Vermont Sports April 2015

April 2015 vtsports.com 3

EDitor/publishEr Angelo Lynn C [email protected] stAff writErEvan Johnson C [email protected] Art DirEction & proDuctionShawn Braley C [email protected]

ADvErtising mAnAgErChristy Lynn C [email protected]

ADvErtising sAlEs Greg Meulemans C [email protected] | (802) 366-0689

Dave Honeywell | (802) 583-4653C [email protected]

rEADEr AthlEtE EDitorPhyl Newbeck C [email protected]

gEAr AnD bEEr EDitorHilary DelRoss C [email protected]

this month’s contributing writErs Peggy Shinn, Annie Pokorny this month’s contributing photogrAphErsHerb Swanson,, Peggy Shinn

EDitoriAl AnD proDuction officEVermont Sports | 58 Maple StreetMiddlebury, Vt. 05753 | 802-388-4944

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on thE covEr:Jules, a Staffordshire terrier, romps in the surf in this great shot of a dog in action. Jules wins our cover shot award for his owner, Jessica Wetherby of St. Albans.

Ski Vermont The Green Mountain Club

pages 16-20winnErs of thE ADvEnturE Dog contEst

We sorted through 200 photos to pick the best-of-the-best in three categories: face shot, in action and best looking. Judge for yourself!

fEAturEs pages 6-9

spring running: how to gEt in shApE & AvoiD injuryWe talk to three-time Olympian and running coach Lynn Jennings

for tips on getting in shape this spring faster & smarter.

page 10mountAin biking buckEt list

Here are the trails and rides you won’t want to miss this spring and summer, plus cool bike events to attend.

pages 12-13intErnAtionAl swimmErs brAvE icy wAtErs!

About 40 swimmers from around the world tested their mettle in the icy waters of Lake Memphremagog in late February.

pages 30-31gEAr for mom!

Mom’s Day is sooner than you think! Here’s a guide to cool outdoor gear just for her.

DEpArtmEnts 5 publishEr commEn-tAry

33 nEws briEfs 23 mEDicAl: chron-ic lowEr lEg pAin is A common injury DuE to EArly-sEAson running 25 gEAr AnD bEEr 26-29 cAlEnDAr of EvEnts 20 rEADEr AthlEtE

ADvErtisErs!

The space deadline for the

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April 23.

Contact [email protected]

today to reserve space!

it feels so good! this photo was one of our favorites as gus, a sable shepard owned by john joy of montpelier, gives a good shake after a summer swim in curtis pond in calais. for more photos and contest winners , see pages 16-20.

page 32pADDlErs gEt rEADy for spring DAm rElEAsEs

We checked with area states and have a preliminary list of the dam release dates throughout New England.

4 vtsports.com April 2015

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Let’s talk world class. Running, for instance. Vermont has world-class terrain

to go with world-class events such as the Vermont 50, Ver-mont City Marathon (it’s flat, gorgeous and fun), great half marathons and marathons across the state, and then there’s the unthinkable — the Peak Ultras in Pittsfield that feature races of 15, 30, 50, 100, 200 and 500 miles, most covered on a 10-mile loop that has 2,400 feet of elevation change. A little quick math will tell you that’s 120,000 feet of elevation change for the 500-miler, but, hey, you have 10 days to finish. The race starts on May 7 and has a May 17 cutoff — no exceptions.

Then there’s Lynn Jennings, a world-class runner who calls Vermont home, and now coaches running camps at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. A three-time Olympian, Jennings won the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, has been a four-time member of the U.S. World Outdoor Championship teams and won 10 U.S. Outdoor Champion titles. She competes in sculling now, but lends her knowledge, coaching skills and encouragement to runners at all levels through her coaching. That’s world class. She shares training tips in this issue, with ideas of how to break out of training ruts on Pages 6-8. That’s just cool.

Vermont may not have world-class mountain biking statewide, but we have exceptional pockets of riding and the mountain biking scene here is taking the region by storm. On Page 10, we cite a bucket list of trails and events you won’t want to miss.

Road biking in Vermont and the region has been world-class for years, and now a newer type of road bike tours is coming east. Writer Peggy Shinn previews an upcoming six-day ride through the Adirondack State Park on Aug. 23-29 that acts as a fully supported benefit ride. It’s a cool idea (see Pages 12-13) and, as always, the ride serves a good cause.

Vermont is not usually known for world-class swims. But Phil White of Kingdom Games hopes to change that with the debut of his winter swim event in Lake Memphremagog. Held this year in late February, 41 interna-tional swimmers braved the icy waters on a frigid day to compete in 25, 50 and 100 meter races. Competitors came from all over this country, Europe, Latvia and Russia. We cover the spectacle on Pages 12-13. World-class in-deed.

Vermont’s dogs, of course, are nothing but world-class. We sorted through 200 photos to pick some of the best for our annual Adventure Dog Contest. While we could only print a few of the photos in issue, dozens more are posted online at vtsports.com. Check it out: from ‘so-darn-cute’ to amazing feats of athleticism, the photos provide world-class entertainment right at your fingertips.

publisher commentary by Angelo Lynn

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Jumping into training too quickly after a sedentary winter can cause injuries. If spring fever has you hurting, we’re here to help.

Our providers understand your drive to get back to the sports you love,call today!

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Sharon Health CenterTo schedule an appointment call (802) 728-277712 Shippee Lane, Sharon, VT | www.giffordmed.org


running doesn’t have to be drugery and painful. rather, easy runs in the spring to build stamina and muscle tone, plus mixing up your workouts will often yield better results than punishing runs that can lead to injury. former olympic runner lynn jennings, inset, provides training tips in this story and coaches at the craftsbury outdoor center.

photo by lynn jennings

SPRInG RUnnInG: MIx IT UP, BE PATIEnT TO AVOID InJURyBY EVAN JOHNSON

CRAFTSBURy — Running takes hard work and dedication. If anyone can attest to this, it’s Lynn Jennings, a competitive runner with more U.S. women's cross-country titles than anyone in history.

Over her 18-year career, Jennings won nine track and field crowns from 1985 to 1996. She won three consecutive women's world cross-coun-try championship titles from 1990 to 1992. A three-time Olympian, Jennings won the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. A four-time member of U.S. World Outdoor Championship teams, Jennings medaled at two World Indoor Championships, winning 5,000-meter bronze in 1993 and silver in 1995.

Jennings also won 10 U.S. Outdoor Champion titles and set the women's world indoor 5,000-meter record of 15:22.64 in 1990. Her U.S. 10,000-meter record of 31:19.89, which she set in

1992, lasted for a decade. So when Jennings’ sympathizes with runners

who have taken the winter off from running and are starting to get back into the swing of things, you know she speaks from experience.

“Running is the hardest sport to come back to when you’ve taken time off,” she says. “Whether it’s elective or due to an injury, there’s something lubricating about running every day that you lose when you have to stop. It can be gruesomely hard to start again.”

But picking up running again and taking your abilities to the next level don’t have to be that hard with a little persistence and patience, she says.

As the director of running programs at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury, Vt., Jennings shares her experience and knowledge every year in a number of camps where she and a staff of coaches show athletes how to train pro-gressively and intelligently to maximize their potential. Though retired from competitive racing,

Jennings, 54, is still an avid daily runner and logs between 40 and 60 miles every week. When not running, she is a competitive sculler at the Craftsbury Center and enjoys forest hikes with her dog Towhee.

Jennings took some time out of her day to offer advice on how to ease back into running routine this spring, and then how to break out of any ruts in your training to make this season a winning one.

HITTInG yOUR STRIDE – AGAIn When you stop training, de-training happens

within days, Jennings says. Even if you’re coming back from a short break, your blood gets thicker and your lungs lose some of their elasticity. Things feel rusty and it can be difficult to regain what you’ve lost. But Jennings has a few pointers on how to hit your stride – again and then stay tuned through the summer and fall.

START WITH nEW SHOES(Continued on next page)


If you wore your running shoes all fall and then put them up for the winter, before you start again, it’s likely time for a new pair. Shoe construction breaks down over time and for your first day back, you won’t want a pair on which you’ve logged five months worth of miles. Go with a style and fit of running shoes that you know, she says, adding that “the best pair of shoes are still cheaper than one visit to the doctor.”

EASy DOES ITIf you’re someone who’s used to being active

and in good physical shape but had to take time off from running, Jennings suggests a slow start with an easy two or three miles run. Take the next day off and then try it again. After you’ve fol-lowed this pattern for one or two weeks, you can begin to ease into running more often while keep-ing the distances low. Once you’ve reestablished that basic regiment, feel free to increase the vol-ume before adding one longer distance run to your usual routine.

If you’re someone who runs four times a week, one of those runs should be longer, but no more than 10 percent of your normal distance. By stay-ing conservative, you can always leave room to grow instead of over-extending yourself or push-ing too hard too soon.

KnOW yOUR MILEAGE LIMIT In her top days as a professional runner, Jennings

could log 80 to 90 miles in a week – a normal distance for a medium distance runner – and still recover and be ready for the next week’s work-outs. But as soon as she pushed to 100 miles, something didn’t feel right.

“Everyone has a mileage limit and some people want to push and find out what that is, but it’s always better to under-train slightly than to over train,” she says.

Initially, you can focus on the distance of your runs and their frequency, but the intensity with which you attack your workouts can wait.

Ramp it back a weekJennings says a popular practice among coaches

is to have athletes complete a block of work and then turn down the intensity for a “down week.”

As you begin to structure your workouts, Jennings advises you do the same. During your down week, you won’t stop running entirely, but will incorpo-rate other activities or even take an extra rest day. Whether you swim, bike or strength train, letting yourself recover won’t just make things easier; you’ll also be ready to come roaring back and ready to rumble.

STAy ACCOUnTABLE Let’s say you’ve started your training again – but

are you monitoring your workouts? you can use software programs or a simple notepad and pen, but a basic training log should include the date, weather conditions, how many minutes or miles you ran and how you felt. A running partner can help keep you from weaseling out, but if you don’t have a buddy willing to meet at 6 a.m. for a run,

you can even check in with someone later to say what you did and how you felt. Everyday, Jennings and a friend in Boston email each other with the details on their respective workouts. Jennings says the correspondence has helped keep them account-able and push a little further.

“now she’s regularly running in the 40- to 60-minute range, way more than she ever would have done mostly because she knows she’s going to email me at the end of the day and tell me what she did,” she says.

Ultimately, the best training plan should be flexible and allow you to work around the rest of your busy life, including work, appointments and foul spring weather. When you look back at the work you’ve done, it will also boost your confi-dence.

By EVAn JOHnSOnSo you’ve been training all season and no

matter how hard you try, you’re just not getting faster. your 5K times won’t break 20 minutes or your marathon is never under three hours.

There’s a solution to this problem and it has to do with the way that you approach your train-ing.

In most of the accounts Jennings sees, runners are either over-training or under-training. If you’re having trouble with a plateau, Jennings says there’s a good chance you’re falling into either of these two categories.

“There are people who under-train obsessively and people who over-train obsessively,” she says. “you have the people who hammer every run and then wonder why they don’t have anywhere to go, physically or emotionally when it’s time for a race. Then you have the person who goes out and runs the same three miles easily and then wonders why they’re not getting faster.”

SPEED-PLAyRunners going the same distance at the same in-

tensity day after day find their body is conditioned to perform for a certain distance at a never-varying rate. To break through that barrier, Jennings advises adding some spice to your workout routines. This can be done through fartlek, a Swedish word for

“speed-play,” that adds a variety of speeds to your existing workouts.

Doing this is as easy as inserting short bursts of speed along your normal route. This can be done for a minute or the distance of five telephone poles while running along the road. There are endless ways to vary it, but by adding these shorter bursts, Jennings says you experience harder running and recovery.

“It isn’t a speed workout, but you’re injecting some intensity to what otherwise would have been an easy-flowing five-mile run,” she says. “By doing that, you’re asking your heart and lungs to work a little harder and getting used to the idea of pushing the gas pedal down to sustain a pace.”

