February 2025 Newsletter

UVRC Runners,

This offering is a sampling from a fictional novel I am in the process of writing entitled, The Winds of Change. It’s a story about running for runners. Below, I have included the drafts of the Prologue and the first two chapters entitled, 1. El Amuleto and 2. A Sacred Place. 

In the story, runners from the Upper Valley and Puerto Rico converge to run the Vermont 100 Ultramarathon in 2025. It’s a tale about, endurance, resilience and persistence, but also about temptation, greed and loss.

I am happy to share more chapters during the next five months leading up to 2025 VT100 in July. I think some of our UVRC members will be running the VT100 this year. You may recognize some fellow UVRC runners in the story, perhaps even recognize a version of yourself, for better or for worse.

Feedback, harsh or generous, to jburnett551@gmail.com will be helpful to me as I write. 

We can do this, right?

Run like the wind,

Jim

****************************************************************************

The Winds of Change

Prologue

As the world spins, currents swirl. In the northern hemisphere, the Easterlies sweep into the Caribbean Sea and the Westerlies dust off the Great North Woods. Both part of a clockwise circle. A big watch face. Winds bring change and nothing is stuck in time. Everything is on the move. 

As the Earth warms, ecosystems migrate and adapt. Cities once considered safe are now threaten by wild fires, floods, mud slides, hurricanes, rising sea levels and other unpredictable extreme events. Where once there was enough food and water, there is now barren land and shrinking aquifers. Plants, animals and humans are moving to temperate zones and into valleys in search of safe havens.

The Cordillera Central is one such nest, a volcanic ridge bisecting the Isle of Enchantment, Puerto Rico. The ridge stands tall and overlooks the tropical island and the dangerous Mano Passage, one bead on the necklace of islands that form the Caribbean Archipelago. The Taino, ancient ancestors of Caribbean tribes, sought refuge in the Cordillera Central and settled in the snug valleys nestled below its tall peaks. The village of Jayaya is one such haven cuddled deep in the densely forested mountains. 

The White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont, born of shifting continental plates and scraped by receding glaciers, opened their arms to the Abenaki. In birch bark canoes, the Native Americans paddled the mighty Connecticut River and the streams and lakes of its watershed. They settled in villages along the river, a string of pearls from its headwaters to the vast sea. The town of Hanover, home to Dartmouth College, is one such pearl along the river, sheltered between the Greens and the Whites. 

Eighteen hundreds miles apart, fate has connected descendants from the villages of indigenous tribes, Winni Moonflower, Chiqala Little Deer, Sophia Florbella (beautiful flower) and her younger brother, Santiago Osezno Curioso (Inquisitive Bear). Like the winds, they too are on the move – swirling, changing, running, exploring, seeking adventure. 

Stoney, a retired forester living with his wife, Louise, in the Upper Connecticut River Valley, stills gets up early and goes for a pre breakfast jog with Mookie, his oversized Labradoodle. Although outdoor exercise isn’t as much fun or as easy as it used to be, Stoney stubbornly persists, in search of the aging runner’s Holy Grail. 

1. A Sacred Place

His paddle probes, nudging the smooth skin of the headwaters, less than a mile from the Canadian border. The candy scent of wintergreen from the birch bark canoe subsumes Chiqala Little Deer into the mysterious yet peaceful surroundings of the Great North Woods, the sacred place of his Abenaki ancestors. The name Chiqala means “Little One.” Though short in stature, Chiqala is strong and runs like a deer and so, he is called Chiqala “Little Deer”. As he paddles and explores his natural surroundings, he vows that someday he will paddle all the way down the mighty Connecticut to the vast sea. Little Deer is in search of adventure.

2. El Amuleto

A race to run. Early morning. Late autumn – sun’s rays bombarding the green canopy. White blotches of light splattered on the forest floor. Clumps of snow watching. Slippery leaves and loose stones lolling, lying in wait up the trail. Eyes scanning, Snuffy leading, off leash.

Chilly-Chilly. Winni Moonflower whispers to herself between tight shivering lips. 

Breathe, Focus…

Thick black glasses balanced on the bridge of her nose, Winni squints searching for friendly steppingstones – as her powerful legs spring forward from one to the next. Socks wet, treads mud clogged, following Snuffy’s fluffy flag, waving, guiding – in-and-out, side-to-side, up-and-over…

The Vermont 100 Ultra consumes her runner’s brain. 

A few meters up the narrow running trail, Snuffy stops short and barks a warning. But Winni is talking to herself and it goes unheard.

