Cross Training - Mount Monadnock

It's been a really relaxing summer for Run Rhody. Outside of a couple fun runs, we've really been taking it easy. Ryan's gearing up for a couple half marathons in the fall, and I'm going to do a bunch of 5ks, something I really missed this spring when we were training for Providence and Boston.

While we've been taking a break from running, we've been doing a lot of other stuff we don't really have time for when we're training.

This weekend we climbed Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey, NH.

About 2.5hours from Providence, this was a great day trip and an awesome cross training activity. Really used a lot of the same muscles as running, and really engaged our cores, something that we could always use improvement on.

We went with our friends from the Tar Heel Hiker --and I highly encourage you to follow that blog when you get a chance. She does a lot of New England hikes that are easy to get to from Rhode Island.

The uneven terrain really engages your core.

And, if you're lucky, maybe you can nap at the top.

Run Around The Block

Got an email about this one, to be held Saturday, September 12th. I have a couple friends who have run it and loved it too. Here's a link for more info, although it looks like the registration form isn't yet up.

And here's the email review on it:
I presume this race is still held: The "Run around the Block" race on Block Island, which as I recall is about 9.5 miles of ultra-scenic running up small sharp hills, then down the backside of same hill, then up another, then down, etc. Challenging with the small hills, but again, drop-dead gorgeous scenery, fresh salty ocean air and it really is a whole-day event beginning with the ferry ride out there (with gaggles of other runners on the same boat), the race itself, barbeque afterwards poolside at a club there, a nice refreshing dip in the pool nearly soon as you cross the finish line, then the ferry ride back to mainland...with all the same runers, a bar on the boat, a great time in every regard, a complete running experience/the total Lil' Rhody running experience-it doesn't get any more classically "Rhode Island" than this. Date: late August or early September. Have fun!