The more of this you do, the quicker you’ll be able to keep pushing on the “gas pedal” without wanting to relent.

Jennings also suggests finishing your runs with strides, or faster runs of 50 to 100 meters long.

to get out of your rut, change it up with intervals

not overdoing long distances in the early weeks of training is one key to avoiding injury, as is running moderate distances on dirt roads, rather than pavement, as this runner is doing near craftsbury.

(See Intervals, Page 9)

“It isn’t a speed workout, but you’re injecting some intensity to what otherwise would have been an easy-flowing five-mile run. By doing that, you’re asking your heart and lungs to work a little harder and get-ting used to the idea of pushing the gas pedal down to sustain a pace.”

— Lynn Jennings


BY EVAN JOHNSONMost of us are still hopping over

frozen puddles and snow banks, but for runners spring is the start of the running season and many have been out there getting in shape for some early season runs.

While wearing extra layers in April and May before it warms up, it helps to have goals worth training for. Here are 10 great spring runs to get you motivated.

1.37th AnnuAl sAp run, April 26A sap run has two meanings. In

the spring, it’s when the sap in the maple trees begins to flow. But it’s also a great run in northern Vermont. As part of the Saint Albans Maple Festival, runners race 8.5 miles from the Swanton Teen Center in downtown Swanton to the heart of the downtown on Main Street in St. Albans. Winners of the Sap Run receive prizes of pure Vermont maple syrup donated by the Vermont Maple Festival. All proceeds of the Sap Run benefit the St. Albans Recreation Commission. Participants can regis-ter until the day of the race and will be transported by bus to the starting line at 8:30 a.m.

www.stalbansrec.com

2.miDDlEbury mAplE run, mAy 3Rightfully referred to as “the

sweetest half,” the Middlebury Maple Run and Relay is a scenic half marathon in the heart of the Champlain Valley, surrounded by views of the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains. This half mara-thon has earned a reputation as friendly and well organized, starting and finishing on the edge of Middlebury College and coursing through its beautiful campus, there are many aid stations and hundreds of volunteers (as well as crowds) cheering on the 800-plus runners. The 13.1-mile course is on a mix of paved and hard-packed dirt roads on a rolling course through farm country and back into town. There’s live music, good food, maple syrup trophies for the win-ners, a generous prize purse, fin-

ishers’ medals and a category for two-person relay teams in case you’re still not quite in shape to run the full half. The starting gun goes off at 9 a.m.

www.middleburymaplerun.com

3.37th AnnuAl stEvE ZEmiAnEk

bEnnington roAD rAcE, mAy 3The “Zem-Benn” has become a

long-standing tradition in southern Vermont, with 3.8-mile and 10K races open to all ages and abili-ties. Races get underway at 9:30 a.m. with the start of the kids’ half-mile race. The 3.8-mile and 10K both start at 10 and follow a paved course in the Bennington area. In 2000, the Bennington Road Race was renamed in honor of longtime Mt. Anthony Union High School track and field coach Steve Zemianek. Coach “Zem” was a fix-ture at the race for many years and a number of his former athletes continue to compete each year. Proceeds of the race are donated to the Coach Zem Scholarship, pre-sented to a graduating Mount Anthony Union senior who compet-ed in track and field or cross-coun-try. www.runreg.com

4.thE chAmplAin clAssic, mAy 3 The Champlain Classic is a sce-

nic trail run along Lake Champlain and Shelburne Bay. The 5K and 15K courses are split between roads and the Ticonderoga Haul-out Trail — a packed gravel trail that retraces the route the Ticoderoga took as it traveled from the lake to a final resting spot at the Shelburne Museum. Neither dis-tance is very hilly and both races start at the Shelburne Town Hall at 9 a.m. and finish at the same loca-tion.

www.champlainclassic.com

5.DAnDElion run, mAy 23For a beautiful springtime half

marathon in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, look no further than the Dandelion Run. Organized by the

folks at Kingdom Games, “The Dandy” is a hilly and leg-burning challenge through the famous dan-delion fields of Derby, Holland and Morgan during high spring in the Northeast Kingdom. It’s a tough race, but one not to be missed. The half-mile distance and 10K course start at the Derby Beach House in Derby, Vt. and finish at the same location. Registration and sign in start at 7:30 a.m. before a 9:00 start.

www.dandelionrun.org

6.vErmont city mArAthon, mAy 24If you’re looking for your first

marathon or hoping to set a person-al record, the Vermont City Marathon welcomes you. Long rec-ognized as a great race on a great course, the marathon starts in the heart of Burlington, climbs up to the University of Vermont campus before descending to several long

out and back sections that extend north toward Colchester and south along the lake’s shoreline and through Red Rocks Parks and many city neighborhoods. The final four miles are on the Burlington bike path, finishing by Lake Champlain in Battery Park. Along the way you’ll enjoy all kinds of live music and one of the best crowds you could hope to have cheering you on.

www.vermontcitymarathon.org

7.2015 pEAk ultrAs, mAy 7 - 17If you’re looking for distance and

trails, chances are you’ll be able to find a race at the 2015 Peak Ultra in Pittsfield, Vt., along Route 100. Home to the legendary Death Races, organizers have created 15-, 30-, 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-mile races – none of which are for the faint of heart. Depending on your distance, your race will have a dif-ferent starting date and time at the

10 runs to enter this spring

8 vtsports.com April 2015 April 2015 vtsports.com 9

Again, Jennings says these aren’t to be treated as sprints.

“you’re just picking up the pace,” she says. “By doing them, you’re experiencing the biomechanics of faster running – run-ning on the balls of your feet, picking up your knees and driving your arms with more intention.”

SMARTER TRAInInGOn race day, you’ll want to perform

at your best, a place that running coach Jack Daniels referred to as “going into the beyond.” When a runner trains excessively, they won’t have that extra effort to give since your body hasn’t recovered fully or strengthened.

The problem with runners who over-train, Jennings says, isn’t about intensity; it’s about smarter training.

“I love ambitious, dedicated runners – who doesn’t?” she says. “But you’ve got to have the million-dollar head to go with the million-dollar body. I want runners who are savvy trainers and understand the intention behind a particular workout.”

All runners have to learn to train judi-ciously and trust the value of the rest day. It can take some re-education, Jennings says, but in the end the effort will be worth it.

(Continued from Page 7)

Aimee Farm. The 500-miler starts at 5 a.m. on May 7, the 200-miler starts at 5 a.m. on May 14, the 100-miler starts at 5 a.m. on May 15, the 50- and 30-mile races both start at 7 a.m. and the 15-mile race starts at 8:30 a.m.

The longer races will complete a 10-mile loop 10, 20 or 50 times. Each loop has 2,400 vertical feet of elevation change, therefore the 30-miler will feature 7,200 elevation change, the 50-miler will feature 12,000 elevation change, 100 miler will feature 24,000 elevation change, 200-miler will feature 48,000 elevation change, and 500-miler will feature 120,000 elevation change. With all that distance to go, remember the clock is ticking. All races have a cut off time at 4 p.m. on May 17 without exception.

www.peak.com

8.mount tom roAD to thE poguE, mAy 16Trail runners looking for a scenic trail race with

historic overtones should lace up their shoes for a run through the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. Starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Forestry Center in Woodstock, the 6.1-mile race runs through red spruce forests on old carriage trails before looping around a pond. The race includes an ascent of Mount Tom, overlooking the historic Woodstock Village before a blistering 1.8-mile descent to the finish line.

www.roadtothepogue.com

9.fifth AnnuAl shirEs of vErmont mArAthon

AnD rElAy, mAy 17The Shires of Vermont Marathon and Relay is a

picturesque point-to-point run through five towns in southwestern Vermont. The race begins at 8 a.m. at Bennington College’s VAPA Building and runs through the small town of North Bennington before entering the back roads of Shaftsbury. The halfway point is at the Federated Church in East Arlington and crosses the Chiselville Covered Bridge with spectacular views of area mountains. The race enters Manchester on back roads and finishes at Hunter Park in Manchester Center.

www.bkvr.net

10.coyotE scrAmblE ultrAs, mAy 29–31Another great springtime series of runs for dis-

tance lovers is the Coyote Scramble Ultras, sched-uled for late May at Kingdom Trails in East Burke. The weekend starts on Friday evening, May 29, with a few light runs and then picks up on Saturday and Sunday with runs of varying distances – 20-, 30- or 40- miles on the expansive network of trails. The runs are fully supported by volunteers and fea-ture food, music and bowling in the evenings fol-lowing the races. Go for one day or go for the whole weekend, but enjoy the full network of trails on this running and mountain biking Mecca.

www.coyotemoonultras.com

© Amy [email protected] | www.craftsbury.com

Who better to learn the muddy art of cross-country from than 3-Time XC World Champion Lynn Jennings? You’ll leave camp armed with information, workouts, drills and techniques to be a better harrier come fall. Jump start your XC season at any of our week long camps in the perfect location for an XC camp. Find more information & sign up online!

Break from the pack:High School XC Camps

intervals


Spring is here and the mountain biking in the valley is heating up with new trail systems to check out, races to enter and opportunities to meet other riders at a host of exciting events. We checked with the people who know the trails the best – the chapters of the Vermont Mountain Biking Association that manage and maintain the trails — and came up with a bucket list of trails to ride and events to enter that shouldn’t be missed this spring and summer.

Ride somewheRe newYour local network of trails may be

fun, but there’s more riding to be had around the state – and a lot of it. Need some suggestions? Look no further:

• Waterbury’s Perry Hill attracts rid-ers from all over the East Coast and beyond with technical, Enduro-style rid-ing with a big and steep initial climb fol-lowed by more downhill-oriented trails awaiting the intermediate to advanced rider.

• Stowe also has a vast trail net-work, from the moderate, well-mapped

system accessed from the Cady Hill parking area on the Mountain Access Road, to the famed Kimmers, Hardy Hall and Pipeline trails further up near the Trapp Family Lodge. The area also holds a network of old school trails, which you may be able to find with some help from local shops. Connect all of them together and you can ride the area for weeks.

• The Montpelier area is home to outstanding trails on Irish Hill (opening May 15), North Branch Park (opening Memorial Day) and in East Montpelier.

• This spring, Green Mountain Trails in Pittsfield invites riders to jump down the Rabbit Hole. Finished late last year, their newest trail is a fast and curvy ride on stone and ledge surfaces that whips through a spruce forest on tight turns with a few pleasant surprises for the more advanced rider.

• In the Mad River Valley, the Revolution trail behind American Flatbread is a local favorite and allows for easy access into the Camels Hump State Forest trails, where the famed old school trails Cyclone and the Clinic

meets the newly revised GS and classic Enchanted Forest.

Across Route 17, Chain Gang is not to be missed.

• In the southern Champlain Valley in Addison County, look up the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, a 16,000-acre pocket of Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest with more than 37 miles of designated point-to-point mountain biking trails. It’s wild and remote, but still just a 15-mile drive from Middlebury or 25-miles from Rutland. The challenging Chandler Ridge trail was completed just a couple years back and is for the intermediate to advanced rider offering a 13-mile loop of scenic riding in the Breadloaf Wilderness, that has some wonderful moderate to beginner sections along the Leicester Hollow trail.

• For beginners, intermediates and families, check out Pine Hill Park in Rutland, as well as the updated trails around Blueberry Lake in Warren. Trails in Northfield, especially around Norwich University, are well worth the drive, easi-ly accessible and great for all ability lev-

els. • Ascutney has more than 50 miles

of trails managed by the Sports Trails of the Ascutney Basin for the cross-country rider looking to rack up a lot of miles. It’s also the home of the famed Vermont 50-mile bike or run that’s held in the fall and scheduled this year for Sep. 27.

• Then there are the Millstone Trails near Barre, a system of 60 miles of track with 10 lookout points with views of quarry ponds and surrounding moun-tains. The network features everything from family-friendly routes to tight and technical singletrack. You can learn more at www.millstonetrails.com.