You’re a Mudder, REMEMBER… she reassures herself breathing in deeply. Suck it up you WIMP. Get used to it! 

“BE THE MUD.”

Running a single-track segment of the racecourse, one of the toughest she will face on raceday, Winni and Snuffy run in their forest. At first light they feel the energy starting to swirl. Weaving through the green corridor just the two of them. Soon the burning fireball will rise, energize the plants and warm Mother Earth. 

Our star, our sun, the source of all life, Winni incants closing her eyes, inhaling deeply, holding her breath, counting 1, 2, 3, exhaling 1, 2, 3… 

Be One. Memorize each step.

Snuffy yaps again, 

ROOT-ROOT-ROOT…

SHIT…shit, shit, shit… 

Winni hits the ground hard. Oooh, as her quick hands and strong arms cushion the impact of her fall.

Son of a B-i-i-i-tch, Winni mutters under her breath, spitting out bits of gritty trail dirt. 

Winni props up into a plank, Snuffy circles back, licks her face. Mud oozes between her fingers. Lowering her dimpled chin, pressing it on the collarbone, her muddy t-shirt sticks to her breasts. Two chocolate circles. 

Lips fluttering, Brrrrr…slowly rolling over, spreading arms wide, Snuffy dances around her panting, smiling, laughing. Through her thick lenses Moonflower peers into the blurred gray wash of clouds moving overhead. 

Damn, she mutters as her outstretched arms droop to the ground, steam rising from her chest, eyes closing, brain churning.

Clear the mind, hone the body. Nothing is impossible. Win this race. Five months to go.

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP “Emergency Assistance Alert Sent Press Disarm within 15 seconds to Cancel 14, 13, 12, 11… 

Shit, shit, shit, Winni sputters again, eyes opening. Propping up on an elbow, reaching for her Garmin, pressing buttons randomly to cancel the emergency alert. 

Snuffy barks, then playfully hops on top of Winni with muddy paws.

Pressing her hand to the ground to brace herself, unloading Snuffy from her back, she presses herself up slowly and feels a string of beads under her palm. She lifts the string and lets it unravel. It swings back and forth in front of her. She squints through her Roy Orbison frames. Trying to focus. 

A string of red, white and blue beads. A necklace. An amulet to ward off evil spirits. And a pendant. A four-legged creature. A turtle? No. A sea turtle from the tropics…

To be continued…

ABOUT ME

I’ve been a member of UVRC for 12 years, served on the UVRC board for 6 years, 3 as President. I ran my first marathon in 1978, The Paul Bunyan Marathon in Bangor Maine and I’m training for the Detroit International Marathon in October of this year. If successful, it will be my 60th race over 26 miles long. Proud to say my list includes a 100K ultra in Miami in January 1980 in 10 hours and 18 minutes.

There is no competition. The greatest running book of all time is “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen” by Christopher McDougall.

Isolated by Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his readers from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultra-runners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America’s best ultra-runners against the tribe. McDougall’s incredible story will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

• Charlie B.

Let your mind run by Deena Kastor . It gives great insight into the mental side of running and racing from an elite perspective. One of my favorites that I reread one or two times a year! 

• Stacy M.

I picked up “I HTE RUNNING AND YOU CAN TOO” by Brendan Leonard at Sierra a year or so ago. I found it really inspiring and shared lots of excerpts with the couch to 5k group that spring. It’s a funny, quick, and easy read that is very relatable to most average runners. Here is one random quote from the book. “More than half a million people in the United States finish a marathon each year. Almost none of those people do it without running a bunch of miles in the months beforehand. At some point, every person was running zero miles per week. And then they ran one mile a few times. And then eventually decided they could run a mile and a half. And so on. A long race, whether your definition of “long” is 6.2 miles or 100 miles, starts with running (or walking) a much shorter distance, one time. And then doing it again. And again. You do a small thing once, twice, three times, and you start stacking those small things on top of one another, or depositing them in a metaphorical account, and they start to add up…” (p.22) Really enjoyable, highly recommend!

• Keri N.

I think many runners would already know, but here is the book I highly recommend!

Haruki Murakami “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.”

It’s a great essay book, and it always motivated me to go for a run and resume running.

He is a marathoner and has experience with ultra-marathon as well, and his journey as a runner is described with light-hearted humor in this book! 

• Jane H.

Rise and Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day (a cookbook) by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky

I have had a lot of fun experimenting with the recipes in this book, which are interspersed with training tips and anecdotes from elite runners. The lemon chia blueberry superhero muffins have become a go-to for satisfying my constant runger (runner’s hunger) during heavy training periods.

