NORSA Planning Trip to White Oak Canyon on Sunday Jan 3rd to see frozen waterfalls.

http://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/WhiteOakCedarRun/

We are planning to leave at 7:15 am on Sunday morning from 1600 N.Oak St. Parking should be available on N.Oak Street. This is 2 blocks from the Rossyln Metro Station. It is 2 hours to the trailhead. The hike should take about 5 hours. Everybody should bring food and water. We will probably stop somewhere on the way back for dinner and be back in DC in the evening.

Jingle All the Way 10K

Welcome to my inaugural post; here's hoping I don't sound like an idiot.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

"It is not warm out"

The chilly 36 degree temperature, light drizzle and fog was, surprisingly, a welcomed treat for the record 3,763 runners who were told to prepare for below freezing temperatures, snow and ice during the 2009 Jingle All the Way 10K in Washington, DC on December 13, 2009. The mist and light drizzle developed into a steady rain by the finish yet did little to damper the spirits of the runners, many donning race-supplied jingle bells (not this runner, though), Santa and elf hats, tutus (really?) and even Christmas tree costumes. Santa and his reindeer even made it out to the event not only to cheer on but to participate.

The first mile and a half was rife with jolly runners, some trying to break away from the crowd while others were perfectly content with walking the entire 6.2 miles. Consequently, the first mile was the slowest of Allison’s splits and it took until about mile 2 for her to get into a decent groove and situate herself into a running pocket, so to speak (space lacking costumed runners and walkers on the trail). Allison realized that speed-work would have to be a focus in her next training program as she and those around her cheered on the eventual winners, Bert Rodriquez and Maggie Infeld, as they cruised through their 4.0 mile marker to our 2.5 marker (refer to map). The flat course smoothed out further as runners began to space out favorably after 3 miles. The second half of the run was much more favorable than the first half with more room to break out despite the narrow turns at the 5K and 4 mile markers. Allison’s usual goal in themed races is to run down and pass any competitor dressed in costume. Her right hip flexor, though, had other thoughts for this particular race.

Despite a stomach cramp at mile 2.5 and the reemergence of nasty hip flexor pain (for a 10K? Come on!) after 3 miles, Allison finished with a time of 54:22 (8:45 pace) which was good enough to place 138/690 in her age group and 474/2,255 overall. Despite just barely missing a spot on the awards podium, Allison was happy with her performance having knocked off 4 minutes off of her previous 10K time (which was her first 10K race). After a brief conversation with the very approachable, friendly and 39:18 finisher Mayor Adrian Fenty (“Oh I’m not going to even TELL you what my time was!) and a mayoral high five, Allison filled her stomach with an “everything” bagel and a bottle of water and was escorted home by her sweet husband who endured the 6 AM wake-up call, cold, ice (yes, we found some), rain and mud, lots and lots of mud, to only watch his wife for a few short seconds as she crossed the finish line.

Bethesda Turkey Chase 10K

Thursday, November 26, 2009 - Nearly 5,000 runners showed up for the 27th annual Bethesda Turkey Chase 10K.  It was a cold and gray Thanksgiving morning, but the rain held off until later in the day.  NORSA representation for this race included Steven L, Matt, Tom, Steven S, and Emily.  Some had picked up packets at City Sports the day before, and some picked them while the first waves were starting the race.   The black long-sleeved shirts were better than your average race shirt, but Matt preferred the purple shirt from the Luray Sprint Triathlon.

The course started by the YMCA Bethesda and went out on Cedar Lane, through the local neighborhood, followed Wisconsin Avenue past Bethesda Naval Hospital to downtown Bethesda, then back on Old Georgetown Road to the finish.  It was a hilly course with a good portion of the Wisconsin leg being uphill.  As in past years, Wisconsin Avenue was not completely closed to traffic for the race and the runners were supposed to squeeze into the far right lane of the road.  Things got a bit congested and many spilled over the cones into the next lane.  The finish was downhill and fast.  So fast that Steven S forgot to turn in his timing chip and had to mail it in.

Steven L led the pack with a fast and furious 48:37, with Steven S close behind.  The rest of the NORSA group put up equally impressive times.  Tom beat his time from the 2007 race, and Matt, Steve L, and brother John beat their times from 2008.   Full race results are available here. 