• As always, if you haven’t made the trip to Kingdom Trails in East Burke, be sure to set aside a weekend this year. Over 100 miles of pristine trails has con-sistently made this the top of our Black Diamond Awards and this year was no different. It gets kudos from locals, and draws bikers from around the nation.

head to a bike swapIf you’re looking to trade or buy

Mountain Biking Bucket list

here’s a must-do list of trails to ride, events not to miss!

BY eVaN JOHNsON

the trails in the moosalamoo national recreation Area offer intermediate to expert terrain on loop trails that include river valleys along the leicester hollow trail, above, or ridge rides with spectacu-lar views of lake Dunmore and the farm country of the lake champlain valley. the mnrA is located 12 miles south of middlebury off route 7.

photo by brian mohr/Ember photography

(See Bucket List, Page 33)


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By EVAn JOHnSOnnEWPORT — On a frigid, blustery day in late February, an unusual

group of athletes gathered to compete in Vermont’s northeast Kingdom. But the athletes from Montana, new york, California, Vermont, Latvia, England and Russia weren’t in newport to skate, ski or snowshoe.

They were there to swim.Bethany Bosch, from Wallingford, Vt., has competed in several impres-

sive long distance swims in the Kingdom and swam 18 hours to cross the English Channel a year ago, but even with many impressive swims behind her, the 25-meter trench cut in the ice on Lake Memphremagog was a daunting sight to behold.

“There’s a voice in your head that’s screaming, ‘What are you doing? This isn’t right,’” she recalls. “But you body knows you can do it. Once you get in the water it really isn’t that bad.”

newport’s first winter swim for an international competition pitted 41 swimmers against each other as well as the elements. The waters of Lake Memphremagog were 30 degrees Fahrenheit with air temperatures at a bone-chilling 16 degrees Fahrenheit, accompanied by a brisk wind driving the wind chill to near zero.

Another seasoned swimmer, Kellie Joyce of norwood, Mass. swam in high school and college, but said winter swimming is completely different.

“you lose all sense, and you don’t feel anything,” she told The Barton Chronicle. “you just have to go on autopilot and go, go, go. That’s the big-gest difference. you can’t feel your body, and then once you get out, you still can’t feel your body. It’s mental.”

COMPLICATED LOGISTICSWhile the race was a new experience for some of the swimmers, for

Kingdom Games, the company that organized the event, the winter swim was a new endeavor as well.

“We didn’t know how to put in the bumpers or the platforms for get-ting in and out of the water,” said Phil White, director for Kingdom Games. “now we know and the word is out.”

Work on the 25-meter-long by 14-foot-wide trench in the ice was done in the days leading up to the athletes’ arrival. Workers from the newport City Parks and Recreation Department attempted to use a conventional gas-powered ice saw to cut the ice, but found the blade too small to pene-trate the 2½ feet of ice. Instead, they used chainsaws with three-foot bars to cut blocks of ice and then hauled them out with a tractor. The result was

International swimmers brave Memprhe swim

the logistics of creating the 25-meter swim lanes, top and opposite page, was almost as challenging as the race itself, which featured a lot of gasping — for air, or anything racers needed to brace against the cold.

(Continued on next page)

BRRRRRR!photos by herb swanson


two lanes for the competition. With the pool constructed, all they needed were participants. White said

with a month before the race, the number of swimmers was only at ten. But with heavy recruiting by some of the swimmers and certification from the U.S. Winter Swimming Association and the International Winter Swimming Association, the number of swimmers swelled.

“Once they saw that we had the pool a lot more people signed up,” White said. “I think they wanted to see that and had doubted that we could bring it together the way we did.”

While water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, swimmers found them-selves plunging into water that was actually colder. White said swimmers described the water as feeling “silky” against their skin as they competed in distances of 25, 50 and 100 meters.

“It was like swimming through a very light slush,” he said.Conditions in newport were colder than winter swimming races held

this winter in Siberia or Finland, participants said, which prompted the newport Fire Department, emergency first responders and even one rescue person in a drysuit to stand by ready to jump in and assist if needed. no one required medical attention and only one person backed out after a few strokes. The swim even garnered national media coverage from the Boston Globe, national Public Radio and the Daily news of Open Water Swimming.

EMBRACInG THE COLDWhite said he views the event’s success as proof of a growing sector of

swimming. “What we discovered is a group of swimmers who are really looking for

this kind of option here in the United States,” White said. “They’ve heard about swims around the world and some have been to Russia, China or England for cold water swims, but they’re looking for an option in the

northeast.” Diana Bouquin explained her reasons for participating in what many

people think is a truly outrageous, or courageous, sport.“It’s invigorating. Every time you get in feels like an accomplishment. It’s

also just the people. Everyone’s so laid back, it’s like one big, weird ice fami-ly,” she told The Chronicle.

next year’s swim has already been scheduled for Feb. 27-28. The event is capped at 80 people and White expects participation next year to be high-er.

“Who knows where this will go in the U.S., but it’s good to be on the frontier,” White said. “Our winter was brutal and cold and perfect for this kind of event. If it’s going to be this cold, you might as well embrace it."

the international flavor of the event was captured by these flags, while the expressions on the swimmers below tell the cold truth of the sport.


By PEGGy SHInnIt wasn’t really a boat. More like a floating

porch — the kind of vessel Tom Sawyer would have built, except with a four-stroke engine and a railing to keep tipsy passengers from listing over-board. As we putt-putted around Star Lake eating pizza and drinking summer ale, ducks swam around us, loons called, and other motorized rafts cruised by, their passengers waving.

At the helm was Dave Birchenough, who built the motorized raft about 25 years ago to keep up with his neighbors along Star Lake — the name of both the body of water and a hamlet in

Adirondack State Park. now about 80 of these square vessels ply the lake during the warm months. Some have built-in bars, others diving towers, most have nailed-down patio tables on board, and one is even a double decker (and looks as if the slightest breeze could capsize it).

So what do motorized rafts have to do with a cycling tour? nothing and everything.

This August, when up to 600 cyclists descend on Adirondack Park to partake in the inaugural Cycle Adirondacks, a 470-mile, seven-day fully supported nonprofit tour around America’s larg-est park (in the Lower 48), they will stop every

night in hamlets like Star Lake, where they will be welcomed by locals who wish to share their com-munities — and their favorite activities — with the riders.

Most people tend to think of benefit rides as one- to two-day events (such as the Long Trail Century or Prouty or the Kelly Brush Ride) that raise money for causes, such as cancer, diabetes research, or adaptive programs. But in the past decade, weeklong tours based on the granddaddy of them all, RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, as in The Des Moines Register), which debuted in 1973, have prolifer

Cycle Adirondacks is as much about the cycling as it is about the ADK

new Bike Tour Debuts This Summer

A six-day ride through the ADk this August will feature miles of superb

riding, spectacular scenery, camping and a

fully supported trip. photos by peggy shinn


ated. Cycle Oregon initiat-ed a ride-for-a-cause regional tour in the late 1980s. And in 2013, Cycle G r e a t e r ye l l o w s t o n e debuted as a weeklong tour in the ye l l o w s t o n e ecosystem.

These rides become rolling festi-vals of hundreds, even thousands, of bicyclists who gain awareness of the regions through which they pedal. Daily distances typically range from 40-100 miles, with event staffers running feed stations, driving SAG vehicles, and ferrying riders’ luggage from town to town. Each evening, riders congregate at communal camping locations and celebrate with nightly dinners, con-certs, and other entertainment that is open to townspeople. Riders can either set up their own tents, or pay event staffers to do it. The fees for

the tours pay for the cost of the tour, with the remainder fund-ing projects in the towns through which the tours travel.

now this model has moved east, with the Wildlife C o n s e r v a t i o n Society’s Cycle

Adirondacks debuting in August. (The Wildlife Conservation Society runs the Bronx Zoo, among many other parks and global conserva-tion projects.) The tour through the 6.1-million-acre park was con-ceived by Zoe Smith, the WCS’s Adirondack Program Director. A long-time resident of Saranac Lake, Smith wanted to show people that there is more to the Adirondacks than Lake Placid, host to two Winter Olympic Games.

Mark Hall, Star Lake’s town supervisor (technically, it’s the town

DetailsEvent Dates: August 23-29, 2015Start/Finish: Saranac Lake, nyMileage: 60-75 miles per day;

435-470 miles totalRegistration Cost: $1,495 for rid-

ers, $995 for non-riding travel com-panions and anyone under age 18.

number of Riders: Limited to 600For more information: www.

cycleadirondacks.com

(See ADK Ride, Page 22)

putt-putting on star lake with David birchenough on his raft-like boat, author peggy shinn enjoyed a trip on one of about 80 rafts that ply the lake's waters throughout the summer. part transportation, part entertainment, some of the rafts feature built-in bars while others have diving platforms. below, riders pull a hill along the way.


FROM THE VERMONT SPORTS STAFFAt Vermont Sports, we love our dogs. Our canine companions spend almost as

much time at the office as we do and join us on our adventures in every season, no matter the weather. A few of our office regulars include a collie, poodle, dachshund and a gang of shih tzus. A handful of labs have also been spotted on occasion.

As dog lovers, the April issue of Vermont Sports is one of our favorites not just because it means a return to the warmer days of spring, but also because it means the return of the Adventure Dog Photo Contest.

The contest has been a tradition 12 years in the making and this was one for the record books. Thanks to you, our inbox was blasted with well over 200 shots of every imaginable breed and then some more indiscernible varieties. Every last one was welcome and we set about the difficult task of picking out the best.

Entries were placed into three categories; “Best Looking,” “Face shot” and “In Action.”

In the following pages, you’ll see dogs at their best at rest, play and generally lov-ing life. The full gallery is available on our website, www.vtsports.com.

Also, a special thank you to this year’s contest sponsor, Dublin Dog, who will be providing our winners with some great dog gear, as seen at right.

Vermont Sports’ 2015 Adventure Dog Photo Contest

here are a few of our favorite photos of the more than 200 we received. for more photos, go to vtsports.com. clockwise from top right: oakley, a golden retriever, enjoys the sunshine as captured by julie charnock of rutland; willow, displays his powder face shot, courtesy of sophie clymer of stowe; wilder, a golden retriever from rutland poses for owner jeff leonard after a swim in lake bomoseen; molly, lower left, enjoys the snow with owner jody chudzik in killington; tucker shakes off some water, captured by talia brooks of stowe; Ellie basks in the sun with owner Amy berger; and ruckus surveys the ice flows with owner steve and brenda hiller.


This year’s deluge of entries had some of the finest looking dogs around. From lakeside sunsets to picturesque snowfalls, these top three shots demanded our attention.

First place goes to Raice, top, a Boxer from South Burlington. According to his owner, Rio Demers, Raice loves to swim, play and hike - an all around great companion for the Vermont outdoors.

Coming in second place is Stew, below, named after the “stew” of dog breeds. He’s a rescue dog from Portland, Ore. who now lives in Richmond, Vt. Owner Christopher Drumm says this stately looking guy “has the patience of a saint,” and it shows right here

And in third is Heidi, a Bernese Mountain Dog who clearly loves split board-ing and really any activity in the snow. “She’d live out in the snow if we’d let her,” says owner Nick LaCour.

Best looking


In addition to showing some incredible character and emotion in their faces, the amount of snow or mud featured on these winning canines was also an important factor.

If we had a separate category for best hair, this Sheltie would have easily cleared the field. Our first place winner, Levi, loves the Vermont outdoors and accompanies his owner David Bryan as they snowshoe, canoe and hike around Lake Eden and Northfield.

Second place goes to Busta, a Pitbull and Shephard mix, who is happiest when sailing with his owner Jessica Wetherby from Saint Albans. That smile says it all!

Third place goes to Fargo, a Golden Retriever from Charlotte, who loves squirrels and finding powder stashes while snowshoeing with his owner David Hurwitt. He’s still got some on his nose.