• Angela W. 

Running with the Buffaloes

This chronicles the 1998 season of University of Colorado’s men’s xc team, where Adam Goucher was king amidst a season with great tragedy.

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon

This takes a deep dive into the history of Nike – the true Nike, not what it is today – and, as the name suggests, the men of University of Oregon’s track and xc teams, including legendary Steve Prefontaine.

• Sean M.

I can’t pick just one! Here are 5 recommendations, not necessarily in order of preference: 

1. Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman – such an important read for female athletes.
2. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron – historical fiction about a runner set during the Rwandan genocide. Very intense and very good.
3. Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear – follows the CU Boulder XC team during their 1998 season.
4. John L. Parker’s trilogy of Once a Runner, Again to Carthage, and Racing the Rain. I like good fiction, and he writes good fiction. Once a Runner is the classic, but they’re all very well-written. 
5. Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall. As noted in a recommendation above, McDougall knows how to tell a good story. Running with Sherman is about burro racing and will capture any animal lover’s heart. My personal favorite character is an ornery goat named Boris. 

• Kristina S. 

“Here we, in our impatience of the steps,

Get back to the beginning of beginnings,

The stream of everything that runs away.”

       -Robert Frost, “West Running Brook” 

One of Robert Frost’s most complicated poems (and title of his 5th anthology of poetry) is West Running Brook.  It is a poem inspired by West Running Brook in Derry, NH near where Frost lived for a little over 11 years in a very productive time of his post-college days with his young family (he later moved back to NH in Franconia but he moved around a lot).  The “running” in the title is about the movement of water but you know it is poetry so I am going to take some poetic license and think about its connection to the Derry Boston Prep 16 miler.

The Boston Prep 16 miler is a road race created by Greater Derry Track Club runners Jeff Litchfield and Mike Beeman back in the mid 1990s.  Those two were runners who liked to run the Boston Marathon, were serious about training, and were strong advocates of a good long run.  They also knew that a good marathon pace long run (but not too long) was a good training run 12-13 weeks out from the marathon.  Further they to wanted to mimic the hilly flow of Boston to get you prepared for pacing the Boston Marathon so the hilly course (where mile 11 to 12.5 is nearly all uphill to mimic the Newton hills) of the Derry 16 miler was scientifically crafted to help those preparing for Boston.  It also serves as a great course for a race or a great prep for any spring marathon.

“‘No, to-day will be the day

You said the brook was called West-running Brook.’

‘To-day will be the day of what we both said.'”

       -Robert Frost, “West Running Brook” 

Sean Meissner and I met at the New London Park and Ride in order to go down to the race together.  It was nice to chat with Sean before the race and always good to listen to his experience and focus before a race.  I had run the race twice before–once in 2022 after it was cancelled due to snow and held on a rainy Valentine’s Day and then again on a very cold and windy day last year.  There are risks for signing up for a race in January.  They will cancel it if snow prevents people from getting there but it goes on if it is just cold (or really cold).  Sean and I met a runner who had run the Boston prep 28 times (out of the 29 times it has been held!) and mentioned the various snowy, icy, and cold conditions it has been held (once below freezing at the start and several times with ice on the course).

Apropos the quotes from Robert Frost, the race starts at West Running Brook Intermediate School.  It is a great place to start and finish a winter run from.  Registration is in the gym and you can spend all the time before the race relaxing in the warmth of the school (and using the indoor bathrooms) and after the race a great post race spread is offered with a variety of snacks as well as Pork and Kale soup and Vegan Chili.  These are the touches of a well thought out race put on by runners and a running club.

The temperature for the race on Sunday January 26th was thankfully fairly moderate.  The forecast had promised to get us above freezing for sure during the race but initially promised to get us above freezing by the time we were at the starting line.  No such luck though so we started the race in the high 20’s.  Comfortable weather but tricky for figuring out if you should go for shorts or some light legwear.  I opted for shorts and Sean went for knicker length running tights.  

One thing great about this race is there are some high quality runners that race it but there is also a very large pack of slower runners that get to start an hour early (I know in earlier years the UVRC has had runners opt for this early start).  This race only has a few hundred runners but there are lots of solid runners running at a similar pace to me each time I have done it.  This makes a long run like this much easier.  

This year I started too fast as usual and Sean started at his solid negative splitting pace.  I did see Sean 5-30 yards ahead of me for the first 2 miles but by the time we got to the back of Robert Frost’s farm he was long gone.  Talking to him about his run later it seems he ran a really smart race and even keyed off the hill that peaked at 12.5 miles.  While lots of runners like me gassed themselves on this hill Sean was able to sustain a solid effort and pick up his pace for the last 3.5 miles.  Sean had already passed his age group competition before the hill and accelerated to an easy age group victory.

