Lovely group run on the Lansing Center Trail course this morning! It was just the right distance for me after running the Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon yesterday. Thank you to @gumbywhale and @Rodney_Egli for the running company, and to @tonya-engst for sending us in the right direction at that first turn, otherwise we would have surely gotten lost
Great to end the run with rhubarb bread and watermelon under the shade (thank you @adamengst!) and chat about bird sighting apps! Now I gotta go play with that Merlin Bird Id app
Looking forward to seeing some of you at the Wednesday group run! Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday.
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I loved the rhubarb bread and watermelon, but I was team ice cream, so I might just swing by Sweet Melissa this afternoon and get my favorite: the 2 Berry Twist!
Lovely group run this morning! Saw lots of birds and a lone snake who didn’t like me taking his pic. Nice to get some longer runs in after so many streak keepers last week.
Another unbeatable morning to hang out with a big group of runners on a scenic Challenge course. @melissa-weiner just joined the Challenge and had written to ask if the Lansing Center Trail was technical, a thoroughly reasonable question for someone who hadn’t seen it before but one that was particularly amusing given that its rolling loops are all beautifully mowed—it’s one step below a golf course in terms of grooming. If only they’d dry up that one muddy spot. Nice having new people come—Jessica Daily (@maplejh) also made the trek down from Cortland for her first Challenge effort.
@Katie_Gannon showed up in her Subaru Outback with Montana plates, and it turns out that Montana’s license plate motto is “Treasure State.” Apparently, that’s not pirate treasure, Montana not being known for its coastline, but we had fun batting around the phrase “Pirates of the Prairie.” I can just imagine them now, swooping down on unsuspecting buffalo hunters in their black-canvas covered wagons, belting out shanties as they go.
Another double, putting in the miles…even if they feel slow/hard, the clock is saying otherwise, so I guess that’s a good thing?
It was supposed to be cloudy/rainy this morning, but the sun felt fierce. Managed to hold on with @adamengst / @Dave_K / @JoshB for a 15:05 first 2 miles before dropping back to a more sustainable pace. Still managed a >2min course PR, and felt like I could probably drop another minute still, if only doing a single loop…
Lap 2 was largely quiet/uneventful, though seeing @heathercobb3 and @Katie_Gannon out there helped boost motivation to keep chugging along.
Feeling thankful today for our local running community!
This was my first time to the Lansing Center Trails and I relied on Run Go to get me through the loops. Happily, I bumped into @ydeboer while trying to figure out one of the sections. There was a good chuckle, as she was consulting a paper map to help her along. This trail was a lot of fun and I was pleasantly surprised to see that some of the trails led into the woods. I’d like to come back at another point to get a better understanding of the course and hopefully get there when Salt Point Brewing will be open.
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I prelubed with a mocha latte at the Community Corners Gimme Coffe! before making my way to Lansing. Gotta have that delicious caffeine to make it through the miles!
I had the day off today, so I did a mini-triathlon in reverse order. I started on the Lansing Center trails, which were lovely. The grass was freshly mowed, the wet spots were dried up, the tall grasses were gently waving in the wind, the flowers were giving off nice smells, the bird were tweeting, the clouds were wafting gently in the blue sky… the polar opposite of the dim, windy February day when Adam and I scouted these trails on skis. Some people were installing a new bench at the top of the far field and they cheered me on as I went by, asking if I was running the challenge. I ran the course “backwards,” which added a fun twist.
Next stop was the Greenstar parking lot, where I left the car and got on my bicycle. Just an easy 2-mile out-and-back on the waterfront trail, but my first “real” bike ride since my injury, and a little more effort than I was expecting, but it felt great to be wheeling along.
Final stop was home, where I jumped in the pond and swam a few laps to cap off my efforts.
I’m often in the Lansing Center area, so I’ve been enjoying running the course multiple times lately, and doing it at a relaxed pace instead of racing it. I’ve seen baby deer, bunnies, mice, a fox, and so many birds, including swallows who kept swooping down at my head. This morning I jogged it with my 6 year old Simon, who is now officially signed up for the Challenge! He’s hoping to do the 5 shortest courses. He’s a great little jogging partner.
Great to hear that Simon is interested in the Challenge, @MWoods! As I wrote:
So yes, if the five short courses are what makes sense as a challenge for Simon, I’ll keep track of that so he can work toward a medal too. (But be sure to remind me just in case, since the leaderboard won’t mark him as completed like others.)
Oh nice, that would be great. I think he could also do the Inlet Shore Trail one actually, as a walk/jog. So how about his official challenge is to complete those 6 courses? If he gets through those and wants more, I could have him try shortened versions of the other courses as a bonus challenge.