Steven S partakes in post-race shenanigans.

Due to holiday obligations there was not a NORSA post-race event.  But after this great day of running Team NORSA gives thanks for our friends, our health, and the opportunity to challenge ourselves.

Sky Meadows hiking

Sunday, November 15, 2009 -  With much nicer weather than previous NORSA outings, Matt, Steven S, and Emily decided to check out another Virginia state park at Sky Meadows. Less than an hour from the DC area, the park was recommended by a fellow hiker at Duncan Knob. The park has 12 miles of trails and also connects to the Appalachian Trail.

Starting on the North Ridge Trail, the group explored a couple miles of the AT, stopped for lunch, then returned on the Ambassador Whitehouse and Piedmont Overlook trails. From the portion of the AT that intersects the park, it is a 21 mile hike south to Shenandoah National Park and about 26 miles north to Harper's Ferry. The Sky Meadows trails go through a mix of woods and pastures, with views of the Blue Ridge in the distance. Several groups of hikers and a few runners were out enjoying the warm weather.

The ridge trails were moderately challenging and the connection to the AT offers some options for future hiking trips.  Matt, Steven, and Emily also checked out various items of historical-ness such as the Mount Bleak House and ye olde ice house by the visitor's center.  After the hike they ate at Big Buns - the usual post-hike stuff plus some Jack Johnson tracks.

Veteran's Day Expedition to Great Falls

NORSA veterans Steven S., Emily, Nora, and Matt celebrated Veteran's Day with a hike at Great Falls National Park in Virginia. Undeterred by the frigid temperatures, driving rain, and impending floodwaters, the four intrepid hikers explored several miles of the southern bank of the Potomac River. The hike started early at the main parking lot and proceeded west along the Powtowmack trail. Although the group was actually many miles away from Alcohol Island (site of many previous NORSA expeditions), Matt convinced the other three hikers to keep pressing westward in the hopes of finding the elusive island. However, as the rains increased and Nora, Steven, and Emily's faith in Matt's sense of direction decreased, the group decided to turn around and head back for the visitor's center.

Steven does a rain dance and casts his spear into a pond in the hopes of getting the rains to ease up. His efforts failed.

Nora says "Follow the rules" while Emily tries to stop Steven from climbing over a fence. Later, Steven ventured out on his own into the forest in search of elk. He did not find any.

After the hike, the four stopped at Potbelly's for a sandwich - the usual post-hike kind of stuff.

Duncan Knob Hike

Sunday, October 25, 2009 - A beautiful day with clear skies set the stage for the latest installment of the 2009 NORSA fall hiking series. Hoping to see the fall colors at their peak, Matt and Steven S headed out to Duncan Knob, site of previous NORSA excursions. On the way out they stopped for gas at BP and couldn't help but note the billboard advertisement for body massage. Then they initially missed the the left turn from 211 E onto Crisman Hollow/R 274 (if you see a parking lot on the right for another trail, you've gone too far). The rest of the trip was smooth sailing.

The Duncan Knob hike started with a steep section on the Scothorn Gap trail, then followed a ridge below Middle Mountain to the Gap Creek Trail. In the clearing after the first climb, the NORSA hikers looked for the (memorial?) wooden marker for another Steven from 1974, but could not find it. After a couple of switchbacks on the Gap Creek trail, a white blazed trail from Peach Orchard Gap lead them to Duncan Knob, situated at the southern tip of Catback Mountain. The rock scramble to the top was no problem at all for the tactical pair. They stopped for lunch and were treated to great views - layers of red and yellow to the west, Middle Mountain, Massanutten Mountain, and Strickler Knob to the south, and the Shenandoah River, Luray, and the peaks of Shenandoah National Park to the east.

Returning on the Massanutten Trail, they descended along a ridge surrounded by bright yellow leaves, which Steven's untrained eye identified as birches and tulip trees.

In all it was a great day for hiking, and the fall colors never fail to impress.

NORSA sends EOTW on its way!

NORSAites Steven and Andrew traveled to Hampton, VA to see off the Eye of the World Crew on their around-the-world voyage.