I ran pretty well for the first 10 miles as I had done in the past.  This course is a big circle around mostly exurban roads in East Derry.  It isn’t rural but it is generally nice and scenic with a few slightly built up neighborhoods.  I intentionally tried to be slow and steady in the hills near the end but was still a little gassed as I got to mile 12.5.  One thing very unique about this race is that they offer you a chip timed half marathon time as well.  You can (and some do as a really fast woman ran a 1:23 half and then jogged in the last 3 miles) run a half marathon and then do what you want for the last 3 miles.  I did tire a bit but I was somewhat steady for the last few miles that mimic Boston in being slightly downhill near the end.  I finished with a 16 mile time I was happy with and won my age group as well.

Sean and I both got our maple syrup bottles for prizes, ate at the excellent post-race spread offered by Greater Derry Track Club in the school cafeteria (and prepared by West Running Brook cafeteria staff), and finally went to Rockingham Brewery where all runners were offered a free beer if they wanted to attend.  At the brewery Sean and I got to talk to several other runners and you got to choose from a variety of pig themed beers.

I know other UVRC runners have done this race over the years and if you are in shape during the winter it is a great race for spring marathon prep (Sean is mostly prepping for some later Ultra Marathons and it is a good prep for that no doubt as well).  I know that my legs got a good workout and while mentally I got fatigued–I still kept going so I know I got some great Boston Marathon prep as well (this year will be my 3rd time running Boston).

The only negative I will say about the Boston Prep 16 miler is it did not have any general photographers along the course (so I am just going to include the non-winter picture of the Robert Frost Farm museum site).

Well, UVRC, we did it. We made it through all 479 days of January. I don’t know about you, but last month seemed to move quickly initially, and then ddddddrrrraaaaggggged on for the last week or so. But, alas, I finally turned the page on our calendars, and it’s beginning to show. A few nights ago, my dogs and I finished our walk around 5:30pm, and WE DIDN’T NEED A HEADLAMP. Full disclosure, to the winter haters out there, I am one of those annoying people who gets giddy at every snowfall; fewer things in life make me happier than snow-covered trees. I’m never sad when it’s snowing, but the dark eventually wears on me. Whether it’s a lack of a headlamp or my dog delaying the start of her dinnertime begging dance by a few minutes each night, it is so nice to notice it staying lighter later. 

February means that the first race in the Upper Valley Running Series is right around the corner, and the local race scene will only get busier from there. Now is the time to stay consistent in your running, and there’s no better way to do that than surrounded by fellow members of our running community. I look forward to ditching those evening headlamps with you all in due time, but until then, our UVRS finisher friends will continue to light the way for us at TNT in their fancy new prizes from the 2024 series. And, come sun, rain, or snow, Beth’s delicious muffins will continue to refuel our Saturday morning crew, as evidenced below. 

Cheers to more daylight!

Kristina

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

It’s that time of year again! We’re gearing up for 2025 and registration for the club is now open! You can register HERE on the Lebanon Recreation, Arts, and Parks website. You’ll see a tab for UVRC & Running, from there you can choose 2025 UVRC Membership (either individual or family rate). You’ll be prompted to log in and might need to choose those same options again.

If you are feeling generous, consider donating to UVRC to help ensure we can keep all the amazing parts of our club running. There is a donations tab on the sign-up page which allows donations in $5 increments based on the number of times you click when you are logged in. This is a zero pressure situation. 

As a reminder, yearly membership dues get you access to:

• Weekly group runs and weekly workouts
• 15% discount on running equipment/related goods (i.e. energy products) at Omer and Bob’s 
• 10% discount on running gear/related goods at Stateline Sports
• This great Monthly Newsletter 
• Racing team
• Automatically scored in the Upper Valley Running Series
• Access to UVRC Running apparel and other swag
• UVRC social events (Runner’s Night Out, summer picnic, banquet, Jingle Bell Run!)

Later this month, we’ll be updating our email lists to reflect 2025 membership, so be sure to renew now to keep receiving workouts, group run emails, UVRS updates, and all the good stuff.

THANK YOU for keeping UVRC running! We are so grateful for this community. 