Face Shot


Dogs are creatures of action and the winning shots here cap-tured some of their finest moments on and off the water.

In first place, Chief, top left, returns from his latest adventure with a suspicious souvenir, much to the surprise of his owners, Peter and Nicole Dernier from Weston.

Meanwhile, Wilbur takes flight off of a duck boat on Lake Iroquois. The shot, lower left, was captured by Thomas Venezia of Broomfield, Conn.

Mainer, our third place finisher seen below, flies down B Slope at Pico Ski Area with tongue dangling and spirits soaring. Owner Jeffrey Leonard of Rutland says this guy loves to ski.

In Action


By PHyL nEWBECK

Eric Caron of Pownal loves to go camping. He has plenty of friends who enjoy going with him, but one of his favorite companions is Ryan, a Labrador retriever. This wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy were it not for the fact that Caron is blind and Ryan is his Seeing Eye dog.

“It doesn’t matter where the campground is or how complicated the layout is,” Caron said. “I show him the path to the office or the bathroom once and that’s all I need to do. After that, he nails it every time.”

Caron relishes the independence this gives him. And it’s the little things that most people take for granted that sometimes mean the most. Without Ryan, he would have to wake up a human travelling companion if he needed to use the restroom, but Ryan will take him there without fail.

Caron, the director of the guidance depart-ment at Mt. Anthony Union High School, has been legally blind his entire life, but his vision decreased to light perception by the age of 24. He relied on a white cane for travel until he got Scarlett, his first guide dog.

“Poor Scarlet got stuck with me when I knew nothing about being a guide dog part-ner,” said Caron. Rather than go to the Guiding Eyes for the Blind training facility in yorktown Heights, n.y., Caron and Scarlett trained at his home. “She was amazing,” he recalled, “and we soon branched out from sidewalks to hiking trails.” Caron and Scarlett hiked all over the White Mountains and the Adirondacks. One day in new Hampshire they passed a crew from Animal Planet which was doing a segment on amazing animals. Caron thinks they missed the best story, which was Scarlett leading a blind man up the mountain.

After Scarlett, Caron received a guide dog named Mae, who was also taught at home. Although Mae did her job, she occasionally deviated from the path she was supposed to take.

“My friends said that if Scarlett was a human she would be wearing a cardigan and glasses, but Mae would be wearing a mini-skirt with a devilish gleam in her eye,” Caron explains by way of distinguishes the two per-

sonalities. After Mae retired, he went to the Guiding

Eyes training facility and was introduced to Ryan. At first the two-year-old was so quiet Caron wondered if there would ever be an emotional connection between them, but after two weeks he realized he needn’t have wor-ried.

“It was clear that he was really invested,” Caron said. “He figured out quickly that he had a purpose and he totally connected to his job. I think he believes I’m not that bright, so it’s his job to help me.”

Caron described his canine companion as quiet and methodical, but not slow. The pair has a regular route that is roughly four miles,

which they complete in a little over an hour, often ending with a jog. “His main purpose is taking care of me,” said Caron. “He’ll go at any pace I want and he’s really happy to move along. I also think I do more with Ryan because having gone to the school, I’m better trained.”

Ryan changes his pace depending on the circumstances. He always walks on Caron’s left so if they are on a trail with a drop-off on the right, Ryan will go slowly. On the way back, with the drop-of on his side, he’ll pick up the pace.

Caron marvels at the fact that in addition to knowing basic commands like right, left,

Ryan

Canine companion changes man's life

(Continued on next page)

Leads the Way

Eric caron with seeing-eye dog, ryan.


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forward and how to stop at a curb, guide dogs are trained to be dis-obedient when that is required. Caron gave the example of a walk he took through Mt. Anthony recently. At a particular hallway he asked Ryan to turn, but the dog refused.

“I didn’t get upset because he’s a good dog,” remembers Caron, “so I tried again and he still refused.” Caron cautiously reached his hand out and discovered that one side of the hallway had a big dumpster and the other side had a ladder with things perched on it precariously. Although he might have been able to squeeze through the opening, he likely would have knocked something off the ladder.

“That was amazing,” said Caron. “He does the same thing when we’re on the sidewalk and there’s construction tape. He can go under it, but he knows I can’t so he stops.”

Since Ryan needs his exercise, too, the dog is an added incentive for Caron to get outside, allowing him to have a healthier lifestyle. Ryan also makes Caron’s job easier since he is able to leave his office to find students in their classrooms or catch up with them in the hallway rather than have them always come to his office and miss class time.

Guide dogs are trained by a veritable army of almost 1,500 volun-teers nationwide who raise puppies from eight weeks to two years before bringing them to Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The dogs generally work for their humans for seven to eight years before retiring.

“These are incredible gifts of love and time,” said Caron. “It costs $50,000 to raise a guide dog. People have gifted me $150,000 so that I could have three dogs. That’s the cost of a house.” Caron considers himself lucky to have been able to keep all his dogs during their retire-ment years. Retired dogs are often returned to the homes where they were raised.

“The reason I’m allowed to have a dog is safe travel,” said Caron, “but that is only a tiny piece of what this dog does.” Caron noted that if he were to walk into a store with a cane he’d likely be ignored by sales personnel, but that’s not the case with Ryan.

“Since a blind person can’t make eye contact and communicate in the way others take for granted, the dog’s eyes do that for us,” he said.

And thanks to his walks around his neighborhood with Ryan, Caron now feels more fully integrated into the community. “This one Labrador retriever has changed my life,” he said. “Ryan brings me such joy and safety and comfort.”

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of Fine — and Hall likes calling himself a “Fine town supervisor”), was one of the first to jump at the idea. The former iron-ore mining town saw a mass exodus after its open-pit magnetite mine (once the largest in the world) shut down in 1977.

now it’s a sleepy hamlet along new york Route 3 — labeled the Olympic Scenic Byway — with only one store in town, the nice-n-Easy, offering every-thing from gas to pizza. Those who speed through town en route to Watertown or Syracuse hardly notice the star-shaped lake (or its hilarious motorized rafts). Hall, whose father worked in the mine for 38 years, and whose mom was one of the first registered nurses hired at the local hospital, thought that a cycling tour would bring people to town and allow them to see what’s so special about the place.

Which is really what these weeklong bike tours are about — exploring a quiet part of America and getting to know it, topographically, geographically and socially.

“People connect with people, not scenery,” says Cycle Adirondacks event director Jim Moore. “We want to show riders what makes Star Lake special and to be part of the community.”

But these rides do offer great scenery, too, as well as many amenities to keep riders happy and comfortable, such as hot showers (mobile, so they move with the ride), massages, and free beer.

Cycle Adirondacks will also provide maps and signage, free mechanics, medical personnel, rest stops stocked with food and drink, and SAG vans, should the massages and beer call more loudly than the pedals. Wildlife experts will be out with the cyclists, or in camp each night, to talk about the ADK and its native inhabitants (the ride is, after all, being run by the Wildlife Conservation Society).

Then there are the native inhabitants such as Mark Hall and Dave Birchenough, who will gladly take cyclists out on Star Lake for a float/swim, or just to chat and watch the moon rise after their 68.3-mile ride on day 1 of

Cycle Adirondacks.The next six days bring more of the same, yet a different flavor in

every community. The tour wraps up in Saranac Lake. By then, tired legs will have become well aware that Adirondack Park is larger than yellowstone, yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Great Smokies national parks combined.

But the lasting memories from these tours won’t be the many rolling hills. Or even the beer gardens. The memories will likely include the people met along the way — both on the bike and in the towns. Mark Hall hopes that some folks might want to come back again to Star Lake, with or without a bike, and even buy property, making neighbors of their new friends.

But no word yet on how to obtain a motorized raft.

(Continued from Page 15)

two riders enjoy a momentary break while treking through the Adirondack state park in new york.

By David K. Lisle, MD sports medicine

it’s spring, runners! beware of chronic low leg pain

David K. Lisle, M.D., CAQSMDivision of Sports MedicineAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Orthopaedics and RehabilitationDepartment of Family MedicineUniversity of Vermont College of MedicineOrthopaedic Specialty CenterSouth Burlington, Vt. 05403


With the winter weather finally winding down after a brutally cold several months, many Vermonters are getting outdoors to begin their train-ing for the upcoming running season. With the increase in running there is often an increase in what is generically called chronic lower leg pain.

This pain is typically in the shin or the calf and the diagnosis can be diffi-cult to make given that there are often ambiguous symptoms in multiple loca-tions of the leg.

The broad array of causes includes three broad areas:

1) involvement of the bone — medi-al tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) also called shin splints, and stress fractures;

2) vascular system (popliteal artery entrapment syndrome),

3) muscles and tendons — chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS), calf strains and tendinitis, or referred pain from nerve entrapments.

Referred pain into the lower leg can also be from the knee or even from the hip in young athletes. These above diagnoses fall into a larger generic diagnosis called exercise related lower leg pain or ERLP.

Much has been written on ERLP and the literature differs on which one is more common. Some suggest that CECS and stress fractures occur more frequently and another suggests that MTSS is most common followed by CECS and stress fractures. In my experience, the prevalence largely favors shin splints, followed by stress fractures and then CECS.

When seeing patients with ERLP, I consider most often “the big three”: shin splints, stress fractures (tibia or fibula) and CECS. Determining which of the three diagnoses is correct relies on a thorough history and physical examination. Key questions include the specifics of training regimen, sur-face conditions and shoe wear. Running volume is also important, including knowing how far, how fast and how many days a week the patient runs.

Other important questions include: How quickly does the pain begin? Does the pain continue to get worse or does it plateau? Upon cessation of running, how quickly does the pain improve? Does the pain continue into the next day? Does pain seem to occur with less and less activity? Have there

been any changes in training intensity or a change in shoe type?

All of these questions help clarify the diagnosis of the “big three” as dis-cussed below.

• Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) is most often seen in distance runners, but can also occur in those involved with court sports (tennis, basketball and volleyball). MTSS is tender to press on and often will begin very soon after starting activity. Although the pain can be a severe, dull ache, often athletes can push through the pain as it can plateau and some-times even diminish with continued activity.

With rest, the pain is a l l e v i a t e d and most often pain is not felt at night. In the later stages of MTSS, h o w e v e r , severe cases can cause pain at night and at rest. On exam-ination, there is tenderness in the shins localizing most often to the lowest part of the inside of the leg. This is called the distal posteromedial aspect of the tibia. The use of xrays is typi-cally normal, and are often important to evaluate for presence of stress frac-tures or other rare pathologies.

Once the diagnosis is made, the treatment involves a period of rest for two-three weeks with cross training in lower impact activities (biking, swim-ming or elliptical trainer). Biomechanical issues need to be addressed, such as foot pronation and running mechanics. Physical therapy can be very helpful for this. Gradual return to activity over a 3 – 6 week period is advised.

• Stress fractures to the tibia or fib-ula occur due to repetitive micro-trau-ma to bone that outsteps the body’s ability to heal itself. The tibia is most frequently involved in runners, howev-er I have seen several distal fibular stress fractures. Stress fractures most often occur in women and the highest risk for a stress fracture occurs in those with a history of a prior stress

fracture. The most important question to ascertain is the volume of training that led to the pain.

It’s also important to note that women with menstrual changes or eating disorders have a higher risk of stress fractures. Although beyond the scope of this article, there is an entity called ”the female athlete triad” that involves disordered eating that leads to lack of menstrual cycles that then leads to osteoporosis and stress injures to bone.

Athletes with suspected stress frac-tures will often report pain occurring with less and less activity. Classically

this is some-one who has leg pain that started at mile 5 on one day, then the next day it is at mile 3, then mile 1 and then with walk-ing around the house.

