Great socks! 
2 Likes
Thanks! Hahaha. They worked too! And while on Y1 - just before crossing Starr Stanton, a Bumblebee flew across the path in front of me. Good feels!
2 Likes
Story
Lost Soles
@Challengers, there is a lonely pair of Nike Pegasus trail shoes, size 10.5, left on the south side of the Hammond Hill parking area. Not my size or I’d have taken them for a run.
I have shoes that are banished from even the garage for 3 days after a run, and require all the windows rolled down for the ride home to prevent any olfactory damage, but I’ve never abandoned them at the trailhead!
2 Likes
Now I’m wondering if they go with the socks that someone found and left atop the FH Fox sign. One sock has a big hole in it, but I figured I’d leave them there for a week before tossing them.
1 Like
Story
I had the day off from work and went up to Hammond to run the Ultrahoctothon — four loops of the Challenge course. I’m four weeks out from the Mighty Mosquio 100, which has rolling hills, with trails, and mildly technical terrain, much like Hammond’s DEC trails and dirt roads. My plan to run a 100k race tomorrow got nixed, so a long run on my day off on such a similar course made perfect sense.
I had Covid last week and most likely had it while running the Tough Trail Challenge on the fourth, but at the time symptoms were so mild I thought it just a minor cold. I didn’t know the truth until evening the next day. I guess one of the upsides to Covid is that it all but eliminated my caffeine tolerance. After drinking a 16 oz can of maté I felt like Pheidippides the entire run, eating up hills and bouncing across those B3 roots through four laps. I did slow a little each loop but never felt tired or sore. At the end of the 36 miles I still had the energy for at least a few more loops, instead of yelling “Nike!” and dropping dead in the parking lot like Pheidippides. But the plan was for four and I had to pick up my kids in Dryden.
Logistics were simple. It felt so good cruising around shirtless, but it was cool and shady enough in the forest that I didn’t need to carry much stuff — just a small handheld with water and a belt with my phone and a couple gels. At the end of each loop I’d make an aid station stop at the car to dry off, refill my bottle, and guzzle loads of cold Gatorade.
I encountered loads of trail users throughout the day but no other Challengers that I’m aware of. And now it looks like @dennis-s and I might go toe-to-toe to win this QR sign when the Challenge ends 
6 Likes
Story
The Hammond Hill Hoctathon course chewed me up and spit me out! But it was mostly my own doing.
I knew to load the RunGo directions before arriving, but I did not read them closely prior to starting. As I did in 2021, I ended up inadvertently running the HH course backward. Let me tell you, it was a lot of fun running with my phone in hand, constantly checking to see if I was on course and trying to navigate the map in reverse.
There were a lot of trees down across various trails and green leaves blown everywhere. Most trees were easy enough to get around. I crossed paths with a couple of people clearing the trail and thanked them profusely. I chatted for a couple minutes, they asked me where I was going, etc. I had no clue where I had been, where I was as, or where I was going … just trying to keep the dotted red line on the blue line in RunGo.
During much of this adventure I was reminded of growing up in rural Idaho. We heated with wood (my parents still do) and would help my Dad with wood. He would run the chain saw and splitting mall, but we kids would pull away cut branches, load and loads rounds into the pickup, and stack the split wood. Also, the humps for erosion control that I ran over reminded of the old logging roads where I grew up. We used to call them Kelly humps, but in my quick Google search, those are actually mounds of dirt used to block roads from traffic. It looks like I’ll have a few subjects to talk to my Dad about!
My glutes were so tired. I knew that as I grew more fatigued, I would have to be more careful with my footing. Well, I was careful enough and ended up taking 2 really hard falls. I almost always kick stuff with my right foot. I know I have imbalances between my right and left side, but I have yet to consistently do strength workouts.
Thanks to my backward course navigation, wrong turns, and talking to the people clearing the trail, the difference between my moving and total time was 6 minutes.
4 Likes
Story
I think the theme of our run this morning was how great this forum is and how it connects this wonderful community!
I was happy to see @melissa-weiner’s post asking for company on the Hoctathon course this weekend because I was hoping to complete this run with company. It was great adding @lgilmer to the group too! The three of us got started just after 7 and managed to stay on course thanks to @lgilmer’s preparation with RunGo. Though some roots tried to get me, we all stayed upright throughout. We talked about all kinds of things and I’m looking forward to running with them again.