Unfortunately, the weather turned very bad, very fast. Fast-thinking Andrew emphatically announced an imminent "white squall" to a nervously laughing crew:



Adam fired up the engines and ran on deck to steer the ship clear of trouble. But, alas, something went wrong:




Footage of the actual white squall was lost when the camera got wet (footage on the video card from before the squall didn't get wet).

NORSA has been contacted by Hollywood Pictures to make a film based on the incident. Adam is played by Jeff Bridges. Here is early footage of the movie: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6khjd_white-squall-1996_shortfilms

The boat doesn't fare so well in the movie, but this is purely Hollywood embellishment of a minor incident. The actual voyage of the EOTW crew can be followed here http://www.eyeotw.org/

Race for World Peace 5K

An overcast, humid morning with expectations of rain greeted NORSA members Steven S and Emily, who had eaten at Matchbox in DC with friends the night before. They had enough time for breakfast before taking the metro to make the 9:00 start time of the inaugural Race for World Peace 5K.  Since Steven had picked up the race packets the day before, they already had bibs and timing chips. They warmed up and headed to the starting line with a group of Emily's friends from work who were also running.

The race started promptly at 9:00 AM near the Foggy Bottom metro station and the course headed down to Constitution via 19th St, then made a loop on Pennsylvania and returned on the same route.  The runners finished with an uphill stretch on 19th St between the 4 and 5 km mark, with the final few hundred meters on I st NW.   The fellow who won the race is from Ethiopia.  Since the times were chip-computed, the local running report noted that he established the event record at 15 minutes and 10 seconds.

After the race, a dance troupe performed on a stage set up for the accompanying festival for world peace.  Bananas, granola bars, and water were provided also - the usual post-race shenanigans that follow most road-running races.

Bike DC 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009 - On a morning when bicycle advocacy overruled common sense, hundreds of cyclists braved 40 degree and rainy weather to participate in Bike DC 2009. The annual community bike ride offers a unique opportunity to ride on car-free streets in DC and northern Virginia. The WABA event has been around for several years and similar events are held in Portland and Chicago.

Bike DC 2009 offered two routes, a 25-mile ride starting at 8AM and a 12-mile ride starting at 9AM.  From the starting line at 9th and Constitution NW, riders headed toward the US Capitol to warm up, then turned around to come back west, eventually passing Embassy Row and the National Cathedral, then taking the Whitehurst Freeway to the Key Bridge and into Virginia.  From there they went north for a few miles on the GW Parkway, then south again to the Jefferson Davis Highway, with stops at the Marine Corps and Air Force Memorials. Volunteers waited throughout the course to give directions and even had stations for snack and bathroom breaks. The 12 mile ride skipped the sections on Massachusetts Avenue and the GW Parkway. Both routes ended at 20th street in Crystal City.

Bike DC is a rain or shine event. The complete lack of shine limited Team NORSA participation to Steven S only. Due to viral-like symptoms suffered earlier in the week, Steven opted for the 12-mile route. With wind pants, a hooded shell, gore-tex gloves, and various fleece articles, the weather was not as big an obstacle as in previous  NORSA bike n' brews.  Steven also made a riding partner by starting at the same time as Annie W, a local teacher training for a trip on the C&O Canal.  A relatively new cyclist, Annie nevertheless showed potential for all-weather elite status.  The two completed the loop by taking the Mount Vernon Trail from Crystal City to the 14th Street Bridge and finishing back at the National Mall.  The Solar Decathlon was in full swing despite the irony of the slogan "powered by the sun."

In all, hundreds, if not the thousands predicted, showed up for the ride. Even in bad weather, riding on traffic-free roads brings a certain serenity that only comes once a year.

Giant Acorn 2009

I competed in the Giant Acorn International Triathlon on Saturday, October 3, 2009. I previously competed in the Giant Acorn Sprint in 2006 and 2008. Since this race was double the length of the Sprint, it made up for missing the Sprint in 2007.

The addition of an international-distance (aka Olympic) race proved to be immensely popular. 295 men and 165 women competed in the event, which helped ease registration on the Sprint, which was held on Sunday. In previous years, the Sprint has sold out months in advance of the race. This year, the Sprint still sold out, but only weeks ahead of the race.

The swim course for the International was at the southern end of Lake Anna in Bumpass, VA. It took swimmers around a grassy peninsula, which allowed spectators to see the entire swim from one point. The bike was 2 laps of the Sprint course. This was helpful because bikers could memorize the course their first time around.

