#36 Shawnee State Forest and Watson's First Case

#36 Shawnee State Forest and Watson's First Case

Running around Moontime Lake!

 

Weekly Mileage 12/29 - 1-4 : 73 miles in six days

    I used the first weekend of the new year as a kickstarter to some more serious training. It's been difficult planning out my training since I am more motivated than I have been in awhile, but my first big race is at the end of May. Still a long way out. There will be some fun races until then. Here's an inside look on my hillacious weekend in Ohio? Whaaa, true story.
   Friday I left Watson for the first time since I got the little guy a month ago. That was probably the hardest part of the trip. I set off for Athens which consists of going down 79 a short ways and then living on route 50 for a few hours. Not my favorite route, but a great destination. While in Clarksburg I witnessed a train overhead. I always assumed that trains didn't run on those tracks anymore since I have never seen one in motion before. I was more intrigued than I should have been. Then I went west a ways. I was met by Michael Owen and his wife Bobbi in Athens. We headed ninety or so minutes away to a cabin for the weekend. If you don't know who Michael Owen is you can review his past year as well as other doings from his website:

 http://www.owenrunning.com/2014/12/2014-in-review.html

Dontchya just wanna go strap on some trail shoes and take to this bad boy?

Michael is better than me and most everyone in the distant area at what he does so I'd highly recommend following him and his doings. I requested to run with him and am very happy to have had the opportunity to run two days with him and pick his mind a little. Friday night was a pretty laid back one. I met Reece, the director of the Moontime Lake  trail races, ate some dinner, talked running for awhile, and conked out for the night. The first thing Reece did when I met him was hand me a Sierra Nevada. Tell-tale sign of a good dude.

Trying to not biff it again

The 10k race in the morning wasn't my main motive for going out to the lake, but it was a blast. Since it poured rain overnight and into the morning, the fresh trails were as slick as ice. The only shoes I had with me were the Clifton, but in most trail conditions I prefer the Clifton over most every shoe. That morning was not one of those conditions. Once the four of us entered the woods I flailed for 10k and quickly packed it in to ensure that I only fell a handful of times. Nonetheless, the trails were really nice and when dry- I think they would be pretty challenging but a good time. Honestly, I was just happy to finish the run without doing more damage than fatiguing my achilles a little. Right after the run Michael and I ran up to the firetower. Just short of a six mile run out and back and it would have been pretty rough had I pounded out the trail 10k prior. The entire way out was a climb, but worth it once we topped it. I think that area would be an awesome place to workout or, even better, end a race at. There were two hunters close to the top trying to cherry-pick a kill that morning. They were overlooking the now completely dozed hillside. Hopefully they didn't get what they were after that morning. The commute back to the cabin was just as brutal as the climb. Downhill running is not a specialty of mine. Which would be brought to light the following day. After napping during the day we set out to a little market for supplies for just the sweetest nacho entree. Chips, cheese, hamburger, cheese, chili, cheese, hot sauce and a little cheese. It was truly beautiful and my biggest regret over the weekend was not clicking a picture of it.

The next morning started with some rain as well. It's far from ideal, but when it is fifty degrees in January... You are willing to negotiate with a little rain. Shawnee State Forest is where we were running a twenty mile loop. Shawnee State Forest is on the border of Ohio and Kentucky and is stocked full of climbs and descends. The twenty mile loop has 4500 ft of gain and excluding a few segments it felt like we were either climbing up or bombing down the entire day. I'd say the first thirteen or fourteen miles were the best miles of the week. We climbed up Big Bear which was absolutely crippling and was the point where I couldn't hang anymore. The roughest part of the day was the steep descent after the biggest climb. Steep downhills on tired legs is brutal. At some point in the run my two gel packets must've fell out of the back of my shorts. After two and a half hours I felt completely depleted, which was entirely my fault. Michael spared my a gel and that allowed me to rally for four miles until the last real climb of the run. Mile twenty was a struggle, but man... Those two chocolate milks afterwards have never tasted better. I was completely swamped after that run.

Me around mile 19.

Shawnee State Forest is gorgeous, though. If a place is pretty when it is foggy and sunless out; it's like rolling over and seeing a pretty girl in the morning without any masks on. I can only imagine how great that place must be in full bloom. I wish it wasn't so far away. Hopefully there will be a race held out there in the not so distant future to give me an excuse to invite some friends out to see the place. I already debunked the stereotype of Ohio being flat as a pancake when I raced Iron Furnace and Mohican 100, but Shawnee State Forest would definitely open some eyes to those who believe Ohio is flat. However, i-70 i-80 and 1-90 are all really flat and last too long in Ohio. Michael is doing Mohican 100 this year, the race I DNF'd last year. You can follow his racing on his blog and chances are I will link his race onto my entry that week.