S t r e s s fractures are

often tender to touch and well local-ized to the area of injury. Initially, the pain will subside after exercise, but as a stress fracture progresses, the pain will continue after cessation. There is sometimes swelling to the area as most often the leg will appear normal.

xrays of the tibia and fibula will appear normal in the early stages, however, later the films may show the body’s attempt to heal the stress frac-ture. When the diagnosis is not clear, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the study of choice currently to differ-entiate stress fractures from MTSS.

The hallmark for treatment of any stress injury involves maintaining a pain free level of activity. This can vary greatly in duration. When every-day activities are pain free, a gradual return to exercise can begin with spe-cial attention to any training errors that may have caused the injury.

• Lastly, chronic exertional com-partment syndrome involves pain in the lower leg from muscle tissue that does not have enough room in a rigid envelope that surrounds the muscle.

Many theories exist as to why this

occurs. CECS typically involves ach-ing, cramping or tightness in the leg involving the calf or outer leg muscles, which occurs after a specific amount of exercise. It typically does not begin right away. Once the pain begins, it will increase to the point where it is often very difficult to continue exer-cise. This is called “crescendo pain.” When the athlete finally does stop exercise, their pain will soon resolve completely until exercise is attempted again. The athlete will report firm muscles and often will see small bumps around the muscle that are due to muscle hernias pushing through the fascia due to high pressure in the mus-cle compartment. In some CECS, ath-letes will experience numbness and tingling to the top of their foot and often heaviness to their feet with a “foot slap” that occurs while running.

To treat CECS, a pre-exercise physi-cal examination is normal. Sometimes the calves will feel tight even at rest. xrays are normally done. The diag-nostic test of choice is compartment pressure testing that involves a special digital pressure gauge. The pressures are measured in the compartments prior to exercise and then immediately after exercise when symptoms are present.

A period of rest, activity modifica-tion and identifying any biomechani-cal issues is necessary, but often this does not fully resolve the symptoms. Often, operative fasciotomy is neces-sary to treat CECS.

**********When determining what course of

treatment is needed to treat MTSS, stress fractures and CECS, it is important to understand what differentiates each of the three to determine accurate diagno-sis. With an accurate diagnosis, howev-er, the athlete will be able to return to the sport faster and hopefully with a lower risk of injury down the road.

“This pain is typically in the shin or the calf and the diagnosis can be diffi-cult to make given that there are often ambiguous symptoms in multiple locations of the leg.”



gear and beer by Hilary DelRoss

Hilary grew up in southern New England where she developed her love of nature and outdoor recreation, in-cluding learning to ski at Rhode Island's only ski hill. After explor-ing the Rocky and Cas-

cade Mountain ranges, she transplanted to the Green Mountain State where she snowboards, skis, hikes, bikes, kayaks and stokes campfires from her home base in Montpelier.


Worth Skis The GeorgeSpring has sprung and after the sensational

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The three-man crew at Worth have dialed in the specs in the George skis to tackle everything from pow-der stashes in steep glades to fast and cruddy groomers while remaining nim-ble and balanced to turn sharply in tight spots. The secret behind the George’s dexterity is sustained engagement through-out the entire length of the ski - from tip to tail - by elongating the effective edge to create a stable and predict-able ride. Rocker in the tip, taper at the tail, a setback stance along with a powerful cambered core and aggressive side cut maintain control through it all. Available in four lengths, including the longer, wider Mega George, and your choice of two cores.

For a price tag com-parable to that of fac-tory sticks, you can build your own set from a menu of cus-tom specs. Expect an exciting announce-ment this summer from Worth regarding

a new production partnership in the works with even more competitive pricing to follow. For now, stock and customized skis range from $699 to $899. Updates will be posted at worthskis.com.

Mio FuseAs roads and trails start drying out this time of

year, rubber soles and tires will slowly replace metal edged boards underfoot. The color green will soon resurface in the Green Mountains and

so too will fitness and training regimens. Mio’s latest wearable fitness tracker monitors daily activity and workouts to help get you back on track after the long, cold winter.

Out of the box, the Fuse is simple to set up. Charge the Fuse via the included USB charger then sync it with the Mio Go app on your smart-phone or tablet to get started (free to download on Google Play and iTunes). The app prompts you through setting up a personal profile, linking the Fuse to your device via Bluetooth, setting activity goals and choosing training settings.

The Fuse’s charge lasts up to seven days and can store up to two weeks of daily activity data and 30 hours of workout data, plus it tells time, so there’s no need to train with your phone in hand. It syncs with GPS watches or bike computers via Bluetooth or AnT+ wireless connectivity. Just select your activity, start workout mode, and get moving.

The Fuse is worn on the wrist and is closefitting but comfortable. Except for the optical heart rate monitor, a soft silicone material covers every inch so it seems very durable. Even the display is pro-tected.

Three touch-sensitive buttons on the face of the dot matrix LED display allow you to scroll through menus and the central button controls turning workout mode on and off. Three or five heart rate zone alerts can be set as LED and/or vibration alerts, so you can monitor your heart rate during training without looking at a screen.

Most third party fitness tracking apps can link with your Mio account, but the included Mio Go app pro-vides some basic feedback on data the

Fuse collects. A weekly workout sum-mary and breakdown of each workout provides average and maximum heart rate, speed, pace, distance and time as well as calories burned and heart rate zones reached and duration in each zone. Daily activity statistics include distance, steps, active and total calories burned, and how successful you were at reaching your daily goal.

Information I miss from this app includes access to route maps and a field to enter notes about my workout. Other drawbacks to the Fuse are the lack of a sleep-tracking feature and idle alert reminder to get moving. But for those of us who like to disconnect at the

end of the day, this monitor does a great job. Available in two wrist sizes. $149

Queen City Brewery yorkshire PorterBy far the most popular variety flowing from

Queen City Brewery, yorkshire Porter is in high demand across Vermont. The yorkshire is an English style dark ale - Queen City takes pride in sticking to traditional brewing styles and their hard work shines in this one.

The yorkshire is characteristically dark in color with aromas of toasted malt and just a hint of hops amongst coffee and chocolate overtones. The smooth balance follows through on the pal-ate, too, making this an easy drinking porter. Its popularity is no surprise and with 5% ABV, it’s easy to enjoy a pint or two at a time.

Find yorkshire Porter on tap at establishments in Vermont or visit their tasting room. Queen City Brewery is located in Burlington’s South End at 703B Pine Street, where you can stop by to fill a growler or stick around to taste all eight varieties on tap. Be sure to visit the brewery on Fridays and Saturdays during April to enjoy full pints - guest chefs have even been sighted there serving their fares. Follow QCB on Facebook for updates so you can time your visit right.

Alpine skiingApril

4 – 5 sugAr slAlom At stowE. This classic race, organized by the Mount Mansfield Ski Club, combines top-level racing and a fun, springtime celebration. The Sugar Slalom is held in a Mardi Gras atmosphere with on-slope barbeque and costumes while licensed USSA racers ages 10 and up compete for points. Sugar on snow awaits the racers at the finish line.

www.teammmsc.org.

5 buD light glADE-iAtor. Mount Snow holds its annual spring mogul skiing challenge on the bumps of Ripcord. Competitors will be judged by a combination of time, form, line and aerial maneuvers. The event also includes a barbeque and Bud Light Cash Bar. www.mountsnow.com

11 – 12 bEAr mountAin mogul chAllEngE. The Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge is a spring rite of passage at Killington. The bump and jump venue rises from Outer Limits, one of Killington’s toughest runs, in

plain view of the Bear Mountain Quad and the party at the lodge below. www.killington.com

18 thE kingDom thAw rAil jAm. Jay Peak hosts the final freestyle event for the 2014-2015 season from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Stateside Carpet. Prizes go to the winners. www.jaypeakresort.com

may1 mAy DAy slAlom. Killington hosts a final springtime slalom race on the Superstar trail. www.killington.com

biking/cyclingApril

11-12 u v m grEEn mountAin

wEEkEnD. The UCM

Cycling Team hosts

a criterium and road

race in Burlington and Charlotte. Collegiate

fields are open only to full time college

students with valid USAC collegiate

licenses and full time high school students

with valid USAC Junior licenses. Pro fields

in the men’s and women’s criterium and

road races will include cash prizes for

the top finishers. Registration is at the

Charlotte Central School. The criterium

will be held at the Patrick Gymnasium on

UVM’s campus.

https://www.bikereg.com

11 rAsputitsA. With a field limit of 500 riders, this 45-mile unsanctioned gravel road race covers some of the coldest and barren landscapes in and around Burke. The Rasputitsa Spring Classic unites riders of all abilities and disciplines from racers to riders and includes road, cyclocross, single speed, tandem and mountain bikes. The epic section known as Cyberia covers singletrack where riders may need to shoulder bikes at times. There is no prize purse, but bragging rights are bestowed. Proceeds benefit the Halo Foundation.

www.bikereg.com

17 DAncE for thE trAils. Fellowship of the Wheel holds a dance party from 7 p.m. until midnight at the Main Street Landing in Burlington. Proceeds benefit the local Vermont Mountain Biking Association chapter.

www.vmba.org

19 grAvEl grinDEr. Perry Hill trails kicks off the riding season by covering 25-plus miles of hills and dirt roads in the Waterbury area. Event will be held rain or shine. Registration includes ride food and drink, and t-shirt and post-ride meal from Chef Josh Bard of Phoenix Bar and Grill in Stowe. All funds raised will go toward trail maintenance at the Perry Hill trails in Waterbury, Vt.

www.vmba.org

26 3rD AnnuAl muDDy onion spring Dirt roAD clAssic. Onion River Sports hosts its third annual Spring Dirt Road Classic, the Muddy Onion on April 26. Ride 34 miles of Vermont’s most beautiful and scenic dirt roads and celebrate spring with this fully supported gravel grind through the back roads of central Vermont. Post-ride festivities include hot chocolate, bacon, maple syrup shots and a barbecue.

www.bikemamba.org

calendar of events Event organizers! Listing your event in this calendar is free and easy. Visit vtsports.com/submit-event, and e-mail results to [email protected].


sArAtogA springs DuAthlon, mAy 24The Saratoga Springs Lions Club hosts a 5K run followed by a 30K bike and an additional 5K run. The Lions Duathlon Experience is designed to allow for many levels of participation, including family and business teams, where members do the running or biking with any combination of male or female. www.saratogaspringslions.com

lAkE DunmorE triAthlon, junE 20Vermont Sun hosts a .9-Mile Swim, 28-mile Bike and 6.2-mile run in Branbury State Park. The lake region is a most spectacular and pristine place to swim, bike and run. The race is also held on August 9. www.vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

ADironDAck mArAthon DistAncE fEstivAl, sEpt 26-27Schroon Lake hosts a full weekend of distance racing in the Adirondack mountains. The race weekend features marathon, half-marathon, relays, 5k and 10k races, as well as fun runs for kids.www.adirondackmarathon.org

featured events:


calendar of eventsmay9 flowEr powEr mountAin bikE rAcE.