The run was on a different road from previous years. It was hillier and even included an off-road portion through the woods. My swim and bike times were on par with my performance at the Nation’s Triathlon; however, the hilly run seemed to take its toll. I finished the race in 2:47:08, which was good enough to place 167 of 295 men, and 23 of 34 in my Age Group. All in all, it was a good time. Enjoy the photos.

Impromptu Emmitsburg!

Though the original plan was to go camping on the Potomac with Tom, rain forced team NORSA to the Stone-Drinking-Fortress in Emmitsburg without Tom. Ordinarily, NORSA goes to Emmitsburg to ski, but this trip provided an interesting change.

The weekend basically consisted of having dinner at the Shamrock and building a big fire in the fireplace. We got a sampler of Sam Adams and decided which flavor was the best. The next day, the weather improved, so we went to breakfast in Thrumont, and hiked the Catoctain Furnace Trial where we discovered mystical ancient ruins. All in all, it was a really fun and norsariffic weekend.

North Carolina Challenge!

Fellow NORSA member Alan Stewart is in the midst of racing the North Carolina Challenge - a 100 mile unsupported expedition race through the waters of coastal North Carolina.

Follow Alan's Spot Tracker here: http://watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeMapper.aspx. He is listed as "DancesWithSandyBottom."


Alan is racing with his father Paul in a Core Sound 20 they built themselves in their basement. They previously raced the boat to a 4th place finish in the 2008 Watertribe Everglades Challenge.

2009 Nation's Triathlon a Great Success!!

A record-setting 8 NORSA members and affiliates competed in the 4^th Annual Nation’s Triathlon. This was the third consecutive appearance by NORSA-mainstays Steven L., and Adam. They were joined by Matt, Leo and Russ, who each finished their second Nations Tri. Newcomers this year included Mike, Brian and Marie.

The Nation’s Triathlon is a Standard Olympic-Distance race. It consists of a 1500 meter (0.93 Mile) Swim, a 40 kilometer (24.85 mile) Bike, and a 10 kilometer (6.21 mile) Run. The Nation’s Triathlon is one of the biggest triathlons around. While 6000 people registered, 3933 actually competed in and finished this year’s race. The attrition is probably due to the fact that the race sells out months before the competition. When race day arrives, many competitors FTA due to scheduling problems they couldn’t foresee months in advance, as well as regular sickness, injury, etc.

Like last year, all competitors had to go to a few events before the race. Packet pickup was at the Washington Hilton on Friday and Saturday. There is no packet pickup on race day because the logistics of distributing 1000’s of packets in the hours before the race would be mind-boggling. Additionally, competitors were required to leave their bikes at the race site the day before the event. This allowed many competitors to take shuttles to the race site from the host hotel.

The weather for this year’s race was perfect: mostly sunny skies with a high of 83 and a low of 63 for the day. The race was started at 7:00AM, so the NORSAites got to compete in that perfect 70-degree range.

This year’s course was modified slightly from the previous year. Competitors swam in the Potomac under the Memorial Bridge. The water this year was a little browner and a little less clear than in previous races. The water temp was about 71 degrees. Most competitors wore wetsuits, most NORSA members did not.

Between events, competitors had to find their bikes in the mega-massive transition area (see photo). Hopefully, they remembered their row number.

The bike took racers into Rock Creek Park, up the Whitehurst Freeway, then out-and-back on Canal Road, the Clara Barton Parkway, and the Cabin John Parkway. This course was heavily shaded (good), but may have been a little narrow for so many competitors.

The run was around Haines Point and the Tidal Basin. As the race expands each year, there seems to be less of an ability to host it on the Mall. There was no Pennsylvania Avenue Finish this time. However, traffic in the city was significantly less affected and racers were able to finish next to the transition area, rather than miles away as in previous years.

Results:

How long is a race of this magnitude supposed to take, you ask? Well, the overall winner finished with a time of 1:55:59. Mayor Adrian Fenty finished with a time of 2:21:18. The last competitors crossed the line around the 5-hour mark.

