Camping
Just came home from spending the weekend up at a scout camp near Harleysville, about 40 miles north of Phila, with T's cub scout pack. It was a really nice trip which, frankly, I wasn't overjoyed to go on but now am very glad I did.
Now for running. Rain on Friday led to another dnr.
On Saturday I snuck away from the camp early in the morning and ran 8 or so, a 66:53 (35:00 out; 31:52 back) 8-miler along Upper Ridge Road, a small road that lay along the scout camp. I figured go out and back and I wouldn't get lost, and I also see upon coming back how much stuff I miss going out. Upper Ridge Road must have been literally on a ridge, as there were only modest hills for the first part of the run and then the road turned right and there was an extended downhill to Finland, PA, a creek crossing, and then the road went back uphill. Suffice to say I'd be much more proficient at hills if I lived out there.
I passed by the Finland Methodist Church, which had a sign reading "dusty bibles lead to dirty people." Also saw an interesting building which led me to stop and check it out. An old 3-story brick building with a fire escape running down the side, with "Red Men Hall" written in big faded letters across the front. The political incorrectness of this intrigued me. The display windows showed a gun store on the left half and an historical museum on the right, both with windows full of clutter. The cornerstone read "1909 I.O.R.M." and I figured it must be something masonic. Sure enough, googling "Red Men" and "IORM" revealed that this was indeed a building once owned by an apparently defunct chapter of the "Improved Order of Red Men", a fraternal organization dating back to the Revolutionary War and who had elaborate rituals that to me amount to grown white men playing Indian. They are still around and count Richard Nixon among its former members.
Today I took another dnr. Couldn't get out in the morning and I suppose I could have squoze a run in this afternoon, but my heart wasn't into it and I'm not in a place in my training where I have to make myself run.
We'll call this a recovery week and will go for 70 next week.
Now for running. Rain on Friday led to another dnr.
On Saturday I snuck away from the camp early in the morning and ran 8 or so, a 66:53 (35:00 out; 31:52 back) 8-miler along Upper Ridge Road, a small road that lay along the scout camp. I figured go out and back and I wouldn't get lost, and I also see upon coming back how much stuff I miss going out. Upper Ridge Road must have been literally on a ridge, as there were only modest hills for the first part of the run and then the road turned right and there was an extended downhill to Finland, PA, a creek crossing, and then the road went back uphill. Suffice to say I'd be much more proficient at hills if I lived out there.
I passed by the Finland Methodist Church, which had a sign reading "dusty bibles lead to dirty people." Also saw an interesting building which led me to stop and check it out. An old 3-story brick building with a fire escape running down the side, with "Red Men Hall" written in big faded letters across the front. The political incorrectness of this intrigued me. The display windows showed a gun store on the left half and an historical museum on the right, both with windows full of clutter. The cornerstone read "1909 I.O.R.M." and I figured it must be something masonic. Sure enough, googling "Red Men" and "IORM" revealed that this was indeed a building once owned by an apparently defunct chapter of the "Improved Order of Red Men", a fraternal organization dating back to the Revolutionary War and who had elaborate rituals that to me amount to grown white men playing Indian. They are still around and count Richard Nixon among its former members.
Today I took another dnr. Couldn't get out in the morning and I suppose I could have squoze a run in this afternoon, but my heart wasn't into it and I'm not in a place in my training where I have to make myself run.
We'll call this a recovery week and will go for 70 next week.
posted by seebo | 7:02 PM
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