6 Likes
Story
Un-Frolicing
Due to a prior commitment, I couldn’t take part in the Forest Frolic event earlier in the day - and that is hands down one of my favorite FLRC events (it was my first ever trail race years ago)
So when I found myself wandering somewhat aimlessly around the house in the early afternoon, I decided to try and run this again. Because my first (and only) attempt had gone so well, I had thought to leave well enough alone, but the length (close to Frolic) and chance to run in the shade in the heat of the day persuaded me to give it another try. Plus, I knew the trails well enough that I could shorten the run any number of ways if needed. I got the okay from the spouse, and quickly gathered up my gear and headed out.
I was somewhat surprised to find a very empty parking lot - only 3 or 4 cars there, most with bike racks. And as I warmed up, one mountain biker finished their day and headed out. So it appeared I was going to have the trails - and bugs - to myself. Nonetheless, I started off on my least favorite portion - climbing the hill on the remains of Hammond Hill Road. I was already doubting myself - I had been standing most of the morning, and my legs were feeling it, but I managed to “run” - or at least not walk - to the top of the hill. I was also happy that there was a noticeable lack of insects - no doubt because the trail was so dry. Even the usual lake before the gate was just a puddle.
My breathing was pretty labored at the top, so I was grateful for the long gradual down of the snowmobile trail. I didn’t feel like I was going that fast but it was a comfortable pace, and I soon recovered. It was pleasant in the woods - noticeably cooler and very quiet; no birds songs or small animal scamperings…must have been siesta time. The miles passed - not very quickly - but I was in a good rhythm, noshing on a shot block or a gel every 15 minutes or so and listening for the occasional missive from RunGo Rachel. (And this time, I did turn left onto Y8, not right!) I did notice my legs were tiring, but I made it all the way to the Y5 trail before I had to start hiking up hills. I hadn’t had to do that the first time, but I wasn’t racing myself. And it was on the Y5 trail that I had my sole encounter with other trail users - a family (a dad trying to herd 3 boys) out on mountain bikes. I remembered trips like that in the past…
I was sorta surprised that I made 6 miles before I began contemplating quitting - but I did enjoy running the B3 loop before and if I did that, well…so I kept up hiking the ups and jogging the flats and sorta running the downs. I nearly tripped on a root once, so I really focused on picking my feet up - and watching for stray branches on the trail as well as roots and rocks. And the B3 loop rewarded me for my efforts - it was as pleasant as I remembered, even 7+ miles into a run.
I had one last moment of doubt/regret when I realized how far down the Y5 trail went - but like an old horse sensing the barn, I knew I was close, so I gutted it out, and was grateful to hear the “Its all downhlll from here” from Rachel, even though I knew it wasn’t…but that didn’t deter me from finishing strong … and much to my surprise, only a couple of minutes slower than before, despite the hiking.
My car was the only car in the lot at this point, so I hustled out before the bugs that hang out there could find me - or the cherries that I had stashed as a post-run snack. Quite the “Un-Frolic” indeed!
The “Massive” Strava effort - even though the corrected GPX was 8.55 miles, vs the 9.2 RunGo claimed I ran…
4 Likes
Story
I will post again once I actually run this course, but I am currently sitting at the intersection of Hammond Hill Road and Irish Settlement Road staring at a “road closed” sign.
I spoke to a worker, and he said they will be paving during the day. Will open again in the evenings when they are done working, and this will likely go through the weekend.
2 Likes
My apologies—@amy-dawson mentioned this to me in a text yesterday, but I was heads-down with work deadlines all day and forgot to relay it.
@Challengers I don’t have any more details beyond what Kuwanna learned, but I recommend avoiding Hammond Hill during the day for the next few days. You can park on Irish Settlement Road at the trailhead down there, but then you’re adding 1.25 miles of hiking to get to the Hammond Hill parking lot.
1 Like
Do they allow cars to turn left off Hammond Hill Road to go up Star Stanton? Star Stanton Road is residential on that side of the hill and there’s a small parking area near the top, close to where the Hoctathon course crosses the road.
