheel or bike handlebars) causing them to turn white and go completely numb. I am so thankful to have found a pair of gloves that will help me keep my fingers warm and toasty, that I've taken to putting them on even when I'm inside, just to feel how warm and cushiony they are. They fit me, but they are really big, and the palm side looks really technical with all of the different padded areas, so when I wear them I kind of feel like a combination between Hakeem Nicks and Darth Vader. No problem, though. They're amazing!

The Cowboys losing today's football game:
No explanation needed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Poetry, ultra-running, and another mountain run

Some of my favorite literature is the poetry written by Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Keats, and Shelley. For me, one of the most fascinating things about these poets is that many of them knew each other. They moved in the same circles, visited the same places, and wrote about those places, and yet, each of them had a different perspective. Mont Blanc, a mountain in the French Alps, is one of the places that appears in almost all of their writings, and it takes on different meanings in the different works. (It even appears in the novel "Frankenstein", as the doctor trails his monster across glaciers in the Alps.) And this weekend, the mountain took on even more meaning for about 2,000 people who gathered to run the 100-mile North Face Trail du Mont Blanc.

The librarian part of me was excited about following this race to gain my own experience of the mountain (however far removed from it that I am). The runner part of me wanted to follow it for awe and inspiration at the amazing feat so many participants would achive by completing the race. So I was really psyched up at work yesterday when my lunch break coincided with the start of the race. Only about 2 hours after it started, however, it was cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

If I was disappointed at the cancellation, I can only imagine what the runners felt. To have trained, traveled, and already invested so much mental and physical energy into the race and have it called off in the middle must have been immensely frustrating. I decided that as a nod to their efforts, I'd run up my own mountain this weekend, so this afternoon I took another trip to Mount Tammany.

I had run 6 miles yesterday afternoon, so I was a little tired, but I took it easy and rested a few times on the way up. It was warmer than last week, and I really noticed it when the trees began to thin out and I came into the full sun.

Although I did a lot of hiking today, when I did run, I felt more confident in my ability to navigate around rocks and roots than I did last week. In fact, I felt more stable running than I did walking. It's as if the lightness and quickness of the steps got me past the point where I would trip or stumble before it had time to happen.

I brought my camera this week, so when I reached the summit, I asked one of the people already there to take a picture of me. Here it is - me after running up a mountain:



I stayed around for a few minutes to enjoy the view. A lot of other hikers were gathering there, including some of the canine type. Here's one that I almost didn't notice because he was curled up in a little puppy nest between the rocks. He was so cute, but the poor thing looked hot and exhausted.



When I started back, I felt really refreshed, and was able to run over the rocky trail that I could barely walk over on the way up. Here's a picture of the top of the ridge before the trail leads down the mountain. It's amazing how, with enough energy and focus, you can pick your way over and around the rocks. I definitely was careful about it, though. I didn't want to trip and hit my head.



The way down was fun. I took the opportunity on some of the flatter stretches to really pick up the speed, and it felt great. I noticed that my quads did not hurt like they did last week, so I suspect that I'm already benefitting a lot from the workout. After making my way down the mountain, I climbed out into the middle of Dunnfield Creek. It rained a lot in the past week, so there was more water in the falls than last week's trickle, but you can see that it wasn't much. It was still a very pleasant spot, and I felt even more energized when I continued back to my car.


So I have now completed two runs up the mountain, and I am sure that it has made a trail runner out of me. I'm thinking of visiting a different park and running some hilly, single-track bike trails as a safer alternative to the mountain for now, although I hope to reach many more summits over the course of my running career.



"Mont Blanc yet gleams on high: -- the power is there,
The still and solemn power of many sights,
And many sounds, and much of life and death."

From "Mont Blanc: Lines written in the vale of Chamouni "
Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1816

Running on top of the world

At an elevation of only 1,527 feet above sea level, it's hardly the top of the world, but it sure felt like it was when I reached the summit of Mt. Tammany yesterday. And I think it's made a trail runner out of me.

I had planned an early 8-mile run on the road for yesterday morning, but when the alarm went off at 6:30, my head was pounding with want of more sleep, and I turned the alarm off and buried my head in my pillow. When I did get up, it was about 8, and my head felt like it would begin pounding again if I moved around too much, so I decided to postpone the run until the next day.