Catamount Outdoor Family Center hosts a cross-country mountain bike race on rolling singletrack with a variety of distances for all family members.

www.catamountoutdoorfamilycenter.com/

9 wAtErbury bikE swAp. VMBA partners with the Waterbury Trail Alliance for a bike swap from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in downtown Waterbury. Sellers keep 100 percent of their haul and shops will also offer deals on used bikes and parts.

www.vmba.org

23 killington stAgE rAcE. The town of Killington, Killington Ski Resort and the Green Mountain Bike Club host a series of races with distances of 11 to 160 miles over three days of racing in central Vermont.

www.killingtonstagerace.com

31 lunD cEntEr’s 7th AnnuAl riDE for

chilDrEn. The Lund Family Center in Burlington hosts a day of distance rides to raise funds for the Center. Distances include 50, 33 and 16 miles and the ride is followed by family-friendly activities.

www.lundvt.org

june

7 tour DE hEifEr. Brattleboro’s Strolling of the Heifers weekend includes the annual Tour De Heifer bike rides. All of the Tour de Heifer routes include substantial stretches of dirt roads with distances of 15, 30 and 60 miles. www.strollingoftheheifers.com/tour

10-14 tour DE kingDom. Kingdom Games in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom hosts four days of long-distance rides through the NEK and northern New Hampshire totaling 440 miles and 25,000 feet of vertical climbing.

www.tourdekingdom.org

13 vErmont grAn fonDo. The Vermont Gran Fondo is a non-competitive ride through Vermont’s Green Mountains. This ride will test your fitness with its challenging climbs over distances of 46, 69 and 104 miles, plus four mountain gaps — Lincoln, Appalachian, Middlebury and Brandon. Race starts at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl.

www.vermontgranfondo.com

20 routE 100-200 milEs, onE DAy. The 100/200 is a one-day bicycle ride that stretches from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts state line. Route 100 is widely recognized as one of Vermont’s most scenic highways and the 200-mile ride is routed to minimize automobile traffic.

http://100-200.org/

27 long trAil cEntury riDE. The annual Long Trail Century Ride to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports is a recreational century that starts and ends at Long Trail Brewery on Route 4 in Bridgewater Corners. Distances include 20, 60 and 100 miles.

www.longtrailcenturyride.com

28 cEntrAl vErmont cycling tour. A multi-distance ride winding along quiet country back roads in the towns north of Montpelier - from Morse Farm through the hamlets of Adamant, Maple Corners and Wrightsville. The route starts gently, and becomes more aggressive on the longer tours. Distances include 13.6, 33.75 and 59 miles.

www.crossvermont.org

july

12 fArm to fork fonDo. Wrenegade Sports hosts a three-distance, fondo ride to celebrate the symbiotic relationship between cyclists, farms and beautiful landscapes. The ride is open to the first 500 who register. Distances include 10, 40, 74 and 102 miles.

www.farmforkfondo-vt.com

18-19 bikE it if you cAn wEEkEnD. The Westchester Cycle Club, Mad River Riders, White Plains Ski Club, North Jersey Whiz Skiers and the Ramapo Ski Club host a weekend of road biking based from Mad River Glen. Rides depart from the MRG parking lot at 9 a.m. with three levels of routes on Saturday and a short ride on Sunday too. Barbeque and brews follow in the afternoon at the MRG Basebox. www.madriverglen.com

first Aid

April

11-12 wilDErnEss first AiD/cpr trAining. This is a two-day introductory course for care of injuries in the wilderness. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts and trip leaders, this

course includes lectures and practical simulation.

http://www.alohafoundation.org/hulbert-outdoor-center/

may

30-31 wilDErnEss first AiD / cpr trAining. This is a two-day, 16-hour introductory course for care of injuries in the wilderness. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts and trip leaders, this course includes lectures and practical simulation.

http://www.alohafoundation.org/hulbert-outdoor-center/

paddling

April

17 rEEl pADDling film fEstivAl. The Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington hosts award-winning films from the Reel Paddling Festival. A raffle will take place during intermission. Ticket proceeds benefit Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Tickets: $12 adults/$10 students online; $15 at the door.

18 nEw hAvEn lEDgEs rAcE. New England paddlers race down the New Haven River in Bristol. Athletes must be equipped with the appropriate boat, gear and safety equipment sufficient to sustain whitewater race conditions. Plastic boats only. More information is available on the New Haven Ledges Race Facebook page.

running

April

4 April fools 5k. Race Vermont hosts an April Fools Day themed 5K. Walkers are permitted at a 14-minute mile pace.

www.racevermont.com

4 rockinghAm 5k. The Bellows Falls Recreation Center hosts a family-friendly event to raise money for the Central School Parent-Teacher Organization.

www.rockbf.org

11 hAlf mArAthon unpluggED. Switchback Brewery presents a no-frills and no hills half marathon. The course begins at Airport Park in Colchester and runs along the bike path to the south end of Burlington. The majority of the course is on the bike path


and finishes on Flynn Ave near Oakledge Park.

www.runvermont.org

25 vErmont sports mEDicinE cEntEr

AnnuAl 5k. Vermont Sports Medicine Center holds its annual 5K race on April 25. Proceeds benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports and the Kids on the Move Rehabilitation program.

www.vermontsportsmedicinecenter.com/

25 gmAA rollin’ irish hAlf mArAthon. The Green Mountain Athletic Association hosts a certified half marathon on rural and scenic dirt roads. Start/finish is on Chapin Road near the intersection with Towers Road in Essex Center. Runners should expect to finish in less than 2:40.

www.gmaa.net

26 sAp run. The Sap Run is an 8.5-mile road race from Swanton to St. Albans. Race starts in downtown Swanton at the Teen Center and ends on Main St. in St. Albans.

www.saintalbansrec.com

26 tjm run for lung cAncEr rEsEArch. The fourth annual TJM Run for Lung Cancer Research is an untimed 5K run/walk to raise funds for the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. No dogs allowed.

www.eventbrite.com

may

2 grEEn strEEt school tulip trot

5k. The Green Street School PTO holds their third annual tulip trot 5K on roads and wooded trails that winds through neighborhoods before entering the scenic Retreat Trails at the base of Brattleboro’s famous ski jump.

www.tuliptrot5k.com

2 gmAA pump it up fivE milEr. The Green Mountain Athletic Association holds a certified five-mile race on Old Pump Road. The race will follow an out-and-back format.

www.gmaa.net

2 ADAmAnt 20-milEr AnD rElAy. Run this scenic out-and-back course on dirt roads with ponds and hills through Calais and Woodbury or share the run with a partner in the 13-mile/7-mile two-person relay. Contact: Eric Ryea, [email protected] or 802 223-2733

3 miDDlEbury mAplE run, thE swEEtEst

hAlf. The Middlebury Maple Run hosts its 8th annual half marathon through the beautiful town of Middlebury, through farm country in Weybridge that overlooks the Green Mountains to the east and Adirondacks to the West, and courses through the Middlebury College campus at the two-person relay point before finishing with a final five-mile and out-and-back on dirt roads closed to traffic for the race. Live music, post-race lunch, cash prize purse to the top runners, t-shirts, medals for all finishers and more.

www.middleburymaplerun.com

3 chAmplAin clAssic roAD rAcE. The Shelburne Parks and Rec Department hosts the Champlain Classic, a 5K and 15K road race on scenic roads in Shelburne.

www.champlainclassic.com

3 37th AnnuAl stEvE ZEmiAnEk

bEnnington roAD rAcE. The 37th Annual Steve Zemianek Bennington Road Race includes a half-mile kids fun run, 3.8-mile and 10K races in North Bennington.

www.runreg.com

7-14 2015 pEAk ultrA. Peak Races of Pittsfield will host a series of races with 15, 30, 50, 100, 200, and 500-mile distances. The longer races will all do a rugged 10-mile loop in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Runners will repeat the loops 10, 20, or 50 times to finish the respective races.

www.peak.com

9 jmmy run. The JMMY Center in Georgia, Vt. holds its annual race fundraiser with 5K, 10K and half marathon distances.

http://www.jmmy-run.org/

9 jArED jAbAut AgEncy 5k/10k & hAlf

mArAthon. Race Vermont holds a 5K, 10K and half marathon through some of the area’s most picturesque scenery, including the historic Ti Trail, Shelburne Bay and Lake Champlain. The 5K/10K will either be an out and back or a loop, depending on the condition of the trail. www.racevermont.com

9 vErmont rEspitE housE 5k fun run &

jiggEty jog. The Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle counties holds its annual 5K race for the Vermont Respite House.

www.vnacares.org

10 umbrEllA mothErs DAy run AnD

picnic. Traversing the ruggedly beautiful countryside at the base of Burke Mountain in East Burke, Vermont, the course challenges and delights runners and walkers of all levels. The 5k and 10k races will be run simultaneously, primarily over dirt roads.

www.umbrellanek.org

10 cvr mutt strutt. Central Vermont Runners hold a three-mile run for people with dogs on leashes to benefit the Central Vermont Humane Society.

Contact: Brittany Lafirira, [email protected].

16 hEArts for hungEr 5k. The United Church of Hinesburg is hosting a 5K & 1K Fun Run/Walk on May 16 to help fundraise for the Vermont Food Bank’s Backpack Program.

https://heartsforhunger5k.webconnex.com/2015

16 girls on thE run 5k. Every Girls on the Run Vermont 5K Run/Walk event is non-competitive and family-friendly, wherein all GOTRVT girls are winners, with a number “1” on their event bib. Go to www.girlsontherunvermont.org for locations around the state.

16 9th AnnuAl roAD to thE poguE. A challenging, but beautiful, 6.1-mile course on the grounds of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.

www.roadtothepogue.com

16 bArrE town spring run 5k. Central Vermont Runners and Onion River Sports in Montpelier host a 5K race on the Barre Town rec path out to the Rock of Ages Visitor’s Center. Part of the CVR/ORS race series.

Contact: Andrea McLaughlin, [email protected] or 802 476-4417.

17 rAcE ArounD thE lAkE. A 5K and 10K run around Silver Lake in Barnard, Vt. The race is a fundraiser for youth programming through BarnArts, a community arts organization. www.barnarts.org

17 shirEs of vErmont mArAthon. The fifth annual Shires of Vermont Marathon runs from Bennington College and heads through the small town of North Bennington before entering into the back roads of Shaftsbury

calendar of events


calendar of eventsand finishes in downtown Manchester.

www.bkvr.net

23 DAnDElion run. The Dandelion Run is a competitive and recreational half marathon with relay options on back roads deep in the heart of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The day also includes a 10K run and walk (adult solo and six person youth relays, included.)

www.dandelionrun.org

29 – 31 coyotE scrAmblE ultrAs. Kingdom Trails hosts a full weekend of ultra distance running around the Darling Hill trails with distances from seven to 40 miles.

www.coyotemoonultras.com

june

6 cApitAl city stAmpEDE 10k. Onion River Sports hosts Vermont’s fastest certified 10K course as part of the Central Vermont Runners and Onion Rivers Sports Race Series.

www.onionriver.com

6 colchEstEr cAusEwAy 5k/15k. Runners follow a gravel trail out onto the historic causeway, where runners will make their way to designated turn-around points on the causeway before returning to the finish at Airport Park.

http://colchestervt.gov/Recreation/

13 smugglErs’ notch trAil rAcE sEriEs. Smugglers’ Notch hosts 4K, 8K and kids races on dirt tracks around the Smugglers’ Notch area.

www.raceplanner.com

21 pAul mAilmAn montpEliEr tEn-milEr. The longest continuously held road race in central Vermont starts/finishes near Montpelier High School, as part of the Central Vermont Runners and Onion River Sports Race Series. Flat to rolling out and back course; 27 percent paved, 73 percent gravel roads.

www.onionriver.com

triathlon/Dualthon

may

17 stowE triAthlon. This early season triathlon includes a 500-meter swim, 13.7K bike, and 5K run in the Stowe area.

www.theswimmingholestowe.com

24 sArAtogA springs DuAthlon. The Saratoga Springs Lions Club hosts a 5K run followed by a 30K bike and an additional 5K run. The Lions Duathlon Experience is designed to allow for many levels of participation, including family and business teams where members do the running or biking or any combination of male or female.

www.saratogaspringslions.com

june

20 lAkE DunmorE triAthlon. Vermont Sun holds a .9-mile swim, 28-mile bike and 6.2-mile run in Branbury State park and along the shores of Lake Dunmore.

www.vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

20 vErmont sun triAthlon. Vermont Sun holds a 600-yard swim, 14-mile bike and 3.1-mile run in Branbury State park on the shores of Lake Dunmore.

www.vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

28 grEAtEr burlington sprint/olympic tri & AquAbikE. Run Vermont hosts a series of four races in Shelburne. Those races include two dualthons and two triathlons comprised of: a 500-yard swim and 15.8-mile bike; a 500-yard swim, 15.8-mile bike and 3.1-mile run; a .9-mile swim and 27-mile bike; and a .9-mile swim, 27-mile bike, 6.2-mile run. www.racevermont.com