Everybody on the NORSA-squad finished with these highly respectable times:

This year, Russ again came out on top, with an overall time of 2:33:23. He was followed by Steven L. (2:40:57); Leo (2:50:08); Marie (2:50:15); Matt (2:52:40); Mike (2:54:49); Adam (2:57:41) and Brian (3:08:51). Complete results with splits are available here.

Congratulations to all the NORSA members who competed in this year’s race and thanks to the family and friends who came for support! I hope you all enjoyed this year’s post, which unlike last year's post, contains more than 2 paragraphs, more than 1 picture, and has hyperlinks, results, descriptions and adjectives.

Pikes Peak or Bust!

On Thursday, August 13, 2009, Team NORSA members Steven S and Emily attempted to bag their first Colorado 14er at Pikes Peak. Named for Zebulon Pike, whose westward expedition first sighted the mountain in 1806, Pikes Peak is the most visited mountain in North America. Many visitors reach the 14,110 ft (4300m) summit by car, by train or by running. The Team NORSA attempt would follow the lesser known Crags Trail, a Class 2 route up the northwest slopes with a total gain of 4200 feet (1280m) over 5.5 miles (8.85 km).

After a day trip through Colorado Springs, the duo drove west past the town of Divide to the the Crags Campground. Down the road from a Mennonite camp, the campground leads to the trailhead at 10,000 feet, near "The Crags" rock pinnacle formations in the Pike National Forest. A dinner of leftover Jimmy John's sub sandwiches was eaten for precious energy, and then it was time to set up camp and rest for a full day of hiking.

Waking up at 5am, the two broke camp, ate breakfast, layered, laced boots, and hit the trailhead shortly after 6am. A local youth who had recently summited Mount Massive had advised to start the hike early to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms that occur in the summer, and to take a slow and steady pace and rest when needed to avoid fatigue. It was agreed to head back down from the summit by noon if possible, and absolutely by one o'clock to be on the safe side.

The mountain had looked formidable from highway 24 near Divide. Now the terrain hid the summit from view and optimism was high. It was a brisk morning, but the ascent began soon after branching off from the Crags trail toward Devil's Playground, and it didn't take long to warm up from the exertion. The trail started adjacent to a creek, through a forest of Douglas Fir and Engelmann Spruce, before reaching a clearing and subsequent switchbacks that left the treeline. At about the 1.5 mile mark and 12,000 ft elevation, one of the most difficult sections of the hike climbed straight up a hillside for a gain of about 1000 ft in just over a half mile. At the top they got their first view of the distant summit.

Hiking along a ridge above a green alpine valley of tundra grasses, they passed through a gate of boulder formations to start the portion of the trail that parallels the Pikes Peak highway. Passing Devil's Playground at around 10am, the clouds above looked ominous, but after stopping at an overlook with friendly tourists, spirits remained high. Steven was feeling more than a bit sluggish with the effects of altitude, but pressed on with determination and Clif bars. Emily continued a strong performance, no doubt due to the foundation laid in the NORSA summer hiking series.

At about 11am, the NORSA hikers passed a smaller peak known as Point 13,363 and crossed the road a final time to reach the base of the final pitch. This quickly became a rock scramble, made more challenging by the altitude and difficulty spotting cairns. Progress slowed to a crawl, but after seeing a group ahead disappear over the top, it was estimated that about 200 feet of climbing remained. The skies were getting dark and it was nearly noon.  A flash of lightning to the east threatened the unthinkable prospect of turning around. A second flash of lightning a minute later gave them a sinking feeling.  It was agreed that they could not continue during a thunderstorm. At just past noon they turned around to get off of the rocks and make the descent.

With the summit now beyond their grasp, the altitude sickness Steven had been fighting became a concern. After passing Devil's Playground again, he was rewarded by emptying the contents of his stomach several times. A quick and safe descent would be the best treatment for the illness, but this was made more challenging by the steep slopes of crushed granite and the intermittent rain. After reaching the treeline again and resting, the worst symptoms went away. The remainder of the hike was completed at a normal downhill clip.

After 10 hours on the mountain, they reached the car at about 4pm. It was a bittersweet drive back to Denver, where a home cooked Italian meal offered some replenishment. But in true NORSA fashion, Steven and Emily hungered for something more - to learn from the harsh lessons of nature and return some day to summit Pikes Peak.

Maybe next year.  Savor the journey and not the destination.