You could also drive up Canaan Road from the south and park where the snowmobile trail comes down to the road. Start the route where you turn right into Y7, about 2 miles into the loop when you’re starting at the Challenge sign.
Both of these mean you are starting mid loop and cannot scan the sign to start and finish, but RunGo still works the same. Start the RunGo activity when you start your run and it will recognize that you are “joining the route at X miles”. When you reach the lot with the Challenge sign, stop RunGo and then restart. Now you have the cues to continue the loop back to where you started.
2 Likes
The word from Ann Leonard about Hammond Hill Road:
One side of the road is fully paved and the bad bump over the culvert is gone. I suspect the other half will get paved shortly
1 Like
Story
Anne and I ran Hammond Hoctathon two days ago, but didn’t get around to posting the MUSHROOM collection now growing up there, so here they are.
And yes, the road is all paved and now open. Our car was the only one in the parking lot, though we did come across one dog walker on trail.
RunGo stopped talking halfway through the route, so it was more of a challenge to follow the route.
7 Likes
Those pictures are amazing!!
1 Like
Story
Our first family run for this year (me, Ian, Simon). Simon has hiked just about all of the Hammond Hill trails in the past, but never had done the snowmobile one, so that was fun to see. My RunGo didn’t feel like talking today other than announcing the mileage, but luckily Ian’s worked. Very pleasant cool sunny morning. A little soggy in a few areas from yesterday’s rain, and one small fallen tree, but totally fine. Always fun to run at HH! I might go back again to run it myself if I can find the time. Just one more course to go for Simon and me (Treman). This was the longest run he’s done, and he did great!
4 Likes
Story
Dodeca-Newtathon!
Can’t beat stepping out of the car at the Hammond Hill parking lot and seeing this fella:
He was the largest of the twelve newts I saw along the course. But this one was my favorite:
I was running post-rain, which produced a misty forest to start the run. Pretty cool!
Lot of downed trees since I was last on the course about 6 weeks ago. Only a couple on the red snowmobile trail took a few seconds to get past - others could be hopped over. I did take some time to move a couple of small trees and numerous gnarly branches off the trail. Otherwise, the trail was in pretty good shape despite recent rains.
It appears I started my run just a few minutes before Damian Clemons (@DamianClemons) finished his last Tough Trail Challenge course, and maybe 45 minutes after Brittany Cronk (@brittanycronk) finished the Hoctathon in the middle of her Tough Trail Challenge today. Way to go Damian and Brittany!!
3 Likes
Can’t believe I missed you Dennis. It’s funny because I was there much longer than expected because I had to drive back towards Dryden to get the Rungo directions to download again. See you tomorrow at Twisted and good luck out there!
1 Like
Story
Sacrificed my favorite leggings to the trail running gods 
I’ll take my official trail runner card now 
Had a lovely run and stumble through the woods this morning 
Thankfully not buggy at all. 
2 Likes
Story
Trying…
my old slow grinder best to make this one interesting for the scoreboard watchers @adamengst before Pete closes the door on it.
No rain at Hammond Hill while I was there. Trails soft and damp and in nice shape. Counted 36 red newts and a gazillion mushrooms and other fungi!
1 Like
Story
Happy Trails!
A late afternoon circuit of the Hammond Hill Hoctathon and for the first time in what seems like months, the sun was shining while I was there. Trail conditions are ideal and much drier than yesterday. Of course, I was shut out on the newt count but the mushrooms looked less creepy in the brighter forest… mostly… but Holy Hoctathon, Batman! What is happening here!?!
With a mile and a half to go, the skies darkened, wind picked up, and it cooled off nicely. A mile to go and sprinkles started. A half mile from the finish on the final descent, heavier rain fell intermittently. The sound of it pelting the forest canopy made It sound much worse than it was and very little made it through. I’m the parking lot it was brighter skies to the west but low angry clouds over Hammond Hill.
Not sure I’ll get any Challenge miles on the last day. I really enjoy the Challenge. Many thanks to @adamengst and the rest of the team for all the work to keep it interesting and fun! Hope Adam acknowledges all of you in the final recap. Also thanks to all the Challengers who posted a Story! I enjoyed reading them all! Happy Trails from Hammond Hill Hoctathon!
3 Likes