2015 Skills Certification CoursesHulbert Outdoor Center, Fairlee, VT

Wilderness First Aid / CPR Cost: $260 (meals, lodging, course materials) $200 commuter (lunch, course materials)

Optional:American Heart Association CPR (Heartsaver)Cost: $45

April 11-12 • May 30-31 • November 21-22

Wilderness First Responder May be used as first half of a WEMT bridge course with SOLO. Cost: $925 (meals, lodging, course, materials) $740 commuter (lunch, course materials)

April 11-18 • May 18-25 • December 14-21

Wilderness First Responder Review (Recertification)Cost: $290 (meals, lodging, course, materials) $240 commuter (lunch, course materials) $45 CPR Re-certification

May 16-17 • November 21-22

Wilderness EMT Module Cost: $615 (meals, lodging, course materials) $500 commuter (lunch, course materials)

December 12-16

EMT WILD Day Cost: $150 (lunch, course materials)

December 12

ACA Canoe Instructor Certifications Levels 1, 2, and 3 (3 day training):Cost: $475 (meals, lodging) $380 commuter (lunch)

Level 1 and 2 (2 day training): Cost: $390 (meals, lodging) $310 commuter (lunch)

May 30-June 1 • June 5-7

** 10% Military Discount is available for all of our Skills Certification courses

For more information or to register, please contact Lynn Daly at 802-333-3405 or check our website http://tinyurl.com/HOC-2015-Skills

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Gear for Mom!A Vermont Sports Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Outdoor Research Delta Hoody With plenty of chilly days left this spring, the Delta Hoody

from Outdoor Research is a versatile piece that can be worn on its own or with other layers for increased warmth. Constructed with merino wool, the sweater offers stretchy lightweight warmth that’s quick drying and breathable. An odor-controlling coating promises zero stink, while blended fibers cut the cold without the weight or itch of wool.

$99

Black Diamond Women’s Onyx 55 Backpack

Designed with a woman’s frame in mind, the Onyx 55 maximizes com-fort and stability while hauling a weekend’s worth of gear. At 55 liters, the Onyx is top loading with front zippers for easy access to the interior, plus the shoulder and hip straps move with the wearer, elimi-nating hot spots and friction on the shoulders and hips while the pack remains balanced.

$250

Detours Ballard Market PannierIf mom’s looking to ride her

bike to any of farmer’s mar-kets around the state, she’ll need a bag that’s up to the task. Two side clips attach this bag securely to your bike with ease and release just as smoothly. When not in use, the clips are stowed in a zip-pered stash pocket and the bag transforms into a regular tote. For a hands free option, pad-ded tote handles transform again into adjustable back-pack straps, a helpful option when carrying up to 920 cubic inches of fresh produce.

AKU Ultra Light 30 GTx As AKU celebrates its 30th anniversary, the

European footwear manufacturer has revamped some of its original styles. The GTx is a lightweight day trekking boot with AIR8000 for enhanced breathability, Gore-Tex liner and a flat Vibram Erica Everest out-sole for maximum ground contact and trac-tion, and a dual density EVA midsole. If she

doesn’t like fuchsia or purple, it also comes in grey.

$199

By EVAn JOHnSOnWe’re going to make this easy for you. First, Mother’s Day is May 10. Before we

go further, go and mark your calendar now.Seriously, we’ll wait.now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are a few suggestions. If she’s look-

ing to bike, run, climb, paddle or dig in the garden, we’ve pulled a selection of gift ideas to bring a smile to her face. These are gifts that perform as well as they look and will have her getting out the door to enjoy spring in style and comfort.

If she’s looking to try something new, consider signing her up for a workshop or a guided experience around the state. The Green Mountain Club (www.greenmoun-tainclub.org) has a number of workshops in the spring that will help her develop skills in orienteering, wildlife and nature photography, thru-hiking and much more. Vermont Outdoors Woman (www.outdoorswoman.org), a project of the Vermont Outdoor Guide Association, offers recreation opportunities for women around the state.

Flowers and a card are good ideas too.


Polaroid CubeFor a small camera, the cube is quite a package. At just a hair longer

than an inch wide, it can shoot at 1080p and record 90 minutes of video on Micro SD cards. Various mounts and accessories are already in the works, plus a built-in magnet lets you stick the camera on any metal sur-face.

$100

StrapShot EV1The StrapShot is a handy device for carrying

cameras without the bulk or frustration of extra straps or bags. The StrapShot attaches to your shoulder straps or belt and an attachment on your cameras tripod mount clips your camera to the strap. The EV1 has been redesigned to carry compact, mirrorless, four-thirds and full-sized DSLR cameras. It also includes a redesigned teth-er and wrist strap that acts as a safety leash against accidental drops.

$79

Garmin Forerunner 15 GMS Monitor BundleWhether she’s looking to step on the course for the first time or set a new personal record,

here is a set of tools for the job. Garmin’s Forerunner Bundle includes a chest strap and watch to help her track her workout including heart rate, distance, pace and more. Plus, she can upload data to the free Garmin Connect online community to join fitness challenges and track progress.

$170

north Face FuseForm Jacket

Weighing just 10 ounces and completely waterproof, The north Face introduces a lightweight and durable layer for high altitude pursuits. The north Face’s FuseForm jacket is cut from a single piece of shell for increased abrasion resis-tance and has fully taped seams and is stitched with tough, cordura yarn. If weight and weather are concerns for Mom’s next summit attempt, here’s one piece of gear that will go the distance.

$299


By EVAn JOHnSOnWith all the snow this winter

and cold weather that has kept the snowpack from melting early, whitewater enthusiasts can look forward to running some challenging stretches in Vermont and in neighboring states this spring.

In Vermont, the dam releases are not set far in advance, mak-ing it challenging for paddlers to know where to be and when. But Julia Khorana, volunteer dam release coordinator with the Appalachian Mountain Club for Vermont, new Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine says with a little schedul-ing, paddlers in new England won’t have to go too far to find great conditions as many of the rivers in the state will be run-ning high.

“During spring whitewater when the snow is melting and we’re seeing more rainfall, we’re looking for free-flowing rivers,” she says. “Dam releases will offer opportunities in the summer as well, but free-flowing rivers in spring are really what I look for.”

Paddlers should be sure to visit American Whitewater (www.americanwhitewater.org), the northeast Paddlers Messaging Board (www.npmb.com) and the Vermont Paddlers Club (www.vtpad-dlers.net) for information on events, releases and discussion around paddling in our region. you can also go to www.vtsports.com where we’ll post the latest updates on whitewater conditions in Vermont.

For paddlers willing to drive further, here are some scheduled releases for whitewater paddling in Massachusetts, new Hampshire and new york’s Adirondack region. Some are flood control dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and others are working hydropower plants. The release of excess water can create advanced levels of white-water paddling, some as high as class four or five.

VERMOnTThis spring, paddlers should keep an eye out for

releases at popular spots in Vermont, including the Missisquoi River at Sheldon Springs and the Green River in Wolcott. Both have releases when water levels are sufficiently high. Operators at both dams have not yet confirmed any releases this spring, but as more snow melts, reservoirs will rapidly fill. Paddlers should check with dam operators or with the Vermont Paddlers Club for updates.

West River’s Ball Mountain Dam at Jamaica State Park In Jamaica, Vt. previously had a spring release, but participation in a yearly spring salmon release program in recent years and construction of a hydro power facility this April has caused the dam’s oper-ators to delay any releases until September, when the eight-mile run from the Ball Mountain Dam to the backwater of Townshend Lake has class two through four rapids with 1 to 2 foot drops. Private rafting companies along with paddling clubs from around new England and new york come to enjoy

the 1500 cubic feet per second release.

MASSACHUSETTSDeerfield RiverThe Fife Brook Dam in Florida, Mass. has 105

releases scheduled from spring to October. Releases are from 9:30 a.m. and noon with a flow of at least 700 cubic feet per second, for a three-hour dura-tion.

Releases are scheduled for April 12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-30; on May 1-3, 9-10, 16-17, 20-24, 27-31 and June 13-14, 17-21 and 24-28.

A hydroelectric dam in Monroe, Mass. has 32 scheduled releases until October. Friday releases are for four hours beginning at 11 a.m.; Saturday releases last five hours and begin at 10 a.m.; Sunday releases are four hours beginning at 10 a.m. Flows alternate between 900, 1000, and 1100 cubic feet per second.

Releases are scheduled on May 23-24 and June 14, 19-21 and 26-28.

Millers RiverThe Birch Hill Dam in Royalston, Mass. will

drain at a rate of 1100 cubic feet per second starting 9 p.m. on April 10 and flow until the reservoir is depleted.

Westfield River The Knightville and Littleville dams in Huntington,

Mass. have a release scheduled for April 18-19 and will flow at 1200 cubic feet per second starting at 6 a.m. The release coincides with the 62nd Annual Westfield River Races.

Quinnibaug RiverThe Brimfield Lake in Fiskdale, Mass. will be

drained at a rate of 350 cubic feet per second start-ing at 5 a.m. on April 26 until water is depleted. The release also coincides with the Sturbridge Lions Club East All American River Race.

nEW HAMPSHIREOtter Brook, n.H. Located in southwestern new Hampshire near

Keene, the Otter Brook flood control dam has releases scheduled for April 11-12 and May 2-3 starting at 9 a.m. until the water is depleted, flowing at 300 cubic feet per second.

Blackwater River, n.H.The Blackwater Dam in Webster, n.H. has a

release from April 17 – 19, starting at noon on Friday and flowing at 650 cubic feet per second until water is depleted.

Ashuelot River, n.H.The Surry Mountain Dam in Surry, n.H. will

release 275 cubic feet per second as part of its spring drawdown starting at 5 a.m. on May 2.

MAInEDead River, MaineRegulating the flows of the Dead River into the

Kennebec River, the Long Falls Dam at Flagstaff Lake in the Dead River Township has releases on May 2 and 9 at 7,000 cubic feet per second, May 24 at 5,500 cubic feet per second, May 30 at 5,000 cubic feet per second and May 31 at 1,000 cubic feet per second.

ADIROnDACKS, nEW yORK In the Adirondack State Park in new york pad-

dlers and guiding services look forward to paddling on the Black, Moose and Hudson Rivers as well as other smaller creeks in the High Peaks region. The Moose is a free flowing river that sees swells of up to eight feet during springtime melts. The Hudson River dam at Lake Abanakee sees releases on Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. In May and June, the Black River has releases from Fridays through Sunday. In July, the reservoir sys-tem will release water every day but Monday and Tuesday.

The Saranac River, which flows from Saranac Lake to Lake Champlain, has a stretch of moderate class 2 rapids known as “Permanent Rapids,” which is a predictable and popular stretch of white-water.

Paddlers drop in on whitewater release dates

A kayaker drops in on a section of whitewater in the green mountains.file photo by nick gottlieb


uppEr wElls rivEr projEct rEcEivEs fEDErAl funDing

POMFRET, Vt. – In celebration of World Water Day, the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) announced a new river assessment project that will take place this sum-mer on the upper Wells River.

CRWC recently was awarded an Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP) grant from the Vermont Agen-cy of natural Resources. The nearly $68,000 grant will pay for a Phase 2 Stream Geomorphic Assessment, writing a River Corridor Plan, and developing potential restoration projects in the Wells River water-shed.

CRWC is working with the Cale-donia County natural Resource Conservation District and Redstart Inc. to complete the work during the summer of 2015.

“Staff will be walking the upper Wells River watershed in the towns of newbury, Ryegate and Groton in order to assess stream bank erosion, streamside vegetation, culverts and more,” said Ron Rhodes, north Country River Steward for CRWC. “The end result will help us identify

problem areas where river resto-ration projects can be pursued in 2016 and beyond.”

notices about the staff doing fieldwork will be posted in town offices, shared via email and posted at numerous public locations in an effort to make local landowners aware of the project. Once the field-work is done, public information meetings will be held so landowners and others can see the assessment information and ask questions.

“The upper Wells geomorphic assessment will assist the Agency of natural Resources and our project partners in providing a better under-standing of stream process, stream bank erosion, and flooding poten-tial,” said Jim Ryan, Vermont AnR watershed coordinator. “The river corridor plan and project develop-ment will identify and prioritize water quality and aquatic habitat restoration and protection areas and recommend specific flood resiliency actions for watershed towns and residents alike.”

CRAFTSBURy, VT. — Sterling College announced award-winning author, farmer and philosopher Fred Kirschenmann will present his talk “Practical Strategies for Anticipating Future Food and Agriculture Challenges” on Wednesday, April 22, at 6 p.m. in Simpson Hall, Classroom 3. This talk is free and open to the public as part of the Vermont’s Table Speaker Series.

Kirschenmann has been recognized widely for his work. He was one of the first 10 recipients of the James F. Beard Foundation Leadership awards in 2011 and received the 2012 Sus-tainable Agriculture Achievement Award from Practical Farmers of Iowa. Other awards include Leader of the year in Agriculture by Progres-sive Farmer, the Seventh Generation Research Award from the Center for Rural Affairs, and the first Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Sustain-able Agriculture from the Glynwood Center in new york.

Kirschenmann shares an appoint-ment as Distinguished Fellow for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agri-culture at Iowa State University and

as President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in new york. He also continues to manage his family’s certified organic farm in south central north Dakota. In April 2010, he published a book of essays, Cultivating an Ecological Conscience: Essays from a Farmer Philoso-pher, that traces the evolution of his ecological and farming philosophy over the past 30 years.

“Fred Kirschenmann is one of the world’s leading voices for a resilient, sustainable agriculture and food sys-tem,” said Sterling College President Matthew Derr. “His advocacy for land ethics, soil health, and biodiver-sity in agriculture inspires the entire Sterling College community. We look forward to his presentation.”

The Vermont’s Table Speaker Series was launched in 2013 to bring noted individuals in the fields of sustainable food systems and agriculture to the Sterling College campus and the greater community. Past speakers have included Sandor Katz, Marion nestle, Gary nabhan, and Alice Waters.

sustAinAblE Ag lEADEr to spEAk At stErling collEgE

components, frames or entire bikes, head to one of several bike swaps closest to you. You’ll be able to meet other riders, get rid of your old stuff and maybe score a deal on the parts you need.

The Waterbury Area Trails Alliance and the Vermont Mountain Biking Association is holding a free bike swap open to the public on May 9 in Waterbury. Preregistration isn’t required, and you get to keep 100 per-cent of your sales. A number of shops around Vermont hold bike swaps, including Onion River Sports in Montpelier, Earl’s Cyclery & Fitness in South Burlington, and Ski Rack in Burlington — all held on the first week-end in May.

enteR a gRoup Ride oR a Race Riding’s more fun with friends. This spring be sure to sign up for the

Gravel Grinder on April 19, a 25-mile ride covering some of the finest hills and dirt roads in the Waterbury area. Funds raised will go toward the maintenance of the Perry Hill trails.

Another classic ride, the Muddy Onion, returns on April 26. The fully supported ride, presented by Onion River Sports in Montpelier, covers 34 miles of scenic dirt roads and finishes with a barbeque, chocolate bacon and maple syrup shots.

In the Northeast Kingdom, the Rasputitsa ride covers 45 miles of rug-ged gravel roads at the height of mud season. It’s not for the faint-of-heart and it’s scheduled for April 11.

This year, Sugarbush and the Mad River Riders have created a sched-ule to offer women’s Wednesday rides starting mid-June through August. The rides will alternate between starting at American Flatbread for cross-country riding and at Sugarbush for downhill riding. Mountain Bike Vermont team member Alison Zimmer will be on hand, leading the rides and coaching.

VolunteeRWe all love our trails, but they wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for a

hardworking group of volunteers that go out and keep the trails in top shape. This spring, get your hands dirty at a workday. The Stowe Mountain Bike Club holds a workday on May 16, and will construct three to four new trail links in the Cady Hill Forest. The Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association holds their workday on June 6. Check with your local chapter for more dates and locations near you.

tRy downhillTake a break from the climbs and experience the thrill of downhill

riding at some of Vermont’s biggest mountains. Killington, Sugarbush and Mount Snow resorts all have downhill trails from beginner to advanced and base areas complete with rental gear and bikes, uphill lift capacity, private and group instruction and organized rides.

This year Sugarbush is making a new practice zone, allowing begin-ners to ride the “magic carpet” with bikes for beginner/kid practice. The resort is also working on a new beginner trail from the top of the lift, as current riding off the top is intermediate to advanced.

In Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, Q Burke and Kingdom Trails have teamed up again to operate the Q Burke Mountain Bike Park, a gravi-ty-fed system of banked turns and technical downhill riding. The park also operates clinics for newer riders.

get to a festiValThere’s nothing more fun than when mountain bikers get together

for a few days of riding, followed up by parties and rallies. The New England Mountain Biking festival, June 19-21 at Kingdom Trails, features a weekend of riding, demoing the latest mountain biking gear, camping, live music and more.

That’ll get you psyched for the Vermont Mountain Biking Festival, scheduled for later in the summer on July 31-Aug. 2 in Brownsville, Vt. with riding on the Sports Trails of the Ascutney Basin.

bucket list (Continued from Page 10)

I’m one of those lucky kids who moved around a lot as a kid.

I don’t mean “lucky” sarcastical-ly, because from Park City, to Steamboat Springs, to the Pacific northwest, to Sun Valley, Idaho, I got the chance to experience some of the best ski towns and cultures that the West has to offer.

What drew me to the East for college, however, was not my prac-ticed desire to move, but the sto-ried, historic nordic ski culture of new England.

At Junior nationals I had seen them — the products of that culture — skiing around in their green and blue suits, recounting tales of their days in BKL (whatever that meant). I wasn’t envious, per say, but cer-tainly intrigued. I wanted to know this eastern nordic ski community.

The first thing I noticed when I got to Middlebury College in Vermont was that every person within the ski community I met had at one time or another cross-coun-try skied. Coming from a family with running and biking parents, I viewed the Eastern families as true specimens, where parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandpar-ents all skied. not every family was an Olympic family, but there were

more than one that had the rings hanging from every branch of their tree.

Kids in the East all shared, at the very least it seemed, the experi-ence of Bill Koch League, where they scooted as school children around their local ski trails, accom-panied by candy carrying adults, and lifelong memories of their skin-ny skis. Many of these kids went on to ski in high school, either for club teams or for their school, and there were entire schools (the ski acade-mies) dedicated to the pursuit of winter sport — a phenomenon that was just beginning to develop at home in Spokane, Wash., when I left.

There are many Eastern com-munities in the mountains that build their winter cultures around nordic (and alpine) skiing, with town events and shared family tra-ditions, night racing and Christmas tours, to the extent that few kids leave home without spending some quality time on edgeless skis.

Once we got to college, nordic skiing espoused the kind of memo-ries for Easterners that cross coun-try running or soccer did in my western high school: togetherness, teamwork, fun.

The more I thought about it, the more the respective nordic cul-tures in the East and West repre-sented cross sections of their geog-raphies and histories. Out West, where the rocky, craggy mountains rip you open and challenge you to love them, the history is equally as rugged. It’s a history where people crossed the country in wagons and horseback with dreams of striking gold but ended up testing the strength of their own individualism and based a culture around it. Today, the philosophical and physi-cal qualities of the independent spirit are embedded in the West’s ski culture, nordic and alpine.

The Westerners who cross-country ski also backcountry ski, and endurance run, and climb. To get involved in the sport, you make the decision on your own, and you chase it and stand by it, because otherwise it’s quite easy to drift away into the more main-stream, resort ski activities. nearly everyone begins downhill skiing before cross-country, out West, and although great numbers of kids belong to nordic racing clubs, referring to cross-country as “ski-ing” may isolate you from your edged peers. But you can own it,

and when you do, skiing becomes yours.

In the East, kids grow up sur-rounded by Olympians, profession-al skiers and founders of the sport. Every town has trails, it seems, equipped with technical and begin-ning terrain and at least one skiing guru who loves nothing more than to get to groom them all. you have single tracks in birch woods, or wide racecourses in and out of sta-diums. It’s a culture that’s so deep, so old, that it can be intimidating.

But it is also most certainly wel-coming.

The two nordic cultures of the West and East are indubitably dif-ferent, but one is not better than the other. For my part, I’m grateful to have experienced both, because without one, I certainly would not have found the other.


the nordic life by Annie Pokorony EAst vs wEst in norDic ski culturE

Annie Pokorny is a writer from Spokane, Wash., who skis profes-sionally for SMS T2 at Stratton Mountain, Vt.

By EVAn JOHnSOnThe writer Edward Abbey is best

known for his outspoken criticism of public land policies and advocacy for environmental issues. His books and essays have been a source of inspiration for environmentalists, explorers, anarchists and writers alike. After his death in 1989, four of his closest friends buried him in an unmarked grave in the Cabeza Prieta Desert in Pima County, Arizona. For years, the location of his final resting place has been the subject of speculation, with none of his companions willing to divulge the precise location.

But that hasn’t kept devotees of Abbey from looking and one of the latest to take up the challenge is Vermont author Sean Prentiss, who writes about his search in his book, “Finding Abbey – The Search for Edward Abbey and His Hidden Desert Grave.”

The book, due out later this spring from University of new Mexico Press, is equal parts adventure and

travel writing as well as narrative journalism that spans the country.

Prentiss was introduced to Abbey while in college. Since then, Abbey’s work has formed the way Prentiss views his place in the world. From the book’s beginning, Prentiss attri-butes his wanderlust to the impres-sion left by Abbey’s works, particu-larly in “Desert Solitaire” and “The Monkey Wrench Gang.”

Abbey first traveled west in 1944, after graduating high school and spent significant periods in the four corners region of Colorado, new Mexico, Arizona and Utah working as a ranger in state parks. Prentiss’s kinship with Abbey is their shared wanderlust and the yearning to break from the confines of a regi-mented daily existence. Indeed, before coming to Vermont, where he now works as a professor of English at norwich University and a creative editor at Backcountry Magazine, Prentiss led a largely itinerant life-style, working as a ski bum and a trail builder in Montana, new

Mexico and Oregon. The two share a love for the out-

doors and wild places, but Prentiss struggles to find his place in today’s world. While knowing he needs the modern world to make a living, he feels compelled to get away from it whenever he can, to escape to the open road or his cabin in a remote region of Colorado to reflect, write and seek out adventure.

On this journey, the focus remains unflinchingly fixed on Prentiss and his firsthand reporting. We see him wandering cemeteries in rural Pennsylvania looking for Abbey family graves, driving to the frozen shores of Lake Michigan in winter and touring the American Southwest in a pickup to interview Abbey’s friends, editors and co-conspirators.

Prentiss dwells on the underlying causes of events in his and Abbey’s lives and takes apparent satisfaction in the incidents where the two share similar situations or emotions. In doing so, he applies every discovery, every interview regarding Abbey’s

life and work to his own trajectory. These personal interjections can

feel intrusive and threaten to eclipse the character of the very man he’s trying to find, but he always manag-es to circle back to the task at hand. As he nears the end of his quest, it becomes apparent that the ultimate search isn’t just for Abbey’s bones in the desert, but a path for himself.

“All this searching might teach me things I need to learn about surviv-ing in the city, about keeping it all or throwing it all away, about adven-ture, friendship, the lust for passion, the need for mystery in our lives,” he writes.By finding Abbey, he pos-tulates, he just might find himself.

While having all the makings of an expertly researched piece of nar-rative journalism, what is most com-mendable about “Finding Abbey” is the narrator’s willingness to go the distance and explore one of modern America’s most outspoken critics, and to inspire others to look for what he rightfully calls “a life worth living.”

Book review: ‘Finding Abbey,’ searching for self in a desert grave

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