Perfect! There’s no shame in hiking or walking portions of the courses—it’s all about covering the ground, and lots of us will do that at one point or another.
The stinging beast and chauffeuring kids to camp is throwing a wrench in my running plans. On my quest to complete the challenge a second time, this morning seemed like a good opportunity to hit the Lansing Center Trail. The parking lot was empty when I arrived, and I quickly got on my way. I still need the Run Go directions, and even then, I made a wrong turn adding a couple tenths to my run.
I saw tons of rabbits and a fawn (I love their spots!). I called it good after completing the course and headed to work.
Had to run errands near the Mall on Wednesday, July 27, so parked the car at the Y to start my bike-run-bike. Nice to have a flat ride to the trail to warm up after biking up and down hills Monday to get to and from Beebe. Wow, those Lansing trails are beautiful! I’m so glad to have been introduced to them. This time I drew a map and actually had no troubles with all the loops. It was fun meeting another runner at the end to compare notes. Took a long route back to the Y to total 20 miles in the saddle and without grinding hills it was an enjoyable ride rather than an ordeal. Still hit the trail at the hottest part of the mid/late afternoon. The Shoemaker loop was hot but that view from the top corner is worth it!
Shopping local included buying our cat’s special cat food from Colonial Vets, Greenstar for coffee, and upon arrival home locally-produced Norwhey Nordic Seltzer Solar Citrus – I highly recommend for a refreshing, low alcohol post run libation with natural electrolytes!
I’ve never run the Lansing Center Trail before. What a beautiful place to run.
So…many…wildflowers.
Of course, it was a bit of a slog, as I ran it mid-afternoon and with a lot of miles on my legs from previous days (and hours). The course was also pretty exposed in the sun that afternoon and I missed a set of loops, so after I reached the start/finish, I continued past my car to pick up those loops, before returning to the car. I kept reminding myself that it was okay to walk some of these courses, but my legs wanted to run. Grand total ended up being close to 4.5 miles but I’m fine with that. Legs were toast and I was happy to complete the course.
After I had stopped in at Salt Point Brewing Company (see below), I realized I forgot to scan the barcode on the course sign and enter my time into Webscorer, so I returned to the parking area, where I met Jim Hodges. We had seen each other on the course earlier, and both figured we must be up to the same thing! It was great to chat with him for a few minutes and get to know another FLRC runner!
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As I was running the course, I passed the Salt Point Brewing Company… Even though I’ve had to give up gluten due to health reasons, I still admire a good artisan bread and still LOVE going to breweries. Of course I was going to stop in after I finished my run! (duh) I was able to pick up crowlers of the Uncle Hazy IPA and Handlebar Session IPA for my husband. He’s a superstar… side note: he’s spent the past few weeks helping the girls get packed for camp getaways each week, when neither girl wanted to pack. One’s a teenager, which doesn’t seem to be helping things lol. The teen also has food allergies which meant tons of planning and food prep. (He’s got a good system, so I let him take the lead and I stick around for the assist.) He’s been so patient, and I wanted him to enjoy a few delicious, locally brewed beers. For myself, I grabbed a stainless pint cup and a tank top. I recently broke my favorite pint glass from Islamorada Brewery in the Florida Keys, so stainless may be a better option for me. To fill the new stainless pint, there would be a Glutenberg IPA waiting at home for me.
Yes, thanks for replying! I wasn’t going to try spelling your name without seeing it first. Note, I included a picture of that new whey-based GF “seltzer” I was talking about. You might like it. Hope to see you on the trails again. Good luck with your Challenge and other training! - Jim
top of the hill, looking both ways. Ran this for the third time with Anne, and we were lucky to have an overcast morning so it wasn’t too hot. Saw lots of bunnies!
I’ve now done all of the Challenge courses 3 times
I’m trying to stay ahead of the average runs curve (but I’m behind on the 1600). Headed out to the Lansing Center Trail this drizzly morning where I had the place to myself, minus the rabbits, so many rabbits. I still rely on the RunGo directions. I was surprised to see negative splits as my body felt the opposite
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Another online order at Ithaca Bakery for pick up at
Triphammer on my way to work. Wahoo!!! ZERO detours to Cornell campus coming that way!!
I likely won’t need to eat lunch today … I enjoyed a bagel with PB and bananas and a smoothie.
Note, I included a picture of that new whey-based GF “seltzer” I was talking about. You might like it. Hope to see you on the trails again. Good luck with your Challenge and other training! - Jim
