Chas = Blogger

Let the record show, as it most clearly has, that Chas has shared the first two posts of 2012 and is officially a blogger.  Little warms my heart more and a robust future for Tri and Tri is ensured!

Of greater concern is how the hell I'm going to keep up with you as this running group is clearly working at a much faster clip than me and my running buddies in Williamstown.  The bar has been set and I'll need to step up accordingly.

Thanks for your first post, Chas.  You know all sentiments are reciprocated and look forward to our adventures in 2012.  I'll sign up for the NY Gran Fondo which will be a good early season biking goal for us both with others to follow.  Would like nothing more than to do a half and full marathon in 2012 with you while upping the ante for my wife on her running, too.  Hope a half iron is in the works, too.

Last ride of 2011:  MV with Gyver, Lew, Chas and Brooks

Running Group

Hey Brooks,

I'd like to run a little faster this year, and I'd like to run more with other people, so I joined a running group.  It's about 8 or 10 guys who work downtown and meet at 12:30 five days a week.  And they are fast.  During the winter months when footing is a little slippery they "ease up" to about 7:15's.  The chatter is good and I can usually stay with them for the 4 or 5 miles it takes them to get back to their workplaces.  Most importantly, perhaps, it gets me out there everyday at noon.  Yesterday, was case and point.  We had a very welcome snowstorm that dropped 10-12 inches in Portland.  Noontime was about two-thirds of the way through that.  But I was there to meet the group at 12:23.  And as it turned out I didn't mind running alone.  I thought it might be smart to stick to a 3 mile loop, but ended up doing the usual 6.

The mileage is up since joining the group -- I've already logged about 30 miles this week, but no swimming and no biking.  I'll have to figure out how to fit those in.  For now the running group feels like a good idea.

Take care,  Chas

P.S.  For any Foehls reading this note, one of the longtime members of the group is Charlie Humphries, one of Curt's best friends in high school.

New Year

Dear Brooks,

Thanks very much to you and Alison for hosting yet another special New Year's.  We're very lucky to have such good friends and equally lucky to have access to the Brooks House on Fuller Street.  Lots of good walks, some runs and bikes, but most importantly plenty of good talk.  As in many years past, some of our talk centered around what we wanted to put on the 2012 calendar to continue this journey of adventure together. Late 90's were marathons, then onto adventure races at the beginning of the century and for the past few years its been about triathlons.  I thought the kids did a great job on this year's Show putting your Iron Day in the appropriate historical context alongside 2011 events such as the Kardashian wedding, the European debt crisis, and the death of Steve Jobs.  Before posting today, I looked back at your Iron Day journal.  Great accomplishment and equally great account.

My favorite idea that was discussed was a spring half marathon primarily because I heard Alison pipe up and say she would do a 10K if we could find a combo event.  I quickly went to work on a search and it looks like a 13.1/10K would require too much travel, but there are plenty of 13.1/5Ks to choose from.  Sara would like to do the 5K too.  The other ideas we considered are a May "Fondo" century, a July Brew-to-Brew 148 bike, an August half-iron, and a fall marathon.  Now that I've written it down we've doubled the chances of all that actually happening, and I think that stat relates to a personal paper and pencil version, not a public blog, so I may have tripled the chances.  Putting it on the calendar makes it a near certainty.

The weather on the Vineyard was possibly the best we've had in our 19 year history.  And thanks to the inspiration of Lew and the idea that we could ride with Gyv, we brought our bikes.  One of our rides took us to the highest point on the island. 

Brooks at 311'

Another ride took us toward South Beach for a nice short New Year's Eve loop.

Brooks, Chas, Lew

Most of all I look forward to the last few sunset runs of the year over some of my favorite courses where we stop to take in a couple of very memorable views. 

 Our favorite runners running away from us.  

As I look back on 2011, I'm thankful for our friendship and for we've accomplished together.  And as I look forward to 2012, I'm thankful for all the positive energy I received at our annual gathering, and eagerly anticipate this year's adventure.

All my Love, Chas