This is the Shawnee I want to see!

I'd definitely like to make it back out that way before my racing season begins for both the trails and the company. I am late getting this blog up because I woke up Monday a little ill and it took a toll on me. By that I mean I think I've slept more than I've been awake over the past few days. This week's mileage may fall short pending on my health. It being real feel of five out doesn't make things any easier for me and my healthbar. This week and next week I plan on staying in the 70-75 mile range in six days of running. And now for a new segment of this page, a story from my new partner in crime- Watson!

WATSONIAN WEEKLY

Case 1: The Regenerating Pillow Monster

    Let me tell you a story about a pillow. This was not the first pillow I've encountered in this lifetime, but it was certainly my

first monster. Our first rendezvous occurred in my dining area. The maker attempted to close me into the walk in closet doubling as my smorgasbord. The monster's role in the detainment was border patrol; This proved fruitless as I swiftly pummeled through the pillow, or Grendel as he would be referred to in the office. I wouldn't see him again for days. From time to time I suffer from anxiety. When the maker leaves, without leaving xanax, I take to the window in search of some answers. There's a dog next door that screams a few times a day. He really likes to yell when the maker is sleeping early in the morning. I can't decipher what he is saying; He's of German dissent. I've made out a few things: Miststück, Miststück, Schlampe! He's passionate about whatever he is saying. The other dogs don't pay him any attention. Every neighborhood has a psycho I suppose. While I ponder as to the maker's whereabouts(or his existence in general) I often times find myself pulling on the blinds on the window that hangs in reach. It is difficult to see what the looney dog is going on about when the blinds are up. After only slightly detaching a few blinds from the window the maker went all communist on me and sent Grendel on border patrol again; This time the tall grey beast served as the divider between myself and the 'damaged' blinds. That's when I decided to stand up and rebel against the slavery I was suffering from. I used my growing teeth to latch on right under his neck and began ripping his cotton fluff out. It felt... Great! By the time the maker returned the deed was complete. No more fluff for Grendel. A celebratory nap was on tap and was masterfully crafted. 

Receptionist training in the office

    Before I opened my eyes I could hear a feint laughter echoing through the corridor. I recognized that voice but didn't want to believe that I could be hearing it. It's Dead. Sure enough, when I rolled over on the mildly comfortable futon I saw it: full of fluff once again. There was only one possible explanation: Regenerating Pillow Monster. I knew that if I wanted to bring him down once and for all that I would have to go about destroying him differently. I posted an ad for a receptionist to help me at my office. My investigative office hadn't been open but three days before Grendel made his way into my cross-hair. A young well dressed chap going by the name Theodore, Theodore Bear, was my only interviewee that day but he knocked it out of the park. He just got out of receptionist school and was easy on the eyes. Both available boxes were checked. After training him for a few hours we got straight to work on Grendel. His skills weren't necessarily needed on this case because it was my first case, but after properly defeating the beast I was certain that the pretend phone would be ringing nonstop. 
    The night was upon us yet again. From what I can tell it is

The kill

night time more than light in this realm. Grendel had been mocking us from afar for the entire day. We set out with a plan so brilliant that it could not fail. Theodore confronted Grendel in hopes of finding directions to the nearest cupcake factory, but Grendel wasn't letting his guard down too easily. After a heavy dose of charm, Theodore gained his full attention. That's when I pounced onto Grendel's back, re-opening the neck wound which never closed, and ripped every last cottony ball from within. Then we waited. The maker returned again and we waited from beneath the master bedroom. Keeping our eyes locked on the deflated Grendel. The maker circled the slaughtered monster a few times and then he lifted up some of his cottony guts. I was thrilled! It's a celebration I yelled from beneath the bed and scampered out to toss some guts, too. The maker quickly scooped up all of the guts and began reviving Grendel. I watched on with horror, disgust, and a sense of betrayal. Grendel glided back to Earth with the most irritating smirk. 
   So that's the first case of the year. There was no triumphant ending. Not yet. I am not sure if Grendel can be defeated, or if the maker can be trusted. Calls have come in, some noteworthy and some trivial, but the days of chasing Grendel are far from over. Theodore bear cutely suggested that we warm up to the maker. If we can get him on our side and provide a surplus of evidence showing Grendel's true evil; He can be stopped. If the maker won't help us with this beast perhaps he should be the one being dealt with. It's too early to make any rash decisions. Until next week, you can find me at 221c Baked St. 

Waiting... Plotting.

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NEXT ON TAP:

• This Sunday I will probably run Fairmont's Run to Read Half Marathon as part of my long run. 
• Minnesota Wild game in Pittsburgh
• Florida Vacation right around the corner. Florida Trail Half 1/25

ONE LOVE!