#6/10 Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon and Squirelly Six Miler - Thacher State Park, Albany, NY

So I don't mean to dive too early into the week for these blog entries, but I have to tell you that I was at Game of the 4 NLCS, I saw Jimmy do it, and it was awesome..... Bruce didn't put on a bad show either the following night.....it was quite a week.



It's not every day you see a pile up at 3rd Base.

The Phillies have won the ballgame. Rollins has won it. This game is over.

Friday night Me, the Big Yellow Monster, Jule, and Marshi headed to NJ for a Halloween Movie Night at Chucky and Sarah's Place. Chuck had a projector set up to show Pycho on the side of his garage which is always pretty cool, plus a some great food, a few good people, and a costume here and there.

Chuck, Me, and Dan Taylor. We're good looking enough that we don't need costumes.

Hooper in his dog costume.

Me and Hooper.




Sarah and her customized vampire teeth.

Our hosts, Chuck and Sarah!

Big Yellow Monster (ok, fine, Melanie) , Jule, and Marshi.

Saturday - Todd, Melanie, K, and I piled in the car and then onward to Albany for the Hairy Gorilla Half and Squirelly Six. But first we needed to head to Phillipsburg NJ, so Melanie could pay a visit to her 91 year old grandmother, Mommy Jo! She's very sweet and very strong and tough all at the same time, I know where Melanie gets it from. Our thoughts and prayers are with her.

In the meantime Todd, K, and I had a delicious, greasy, NJ diner breakfast at the Key City Diner in Phillipsburg.

We swung back to pick up Melanie and headed up the New York Thruway through some amazing fall colors up to New York.

Due to the rain forecast for the night, we had to cancel the fall camping trip and instead we stayed with Todd's Uncle Skip, Aunt Nancy, and Cousin Steve. We had a great meal, a few laughs and sports trivia over dinner, a bottle of wine or two, and the most ridiculously good apple pie I've ever had.

We woke up bright and early and drove over to John Boyd Thacher State Park in Vorheesville, New York, just west of Albany. Most of the park is up along the Helderberg Escarpment, and provides great views of the Hudson Valley and you can even see the Green Mountains in Vermont.

And let me explain a few things about this race.... there is a 6 mile run and a Half Marathon, costumes are encouraged and awarded. Both the 6 mile and the half start at the same time, and the half shares the first part of the course with the 6 mile run and runners. Runners are encouraged to bring bananas to registration, which will be planted along the last mile of the Half Marathon course, and the finisher carrying the most bananas across the finish wins a prize. There is also a Gorilla on the course who will try to get in your way, but you throw one of the bananas at him and he will leave you along. There is also a prize for the best gorilla impersonation while crossing the finish line....

Melanie and K signing up.

Hudson Valley and the Green Mountains.



The Albany Running Exchange, the organizers of the race, went all out. They created a customized graveyard with words of caution and even some names of pre-registered runners on the gravestones. Don't eat the Bananas.

Bury your nuts here. K agrees.

The Gorilla is friendly before the race starts. Or maybe its just to cute girls.

Team Phillies running in New York State. Great idea Todd...

Team Superstar minus one.

The, er, race director/master of ceremonies/phantom of the opera singing a song of warning to us about the race, the mud, the tough trails, and of course, the Gorilla.

The sun came out just in time to warm us up for the start. Do you see K and Melanie anywhere in the field of runners at the start? I don't. hmm...

Zombie hiding the woods as we ran by...



Running through a customized graveyard.

Melanie!

Melanie's off to make her way to the front.

Along the Escarpment trail....

crossing a stream....

Most of the costumed runners were in the 6 miler, but a few braves souls ran the entire trail half in costume.

over a wooden bridge.

even the volunteers at the water stop were in costume.

through the woods.

and down and around to the trail below.

each mile marker had a different Gorilla and Squirrel sign

the ridge along the escarpment

6 miles into the run we came to the decision.... turn right to finish the 6 mile run, turn left to keep on going.... Melanie and K had planned for the 6 so they were done. Todd was well ahead of me on the trails of the second portion of the half. Melanie was waiting for me, I tossed her the camera so she could take over with the pictures.... and I could get on my way.

6 miles in.

Troublemakers with Aunt Nancy as the leader.

Heading into the Finish....

My Gorilla impression at the finish. I got 3rd place I think.

Melanie and a white Golden Retreiver!

And of course, the Official 2009 Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon Finisher's Medal. Thanks to Todd's Family for putting us up, to Todd K and Melanie for coming along on a great trip, and to the Albany Running Exchange for putting on such a great and fun event.