The only hitch was that the weather was beautiful. It was sunny and about 61 degrees with no humidity - which has been almost unheard of this summer. I had to do something outside. I thought about taking the Trek for another spin down the trail, but then I thought about hiking. I hadn't done that for a while. It seemed like a perfect way to spend the beautiful day.

I checked with one of my running buddies to see if she'd like to come along for a hike, but she was busy, so I planned to go myself. I told my parents when and where I was going and even gave them a park map showing which trail I would take. I used my iFitness belt, which carried my cell phone, ID, keys, and food. And to be extra careful, I wore a whistle.

I got to the park and decided that I wasn't really in the mood to hike. I wanted to run. So I jogged through the parking lot and onto the Appalachian Trail. That section was heavily traveled with people, so I slowed down and walked when appropriate. At one point, though, I heard someone tell someone else to stop for me. It went something like "Anyone jogging the Appalachian Trail deserves the right of way." That part was actually not difficult to run on. The ground was rocky and the path was moving steadily uphill, but I didn't have trouble picking my way. Then I turned off the AT toward Mount Tammany.

Once I moved farther up the mountain, the rocks in the path became looser and more numerous. I started feeling the effects of not stretching or warming up, as my calves started to cramp up. I stopped running and hiked up the loose, rocky spots and began running again when my calves felt better. It was a thoroughly good workout. I stopped one or two times to drink from my water bottle and take a breather, but for the most part I was steadily running and hiking up the mountain. As I moved up through the forest and the trees thinned out a little, I noticed that the sky had clouded up a bit, and some humidity had crept into the air. Instead of being green and gold with sunlight, the forest was green and gray and had a calm, subdued atmosphere.

After one steep, exceptionally rocky slope, I came to a grassy space which I knew must be the top of the mountain ridge. The trees were sparse, and the ground was covered with scrubby vegetation. The path was still rocky, but grass grew up all around the rocks. I followed the trail blazes until I saw a break in the trees and went to take a look. It was a scenic overlook. I stepped up to it and got my first view of the height I had just climbed: miles and miles of valleys and hills sprawled out below. I snapped a few pictures with my phone (Maybe someday I'll get text-messaging and be able to actually post the pictures from my phone. For now they're stuck there.) and went back to the trail to follow it over to the summit.

I started running again here, albeit slowly - as I picked my way around rocks - and came to a brush-covered pile of boulders and the blazes marking the end of the trail. In between some of the larger rocks was a little pathway. I stepped through and came out, it felt, on top of the world.

There were the mountains of Pennsylvania rising in a peak directly in front and stretching on in a line. The Delaware River snaked through the gap below, looking like a little creek beneath the mountains. Leaning over, I could see the parking lot where I started far below.

A lot of other people were at the summit. One girl was wearing flip-flops, and I can only wonder how long it took her and her boyfriend to get up there. I took a picture for a family that had hiked up together, and in return, one of them took a picture of me with my phone. I keep looking at that picture and remembering how good it felt to run (and hike) up a mountain.

When I began to make my way back down, I was rested and really felt like running again. I ran over rocks that on the way up I had walked over and surprised myself with how much easier it was to run. There were definitely places that were un-runnable, but I took those slowly and carefully and had a blast running down the mountain the rest of the way. I really felt it in my quads by the time I had come to the end of the mountain trail. I felt so good, though, I thought that I'd run a little further up the AT before heading back to the car. I turned onto the AT, which headed uphill. I was tired and took it slowly on that incline, but I didn't get far before I realized that I had a party to go to that night, and if I didn't get home soon, I wouldn't have time to get ready and eat dinner. I also didn't want to fall asleep the minute I got the the party. So I turned around and ran back toward the parking lot.

This was one of those amazing runs. The kind that comes around every once in a while that reminds you of why you love running. It made me feel good in every possible way. And it made me want to run trails much, much more often.

I know that I'll be following the Tour du Mont Blanc next weekend -- awed by the mountain peaks that the runners in that race will be ascending. And I am almost definitely going to run a trail half-marathon in November.

By Dunnfield Creek

It's usually not a good idea to wake up my sister early in the morning. It's never a good idea to wake up my sister early in the morning and ask her to be active. So what was I thinking when I woke her up and dragged her out hiking with me to the Delaware Water Gap this weekend?

The answer can be summed up with this photo:


Or this one:
And of course, there are the trails that lead to that vista and creek.

For months I've been wanting to run some hills and technical trails, but I've been reluctant to drive my car off the beaten path just to get to a trail and afraid of being alone in remote places with no cell service.