Run Covered Bridges by fundraising for The Family Place

The Family Place is excited to be offering bibs again this year for the Covered Bridges Half Marathon, which will take place on June 1, 2025 (see https://cbhm.com/ for race details). As many of you know, this is one of the most popular half marathons in the northeast and it often sells out within minutes of open registration. We will have 50 bibs this year to offer those of you and your club members/clients who are willing to raise $500 for The Family Place and be a member of our team! Runners can register any time from now until we run out of bibs. Please see the attached poster for more details and access to our web page for registering. If you are willing, we would love it if you can post the information in your facility or share it in your newsletters.

The Family Place delivers comprehensive programs designed to strengthen positive relationships, teach essential skills and promote enduring healthy growth for families with young children in the Upper Valley and surrounding communities. We look forward to building a big team of runners this year to help raise funds for our programs and foster community spirit in caring for our communities’ children.

Mount Washington Road Race – Volunteers Needed! 

Registration for the MWRR entrant lottery opens on February 10th, and the race will take place on June 14th. UVRC has fielded a team of volunteers for the past few years to help with parking. Volunteers receive a delicious turkey lunch and t-shirt – not to mention all the good vibes that come along with volunteering and a chance to win prizes in our Volunteer Challenge. In exchange for providing volunteers, URVC receives 8 bypass entries for club members who do not get in via the lottery. We encourage anyone who wants to run to enter the lottery first so we can maximize our bypass entries. More information to come!

Save the Date! UVRC CAMPOUT!

In conjunction with the Mount Washington Road Race, we will be holding a UVRC campout June 14-16th just a few miles from the start/finish for any UVRC members who are racing, volunteering, or just wanting to spend a weekend in the Whites!

Other Local/Regional Race Opportunities

Billy Brockmueller Invitational indoor track meet at Brown University on March 2nd

Silver Heist 5k in Orwell, VT on April 26th

5k Color Run/Walk in Warner, NH on May 17th

Volunteer Challenge Update

Every volunteer hour submitted in 2024 counts as one “ticket” into a raffle for NEW RUNNING SHOES of your choice from Omer and Bob’s or Stateline Sports. The drawing will take place at Runner’s Night Out on February 11th. You do not have to be present to win the shoes, but we hope to see you there in person because pizza tastes better with friends who volunteer. We will also raffle off some sweet new long-sleeved UVRC shirts to a handful of volunteers. 

Sponsorship Opportunity

Do you work for a company or know of a local business that is supportive of UVRC and our mission to provide an inclusive community for runners of all abilities? We are currently seeking business sponsorships to fund swag items for UVRC programs. Opportunities for advertisement on such items is an option. Please reach out to contact@uppervalleyrunningclub.org to learn more!

Running Warehouse Discount Code

As part of your UVRC membership, you are eligible to receive 20% off socks and clothing and 10% off nutrition, select clearance shoes, and hats/visors. Enter the discount code Z3XX6UYP at checkout. 

New Website is LIVE!

Have you seen it? Have you seen it? It’s live and it looks so good! If you haven’t already, be sure to thank Drew Prescott for all of his hard work in building it. If you still see the old website when you click the link above, you may need to clear your cache to access the new one. 

The Upper Valley Running Series (UVRS) is a series of existing road races in the Upper Valley. The goal is to encourage participation and competition in Upper Valley road races, with recognition for finishing and performance. Participation in the series road races, and membership in the club (UVRC), qualifies a runner in the series. Registration is available for the whole series, or simply through individual race registration.

The 2025 Series:

1 RedZone 5K, February 8, Wilder VT.

2 Lebanon Shamrock Shuffle 5K, March 15, Lebanon NH.

3 Lake Morey Icebreaker 5M, April 6, Fairlee VT.

4 BarnArts Around the Lake 5K/10K, May 18, Barnard VT.

5 Skip’s Run 4M, June 15, Lebanon NH.

6 Red, White and Blue 6.2 5K/10K, July 4, Lebanon NH.

7 Triple Dam 10K, August 24, Perkinsville VT.

8 Sprouty 5K/10K, September 6, Sharon VT.

9 Downriver Rail Run 10K, October 11, Enfield/Lebanon NH.

10 Tiger Run 12K/5K, October 26, Enfield NH.

11 Hanover Turkey Trot 5K/10K, November 23, Hanover NH.

https://uppervalleyrunningclub.org/upper-valley-running-series/

Short Version:

* Run 6/11 races to be a Series Finisher and get a sweet prize!

* Age/gender group scoring for participants.

* Short distance and long distance series are scored separately. For races with just one distance, it counts for both series.

* You can sign up for the whole series, or just sign up al a carte for each race. However, you must be a UVRC member to be counted!