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May
21, 2004
The
Score:
TREK USA ? Won
Pennsylvania Hills - Nothing
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Ron
Kramer at the end of a hilly stormy
day in PA
See more photos in our gallery |
Coudersport,
PA -
I
suppose it?s how the Red Sox feel when they
have a three game series with the Yankees on the
road. They
know it isn?t going to be easy, and the only
way to succeed is to work the psych.
Get that game face on. Know your
opposition, respect it, but don?t be
intimidated
Today
the team faced its first test of three days on
the infamous hills of Pennsylvania. We came into
the contest with relatively rested legs from the
past two days of shorter runs.
Additionally, we?ve had nearly three
weeks of hard core training that has strengthen
us, not weakened us.
We hoped that we would pass our first
test.
The
previous evening?s sleep was interrupted by
the thunderous booms from the thunder storms
passing through Meadville.
In fact, when we awoke, we learned that
downtown was flooded. David D?s weather forecast warned us that we could face a
stormy morning, but skies would become brighter
later in the day with temperatures in the upper
70?s.
Group
1 began its half of the 154 mile journey to
Coudersport under murky skies that soon produced
a heavy downfall.
The first four runners, Fernando, Dave,
Paul, and Tom endured very wet conditions as the
tackled the first of the rolling hills.
Josh escaped most of the rain, but not
the hills.
The
rural country road that has been our byway for
several days, Rte. 6E (also know as the Grand
Army of the Republic Highway), started to throw
the heavy rollers at us.
Every down was met with another equal or
greater up.
These are the kind of conditions that can
wear down a runner.
Fernando coached us to shorten our stride
length as we worked the uphills. To our
amazement, we tackled the hills with barely any
slowdown in our pace.
In fact, we ran through the hills with
strength and confidence. Throughout the
remainder of our assigned miles, we attacked and
didn?t tire.
In
the meantime, group 2 ventured 77 miles further
into Pennsylvania?s hills to begin their trek.
Their experience was similar. Dr. Hap
Farber?s section was described as an
electrocardiogram road ? lots of peaks
followed by valleys.
Because they ventured further into the
?belly of the beast?, the hills they
encountered were more dramatic.
But, as we have always said, ?It all
comes out in the wash?.
Group 1 is certain it will enjoy its fair
share tomorrow.
By
the end of the day, both groups completed their
tasks in record time.
Not only did we beat the hills, we
pummeled them!
It was a no hitter.
The icing on the cake was when we reached
our motel, the ?Mill Stream Inn?.
Given the size of the town, we feared
that we might be in for another less than A+
experience.
What we found instead was an excellent
facility with- oh, my gosh!!!- high speed
internet. The
news couldn?t have made us happier.
This
was our first round with our opponent.
We performed well, but we are not taking
our win for granted.
Dave McGillivray has cautioned us that
the further into Penna we go, the tougher it
will get. So the ?Sox? will take on the ?Yankees? in game 2
tomorrow. We
are confident, yet cautious.
We
suspect that one reason we are feeling stronger
is because of all the positive support we have
received from family, friends, and strangers.
We are beginning to be recognized by the
media more regularly as well.
Today we had a live internet interview on
Active.com, a reporter from the Tuitusville
Herald stumbled upon us and interviewed and
photographed us, and sportswriter
Bill Griffth of the Boston Globe gave TREKUSA a
mention in his column. It reads as follows:
"My
morning website of choice lately has been www.trekusa.org.
It's where I follow the progress of a local band
of aging runners.?
Hey,
aging runners???
Ok, we?re not as young as we think we
are, but we aren?t as old as we should be!
In
two days we cross the border into Massachusetts,
and we are really excited about it. But, we
can?t get ahead of ourselves ? we still have
two more outings with the dreaded hills.
We?ll keep score and give the full
report. Game
two ends in New Milford, 140 miles of hills. We
are ready.
PS
If there are any ideas, comments or
questions about the journal, send me a note:
Tom
@TREKUSA.org
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