Luckily the Delaware Water Gap is close, has an easily-accessible (and paved) parking lot, and it's a huge tourist attraction, with many other people around. I did some research about the trails there, and I became determined to try out one of the two trails that leads to the top of Mount Tammany, which is the mountain on the NJ side of the gap. Our hike this weekend was to scope it out and see if my idea was even possible.

We got to the park and started up the trail. There was only one color blaze, but the paths branched off in a number of directions, and I felt like a complete amateur as I looked around helplessly while backpackers strode confidently by. We followed another hiker who was being directed to the Appalachian Trail, because the trail I was looking for followed the AT for a little before looping around the other side of the mountain to approach it less steeply.

We passed a map stand and picked up a trail map and started on the AT. It was a little rocky and uneven, but it was definitely runnable. I imagined myself running smoothly over the terrain, taking quick, light steps. We were walking along Dunnfield Creek, and I looked down into the gorge and took in the fact that I was only 15 minutes from home but felt like I was in another world.

I love rivers and streams, and some kind of gravitational pull must have drawn me to Dunnfield Creek. I had no idea how beautiful it would be, and now I can't wait to go back and see it when the water level is higher. Even though the cascades were trickles, I wished that I could take off my shoes and wade in the clear pools beneath them or to climb on a large dark boulder deep in the gorge.

After leaving the AT and walking the Dunnfield Creek trail, we turned off onto the blue trail heading toward the top of Mount Tammany. This trail was steeper and rockier, with a lot of loose dirt and rocks to slip on. Many portions of this trail were not runnable.

The blue trail climbed through green forests, and although it was a hot, humid day, it felt cool and comfortable under the leaves. At some points, the footing was firm, and I was tempted to bound up the hill. My sister reminded me that she's not a runner and couldn't keep up a fast pace, though, so we walked slowly and took frequent breaks. I envisioned myself running the firm parts of this trail and walking the dangerous parts to recover. I can't imagine the feeling of accomplishment to reach the summit and know that I had run up a mountain.

I don't know how close we were to the top when my sister asked if we could turn around. I didn't want to push her further than she was able, so we turned around and headed back down the mountain. I was disappointed, but I am positive that there will be other opportunities to see the view. That gravitational pull has me planning my next visit.

I enjoyed the way back as much I enjoyed the way up. I felt at home in the green forests on the mountain side and noticed more places where people could climb out onto the rocks in the middle of the creek. I wish that my camera had been working so that I could have taken some pictures to share.

When we reached the AT again, I felt that I was just warmed up and ready for a big workout. I think that's a positive sign that I'm ready to try out these trails for more than walking.

I feel so drawn to this kind of natural environment and want very much to explore different places and bring my running there. I am still concerned, though, that it may not be entirely safe. There is the possibility of getting injured, encountering an animal, or even being confronted by a creepy person and having no help. I have some running buddies, but they are not fans of trail running, especially rocky and hilly trails. In the event that I do venture out alone, I ordered an iFitness belt to wear while running to keep keys, cell phone, ID, extra fuel, pepper spray, etc in. I've read a little about that brand (in particular, the Chic Runner and lots of her blog followers love it), and supposedly it is very comfortable and doesn't bounce while you run.

I'm looking forward to trying it out and going for a trail run by Dunnfield Creek soon.

2010 List O' Fun: Part 4

The new year is fast approaching, so I'll continue my list of fun running things to do in 2010 with something that has been growing in my mind for the past couple of months:

#1: Run a half-marathon
#2: Run on single-track bike trails
#3: Do some speedwork
#4: Run in the mountains

I've always been the first one to say that a hill on a run was tough or to blame hills for my fatigue or a bad race time. I want to do more of them, though, and I want to enjoy them. I want to be able to take my training all the way up a mountain and not be daunted. I want to run up to the top of the ridge and look out and be utterly overwhelmed by the view and the knowledge that I climbed that height.

I really started thinking about this after I started reading Geoff Roes' blog. He is an extremely talented ultrarunner from Alaska who also has an ability to put into words what I've never been able to describe about running, and he runs his best - physically and mentally - in the mountains. I've been wanting to run on technical trails, and mountain trails would be a greater challenge and immerse me even deeper into the natural, wild environment that I love running in so much.

Technically, I don't know if the mountains here classify as mountains. The ones I'd be running have an altitude of about 1,300 feet, but even "hill" tops can give a spectacular view. Just take a look at this one: